Warrior
Lord
The
Drift Lords Series
Book
3
Nancy
J. Cohen
Genre: Paranormal SciFi/Fantasy
Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: August 1,
2014
ISBN: 978-1-62830-446-6
ISBN: 978-1-62830-445-9
ASIN:
Number of pages: 422
Word Count: 102,340
Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor
Book Description:
A fantasy wedding in Las Vegas
turns into a nightmare when contest winner Erika Sherwood realizes she’s
married an alien.
Pottery sculptor Erika Sherwood
has no idea her televised wedding in Las Vegas is for real until an official
confirms she and the stranger she’s just met are legitimately wed.
A Drift Lord and warrior of the
Tsuran, Magnor tricks the redhead into marriage because she’s one of six women
prophesied to save Earth. But as he’s forced into her company in their race
against the apocalypse, he wonders if he risks his heart more than his
life.
Can a free-spirited ceramic
artist and a fierce swordsman trust each other enough to prevent disaster?
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/91cdYSftbmU
Available at
Short
Excerpts:
Excerpt
1
Standing behind
him, she linked her arms around his chest, clasped her hands together, and sank
her head onto his neck. His solid form felt reassuring as she pressed against
him.
Her thoughts
evaporated as they swung out into empty space. Her blood froze, and her breath
stopped. She clutched Magnor as though her life depended on it, which it did.
What if his wounded arm folded, and he lost his grip?
Wind whipped
hair into her face and battered her skin. Magnor let go of the cable when they
swung over the neighboring roof. As they tumbled, he rolled under her. She
crashed atop him, her landing softened by his body.
They ended up
face to face, sprawled on a rubbery surface. Her heart pounded as she got her
bearings. Splashing sounds came from the near distance amid the glow of lamp
light.
Magnor’s arms
wrapped around her. Startled, she realized her dress had hiked up, and her hips
rode on a burgeoning part of his anatomy. He grinned up at her, clearly
enjoying their compromising position.
Or was it the
sense of danger that thrilled him more?
Excerpt
2
“Fifty thousand
dollars,” Erika muttered. “Man, could I use that money!”
Magnor nudged
her, a grin on his face. “Why don’t we enter the contest together?”
The smile
transformed his features, making her want to study the craggy lines and furrows
that made his visage so interesting.
“What?” she said
when his words finally registered.
“I need a room,
and the hotel is full. If we win, that will solve my problem. You can keep the
car and the cash.”
“B-But the
winners have to get married. On live television.”
He waved a hand.
“Oh, that. Las Vegas is all about fantasy, is it not?”
Her eyes
widened. “You mean, the wedding will be filmed like a reality show, but it
isn’t real?”
He winked at
her. “All of the contestants get bonus credits on their club cards. What have
we got to lose?”
Long
Excerpt:
Where else but
Las Vegas could a bearded man wearing a cape and sword swagger inside a casino
without drawing attention?
Erika Sherwood
stared at the man who peered around, a bewildered look on his face until his
gaze slammed into hers.
Her heart
slowed, as though the world had frozen in that moment. Despite the bells
ringing and people chattering and roulette wheels spinning, her awareness
narrowed. She couldn’t drag her eyes away from his searing glance.
Her pulse jumped
when the man strode purposefully in her direction, his cape flapping behind
him. With his powerful physique and resolute jawline, he looked like a
superhero come to life. She supposed he’d bought that fabulous costume at a
store along the Strip.
He claimed the
empty seat beside her, exchanged a few words with the blackjack dealer, and set
out a pile of chips. Tension charged the air around him. Her sideways glance
absorbed his longish black hair and trim beard and the wide breadth of his
shoulders. She pulled her skirt down, aware it had hiked up indecently, but his
gaze didn’t go there. Instead, his dark eyes fixated on her wristwatch.
“Miss?” The
dealer’s questioning glance fell on her.
“Oh. Hit me,
please.” She grimaced at the eight of spades she’d drawn. Drat, now she was
over the limit.
“Not having any
luck?” The newcomer nodded at her diminishing pile of chips. “Maybe this isn’t
your game.”
“Excuse me,
mister…?”
“My name is
Magnor.” He quirked an eyebrow when the waitress came by with another round of
free drinks.
Erika lifted her
third Viking Volcano from the tray. Who could resist? The fruity drinks were on
the house, a popular ploy to keep gamblers in their casino.
She raised her
glass in a friendly gesture before taking a sip. “Is Magnor your first name or
your last name?”
“It’s my only
name.” His mouth curved as he watched her reaction.
“O-kay.” She
wasn’t in the mood to challenge him. Those drinks had already gone to her head,
making her happy to accept his remark along with his blatant stare. Probably
half the people in Vegas used false names anyway.
“Do you work
here?” she asked, realizing his outfit matched the resort’s Nordic theme.
He stiffened. “I
should say not. I am a guest, like you.”
“Sorry to have
asked, but you fit the part.”
“It is my
customary attire as a warrior of the Tsuran.”
“I see,” she
said in a noncommittal tone. Maybe he was an actor deep into his role. He could
be taking a break from a movie set. Were they filming a sequel to Thor in the
area?
“Nice timepiece
you’re wearing.” He nodded at the object of his scrutiny.
Erika slid her
hand under the table. “It was a gift.”
Her parents had
given her the watch for her sixteenth birthday with the caveat that she ask no
questions about its unusual properties. It ran with no visible mechanism and no
battery and had a peculiar symbol engraved on its face.
Her forehead
wrinkled. Why had Magnor chosen to comment on her watch when most men would
offer a line about her flaming red hair or her flashy clothes?
Come on, Erika,
why do you care what he thinks? You came here for the art show, remember, and
not to meet men?
It must be the
alcohol causing that low buzzing sound in her ears and not his imposing
presence.
“This
announcement is for all of our engaged couples out there,” blared a loudspeaker
voice. “It’s the last call if you want to enter our exciting contest. The lucky
winners will be married on live television, after which they’ll receive a
complimentary stay in our honeymoon suite, fifty thousand dollars, and a new
car. Entries are being accepted in the Green Room all day Friday until four
o’clock.”
“Fifty thousand
dollars,” Erika muttered. “Man, could I use that money!”
Magnor nudged
her, a grin on his face. “Why don’t we enter the contest together?”
The smile transformed
his features, making her want to study the craggy lines and furrows that made
his visage so interesting.
“What?” she said
when his words finally registered.
“I need a room,
and the hotel is full. If we win, that will solve my problem. You can keep the
car and the cash.”
“B-But the
winners have to get married. On live television.”
He waved a hand.
“Oh, that. Las Vegas is all about fantasy, is it not?”
Her eyes
widened. “You mean, the wedding will be filmed like a reality show, but it
isn’t real?”
He winked at
her. “All of the contestants get bonus credits on their club cards. What have
we got to lose?”
Erika stared at
her diminished pile of chips. She’d lost two hundred dollars in less than an
hour. She scooped the remaining credits into her purse while considering the
man’s outrageous suggestion.
In her earlier
days, she’d have accepted his proposal without a second thought. Back then
nothing had mattered except her plants, her pottery, and her own pleasure.
Eventually,
she’d erected an armor of self-discipline around herself so she could
accomplish her goals. However, this resolve had evaporated under the influence
of the drinks and the man’s piercing gaze. Who wouldn’t want a hunk like him as
her fake fiancé?
Ignoring the
warning bells in her mind, she scraped back her chair.
“I accept your
offer,” she told him with bravado. “If we lose, at least we’ll be ahead by
several credits. And it might be fun.”
“We should seal
the deal if we are to play an engaged couple,” Magnor said, closing the
distance between them.
His head
descended before she could protest, and his lips met hers.
Marriage of Conveniencewith a Fantasy Twist
by Nancy
J. Cohen
I’ve
always liked reading marriage of convenience stories. So as I was plotting Warrior Lord, #3 in the Drift Lords series,
I thought about setting the first scene in Las Vegas. This city has a
reputation for quickie marriages. Wouldn’t it be fun to marry off my hero and
heroine at the outset of the story?
The
bad guys in this series, alien soldiers called Trolleks, have invaded Earth
through a dimensional rift. They lure people to tourist attractions to
“confound” them or turn them into mind slaves. Vegas is one big theme park for
adults. What better place could there be than “Sin City”for them to set up a
recruitment center?
Lord
Magnor, an expert swordsman and a Drift Lord warrior, strides inside the Viking
Vegas Resort while on a mission. His task is to find an ancient book that
contains a clue to a weapon that can defeat the Trolleks. A tip has brought him
to this casino. But when he steps inside, he’s drawn to a red-headed female
playing at the blackjack tables.
His
gaze zeroes in on her wristwatch. Its etching identifies her as one of the
chosen Earthwomen in an ancient prophecy. At all costs, he must protect her.
Taking a seat, he learns her name is Erika Sherwood. The lady has no idea of
her perilous role, and so he must convince her to tag along with him.
An
announcement over the loudspeaker gives him an excuse. A contest for engaged
couples couldnet them some impressive prizes. He proposes to the redhead that
they enter the contest together. Here’s an excerpt:
“This
announcement is for all of our engaged couples out there,” blared a loudspeaker
voice. “It’s the last call if you want to enter our exciting contest. The lucky
winners will be married on live television, after which they’ll receive a
complimentary stay in our honeymoon suite, fifty thousand dollars, and a new
car. Entries are being accepted in the Green Room all day Friday until four
o’clock.”
“Fifty
thousand dollars,” Erika muttered. “Man, could I use that money!”
Magnor
nudged her, a grin on his face. “Why don’t we enter the contest together?”
The
smile transformed his features, making her want to study the craggy lines and
furrows that made his visage so interesting.
“What?”
she said when his words finally registered.
“I
need a room, and the hotel is full. If we win, that will solve my problem. You
can keep the car and the cash.”
“B-But
the winners have to get married. On live television.”
He
waved a hand. “Oh, that. Las Vegas is all about fantasy, is it not?”
Her
eyes widened. “You mean, the wedding will be filmed like a reality show, but it
isn’t real?”
He
winked at her. “All of the contestants get bonus credits on their club cards.
What have we got to lose?”
Erika
stared at her diminished pile of chips. She’d lost two hundred dollars in less
than an hour.She scooped the remaining credits into her purse while considering
the man’s outrageous suggestion.
In
her earlier days, she’d have accepted his proposal without a second thought.
Back then nothing had mattered except her plants, her pottery, and her own
pleasure.
Eventually,
she’d erected an armor of self-discipline around herself so she could
accomplish her goals. However, this resolve had evaporated under the influence
of the drinks she’d consumed and the man’s piercing gaze. Who wouldn’t want a
hunk like him as her fake fiancé?
Her
head spinning, she wondered how a few cocktails could affect her so strongly.
Was there something else in those fruity drinks that made her so amenable?
“I
accept your offer,” she told him with bravado.
When Erika and Magnor are declared the winners, she is
stunned. Erika has only agreed to be married on live TV because she believes it
is part of a fantasy for TV viewers. So when the civil official who weds them
says their documents should be arriving in the mail, she’s unsure about what
really happened. Magnor confirms they are legally wed and suggests they move in
together to the honeymoon suite. Not wishing to lose her cash prize, Erika goes
along with him. And here is where their adventure begins. Erika refuses to be
left behind when Magnor prepares to pursue his mission. There’s no turning back
once the Trolleks get onto their trail. She barely has time to realize she’s
married a man from another planet when they are pursued, attacked and on the
run.
As she gets to know him, Erika begins to fall for her new
husband. Plus, she has a secret reason for wanting to stay wed to him. Can she
convince him to remain once his mission is done? And why does his answer matter
so much to her?
This was a fun story to write, combining the marriage of
convenience theme with fantasy elements in a modern day setting. So hop aboard
and see where this Vegas-style wedding takes Erika and Magnor. Will their
marriage last? Or will the “Until Death Do Us Part” bit apply in their case?
About
the Author:
Nancy J. Cohen writes the
humorous Bad Hair Day mystery series featuring hairdresser Marla Shore. Several
of these titles have made the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association
bestseller list. Nancy is also the author of Writing the Cozy Mystery, a
valuable instructional guide for writers on how to write a winning whodunit.
Her imaginative romances have proven popular with fans as well. Her titles in
this genre have won the HOLT Medallion and Best Book in Romantic SciFi/Fantasy
at The Romance Reviews. A featured speaker at conferences, libraries, and
community events, Nancy is listed in Contemporary Authors, Poets & Writers,
and Who's Who in U.S. Writers, Editors, & Poets.
Website: http://nancyjcohen.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nancyjcohen
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/njcohen/
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyjcohen
Google Plus: https://google.com/+NancyJCohen
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/nancyjcohen
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/nancy-j.-cohen
Tour Giveaway
One Warrior Lord T-shirt and a
signed print copy of Warrior Prince
Open to US Shipping
Additional
Contest: August 1 – 22
Win a whimsical Gnome figurine
and a signed first edition copy of Circle of Light.
Thanks so much for hosting me here!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Ms. Cohen! Ive read both Circle of Light and Moonlight Rhapsody. Circle of Light is one of my favorite books and the first Futuristic/Fantasy Romance I've read. It's an honor to host your tour! I'm looking forward to reading this series as well :)
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Thanks so much, Fire Fairy! Circle of Light holds a place in my heart as my first published book. I'd put all of my day dreams into that one story! I hope you like my new Drift Lords series.
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