Cover Reveal, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway: Nocturne by Irene Preston and Liv Rancourt

First off, I want to thank Lisa for having us back on The Novel Approach. I’m so excited to share the cover of Nocturne, the second book in the Hours of the Night series I co-write with Irene Preston. Nocturne has been a long time coming, and very soon, it’ll be here!

Soon! Like October 12^th soon! And it’s only $2.99 during the preorder period!

We were thrilled with our readers’ response to Vespers, the first book in the series, and we’re hopeful they’ll follow us along for Nocturne. In Vespers, the Church played a big role, but in Nocturne, we dig deeper into New Orleans society, and find….witches!

Thaddeus and Sarasija get pulled into a secret society and face off against an opponent who tests their relationship in a whole new way. I don’t want to say any more –  because authors are evil like that – so you’ll have to grab a copy to see if they’re up to the challenge.

And if you haven’t read Vespers, it’s on sale for only $0.99 from now until Nocturne’s release! (So is Bonfire, our holiday novella. $0.99! Such it’s a bargain!)

I swear the hardest part about working on Nocturne was keeping the cover art a secret. Irene and I had planned to release the book in early summer, but real life kicked that idea to the curb. We’d already booked the cover artist, though, so we went ahead with the design last April.

April!! Do you know how hard it’s been to sit on something so pretty?

Finally, we’re able to show off Kanaxa’s work. I think it captures the vibe of the story, and I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks very much, and keep reading for an excerpt and for the rafflecopter widget. You could win a $10 gift card!

About the Book

It’s Mardi Gras, cher, but this year le bon temps kick off with murder… 

For generations, the White Monks have treated the vampire Thaddeus Dupont as a weapon in their battle against demons. However, when a prominent matron drops dead at a party, Thaddeus and his lover Sarasija are asked to find her killer. Their investigation leads them to an old southern family with connections everywhere: Louisiana politics, big business, the Church, and an organization just as secret as the White Monks.

Meanwhile, an esoteric text containing spells for demon-summoning has disappeared, Thaddeus is losing control of le monstre, and Sara is troubled by disturbing dreams. These nightmares could be a side-effect of dating a vampire, or they could be a remnant of his brush with evil. As the nights wear on, Sara fears they are a manifestation of something darker – a secret that could destroy his relationship with Thaddeus.

Nocturne is only $2.99 (40% off) through Oct. 12.

Don’t miss Vespers and Bonfire (Hours of the Night 1 and 1.5) at the special price of $0.99 for the same period!

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | More Stores

Excerpt

Too soon, the front door closed behind the last of our guests. Sara sighed, as if weariness weighed down his soul. He needed rest. We both needed rest, yet we stared at each other, the words hiding away. The visceral memory of his capitulation, giving way to the demands of my body, sent a spasm of lust through me.

He had to have seen it, yet he did not look away.

I inhaled, hoping to draw in the knowledge of how to proceed. He gave me a small smile and took my hand. “Let’s go to bed, Thaddeus. The bad guys will still be here tonight.”

It would be so easy to yield, to follow him upstairs, to hold him in my arms.

But not with this thing between us, this wickedness I had done to him. He tugged on my hand, but I held firm.

“Look, Thaddeus, whatever you’re chewing over in there is no big deal.” His smile held a hint of sadness, and he used my hand to pull himself in close to my body. “If you’re feeling guilty for the sex, you don’t have to be.”

He traced my lower lip with the tip of his finger. This close, the strength of his body and the warmth of his heart became touchstones, tools I could use to ground myself.

“Toujours,” I whispered. “I have never thought to demand that of another person.” I rubbed my cheek in the palm of his hand. “I did not know what it meant to feel possessive of another man.”

His eyes widened, but he didn’t back away. “Wow”—he gulped—“that’s totally not where I thought you were going with this.”

Something in my face made him laugh. Maybe it was the relief for his deft change of subject. “What did you think I meant?” I asked him.

He wrapped his hands around my waist, stepping in to my body. “I thought you were beating yourself up over the, um, forcefulness of our, um, lovemaking.”

Belly to belly, I could have melted into him. Truly forever. “Well, yes.” The beast snarled, reminding me of its presence. “I admit I am ashamed of forcing myself on you.” I shrugged. Time to say what I needed to say. “But honestly, I must apologize for…” The words stuck in my throat.

His smile held nothing but affection. “For what?”

“For claiming you. For getting upset when I saw…” I really could not continue.

He inhaled deeply, his smile never faltering. “That’s okay. I’m the one who should be apologizing. I really don’t know what happened tonight.”

“But you are young. You should be allowed— ”

“Wait.” He covered my mouth with his fingertips. “I don’t want anyone else.”

I wrapped my arms around him, gratitude and relief swamping me. “So, you accept my apology?”

“If you’ll accept mine.”

And there, in the room still echoing with the sounds of sadness, I kissed him soundly. We needed more time and more conversation, but for now, we’d found peace.

Nocturne is only $2.99 (40% off) through Oct. 12.

Don’t miss Vespers and Bonfire (Hours of the Night 1 and 1.5) at the special price of $0.99 for the same period!

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | More Stores

Add to GoodReads || Read More on IrenePreston.com || Read More on LivRancourt.com

About the Authors

Irene Preston has to write romances, after all she is living one.  As a starving college student, she met her dream man who whisked her away on a romantic honeymoon across Europe.  Today they live in the beautiful hill country outside of Austin, Texas where Dream Man is still working hard to make sure she never has to take off her rose-colored glasses.

Where to find Irene: IrenePreston.com | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Mailing List | Goodreads | After Hours

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I write romance: m/f, m/m, and v/h, where the h is for human and the v is for vampire … or sometimes demon … I lean more towards funny than angst. When I’m not writing I take care of tiny premature babies or teenagers, depending on whether I’m at work or at home. My husband is a soul of patience, my dog’s cuteness is legendary, and we share the homestead with three ferrets. Who steal things. Because they’re brats.

Where to find Liv: LivRancourt.com | Facebook | Twitter | Mailing List | Goodreads | After Hours

The Giveaway

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