Yay!  We have made it to our first big giveaway for the Black Sci-Fi 2012 Blog Hop!

So without further ado, the two winners of their very own autographed copy of Interlopers:  A Shifters Novel are:

Narcel Reedus

&

Marianne Dyson

I will be in touch with you soon, to get your addresses for shipment.  Also I want to thank all of you that have participated so far, by tweeting, liking, responding, and following these blogs.  Remember, we will have another giveaway for the last blog on February 27 and the rules are still the same (check them out here).  So keep those comments coming.   We  love to hearing your thoughts.

This week is all about our most recent work.   I have been reading from Posers: A Shifters Novel since about October of last year, but I have yet to debut any of it online.  Since the release date is fast approaching, now is the perfect opportunity to give my blog readers the first taste.

From Posers…

“Will you look at the lovebirds.”  “The Wall’s” sneer was evident in his voice as he slipped out from behind one of the book stacks.   He was not alone.  Like little insects, two of his ever-present cronies scurried  out from behind him, blocking the aisles and all roads to escape.

Abruptly, Charlie snatched her arms from around his neck and just as suddenly, the warmth that had infused his body disappeared leaving him feeling weirdly cold and drained.  He felt her take a step backward, though he was not sure whether she was trying to distance herself from him or the giant of a boy that towered over them.  Instinctively, he stood up and placed himself between Charlie and the boys.

“What are you doing with this loser?”  The Wall’s voice quaked through the silent library and he neither cared about nor acknowledged the angry “shhhs” that followed his question.
“Why don’t you just mind your own business!” Charlie cried over his shoulder and two of the bullies snickered.
“Having a girl fight his battles for him,” said the smallest, though size was definitely relative, olive-skinned one.  He wore a jacket that had his last name, Rodriguez, embroidered above a basketball on the left side.
“That’s about what I would expect,” “The Wall” rejoined.  Nate’s cheeks burned.  He did not need anyone to fight his battles for him.  He looked back at Charlie and to his surprise, rather than looking scared, she was incensed.
“I told you someone would be looking for me,” she said, seething.  Her words slipped through tightly clenched lips like a hiss.
Nate’s eyes shot open in surprise.   He had always assumed that she was talking about her friends.  He never imagined that she meant these guys.  The realization and her obvious anger sparked something in Nate.  It was one thing for them to pick on him.  He had gotten used to that, but he was not about to sit back and let them torment the one person in the whole school that had the guts to befriend him.
“Don’t you guys have anything better to do,” he asked stalling as he scanned for a way out.  The three grinned like ravenous wolves and a chorus of nos went around.
“Well, that sucks for you, because we do,” Nate rejoined.  He grabbed his lunch bag and reached his other hand back to Charlie.  As she grasped his hand, he felt a warm surge of energy that entered through his hand and swiftly filled his entire body.  In that moment, he realized what was so familiar about it.
Her touch felt like the fuerza.
Shocked, he looked down at their intertwined fingers and then back up at the girl.  Everything else was momentarily forgotten as he peered at her wondering how such a thing was possible.  Then, “The Wall’s” menacing voice brought him back to the reality.
“You’re not going anywhere with her.”  Nate looked up to see “The Wall” taking another step closer.  The other two did the same.  Another time, he would have made a run for it, but feeling Charlie’s hand tremble in his made him stand his ground.  He took a step forward, pulling her with him as he did.  Looking up into “The Wall’s” dark brown eyes, he took a deep breath.
“Get out of my way.” He almost did not recognize his own voice.  It was a deep, raspy growl.   “The Wall’s” eyes widened, but he did not back down.
“Or what?” he sneered in response.
“Nate, don’t,” Charlie said  from behind.  “You don’t have to.  I’ll just tell…”  But Nate ignored her.  He was too far gone.
“Or. I. Will. Make. You.”  His voice was quiet and more recognizable.  He had been angry, but now  he felt a cool, clear rage.  Now, all he was, was deadly serious.  He dropped his bag as he used a finger to punctuate each word.  Into each little poke, which he aimed squarely at the center of the football player’s chest,  he channeled just the slightest bit of shifter strength.  With each word, “The Wall” rocked backwards a little on his feet.
” The Wall” looked down at his chest, shocked that Nate had managed to move him at all.  Then the boy gave a strangled cry.  “What did you do?” he yelled.
Four pairs of eyes swiveled to the massive boy’s chest.  On his thick, white polo there was suddenly one small little red dot.  To Nate horror, the spot was spreading, getting bigger.  Through the hole that he had somehow torn in the boy’s shirt, Nate could see a tiny little puncture wound from when drops of blood fell….

Wondering who these guys are?  Don’t know about the fuerza?   Check out the excerpt and read Interlopers:  A Shifters Novel.  I will be posting more about the book in the next few weeks; important back story elements for some of the characters in Posers.  For more about Nate, check out the Meet Nate archive on this blog.

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Check out the other members of this Online Black History Month Event: