Friday, April 22, 2016

New Release: Dragons Among Them (Kingdoms of Fire and Ice #1) by Kyra Jacobs

Hello, hello, hello!!!! Today I bring you a VERY SPECIAL post because ... well, dragons. Specifically, dragon shifters. Be still my beating heart. Any of you who have followed me long enough will know I have a THING for dragons. It's a very BIG thing. I just adore them. I blame Anne McCaffrey and her Pern dragons and dragonriders. :-)

Please welcome Kyra Jacobs to the bloggity today to talk about a topic near and dear to my heart. Dragon shifters ... because what could possibly be sexier? Men who can shift into dragons. Big, sexy, grouchy, broody men. Who. Can. Turn. Into. Dragons. !!!!!!!

Why Dragon Shifters?

Hi, everyone! Kyra Jacobs here to discuss a very important topic in today’s heated social media climate. That’s right, I’m here to bring to light a subject so many continually try sweeping under the rug:

The bad rap dragons have gotten over the years.

Oh sure, I know what you’re thinking. Dragons have a bad rap because they’re not pet material, right? Wild creatures too big for the doghouse out back. Impossible to potty train. And don’t even get me started on the whole “Larry, your dragon torched the neighbor’s house again” scenario.

Dragon from hell
Photo credit: Baltasar Vischi via Visualhunt / CC BY-ND

But those less-than-desirable reputations are for real dragons. In my latest novel, DRAGONS AMONG THEM, I work to remedy these issues by helping bring awareness to a different breed of dragons—one that fits nicely inside your home, cave, or castle, has no problem with using bathroom facilities, and torched homes are simply collateral damage during battles fought to keep the peace.

What breed is this, you ask? Dragon-shifters.

Ah, yes. Thanks to the magic of, well, magic, thousands of years ago there were thousands of dragon-shifting men with fire in their veins protecting England’s countryside. Tragically, selfish kings chose to put many such men on the front lines of battles and their numbers dwindled. As the same wizards who helped create these dragon-shifters sought to preserve the race, they hid them away from the rest of the world and washed the knowledge of them from our minds.

And so what were we left with? Regular, grouchy, fire-breathing beasts.

But don’t be too hard on them. After all, they lost their shifter-friends after the wars just like we did. Though, now that innocent, American photographer Adelaide Miller has crossed between the realms, things between our world and that of the dragon-shifters is about to get tipped on its head.

Dragons among men
Photo credit: I_am_Allan via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC

And who knows what that could lead to? At the very least, I’m hopeful that dragons—especially the shifter kind—will finally be able to put some of these bad reputations behind them. Who’s with me?

Oh Kyra, I'm with you all the way. You had me at "dragon"!

And now a little about the book ...


bc


Dragons Among Them
Kingdoms of Fire and Ice
By: Kyra Jacobs
Releasing April 19, 2016
Samhain

Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | KoboSamhain 

Synopsis

Dragons Among Them by Kyra Jacobs blurb



Excerpt

    The wedding.
    Zayne shook the thought from his mind. He had come here to forget his impending doom, not wallow in self-pity.
    The prince drew an arrow from the quiver on his back, nocked it to his favorite bow, then shifted away from the oak and lined up his shot on the buck.     During battle, the action would have taken him but a second—two, perhaps, if he were dodging an attack. Here in the deep woods where any sudden movement would give his location away, it took several minutes. Time well spent, he knew from experience, if it resulted in fresh venison for dinner.
    The deer raised its head and stared in the direction of his hunter with unseeing eyes, ears twitching as he chewed. Zayne held his stance, praying his patience would pay off. After a long moment, the great beast turned its rack in the opposite direction. A victorious smile tugged at Zayne’s lips as he squared his shoulders, took a deep breath to steady his aim—
    A woman’s scream shattered the forest.
    The arrow slipped from his fingers and sailed six feet over the startled buck’s head. In a flash, he drew another, but the opportunity was already lost. The deer zigzagged over brush and bramble, bounding away to seek refuge in the darkest depths of the forest, and Zayne cursed his own arrogance. He’d taken too long, been too sure of himself. And while his stomach rumbled painfully at the thought of foregoing his anticipated evening meal, he knew better than to pursue the beast. Dangers far greater than the dark awaited him in that direction, and no buck was worth the risk.
    A second high-pitched scream sounded, closer this time, and commanded his attention. Whoever joined him in the woods today sounded terrified, not hurt. Lord knew he’d been through enough skirmishes to recognize the subtle differences.
Zayne slung his bow onto his back and charged forward, sacrificing stealth for speed to try to reach the woman before one pitch bled into the other. Thick underbrush snagged at his clothes and sliced his skin, but still he surged forward. It would have been easier for him to transform, faster even, but then his whereabouts would be discovered, and he was not yet ready to return and face his father. Or his betrothed.
    The wall of vegetation around him thinned as he drew upon a small clearing. Zayne slowed to quiet his footsteps, then stopped altogether as the scene before him came into view. A pack of wolves milled around one side of the clearing, snapping and snarling as they pawed at their muzzles. Across from them stood the clearing’s other inhabitant: a lone peasant woman.
    The source of the screams.
    Her outer layers of clothing must have been ripped away during her attempted escape, as she stood quaking in scraps of clothing the likes of which Zayne had never seen before. The bizarre black-and-purple fabric failed to do much more than contain her supple bosom, rounded hips, and slim thighs. Her long, golden hair was pinned up and back and, though mussed, offered him a clear view of her delicate shoulders and creamy pale skin. But what struck him the most was her eyes—startling blue, like brilliant sapphire ice.
    A ray of sun broke through the clouds and washed over her, giving the girl an angelic appearance. Never had he seen a woman more beautiful. The sight took his very breath away.
    A wolf stepped free from the pack, and the air around Zayne began to swirl. He gasped, as helpless to resist the beast within as he was to draw his next breath. Never before had the transformation begun without his prompting, nor surged forward with such haste. An armor of golden scales replaced his skin, his fingers stretched into talons, and human logic gave way to animal instinct. As the growing fire within his chest sought to consume him, Zayne could comprehend but three things:
    He must save her.
    He must protect her.
    He must have her.



Goodreads | Goodreads series

Author Info


Kyra JacobsKyra Jacobs is an extroverted introvert who writes of love, humor and mystery in the Midwest and beyond. When this Hoosier native isn’t pounding out scenes for her next book, she's likely outside, elbow-deep in snapdragons or spending quality time with her sports-loving family. Kyra also loves to read, tries to golf, and is an avid college football fan.

Be sure to stop by her website www.KyraJacobs.wordpress.com to learn more about her novels and ways connect with her on social media.

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads






Rafflecopter Giveaway
($40 Amazon gift card)



Dragons Among Them banner


Find Deanna around SOCIAL MEDIA:
blogger  blogger  rss  facebook  twitter  instagram  email  youtube  pinterest  google+  goodreads

7 comments:

  1. Thank you SO much for having me on today, Deanna! I had a blast writing this post, so fun to explore and share my "historical" views. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for being here Kyra. I adore anything dragon. :-)

      Delete
  2. Thank you SO much for having me on today, Deanna! I had a blast writing this post, so fun to explore and share my "historical" views. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Replies
    1. Anything dragon shifters ... I'm all over it.

      Delete
    2. Yes, they are, Anna. And I love your "herding cats-burning soup" - can totally relate to that! lol

      Delete
    3. Yes, they are, Anna. And I love your "herding cats-burning soup" - can totally relate to that! lol

      Delete