Black is the Colour - Release Day & Giveaway

Hi everyone.

Strike up the fanfare and let loose the doves – it’s release day!!!

Black is the Colour my medieval fairytale and has arrived just in time for Samhain.

Samhain (pronounced Sah-win or Soh-win) is a Gaelic festival and if we were sitting in the northern hemisphere (which I’m not) we would be marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter and the dark half of the year.

It was/is celebrated from sunset on the 31^st of October to sunset on the 1^st November. This night was believed to be ‘outside of time’ when the veil between the mortal world and the spirit realm was at its thinnest.

In the 9^th century the Roman Catholic Church declared that the 31^st October would become All Hallows Eve (the Christianized feast influenced by the old Celtic harvest festival), the 1^st of November would become All Saints Day and the 2^nd November ,All Souls Day. Things change, merge and are forgotten and now Halloween marks the eve of the 31^st of October.

Which brings me back to Black is the Colour. What better way than to celebrate on Samhain, All Hallows or Halloween than to curl up with a dark fairytale?

I have always loved fairytales and myths and I hope my story conveys some of the atmosphere and magic of the originals.

 

To celebrate Black is the Colour’s release I’m giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card. To be in the draw just enter my Rafflecopter and tell me –

What’s your favourite fairytale?

 

Blurb

Ciana has loved Oran all her life and nothing, not even her father will prevent them from being together. But the Mayor of Stonemark has higher aspirations for his daughter than the village blacksmith. He engages the help of a witch and dark magic to bend Ciana to his will.

Oran knows that he doesn’t deserve Ciana. But their love is stronger than the metal he forges and welds. She has his heart and he will never turn from her no matter the cost.

Separated, Ciana will need all her strength to journey through the deep forest and save Oran from the witch’s curse. Alone and with only a trail of black feathers to follow, Ciana will fight against the odds and attempt to bring her lover home.

 

Round double, double you go,

Until black feathers upon you grow.

Beak and claw, talon and wing,

Now with raven’s voice you shall sing.

To the heavens you shall fly,

It is my will –

So say I.

Black is the Colour is the first book in the Tales from the Hearthfire series.
 

Shortened Amazon link - http://goo.gl/f3juDg

 

Excerpt

 

Oran’s arms were around her, holding her tight. She snuggled against him to capture his warmth. Outside the wind had picked up. It caused the branches to scratch against the cottage walls. Ciana closed her eyes but there was something that wouldn’t let her sleep.

She tilted her head back and looked at Oran. His eyelids flickered for an instant before closing altogether. His dark hair had fallen forward and obscured part of his face. Reaching up, Ciana brushed it back.

“You should sleep. The dawn will be here soon enough and we have a long journey ahead of us,” he said as he tightened his grasp.

“I know, but I can’t settle... it’s as if...”

“What?”

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s as if something isn’t right.”

“All is well, my love,” he answered sleepily. “It's been an eventful day. You’re worried that your father will come after us but we will soon be far beyond his reach.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“We’ll be long gone before he even returns. Fear not,” he said as he kissed her shoulder. “We’ll be at Havensport in three days and the very thought of Stonemark will be far behind us.”

“I’m sure that’s true,” Ciana said as she closed her eyes and willed herself to fall asleep. But the wind shrieked and circled the cottage and Ciana could not shake the feeling of foreboding.

“Of course I’m right. There is nothing to worry about...”

The door burst open with a bang. The wind tore around the room, circling the bed. With it came leaves, sticks and debris from the woods. Oran threw himself over Ciana in an attempt to shield her from the maelstrom. The wind howled like a banshee and the bed shook, until she was sure that both of them would fall.

“What’s happening?” Ciana shouted.

“I don’t know – nothing natural I’ll wager,” Oran said as buried his head above hers. “Just hold on, love and wait for it to pass.”

 But it didn’t. The wind became stronger and rattled the cottage until Ciana thought the whole thing would blow away. Ciana wrapped her arms around Oran’s waist but let out a cry as a branch dragged across her forearm, scratching and snagging her flesh until it bled.

“Put your arms beneath me and keep down – I’ll protect you.”

“But who will protect you?”

“I’ll be fine as long you’re safe. Everything will be...” Oran broke off as the wind tugged at his body. It began to lift him up.

Ciana grabbed his arms and tried to anchor him to her. “You can’t have him!” she screamed against the circling wind. “You can’t have him!”

Oran held on to the rough wooden bed head and she felt his muscles strain and bulge as he gripped on. “Ciana, I...”

The vortex spun quicker around the room. Noise thundered in Ciana’s ears as she was buffeted by more twigs, leaves and black feathers. She held onto Oran until her knuckles were white and her nails dug into his skin.

“I won’t let you go.”

His dark eyes locked onto hers for a moment. “I love you.”

“Nay, I won’t let you go...” But even as the words fell from her lips her grip slipped.

The force of the wind lifted Oran off the bed. The leaves swirled around him and swallowed his body so only his outstretched arms and head were visible. The strength of the whirlwind wretched Oran from Ciana’s grasp, the bed head snapped and with one final look Oran was dragged off the bed, back through the open door and into the night dark wood.

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Nicóle.  xx

 

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