Greetings from Bianca D'Arc

Who could have guessed when we decided to band together to do a group blog all those years ago that it would become not only a blog, but a convention, and that our own Stella would step up and become Con Director Extrordinaire? Certainly not me. But I'm so proud to be part of this group and to have been here from the beginning.

That said, I think some of you may realize by now that I can't attend this year's con in NOLA. A lot about my life has changed pretty drastically in the last two to three years and for personal reasons, I just can't make it to New Orleans this year. But I really hope you all have a wonderful time! Judging by the extravaganza last year in Phillie, I'm certain you will!

So now I feel obligated to give myself a little plug (that's part of what blogging is for after all, isn't it?) and mention my first (and second) self-publishing ventures.

By now you might've heard about KING OF SWORDS, a novella that had been previously released in a somewhat limited fashion (as part of an anthology) by Phaze Books. Well, it's out now - on its own - and it has a sequel!

KING OF CUPS is the second book in what will be a four-part series of novellas based on the kings of the tarot and playing card decks. What most people don't realize today is that each of the tarot suits (swords, cups, staves and pentacles) corresponds to a suit in the deck of playing cards we all know and love. Also, each of the kings represents a real king from history.  I've used their names and suits for the heroes and titles of each of my books. And to tie it all together, in each story, one of the characters reads cards to tell fortunes. ;-)

Here are the blurbs, in case you want to know more:

King Of Swords - Arcana, Book 1

David is a newly retired special ops soldier, looking to find his way in the unfamiliar civilian world. His first step is to visit an old friend, the owner of a bar called The Rabbit Hole on a distant space station. While there, he meets an intriguing woman who holds the keys to his future.

Adele has a special ability, handed down through her mother's line. Adele can sometimes see the future. She doesn't know exactly why she's been drawn to the space station where her aunt deals cards in a bar that caters to station workers and ex-military. She only knows that she needs to be there. When she meets David, sparks of desire fly between them and she begins to suspect that he is part of the reason she traveled halfway across the galaxy.

Pirates gas the inhabitants of the station while Adele and David are safe inside a transport tube and it's up to them to repell the invaders. But what good can one retired soldier and a civilian do against a ship full of alien pirates? Both will discover there's more to each other than meets the eye as they do their best to overcome the alien threat and retake the station.

Buy now from: Amazon, B&N, Smashwords

King Of Cups - Arcana, Book 2

Alexander is the proprietor of a working class bar called The Rabbit Hole. One of its best features, in his opinion is the petite woman who deals cards and sometimes foresees the future.

Della is an undercover operative working for the same intelligence service as Alexander, though he's only just come to realize it. She follows her visions of the future, with her employers' encouragement, to put her in the right places at the right times to do good for the human race. Lately, the right place has been in Alex's bar and the right time is quickly approaching. It'll be a turning point, both for her personally and for the warring races of humanity and jit'suku.

When the heir to the jit'suku empire is attacked, Della and Alex race to save him. Taken aboard the alien ship, Della and Alex must deal with a series of unforeseen events which put their lives and millions of humans and jit'suku in dire jeopardy. Can they find solutions for not only their people, but for themselves and the forbidden love they discover between them?

Buy now from: Amazon, B&N, Smashwords

Both of these books are now available in ebook formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ARe, Smashwords (for all other formats), and several other ebook retailers. Enjoy!

Bianca D'Arc
Come over to The D'Arc Side... www.biancadarc.com

D'Arc Side Doings...

My turn to blog again! Yay! The past month has been a busy one. I had a new novella come out a few weeks ago, the first in a new series of very hot space opera romance called KING OF SWORDS. It's available now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and in a few other places including Smashwords, which has a choice of formats. Within the next week or so, book 2 in the novella series will be released. It's called KING OF CUPS and picks up where the first book left off.

I've also been writing a bit. Working on a new Dragon Knights book for release sometime next summer. We're planning a re-release of all the Dragon Knights books, with new covers. The first two books in the series might also be lengthened a bit and re-edited. When they were first released in print form, they were short enough to be packaged together in a single print volume, but that's proven very confusing for readers. The re-release will hopefully alleviate some of that confusion and I might finally get the really sexy covers I've been hoping for! LOL.

I'm also in the middle of edits for two paranormal stories right now. The first is a novella called THE PURRFECT STRANGER that will be released by ARe sometime around Valentine's Day. The hero is a werecougar - a cousin of Matt Redstone, a popular character from earlier in my Tales of the Were series. The heroine is a failed witch. It's a very light paranormal with a few amusing bits and a whole lot of love. I hope it will bring you some smiles on Valentine's Day. ;)

The second thing I'm working on is my April release from Samhain, titled BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD: WOLF HILLS. It's a paranormal novel focusing on the last of the study group friends featured in the other Brotherhood stories. We're just starting the editing process now and I expect to start seeing cover art soon. I'll post it on my site as soon as it's finalized.

Other than that, I'm working on a little surprise for my blog over the 12 Days of Christmas - which technically BEGIN on December 25th. With a little luck, I'll get it together in time and we can have some fun over on my blog during the festive season between Christmas and New Year. Come on over and check it out! :)

Bianca D'Arc
Come over to The D'Arc Side... www.biancadarc.com

New Sci Fi Erotic Romance from Bianca D'Arc

It's been a while since I checked in here. I'm not really sure if this is supposed to be a blog just for the AAD convention or if we're still supposed to blog about other stuff when our day rolls around. Whatever! ;-) I got a notice to blog, so here I am! :)

I've been busy since AAD, working on new projects and celebrating a couple of new and upcoming releases. Finally! I know it's been a while since there's been new material from me. I'm glad to finally end the long dry spell.

Just lately, I've had a couple of romances in futuristic space-faring settings. First, a new novel that starts a brand new trilogy from Samhain Publishing, called HIDDEN TALENT. It released in ebook on October 25th and will be in print sometime next year. The second book in the series is titled TALENT FOR TROUBLE and the third will be called SHY TALENT. I anticipate those being released next year, but don't have exact dates yet.

HIDDEN TALENT is based on the premise that in the future, humans have developed and utilized certain kinds of psychic Talents. In some parts of the galaxy, gifted people share their strengths on a Council of those with Talent who rule over a group of planets. In other parts, people with Talent are hunted for their power. Jeri, the heroine of this story is on the run from one such place and she crosses paths with a StarLord, Micah, who is on a covert mission for the Council. He recognizes her abilities and takes her with him aboard his starship.

What happens then is an education for the shy woman who grew up very repressed by Council standards. Aboard the good ship Circe, pleasure is shared freely in pairs or multiples as a way to enhance and recharge Talent. Micah teaches her all about her abilities and how to harness them. He never bargained on falling in love with her, but there it is. They race to help an agricultural world under attack and together, they learn that they are more powerful than either one is alone.

KING OF SWORDS will be rereleased shortly in ebook formats. It is the first story in the Arcana series of novellas that ties into my Jit'suku Chronicles. Other books in the series include the Sons of Amber: Ezekiel & Michael. This story had been previously released as part of an anthology called FORTUNE'S FOOL, a couple of years ago from Phaze. That anthology is out of print now, so I'm reissuing this story in preparation for releasing the other stories in the series.

KING OF SWORDS is set in the Jit'suku universe, a few hundred years before the Sons of Amber stories. I anticipate having a number of related books set in this world, creating a generational saga that follows the consequences of human tinkering with soldiers' DNA, making them Enhanced, better than they were before and more dangerous to both races.

This particular story introduces a little bar on a space station called The Rabbit Hole, where information is passed back and forth to a network of spies working for the good of humanity. When aliens attack and try to subdue the station, it's up to a couple of retired soldiers turned spies and a clairvoyant civilian woman to repell the invaders. She teams up with one Enhanced soldier in particular. Together can they retake the station and find a love that will last for all time?

The second Arcana story is called KING OF CUPS and will be out in December. It follows the proprietor of The Rabbit Hole and his clairvoyant card dealer on an adventure into Jit'suku space. Few who have gone there have ever returned. They find themselves on an adventure of epic proportions simply by tryinig to help someone out of a jam. Trapped aboard an alien spaceship, they can no longer deny the attraction that has raged between them for months. Can they overcome their differences and find a solution to an intergalactic problem at the same time?

That takes me to the end of the year, but I have a lot more planned for 2012, so stay tuned! :)

News From Bianca D'Arc

Not sure what's going on with this blog... Admittedly, it's morphed into something the founding members (of which I am one) never anticipated, but are very happy about. Stella's found her groove, so to speak, and taken the AAD conference farther than any of us could have imagined. Still, I'm not 100% sure if this blog is supposed to be soely for the purpose of con news or if we're still supposed to talk about other stuff here on our appointed day.

Nevertheless... I received a reminder that I was supposed to blog, and therefore, I shall. I haven't been very vigilant about blogging or even answering email for the past several months, but I'm trying to change my ways and get back to the responsible blogger and correspondent I once was. Bear with me while I try...

This month, I have a new book! (Haven't been able to say THAT in a while.) I know it's been a long wait, but I'll have a brand new novel out on October 25th from Samhain. It's called HIDDEN TALENT and it's a very hot futuristic that lives up to its warnings! :)

After that, I'll have a novella out in early November called KING OF SWORDS and it's sequel, KING OF CUPS, out in early December. I'm also getting things lined up for next year, including a new paranormal novella that will release sometime around Valentine's Day or slightly before. That story features one of the Redstone cousins, a werecougar who will really make you purr. ;-)

I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve for early 2012, including a new paranormal novel from Samhain called BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD: WOLF HILLS, which will be out in April. Will keep you posted on all of this, of course, but for now...

Here's the blurb for HIDDEN TALENT:

While on an undercover mission to gather intelligence on the neighboring collective, Micah receives the shock of his life. A shy, reclusive horse tamer who possesses a level of raw psi Talent that nearly matches his own. Along with her pure, wild Talent, her beautiful spirit and innocence rouse him to take her on a voyage of discovery to the stars -- and the limits of her own, untapped passion.

All her life, Jeri has hidden her Talent, enduring the stigma of being "odd". Once aboard the Circe, Micah and his cousin Darak, a rogue of the first order, guide her through a world where those with Talents are revered, not hunted. Where pleasure hones and strengthens psi power to undreamed-of heights. Where love is a real possibility, not a distant dream.

When a defenseless planet is besieged by the collective's armada, the Circe races to the rescue -- only to discover a missing piece of Jeri's past on the wrong side of the battle. And that combining her formidable new powers with Micah's may win the day, but cost her everything...

I'm just so glad to finally have some new material coming out. It's been a while, I know, but it takes time to get things in the "pipeline" for publication. Finally, it looks like we're moving again -- in ebooks at least. As with most Samhain titles, HIDDEN TALENT won't be in print for about 10 months or so and the novellas are ebook-only for the foreseeable future.

For more information, as always, visit my website: http://www.biancadarc.com/, or look for me on facebook or the other places I hang out. ;-) I'll be posting more news as it becomes available.

Bianca D'Arc Book News

Lots of news since I last posted here... First, the last of my military romances with zombie bad guys from Brava is coming out on July 26th. It's called DEAD ALERT and right now, for some odd reason, the print book is actually cheaper than the ebook on Amazon. Not sure why, but if you're interested in print, it's a good time to buy. LOL ;-) Here's a little bit about it:

For Emily Parkington, the thrill of flying charter planes for Praxis Air has lately been tinged with dread. Mysterious cargo flights and a high number of fatal crashes lead Emily to suspect something sinister behind the scenes. And if her new colleague is involved, Emily won’t hesitate to turn him in, in spite of Sam Archer’s sexy charm and irresistibly easy confidence.

Enemy or potential ally? Sam can’t be sure of anything where Emily is concerned, except how much he wants her. Immune to the zombie virus created through military research, Sam is working undercover to find out if Praxis is trafficking forbidden technology. It was a potentially deadly assignment even before he found himself distracted by a woman he scarcely knows. And when a “controlled” experiment goes horribly wrong, there will be no limit to the danger they both face…or how far he’s willing to go to save her…

There's more news... I have a new erotic SF trilogy starting on October 25th at Samhain Publishing. The first book is called HIDDEN TALENT and it follows the adventures of the psi Talented crew of the spy merchant ship, Circe. I'll give you a hint - pleasure shared among those with psi Talent increases and renews their power. ;-)

I'm also in the process of signing a contract for my next werewolf book that ties in with the BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD novellas. It'll be called BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD: WOLF HILLS. It's the story of the last of the college friends, Sally, and Jason, the werewolf Alpha we first meet in the novella PHANTOM DESIRES. A lot of people have been waiting for this book, so I'm glad to finally get it in the pipeline to get it out there for your consumption!

A few other things are happening behind the scenes that I can't quite talk about yet, but suffice to say there's a lot in store for readers of The D'Arc Side! :D Hope to see you all at the AAD conference in a few weeks. I'm certain it'll be a blast!

Bianca
Come over to The D'Arc Side... www.biancadarc.com

Staying Up Past Our Bedtime - Why We're Attending AAD

Hi, I'm Reesa. I write space opera/sci fi romance with my partner, Michelle Moore.

We wanted to attend Authors After Dark 2010, but we just couldn't get it together in time to make the registration cut off. At the time, we would have been attending as readers, and we were looking forward to meeting authors, bloggers, and fellow fans.

This year, we're attending as authors, and we couldn't be happier to join the ranks of the other creative people who are dedicated to making Authors After Dark a great experience for readers.

AAD won't be our first con. That will fall to Balticon 45, our local science fiction and fantasy convention, but AAD follows it up in a way that's uniquely appropriate for our books. We write science fiction romance (the Ylendrian Empire series, to be exact), and it's really important to us that both aspects of the story are given the same amount of care. It makes it great that we can attend a sci fi con and subversively add a little romance to the panels, and then turn around and get people's heads in the stars at a romance con.

Our main decision was made for us in the Authors After Dark tagline- for us, it's all about the readers, and we can't wait to hang out with everyone in Philadelphia!

Book Release Party and More From an AAD Author

My steampunk erotic romance Mrs. Bright's Tea Room will be released on Wed., Dec. 15th. I'll be having a release party and contest on the next day on Nights of Passion blog. http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com
Join us enter the contest, asks questions, dress casually, have some fun.


Also the voting for the Bookie Awards is still open.
My work has been nominated for 3 Bookie Awards. If you haven't gotten the chance to vote.

If this is the first you’ve heard about it, I’d love your vote at: http://www.authorsafterdark.net/bookieawards.html

Vampire in the Basement – Best Shifter Short Story in Poll 1 & Vampire Short of the Year in Poll 4 and

Poseidon’ s Catch for Best Fantasy Short in Poll 2.

Last but not least, this is an invitation to receive my occasional and very confidential newsletter. All you have to do is email me at onlyladyknight(at)yahoo(dot)com and put Newsletter in the subject line. I will be having a special contest for the Newsletter subscribers in January.


Thanks.

--Susan
Susan Hanniford Crowley
http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com