Guest Post & Giveaway: Leia Shaw

I am pleased to welcome Leia Shaw who is here today to discuss her Shadows of Destiny Series which includes Destiny United (#2), Destiny Unchained (#3) and Destiny Divided (#1).  The Shadows of Destiny Series is a fascinating series involving vampires, werewolves, and witches and has plenty to offer those who love the urban paranormal genre.

Vampires, werewolves, and demons…oh my!

With the paranormal romance genre exploding with new authors and fans there seems to be a plethora of supernatural creatures to fall in love with.

And every book series has a slightly different way of portraying them. It goes beyond the classic vampires and werewolves now. We have faeries, dragons, shapeshifters, witches, sorcerers, soothsayers, demons of all kinds, angels, gods and goddesses, valkyrie, and I’ve even read a series with a gargoyle as a prominent side character. Those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I know there’s more.

As a romance and fantasy author, one of the best parts of world building is forming the different magical beings. The little kid inside me breaks free, puts on her fairy wings, grabs up her magic wand and does a little dance around the room.

A dragon that guards the door to the Underworld? Sure!

Witches that can rain down lightening from the sky? Sounds good to me!

Sorcerers that shoot fire balls from their hands? Hell yeah!

The stereotypical fantasy used to be the white knight sweeping the heroine off into the sunset on his noble steed. Now it’s morphed into the leather-clad vampire teleporting the heroine into the shadows. And if you’re a bit twisted like me, that fantasy sounds a hell of a lot more fun.

Why read about real life when, in my world, you can be an ass-kicking, weapon-wielding heroine with superpowers? Maybe you can even fly.

So do you have a favorite supernatural creature? Do you prefer the classics or do you like something refreshing and new? 

Giveaway: One of my lucky readers will win one (1) ecopy of Destiny United.

1) Contest is open internationally.

2) Readers must answers the last question in the guest post in the comment section as well as leave their email addresses.

3) Contest closes 20 May 2012.

Destiny Divided (#1)

After fleeing her native city — and nightmares of a traumatic childhood — Sage Peterson meets the overbearing, pretentious, yet haunted Professor Elias. He’s the only one who knows about her mysterious powers, which seem to be spiraling out of control. When he convinces her to train with him, she finds herself thrust into a five hundred year war and on the run from vampires, werewolves, and even worse — her budding feelings for James Elias.

James had been living a dull and empty existence for the past century and a half. When a fiery half-sorceress, half-witch with a stubborn streak and sharp wit enters his life, he sees her only as a potential weapon to use against his greatest enemy. But when he discovers the vulnerable woman beneath the angry mask, instinct screams to keep her safe. To protect and provide. And to claim her as his.

Destiny United (#2)

Erin Bolton knows her former foster sister is a sorceress and a witch, but she wants nothing to do with that world. Fear dictates her life, panic attacks disable her, and only alcohol gives her the freedom she craves. The day before her twenty first birthday, a tall, dark, and terrifying vampire, Marcelo, turns Erin's world upside down. He convinces her that he was sent to escort her to the safety of the Underworld, where her sister is waiting. But she wonders, who will keep her safe from him?

Marcelo postponed his eight hundred year search for his wife to perform a small favor for the Queen of the Underworld. When the errand turns into a week long journey across the country toting a fragile female, his life takes a turn for the unexpected. Especially when, on Erin's twenty first birthday, he discovers there is more to this girl than meets the eye. And now instinct claims she's his. His mate. Meant for him, and him alone. Forever.

Destiny Unchained (#3)

They call her The Huntress. A vampire with lethal focus, Natalia hunts rogue werewolves and kills them without mercy. She buried her heart centuries ago. Now she lives only for revenge. But when she’s forced to team up with the alpha of the northwest werewolf pack to catch a werewolf serial killer, her carefully controlled world is shattered by the passionate Cristian

Cristian can’t help be intrigued by the icy Natalia. He hasn’t been attracted to a female since his mate died decades ago. But now he vows to break that hard shell she wears and find the warm, nurturing woman inside.