All you need to know about Dalriada Valley!

Dalriada Valley is finally LIVE!

Well it’s official, folks! I’ve published yet another sequel in the Borderlands Saga today. I should preface by saying it’s a miriacle this book came to life. Two years ago, I honestly believed I would need to say goodbye to publishing altogether. Once again, I’m publishing with very little fanfare. While I’d love to be able to have a massive launch, it’s just not in the cards for me these days. Because honestly? I’m about as broke as you can get while still pulling myself out of holes each month by the skin of my teeth. How? By working my arse off and doing what I gotta do to keep my kids clothed and fed. When I started publishing over ten years ago, I was in my early twenties (if you’d like to do the math 😉 and had a very grand artistic idea of how my writing career would be. I believed in everything I created, and was just happy to bring my stories into print. So what does writing and publishing mean to me now? It’s something I still love doing, and something I hope will one day help provide for the people who matter most. At the end of the day, I suppose I still believe in the stories I create 🙂

To keep posted on all release and future book news, sign up for my newsletter! Want to learn more about Dalriada Valley? Keep reading for a special teaser 🙂

Here’s a sneak peek…

Breakfast was a nerve wrecking affair, where Amie pasted a smile for their hosts and kept Puck as close as possible. After nearly losing the pixie to shadows, Amie had no intention of letting them out of her sight again.

Puck preened at her attention, buzzing happily in her palm.

“There’ll be no living with ‘em now,” Arthur mused.

Amie snorted. “Puck deserves to be pampered, after yesterday.”

Her grandfather, and oldest friend, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “Do nay worry on that account, Jessie. We have you now, and shan’t let you out of our grasp, magpie.”

Amie rolled her eyes.

Across the table, the twins rose almost in unison. Jo, to follow Fox to the kitchens, James a pensive sentinel at her heels. Faye stalked after Murchad, Dom, and one of the elder daughters following.

Amie cursed her hesitance. She had meant to corner the twins’ uncle before they convened in the barn to begin the first step in “the plan.” She needed to be certain before risking their lives to hunt down a mad Unseelie.

“What is it, Jessie?” Arthur posed the question closely for her ear alone.

Her mask must have slipped. “Just… worried about Emrys.”

Arthur’s blue gaze held hers, heavy with knowing. “You know old Myrddin. He won’t leave your side longer than he can help it.”

Amie swallowed back the urge to confess her possibly-a-dream.

Not here.

She glanced at the sole remaining occupant at the table and found Grim lazily swirling his drink in his wooden cup, lips quirked in a private smile.

Not in front of him.

Amie didn’t want to examine all the why’s or how’s. She shook her head.

Not now.

If she’d only been quicker, she could have pressed Murchad to tell her what Faye wouldn’t. Amie needed to know what she couldn’t remember.

She hadn’t noticed Grim leave his seat to approach her until his gloved hand filled her vision. “Come with me if you want to live, dearie,” he calmly insisted.

“Excuse me?” Amie blinked. “Did you just quote… hey!”

Grim snatched her free hand and tugged her to her feet with a wink. “Best to manage this while they’re distracted, wouldn’t you say, Arthur?”

“What are you—I’m not a child!”

“Debatable.” Arthur chuckled and Amie whipped her head to glare at the traitor. “Oh, Jessie, just hear the Rumplekin out.”

“Since when are the two of you so friendly?” Amie tensed as Puck sent a note of concern through their connection to her thumb.

Arthur pushed his chair back, laughter dimmed. “Since I happen to know his intentions are noble, for once. Best manage this before we follow through with this mad plan.”

Amie was no longer a child, but she was not above stamping her foot in want of a better outlet for her frustration. It was that, or her hands were going around his neck.

Grim arched a single brow as she twisted around with a jab of her elbow. “I don’t need full use of my powers to take you out, Grimwich.” He held fast, and she didn’t dare jostle Puck too much but for the telling twitch of his full lips.

“And I say, you are weak enough right this moment, even Arthur could overtake you.”

“Oh, kip your chide,” Arthur said. “I would nay go that far, even if Jessie has seemed a mite… poshumicked, since we came through the gate.”

Amie closed her eyes and pretended they didn’t also have an audience of werebeasts casually pretending to go about their business outside the dining room.

“Well, then?” Grim squeezed her hand. “Contrary to popular belief, and the fact there are other things which need doing, I am beholden to help your Royal Majesty.”

“Oh, yes, it’s such an inconvenience. You’ve been going out of your way to give me magic lessons for a year now.” She lifted her chin at the last, proud that he looked away first. True, it was to roll his eyes heavenward, but that was beside the point. Amie was done pretending she didn’t matter to Grimwich Rumplekin.

Creator knows why, though.

“Well, if you are so sure…” Grim huffed and then shook his head with what could only be a fond expression as he casually walked backward, relinquishing his grasp. He was all elegant grace and power rolled into one combustible star, this man. His power was as great as it had ever felt, a touch too soothing to her ruffled senses. He stopped beside the doorway. “Reach out with your inner nixy and find mine.”

Amie frowned as she tried to find that inner spark, to see in the way Emrys had once taught her. But that spark was gone, eclipsed by shadows. She pressed her free hand to her stomach and passed Puck on to her grandfather’s shoulder.

It’s because we’re so far from a gate… that must be the reason.

“Are you ready now?” His solemn voice drew her gaze. Anyone who saw Grimwich would think him nothing but a snooty golden prince, with his brown skin aglow in the morning light, and his golden eyes alight with superior knowledge.

But they had spent so much time gazing at one another through a mirror, as she sought to understand the complex rules of magic as Grim understood them. To her horror, she recognized the concern behind his mask. She even managed a half smile to take some of the bite from her tone as she replied, “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

Grim beamed and his might-as-well have blinded her in his sincerity as his long legs ate the distance between them. He had her hand tucked into his arm and was leading her away before she was half aware. Not until Arthur called after them, “Hark, Rumplekin! I asked Jessie to hear you out, but you’re daft if you believe I will allow you, of all beings, to abscond with my grandchild unchaperoned.”

“Suit yourself.” Grim chuckled, but there was none of the venom that might have previously tinted their conversation. To her great astonishment, Amie realized they had a… rapport now, as between allies.

“Puck most certainly is not,” Amie hissed, tugging at Grim’s arm.

The pixie alighted from its new hiding place in her grandfather’s beard to shake its fist at Amie.

“No, Puck, and you cannot convince me otherwise.” She stamped her foot as she argued. Puck flitted closer so Amie could clearly see the skepticism replacing its former rage. She tried for a soothing tone. “I need you to stay here and hold the others off if they come back before we do. At the very least, a warning would be nice.”

Grim’s smile turned slyly up at the corners. “Clandestine meeting, then? Even better. Let the others return and stew on just what that blasted Rumplekin has their charge doing up the mountain.” He winked and Amie grumbled under her breath in the old tongue. “Shall we?”

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