Author Feature: Andrea Cooper
Viking Fire Blurb: In 856 CE, Ireland is a land of myth,
magic, and blood. Viking raiders have fought the Irish for over half a century.
Rival Irish clans promise only betrayal and carnage.
Kaireen, daughter of Laird Liannon,
is suddenly forced into an arranged marriage with her sworn enemy, a Viking.
She refuses to submit. With no mention of love, only land and the protection of
her clan, she endeavors to get her betrothed banished from her country. Will
love find its way around her stubborn heart?
Bram, the Viking, finds himself
without future or inheritance as a younger son in his family. A marriage to the
Laird’s daughter would grant him land if he swears fidelity and if his men will
fight along with the Liannons against any foe—Irish or Viking. However, the
Laird’s feisty daughter only holds animosity for him and his kind. Is marriage
worth the battle scars of such a relentless opponent?
With the blame for a rival laird’s
death treacherously set against the Liannons, Kaireen and Bram must find a way
to lay aside their differences as an unforeseen darkness sends death snapping
at their heels.
Viking Fire Excerpt
Chapter One Ireland 856 CE (condensed)
“I
renounce Father for this.” Kaireen threw the elderberry gown.
“Shame
on you and your children for speaking such.” Her handmaid, Elva, gathered the
damask and then dusted off the rushes. “It’s a wonder one of the clim has not
scolded you from your hearth for such talk.”
“No,
curse Father for a fool.” She plopped on her bed and a goose feather floated
away. With a huff, she leaned against the oak headboard. Red curtains puffed
like a robin’s chest around oak poles supporting her wooden canopy.
Her
bare feet brushed against the stone floor.
“You
know your da arranged a marriage within a season.” Elva smirked.
Kaireen
shook her head. “To another land holder,” and waved a hand in disgust, “not
t-this heathen. Twice they raided our land in the last month alone. Now father
wants me as wife to one of them?” She clenched her fists. “No, I will not marry
this Viking.”
Elva
smiled, reminding Kaireen of the rumors of her handmaid’s uncanny foresight.
Whispers
of Elva making strange things happen and often blamed as the cause of
Kaireen’s
stubborn refusal to behave as a laird’s daughter should.
“You’ve
not seen him yet.” Elva wiggled her brows.
“So?”
Kaireen shrugged. “I would like to never see him.”
“Well
then, would you not like to know if you have a handsome husband or not?” She
waited for her response, but Kaireen scowled. Elva chuckled. “I would rather
get a good look at him now than the morning after.”
Kaireen’s
ears heated. “I am not marrying.” She shook her head for emphasis. “So there
will be no morning, nor night, nor wedding.”
“If
he is handsome, I may fight you for him.” Elva smiled, deepening the wrinkles
around her eyes.
“Welcome
to him either way.” Kaireen laughed.
The Garnet Dagger Blurb: Everyone
knows what happens when a vampire bites a human…but what if the victim is
Elvin?
Forbidden to cross the Elvin barrier into human lands, Brock
cannot sate his curiosity. Cursed by a vampyre bite that forces him to feed on
the life-essence of others, he is unable to touch another without taking their
life. Chained by prophesy, he must find a witch, pierce her heart, and draw her
blood for his cure.
Celeste must escape the monks who have held her prisoner for years. Her magic has been kept dormant by her captors. An ancient powerful Warloc craves her powers. If he succeeds in devouring her magic, she and his world will die.
When Brock falls in love with Celeste before realizing her demise is his cure, will love triumph over his desire to be healed? Will he risk everything to save her from a Warloc, an oath breaker, who also wants her dead?
Celeste must escape the monks who have held her prisoner for years. Her magic has been kept dormant by her captors. An ancient powerful Warloc craves her powers. If he succeeds in devouring her magic, she and his world will die.
When Brock falls in love with Celeste before realizing her demise is his cure, will love triumph over his desire to be healed? Will he risk everything to save her from a Warloc, an oath breaker, who also wants her dead?
The Garnet Dagger Excerpt: Chapter One (condensed)
I’ve known
death. For over half a millennia, I escorted many to death at the end of my
sword. In the eyes of the dying, I watched it shroud them. Foolishly, I thought
many more eras would pass before death came for me. It came so swiftly that I
could not run; I could not escape. At a village, dressed in human clothes, I
took in everything.
I delayed my
return to my people as I watched human jugglers bounce torches and knifes. It
was autumn equinox and the festivities would continue well into the night.
Children laughed as they chased each other. A trail of leaves from their
costumes twirled after them. It was dark when I reached the forest.
I hiked slower than my normal speed, so as
not to startle whatever human called out. My leather boots crunched upon dried,
diseased leaves and bark. Horrified, I glanced up. Branches twisted around each other to suffocating. Lifeless
limbs cracked in the wind. Flesh of the trees sloughed off in layers, exposing
its bones. Gashes hollowed out chunks of warmth. Fragments of leaves clung to
finger tips, marking sepulchers of the dying trees. Trees mourned with wails
like splitting wood, and I brought my hands over my ears. I must flee before I
became infected, they told me. Flee before the stain of this defilement creeps
into you, they warned. Trees spoke to my kind, always had. Yet these trees were
in such agony of death that I could not breathe. Felt as though my lungs had
folded in on themselves, like a moth unable to break loose from its cocoon.
Cooper, Andrea R. (2013-03-25). The Garnet Dagger (Crimson
Romance) (Kindle Locations 60-67). F+W Media. Kindle Edition.

What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories. They exaggerate. She thought. Love and Romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).
Andrea writes paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba.
She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.
Twitter:
@AndreaRCooper
Buy
Links:
Thank you for featuring me and my novels.
ReplyDeleteAndrea, It was my pleasure!
DeleteI enjoyed the peeks into your novels, Andrea. Especially the Viking Fire snippet. I love historical romances. Best luck!
ReplyDeleteRose,
DeleteThank you for stopping by.
Would love to read Viking Fire! Sounds like a great book! I'll have to see if I can't get it for Christmas... It's good to have you at the Exquisite Quills. Please let us know about future features! Jan - My FaceBook Page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jan-Carol-Romance-Novels/147581235281717
ReplyDeleteMomofemmett,
DeleteI think Viking Fire would make an excellent Christmas gift ;)
I've liked your facebook page. Thank you.
I just love these blurbs and excerpts. So interesting!
ReplyDeleteBrenna,
DeleteThank you.
Andrea, I'm glad you found your love and romance. That's what happened to me a little later in life, and it's been wonderful. Your books sound amazing.
ReplyDeleteJane,
DeleteFinding love and romance, at any age, is wonderful. I'm glad you found it. Thank you for stopping by.
Hi, Andrea, nice to meet you. Your books sound terrific, very intriguing. I especially love the time period of the Viking story. I'll have to check that out. I love the covers too. Best of luck to you.
ReplyDeleteCara,
DeleteThank you so much. Glad you stopped by.
Hi Andrea, I'm especially drawn to your Viking story. Both your covers are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGemma,
DeleteI love Vikings too & can't wait for the History Channel to continue their season. Thank you.
Hi Andrea, good to get to know you here, and your novels. I loved the excerpts. Good luck with your writing!
ReplyDeleteHelena,
DeleteThank you. I'm glad you enjoyed the excerpts.
Andrea, Your book teasers are intriguing, and I do love Viking stories. ;-)
ReplyDeleteKaye,
DeleteThank you. I rewrote the teasers several times and I still second guess myself. Thank you for stopping by.