Changed
Heather MacKinnon
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Heather MacKinnon
Date of Publication: 10/31/16
ASIN: B01M9IU0EJ
Number of pages: 225
Word Count: 76,800
Cover Artist: DesignsbyDanielle
Tagline: A captivating novel that explores the link between love, possession, and the lighter side of the myths that lurk in the dark.
Book Description:
Adrienne’s post-college plans were shattered the night she was attacked. She woke up in the basement of a restaurant and finds she can see perfectly in the dark, is stronger than she’d ever been before, and can move impossibly fast.
Testing her new limits, Adrienne zips down a NYC street, passing people by in a blur, only to be stopped by a strange man who’s stronger than she is now. Nicholas explains that she’s been Changed into a vampire, like him. Adrienne is forced to accept the strange turn her life has taken, but struggles with the growing feelings she has for Nicholas. As if that wasn’t enough to deal with, the man who Changed her shows back up, insisting she’s his property.
Now she’s on the run from a centuries old vampire who’s determined to make her his wife. Can Adrienne outrun and outsmart the man who Changed her into a vampire? If she sticks with Nicholas, the vampire who’s taught her all she knows, she might have a chance. As long as their budding romance doesn’t get in the way.
Excerpt:
“Adrienne.” I
watched his lips sound out my name. “Just what the hell did you think you were
doing?”
watched his lips sound out my name. “Just what the hell did you think you were
doing?”
Not a fan of
being scolded, I crossed my arms over my chest. “What did it look like I was
doing?”
being scolded, I crossed my arms over my chest. “What did it look like I was
doing?”
I watched him
take a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. “It looked as if you were running
full speed down a New York City street in full view of humans.”
take a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. “It looked as if you were running
full speed down a New York City street in full view of humans.”
“As opposed to a
street in full view of aliens?” I scoffed and rolled my eyes.
street in full view of aliens?” I scoffed and rolled my eyes.
“This isn’t a
joke, Adrienne.” I liked the way he said my name. “Do you know how bad it would
have been if someone had seen you? Luckily the only people on this street are
the meth heads a few doors down and no one would believe them if they talked.”
joke, Adrienne.” I liked the way he said my name. “Do you know how bad it would
have been if someone had seen you? Luckily the only people on this street are
the meth heads a few doors down and no one would believe them if they talked.”
“How do you know
they’re meth heads?”
they’re meth heads?”
“I could taste
it.”
it.”
“How could you
taste–”
taste–”
“Enough!” He
yelled, and I jumped a little. I watched him take another breath as if to
compose himself. “Excuse me, I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m trying to convey
to you the gravity of this situation.”
yelled, and I jumped a little. I watched him take another breath as if to
compose himself. “Excuse me, I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m trying to convey
to you the gravity of this situation.”
Standing there
effectively cowed, I waited for him to continue. His eyes narrowed as he looked
me up and down. “How old are you?”
effectively cowed, I waited for him to continue. His eyes narrowed as he looked
me up and down. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-two.
What does that have to do with anything?”
What does that have to do with anything?”
He ignored my
question and shook his head. “No, how long have you been Changed?”
question and shook his head. “No, how long have you been Changed?”
Now it was my
turn to narrow my eyes at him. “Changed into what?”
turn to narrow my eyes at him. “Changed into what?”
He stood there
looking at me for a moment longer before he sighed and rubbed his hand against
the back of his neck. “That explains a few things,” he said quietly, almost to
himself.
looking at me for a moment longer before he sighed and rubbed his hand against
the back of his neck. “That explains a few things,” he said quietly, almost to
himself.
“Well, that’s
great for you but it explains nothing.”
great for you but it explains nothing.”
He sighed again.
“Where is your maker?”
“Where is your maker?”
“My what?” It
was like this guy was speaking another language. He sighed a third time, and
I’d had enough. “Do you think you could quit sighing and tell me who you are at
least?”
was like this guy was speaking another language. He sighed a third time, and
I’d had enough. “Do you think you could quit sighing and tell me who you are at
least?”
He looked
abashed. “Excuse me. Where are my manners? My name is Nicholas. Can you tell me
when you awoke?”
abashed. “Excuse me. Where are my manners? My name is Nicholas. Can you tell me
when you awoke?”
“Awoke?” Who
talks like that? “I awake every day.”
talks like that? “I awake every day.”
He shook his
head. “That’s not what I meant. When was it you awoke and noticed a change in
your senses? Better vision, sense of smell, greater strength?”
head. “That’s not what I meant. When was it you awoke and noticed a change in
your senses? Better vision, sense of smell, greater strength?”
Oh. That change.
“Just tonight. I
left my friend’s party and woke up a few hours later in the basement of a
Chinese food restaurant over there.” I pointed in the general direction of the
store.
left my friend’s party and woke up a few hours later in the basement of a
Chinese food restaurant over there.” I pointed in the general direction of the
store.
“Was there
anyone there with you when you awoke? Do you remember how you got there?”
anyone there with you when you awoke? Do you remember how you got there?”
“No. I was alone
and I don’t know how I got there.”
and I don’t know how I got there.”
Nicholas seemed
to be deep in thought, his thick, dark eyebrows drawn together forming a crease
between the two. Seeming to decide something, he nodded his head and held out
his hand. “All right then, come with me.”
to be deep in thought, his thick, dark eyebrows drawn together forming a crease
between the two. Seeming to decide something, he nodded his head and held out
his hand. “All right then, come with me.”
About the Author:
Heather MacKinnon is an author living in the research triangle in North Carolina with her husband and two troublemaking dogs. She grew up on Long Island and spent her young adult years in various states in New England.
This led to her subsequent addiction to Dunkin’ Donuts latte’s and her gratuitous use of the word “wicked”. She’s tried her hand at many jobs throughout the years as she strove to find the one that made her happy. Heather has sold chicken, kitchen knives, auto body supplies, PR packages, and computer software. She’s been a cashier, a waitress, a cook, a hotel concierge, a phlebotomist, and an Uber driver. Though her jobs have been many, her passion has always been reading.
She’d hide in the bathroom and read between sales calls, or find a lonely corner in the kitchen and whip out her kindle between waiting on tables. After a lifetime of enjoying other people’s words, she decided to write down some of her own.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hmackauthor
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
My first book, Changed, was influenced by the Twilight craze of the late 2000’s. Well before that I was always fascinated and deeply in love with the idea of vampires. From Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to Anne Rice, to Charlaine Harris, vampires have always had a special place in my heart and it was inevitable that I would try my hand at that particular supernatural being.
How did you do research for your book?
Most of my research was a culmination of all the books and movies I’ve indulged in involving vampires. I took a bit of each folklore to melded them together into the world I created. There also might have been a Google search or two about historical timelines so I’d get the older vampires’ ages correct.
Do you have another profession besides writing?
Meh, I wouldn’t call it a profession. I’ve done a lot of things, worked a lot of jobs, and nothing has ever really fit. I usually get bored around the two-year mark and look for something else to challenge me. Most recently, I’m an Uber/Lyft driver. It allows me to work my husband’s schedule, plot during long, and go in late when I’ve stayed up into the early hours of the morning writing.
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
This one is hard. If you’d asked me when I was younger, I’d easily have said any time period when I could have been a princess in a poofy dress with big ridiculous hair. But, further research has revealed to me how bad those times smelled, and I think I’d have to pass now. Instead, let’s go back further, to when the ancient Egyptians were a force to be reckoned with. But, only if I got to be aristocracy. I’m not leaving the creature comforts of air conditioning and smartphones to be a commoner.
What is your next project?
I’m working on final edits for my new book, Shift. It’s a paranormal romance about a woman who gets attacked by a serial killer werewolf. She lives, but with the werewolf’s bite comes a number of changes to her well-constructed, solitary lifestyle. She’ll undergo physiological changes as her body readies for her first shift along with finding her place within her new pack, and beside her new alpha.
Newsletter sign up: http://eepurl.com/c5Auwn
No comments:
Post a Comment