2024 COVERS

2024 covers

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We are writers mainly from Australia and New Zealand who write speculative fiction with romantic elements. Be it fantasy, paranormal, dark urban fantasy, futuristic and everything in between.

Thursday 3 February 2011

The Perfect Hero


This week the second book in my Forbidden series, CAPTIVE, hits the shelves (in North America—and I’m thrilled that both Forbidden and Captive will be released in Australia on 2nd May—yay!)

I absolutely love Bren, the hero in Captive. Tortured by brutal events in his past, Bren’s been undercover in the Roman Legions for the last three years. Bound by unbreakable chains of loyalty to his king, he will do anything to eliminate the invaders and ensure freedom for his people. Nothing else matters. Everything is secondary to his single-minded goal.
And then he meets Morwyn.

Trained in sensuality, a Druid priestess finds herself falling for the wrong man—the warrior who’s taken her prisoner…
When I finished writing the first book, Forbidden, it never occurred to me it was anything but a standalone. But after my agent read the book she wanted to know what happened to Morwyn, the best friend of the heroine in Forbidden.

Hmm, that was a good question! I realized I wanted to know too. I went back and tweaked a couple of things in the final chapter of Forbidden and set about discovering how Morwyn’s relationship with her lover progressed.

And hit a brick wall. No matter which way I looked at it, the story just wouldn’t work. And it was then I realized—Morwyn hadn’t yet met her hero.

I was a bit shocked, mainly because I had a soft spot for Gawain, Morwyn’s lover in Forbidden. He was a hot, sexy warrior—but it just wasn’t clicking. I was even more shocked by the time I finished writing the first couple of pages of Captive and discovered Gawain’s fate—how could I be so mean to my characters? But six months had gone by between Forbidden and Captive and events had, quite clearly, progressed without me!

And then Bren appeared. Tough, emotionally crippled and completely unprepared for a woman like Morwyn in his life, he’s existed in a shadowy world for the last three years. He’s all but forgotten what it’s like to smile, never mind laugh, and although keeping Morwyn screws with all his plans he can’t leave her behind.

My heart melted. Here was her perfect hero. The last man she should find attractive, let alone intriguing, and yet she can’t help herself. She believes him to be her bitterest enemy and yet his ingrained sense of honor claims her reluctant respect. And, before long, claims a great deal more…

I’d love to give away a copy of either FORBIDDEN or CAPTIVE to one commenter – just leave a comment or let me know what is it that makes a hero perfect for you?


Read Chapter One of Captive (Over 18s Only Please)

Christina's Website

Romantic Times BOOK Review

"Phillips second in the Forbidden series is just as hot as its predecessor. Readers will be held Captive by the magic between Druid priestess Morwyn and Bren."


18 comments:

  1. Hey Christina!

    Happy Release Day! Oh I am so excited to read this second installment! Thank you for the bookmarks! You are too sweet to remember! I am sending you a little something as a thank you next week, so be waiting for it! Are there any other plans to add to this series? (Man I hope so!!!)

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  2. Hi Christina,

    Sounds really good and congratualtions on the up coming releases. I think that a hero has to have personality, there has to be something that makes the reader like them in some way and not just because they are the hero.

    Skye.

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  3. Hi practimom! Yay so glad the bookmarks arrived OK! There is a third book in the works, but we're waiting on how the market reacts to Captive. So hopefully yes! I hope so, because I'm already in love with my next Roman hero :-)

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  4. Hi Skye! Thanks for the congratulations! I agree about a hero needing a great personality. A hot body only gets him so far, after that it hangs on his sense of humour :-)

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  5. congrats on the release and i cant wait till may for the release here in australia...cheers kazza...ox

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  6. Woohoo - happy release week for Captive!!! My order from the Book Depository should be hitting my mail box soon!!! Yay...

    Can't wait to read t Morwyn's story and meet the hot new hero, Bren (though poor Gawain).

    I totally love your trailer and cover, and I loved Forbidden, so I'm sure I'm going to love Captive.

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  7. Oh My Gosh I really want to read these books...(heading over to the book depository soon!!!)

    A great hero needs to be able to love, laugh, and protect, but mostly laugh......I love a guy who knows how to have fun:)

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  8. For me, it doesn't matter how handsome, how tortured, how bad or tough the hero might be.

    The perfect hero must have the courage to sacrifice/overcome whatever fears or flaws he has or put aside his goals because his love for the heroine inspires him to change. And it's him recognising her belief in him and declaring it, no matter the consequences. :-)

    Selflessness in the face of rejection.

    I've said it before but can't say it enough - Happy Release Day, Christina!

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  9. Thanks, kazza! I'm looking forward to May as well, it will be so cool to see the books in local stores!!

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  10. Thanks, Eleni! I know, I was very choked up about Gawain. What was I thinking?! Hope the BD delivers very soon!!!

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  11. Cath, I completely agree! A great hero has to know how to laugh. Bren hasn't laughed in a very long time, but Morwyn slowly teaches him to embrace the lighter side of life again :-)

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  12. Ah Kylie, I love that kind of hero! Selflessness in the fact of rejection - love that. And thanks so much for the congrats!!

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  13. Hi Christina, Congrats on the new release. I like a strong, intelligent hero who has a sense of humour and can laugh at himself.

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  14. Thanks for the congrats, Phillipa! Definitely agree, there's something very sexy about a hero who is strong and confident enough to laugh at himself :-)

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  15. Hi Christina,
    Again, congrats on your release. The perfect hero has to have a sense of humor and a desire to do just about anything to keep the woman in his life, in his life.

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  16. Oh, I love me some tortured warrior-heroes! ;-) I can't wait to read your new book!

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  17. Hi Catherine! Yes, a hero has to be prepared to do almost anything for the woman he loves, even if he thinks by doing it he'll end up losing her *happy sigh* Thanks so much for the congrats!

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  18. Hi Chelsea! Oh so do I!! The more tortured the better :-)

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