Destined to fall... destined to love...
Writers are often asked where they get their ideas from, and
it’s not always an easy question to answer. At least, I don’t find it easy
because most of the time I have no clue where they come from!
But the spark that ignited the world of my Archangels is
very clear in my mind, and dates back to well before we had the Dark Side blog.
In fact there were only a handful of us in the Paranormal Group at the time
when Eleni Konstantine announced
that Harlequin were setting up a new line—Nocturne Bites.
Yes, I did say it was a long time ago :-)
For a reason I still can’t fathom, the image of a tortured Archangel
flooded my mind (you knew he would be tortured, right?) He was on the outer
edges of the universe being all moody and Alpha and it took me forever before I
could get him to open up enough to allow me a glimpse of his story.
I wrote the novella, and something just didn’t click. It
finally occurred to me the reason it wasn’t gelling was because Gabe had wings.
But he was an Archangel, and Archangels have wings. How
could he not?
Well, apparently this Archangel
didn’t. And until I got that fact straight in my head Gabe wasn’t saying
another word. And so I started over.
It soon became clear that a novella was never going to be
long enough to get to the heart of what made the Archangel Gabriel into the
immortal he was today. In fact it took me more than four years of writing,
ripping apart, sewing back together and finally ditching a novel length book and
starting again before his true depths were revealed. It was also some
time during this process that an important secondary character was unveiled.
And the inspiration for this character’s name is, once again, our very own
Eleni :-)
I so owe her a big drink at the next conference!
So although the published book is very different from the
original short story I first imagined, its core remains the same. An Archangel
whose heart was shattered millennia ago and who is emotionally crippled with
grief and survivor’s guilt.
And, of course, the woman who captures that damaged heart
and heals his soul.
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Archangel of Mercy
by Christina Ashcroft
Giveaway ends December 02, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Between an angel and a desperate
woman comes salvation-
and a raw passion that challenges
them at every turn…
When Aurora Robinson attempts to open
a rift between dimensions to embrace her true heritage, an arrogant Archangel
is the only one who can save her from the jaws of hell. And while she owes
Gabriel her life, she’s determined not to fall at his feet-despite the desire
she feels whenever they’re together.
After his wings were brutally
destroyed millennia ago, Gabriel has no compassion for humans like those who
ruined him and betrayed the ones he loved. But when he inexplicably finds
himself defying ancient protocols to rescue a woman from a fate worse than
death, he is shocked by the searing attraction he feels for a mortal.
As the ancient forces that seek to
punish Aurora for her actions close
in, Gabriel offers the tempting woman protection at his private sanctuary. But
as they both succumb to their desires, they discover an even deeper
connection-one that threatens to consume them.
Christina Ashcroft is an ex-pat Brit
who now lives in Western Australia
with her husband and three children. She is owned by three cats who graciously
allow her the occasional spare moment to write hot paranormal romance for
Penguin/Berkley Heat.
Christina also writes hot historical
romances as
Christina Phillips for Berkley Heat and Ellora’s Cave
I have a copy of ARCHANGEL OF MERCY and some gorgeous swag to
give away to one lucky commenter – just leave a comment on this post or let me
know whether or not you love a tortured hero—and why!
The contest is open internationally to wherever The Book
Depository delivers.
