Book Title: THE COURT OF SHADOWS: Vampyria Saga Book One Character Name:  Jeanne Froidelac (also known in Versailles as baronette Diane de Gastefriche)   How would you describe your family or your childhood? My name is Jeanne Froidelac and I had a happy childhood in the Auvergne, a secluded mountainous region in the center of France. My small town, Butte-aux-Rats, is so remote that I never saw a vampyre until I turned 17.  Of course, as all commoners, I had to give one tenth of my blood every month to feed the vampyric aristocracy. My father, who was the town’s doctor, was responsible for puncturing me, my two brothers and my mother. The blood of all the villagers was then sent to Versailles. Yes: I really thought my parents were just ordinary servile citizens, doing the willing of the Lords of the Night. Little did I suspect that they were in reality rebels belonging to the Fronde, the criminal organization that has pledged to overthrow bloodsuckers! One day, the soldiers of King Louis XIV, the supreme vampyre, burst into our house. They killed my whole family. I am the only survivor. I came to Versailles under the false identity of…

1–What is the title of your latest release? A DRAUGHT OF ASH AND WINE 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A Draught of Ash and Wine picks up after the events of book one, with our two heroes on the run from the clandestine Society who are set on tearing open Heaven and Hell. Former hunter Johnathan now must navigate through the supernatural world while exploring his deepening relationship with vampire Vic and avoiding the enemies nipping at their heels. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I really wanted to explore the wilder America of the 1800s, with deep pockets of forests and that ever-present tension brimming through the 1850s. It felt like the right setting for the last bastion for some of the creatures present in the series. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would absolutely hang with vampire Vic. He’s got the charm and wit to be the life of any party and he loves telling stories. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Johnathan is stalwart, brave, and loyal 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? For me, the fun side of…

Auction Scene from chapter XIII © 2022 Marcella.  https://www.instagram.com/mariamarcelw/   # Chapter XIII excerpt#   For the entire morning, Gracie could not be found without a gaggle of women around her. And she took a circuitous route wherever she went, further hindering his chances of finding an opportunity to deliver a private apology. Jack had considered giving up until Harris and Gracie entered the big top, her small hand tucked in the crook of his elbow. She wore a pale pink dress trimmed with white bows and black ribbon. In her free hand, she carried a black umbrella. If Gracie could forgive Harris enough to let him escort her to the auction, it seemed reasonable that she could overlook whatever Jack had said to offend her yesterday and last night. Squaring his shoulders, Jack marched in after them. The tent was filled with a brown fog from the fine dirt kicked into the air by the patrons who’d come for the auction. Jack signed his name to a wooden bidding paddle while the Colonel stamped his hammer to close the sale of a gilded mirror. The small herd of auction attendees stirred a little in the break before the next…