Cassiel Knight Paranormal Romance Author Tour: Tens List, Review, and Excerpts

 
  TENS LIST
What 10 things do you most enjoy?
When Laurie gave me a choice of a list of her 10 items, I decided to go with what 10 things I most enjoy instead of what 10 things absolutely drive me insane. That one might have been fun but I just decided I didn’t need a reminder of the things that drive me nuts. J
So, 10 things I enjoy the most? Well, I have to start out by listing my three little dogs (does that count as one or three?). I have three Shih Tzus—Abby (11), Chloe (4) and Pixi (1) that are the lights of my life. I’ve had others in my life, Keiki and Ginger, but they’ve gone to doggie heaven and left a hole. I can’t imagine life without my girls. I think the reason I’ve survived stress in my life is because of them.
I enjoy gardening, in the spring, immensely. Right now, in Oregon, we’ve had some breaks in the rain and my green thumb itched like mad. I’m in a new home with a small yard that needs work and I’m enjoying working in the dirt, raking, trimming and all the associated stuff.
Which brings me to the backyard at my new home. It’s small, fully fenced and to me, as cute as can be. I have some lovely trees that are flowering right now and when they turn to leaves, the leaves will protect my slice of heaven from Oregon heat (yes, we do get some hot, hot weather—for two months. J).
Speaking of Oregon, our coast is also one of my favorite things. The crashing waves, salt-water scene, the beauty of the wild and wooly shores once you get away from the beaches and into the mountains. The whales, sea lions and birds. My dream is to own a little beach house and rent it out during the summer and go often during spring, fall and winter to rejuvenate by myself or with some good friends.
My husband. We are separated right now but still best friends. I have hopes we will come back together (no cheating or bad stuff happened—just have to find our way). He makes me laugh and will always be in my heart no matter what the future holds.
My friend, Ellen of Champagne Book Group, who is also my boss (I work for her as a Senior Editor) but she’s been a blessing in my life for the last couple of years I didn’t expect but can’t imagine doing without her. The only downside is she lives in Canada so I don’t get to see her often in person.
My other friends who are local to me. Their support over the past 10 years has been incalculable and even though we don’t see each other as much as we used to, I know I’m in their hearts even as they remain in mine.
Roses: I was never one to enjoy them. The ones from the stores had such a manufactured smell I just couldn’t get into them. Until I moved to Oregon and into a home with acreage with 15 rose bushes.From the first spring they bloomed, I was hooked with the variety—colors and scents of “real” roses. One of the reasons I bought my new house is because it also have 10 rose bushes and I’m eagerly waiting their blooming.
Writing and the Publishing Industry: I’ve found my home here in the writing, editing, networking and well, all of it. In my nearly fifty years, I’ve had a lot of jobs but none of them have touched my soul or fed my passions like this industry and the people I’ve met within it.
My day job: Yep, I love what I do in my non-writing life. I’ve been working for the county for 6 years and love being a part of public services. I love the people I work with and what I do. I’ve only ever said this twice before of jobs I’ve had. This is my home until I retire. Or make enough as a writer, editor and educator to quit. J
So, there are the 10 things I enjoy most. I hope you enjoyed them.

BOOK INFORMATION

Title: Blood on the Moon 
Author: Cassiel Knight
Published:Sept 30th, 2012
Publisher: Champagne Book Group
Word Count: 85,000
Genre:Paranormal Romance
Content Warning: Mild Adult Content
Recommended Age:17+
Synopsis:
Mia Langdon—tomb raider and adventure-seeker—has everything she wants. Freedom. Independence. No chains (a.k.a. a man). Her troubles begin when she’s attacked on a dig in Peru. Soon, she’s forced to use her tomb raiding talents to find the flaming arrows of an Egyptian goddess. In the wrong hands, this weapon could destroy the human race—and nearly had.
Used to doing things her own way, it isn’t long before she figures out that she needs the help of Harrison Braden Stanton, her stuffy, but so yummy, Egyptologist and ex-lover. There’s one problem. He despises what she does. As Mia and Harrison find themselves in the middle of a battle between the Egyptian gods and goddess, there’s no choice for the woman with a Grand Canyon-sized independence streak and the man working for the Egyptian god, Osiris, but to work together to prevent the destruction of all they love. 
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Excerpt from Blood on the Moon by Cassiel Knight
Harrison sighed and leaned back in the chair. He stretched one arm over the back of Eleanor’s chair. She turned and smiled at him, lavender eyes sparkling nearly as much as the diamonds she wore at her neck and in the delicate pink lobes of her ears. He smiled back and she returned to telling their tablemates a story about her last trip to France. His girlfriend was in rare form tonight, bubbling and officious and impeccably attired in a blue dress the color of Egyptian lapis lazuli hugging every curve and swell of her body. Pure feminine delight, a feast for the eyes. He sighed again. For some reason, the banquet set before him left him full. After nine months of dating exclusively, he knew Eleanor expected him to pop the question, as the Yanks would say. A week ago, he considered doing just that. But now, a sense of restlessness and anticipation left his feet tapping and not from a desire to dance. His gaze swept the crowd again. Where was Sophie? He hadn’t seen her since she and Sebastian left to see the tomb mock up. His niece hadn’t wanted to wait until his duties as exhibition curator were discharged before going off and exploring. Fortunately, his friend surprised him with a visit and now ran watch over Sophie. Harrison rubbed his chin, feeling the slight scrape of his morning shave wearing off. Time for him to go find his wayward, high-spirited niece. The last thing he needed was for her to find her way into a part of the museum she wasn’t supposed to be. And it wasn’t like his best friend from childhood would be any sort of detriment. In fact, Sebastian was just as likely to lead the way. As if towed toward her by a fishing line, his gaze found and locked onto a tall woman in a sleek gown of scarlet. It wasn’t just the color that got his attention, or made his mouth suddenly dry. It was the long, naked line of her spine revealed by the nearly backless dress, a smooth expanse of flawless skin that begged to be touched. To be caressed. To run his lips along the indentation of her spine. Unlike most of the other women with hair pulled into tight knots, the exotic woman’s black hair fell in a loose braid down to the middle of her back. Some hair escaped, defying any attempts at control. She carried herself confidently, her strides smooth and slinky as if she were aware of the appreciative gazes following her every move. Pure animal sexuality screamed from every bump and swivel of her hips. Harrison clenched his jaw. Fingers gripped the back of the chair as he fought the urge to adjust the tightness in his crotch. Holy hell. The woman’s whose body language fairly shouted take me now turned her head and looked him straight in the eye. God almighty. The full lines of her lips curved into a mischievous smile. Familiar tawny eyes glowed with humor. Mia. He should have bloody well known. Indeed, the most primitive part of him had known. Scarlet dress, red, the color of warning. The color of danger. Everything Mia Langdon was. Dangerously exotic, dangerously sensual. The only woman who had the power to take his breath away. The woman who he once thought would be at his side for the rest of his life. Until he discovered, unlike the perfect relationships in romance novels, love did not conquer all. It failed to conquer the insurmountable, deep within their soul, differences each had about their passions. The passion for history. While he worked to protect the past for the future; Mia salvaged the past’s treasures for the glory. For the excitement. For the money. That he could not get past. Hovering at the beautiful woman’s side was the sun-kissed sable waves of his recalcitrant niece. And just a little further away, a tall man with dark hair. Bloody hell. Sebastian. Harrison’s stomach twisted. The only way this situation could get worse is if— “Harrison!”  


MY REVIEW 
4 Stars

Mia is bull-headed, brassy, and fiercely loyal to her friends.She is driven to constantly prove herself, mainly to herself.She is foot-loose and fancy-free, and hiding a tremendous heart-break under a huge chip on her shoulder. Mia becomes righteously indignant when her partner betrays her by making a greedy and selfish deal that puts her closest friends in deadly peril. As her options are ruthlessly taken away, her resolve not to be caught up in the deadly mechanizations of her adversaries remains steadfast. However, her steely determination to rescue her innocent assistant never falters.That she is forced to ask for help from Harrison, the tantalizingly tempting ex-lover she has vowed to forget, makes Mia cranky and all the more motivated to release her irritation and ill-will on the evil villains.This book caught me up in the action from the first.Mia and Harrison are both strong characters who have difficulty seeing through the blinders that both figuratively wear.Their verbal sparring is often humorous as a result. Both are bigger than life heroes with destinies that are forcing them to play important roles in the unfolding events.I loved the action and the sense of fated purpose that prevails throughout the book.The author breathes life into the story with the historical references and controversial details of Egyptian mythology.I liked the energy and compelling attraction between Mia and Harrison but would have preferred a little more subtlety, at times.Though, on the surface, it seems their motives are vastly different, it turns out they really have similar goals when push comes to shove.This is an exciting read with a strong, cantankerous woman on the brink of discovering more than she ever bargained for. The book ends in a satisfying way but leaves open the opportunity for more adventures with Mia and Harrison – Bring it on!I am also truly looking forward to another archeological thriller by Cassiel Knight that reviewers are also raving about, Key of Solomon.This book was given to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.Reviewed by Laurie-J
BOOK INFORMATION
 
Title: Key of Solomon
Author:Cassiel Knight
Published: March 1st, 2011
Publisher: Samhain
Word Count: 85,000
Genre:Paranormal Romance
Content Warning: Mild Adult Content
Recommended Age:17+
Synopsis:
Anthropology PhD candidate Lexi Harrison never bares it all when she belly dances for a strip club crowd. She doesn’t have to—she’s that good. Every performance earns money toward her degree, and restores the sense of power that her painful childhood ripped away.
Something is different about tonight. A man whose silver gaze seems to touch her skin beneath her veils. When a rowdy customer crosses the line, he comes to her rescue with the speed of a falcon—complete with wings.
Mikos Tyomni has never seen anyone dance the raqs sharqi like Lexi. Trust his tormentor, Archangel Michael, to put him in close contact with the cause of his downfall: a mortal woman. Particularly this mortal woman. The Defender. He has only thirty days to win her trust before Hell’s deadliest demons attempt the mother of all prison breaks.
No matter how sexy the messenger is, Lexi’s career plans don’t include some crazy idea that she’s the last line of defense against the forces of evil. Until her university mentor’s murder leaves her holding the key to Hell. And fighting a losing battle against a passion with the unholy power to bring down Heaven…
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Excerpt from Key of Solomon by Cassiel Knight
Time to get to work.
Unsettled feelings aside, even after dancing four, sometimes, five nights a week, she never got tired of the sensuality or power contained within the Sharqi dance movements. She much preferred this style of Egyptian belly dancing since it was less folksy and more refined and delicate. Besides, she loved the feeling of supremacy and control over the hypnotized audience. Oh, and they were hypnotized. Glassy, staring eyes and slack lips proved that. Striking a pose, arms upraised, veils draped seductively about her waist and hips, Lexi waited as a hush fell. She risked a glance about the darkened room. Men, and some women, from all walks of life filled the chairs. Business men, stiff in their tailored suits, with desperate gleams in their eyes as if they sought to find relief outside the rigid structure of the world they lived in rubbed elbows with construction workers whose steel-toed boots showed the dusty debris of the worksite. Homeless men skittered about the room’s edges and wore hopeless expressions like heavy clothing. All of them lost souls. Like her. Maybe that’s why she was still here. Still dancing. Whatever the reason, she had a job to do. Money to make. Her lips pulled into a quick smile. No open seats. Good. A packed audience. The tips’ll be great. She swiveled her hips and slipped into the comforting routine of her choreography. The pulsing beat swirled around her, curling its seductive energy about her body. When she danced, nothing else existed. Not the laughter, catcalls or propositions. Not the clink of glass or scrape of chairs against the scarred wooden floors. Only the thrumming cadence, the crystal clash of the finger cymbals, the jingle of the coins at her waist and the soulful moan of the lute. Shutting out everything but the music and the provocative dance movements was the only way she could do what she loved while the lust-filled and often half-crazed faces watched. Halfway through her set, that changed. Surrounded by a sea of blurred faces, a shadow-shrouded man grabbed her attention, coerced her regard as if a spotlight caught him in its beam. For a brief moment, she froze while her music continued its bewitching tempo. The dark figure steeped in gray sat motionless, not attempting to hide the fact he watched her. While that didn’t make him different from the twenty or so other men who did the same thing, his posture and behavior did. Like a quiescent volcano, he left her with the impression that tremendous power lay beneath the serene surface. Power ready to explode at the slightest provocation. Three other men occupied the same beer-bottle dotted table. Yet, no one spoke to him. They talked to each other around him. As if they didn’t know he sat there. As if they didn’t see him.   One of his long arms was stretched across the back of the chair next to him. The neck of his black shirt gaped, revealing a muscular, tanned chest dusted with dark hair. He projected an energy that sang a mesmerizing song of hot nights and warm bodies wrapped in cool sheets. Of velvet caresses and hard, yet tender, lips pressed against all her hidden, pleasure points. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and she squinted with the effort to make out his features. All she glimpsed was a masculine profile and an occasional silver glint from his eyes when the lights eddied over him. Like viewing an object from behind a full glass of water, his form was vague, yet visible at the same time. Flickering, wavering. There, but not there. From behind the shadows over his face, she felt the touch of his stare, his magnetism so potent she couldn’t look away A wealth of unspoken words hung in the air, words she could only imagine. Words directed at her. For her. Only her. Despite her best efforts to look away, something kept pulling her attention to him. Something familiar. As if she’d seen him before. But where? He shifted. The wan, but clear, glow from one of the lights fell over his face and suddenly she saw him as clear as if he stood right before her. The shaft of light struck his hair, illuminating the midnight depths with flashes of fire. She licked her lips as her gaze tracked back to his face, to his firm, sensual lips. A brief, violent shiver rippled within her muscles, and she lost a step. Or was it two? To cover her abnormal, and frustrating, reaction, Lexi dropped into a deep downward movement. The satin of her costume and colorful jewel-toned veils drifted with soft scrapes against her sensitive skin, skimming across her nipples until they peaked. His gaze was riveted on her face then moved to her shoulders and down to her breasts. Embers kissed her skin everywhere his eyes rested. Her breasts tightened while liquid heat pooled between her legs. She licked her lips again. His silver regard turned molten. He held her gaze, a long, silent moment suspending between them as if spun from silk into a finely made and equally fragile gossamer thread. Her pulse leaped before settling into an erratic rhythm that threatened to steal her breath away. She slowly drew off each veil, a come-hither siren’s call in every motion. To tantalize, tease and torment. Even as she moved, she knew she’d never danced as well as she did now. Certainly never for a particular man. When the last scrap of gauze floated to the ground, she bent backward, a final flourish, knowing as she did so, she delivered a message. For him. Only him. All she had to do was step off the stage and… The tinkle and crash of shattering glass, followed by a woman’s squeal, snapped Lexi out of her trance. She swallowed over a dry throat and blinked rapidly. What the hell had just happened? Had she really come close to going to that man? God help her, she was losing her mind. 
About the Author:
In the job that pays the mortgage and allows her to indulge in her real passion, writing, Cassiel Knight works in the beautiful state of Oregon. Crazy-passionate about the romance writing industry, Cassiel has a paranormal romance series featuring fallen angels and demons from Samhain Publishing, an urban fantasy through Lyrical Press and a Egyptian mythology/archeology series with Champagne Book Group. She writes paranormal romances with kick-assitude that blend archeology and mythology – just a few of her favorite things.
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Giveaway Details:
There is an International tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:

• $25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway