Saturday, September 10, 2016

~ Fall Under The Spell of MORGAN D'ARCY: A VAMPYRE RHAPSODY! ~










This new book, my third from The Wild Rose Press, is a collection of short works featuring Morgan D’Arcy, the hero in Sinners’ Opera, the book of my heart. In edits on Rhapsody, my editor asked for more about Isabeau. She is the heroine in Sinner’s Opera and a continuous thread through most of the stories. I wrote the following in answer to this request, but she then clarified and wanted it—since all of the stories are from Morgan’s first-person POV—from his viewpoint. But this is it as it was originally written. I had envisioned it originally as a Epilogue, titled Never Goodbye.


Because Morgan was the first character to “speak” to me, this book is special. To celebrate its release, I will give one commenter a PDF of Sinners’ Opera.




Morgan D’Arcy: A Vampyre Rhapsody
By Linda Nightingale
From The Wild Rose Press
Cover Artist:  Debbie Taylor
Editor:  Callie Lynn Wolfe




A titled lord, concert pianist, and … vampire, Morgan D’Arcy has everything he wants…except what he most desires…the woman of his dreams—the search is on.

Rating:  Spicy
Digital Price:  $3.99
Print Price:  $13.99


Blurb ~

The greatest enemy of a vampire is boredom. Four centuries of existence have taught Lord Morgan Gabriel D'Arcy to fear nothing and no one. Humans and their weapons have little chance against his preternatural speed and arcane powers. Vampires are viral mutations of human DNA. Still, the Vampyre code requires secrecy, and he has learned to hide his nature from the world. The lure of mortality, of a life in the sun, puts Morgan again and again at the mercy of calculating human women though they fail to consider his charm and determination into the equation. However, even grooming a future bride from infancy proves to be fraught with heartbreak. And second chances are not always what they seem unless... you are Morgan. Immortality and beauty, aren’t they grand?

“…Morgan…is a tour de force of egotism, wit, sensuality, and talent…” ~Author Toni V. Sweeney

 “Morgan D’Arcy is a class act and the most arresting vampire I’ve ever encountered in literature or films.” ~ Historical and Paranormal Romance Author Beth Trissel


Excerpt ~

Never Goodbye

Isabeau, my Isabeau.
Isabeau with blonde-streaked brown hair and the most beautiful purple eyes. How could she forget me so quickly and return to that bastard?  Dark-haired, dark-eyed John Payne—my complete opposite—was my sworn enemy. One day soon, he’d die.
The Grim Reaper—with fangs—would teach him that Isabeau was mine.
I’d been present at her birth, had chosen her to be my wife in that moment, and had watched over her as her guardian angel. She’d been the most exquisite blonde child.
I’d influenced her career choice and financed her education by grants through anonymous foundations. I’d even bought her a white Andalusian horse. These things I’d given her. She’d given me more than I’d ever dreamed. To this unknown bargain, Isabeau had brought beauty, grace, and a vast intelligence. As a geneticist, she could find a cure for the fatal gene of madness that all progeny of vampires and mortals suffered. She had the required vampire DNA, mine in fact, but she didn’t know about the flawed chromosome. It was tragedy that she’d driven me away before I could confess.
Isabeau had been born in Beaufort, South Carolina. Her parents were friends that I’d chosen carefully to breed my future bride. She’d attended the College of Charleston, one of the finest Ivy League universities, and returned to Charleston when LifeGen, a genetics firm, offered her a position.
I’d given her my heart, unconditionally, and she’d broken it. After she banished me from her life, she returned my letters, deleted my emails, and refused my phone calls. Why? She’d discovered how I shaped her life and accused me of manipulating her.
For the thousandth time, I lifted a phone to my ear to make a hopeless call. This time, I was in Charleston. She wouldn’t recognize the number as I was ringing her from my hotel room.
“Hello.” Her voice! Music to my ears.
For a moment, I couldn’t speak, then I took a deep breath, and plunged. “Isabeau, you must talk with me.”
“Morgan, I’ve made it perfectly clear that I never want to hear from you again.” Anger stained her voice a shade deeper.
I imagined her in her sunshine yellow kitchen, leaning against the granite counter, coffee brewing and filling the room with its rich scent. Isabeau was tall and beautiful with a captivating smile. At the moment, unfortunately, she’d be frowning.
God, how I missed her! She was my light—I her dark—two pieces of a soul.
“Please, don’t ring off.” I paced the confines of my hotel room. “I’m in Charleston. I want to see you.”
“I have a date,” she said coolly.
A vision of Isabeau dressed for a night out on the town blinded me. Was she wearing one of the lovely dresses I’d given her while we lived our idyll in my house on the Battery? The Rover House overlooked the ocean. She’d left her Orange Street home to come to me. For five short months, we’d lived in a dreamlike state of bliss...together at last.
“A date with that bastard John Payne.” My hand fisted at my side. I wanted to strike something or someone. Tonight, the Royal Pain would join his ancestors.
“It’s none of your business.”
“You’re carrying my child, Isabeau. That makes it my business.” I washed to a halt by the bed. “You love me.”




Author Bio ~



Born in South Carolina, Linda has lived in England, Canada, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and Houston.  She’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer, having bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses for many years.

Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award.   She is the mother of two wonderful sons, a retired legal assistant, member of the Houston Symphony League, and enjoys events with her car club.  Among her favorite things are her two marvelous sons, a snazzy black convertible, and her parlor grand piano.  She loves to dress up and host formal dinner parties.

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LNightingale - @Lnightingale
Web Site:  http://www.lindanightingale.com – Visit and look around. There’s a free continuing vampire story.
Blog:  https://lindanightingale.wordpress.com/ - Lots of interesting guests & prizes

Book Video: 


Other Reads by Linda Nightingale:

Gemini Rising – Controversial Dark Fantasy with deep psychological undertones




29 comments:

Nightingale said...

Thank you for hosting me on your 'rocking' blog. What a beautiful post you made it! You're fabulous!

MJ Schiller said...

Oh, shucks! It was you and Mr. Morgan D'Arcy that made it special! Thank you for joining us and sharing MORGAN D'ARCY: A VAMPYRE RHAPSODY! Lovely title, lovely cover, lovely passage you shared!

Susan Coryell said...

Vampire novels are a wonder! This one sounds delicious! Best wishes.

Diane Burton said...

Congrats on your new release. I agree with your praise of MJ. She makes all our guest posts so intriguing.

Beth Trissel said...

Gorgeous woman in her stunning dress. Wow. I love your writing, Linda. Beautifully done. And most intriguing.

Amity Grays said...

Delicious indeed. Sounds like a great read.

Kara O'Neal said...

My heart breaks for Morgan! I hope he gets his HEA!

Pamela S Thibodeaux said...

Great excerpt!
good luck and God's blessings
PamT

Nightingale said...

Thanks, Susan. If you'd like to meet Morgan, he is featured in a free read on my website. http://www.linda.nightingale.com

Nightingale said...

Thanks, Diane. I appreciate your visit and the well wishes. Yep, MU is a wonder.

Nightingale said...

Since Morgan doesn't know the meaning of humble, I'll humbly say thank you, Beth.

Nightingale said...

Hi Kara, he never gives up. :-) Thanks for commenting and visiting.

Nightingale said...

Thanks! Morgan can become addictive. :-)

Nightingale said...

I appreciate the blessings and the luck. Thanks for stopping by!

Diane Garner said...

Great excerpt. I'm hooked!

Nightingale said...

Thanks, Diane. So glad you could stop by and meet Morgan.

Elizabeth Alsobrooks said...

That dress is to die for! Great excerpt! Good luck on the release...

Judy Ann Davis said...

Enjoyed the excerpt. Good luck with promotion and sales.

Tena Stetler said...

Enjoyed the excerpt. Looking forward to reading A Vampire Rhapsody.

MJ Schiller said...

Yes. You really feel for Morgan in this piece. Thanks for joining us, Susan! Have a great day!

MJ Schiller said...

Oh, you guys are going to give me a big head and then you'll have to live with me! Thanks for you sweet words and for taking the time out of your own busy release schedule to visit!

MJ Schiller said...

Yes. You give us a definite voice for Morgan. I feel like I'd recognize him on the street! Thanks for participating in our discussion, Beth! Have a fabulous day!

MJ Schiller said...

I appreciate you stopping in!

MJ Schiller said...

This passage definitely tugs on your heartstrings! So glad you could join us, Kara!

MJ Schiller said...

Thanks for reading and commenting today, Pam!

MJ Schiller said...

It's so intriguing it makes you want to find out the rest of the story. Thanks for popping in, Diane!

MJ Schiller said...

Yes. Although I think it may look better on her than it would on me! I appreciate the visit, Elizabeth

MJ Schiller said...

Thanks for popping in, Judy!

MJ Schiller said...

Thanks for adding to the discussion today, Tena! Have a good one!