Otherworld Realms
Book 1
Isabelle Saint-Michael
Genre: Paranormal Romance/ Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Otherworld Romance, LLC
Date of Publication: November 14, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9908665-0-3
Paperback 978-0-9908665-1-0
ASIN:
Number of pages: 380
Word Count: 95,000
Cover Artist: CL Smith
Book Description:
Lillian Chambers was just an ordinary high school teacher, until she fell through a Fairy Circle. When she came to on the other side, she was surprised to find herself in the company of an Elven prince she thought only existed in her dreams. Now she’s slaying monsters and rescuing Prince Tallyn, instead of playing the part of the damsel in distress.
Tallyn had been the protector of his kingdom for over one hundred years. He knows that the world is filled with danger around every corner, but these days he’s finding himself babysitting the annoyingly fearless Lady Lillian.
When their worlds collide sparks fly, humorous situations ensue and the only thing for sure is that neither will ever be the same. Practical Uses for Princes with Pointed Ears takes readers on an adventure into a modern fairytale where we explore what it really means to fall for Prince Not-so-Charming.
Available at Amazon
My dreams were more vivid than usual. It was like I was standing there with my favorite imaginary hunk. He and several others were packing up horses. There was a great deal of laughter and teasing among the men. They poked at each other until finally he had to step in and tell them to calm down. Even as he reprimanded them his smile shone brightly. I had never seen him smile with such a youthful presence.
Moments later another man appeared, just as handsome as my dream guy. “Tallyn!” he called, and my heart skipped a beat as I watched the man of my dreams turn to wave.
“Tallyn,” I could feel myself whispering. He turned and looked in my direction, as if he had heard me. His face fell a little when he couldn’t see me standing there.
“What’s wrong?” the taller man asked him.
I watched as Tallyn shrugged. “I was just thinking about how I was going to have to see your face every morning for the next few days and it quashed all the fun out of our camping trip.”
The taller man laughed, only to turn when someone called, "Maerryn!" which I guessed was his name.
I could feel the cool breeze on my skin, causing the hair on my arms to stand up. I watched with interest as the men finished packing up and began to ride away. I followed them through the forest I had seen a hundred times in my dreams. After a few hours they crossed the river in a shallow area then headed up a steep cliff, guiding their horses one at a time along the narrow ledge.
By midday the group reached the top of the cliff and stopped for lunch. The food smelled amazing cooked over the open fire. I felt my stomach rumble. When it did, Tallyn placed a hand on his stomach and looked around with confusion.
He was beautiful to look at, even with uncertainty creasing his brow. His green eyes deepened in color and his breath stilled. It was like he was looking right at me but couldn’t see me. With a shake of his head, he rejoined the conversation around him.
They packed up and left, heading across a path at the top of the cliff that led into another forest. The group seemed more hesitant when they entered the new area. They rode close together for hours, and when darkness finally threatened, they found flat ground and made camp. The horses were tied up, dinner was caught and prepared, and then the wine came out.
Boys will be boys, I thought to myself as they laughed, sang and passed around the bottles.
Behind me I heard the crack of twigs underfoot. Suddenly, I sensed someone else was there. I turned, looking in the direction of the sound, and I saw shadows moving through the woods towards the encampment. Panic filled me and I tried to scream, but I was just a watcher without a voice.
Otherworld Realms
Book Two
Isabelle Saint-Michael
Genre: Holiday/ Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Otherworld Romance, LLC
Date of Publication: November 14th, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9908665-2-7
Paperback 978-0-9908665-3-4
Number of pages:164
Word Count:41,000
Cover Artist: CL Smith
Book Description:
When life handed half-werewolf Grace MacGregor a pink slip four weeks before Christmas, she was determined to get back to work as soon as possible. She just didn’t expect it to be the very next day – or at the North Pole. She now has four weeks to make other people’s holiday wishes come true, but will she be able to grant her own while she is at it?
Justin Kringle is the nephew of Santa Claus and his job is to keep operations of the Pole on point. When Grace is dropped bed and all into his work shop, he can’t decide if it’s love or hate at first sight. First impression: she’s a total mess. Can he keep her on track and remember to not mix business and pleasure?
Available at Amazon
I settled into bed with my favorite boyfriend, my laptop. Before long I had updated my resume, applied for a half dozen jobs, checked flights home, and Facebooked with all of my friends to see if anyone had any leads. I was about to shut down when the pop from my email caught my attention.
I closed the other tabs and stared at my inbox. It was from the OAC. The Otherworld Alignment Council was a group of magical beings, things that go bump in the night, and people that made sure that there were universal laws and regulations used across all the realms. They made sure there was a common language, rules about magic, and laws that kept peace between the different races. Why they were emailing me I didn’t know.
To: Grace MacGregor
From: OAC
Subject: The North Pole Needs You
Dear Ms. MacGregor,
It has been brought to the attention of the OAC that you are no longer employed during this busy time of the year. Every Holiday season we rely on the help we get from the Otherworld community to make the season bright. Your talents could be used now through the end of the year helping deliver joyful winter holidays across all the realms.
Please see the attached application. Applicants will be considered for a paid position. Please send a resume, two letters of recommendation and magical aptitude test scores to the email listed below. If chosen we will need you to report immediately for work.
Thank you and Happy Holidays,
Otherworld Alignment Council
I looked at the email again and shrugged. “Why not?” I asked myself. I attached my resume, two recommendation letters and a quick note explaining my father was a Scottish Werewolf Clansman and that I was half human. I figured my lack of magical abilities would keep me out of the fray. My father told me to always answer the OAC right when they contacted you because they made the IRS look patient.
With a giggle to myself I closed the windows on my laptop and shut it down. Snuggling deep into my pillows I closed my eyes, giggling about what use I could possibly be to the Great Holiday Front up North. Strangely enough I fell asleep with thoughts of sugar plums dancing in my head
I awoke the next morning to the sounds of clinking, clicking and power tools. I opened my eyes involuntarily when a particularly loud noise sounded right over my head. It was then I noticed my bedroom was swarming with Gnomes and they seemed too busy to care I was sleeping.
“Excuse me!” I yelled. “Why are you in my bedroom?”
A few of them stopped, exchanged looks with shrugs, and returned to work. I wasn’t answered until a man with a heavy red braid down his back appeared.
“You are in their workshop, and it’s about time you got up.” I climbed out of bed angrily, prepared to demand that they leave. “Nice pajamas,” he said with a grin as he looked me over. “If you follow me we will get you assigned duties, uniforms and the rest of your paperwork filled out.”
I looked around what should have been my room. I was on a toy factory floor. Only it looked like FAO Schwarz met Ikea. Bright colors with industrial-grade shelves mixed with the old world charm of hand-carved wooden trim. All around me Gnomes were hustling to complete toys. I looked in the direction the redheaded man had gone and chased after him, abandoning my bed to the factory.
Character Name: Justin Nicholas Kringle
Character Bio: Justin is the COO for North Pole Operations. He has held the position for the last 100 years or so since his father decided to retire early so he could spend more time with the family. Justin’s uncle Markus is the current Santa Claus and Justin hopes one day to fill those shoes.
Keeping the North Pole on task is no small accomplishment as it is ground zero for all seasonal holidays across all realms. His team oversees Christmas, Yule, the Dark Days, and New Year’s. With the help of his sister Helen he keeps everyone on point and the seasons running every day of the year.
Describe yourself. What is your best and worst quality?
I am incredibly dedicated to my work and family. I don’t really know how to do anything half-assed. I work long hours and try and do anything my family needs of me because this is our calling and purpose.
Unfortunately this is also my greatest weakness. It’s hard to build a relationship when you’re ALWAYS at the office. It’s impossible to justify to someone you love that you can’t go places and do things because the happiness of billions of people rides on your shoulders. What makes it worse is that because I am passionate about my job, the only women I meet are either seasonal or from the area and after a couple hundred years you’ve dated all the locals.
Seasonal girls are fun but you have to remember that they are just that, seasonal, and that means after the Holidays, they go home and you’re left alone… again. It’s easier to throw myself into my work rather than getting attached. It’s also safer for my heart and position here.
What is one thing you wish other people knew about you?
Despite how it seems, I do LOVE to have fun. I enjoy hanging out with my mates and drinking local brew. My favorite sport to play and watch is hockey. And in some circles I am famous for my bedsport capabilities.
What is your biggest secret, something nobody knows about you?
On my last vacation back in the 90’s I went to Cancun during spring break. If you watch MTV footage carefully you’ll see me in several shots. There is also a rumor involving jello wrestling and collection of girl’s bikini tops. I cannot confirm or deny that last part.
What are you most afraid of?
Being hurt again. About 10 years ago I proposed to a girl and she walked out on me. I don’t want to be alone forever but it seems like a small price to pay if it means never going through that much pain again.
What do you want more than anything?
To be Santa… actually no. More than anything I would like to have the sort of love my parents have. The kind that lasts centuries and keeps going strong. Their love has held this family together through the generations and I would like to have that someday. If I can’t have that, I still want to someday be Santa.
What is your relationship status?
As of today, November 14th, 2014, I am single and living it up. Markus says he sees great things in my future. Who knows, maybe that includes the right girl, but for now, I am single.
How would you describe your sense of fashion?
Because I live here at the North Pole I would describe it as warm. I don’t really worry about fashion so much. Normally I wear jeans, button downs and a sweater, but I do own full prince gear, given to me by the Dwarven king himself. There are times I rock boots, breeches and tailcoat. Mostly though, I’m casual and warm.
How much of a rebel are you?
Underneath this corporate lumberjack exterior beats the heart of a rock star. I’m the boss and the people who work here have to see that but every year over Black Friday weekend my mates and I get together, drink a lot, party hard, and dye our hair some ridiculous color. This year the plan is Ronald McDonald Red. Oh, and I REFUSE to grow one of those ridiculous Dwarven beards.
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
Easy, taking over as COO at such a young age. Nobody thought I would be ready so young. I was just over 105 when I took on the job. I hope my next big promotion is to the red suit but that’s still a couple centuries away, I hope.
What is your idea of happiness?
Pride in a job well done. Doing something you love every day and being surrounded by the people you love. I’m not a complex man. Hockey, cookies, reindeer games and someone to share it with.
What is your current state of mind?
This time of year it’s all about having your eye on the prize. I’m focused on making this year’s holiday season run as smoothly as possible. There isn’t really time for anything else right now, not when there is so much to do.
What is your most treasured possession?
I have a box of ornaments that my mother collected for me over the years. There is one for each year of my life from the first 25 years. Each ornament reminds me of a story from my childhood and those are some of the most magical and happy memories to exist in the world. I had the perfect life growing up… well minus having 6 older sisters. That part was a drag. My family is loving and supportive. I grew up surrounded by siblings and cousins. That box reminds me of why I do this job every day.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Toss up. My mother says it’s my smile when I can get both dimples to show. The ladies say it’s my rock hard abs. Hey, I have to enjoy them now. Another couple hundred years and all those cookies and mince pies are going to catch up with me and I’ll start to get the Santa figure.
What is it you most dislike?
A poor work ethic. Everyone is entitled to a lazy day here and there but you should have far more where you work or play hard. Life is precious and I can’t stand to see people who have no drive or passion for anything in their lives.
Which living person do you most despise?
I make it a point not really to despise anyone. Hate is like a horrible disease that eats away at you slowly. Besides, hating someone is a good way to get on the naughty list. I have faith if someone does something truly horrible, it will catch up with them, so why waste my time worrying about something I don’t need to?
What is your greatest regret?
Letting my heart get stomped on like a bag of flaming dog poo. Next question please.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
I want her to see the real me. I want her to see that I am more than my job and that I can be as passionate about her as I am the Pole and my family. The best qualities are her ability to see past my shortcomings and also make me laugh. I don’t laugh nearly enough these days.
Who is your favorite hero in fiction?
I really like Doctor McCoy from classic Star Trek. Ok, stop laughing now. He was always the realist in the group who understood that it couldn’t be all logic or all emotion. That and he had some awesome lines! So yeah, I may be a closet nerd.
Which living person do you most admire?
My uncle Markus… Santa Claus. Oh, that’s right, many people in your realm still think he’s fictitious.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Sometimes I wish I could let loose and be a bit less responsible. I know people think I’m the permanent stick in the mud. (Or that the stick is somewhere else that isn’t appropriate for conversation.) I know it would be easier for me to meet new people and see the world if I could just put down the mantle I wear all the time. I’ve had panic attacks when I’ve tried taking days off. I’m a workaholic control freak with trust issues. I wish sometimes I could get over it.
Isabelle Saint-Michael is a cupcake enthusiast, shoe addict, and globetrotter. She is known for her sense of adventure and geeky hobbies. She is frequently seen haunting coffee shops and pubs into the wee hours of the morning. No matter where she goes, shenanigans and mirth are never far behind.
The blog that started it all- www.Elvenlife.com
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/IsabelleStMichael
Twitter @IsabelleStMike or https://twitter.com/IsabelleStMike
Thank you to everyone who stopped by to read or enter the give away. I hope you are enjoying the blog tour and the awesome pages that are nice enough to help promote me.
ReplyDeleteMuch Love,
Isabelle