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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Guest Post and Giveaway Poisoned Web (Deizian Empire #2) by Crista McHugh

Description:

The fate of the empire hangs on one slave breaking her silence…

As the Deizian Empire prepares for the upcoming wedding of Emperor Titus Sergius Flavus and Azruha, one mystery remains unsolved—the sudden and unexplained death of the former emperor. And as her wedding gift to Titus, Azurha wants to give him answers. She suspects an unknown poison was involved, and her search for the truth enlists two unlikely allies.

Modius Varro’s thirst for knowledge caused an uproar in Emona three years ago and exiled him to the border town of Madrena. But when Titus falls victim to the same poison, his expertise in medicine becomes essential in solving both the riddle of the former emperor’s death and finding a cure to save the current one. His search leads him to far reaches of the Alpirion realm, to an ancient culture shrouded in secrets, and into the arms of one slave who must break her silence to save the empire.

Book#1
The deadliest assassin in the empire just got too close to her target…

Azurha, a former slave turned deadliest assassin in the empire, has just been offered the ultimate challenge—seduce, then murder the new Emperor. But Titus is not the tyrant his forefathers were, and his radical ideas might be the glimmer of hope the empire needs.

Titus Sergius Flavus has yet to master the powerful magic of his ancestors—magic he must wield if he’s to protect his people—but his father’s death has left him no choice. Rule the Deizian Empire and attempt to right his ancestors’ wrongs, or watch her fall to his greedy kin.

More than just Titus’ ideas hold Azurha captive. Night after night, he awakens desires she thought lost, and uncovers the magic of her hidden lineage. As her deadline approaches, Azurha is forced to make an impossible decision—complete her job and kill the man she loves, or fail and forfeit both their lives.


Book #3 (December 2013)
A soldier looking for redemption falls into the arms of the empire's Black Widow... 

Galerius, former Captain of the Legion, is honored to be given a chance to redeem himself by discovering who is behind the failing barrier. A series of anonymous letters all point to Hostilius, governor of Lucrilia, but Galerius thinks he'll learn more about the plot by seducing the governor's thrice widowed daughter, Claudia. Although he warns himself not to fall into snare of the empire's most deadly temptress, one kiss leaves him begging for more. 

Claudia has spent years as a pawn in her father's political games and longs to break free of his rule, even it means betraying him to the emperor. When Galerius arrives in Tivola, she's not sure if he's there to aid her father or stop him. She willingly submits to his seduction, despite their class differences, in order to find the truth. What she doesn't expect to find is a man who indulges her secret fantasies, satisfying her in a way none of her previous husbands did, and treats her as something more than a conquest. As time runs out to thwart her father's plans, she must decide if she can trust Galerius not only with her life, but her heart.

GUEST POST
Inspiration for the Deizian Empire

I make no effort to hide the fact that I’ve based the Deizian Empire on Ancient Rome. The idea for Tangled Web actually came to me after watching Stargate and then switching to a documentary on Caligula. The end of the Roman Republic and the start of the Roman Empire is a fascinating period of history. There are stories of war and conquest, of legendary romances and heartbreak, of political intrigue and backstabbing (in the case of Julius Caesar, literally), of lies and lust. It was the perfect jumping off point to build my fantasy world. 

The first book of the series, Tangled Web, tells the story of Azurha and Titus. She’s the deadliest assassin in the empire, and she’s been given the ultimate challenge – murder the emperor. Her plan was to pose as a concubine to gain access to Titus, employ her feminine wiles, and complete her job before he knew what hit him. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), things do not go according to plan. 

What are some historical periods that intrigue you?


About the author:
Growing up in small town Alabama, Crista relied on story-telling as a natural way for her to pass the time and keep her two younger sisters entertained.

She currently lives in the Audi-filled suburbs of Seattle with her husband and two children, maintaining her alter ego of mild-mannered physician by day while she continues to pursue writing on nights and weekends.

Just for laughs, here are some of the jobs she’s had in the past to pay the bills: barista, bartender, sommelier, stagehand, actress, morgue attendant, and autopsy assistant.

And she’s also a recovering LARPer. (She blames it on her crazy college days)

For the latest updates, deleted scenes, and answers to any burning questions you have, please check out her:



27 comments:

horade said...

Thank you for the wonderful prizes!

Linda said...

I loved Tangled Web, just bought Poisoned Web & now waiting in eager anticipation for Deception's Web

Bube said...

Sounds really interesting :)
Thanks for the amazing giveaway :)

Unknown said...

I love reading Crista's books. So full of color and flavor with incredibly strong heroines.

Thank you for the giveaway.

Chaotic Karma said...

This sounds like a great series! Thanks for the incredible giveaway!

~Veronica Vasquez~

Kai said...

This is the most intriguing part of history: Roman,Greek, and Egyptian. They tend to bleed into each other. Love to read about this fascinating historical period.

Beautiful Disaster said...

I'm looking forward to reading these books. Thanks so much for sharing :)

Unknown said...

Thanks for the amazing giveaway!!!

Perava said...

Thank you for the great giveaway!

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad those of you who've read this series have enjoyed it. Thank you!

And thank you to the other commenters - best of luck to y'all with the giveaway, and definitely check out some of the other posts I'm doing later this month. :-)

Alexandru Rusu said...

Thanks for this giveaway!

Anonymous said...

thanks for the giveaway!!! :)

Sandy said...

Congratulations Crista on the new release.

Unknown said...

great giveaway :)

steve weber said...

looks like a good read.. thanks for the chance to win!

Cherry said...

I would love to see the picture inspiration of the series as cover of Poisoned Web instead...

Lauren B said...

Looks like a great series. Thanks for the excellent giveaway!

Gaby Metivier said...

This series sounds very original and unique. I love badass heroines! :) Thank you!!

Unknown said...

Thanks for a super chance!!! Happy Holidays!

Nicole Zoltack said...

I love history, period. Especially the Middle Ages and the renaissance. Lately, the Regency and Victorian era too.

rhowie said...

mmmm... sounds like my kind of book! awesome giveaway! yay!

collenga said...

Love the covers and the fact the the story is based on ancient Rome!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the amazing chance.. happy holidays and safe travels.

Unknown said...

Love books that have such history to them.. thank you for sharing and offering the giveaway!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the amazing giveaway!

Kamla L. said...

I've had Tangled Web on my TBR/Wishlist but haven't had the chance to read it yet. The series sounds suspensful, intriguing and sexy. With books 2 & 3 out, I have some serious catching up to do. :)

Unknown said...

Thanks for the awesome giveaway!

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