Today I'm pleased to be able to interview Jillian Stone about her exciting new release.
Jillian is offering a terrific tour wide giveaway! See below for details.
In this second novel of the Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator Series, Phaeton returns to England to help Doctor Exeter and the mysterious deadly Nightshades rescue London once again—this time from Professor Lovecraft’s destructive tinkering. What could be the dangerous consequences if they do not stop Lovecraft? How do Phaeton and Doctor Exeter make a good team—how do their abilities complement each other? And how do the Nightshades contribute?
The tag line for The Moonstone and Miss Jones gives the readers a big clue: Phaeton and America Part Deux: A Tale of Two Londons. As the book opens, the Moonstone is stolen and hidden in an alternate London, where things are unraveling, quite literally. The two Londons are set one hundred years apart and connected by inter-dimensional portals. Scientists, tech wizards and inventors in both worlds are all looking to reverse the unraveling and get on with ruling the universe. To do this they need The Moonstone, a rare and powerful object bestowed upon Phaeton Black. What is interesting about putting Phaeton in charge of the Moonstone’s safe keeping is that he sees the whole thing as a hardship, wants nothing to with its power and is therefore incorruptible.
Doctor Exeter lives with a foot in the arcane world of the supernatural, while the other resides in the mundane world of medical research. He plays a kind of Doctor Watson to Phaeton’s Sherlock Holmes, only with a lot more panache.
The Nightshades are a super ninja, black ops, security force, consisting of two men and two women. They are employed by Gaspar Sinclair, the de facto leader of the Gentlemen Shades, which is secret group of otherworld creatures based in 1889 London. Gaspar assigns the Nightshades to protect Phaeton, America and their cohorts as they search for the missing Moonstone. It seems everyone is interested in finding the Moonstone...including Gaspar.
The eccentric scientist attempts to save his son’s deteriorating condition by replacing body parts with mechanical apparatus. He intends to power those artificial parts with the arcane energy inside moonstones and he needs Phaeton Black to help him do it. How might Phaeton help with this project?
Lovecraft is pretty far gone mentally, as his obsession to restore his son’s body parts grows into a megalomaniacal quest to beat the tech wizards of alternate London to the Moonstone and control both worlds. Phaeton reluctantly allows Lovecraft to come along on the search because the mad scientist has a few useful gadgets and a portal maker which is able to create stable exits and entrances between the two worlds.
Phaeton and Miss America Jones join together for a new business venture—moonstone investigations. How might this be profitable for each?
At this point it’s hard to know if Phaeton and America will ever settle down and work on the everyday spooky jobs like goblins, succubae, demons, evil sprites, trolls and the like, but they definitely open an office and hang out their shingle: Moonstone Investigations. No uncommon psychical disturbance refused, no matter how perplexing. For instance, in The Moonstone and Miss Jones, a family of annoying succubae move into Phaeton’s apartment, and prove difficult to be rid of.
Since Phaeton is a paranormal investigator, what sorts of paranormals does he encounter during the adventures in this book?
The earlier mentioned succubae: the beautiful but irritating Ryder sisters. And there are also a number of strange, derelict creatures made by a tech wizard called Propero––yes, named after the sorcerer in The Tempest. There are snake headed creatures called Reapers, blobs of invasive energy called Grubbers and a strange creature called Skeezick, who speaks in nonsensical Cockney Rhyme and is capable of disintegrating (unraveling) and reappearing almost instantaneously in another location some distance away. Hard to get a good look at a Skeezick, but when America Jones is nearly kidnapped, she says this much: “...beady, milky-grey eyes, a round mouth with hundreds of needle like teeth dripping saliva. The creature was also skin-over-bones thin, and yet still very strong. Thoroughly off-putting.”
Briefly describe the magical systems of your world. How do those who are empowered gain their abilities?
Since the series is set in 1889 London, there is the historical setting, as well as the off world characters and creatures of alternate, future London, which is unraveling. Both worlds magical systems are powered by an energy force referred to as aether. Doctor Exeter calls this energy the potent force and Mr. Ping likes to describe it as “...relic dust and champagne”. It is a kind of universal power that can be sucked out of any living thing––even once living matter. Every life force generates this energy but only a few know how to access its power. Some very dangerous entrepreneurs in alternate London have learned how to refine “crude energy” to create living beings. The tech wizards in both worlds see the Moonstone as the ultimate, unlimited source of potent energy.
Phaeton Black, was born with his number one skill, which is his ability to see and communicate with all manner of apparitions and creatures. What makes Phaeton unique as a paranormal investigator is that he operates more by his wits than by supernatural ninja fighting skills or powers. With Doctor Exeter and Mr. Ping’s help, both Phaeton and America learn how to manipulate the potent force.
~~~
The Moonstone and Miss Jones
Book Two in the Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator Series
Book Two in the Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator Series
By Jillian
Stone
Genre: Paranormal
romance with steampunk and erotic elements
Publisher: Kensington
Brava
Date of
Publication: September 26, 2012
ISBN-10: 075826898X
ISBN-13: 978-0758268983
Number of
pages: 300
Book Description:
The Moonstone and Miss Jones is the dark and sexy sequel to The Seduction of Phaeton Black. Phaeton
returns to England in time to help Doctor Exeter and the mysterious deadly
Nightshades rescue London once again––this time from Professor Lovecraft's destructive
tinkering.
As the threads of existence begin to unravel, the eccentric scientist
attempts to save his son’s deteriorating condition by replacing body parts with
mechanical apparatus. Ah, but how to power them? The near mad professor
believes he has found a way to unleash the arcane energy inside
the Moonstone and he needs Phaeton Black to help him do it.
When Phaeton is shanghaied in Shanghai, America Jones assumes the
worst––that he has abandoned her in the Orient. An angry Miss Jones returns to
London, where their spirited partnership takes an unexpected turn––a new
business venture MOONSTONE INVESTIGATIONS. No uncommon psychical
disturbance refused.
Well, why
not mix business with pleasure?
Short
Excerpt:
A lone gaslight sputtered
above the stair landing. America steadied herself and waited for her eyes to
adjust to the darkness below. The hansom ride from the Docklands to the West
End had been one of the most harrowing in her life––with the possible exception
of a rickshaw pulled by Zulu in Durban, South Africa.
She squinted and a few
details emerged from the flat below, including a shadowy figure in the
overstuffed chair. A soft snore rumbled its way up the stair––it was Phaeton,
all right. She ventured further into the room for a better look.
He lounged in the chair with his pelvis
forward, legs spread. America angled her head, studying him. There was a rough
of whiskers on his chin; could he look anymore dashing? She exhaled a sigh. Only
if he opened those liquid brown eyes.
“A little lower,
darling.” He mumbled, still asleep. It suddenly hit her. He was safe. He was
healthy. The bilge rat.
“Darling, is it?” she
whispered. Her gaze trailed down his open waistcoat to the buttons on his trousers.
As if in answer to her own lascivious thoughts the buttons began to open.
She grinned at first––was
this some new kind of power emerging? Something ancient and primal fueled by
lust? She had noticed a marked increase in her abilities these last few months,
there was no question they were getting stronger. She reached out and her hand
was slapped away––by what she had no idea. She tried again and was flung across
the flat onto the lumpy old chaise longue.
America sat up and
stared. Something tugged at Phaeton’s trousers––something powerful enough to
manipulate the physical world and yet remain unseen. Rising to her feet, she strode
across the floor and slapped Phaeton hard across the face.
He groaned, still in a
deep trace. “Just the tip, Georgiana.”
She slapped him again.
“Snap out of it!”
Jarred awake, Phaeton
pushed away from her and blinked––several times. She slapped him again. This
time he rubbed his jaw and his eyes watered. “America?” Gradually, between
squints and blinks, he came around.
Her fists landed on her
hips. “Who is Georgiana?”
Phaeton eased back into
his chair, though he regarded her with some wariness. “A rather persistent
succubus. And you certainly aren’t one of those––thank God.” If it was possible
for a man to have sultry eyes, Phaeton
had them. He tilted his chin and studied at her. “Though, I must admit the
nasty little vixen has me in some discomfort––would you mind?” He gave a nod to
the bulge in his trousers.
“Stuff it, Phaeton.”
“Exactly.” A slow grin
twitched on the devilish mouth. “I’m just asking.”
“Goodness––separated for
less than two months and I had already quite forgotten how exasperating you can
be.”
“You followed me––rather
sweet of you. I wasn’t sure you would. I thought you would think I jumped ship
and sailed off––abandoned you.”
America’s eyes narrowed
into cat slits. “According to your wire, which I received just yesterday, you
were shanghaied––in Shanghai.”
Phaeton shrugged. “Old
joke, not particularly amusing anymore.”
She stared at him. “You
must trust me when I say, it was never comical––in the least.” America shook her head and moved to
the pantry area of the flat. She braced herself against the table edge. “I
chased you halfway round the world, Phaeton. I want the truth this time, and
not a crafty as you please answer.” She swept an errant curl back into her top
knot. “I believe I’ve known eels less slippery.”
Phaeton wore that
cajoling half smile. “You’re angry with me.”
“Mad at you? No Phaeton,
I’m not angry with you. I’m...I’m furious.” America choked on her own words, or
was it the painful and growing lump in her throat that stifled her breath? “I
searched for you for in every opium den and every back alley of Shanghai. Only
after a great deal of money changed hands was I able to find out you’d cut and
run––aboard the Boomerang. Do you have any idea how I worried?”
“I’ve caused you great
torment, but I swear to you none of it was my doing. Yes, I was on that
ship––in leg irons for more than half the voyage. I was cracked over the head
in Blood alley, stuffed in a sack and taken aboard ship. “Phaeton rolled his
eyes a bit. “Turns out the captain was a regular chap, with a good supply of
whiskey––nightly
card play.”
America shook her head.
“How lovely for you. I don’t suppose there was any chance to escape––or any way
to get word to me?”
“But I did get word to
you, love––darling––” Phaeton appeared rather stricken.
The tears that had welled
up, were streaming now. “And while we were separated did you…think of me?”
Phaeton rose from the
chair. “Every minute.” He strode toward her slowly. “Of every hour.” He caught
her up in his arms. “Of every bleeding day.” His gaze fell to her mouth, and
her lips parted. Good God, what a hussy––she was sending him an invitation.
“Have I ever told you I
love you––outside of the throes of passion?”
America shook her head.
“I love you.”
America pressed her hands
to his chest. “Too late, we’re in the throes of passion.”
In
2010, Jillian won the RWA Golden Heart for An
Affair with Mr. Kennedy and went from no agent or publisher to signing
with Richard Curtis and being offered a three book contract by Pocket Books.
That summer, she also won the erotica category of the 2010 Romance Through the
Ages contest for The Seduction of Phaeton
Black and was offered a three book contract by Kensington Brava. Needless
to say, she has been busy writing books this past year and a half! Jillian
lives in Southern California and is currently working on the third book in the
Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator series, The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter.
Author web
links: (web, blog, twitter, facebook, goodreads, etc)
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4946569.Jillian_Stone
Twitter: @gJillianStone
Giveaway details:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Twitter: @gJillianStone
Giveaway details:
Win Phaeton’s most charming charm bracelet. And find
clues to the Moonstone’s hiding place
in this modern, edgy take on the traditional charm bracelet created by Ana
Karolina, a 19-year-old Mexican born designer who made her debut at Nordstrom
at the ripe old age of 17. This silver-plated chain bracelet makes skulls and
bugs look oh-so cool!
Five copies of The Moonstone and Miss Jones (e-book or print- winner’s choice)
Use the Rafflecopter below to enter.a Rafflecopter giveaway
1 comments:
Oh Phaeton, what will you get into next? Thanks for the tease... I mean, excerpt, and the excellent interview.
;)
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