Spotlight & Giveaway: Hour of the Wolf by Dana Marie Bell

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Dana Marie Bell to HJ!

Hi Dana and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Hour of the Wolf!

To start off, can you please tell us a little bit about this book?:

This book is the last one in the Dryad arc, where Iva Yamauchi and Noah Wulfenbach finally get to mate. Iva has been…changed…by her time in the hands of the evil Van Helsings. Noah has taken in the orphaned children of his brother. Dealing with such personal issues and trying to put an end to the evil demon leading the Van Helsings could put a crimp in anyone’s relationship, but Noah and Iva will win out in the end.
 

Please share your favorite lines or quote(s) from this book:

Noah went to her and helped her set the kids in front of the TV. “We’ll be holding a pack meeting this weekend. I’ll be introducing you to the pack as the alpha bitch then.”
Iva’s brows rose slowly as she stared at him. “Alpha what now?”
Behind him, Paisley choked out a laugh.
Pain in the ass. Paisley always had hated that word. “It’s just a title. You can demand to be called alpha mate instead.”
She glowered at him. “Do that. You call me bitch and I’ll make sure your root withers and your berries dry up.”
Noah nodded, fighting the urge to cup his privates. “Right. Got it. Alpha mate it is.”

What inspired this book?

Since this book is the culmination of the dryad arc, I’d have to say the previous books, starting with Blood of the Maple. That vegetarian vampire really started something, and I’m enjoying the hell out of it.

How did you ‘get to know’ your main characters? Did they ever surprise you?

Characters always surprise me. They never do what I want, and if I try to force it it’s like they hide in their pillow forts, stick their fingers in their ears and sing lalalalala until I give in.

What was your favorite scene to write?

The final scenes where Iva figures out…and then they get the box and Noah…ah, I can’t share it! Spoilers, darling.

What was the most difficult scene to write?

The library scene, where Iva is looking up demonic names (again, spoilers!). Noah and the librarian have a history, and my editor and I went over that one a few times until it was just right.

Would you say this book showcases your writing style or is it a departure for you?

A bit of both, actually. I’ve noticed my writing style changing over the years. I still try and put laughs in, but I also tend to write more “gotta get the bad guys”. It’s probably my video game self peeking through.

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

A sigh of satisfaction, a wish to see more of the world, and the love that Noah and Iva share.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned?

I’m currently in edits for a self-pubbed title called Sound’s Familiar.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: 1 eBook copy of HOUR OF THE WOLF by Dana Marie Bell (open Internationally, winner can choose between ePub and MOBI formats)

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Maggie’s Grove is the home of several mythological creatures, like dryads, dragons and a unicorn. What type of creature(s) would you like to see living in the town?

 
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Excerpt from Hour of the Wolf:

Iva twitched, then shifted in her seat.
“You okay?” Noah put his hand in hers, and it was cold. Probably from holding the drinks, but he’d been worried about her for far too long for him to do anything but ask.
“I…think so?” Iva sighed. “We’ll talk about it later.”
Oh, that sounded good. Every man loved it when his woman said those words. It usually meant he was about to receive an epic ass-kicking. “Should I be worried for my safety?”
She laughed low as the credits ended, showing a revolving Earth as a man quoted Shakespeare’s Hamlet. “It’s not you, it’s me.”
Awesome. That was even better. He was pretty sure the evil wench was enjoying watching him squirm. “Watch the movie.”
She patted his arm condescendingly. “Yes, dear.”
Grr.
He settled down to watch the movie, quietly answering Milo’s questions as the movie progressed.
“Uncle Noah? Something’s funny about their lips. They aren’t moving with the words.”
“Uncle Noah? What’s a geiger?”
“Uncle Noah? Why didn’t they see the iceberg? Didn’t the guy warn them? So why did they run into it?”
Ten minutes into the movie and he wanted to muzzle the kid.
Iva jumped in her seat, scanning the theater with wide, frightened eyes.
“Iva?” Something was wrong with her, and it had nothing to do with Noah.
“What was that?” Her tone made every hair on the back of his neck stand up.
“Was it something from the movie?” Could something happening up on the screen be triggering flashbacks?
Damn it. He needed to know what had happened to her, but he didn’t want to push it. Maybe someday she’d be able to speak of it. Until then, all he could do was hold her until the shakes passed.
“No. It was a voice.” Iva turned around in her seat to glare at the poor man sitting behind her. “Did you say something to me?”
The man appeared confused. “Nope.”
“Oh.” Iva turned back around. She shook her head. “Never mind, then.”
This time he was going to make her answer him. “Iva.”
She ignored him right up until the very American man was telling them what trajectory Godzilla was taking toward Japan. She leaned toward him and whispered, “There’s this…voice I remember from the labs. It’s telling me that something is going to happen, something I’ll have no control over. Something bad.”
Noah went on alert. He glanced around to find that all the wolves in the theater were paying attention to him rather than the movie. Even little Sana was staring at him with wide eyes, probably wondering what was going on. The wolves were detecting their alpha’s tension and were responding accordingly. Of the four of them only Milo seemed unaffected, watching the screen with unholy glee as the giant radioactive lizard laid waste to a military base.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 

Book Info:

Iva and Noah want to enjoy their reclaimed bond, but first they have to kill the most powerful of demons…or die trying.

Not much worries Noah Wulfenbach, one of the most powerful shifters in North America, but questions about Iva Yamauchi’s recovery had made him anxious. He was vigilant in his caring for his mate, sitting beside her tree, talking to it—to her. Now that she’s back, Noah’s relief is matched only by his desire to drag the feisty dryad to his house to complete their mating bond.

Iva is ready to make up for lost time, especially with the delicious Alpha Prime of the werewolves, her fated mate. She and Noah had only just recognized their connection when she was injured and broken, forced to retreat to her tree. She’s curious and excited to find out just how firmly she’s tied to Mr. Tall, Dark and Growly.

Before Iva and Noah can explore the depth of their connection, supernatural hunters threaten the population of Maggie’s Grove. Together with the other town rulers, the fated pair must slay the demon-possessed leader of the hunters. Iva and Noah just found each other; they’re not ready to say goodbye…but they may not have a choice.

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Meet the Author:

Dana Marie Bell wrote her first short story when she was thirteen years old. She’s now a USA Today best-selling author, both self-published and with Carina Press. She lives with her husband Dusty, their two maniacal children, an evil ice-cream stealing cat and a dog who doesn’t understand the meaning of “personal space”. She’s been heard to describe herself as “vertically challenged” and loves video games and anime. She is also an “invisible illness sufferer”, as she has both fibromyalgia and ankylosing spondylitis. Due to this, she walks with a cane or rides in a mobility scooter. She refuses to answer whether or not she’s ever attempted to run her children over with the scooter. She will say, however, that they are now very fast runners

You can learn more about Dana at:Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | GoodReads |