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Book Tour: Cyn & Emma from Hildie McQueen’s Desperate Betrayal chat about sexy Protectors and baby names

by davincikittieJanuary 18, 2012

Let’s welcome Cyn & Emma from Desperate Betrayal, with author Hildie McQueen!

The setting: Rico’s, a quaint coffee shop in Midtown Atlanta
Attending: Initially just DVK and Hildie. Cynden and Emma will meet us here in a few.

DaVinciKittie, with her Iced Upside Down Ristretto Solo Soy Grande Caramel Macchiato: Hi Hildie! I’m so glad you could join me! What are you having (to drink)?
Hildie(HM): Hi DaVinci Kittie, I’m glad to see you too. I’m not as fancy as you are with my caffeine, I’m a tea girl, so I usually just order some Earl Grey and cream when here. I bring my own honey stick too! *Pulls it out of purse*
DVK: Mmm tea, I love tea! Tea is a real drink; coffee (loaded with cream, sugar, and other bad-for-you-goodness) is a sweet snack. *grins* So Cyn and Emma are on their way?
HM: They should be here shortly.
DVK: Great, thanks so much for setting this up. Let’s get the personal questions out of the way so Cyn & Emma don’t know we’re talking about them! *laughs*
HM: Yes let’s do that!

DVK: I really enjoyed reading Cyn & Emma’s story. The emotional draw was irresistible! How many books do you have planned for the Protector series?
HM: I’m so glad you liked it. I don’t have an complete plan yet for the series, I know that there are at least two more. The second one, Desperate Surrender, is already at my publishing house and the third one is in very rough draft. Kieran and Wendy are next, as you know Kieran is Cyn’s brother and then Fallon’s book.
DVK: Mmmm… Fallon *sighs happily*

DVK: *snaps out of Fallon-induced dreamland* With so many parallels between your Protectors and Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunters, this book is intense and emotional! What authors and series in paranormal romance and urban fantasy have inspired your writing? Do you have any faves?
HM: That’s funny you mention that, my editor told me that she sold Desperate Betrayal to the publishers by saying, Hildie’s a cross between Sherrilyn Kenyon and J.R. Ward, both whom I adore! I’ve actually met Sherrilyn twice. Of course I’ve read all of her Dark-Hunter and Dream-Hunter novels. I’m addicted to JR Ward’s Blood Dagger Brotherhood series and I also am in love with Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld.

DVK: The Drill: Tell me the first thing that comes to your mind!
DVK: Boxers or briefs?
HM: Briefs
DVK: Last song played on your ipod?
HM: Keep Me in Mind by Zac Brown Band
DVK: Weirdest fact about yourself most people wouldn’t know?
HM: Both my brothers are named Richard (DVK: yeah, that’s definitely different! hehe)
DVK: Sneakers or stilettos?
HM: High heels please!
DVK: If you could have one superpower, it would be…
HM: Invisibility

The door to the coffee shop jingles as Emma and Cyn enter and make their way toward us. Both are dressed casually in jeans and t-shirts, they look like an all American couple. Emma’s golden brown hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail. They slide into the seat in front of us. Rico, the barista must know their preference as two coffees are placed in front of them almost as soon as they are settled. Hildie makes the introductions and DVK starts the inquisition. *eeeeviiiiil cackle*

DVK: Emma, what’s it like suddenly living with a teenager? Any major life adjustments?
Emma: It’s not as much as an adjustment as I expected. Blue is a very mature teenager, very independent and easygoing too. It’s hard sometimes to remember that he’s still a kid. He probably has more to adjust to than I do since Cyn and I are always “sucking face” as he calls it. *Her honey-brown eyes flicker to Cyn and he smiles broadly.*

DVK: Cyn, with Blue’s demon heritage, is there any possibility of him being called as a Protector? Has it ever happened to a non-human?
Cyn: *The handsome Protector frowns at the question.* Fae males have been recruited, I’ve never heard of anyone with demon heritage. But Blue insists on training for it and he is half-human, so we’ll see. I am not crazy about the idea, he could get hurt.

DVK: Are women ever called to be Protectors?
Cyn: God no! *DVK raises an eyebrow & Emma smacks his arm* What I mean is that I don’t know if a Protector will be able to fight and not be drawn to protect a female at the same time. As far as I know I there aren’t any women Protectors. But now that I think about it, I wouldn’t be surprised if one is recruited one day.
DVK: *mutters* Uh huh, good save, Cyn. *grins*

DVK: Sooo Kieran seemed awfully preoccupied by Wendy. Any bets on how long it takes her to reel him in? *wink*
Emma: *Emma leans forward with a knowing smile.* Wendy has a huge crush on Kieran and whether he admits it or not, he is attracted to her too. *Her smile fades.* Unfortunately Kieran keeps himself so apart from everyone, I’m not sure he will ever allow someone close to him.

DVK: Kieran’s history is shadowed to us so far, but seems like it’s going to be a doozy. Is there anything you can tell us about that?
*Hildie clears her throat and the couple looks to her to answer this one.*
HM: His story was a hard one; my heart broke several times while writing it. I cried with him and for him and Wendy. So I suppose that means it will be a doozy. I can tell you that the story leaves Georgia; there are some great scenes in Ireland and Scotland.

DVK: Cyn, if you had to describe your fighting style, it would be…
Cyn: Bloody, up close and personal, if that is a style. Much like men fought battles during the earlier times, we have to fight with swords and use hand-to-hand combat.

DVK: Julian is awfully secretive and mysterious… what’s his deal? *wink*
Cyn: *Cyn cocks an eyebrow in thought.* Julian is a good leader; yes he is secretive about his past and his personal life. I suppose it helps him maintain a distance and be more impartial. *Emma bumps his shoulder and interrupts.* That man is a combination of good and evil, he looks like an angel descended, but at the same time, one narrowed-eyed glance from him and your spit dries up in fear. *Cyn continues.* I am sure he has his reasons for how he behaves as he carries a great deal of responsibility on his shoulders.

DVK: Emma, what are you looking forward to most with your new little one? Any names already in consideration?
*Both Emma and Cyn beam at the question.*
Emma: Yes, we are super excited and we do have a name, but we’re not sharing it yet. *One hand on her still flat stomach, she sighs.* The main things we’re looking forward to is being a family and spending time together with Blue and the baby.

DVK: Thanks so much for meeting with me today! I had a great time chatting with you guys and getting to know you. So, um, Fallon wouldn’t happen to still be in town… would he? *blushes & looks hopeful*
HM: *Hildie smiles and wags her eyebrows.* He is a hottie isn’t he? I should have asked him to stop by. *Cyn shakes his head.* I think he’s over at his mac-mansion overseeing the ironing of his underwear. *Everyone laughs.*

Did you enjoy our chat with Hildie, Cyn, & Emma? Read more about Desperate Betrayal below!

Click here to read GT’s review of Desperate Betrayal!
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Desperate Betrayal by Hildie McQueen

Cynden Frasier (Cyn) is a member of a group of immortal warriors, the Protectors, assigned to protect humans in Atlanta, Georgia, the epicenter of a major uprising in demon activity. When Cyn is approached by a beautiful woman in a dirty alley, he is intrigued by the fact that she can see him for what he is, a terrifying demon slayer, and still dares to approach him.

Emma Blake, a half-demon, has to convince Cyn to help rescue her sister from powerful demons. Terrified that the Protector will kill her if he realizes what she is, she still goes against every instinct and approaches Cyn for help. Despite knowing that she is leading them both into territory so wrought with treachery, neither of them may survive.

Can Cyn and Emma overcome betrayal, the ancient rules that prevent Protectors from taking a wife, unless she is his one true mate? And if they do, will it even matter?

Excerpt from Desperate Betrayal

Shadows.

Emma Blake always felt at home in the shadows. It was where she lived, always concealing the truth from those around her.

Now as she hid in the doorway of an abandoned building, she couldn’t help but compare the current situation to her life. The dampness of the brick wall behind her seeped through to her skin, as she pushed further into the dark to avoid being noticed. The putrid smell of trash and urine barely registered, as she was mesmerized by the scene unfolding before her.

The scene invoked images of the endless battle forces of dark and light had been waging since the dawn of time.

Although beautiful to behold, the warrior who fought before her wasn’t exactly an angel, but he was as close to one as she would ever get. In desperate need of his help, she took a big chance sticking around; because once he caught her there were only two possibilities for her.

He’d either help her or he would kill her.

The air blew chilly on this damp, drizzly day in Atlanta, a city that for some unknown reason, in the last few years, had become a hotbed for demons. With such an influx of demons, human assaults were on the rise.

Emma continued to watch from the shelter of the doorway, as the Protector fought his aggressors. Ten huge low-level demons armed with medieval-type swords.

She tensed, but didn’t flinch as a demon’s severed arm flew past her and hit the ground next to her foot with a sickening thud.

Emma had no doubt as to whom the victor would be in the end. The fluidity of the Protector’s movements and the speed of the fight enthralled her. Her gaze locked on his biceps. Muscles bulged on his right arm, as he swung his sword in a way that seemed almost effortless. Impressive, for the weapon he wielded had to weigh at least twenty pounds.

He dodged a blow and struck out with his sword to slash through one demon’s chest. A dagger flew from his left hand and found its target in another’s heart.

About the author

Hildie McQueen is a whirlwind who refuses to wear anything but jeans and heels.

She grew up on the San Diego/Mexico border, joined the military at seventeen and never returned. After living in Germany, Texas and Hawaii, she finally settled in the beautiful southern town of Augusta, Georgia.

Biracial, half Mexican and half African-American, Hildie’s native language is Spanish, but English is her favorite way of communicating now.

Her mission in life is to make as many people as possible to feel normal. It’s an easy thing to do, for others to feel normal around her, because she’s anything but.