I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the SHADOW OF DEATH by Diane E. Samson Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About the Book

Title: SHADOW OF DEATH (A Gems of Fire Companion Novel)

Author: Diane E. Samson

Pub. Date: October 27, 2022

Publisher: Diane E. Samson

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 292

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle

Read for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited Membership!

A homeless prince, a grueling mission, an unlikely hope

When unspeakable tragedy strikes Prince Jack’s family, he’s left with one desire: vengeance. Now living in exile and serving a foreign king, Jack perfects his talent with the sword. He’s sent to the desert for spy and assassin training, dreaming of the day he’ll use these skills to drive a dagger into Ingvar’s heart.

Jack plunges into his training and finds a new family of sorts, whose morally gray members rid the city of vile criminals. But as the desert Lord Anwar readies for battle, allegiances shatter, blood runs in the streets, and the shadow of death looms near. During a last effort to complete his seemingly impossible mission, Jack chances upon a slave girl with a Northern accent and eyes so familiar that he makes a hasty vow.

He always thought he’d defeat his nightmares by becoming one. Could that nightmare fade into a new dream? And could that strange slave girl be at the heart of it all?

 

Read the original series now for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited Membership!

 

EXCERPT
Meisha continued working. “Zorab can be a fool.”

“He set clear boundaries for me.”

She scraped another large mound of manure into her shovel. “It’s complicated.”

“Because you two…?”

“That’s not allowed.”

“And if it were?”

She scowled. “It’s not like that. He’s more of a big brother. Thinks it’s his job to protect me.”

Was she lying or clueless? Jack wasn’t sure. 

By the time they made it back to the barn, Jack’s sweat-soaked shirt stuck to his chest and back. Dust from a strong, hot wind clung to his damp neck and caked his throat with every breath. He took a long drink from his water flask, kept on his hip at all times now. He offered Meisha a drink.

She emptied it and handed it back. “Thanks.” She ran the back of her hand over her mouth, leaving a streak of brown on her upper lip.

“What I’d give for a proper bath,” Jack mumbled.

“A proper bath?” Meisha whipped out an invisible sword and held it above her head. “Servants. Prepare my bath!” She strutted ahead of him, nose in air. “And bring me wine, cheese, and the softest towels money can buy.” She flipped her hair. “Only the finest from Vahia will do.” Anwar’s palace.

Jack didn’t react. Let her mock him.

She spun back. “We all pegged you as a nobleman’s son from the moment you stepped foot here. I’ve met my share of them. Full pockets, empty brains. When I’m done with them, their pockets are empty as well.”

“Were they marks? Or just innocent young men you decided to have some fun with?” The sharp words spilled out of his stupid mouth.

Her expression shifted, and Jack paused his stride. “You think I’m some kind of monster? Killing for pleasure?”

“Of course not.”

She trudged back toward the stables. “You’re wrong. I am a monster. A unique weapon, forged in the quiet. A dark flower. Beautiful and deadly.” Her voice dropped off at the end, and she tugged the donkey back into the shadowed barn. 

 

About Diane:

Diane E. Samson grew up on acreage just north of Kansas City, Missouri, with horses and dogs in the backyard. She later pursued her love of words and earned a degree in magazine journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. After graduation she worked as a reporter, managing editor, freelance writer and in public relations. After moving around the country, she's recently returned to the Kansas City area where she lives with her husband, children and golden retriever. 

She's written fiction off and on her whole life. Gems of Fire is her first series about a girl traveling a journey of self-discovery in a world of powerful gems, supernatural forces, epic battles and of course, handsome heroes.

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Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive signed paperbacks of Gems of Fire & Shadow of Death, US Only.

1 winner will receive the eBooks of the Gems of Fire series, International.

Ends November 22nd, midnight EST.