Of Scales & Fire by Natalina Reis ~ Blog Tour and Excerpt
Please join me in welcoming Natalina Reis to the Land of Make Believe! She has stopped by to share her thoughts on writing outcasts and celebrate the release of her new MM gay/bi paranormal/urban fantasy romance, Of Magic & Scales book two: Of Scales and Fire. And there’s a giveaway!
Welcome, Natalina!
Natalina Reis on Writing Outcasts
I’m often accused of writing “weak” characters, immature and insecure. I admit, I often write characters riddled with doubts about themselves and how others feel about them. I also know my characters usually come off as being a bit childish either because of my penchant to use a lot of humor or because, well, they display a lot of insecurities. But I never write weak characters.
People normally equate being assertive and secure with being strong. To me what makes a person strong is the ability to face those things that make you uncomfortable or to soldier on when you’re afraid or anxious. Not much different from the definition of a hero. A hero is not someone who is not afraid but someone who acts despite being terrified.
Aiden, in the Of Magic & Scales series, is only sure about one thing: his sexual prowess. Other than that he second guesses himself at every turn including doubting that anyone could ever really love him. Does that make him weak or immature (well, he is immature by his own admission)? I beg to differ. Despite all his doubts, his fears, Aiden is always willing to risk it all for those he loves and willing to change and accept things he couldn’t—or wouldn’t—before. To me that’s the real challenge, to be able to surpass your fears and doubts and come up on top in the end.
My writer’s tagline reads “Writing romance for the misfits, the outcasts, and the lovers unafraid to go against the grain” and that’s exactly what you will find in all my books, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a FM romantic comedy, a romantic fantasy, a dystopian romance, or a MM paranormal. In each of my stories there is someone who struggles against his/her own doubts and limitations but does not let that stop him/her from achieving his/her goals.
Of Scales & Fire
The cast of supporting characters from Natalina Reis’s “Of Magic and Scales” are back and stronger than ever, and so are the pop culture references and silly jokes Aiden likes so much. As Aiden and his new family are joined by an unexpected antagonist that may yet prove to be their undoing, will their (un)domesticated new life as a couple be turned upside down?
Aiden Mercer’s life has changed dramatically since his days of being a man-whore, where he spent most of the time either running his coffee shop in sunny Portugal or man-watching at the beach. He now has Naël, a cranky merman to love and to hold, and his sister, Vee, and friends to care for. Life is good.
But life never seems to stop surprising the American ex-detective. A mysterious order of monks, a mermen poacher, shocking revelations about his parentage—and whoever is hunting him down—turn Aiden and Naël’s summer into one to remember. Or maybe one they’d rather forget.
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Giveaway
Natalina is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card with this tour:
Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47170/?
Excerpt
It had become a running joke with us—the fact that I had no clue who or what I was. It was painfully obvious I was a magical of some kind, but no one seemed to be able to identify which one. I had lived my whole adult life thinking I was just a Joe Schmo, only to find out that was far from the truth. I was still pretty ambivalent about it. It was nice to have powers other humans could only dream of, but on the other hand, it also meant I was forever linked to a group of creatures I had fought so hard to stay clear of.
I pushed him away, pretending to be mad at him. “Well, I am very poorly acquainted with my own powers, and until I learn how to better control them, I’m not much help to anyone.” I took another quick peek at the couple now walking out the door.
Fouchard slapped me with the kitchen towel. “Those powers were what saved my sister two months ago.” It was true; I had helped rescue his sister from the hands of a serial killer bent on getting rid of all magicals who didn’t fit the traditional mold. My boyfriend took a couple steps until his lips hovered over mine, his heady scent invading all my senses. He was the one who held all the magic. “Stop being so down on yourself and own it. You do with everything else, why not with this too? It’s part of who you are.” True, except I really didn’t know who I was. Fuck, I didn’t even know my own birthday. “Besides, you have magic in those fingers of yours,” he whispered, a wicked smile spreading on his lips. “You’re a true sorcerer with that mouth.” He brushed a thumb along my lower lip. Then he looked down at my crotch and licked his lips. “And other magical parts.” He let it hang as he lifted his eyes to mine.
Author Bio
Natalina wrote her first romance at the age of 13 in collaboration with her best friend. Since then she has ventured into other genres, but romance is first and foremost in almost everything she writes. She’s the author of We Will Always Have the Closet, Desert Jewel, Loved You Always, and Lavender Fields.
After earning a degree in tourism and foreign languages, she worked as a tourist guide in her native Portugal for a short time before moving to the United States. She lived in three continents and a few islands, and her knack for languages and linguistics led her to a master’s degree in education. She lives in Virginia where she’s taught English as a Second Language to elementary school children for more years than she cares to admit.
Natalina doesn’t believe you can have too many books or too much coffee. Art and dance make her happy and she is pretty sure she could survive on lobster and bananas alone. When she is not writing or stressing over lesson plans, she shares her life with her husband and two adult sons.
Where to Find Natalina Reis
| Website | Facebook (Personal | Facebook Author Page | Twitter |
| Instagram | Goodreads | QueeRomance Ink |
| Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com) | Amazon |
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Anytime. Congrats on the new release!