I am off to the Authors After Dark Conference today and want to thank my good friend and fellow author Gabriella Hewitt for helping me out by dropping by today to discuss her latest novel! But before Gabriella spills all about her latest release, please remember that on August 11 at 9 pm I’ll be having a live video event with Rachel Kramer Bussel. We’ll be chatting about OBSESSED: EROTIC ROMANCE FOR WOMEN which is Rachel’s latest release. You can click here or use this link – http://t.wbx.me/f8qgs – to come and watch and ask questions, plus there will be some fun prizes!

Without further ado, here’s Gabriella!

The fun part of writing OUT OF THE SHADOWS based on Aztec mythology was getting to do the research. Some of the things I found out had me smiling and heralding the Aztec culture. Other things had me cringing and shaking my head.

In a way, we are not so different than the Aztec people of the past. And in another way, we are completely different.

Here is a quick comparison list of how we are alike & different:

ALIKE: Aztecs liked to eat meat and tons of it. (Throw some steak on the BBQ any day)

DIFFERENT: Aztecs ate deer, rabbits, and dogs. (Sorry but chewing on Bambi, Thumper and Fido doesn’t sound tasty to today’s modern girl.)

ALIKE: Corn tortillas on the Go! The tortilla shells were a staple of food and young women made them as a right of passage. Warriors ate them fresh or carried them on long journeys because they kept well. (Ancient Taco Bell)

DIFFERENT: Aztecs worshipped corn. Yup, they even had a corn god named Cinteotl. According to About.com contributor, Austin Cline “During the festival of Hueytozoztli, “great watch,” Cinteotl was honored in order to encourage the growth of corn. First a procession of virgins would march to the Temple of Chicomecoatl, and then an impersonator would be sacrificed.” (Nice. Wonder how that would go over with the Dept. of Agriculture today?)

ALIKE: Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate! The Aztecs loved it as much as we do today. They ate it, drank it and used it as an aphrodisiac. (We’ve perfected it and made chocolate pens to write naughty messages on our lover’s body and then lick it off!!)

DIFFERENT: Chocolate was considered decadent and only for the rich. Today anyone can enjoy the delicious delicacy without fear of retribution from the gods. (If you’re really feeling rich, Hershey’s Amusement Park offers a chocolate infused mud bath. Now that sounds divine.)

In many ways we are alike and different. Definitely one thing is for certain, whether it is modern times or ancient times, Aztec Warriors are considered hot and sexy.

EXCERPT

A wolf’s howl pierced the desert silence, causing the animals to stir restlessly in their stalls. Wolves had been reintroduced into Arizona, but she had yet to see or hear one so close to her ranch. Was it an omen?

Carolina paused in her chores to stare out the open barn door into the gathering darkness.
For a moment, she let herself get caught up in the long, solitary note. It felt like a kindred spirit. She knew loneliness intimately. Only her loneliness did not come from the vast miles of the sun-parched Sonoran desert that surrounded her, but out of the necessity to protect her goddess, her land’s secret. As one of the few amongst her people to become a guardian, her choices were limited.

The one occasion she’d invested herself in another, he’d betrayed her. She’d foolishly placed her hope and trust in Billy and she’d paid a horrendous price. Her desire to find someone to share the workload, her joy and sadness, and the burden of her secret—just as her parents had done—had blinded her to the trap she’d walked into. By the time she understood what was happening, it was too late. Her parents were dead.

Her heart weighed heavy in her chest as if it had happened recently and not five years ago. The memory of her parents lingered too close to the surface today. This had been their land, their dream, and now it was hers to fight for. She’d vowed never to fail them again. Above her own needs came the higher purpose of protecting her goddess at all costs.

Her mare, Mariposa, snorted and reared up, pulling Carolina from her thoughts. The animals had been growing edgier with each passing minute. They sensed the evil that blew in with the warm desert breeze. She berated herself for not paying more attention to them.
Goose bumps prickled her skin. Her tattoo, a gift from the goddess, began a slow burn on her shoulder, a sure sign that evil was approaching. She felt the heat radiating through the fabric of her denim shirt. The last time she’d experienced the odd sensation, her world had fallen apart.

Cautiously, she turned her head, seeking the source.

Her breath came out in a gasp.

Less than ten feet away sat a magnificent gray wolf, watching her. Waiting.

OUT OF THE SHADOWS releases August 16th. You can pre-order it now at Samhain Publishing

About the author:

Gabriella Hewitt is the pen name of creative writing talents Sasha Tomaszycki and Patrizia M.J. Hayashi. Together they weave tales of romantic suspense and dangerously sensual paranormals. Check out the website www.GabriellaHewitt.com to find out about upcoming releases and events on their blog.