Dark Summoner Blog Tour! (+$25 Amazon GC Giveaway!)

Title: Dark Summoner

Author: D.D. Miers

Series: Relic Keeper #1

Pages: 175

Date Published: 2015

Publisher: Self-Published

Format: Kindle

Genre: Fantasy

Source: Goddess Fish Blog Tours
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Synopsis:
Abby Davenport has spent the last ten years forgetting her past until a fateful night reveals her false reality. Thrust into a new world of dark sorcery and ancient magic, she's shocked to discover her destiny lies as the keeper of a powerful relic. Now everyone wants to control, own, or destroy her. No longer able to discern truth from lie, she’s torn between a charming guardian and a mysterious summoner. Abby finds herself strangely drawn to each man—one sworn to protect and one who calls to her soul. Can she survive the strange and dangerous labyrinth of the first realm, where every move, emotion, and reaction must be a calculated one?

~Guest Post!~

While I was lucky enough to host D.D. Meyers for the book blast portion of her tour for Dark Summoner, I'm even more excited to have her here to share more about kick-butt heroines...how to make them and just what makes them awesome! Without any further ado...Ms. Meyers! 

I guess the first assumption most people have about a kick-butt heroine is that she “literally” kicks-butt, but that’s never been my definition. For me, a Kick-butt heroine always comes down to brains over beauty and she has two main traits: She’s real and she’s relatable.

She doesn’t have to be an awesome fighter or a beauty queen or even the most brave. She’s a real woman with flaws and imperfections. She has to feel human in essence. No-matter if she’s a shifter, a witch, a regular girl or whatever. Her deficiencies and weaknesses make her relatable. They make you want to root for her to win and defeat the obstacles she faces. I personally love my heroines to have both vulnerability and attitude. She may be afraid of her destiny, but she’s damn well gonna face it.

I think too often we define women into narrow categories: the virgin, the vixen, the brains. A woman’s sexiness, appeal, confidence or strength isn’t defined by one set of standards. The beauty of women is the diverse nature of which we come in. A kick-butt heroine starts in once place and grows to become a better version of herself. Not someone else. Whether that obstacle is finding love again after losing her husband, or battling a demon sorceress, she faces her challenges head on. She may have fears, insecurities, regrets or doubts, but she’s still moving forward.

That being said, the other part of what makes a kick-butt heroine is her journey. Half the fun is watching her develop and change. This is where we get to see the heroine thrive and cross from those feelings of apprehension into acceptance and determination. Sure she may be facing insane odds against her, but she knows that somewhere along the line she’s going to have to fight back in the best way she can.

I don’t expect my Kick-butt heroines to be the most attractive, or the most skilled. But I do expect them to make me want to better myself. To face my demons and to take on new challenges. To inspire me by their inner strength and commitment.

Here are some of my favorite kick-butt heroines: 

• Katniss Everdeen
• Elizabeth Bennett 
• Mercy Thompson
• Margaret Hale
• Kate Daniels
• Hermione Granger
• Beatrice De Novo
• Rose Hathaway

Who are yours?

Well, let's see...all of the above of course...but also Jackie Faber from L.A. Meyer's Bloody Jack series, and Alanna from Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness quartet is a great classic for YA. There are so many that I love! Thank you so much for joining me today :) 

~Try an Excerpt!~

His six-foot-plus frame leaned against the leather walls, arms crossed over his muscular chest, his demeanor casual yet controlled. To say he intimidated me would have been an understatement.

He seemed like the devil incarnate—a strange combination of wickedly handsome and utterly terrifying.

A strange black smokiness swirled around his frame, and I couldn’t tell if it was coming from him or somewhere in the club. Everything about him exuded danger. Whoever he was, that thing took one look at this man and disappeared. I couldn’t help but feel slightly grateful. The brief windows of light allowed me glimpses of his dark and brooding features. Much of him remained in shadow. But I noticed his stunning eyes. They glowed unnaturally and danced as he watched me. With abnormal speed, they flashed from crystal gray to black coal and back again. His short, jet-black hair was tousled yet perfect, and a slight stubble bordered his jawline.

His riveting stare petrified and aroused me at the same time. Looking at him made me desirous for things I never thought I would want. I was recovering from the silent assault when a sudden daze clouded my mind, and my eyelashes fluttered uncontrollably. There wasn’t time for me to panic as it lifted within seconds.

I was no longer in the club.

~Meet D.D. Miers!~

With her debut novel Dark Summoner, D.D. Miers begins the Relic Keeper Series, a fast-paced romantic saga filled with danger, destiny, and magic, set in her favorite genre, Paranormal and Fantasy Romance.

Born with a wildly overactive imagination, she’s told stories of enchanted worlds, treacherous villains, and epic love for as long as she can remember. She keeps a watchful eye for the paranormal hiding around every corner and constantly checks the window or rearview mirror for a vampire or fairy.

Although she has a fondness for all things fantasy, she's an epic romance fan at heart and in everything she asks, “What would Jane Austen do?” The journey to becoming a published author has been a long but exciting one. A fervent desire for taking readers from the ordinary to the extraordinary keeps her motivated, and she believes that everything is better with a good helping of romance thrown in.

D.D. is a proud member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and the Fantasy, Futuristic, & Paranormal Sub-Genre of RWA (FF&P). She continues to attend conferences and writers’ workshops in order to help inspire, share, and promote her love for romance.

During her downtime, she loves to spend time with her family, share her obsession of all things romance with other fans, and catch up on her never-ending TBR list. She resides in beautiful Southern California with her wonderful husband, an adorable toddler, two kitties, and the many different characters living in her head.

D.D. Miers is awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a randomly drawn guest who comments via Rafflecopter.

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