BOTS 2: Deborah Cooke

“Everyone Knows a Thorolf”
By Deborah Cooke


In my Dragonfire series of paranormal romances, the heroes are dragon shape shifters, a breed known as the Pyr. (There are also bad guy dragon shape shifters known as Slayers.) Each book focuses on the romance of one of the dragon dudes – when a Pyr meets his destined mate (i.e. the human woman who can bear his son) he experiences a firestorm. Sparks literally fly between him and the woman in question and are only extinguished when their partnership is consummated. The Pyr are also locked in a final battle against the Slayers for control of the earth, so the entire dragon shifter team always has a challenge to face in each book. So, each book follows a specific Pyr in his attempt to seduce a woman, explain his nature to her and defend her from Slayers who would like to kill her (and thus ensure there is one less dragon shifter born in the world). The books are a lot of fun to write, with dragon fights and hot sex, and a cast of continuing characters.

These Pyr tend to be pretty noble and honorable guys, whether or not each one believes in the power of love at the first spark of his firestorm. (If he doesn’t, the heroine in question always changes his mind. That’s not a spoiler – these are romances.) But it occurred to me several books in that the good dragon shifters needed someone to make them look even better, other than Slayers.

Along came Thorolf. He immediately began stealing hearts from readers. Thorolf is big, probably 6 foot 8 or 9. He’s muscled up, he has blond dreadlocks and a whole lot of tattoos. He’s an easy going guy who likes his pleasures – a big steak, beer and shooters on a Friday night, lots of sex with pretty women. He’s not particularly ambitious or driven – he works simply to fund his life. When we first met him, he was working as a bike courier in Manhattan. He’s centuries old but hasn’t mastered his dragon shifting or associated dragon abilities. He couldn’t even land on a roof and shift shape back to human form simultaneously. He couldn’t breathe dragonsmoke, the boundary marker used by the Pyr, and he wasn’t fluent in old-speak, the deep old language they use to communicate without humans overhearing. Erik, the leader of the Pyr, thinks Thorolf is a slacker. Sloane, the Apothecary of the Pyr, thinks Thorolf doesn’t take anything seriously. Rafferty, the romantic of the Pyr, despairs of Thorolf but tries to motivate him in the right direction.

Thorolf doesn’t much care what any of them think of him. There’s always a party to crash and a beer in need of drinking. He can usually talk his way out of corners, or if that fails, fight his way out. If all else fails, he can shift shape, breathe some fire, and solve the situation that way. He’s fun and he’s funny. I’d like to go drinking with Thorolf one Friday night – although I’d have to switch to water long before he did. I’d like to see him in a fight. I laugh out loud when he gets himself into a corner and has to figure his way out. He’s a good-hearted guy, who has his priorities a bit mixed up – but you know I’m going to fix him up before I give him a firestorm.

My husband insists that Thorolf’s appeal lies in the fact that everyone knows a Thorolf. My husband doesn’t know that I have dated a Thorolf or two. They are always charming, sexy, fun, and only committed for the next five minute to anything or anyone. Do you know a Thorolf? Have you dated one? What do you think is the appeal of a charming, bad boy with a good heart?

Today’s prize is a copy of DARKFIRE KISS, the most recent Dragonfire novel. This is the story of Rafferty’s firestorm – another fave of readers! – and shows Thorolf in fine form, making a big mistake.

Deborah Cooke’s most recent Dragonfire release is DARKFIRE KISS – in which Thorolf makes a big mistake – as well as FLYING BLIND, the first book in her YA spinoff series called The Dragon Diaries. Learn more about Dragonfire at http://www.deborahcooke.com, and about the Dragon Diaries at http://www.thedragondiaries.com. Like Deborah’s Facebook page to keep up with her dragons at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorDeborahCookeFanPage

She also writes historical romances and future-set romances as her alter ego Claire Delacroix. Learn more about Claire’s books at http://www.delacroix.net and like Claire’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorClaireDelacroix

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Giveaway   

 

Rafferty Powell has exchanged challenge coins with his arch-nemesis Magnus Montmorency, and their next battle will be their last. But Rafferty never expected to meet a woman whose desire for Magnus’ downfall matches his own—and whose presence sparks Rafferty’s long-awaited firestorm.


Since facing her own mortality, investigative reporter Melissa Smith has resolved to live without fear. She’s determined to make the seemingly untouchable Magnus pay for his role in ending her friend’s life – no matter the price to herself.


When her quest entwines with Rafferty’s, Melissa finds herself risking more than she ever thought possible. Because the heat between them unleashes the darkfire—an awesome force of Pyr legend, one that won’t be sated until everything they know has been tested and remade.


Giveaway Guidelines:
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* This giveaway ends September 7th
* IMPORTANT: I will not be contacting winners! Be sure to check back after September 7th to see if you've won this or any of the other giveaways! 

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