BLOGGING WITH BEVERLEY: Daryl Devoré's Christmas Novella

Two writers in one. Daryl Devoré writes hot romances with sexy heroes and strong heroines. Victoria Adams is Daryl Devoré's alter ego when she's inspired to write sweet romances with little to no heat.

Daryl (@daryldevore) lives in an old farmhouse in Ontario, Canada, with her husband, a large salt water aquarium full of fish, a black cat named Licorice and some house ghosts. Her daughter is grown and has flown the nest. Daryl loves to take long walks on her quiet country road or snowshoe across the back acres, and in the summer, kayak along the St. Lawrence River. She has touched a moon rock, a mammoth, and a meteorite. She’s been deep in the ocean in a submarine, flown high over Niagara Falls in a helicopter, and used the ladies room in a royal palace. Life’s an adventure and Daryl’s having fun living it.

Love in the Key of C

Sweet Christmas Romance

Daryl Devoré

Writing as Victoria Adams

In 2016, my publisher put out a call for Christmas stories. They wanted to release a short Christmas romance every day in December. I didn't submit my name to write a story, but suddenly one popped into my head. And in about two days I wrote it. The word count had to be under 10,000, so it's not like I wrote a 50,000-word book in 2 days!

But I was too late for that year's publication. So, I sat on the book for a year and kept my fingers crossed they would do the same Book-A-Day idea. They did. And I jumped on getting my name onto the list.

I have a new favourite Christmas Carol. It is a traditional song – Carol of the Bells – but with a modern kick. It is the Trans Siberian Orchestra's Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24. To catch a listen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6FhOb7-1dg

There is a story to TSO's version - on Christmas Eve, a lone man challenges the war playing music on the rubble of the destruction of his city – Sarajevo. When you listen to this song, you can hear the beauty and then the destruction – the jarring rock music wonderfully portraying the bombs and chaos. In Love in the Key of C, the rock music is Giselle's life, which is her personal war.

Why have I authored it as Daryl Devore writing as Victoria Adams. Daryl Devoré writes hot/erotic romances. Love in the Key of C is a sweet romance, so I used my other pen name.

Blurb for Love in the Key of C

Can a slice of pizza and a flute erase the ravages of life and allow Giselle and Ethan to fall in love by Christmas?
Collapsing in front the biggest department store in the city on one of the busiest days of the holiday season was not how Giselle imagined her day. Cold and hungry, she trudged through her daily existence wondering if she'd ever find happiness again.
Teenagers. Ethan loved working with them and turning their raw musical talent into something beautiful and rewarding, but that didn't fill the black void in his soul.
Like fate, the songwriters' muse nudged Giselle and Ethan together. But can Giselle overcome her fears and can Ethan get past the darkness that surrounds him, so they can find love?

Excerpt for Love in the Key of C

My feet edged me closer. It had to be my feet doing it on their own. My instinct was to turn and scurry off in any other direction, like a mouse avoiding a predator. But my feet dragged me closer to the music and the man.

He glanced to his left and smiled at me.

Despite all that I had learned in the past few months of living alone on the streets, I summoned up a moment of courage. "Beautiful music. Carol of the Bells. One of my favorite Christmas songs."

His scan of me was lightning fast. I'd registered a millisecond of understanding and pity in his expression, before it was masked with a cheerful grin. "Well then, come on in, sit and have a listen. Warm up a bit from this miserable day." He glanced at the dull gray sky and shook his head.

I didn't move. An offer of warmth and a place to rest and suddenly my feet are frozen in place?

He released a soft chuckle. "This is the Blaine Thompson Concert Hall and there are dozens of people inside. It's a rehearsal. Come on in and enjoy. Although you may have to listen to the same song more than once while they work on getting it right."

A head popped out of the door opening. I'm guessing there was a body attached to it, but all I saw was a head. "Lunch is here." Then the head disappeared back inside.

At various times in my life, several different parts of my body have taken control of me. Once was my heart, but that was a terrible and never to be repeated moment. A few minutes ago, my feet drew me to this spot. Now my stomach stepped forward to take command. It shouted that lunch was waiting inside and I'd better move my butt.

He held the door for me. I hesitated. A waft of warm air enhanced with the smell of pepperoni pizza brushed past me. I stepped forward, entering the building. A thought nudged me, like it was trying to tell me that I wasn't walking through a doorway, but was stepping into my future.

Buy Link for Love in the Key of C

http://www.extasybooks.com/