Black Dog and Rebel Rose Receives the Reviewer's Choice Award

Well, it's been one hell of a week for Skriker and Rose fans...not to mention the sick and twisted little author who pulled these two lovelies outta her butt (ME!).

Yes, kids, TwoLips Reviews, one of the hottest erotica review groups in the biz, has fastened to Black Dog and Rebel Rose not onw, but TWO awards, including their most coveted, the TwoLips Reviews Recommended Read Award, a badge of honor placed on only 3% of the books they review. The other award, coming in at a close second to the Recommended Read, is the fab-u-lous Reviewers Choice Award, given to the book that a reviewer found to be the most fabulous that month.

Below is the 5 Kisses review that earned Black Dog and Rebel Rose these coveted honors:

"A dying demon's tip leads Rose to an abandoned town off the beaten path, a place once called Paradise Hill that's no more than an unfortunate run-down shadow of the nice little place it once was, a place where people worked and kids went to school. Now, it shelters things that go bump in the night: vampires, ghouls...and the worst of the worst. Demons. Just what Rose is looking for. As a hunter, it's her job – and her pleasure – to rid the human world of such deviant abominations.



Skriker does two things well. Fuck and kill demons. Women and his father's kind fell at his feet, though in different ways. Handsome as sin, he was glorious to behold, both in bed and in battle against the same monsters that had killed his mother and little brother and dragged his old man off to Lucifer knew where when he was just eleven. Half human, his demon side provides him with all sorts of useful weapons, from his inner hellfire to the black claws that pop out of his fingertips when he shifts into the hideous beast that lurks beneath his rock star looks.


When Skriker arrives in Paradise Hill to hunt the derelict town's newly reported nest of vampires, he finds that another hunter has arrived before him. And Rose, he quickly discovers, doesn't like to share. Skriker has always been able to love 'em and leave 'em, but Rosie...she's not like any woman he's ever known. She's big, tough, and dangerous. And her inner light intrigues the hell out of him, no pun intended. From where did she draw such pure white power? Who was she? And where does she come from?


As they work their bloody way through the vampires and ghouls residing in the Paradise Hill Elementary School, Skriker finally discovers why Rose has a set of wings tattooed on her back. But it's when Rose discovers what Skriker really is that she must decide where her heart lies. Is she with him? Or against him? Zafira, the demon daughter of Lilith, might have something to say about that, since she wants Rose dead in the very worst of ways.


Sequel to Psyche's Gate (Liquid Silver Books), Black Dog and Rebel Rose by Danielle D. Smith is the best Urban Fantasy love story I've ever read. It's a short but action-packed adventure centered around the most unlikely of couples – one of darkness, the other of light. One rides an All-American Harley, the other a “Eurotrash” Ducati. He carries a shotgun, she carries a Glock, and they can both slice and dice with ninja accuracy. Together, they deal in blood, gore, and bodily fluids. Believe me, their raunchy sex does more than just fill up pages. It's profound and entrancing. And most of all it's love – pure, deep, and intense. Each would give his or her life for the other. And you know that they will stand side-by-side against any adversity, something that both Zafira and Rose's all-powerful father find out rather convincingly.


Skriker is tough, strong, and determined to wipe out every single demon single-handedly if he has to. Yet, there's a depth of heart to him that allows him to cry with and for someone else. I loved that about him, even more than I loved his blonde sex appeal. And HE...IS...HOT, ladies! Black leather-clad HOT! In all respects, Rose is his perfect foil. She's a black-haired bitch on wheels, a hard-core killer in combat boots and a body-hugging’ jerkin. But her soul is the other half of his. Together, they're better than Bonnie and Clyde. Better than Bogart and Bacall. Better even than peanut butter and jelly.


Ms. Smith is now hard at work turning Black Dog and Rebel Rose into a graphic novel and screenplay. I would love to see her write a story about Skriker's father, who – if he's even half as tough as Skriker – just has to be alive somewhere and in need of his own Rosie to rescue him."

HOW FABULOUS IS THAT????!!!!!!!!! *Happy dance*

To peek into Skriker and Rose's award-winning world yourself, pick up a copy of BLACK DOG AND REBEL ROSE on Kindle (for sale now on Amazon for just 99 cents US or 71P UK!), the E-book for @3.99, or, if you prefer the lovely feel and smell of ink and paper, the Print Edition is a teenie tiny sacrifice at $12.99. Grab a cold beverage, kick back, and get your sweet funky ON!!!

The Gift of Art: Faust on The Rooftop

I am ecstatic that my first illustrated novel, IN THE NEON, will be released by Solstice Publishing in March 2011. This is my first fully illustrated novel, and as an artist this is beyond huge.Truly, it has been a momentous project, something that I never imagined I would be able to create. Worth every drop of blood that trickles from my forehead instead of sweat...*small pathetic chuckle*

Every illustration matters implicitly...character's emotions, actions, and thoughts laid out in a single snapshot frame. Each image may require up to 5 separate steps: rough sketch, final sketch, ink tracing, ink/graphite shading, final digital coloring. If an image must be in both color and black & white, an additional step must be taken to transfer a copy of the color art into black & white mode for printing inside the pages of the book.

It will be incredible to share this aspect of my creative self with my readers and fans; to merge my visual creations with the words that they have come to love. And I am ecstatic to say that this will not be the last illustrated book I create: even before publication, the concept of merging my artwork with the written word has recieved such raves from readers and art fans alike that most (if not all) of my books will be illustrated going forward.

In celebration of this "first" in my literary journey, I am thrilled to offer a special prize here on The Angel's Gate. A beautiful signed 8" x 12" 200-year archival photo print of the full color illustration "Faust on the Roof", used on the cover of IN THE NEON, will be given away to one lucky fan who leaves a comment on this blog post with their email included.

This is an INTERNATIONAL Giveaway, meaning that my wondeful international fans are invited to try their luck...I will ship this print anywhere in the world, so don't hesitate to throw your name in the pot. :-)

This contest is open until Midnight Pacific Time on 3/30/2011.

Mommy, Where Did Skriker Come From?

It's time.
Time to realease the next Danielle D. Smith "power couple" on the masses.
Since the release of Black Dog and Rebel Rose, I have gained many new readers and fans who have developed a strong affinity for my characters. Said affinity has incuded a demand for telling the tale of where everyone's favorite half demon bad boy came from...

Here is a snippet from my upcoming erotic horror story, In The Neon, which my beta readers are practically salivating to get their claws on...


Faust chuckled to himself and soon he had slipped in alone to see Annie.



Once again he waved his hand in front of the token box, like a magician, and the velvet screen had pulled aside, revealing Annie sitting on her stool. This time she was dressed in a purple bustier, flouncy see-through black lace miniskirt and shiny black vinyl stiletto sandals that laced all the way up to her slender thighs. She raised her head and her weary eyes lit up when she saw him.


“Faustie!” she cried merrily, grinning from ear to ear. “You came back!”


Faust sat down on the stained cement floor, cross-legged, and pressed his palm to the Plexiglas that separated them.


“Of course. I couldn’t stay away too long, Annie.”


Annie knelt down across from him and pressed her pale hand to the window; it was as if they could almost touch, and Faust once again felt the most powerful, forbidden emotions rocketing through him like fireworks.


“I missed you,” Annie whispered, her cheeks flushing prettily, like soft pink roses blooming beneath her skin, and he couldn’t agree with her more. “Can I ask you something?”


Faust smiled; she could ask him anything, anything at all. “Of course.”


Annie pushed away from the plexiglass wall and twirled prettily; the sheer lace skirt swirled up around her hips. She paused, her back to him, lifting the skirt to reveal the high ripe slope of her buttocks and tiny floss g-string. Faust sucked his breath in sharply.


By the Master...


“Is my butt looking okay?”


“Looks beautiful,” Faust choked. Annie's green eyes twinkled merrily. She turned to face him; she unhooked the purple bra and suddenly Faust was staring at her gorgeous full breasts. Annie cupped them and gave them an appraising massage, her rose-pink nipples hardening between her fingers.


“Do I need bigger tits?” Her eyes gleamed again. He exhaled raggedly.


Shit...


“No,” he murmured, “why do you ask?”


Annie laughed. She swirled her hips seductively and crouched down before him again.


“The guy who was in here before you said I have a squishy butt and I need a boob job.”


Faust grunted and decided that he had another soul to hunt down later tonight. “A fool. They're all fools, Annie. Your beauty...is paramount. That they would even speak such filth...”


Annie sighed, blushing. “I love the way you talk, Faust.” She ran her fingers through her long blonde tresses and sent his heart pounding in a flurry.


“How have you been outside of here, Annie?” he asked her softly.


She shrugged. “Okay. Nothing out of the ordinary. Same old, same old. I did pick up a copy of Goethe’s story about Faustus and Mephistopheles at a used book store the other day…I think you inspired me to read it a second time.”


Faust found himself grinning hugely. “That is well, Annie. I’m glad I…I inspired something of interest to you. Are you enjoying it again?”


“Quite. Maybe even a little more than I did the first time I read it.”


There was a sweet silence between them, and they gazed at each other, onyx black meeting pale lime green. Annie tapped the glass with a long pink nail and smirked, winking at him.


“You know,” she mused, “we really should make time to meet outside of this place. It might be a little more comfortable to talk without a sheet of plexi between us.”


Faust cocked his head, and his dark eyes gleamed.


“Are you suggesting,” he said softly, “that you would like to meet me elsewhere…perhaps a social calling?”


Annie nodded, grinning; her teeth were straight and white and lovely.


“Yeah, I think I am. Tell me, Faust, are you always a late night man?”


Faust spread his burly arms, his chin raised proudly. “The night is my mistress, and I her eager lover.”


Annie licked her rosy lips then, and something stirred in him, something very much like a whirlwind, one that picked him up and spun him around helplessly like a leaf in a tornado. To Faust, demon-born, this was entirely new. He was not used to feeling so very helpless, so very enamored.


“Very sexy…you have a way with words,” Annie murmured. “What would you say to meeting me here tomorrow night, when my shift is over? I get off early, if you can call midnight early—we could grab a coffee, or something. Talk about books.”


Faust gazed at her, his lips parted; her very words were, on one hand, like a dream come true. She wanted to meet with him, outside of this place, the place where he fished for his victims, where he plucked the Master’s fruit and sent them screaming to Hell in a hand basket. And he wanted to; oh, how he wanted to, if only to be near her in the open air, to smell her perfume and hear the rustle of her clothing up close. Another part of him, the dutiful demon who knew only one thing


(damnation of all)


screaming and pounding at his skull


(we are not of God we do not love we do not do not do not!!!)


and he suddenly found himself pushing away at that voice, that screeching infernal beastie that was him, or what he had thought he was, up until now.


By the Master…is she transforming me?


He pushed the thought away and pressed his hand once again to the glass.


“Annie,” he said, “it would be my pleasure.”


She grinned hugely, her jade eyes sparkling, and he sighed audibly at the joy in her face.


“Great, Faust. I’m so glad. Tomorrow night then. Midnight.”


“As you wish. The witching hour it is. I shall…see you on the morrow.”


There was a rusty clank and the velvet curtain swished closed, separating them once again.


(c) Danielle D. Smith
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED!!!
http://www.danielledsmith.com

Character Design: An Artist's Perspective

Art or Writing?







For me, the question calls to mind the infamous “chicken or the egg” question. Truth be told, I don’t separate the two easily.






Because of this inability for me to “part the artistic continents” and separate the visual from the literary, physically fleshing characters out on paper, canvas or computer screen is one of my fondest activities as a creative type. Having just acquired the newest, jazziest version of Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator Suite for FREE, I have been enjoying the process of bringing characters, both published and from upcoming books, to life in two-dimensional form. Not that getting back into Photoshop was something I really planned on. I have always been very bricks-n-mortar when it comes to art, and for many years I swore that I’d never go down the evil digital road, deeming creating art on a computer to be “cheating.”






*Danielle now inserts foot in mouth.*






Friends, I eat my words, with a dash of salt and a squeeze of lemon for flavor. When I began working on my tattoo flash for my apprenticeship, I became frustrated with how the tattoo style looked using traditional methods. So when my good friend Dusty offered me this spankin’ new design package for FREE, slurp, slurp, down those “no, never, never” words went like spaghetti-o’s! The flash art has benefitted enormously, and so have my character design projects.






Case in point: attached above is an image I had a ton of fun working on. Skriker, the half-demon hero of my upcoming (soon-to-be-submitted) novella Black Dogs and Rebel Roses is depicted as a different kind of gargoyle, scrawled with his myriad tattoos (he should actually have more) and clutching his ubiquitous cigarette. The illustration is being fetaured in an upcoming hot rod/tattoo-themed art exhibition on June 5th, proof that character art and illustration are crossing over into a more fine-art arena.






The wonderful thing about being able to create these character portraits and personal illustrations is that I can put an actual face out there for my readers to enjoy and make a fresh connection with. I enjoy having control over how my characters are visually portrayed (a big reason why I do my own cover paintings if I possibly can). In future weeks I will begin to feature a gallery of these artworks (both traditional and digital) on my author site, and I hope that my reader base will enjoy this look through the window to my visual imagination as much as I enjoy creating the images.






Hell, might even snag a few new tattoo clients in the bargain! ;)
 
 
(Originally posted on Liquid Silver Book's Silver Expressions Blog on 06.01.2010)