QSFer Amy Hoff has a new queer paranormal mystery book out in her Caledonia series: Burns Night.
The third book in the series.D.I. Leah Bishop’s partner, Dorian Grey, goes missing and she enlists the help of Scottish national poet and vampire Robert Burns. They find themselves in a city of nightmares, where memories may be the most dangerous monsters of all.
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Giveaway
Amy is giving away an eBook copy of the first book in the series, “Caledonia,” with this post – comment below for a chance to win.
Excerpt
In the darkness of the bunkhouse, the conversation had taken a turn.
Desdemona’s exasperation with Robert had kindled into a bright fire. It was not so long ago that she had cleaned her neck and arms of blood. And there was Robert, forever Robert, like the dolorous clanging of a bell.
They circled each other, cautious like animals. Robert’s expression was, as usual, mournful.
“I wish you’d stop looking at me like that,” he said.
“Well, I wish you’d stop staring at me like a kicked dog, but we don’t always get what we want, do we,” Desdemona retorted.
“Des.”
“I’m not human, Robert!” she shouted, “When are you going to understand this? I am not human!”
Robert blinked at her.
“Neither am I,” he said.
“You’ve been human,” she explained. “I’m not even a woman! Or a man! You had a human life.”
“I don’t care what you are,” said Robert, “you can still be lonely. I think God is lonely and he’s older than us all.”
“If there is a God, Robert – “
“There is.”
“ – you have no more idea what he or it thinks or feels any more than you do with me!”
“Then tell me.”
“What?”
“Tell me what you think and feel. In all the years I have been with you, never once!” said Robert. “I haven’t heard you once actually tell me anything.”
“Aside from go live your own life Robert and what are you doing here Robert and?”
They were moving closer now, still in circles, a centripetal motion drawn in. Leah, still along for this ride, but off in the background, suddenly wished she had popcorn.
“I don’t know what you are, Des,” Robert was saying, “but I loved you the day I saw you and I thought you were a man. I don’t know what that means but I never doubted it once.”
And here, here he was, so close, close enough to touch her, like at the dance when he had held her in his arms. This was another kind of waltz, but no less familiar.
“I have never doubted when I loved.”
Arrested there, like frozen time, he moved to capture her lips with his own. Finally, and she didn’t move away, and it seemed like she would let him, this time.
Author Bio
Amy Hoff spent years travelling across the United States, living out of cars and cheap motels. She was a weightlifter and streetfighter, collecting monster legends across the country. Eventually she left the USA and continued travelling around the world. She is now a filmmaker, Scottish historian, and folklorist specialising in monsters. She has never owned more than what can fit into a backpack and a suitcase.
Website: officialamyhoff.com