YA Paranormal Romance
Date Published: November 20th, 2012
Claren Maidstone has been forced to flee her childhood home after the death of her parents and a vicious assault from a sadistic young man who intends to marry her. Claren changes her identity and finds employment as an assistant to the handsome Fredrick Lowood, a generous yet mysterious benefactor. However, she soon finds out his generosity comes at a price. Fredrick wishes for Claren to befriend his disfigured son who resides in seclusion at their estate, Westwind.
Fredrick Lowood knows what the history books do not teach, that the Grand Council built this new world of peace and beauty on hidden blood and greed. He has plotted for years to bring down the family that enslaved his own people. Suddenly, he has the last living heir in his grasp.
Etrigan Lowood rejects the world that forces him to hide. He is powerful, plagued with a terrible dark beauty: WINGS. It is these wings that carry him out only at night to watch the unwanted intruder in his home. A creature of refined instinct yet little social grace, he is strangely captivated by Claren but knows nothing of how her family’s dark past is intertwined with his own. Through their blossoming friendship, Etrigan realizes he still retains his human heart and yearns for Claren’s love.
Kurten Wandsworth is the only son of the Mayor of St.Marhen. Kurten lives his life fueled by cruelty and lust. Whatever he wants he takes and he wants Claren to be his wife even it if kills her. Scarred by Claren he hunts her down mercilessly until he can set a trap which she will never be able to escape from.
EXCERPT
When my parents died, so did my
obligation my suitor, Kurten. He is the real reason I am in this pickle. He is
the one that made me flee my childhood home and inheritance without the proper
good bye or ceremonies. Kurten, all bloated lips and small pumpkin teeth, with
his shaggy, brown hair that did nothing to hide his beady little eyes. He had
come around after the funeral expecting to give me a little “comfort”. I had
other ideas in mind.
“Honestly Kurten, my parent’s funeral was this morning!” I said as I pushed his
hulking, muscular, form away from me and got up from the couch. He sat upon our
couch, one leg crossed casually over the other. He had just tried to kiss me in
a very unchaste fashion. I don’t know what made him think he could take such
liberties with me now. I had hardly even let him touch my hand when my parents
were alive. He stood, stretched, then came over to me.
“I know Dove, that’s why I came over. I knew you’d be needing me.”
His arms snaked around my waist as he pulled me close. He tried to nuzzle my
neck but again I pushed against him.
“No, means no Kurten. I have so much to do, so much to think about.”
Like getting rid of you.
I loved my parents, but the fact was I had always hated Kurten. He was the type
of person that would stick a firecracker up an animal’s hind quarters just to
see what would happen. He had no remorse, no feeling or compassion. Whenever I
looked into his eyes I saw a dead, blank thing. Not human somehow. I knew he
had many girlfriends in St. Marhen’s many taverns. I had seen him on occasion,
coming out of these very taverns with a woman on each arm. The kind of woman
that took money for her favors of the carnal kind. He would always be slovenly
and drunk. I would stay hidden in the shadows and never told a soul. My parents
did not know this. They only knew three things, three things that to them were
important, and nothing else mattered:
1. 1. Kurten’s
father was the mayor.
2. 2.His
family was wealthy.
3. 3. I had to marry well.
Astrid Yrigollen is a native of the Bay area of California and currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Astrid started writing stories for her friends in sixth grade. After working part time at a funeral home during high school, she channeled her love of story writing in to creating video games for PC's which were featured in Shareware magazines.
In the early 1990's she secured a position with International Video game giant, Sega of America but never lost her love for writing in traditional format. After leaving the video game industry, she worked briefly as a vet assistant, aiding in surgery until she found out she passes out at the site of blood! Maintaining a great love of animals, but preferring work where there was no blood involved, Astrid became a boutique fashion designer for people 'who like to dress like their dolls', successfully placing her designs in boutiques in Europe, the U.S, and Australia.
She founded and now co-chairs with her husband for the California Coast Ball Jointed Doll Convention, an annual event for Japanese Super Dollfie Collectors. Astrid enjoys collecting dolls, Anime, video games, baking and sewing and is currently studying college level Japanese, her third language.
Works
She now enjoys writing Young Adult and Children's books and has succeeded in putting out The Doughnut Tree, The Zombie Playground, A creature compilation , and The Mosswoods to name a few.
