An ancient alchemist's bible has surfaced, a book that threatens to bring back the technology of the last age. Leda, a fire mage, has been charged with finding the book and the trail leads her to Greyhawke Tams, an ex-soldier turned scavenger who'd rather rot in jail than help one of the Elementals.
But Leda tangles Grey's mind faster than any woman he's ever known and he comes to realize the Elementals are not so different from the plainfolk after all.
Falling in love with an Elemental was unthinkable. It was blasphemy. And it could be the only thing that'll save them both.
Reviews for Touch of Fire
Mrs. Giggles: "Touch Of Fire is definitely one memorable story, mostly because I find the setting to be a very interesting one and I would definitely love to pay the world another visit."
ParaNormal Romance: "Touch of Fire is a scorching love affair between two lovers from different worlds. It is a story riddled with battles and haunting characters. Sexual content between the two will sweep you away with their passion."
Fallen Angels Review: "It's a world where you never really know what you will discover next. From lions and elephants roaming the land to the fall of civilization as we know it today, I was totally engrossed in the story that Ms. Zannini wove and the unique characters that lived there. With the many magical factions in this new world, the possibilities are endless, and I'd love to be able to immerse myself in it again soon!"
"Touch of Fire is an entertaining and memorable read with a lot of spice. You won't want to miss this story, and I think that Maria Zannini is an author to watch! 5 Angels."
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About Maria Zannini
If Maria were in the dictionary, she'd be listed between "cheeky" and "Oh, my gawd!" Raised to spit in the wind, she defied all odds and sold her first novel to Samhain Publishing.
In the gentrified world, she's an art director and artist, but behind closed doors she conjures hunky men, sassy women and high adventure. Maria loves to hear from other writers and readers. Be sure to visit her blog and website. She always has something brewing in cyberworld.
Oh, and bring dog cookies. The dogs take bribes.
An Interview with Maria Zannini
By Holly Hewson for The Romance Studio
HH: Maria, thanks for talking with us at TRS. Please tell us about your featured work, Touch of Fire. MZ: Think Firefly with magic and romance!
TOUCH OF FIRE is about a young fire mage who's been ordered to find a dangerous alchemist's bible. This book is an instruction manual that threatens to reintroduce technology to a world that knows only magic. Leda is a loyal subject of her Order and does as she's told, but when the trail leads her to Greyhawke Tams, an ex-soldier turned scavenger, she learns the hard way that the plainfolk are not the savages she was led to believe.
Despite their ingrained prejudices, they have to work together to fight a power-mad warlord who'll stop at nothing to obtain the book --and Leda. Grey has been marked for death, but Leda has a worst fate in store. The tyrant needs her alive. She has a secondary gift even more precious than her ability to wield fire. She can read auras, and if the warlord finds her, she'll become his broodmare for life and bear a generation of psychics.
HH: Your tale takes place in the future where an ancient text threatens to bring back that which destroyed everything before. Where did you get the idea for this fascinating tale? MZ: My guilty pleasure is post-apocalyptic stories. I don't dwell on the actual destruction and mayhem, but the restoration; what happens after. I'm fascinated with how humans survive and thrive after disasters.
In Touch Of Fire, 1200 years have passed. It gave me enough time to really change the landscape of life as we know it today, while incorporating little things that everyone will recognize…like a well-known mouse that shall remain nameless.
In this story, the book is a catalyst. It spurs all the societal factions into action, each with their own agenda. It also throws together two unlikely heroes, two people who don't want to get involved with politics, much less with each other.
HH: Lovers, forbidden to be together, must combat this menace. What do you like about Leda and Grey? MZ: Leda and Grey belong to two diametrically opposed segments of society. Leda is a "magical" being, while Grey is a plainfolk. Having sex with each other is fine, but falling in love is unthinkable.
What I like about them is that they rise past their frailties and fears not only for each other, but for the greater good, even though it goes against their upbringing. Their emotional baggage makes them human, but their moral compass makes them heroes.
HH: How did you go about creating this future world for your story? MZ: Tequila and research! But not necessarily in that order.
I'm a stickler for facts and I really dug deep to figure out what would last 1200 years, both in the physical aspects of our world as well as the socio-mindset.
Given enough time, all traces of our physical existence can be wiped out, but stone and certain hardened metals will survive for quite a while. And we all know that certain plastics can take thousands of years to decompose.
But the sociological aspects of our culture were a little trickier to figure out. In this case, what I did was research the past in order to extrapolate the future. I examined religion, social taboos and language, and then stretched the timeline so I could see how they changed over a period of centuries and even millennia. Then I used the same formula for constructing the future.
That's when the tequila came into the picture.
HH: What did you enjoy most about working on this project? MZ: My favorite part was weaving little clues about the ancient world (our current society) and seeing how the characters perceive them.
For example, in one scene the heroes run into lions, wildebeest and elephants roaming in what we know as west Texas. The legend is that the ancients once housed these wild creatures in huge complexes. Leda and her traveling companion think it's absurd. Why would anyone confine wild animals? They have no concept of zoos or the reasons why they would exist.
By the way, Leda and Grey get to see the "ancient" world up-close and personal in the sequel.
HH: What are you working on now? MZ: A historical paranormal. It's got pirates and werewolves and a gargoyle who's in love with a ghost. It recently finaled in the Sheila Contest. With all the great feedback I got, I think I have the makings of a pretty original paranormal. It's given me the chance to explain how werewolves became bound to the moon.
HH: What made you decide to try writing romantic fiction? MZ: Ironically, I started writing straight science fiction, but I noticed my characters kept falling in love. They wanted romance, and heartache, and closure just like normal people. I finally gave in and wrote a futuristic fantasy with romance as its core.
My characters were finally happy, and I was happy. Life is good.
HH: How have things changed for you since you published? MZ: Well, my email in-box stays a lot fuller. LOL! I have less time too. Not only is promoting my author brand a full time job, I have to keep writing books too.
HH: What does your family think of your writing? MZ: Oh, that's a loaded question! The husband is okay with it now. He thought I was nuts for a while though. I am a classically trained artist and designer and had a pretty nice career in the visual arts.
One day, I wrote a short story that was burning inside me and I subbed it to a contest. It finaled straight out of the chute. I was shocked, and thereafter hooked. I started reading everything I could on craft, interspersed with a lot of fiction from nearly every genre.
People who know me will tell you I have the determination of a terrier on caffeine. I am relentless when it comes to reaching goals. So my husband knew it was a lost cause to try to steer me away once I discovered writing. Still, he couldn't understand how I could simply walk away from a successful art career.
Then I entered Touch Of Fire in a contest Samhain Publishing was sponsoring and the manuscript went all the way to a contract offer.
My long-suffering husband doesn't question my choices anymore. - grin -
HH: What's your favorite way to interact with readers? MZ: I love meeting new people through my blog because it gives me a chance to expand my circle of friends and get to know them better.
But my email box is never empty. The introverts of my social circle prefer to email me.
We talk about everything! Animals, gardening, traveling and mundania. My interests have no boundaries. And here's the bonus feature. Meeting so many people has provided me with a wealth of resources. They come from every walk of life with a mantle of experience. The only thing we have in common is a love of good books. How's that for a binding tie?
Thank you so much for interviewing me, Holly. You did a fine job grilling me. Poke me with a fork and call me done. This was fun!
HH: Thank you!
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