Thursday, July 26, 2012

A Hero's Blog Hop -- A Day in the Life of a Mafia Don



Welcome to stop #73 on A Hero's Blog Hop!


A Day in the Life of a Mafia Don


Enrico Lucchesi, the hero of my first book, Revenge (Blood and Honor #1), graciously agreed to give us a peek into his world. 


8 AM, Rome, Hotel de Russie


A hotel porter delivers a box addressed to me, and a chill sweeps down my spine. The only people who know I'm here are part of my family, my cosca. And obviously, someone else, someone I don't know. The box isn't ticking, but I'm not touching it.


8:05 AM


Ruggero, my senior bodyguard, and Antonio, my newest bodyguard, are with me now. We were supposed to leave for home, my villa at Lake Como, but we can't until we know what's in the box. Ruggero presses an ear to the wrapping. The box looks like a wedding present, the way it's covered in silver foil paper with a large white bow. Ruggero hears nothing, but motions Antonio and me away. Just in case.


8:10 AM


The box is open, and Ruggero frowns but says nothing. My heart is pounding, my pulse going mad, waiting for him to say something. Anything. Finally he motions me forward. When I look inside, relief ripples over me, but for just a moment. It's no one I know. But the dead falcon that greets me is a warning; there's a falcon on the Lucchesi crest. And given the timing--the choice of this particular day, this day of mourning--I know exactly who the warning is from. But that's no comfort. No comfort at all.


***


Want to know what happens next? You can find out in Revenge (Blood and Honor #1). Regularly $4.99, Revenge is on sale now for only $0.99, for a limited time. You can find Revenge at these retailers: Amazon US (Kindle), Amazon UK (Kindle), Barnes & Noble (Nook), Apple, Sony, Kobo, Smashwords, and Diesel. If you prefer print, Revenge is also on Amazon (paperback).






To thank you for visiting my blog and participating in A Hero's Blog Hop, I'm giving away a $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble (winner's choice)! To win this prize or the grand prizes (below), you must post a comment with your name and email address. For additional chances to win my prize, follow the instructions in the RaffleCopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


A Hero's Blog Hop has THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 100 times!


Now what are those prizes?


1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet (international)
2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card (International)
3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack! (US Only)






116 comments:

  1. Great post - makes me definitely want to find out more about tyhe meaning of the falcon.
    paulamartinromances(at) gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Paula! I'm glad you enjoyed it. A falcon is featured on the Lucchesi crest, so the sender is using it to symbolize Enrico. You know the Mafia--they like to send messages!

      Thanks so much for stopping by and entering the contest. Good luck! :)

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Yep, the whole story would have been over right quick if it was! :) Thanks, Daryl, for stopping by!

      Delete
  3. Enjoy the hop.
    Mafia men are scary, more than heroic to me. :)
    bidelia78@yahoo.com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Kitty, and entering the contest! :)

      There are definitely a lot of scary guys in the Mafia; I chose to write about a man who never wanted to be in the Mafia and isn't your typical Mafioso. Enrico takes the concept of honor very seriously, and he believes in honoring the old ways, when the Mafia were a group that protected people from bandits and contributed to their communities. But, that said, he's taken the vows, and he's still an outlaw. He's the kind of person who tends to make his own rules.

      Delete
  4. I have your book Revenge. It's next on my reading list. Thanks for the give away. My email address is gerardgirard(@)hotmail(.)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by, Gerard, and entering the contest! :)

      I hope you enjoy Revenge! It always makes me happy to hear that folks are reading it.

      Delete
  5. Really want to read this now!
    modularmates(at)comcast(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi LM! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      I hope you enjoy the book!

      Delete
  6. Revenge sounds great. I'll have to look into it.

    jlhmass at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jlhmass for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      I hope you enjoy the book!

      Delete
  7. the book sounds awesome!

    parisfan_ca@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Laurie! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      I hope you enjoy Revenge. I've been so pleased by the reviews it's been getting. It's nice to hear from total strangers that they enjoyed the book and can't wait to read the next one.

      Delete
  8. Sounds like a winner!
    Yvette
    yratpatrol@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Yvette! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      I hope you check out the book and enjoy it!

      Delete
  9. Sounds very intriguing, and thanks for the giveaway!

    Trix, vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Trix (love that name!) for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Glad you were intrigued; this is my first blog hop, and I wasn't sure what to put in my post, so I decided to try to give you all something interesting. Sounds like I did a pretty good job. :)

      Delete
  10. Revenge sounds great; thanks for the giveaway!

    ~Tracy L.

    bluebubbles24 (at) hotmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Tracy, for stopping by and for entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  11. I was hooked to Mafia-style stories since I first read Lucky by Jackie Collins ...

    glhince@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hi Iamindeed (another great name!). Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      I love Mafia stories too. I think my parents let me watch "The Godfather" too many times, and I got totally hooked on "The Sopranos." I find that way of life scary, but fascinating. If you check out Revenge, I hope you enjoy it!

      Delete
  12. Sounds great thanks for taking part in this blog hop.
    Leigh
    authorleighsavage@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Leigh, for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  13. Dana - I loved that! What a great idea letting Enrico talk directly to us. Revenge is an awesome book and I recommend it highly to anyone who likes edgy, sexy, romantic suspense!
    kristinecayne (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thanks, Kristine! I wracked my brain for quite a while trying to figure out what would make a great post. And thanks so much for the kind words. You're making me blush. :")

      Delete
  14. Great post! Thanks for the giveaway.
    molly(dot)frenzel(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Molly, for stopping by and entering the contest! :) I'm glad you enjoyed the post.

      Delete
  15. Thanks for the chance to win!
    natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good luck, Natasha! :) Thanks for stopping by and entering!

      Delete
  16. I am not sure I would have wanted to stand close to him as he opened the box. I wouldn't have made a good bodyguard :).

    vampiremistress2010(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Hi Blhmistress--oh me too! I could never do that job. I would have high-tailed it out of there! But you've got to be a lot tougher than me to be in the Mafia.

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  17. Ha, very cool post. Enrico sounds awesome!

    imsocool(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Hi Melissa! I'm glad you enjoyed the post. I have a major soft spot for Enrico, so I'm glad you liked him. He goes through a lot of hell in this book!

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  18. I love the sound of the book!! Thanks for doing the Hop!

    Mary Doherty
    gatormaryd(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Mary! I hope you enjoy the book. Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  19. A mafia don is an interesting choice for a hero, the excerpt was a total tease. Thanks Carin
    mawmom(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Hi Carin! When I wrote this book, I knew I wanted to set it in Italy, but I didn't want to use a conventional hero. I'd already written a book set in Italy (a contemporary romance, never published), and I wanted to do something different. So I asked myself "What if my hero isn't such a nice guy?" and the idea of him being in the Mafia took root. I knew it was a bit of a gamble, but I fell in love with Enrico, and I hope my readers will too.

      I'm glad you enoyed the post. Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  20. What a tease! lol Now I really want to know what happens. A mafia don is an intriguing hero. Thank you for the giveaway.
    kaylyndavis1986@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kaylyn! I'm glad you're intrigued--you've discovered my evil plan to get you so hooked you have to check out Revenge! :)

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  21. Thanks for doing this giveaway!
    ~Krista
    pinkbonanza{ AT }gmail{ DOT }com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Krista! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :) Good luck!

      Delete
  22. Mafia is scary for me. Gives me the chills (& not the good kind).

    Wolphcall(at)bellsouth(dot)net

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    1. Hi Lisa! Yes, the Mafia *is* scary. But so are vampires (and I love them). Just saying. :)

      Seriously, when I first got the idea of a Mafia hero, I almost talked myself out of it. But Enrico isn't your typical Mafioso; he never wanted to be in the Mafia, and he has his own ideas about how to do things. When he meets Kate, the heroine, everything he knows gets upended--he finds himself at odds with his family and his whole way of life. Bottom line: it's them or her. And he wants both!

      That said, Enrico's definitely a rule-breaker. And though he's sweet and tender with Kate, he's not so nice to his enemies.

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  23. I love heros, especially romantic ones.

    lena.grey.iam@gmail.com

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    Replies
    1. Hi Lena! I love romantic heroes too. They make me swoon. When Enrico meets Kate, he falls head over heels for her and takes enormous risks to keep her safe. That's my kind of guy!

      Thanks for stopping for by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  24. sounds like a fun one, thanks for the giveaway! - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Daniel. I hope you enjoy the book! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  25. This makes me want to know more about the mafia!
    Thanks for the giveaway :)
    laceyblossom1(at)gmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. Hi Lacey! I'm glad to hear that you were intrigued. I hope you get a chance to check the series out. I did a lot of research (the various Italian Mafias are fascinating--they've all got their own rules and ways of doing things), and I tried to incorporate some of that in the book. I love learning about different people and places, and I can't wait to go back to Italy and do more research!

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  26. Revenge sounds intriguing.
    Thanks for the giveaway!

    justjanhvi at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Janhvi! I hope you get a chance to check out the book. Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  27. WOW. A Mafia romance. Love it. I want this book. <^_^>
    Thanks for being part of the hop and for the chance to win.
    reneebennett35(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Hi Renee! Cool--I hope you enjoy the book. It's always nice to hear when folks are really jazzed by a premise. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I am seeing more and more Mafia romances popping up, so I know we're not the only ones who like the idea!

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  28. Great excerpt and cover. Books sounds fantastic. Thx for giveaway.

    blinkysthebest(AT)aol(DOT)com

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    1. Hi Lona! Thanks! The covers for both books (Revenge and Retribution) were done by the very talented Scarlett Rugers. I had no idea what the heck should go on the covers, but she certainly did. I just love them!

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  29. I haven't read a book with a Mafia don as a hero.
    bituin76 AT hotmail DOT com

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jan! Neither had I. I've always wanted to write books that were different--edgy, unusual, and intense. When I decided to set this book in Italy and to give it a different sort of hero, the Mafia was a perfect fit. It's a clandestine world with its own rules and its own way of seeing the world. And I wondered what would happen if you put together a guy who never wanted to be a Mafioso (but who's following his father's wishes) and a woman who wants nothing whatsover to do with that way of life. Could they make a go of it? And how? And thus Revenge was born.

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  30. OOO old world mafia is always intriguing, they may be on the wrong side of the law but they always seemed to have honor or at least as far as I've seen.
    achbarrow(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Hi CeNedria! I think so too. The various Italian Mafias have a long, fascinating history that dates back over a 150 years. They actually started out as protectors--they kept bandits from attacking people who lived in remote villages, and later they helped repel French invaders. Even today, they still embody some of these principles; in cities where the Mafia is predominant, violent crime is often very low because the Mafia keeps it in check. Of course, they certainly have their outlaw, criminal side too. Enrico embodies the best of the Mafia, and struggles hard not to embody its worst as well. He takes being a man of honor very seriously and tries to give back as much as he takes. But it's hard to be good all the time when other people are gunning for you!

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  31. This sounds great....Thank you for your giveaway..

    ronnkelly3@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hi Ronnkelly! I'm glad you enjoyed the post and I hope you enjoy the book as well.

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  32. The book sounds great!
    sqwalker2@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thanks, Liese! That's so nice to hear. :) I hope you enjoy the book!

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  33. Thank you for the opportunity!

    brunettelibrarian AT gmAil . c0m
    The Brunette Librarian Blog

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Brunette Librarian! :) When I was a kid I thought being a librarian would be sooo cool! I just love books--a little too much, judging from my overflowing bookshelves. I blame it all on my mother, who took us to the library every week. (Thanks, Mom!!! Seriously, I can't think of a better addiction. I will never, ever be bored!) Don't you just love that drunk on reading feeling?

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  34. Love the post! Thank you for participating in this blog hop.
    JessieL62@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jessie! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  35. Love the mystery and suspense. I have not read many books with the mafia (if any) but love mystery/thrillers. Thanks for the giveaway & for taking part in the blog hop.
    June
    manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com

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    1. Thanks, June! I'm glad you enjoyed the post. I know what you mean--I haven't read many books featuring the Mafia, especially in romance, but I wanted to write something different, something we haven't all read a million times before. I know the Mafia isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I've seen a number of Mafia romances popping up lately, so I'm not the only one who finds the idea intriguing. :)

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  36. Enjoyed your post and I thank you for being a part of this blog hop

    cms72023(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thanks, Christine! I'm glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  37. Thank you for the post and the giveaway. :-)
    r.d1@myfairpoint.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Renald, for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  38. I am looking forward to reading Revenge.

    Caity_mack@yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Cathy! That's so nice to hear. I hope you enjoy the book! :)

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest!

      Delete
  39. Talk about a cliff hanger. I have got toe get Revenge to see what happens. You are so sneaky Dana...LOL
    koonie2888 at yahoo dot com

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    Replies
    1. Hi Michelle! LOL -- yep, I'm pretty darn sneaky sometimes. But it's all for your entertainment! I hope you enjoy the book. :)

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest!

      Delete
  40. That was harsh, but oh so intriguing. Great excerpt.
    Debdebss@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hi Debra! I'm glad you liked the post! Thanks so much for stopping by and entering the contest. :)

      Delete
  41. great contest, love your books
    kintana002000@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Nina! It's so nice to hear that you like the books! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  42. Another stop, more books for my TBR! :)

    minnie2297@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Minnie! Glad to hear the books made it on your TBR pile. If it's anything like mine, it's a mile high! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest. :)

      Delete
  43. im enjoying this blog hop my summer and i hope you are enjoying your summer to angelwolfmystic@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  44. This book is on my wishlist can't wait to read it sounds so good! Thank you for taking part in this fun blog hop! Great giveaway thanks for the chance :)
    Latisha D
    tishajean@ charter.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Latisha! It's so nice to hear that you have my book on your wishlist. *warm fuzzies* Thanks so much for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  45. Thanks for being part of the hop and the giveaway!
    Jesse
    jesse.kimmelfreeman@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jesse! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  46. Hi Rissa! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

    ReplyDelete
  47. Thanks for the chance Dana! Awesome hop btw.

    thesolitarybookworm(@)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest!

      Delete
  48. Replies
    1. At least it wasn't a horse head. :) I think my parents let me watch "The Godfather" when I was too young. That scene gave me nightmares!

      Delete
  49. Hi Dana! It looks to me like heroes spend all day doing abdominal crunches and live on fish and lettuce. Just an observation.

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    1. Damn straight, Dale! Heroes are not ordinary mortals!

      Delete
  50. This has me interested! A Mafia Don is not a typical hero! Thanks for the giveaway!
    suz2(at)cox(dot)net

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    Replies
    1. Hi Susan! I hope you enjoy the books. I was trying to do something different in the genre. You can let me know if I succeeded. :)

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest!

      Delete
  51. Looks awesome! Thanks for the chance to win!
    Jesscaashley(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jessica! I hope you enjoy the book. Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest!

      Delete
  52. the email is desitheblonde@msn.com and t hen i follow you on the gr and then on twtter deiree reilly on gread and t hen twttter is desitheblonde

    thandk for the hop

    desi the blonde at msn .com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Desi! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  53. Interesting excerpt!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Pat C.
    p-cochran@juno.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Pat! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  54. I'm Heather, feathermaye at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Heather! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  55. Thanks for the giveaway.

    Vanessa N.

    mythic021@ gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Vanessa! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  56. Sounds great! :) Thanks for the fun hop and the awesome giveaway! Ya all rock!! :)
    shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Shadow! I hope you enjoy the book. Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest. This has been one rocking hop, hasn't it? :)

      Delete
  57. Juliana
    Thanks for participating in the hop!
    OceanAkers @ aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Juliana! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  58. Nice post.

    L
    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

      Delete
  59. Thanks for the giveaway and for being part of the blog hop!
    Brandi S.
    flava_sava_chick@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Brandi! You're welcome. :) Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest!

      Delete