Guest post by Author Laura DeLuca
Gothic Belly
Dancer Laura “Tempest” Schmidt
One of my favorite scenes in Phantom includes
a belly dance routine. I can't say any more than that because I don't want to
give away information about a pivotal scene in the story. But I can tell you a
little about the amazing woman who inspired the scene. Her name is Laura
"Tempest" Schimdt, and she is a world renowned Gothic Belly Dancer.
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I consider
myself truly blessed to have not only met Tempest, but to have shared Sacred
Space with her on a few occasions. About three years ago, I was introduced to Tempest
through my best friend and coven sister, Donna. She was taking her belly dance
class at a local gym, and convinced me to come along. Now, I am just about the most uncoordinated
person in the world, and learning even the simplest steps was a challenge for
me. But Tempest had the patience of an angel, and always took a few extra
moments to try to help me get it right. I was only able to go to few classes
before I got pregnant with my daughter and was on bed rest. By the time she was
born, Tempest had moved, but those few classes were an experience I will never
forget.
Title: Demon
(Dark Musicals Trilogy, 2)
Author: Laura
DeLuca
Genre: Young
Adult, Thriller
Tour Host: Lady
Amber's Tours
Book Description:
When Justyn and Rebecca set off for the New York School of
Performing Arts, they think their dreams are about to come true. To their
dismay, they aren’t in high school anymore, and the competition is steep.
Rebecca must compete against accomplished singers for a role in the production
of Demon Barber, including a stunning Gothic diva with her sights set on Justyn
It doesn't help that things keep disappearing from their
apartment or that Rebecca's father refuses to accept that Justyn is an
essential part of her life. Yet, all this seems minimal in comparison to the
serial rapist terrorizing the campus.
Consumed by fear and obsessed with revenge, Rebecca and
Justyn start living the story of Sweeney Todd—both on and off the stage.
You can also add Demon to your shelf on good
reads.
Author Bio:
Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey
shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult
genre because it keeps her young at heart.
In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the editor of a popular
review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan
community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years. Her current works include Destiny, Destiny
Unveiled, Phantom, Morrigan, Player, and Demon.
Links:
Demon, Book Two in the Dark Musicals Trilogy, inspired by
Sweeney Todd is available now in both PRINT and eBook!
Purchase
Excerpts:
1
Rebecca unwound the silver ribbon.
When she lifted the lid, she found two matching pendants, each laced to a long
hemp chain. They were shaped sort of like seashells, with an endless spiral
pattern that looped out from the center as the chambers grew larger. They were
dark brown in color with a few hints of tan along the edges. The stones had
been polished and smoothed on both sides, but when she lifted them, she could
see that the two pieces fit together perfectly. She swore the halves fought to
snap together, like magnets in her hand. There was an energy pulsing and
vibrating within the stones that even a novice witch like Rebecca could feel.
“They’re beautiful,” Rebecca
whispered as she ran her hand along the intricate grooves.
“It’s an ammonite.” Justyn lifted
one of the pendants, brushed her hair to the side, and hooked the clasp around
her neck. His breath tickled her skin as his hands moved with graceful
dexterity, giving her goose bumps despite the humid
August night. “They’re actually fossils that are millions of years old, named
after Ammon, an ancient Egyptian deity. When they’re divided in half, they’re
perfect mirrors of one another. Some cultures believe that if the two halves
are given to lovers, it will bind them together forever. When made into
necklaces, they’re often called soul mate pendants.”
“Wo-wow,” Rebecca stuttered. As
usual, the sentiment behind Justyn’s gift was even more beautiful than the gift
itself. It left her a little flustered. “That’s amazing. How do you know all
this stuff?”
“You don’t spend eighteen years
living with Darlene without learning a thing or two.”
Rebecca laughed. Justyn’s mother
Darlene was definitely something special. EMT, exotic belly dancer, and Wiccan
High Priestess were only a few of the titles she claimed. Rebecca knew she was
a fountain of earth-based knowledge after years of studying the Craft. As
Darlene’s new apprentice, Rebecca greedily dipped into that knowledge herself
as often as possible.
“It’s beautiful,” Rebecca repeated,
too overcome with emotion to think of anything more eloquent to say. “You
certainly know how to make things interesting.”
“Like I told you on our first date,
I try not to be boring.” He winked at her. “So … are you going to put mine on
for me?”
“Oh yeah … sorry.”
Rebecca giggled as she lifted the
hemp chain. She wasn’t nearly as graceful as Justyn. She almost dropped the
necklace in the sand three times before she managed to get the clasp locked.
When she finally had it secured, he placed his hand over her heart, where the
ammonite lay. He did the same with her hands, lifting them to his chest. His
dark eyes had lost all glimmer of humor. He met her gaze with a stare filled
with genuine emotion. Beneath her fingers, she could feel the gentle, steady
rhythm of his heart beating in perfect tune with her own.
“Our love will span both space and
time. In this life and the next, you shall be mine. All eternity I will be by
your side. For a love so strong cannot be denied. Spirit and flesh merged into
one. So mote it be, for all days to come.”
When he was done with the
recitation, he kissed her. Not just a gentle brush, but a deep, passionate
embrace that left her throat tight and her heart pounding with a familiar yearning.
“I’ve never heard that poem
before,” she said once she’d caught her breath. “Who are you quoting?”
Even in the moonlight, she could
see him blush. “I guess I was quoting myself. It was really more of an
incantation than a poem though. These necklaces are meant to be a symbol of our
love, and it seemed a little spell work could only add to the power of the
stones. There is power in words, Becca. Just like there is power in nature.”
“You mean, you wrote that?”
He nodded, but his eyes twinkled,
and the playfulness was back in his voice. “Well, actually, I just made it up
as I went along.”
“Wow. Actor, singer, and now an
improv poet slash chant writer. Is there anything you can’t do, Lord Justyn?”
He smiled and tilted her chin so he
could look into her eyes. “I can’t stop loving you.”
Title: Phantom
(Dark Musicals Trilogy, 1)
Author: Laura
DeLuca
Genre: Young
Adult, Thriller
Tour Host: Lady
Amber's Tours
Book Description:
The “Phantom” was a musical phenomenon that Rebecca had
always found enchanting. She had no idea that her life was about to mirror the
play that was her obsession. When her high school drama club chooses “Phantom”
as their annual production, Rebecca finds herself in the middle of an unlikely
love triangle and the target of a sadistic stalker who uses the lines from the
play as their calling card.
Rebecca lands the lead role of Christine, the opera diva, and like her character, she is torn between her two co-stars—Tom the surfer and basketball star who plays the lovable hero, and Justyn, the strangely appealing Goth who is more than realistic in the role of the tortured artist.
Almost immediately after casting, strange things start to happen both on and off the stage. Curtains fall. Mirrors are shattered. People are hurt in true phantom style. They all seem like accidents until Rebecca receives notes and phone calls that hint at something more sinister. Is Justyn bringing to life the twisted character of the phantom? Or in real life are the roles of the hero and the villain reversed? Rebecca doesn’t know who to trust, but she knows she’s running out of time as she gets closer and closer to opening night. Only when the mask is stripped away, will the twenty first century phantom finally be revealed.
Rebecca lands the lead role of Christine, the opera diva, and like her character, she is torn between her two co-stars—Tom the surfer and basketball star who plays the lovable hero, and Justyn, the strangely appealing Goth who is more than realistic in the role of the tortured artist.
Almost immediately after casting, strange things start to happen both on and off the stage. Curtains fall. Mirrors are shattered. People are hurt in true phantom style. They all seem like accidents until Rebecca receives notes and phone calls that hint at something more sinister. Is Justyn bringing to life the twisted character of the phantom? Or in real life are the roles of the hero and the villain reversed? Rebecca doesn’t know who to trust, but she knows she’s running out of time as she gets closer and closer to opening night. Only when the mask is stripped away, will the twenty first century phantom finally be revealed.
Links:
If you haven't read the
first book in the series, now is a great time to get your copy. To celebrate
the release of Demon, Phantom is now on sale for only $1.99 exclusively
on Amazon!
Purchase
Excerpt:
The orchestra tuned for its virtuoso, and Justyn stood
ready. But no one else was ready for the magical performance he began. Beside
her, Carmen was rambling on about something mundane. Rebecca elbowed her to
silence so she could listen to the perfectly thrilling tenor. As she listened
to the song unfold, the world around her started to slip away. Gone was the
high school auditorium. Gone were the rowdy teenagers. The Gothic stranger on
the stage had become the embodiment of Erik, and Rebecca watched him in all his
dark glory, belting out his tormented love through the words of his song. And
she was as breathless with wonder as Christine herself must have been when the
masked stranger serenaded her in the candlelit labyrinth of the opera house. In
that moment, Justyn wasn’t just portraying the phantom. Justyn was the phantom.
“Let the music touch your soul.
Let the darkness make you whole.
Do not fear what is unknown.
Your true path has now been shown.
Listen to the words I sing.
Embrace
the peace that night will bring.”
As he continued
to sing in his deep but somehow angelic voice, Rebecca found that she couldn’t
tear her eyes away from him. With every line, her heart began to beat faster. She truly felt the arms of night wrapping her
in a warm embrace. She could almost feel the hands of the phantom glide along
her body as the words poured forth. The music caressed her. It possessed
her—mind, body and soul. Each word left her longing, yearning for more.
She was gawking
so obviously, it was hardly surprising when Justyn felt her eyes on him and
steadily met her gaze. She realized her mouth was hanging open in stunned awe,
and she quickly snapped it shut. His lips moved into just a small hint of a
smile. He never took his eyes off her while he sang the final verse, making her
cheeks flush to the point that she felt almost feverish. But it wasn’t
embarrassment but excitement, arousal even, which was sending her mind spinning
in so many directions.
When the song
was over, and Rebecca had recovered just a hint of her composure, she couldn’t
help but burst into a healthy round of applause. A few scattered people joined
in, including Debbie and Carmen after she nudged them in the ribs. But only
Miss King seemed to truly appreciate the brilliance of his talent as much as
Rebecca did.
“That was
amazing, Justyn!” the teacher gushed.
“Lord Justyn,”
he corrected as he stepped down from the stage.
A few others
complimented him as well, but he took in all in stride. In fact, his serious
expression never faltered as he stepped down from the stage. He seemed almost
bored, like it was all he could do to hold back a yawn, despite the smiles and
words of encouragement.
But not everyone in the crowd was pleased as
Justyn glided down the aisle, so ethereal in his dark garments that he still
resonated the spirit of the Opera Ghost. Miss King might have been excited
about the newest male addition to her cast after being limited for many years,
but Tom and his group of boisterous companions glared at him as he passed them
by. Jay sneered and tossed a balled up
piece of paper in Justyn’s direction, but the Goth was quick, and caught it in
his hand without missing a beat.
“I think you dropped something,” he said.
His speaking voice
was no less melodic than his singing voice, but something about his tone made
Rebecca shiver. He tossed the paper back at Jay, who was nowhere near as
coordinated as Justyn. He practically fell off his seat in his efforts to catch
it.
“Hey vampire,”
Tom called when Justyn went to walk away. “Are you sure you can handle the
competition?”
Justyn smiled, a
cool, sarcastic half-smile, and crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you?”
Miss King didn’t
notice the short confrontation, and Justyn vanished from the auditorium as
quickly and mysteriously as he had appeared. Only Rebecca had noticed the very
real tension between the two boys. She wondered if it was a bad omen for them to
start off the production with hard feelings and envy. That could only lead to
trouble. The kind of trouble that could end with someone getting hurt. The kind of trouble that Rebecca would do
whatever it took to avoid.
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