Today I am so pleased to welcome Nazri Noor to Joyfully Jay. Nazri has come to share an exclusive excerpt from A Touch of Fever. Nazri has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving a big welcome!
Excerpt
“Jackson Pryde, you open this damn door before I blast it open myself.”
I pulled the door open. Good thing it swung inwards or else it would have smacked Xander right in the face. He flinched, his hand still frozen into a fist, ready to rap its knuckles against a door it could no longer reach. Xander lowered his hand, smoothed away nonexistent creases in his shirt, then took a step back.
“About time you opened up. Didn’t you hear me banging away out here?”
I stood with my legs astride, folded my arms, and smirked. Xander narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t you start with me so damn early in the morning, Pryde.”
I spread my hands and shrugged, all innocence. “I didn’t say a thing.”
“Exactly,” he said, jabbing a finger towards me. “You didn’t say a thing about this secret weapon of yours and it kept me up all night.”
I waggled my eyebrows. “Wow. Did I really keep you up all night, Alexander?”
“You’re insufferable, Jackson. I’d tell you to fuck off and – eh, never mind. Let’s just get this over with.” He seemed softer, but maybe a little tenderer somehow. Frailer.
“What’s up with you this morning? You don’t usually give up this easily.”
He grunted irritably. “I told you, I had a rough night. I was poring over some books in the study, looking for something to help us with the mission. Couldn’t find a damn thing, at least nothing that wouldn’t get us both killed.”
“You’ve always been so competitive.” I shook my head and sighed. “I told you, I know someone who can help us.”
“Then who is it?”
I bit my lip, hesitating. “Can’t say. Not yet. I’ll let you know when we get there, out in California.”
He ruffled his hair and groaned. “You know what? Forget it. Let’s just get this over with.”
He really was looking peaky. It wasn’t like Xander to put his claws away so quickly. Before I could stop myself, I reached out my hand, pressing the back of it against his forehead. His eyes went wide. Mine did, too, and we stared at each other for a horrible few moments. The warmth radiating from his skin could have been from some sort of fever, or it could have been him blistering with embarrassment. The blush in his cheeks supported my brilliant theory.
I drew my hand back and curled it into a fist, covering my mouth with it as I erupted into a series of coughs. Wow, Jackson. Smooth. Real smooth. Xander rolled his eyes.
“So? What’s your assessment, Dr. Pryde?”
“Not sure. I can’t tell if you’re hot or not.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” He scoffed, pushing his hair up out of his eyes. “I’m always hot.”
Blurb
Arcane Hearts, Book 1
What do you do when you can’t cast spells? You make your own magic.
Jackson Pryde was never great at wielding magic. Instead, he works as an artificer, crafting enchanted devices in the Black Market, a shadowy bazaar of wonders. But Xander Wright, the mouthy, pretentious mage next door, hates all the hammering in Jackson’s workshop.
When a chance assignment forces them to team up, they discover a terrifying predicament. Something is driving members of the magical community into murderous rages. Jackson and Xander must combine might and magic to find the source of the Fever and stop it. Can they put aside their differences long enough to end the Fever, or will they succumb to its bloodthirsty curse?
Bio
Hi, I’m Nazri, a Filipino-Malaysian author based in California. I’m trilingual, but I really only write in English. I can also speak just enough Sindarin and Valyrian to impress absolutely no one. My urban fantasy novels focus on heroes who use wits, style, and their wildly unpredictable magic to save the day. Think sass and class, while kicking ass.
My influences come from horror and fantasy: HP Lovecraft, Anne Rice, George R.R. Martin, Chuck Palahniuk, Terry Pratchett, and Neil Gaiman. Growing up I was shaped by the Blood Sword, Fighting Fantasy, Lone Wolf, and Grey Star game book universes. I’m also inspired by video games, specifically the Castlevania, Final Fantasy, and Persona series.
TL;DR: I’m a huge nerd. Follow me on Amazon and BookBub, or send me an email at nazri at nazrinoor dot com. I love hearing from readers, and I’m also really, really starved for attention. And yes, that’s my real hair. I try to donate it to the American Cancer Society as often as I can. Also, have you heard? You can get a free book right here.
Catch up with Nazri:
- https://www.nazrinoor.com/
- https://twitter.com/NazriNoor
- https://www.facebook.com/TheGreatestNazriNoor/
- https://www.instagram.com/nazrinoor/
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/NazriNoor
Giveaway
To celebrate the release of A Touch of Fever, we are giving 3 e-copies of the release! Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!
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- By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
- Void where prohibited by law.
Welcome, Nazri, and congratulations on the publication of A Touch of Fever. Best wishes for its success!