UK Appreciation Month; Ninfa Hayes - Guest Post

Land of dreams 

by Ninfa Hayes

My mother always tells the story of my love for the UK.

Apparently when I was three years old people used to ask me if I loved Italy or Spain more. My mother is Spanish, dad was Italian and I always lived between the two countries, having family and friends and both.

My answer?

England.

Heaven knows why, at 3 years old, I had this deep curiosity and the desire to explore this magical country. If you, like me, believe this isn't the only life we live, then perhaps I had been here before, and I was only remembering my love for a country that wasn't my own anymore.

Whatever the truth, my mother says she always knew I would leave home to explore this country that had stolen my heart from such a young age: the country of Robin Hood, of the Arthurian Legends, the Queen, the Big Ben, Buckingham Palace...but most of all, the home of JRR Tolkien, Jane Austen, JK Rowling, George R R Martin and all those dreamers that created worlds of words where we still loose ourselves, day after day.

13 years ago I  moved to the UK, to Manchester, and found a home. Today my dreams are coming true, and it's all because of this land...land of inspiration, pride and culture, a land I'm proud to call my own.

So I live you with the song that was playing in my ears, the day I landed in the UK for the very first time. Enjoy x

“Hello” by Oasis.

"BITES"

DEMONICA
Tonight is the Midwinter Solstice Ball, the most important night in the Daemonic Court's calendar.
This is the night when new disciples are chosen, when demons come out to play, and all bets are off.
As it happens, tonight is also the night I become Queen.

LAST OF THE BLOOD
When the sweet scent reaches me I know I have found what I'm looking for.
My hands reach out in the darkness to the unaware girl.
She's warm and soft and doesn't even get to scream before I'm drinking deeply from her, her struggles too feeble to bother me.
Only the blood counts.
I've never tasted anything like it. Gloriously sweet, thick and strong and full of life.
I drink until the hunger subsides, until the body that I hold so close to me hangs lifelessly in my arms. Only then I see. Only then I recognize it, and the agony ... oh, the agony is more than I can bear.

BITES
Irina is about to become Queen of the Daemonic Court and Damon is on the run from his own nature ... where will their paths take them?

Author Bio: 

Ninfa lives in Manchester, UK with husband Gareth, daughter Cassandra and two gorgeous kitties, Jemima and Shelley.
Originally from Italy, she's half Spanish, half Italian and British by choice and marriage.
She loves books and is a total bookaholic! Reading and writing have always been a big part of her life and for this she thanks both her parents for passing down the literary gene and the passion for a good story.
Ninfa is big on Networking and co-runs an array of Facebook pages and blogs about books and all things supernatural. She also reviews books for the Facebook “Bookaholics Book Club” on a regular basis.
In this spirit, she's also training her daughter in these dark arts and plans on making her a huge geek, whether she likes it or not!