Tuesday Teaser from Interaction with a Dragon

Here is my Tuesday teaser from Interaction with a Dragon, to be released on April 2nd!

Cannibal, the dragon shifter and Alex, his personal assistant have just learned an evil wizard, an old enemy of Cannibal's, has just stolen a powerful, ancient artifact. They are ordered to retrieve it. Here's a sneak peek:

“Magian lifted the Bowl of Babylon.”

Like that explained everything. “And this is bad, why?”

“Because he’s an evil wizard who dabbles in things best left alone. Because I found the bowl and took it to PPD’s secure safe room to avoid this very thing. Because no one else but me can even get near the pain in the ass idiot. Because with the power of the ancient bowl, he could theoretically end the world as we know it.”

Each explanation, my eyes grew wider. “Why are you the only one who can fix this?”

He shot me a droll stare. “Magian lives in a castle in the middle of nowhere. There’s no roads, no way to sneak in. Not to mention there’s booby trapped moats and all sorts of nasty surprises on the ground. Most die before even touching the drawbridge.”

Castle? Moat? Drawbridge? From what little I remembered about knights and dragon slaying, the basic setting held true.

No wonder PPD was sending Cannibal. He’d faced the same defenses before. Probably. Maybe. If he had been hatched over a thousand years ago.

“So they need you to fly in.” I considered the alternatives. “Can’t a shifter just teleport in?”

“Only if they know where they are going. By the time he appeared, he would be exterminated by Magian before he could say ‘boo’.”

“And you won’t be because…”

“As old enemies, he believes such tactics are bad form.”

Bad form? I grappled with that term. All I could come up with was Peter Pan and Captain Hook. “He’ll let you appear safely on his property?”

He shrugged. “Arrive, yes. Leaving is another story.”

Puzzle pieces clicked. “Is this the same evil wizard that gave you the scar?”

“Yeah.”

We’re going to confront the same wizard that almost killed indestructible Cannibal? My stomach sank.

Cannibal started to walk away, paused, then turned back to me. “Come on.”

I hurried to catch up. “Am I going home?”

He peered down at me. “No, we’re going to pay Magian a visit.”

My mouth fell open as I stumbled over my own two feet. “We? Why we?”

His typical scowl returned in full force. “I can’t touch the Bowl of Babylon without bursting into flames. Humans are immune. Thus, you have to fetch the bowl while I keep Magian entertained.”

Oh, no. No. No. No. I read the fine print on the gopher contract. Assistants were supposed to be well out of the line of fire. No danger, no risk of death. Just performing servant duties to the Enforcers. That was it.

Then, I saw the resignation and weary determination appear on Cannibal’s face. The poor guy couldn’t even enjoy a week’s vacation with his family, then the peace and quiet of his own home without having to clean up another person’s mess. He was a loner by choice, but had opened up to have a bit of fun. Now PPD was taking it all away.

My heart went out to the guy.

Cannibal might have walked alone for centuries, but I wasn’t about to let him face this battle by himself. Sure, I had to come along, but I ignored that small tidbit in my moment of valor.

Anger fueled my courage. I matched him stride for stride and lifted my chin. “Big bad wizard, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Fortress of death?”

“Yeah.”

“If we fail, the world will end?”

“Yeah.”

I puffed out my chest. I handled one pissed off female dragon and lived to tell the tale. What’s a little evil wizard with world domination on his mind? “Bring it on.”

It's release day for Blue Blood's Trifecta, Wind Warriors #6!

Guess what releases today? Yep, that's right! Blue Blood's Trifecta, book 6 in the Wind Warrior series!

When past meets present things begin to sizzle.

When an emergency call goes out, FBI agent Ryan tags along with his sister on a Wind Warrior mission. Along the way, he meets Tempest, a beautiful female pilot who stirs his desires, and Rogue, a former Army buddy. Seeing Rogue again brings out feelings Ryan doesn’t understand and isn’t prepared to accept.

Their old rivalry returns as both men want Tempest, who happens to be Rogue’s employee.

The mission that brought the three of them together comes back to haunt them all with danger hanging over the head of every Wind Warrior and their loved ones.

Can Ryan work through his newfound interest in Rogue even as he’s falling for Tempest? Will they pull together and unite in time to save each other from a hired assassin?



Excerpt:

“How’s Bryce?” he asked, changing the subject while finishing the last of his late night supper.

She sighed longingly. “Wonderful.”

He shook his head. “Love if I ever saw it.”

“Yep.” She slurped on her water.

A twinge of jealousy smacked him in the chest and stuck tight. Always before, he thought the bachelor life held everything he wanted and then some. He began to notice the expressions of bliss and sheer happiness on the face of his sister, who’d recently found her other half. Seeing the two of them together made him feel like he could bask in their glow.

Now, he wasn’t so sure living single held as bright an appeal as it used to.

The ringing of her phone broke through his melancholic thoughts.

She dug her cell phone out of her oversized handbag, glanced at the screen, and blinked. “Oh, shit.”

He tensed, immediately on alert. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s an SOS. The guys are in trouble.”

After digging his wallet out, Ryan tossed a few bills on the table, scooped up their trash and shoved it in the bin on the way out of the front door of the restaurant, Lark hot on his heels. “Where to?” he asked, as they both hopped into his truck and fastened their seatbelts.

She read the message quickly. “The airport—and now.”

Revving the engine, he mentally pictured the shortest route and pushed the speed limit to get there. “What does it say?”

“New information just came in. Loco, Cale and Spoon are headed straight into an ambush. It’s all hands on deck.”

Although he’d never met the other Wind Warriors Lark worked with, his gut clenched at the ominous words. No brave soldier deserved to be set up as decoys, or cannon fodder, or to walk into a trap based on faulty or outright wrong information.

“Count me in.”

She glanced up at him with a worried look written clearly across her face. “Ryan, this isn’t your fight.”

“It is now.”

Available from:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Bloods-Trifecta-W…/…/ref=sr_1_10…
Totally Bound Publishing: https://www.totallybound.com/blue-bloods-trifecta
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blue-bloods-tri…/1115409467…

Some common questions Answered about my writing

Ever wonder about what makes an author tick? How they write? Where they write? Where do the ideas come from? I've been asked those questions a few times by both readers and other authors. It seems like authors, like in most professions, have their own quirks and routines. So, I decided to share a few of mine with you all.

Did I always want to write?

Yes! I always wanted to be a writer and was a writing major in college. My first writing class, that whole dream changed when my professor said that she was surprised that I chose such a major considering how bad of a writer I was. *blink* Yeah, I changed majors right quick. In case you are wondering, she was right! LOL.

If I didn't learn to be a writer in college, where did I learn to write?

Interesting question and one that several authors can attest to. I really learned to write from being part of a fan fiction site. Great people there, many with considerable talent. I learned from them. I also blame these same people for nudging me (hard) into the realm of professional writing and submitting for publication. I've read several posts from other authors that they too came up from the fan fiction ranks.

How do the ideas for stories come about?

That's a bit more tricky. I can't say there's one place. Ideas just pop into my head. Sometimes it's from something I've seen on television or heard on the news. Sometimes a snippet just appears in my mind. I take that small part and start asking questions. What if this? What if that? Slowly, a story will begin to form parameters and take shape. The best parts are when my mind just starts throwing out suggestions and sentences. Most of the time that happens when I'm trying to sleep. I've learned that I will forget them, so I just resign myself to getting out of bed and writing them down. No matter how many times I have to do it before actually falling alseep.

Do I write a story from start to finish? Do I plot and plan?

I'm definitely a plotter. I like to know how the story begins and ends, at least, up front. The middle is subjective and can change. In fact, I tend to write what scene talks to me that day. Translation:  I jump all over the place when writing a book. I might write the end one day, then chapter two the next. I call it filling in holes. It's a challenge at times, trying to make sure I keep my facts straight, and the story moving forward, but that seems to what works for me. If the story stops talking for some reason, I shift gears and work on one of the many books in progress that I have going at the moment. I may jump around to a few books before I get any of them done.

What are my favorite stories to write?

My favorite stories to write are romantic comedies, although I write everything from western/cowboy, paranormal/shapeshifter, M/M gay erotic romance, and contemporary action romance. I do both M/F, M/M, and M/F/M as well. Definitely more than enough to keep me from getting bored.

Do I put any of my hobbies or real life interests in my books?

Sure! I think most authors do. Write what you know, after all. I've written about nurses, which is my day job. I've also written about horses, rescued animals, and farm life. All those things are part of me and something that I'm very proud of.

Animals are my calling in life, especially adoption and animal rescue. Several of my books feature characters that have taken in a pet in need. The cause is near and dear to my heart as all of my animals have been shelter animals over the years. I can't imagine not having at least one pet in my life. After the loss of my oldest cat three years ago, I only have my 11 year old calico left. She's getting all the attention now and isn't complaining. LOL. I also have extended care of my parent's four cats and one dog. Those are a joint venture. Will I get another kitty or two for just me? That's the million dollar question. I've been sort of looking for the past year or so, but nothing has clicked. Yet. Time will tell.

What advice would I give aspiring authors?

Learn and practice. Don't give up. It probably sounds cliché, but it's true. Writing changes, fads come and go, and no one knows everything. Authors need to embrace their craft and be willing to learn to make it better. There's nothing worse than someone who possesses the motivation and ability, but their unwillingness to take direction and learn from others hold them back at the starting gate. I'm not an English major. I'm still not really able to grasp dangling modifiers, but that's what learning and editors are all about. The good news is that an author doesn't have to be grammar gurus. We just have to keep working, keep learning, and always strive to do better. There's good stories and there's great books. In order to move from good to great, it's a matter of doing your homework, practicing your art, and taking direction from those in the know.

Writing isn't for the faint of heart. It's many hours alone, in front of the computer. Authors write on a schedule. If we wrote only when we wanted to or felt like it, then nothing would ever get done. Dedication is the key. You have to want to be an author and be willing to sacrifice for it. Just like professional athletes have to spend hours practicing and working out, authors have to spend just as much time with their butt in the chair, fingers on keyboard, and writing, whether they want to or not.

One more piece of advice. Don't expect to get your first book published and become an instant multi-millionaire like J.K. Rawlings. She did the equivalent of winning the lottery in writing. The majority of writers still have to work their day jobs and write in between. Readers have to find your work amidst the millions of other books out there. It's a hard job to promote, engage new readers, and establish a following. If you have doubts, look at some of the authors who top the NY Times bestseller list. Look at how many years they've been writing and how many books they had under their belt before they achieved that level. Some make it in years. Some make it 30 or 50 books later. Some never make it. My point is:  write because you love to write. If you're writing for the correct reasons, you don't be disappointed.

My Tuesday Teaser from Interaction with a Dragon (Human Interaction book 4) due to be released April 2.




Alex is desperate. Her cupboards are bare, her bank account empty, and she’s days away from homelessness. Then, her luck changes in the form of a position as a personal assistant to the baddest, scariest Enforcer around—Cannibal. The man cloaked in mystery, who carries a huge sword, and has scowling down to an art. 

Not ready to give up her first job opportunity in months, Alex sucks it up, determined to earn Cannibal’s respect in the process. Hard to do when he threatens to cut off her toes for a snack and she breaks one of his cardinal rules her first day. Yet, she senses something special in Cannibal. 

She can’t ignore the powerful attraction as she finds herself playing the part of his girlfriend for his dragon brethren and standing with him as the only ones capable of destroying an evil wizard determined to end the world.

Deep feelings forged in crisis tend to be fleeting. Alex understands the odds, but knows one thing—Cannibal and her heart are both worth fighting for.  




Here's a sneak peek for you all:

Not sure which bedroom Cannibal occupied, I carefully listened at the first door, heard nothing, then moved to the next. Snoring like a buzz saw clued me in. I cautiously and quietly turned the knob and opened the door, peeking inside.

Even with the shades pulled, enough light streamed in around the edges for me to easily make out the Enforcer feared by most. He lay on his stomach, arms folded above his head, his face turned toward me. In relaxation, he exuded male beauty, from his chiseled chin with a tasty little dimple, and high cheek bones, to the abundance of muscles on his large frame. The sheet had been tossed aside, leaving him totally nude and stretched out for my viewing pleasure.

Boy howdy, did I view too.

From his perfectly rounded rear, down his strong thighs, and back up to a wide chest and back, Cannibal appeared like a force to be reckoned with. Big. Powerful. And too damn sexy for his own good.

My stomach flipped as I took in the most gorgeous male specimen I’d ever seen.

If only his surly attitude didn’t leave a pox mark on his overall suitability as a date.

No. No. No. I don’t date Enforcers, bosses, or stick up the ass men. No matter how yummy they might look.

I chastised myself, then sighed in resignation. He was one hot tamale on a stick and I had a craving for spice. Unfortunate and regrettable since he was still my boss and, as much as I wanted to jump in the sack and find out what Cannibal tasted like, I just couldn’t cross that line. Besides, as tempted as I might be, I never gave in to my impulsive side and slid in for a personal taste test of someone I just met. I wanted romance. Courting. I wanted Prince Charming.

Cannibal didn’t live in a castle. He wouldn’t scour the country in search of me, and he would have long since crushed the glass slipper in those big hands before he found me, anyway.

I could drool and dream, but that’s about it. Besides, Cannibal probably had a legion of women lined up at his beck and call. Recalling his attitude, I immediately amended my first thought. Perhaps a handful. His looks alone would draw women like a bear to a bee hive. I hadn’t seen or heard about any, but that didn’t mean his harem didn’t exist.

No sense pining for the untouchable. I stuck my note on his side of the door, and closed it again.



Available from:

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-interactionwithadr…
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1121417402…
http://www.amazon.com/Interaction-Dragon-Hum…/…/ref=sr_1_16…
http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php…

New cover art to share. This is for Interaction with a Dragon (Human Interaction book 4) coming April 2nd. He's definitely lickable and one of my favorite characters of all time!

I have a new pretty to share. Yep, that's the cover for Interaction with a Dragon (Human Interaction book 4). That's Cannibal. One hot hunk whose motto is speak softly and carry a large sword.

Coming April 2nd from Secret Cravings Publishing!  I can't wait!

Second Chances arrives Friday! That's right, my next cowboy book is almost here!

Second Chances releases Friday!  Yes!  I can't wait! Dusty is one of my very favorite heroes!

Here's a bit about the story:

Former Navy SEAL turned stable owner, Dusty carries scars from war, manipulative women, and a hurtful tear in his family bonds. Content to be alone with his animals, he’s happy with life on his own terms.

April needs a special stable to board her adopted horses. With a filly that has been abused and a history of her own suffering at the hands of men, April’s hesitant but willing to give Dusty a try. If only he can work magic with her horses, she’ll be overjoyed.

He’s not thrilled with her but can’t bring himself to send her packing. Not when his body responds so easily and his heart craves the salvation she offers. To make matters worse, a raging wildfire threatens to wipe out everything he owns and separate him from the one woman who makes him believe again.

Will fate tear them apart or can he find a way to step up, like the hero she believes he is, in order to save the day?

An Excerpt:

“I’m looking for a stable to board my horse and I hear you’re the best.”

Dusty stood, uncomfortable with her standing over him. Primitive instincts made the position unacceptable. He topped her by nearly a full head and probably doubled her in weight, yet she didn’t appear nervous or back up an inch.

He ignored the compliment. He enjoyed his job, loved the animals, and pampered them like prized pets. Horses were in his blood. The ‘best’ treaded the line of subjectivity, but he didn’t really care what others thought. He did what he’d always dreamed of doing and left it at that. “What do you want to know?”

She glanced around the airy room, where several stalls sat empty. After feeding the horses their morning meal, he’d put them out to pasture for the day. Horses needed room to stretch their legs, grass to graze on, and simply to do what nature intended—be a horse.

“Let’s start with what you charge.”

He placed the halter down on his makeshift chair. “Two hundred per month per head. That includes everything—feed, grooming, and farrier service. The only extra expense you might incur is a vet bill. I cover the basic vaccinations, but anything over is yours.”

“I see.” She glanced around the room before her gaze landed on him once more. Interest and intrigue sparked in her baby blue eyes. He found the sight somewhat captivating. “Do you offer training?”

“Yeah, but that’s extra, depending upon what you’re interested in. Anything from basic saddle breaking to specialized advanced training. I can do just about anything with a western saddle, but draw the line at dressage and jumping. Since I have no experience in such, I don’t feel comfortable trying to teach a horse how to do all those fancy maneuvers.”

“I’m just looking for trail riding, at the most. Nothing fancy.”

“That’s doable, then.” He appreciated her professional questions, much preferring to clarify particulars now, rather than after the fact. His contracts spelled out everything, but he noticed few boarders ever bothered to read the detailed pages. Not his problem. He put forth the information, so legally he was covered.

She gestured to the stalls. “How much stall time versus pasture?”

“I bring them in at night, unless you want them to be on full time pasture. They’re grained twice a day. Pregnant mares occasionally three times, depending upon their needs.”

“Oh, I won’t be getting one of those. I’m going to adopt from the humane society farm. In fact, I’m going there next to choose one.”

Her revelation shocked him. Not that she appeared wealthy and uppity, but he rarely ran into anyone who wanted less than a gently raised horse with perfect manners. Though none of his business, curiosity prodded him to pursue her reasoning further. “Why would you want one from there? Hell, there’s plenty of well-bred animals around here with rich bloodlines and sound training. With the humane society, it’s a crap shoot.”

The woman straightened her spine and pinned Dusty with her gaze. “Some of them have seen the worst the human race has to offer, yet they persevered and triumphed over the odds, able to find trust, in the wake of inconceivable torture. To me, those horses are diamonds in the rough and wear badges of courage. I’ll take a battle tested and scarred horse over a paddock raised one any day.”

He studied her face for a long moment then nodded slightly. Give her credit for standing up for the underdog and for a kind heart. He’d seen too many instances of abuse and neglect in his lifetime, each situation disgusted him to no end. Sometimes he could step up and help, with others his hands were tied. Yet, he commended the little lady for her beliefs and for opening her door to a rescued horse.

The words replayed in his mind, hitting home with power. Battle tested and scarred. Not just in relation to her pick of animal, either. Unwilling to dwell further, he drew his attention back to the business proposition. He headed through his office door, grabbed a couple pages of paper and quickly returned to her. “Here’s the contract. Pick out your horse, lady, then have them drop it off here.”

“My name is April, not lady.” She met his gaze steadily while taking the paperwork.

He inclined his head slightly.

“Thank you.” She smiled victoriously. “I know this will be the most wonderful home a horse could hope for.” With those final words, she walked out of the stable and back to her car.

The action, combined with the sassy sway of her hips, sent a sharp jolt straight to his groin. Don’t get your water hot, SEAL. You’ve learned your lesson about women the hard way. With one more look, he turned away and went back to work.

Available from:

 

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Second-Chances-Cheyenne-Meadows-ebook/dp/B00TR75G4M/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1425495548&sr=8-5&keywords=cheyenne+meadows

Secret Cravings:  http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=1044&zenid=esgfn4lhlqvbgs4e7bbjf67ph5

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/second-chances-cheyenne-meadows/1121241215?ean=2940151279826

All Romance Ebooks:  https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-secondchances-1749214-149.html