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I do hope all of you who celebrated Thanksgiving this month survived the holiday with waistlines and mental faculties intact! I'm sort of rising slowly out of the food fugue and realized this morning that I'm running out of November and needed to get my butt in gear and get my newsletter out.
December is beginning to look like a crazy busy month. I've got two re-releases coming out, both absolutely as different from one another as night is from day, but the one thing they have in common is that they're both a lot of fun. FERAL PASSIONS is finally coming out as a three-book bundle from St. Martin's Press. This one has all three stories from the series: FERAL PASSIONS, WILD PASSIONS, and DANGEROUS PASSIONS. They're category length romances (around 60,000 words each) and all linked by the common thread of the Feral Passions Resort up in northeastern California. It's a longshot for the men of Feral Passions, but if they don't find mates, their pack is at risk of dying out altogether. What better way for a group of lonely werewolves to attract women than by setting up a luxury resort just for women in the beautiful Trinity Alps? It certainly seems like a good idea at the time...
JUST A LITTLE MAGIC is one of those novella length things I wrote for fun--it has a wannabe Santa who gets pink slipped and falls, quite literally, into the arms of a young woman who's just kicked her worthless boyfriend out of her life. They're both really likable characters; add in a whole slew of sex toys tied into the Christmas holidays, and I can promise you a smile. And yes, it really does work! If you preorder through the link on the cover above, you'll get a 15% discount off the price. At least I think it's 15%.
🙄
Links in the covers will take you to excerpts and pre-order/buy links for both books.
It's BLACK FRIDAY, a day when I absolutely refuse to shop. Life is too short to risk death and dismemberment in the chaos and mayhem that is the US on the day after Thanksgiving, though I understand the selling/shopping frenzy actually started ON Thanksgiving! Of course, our local Safeway had all their Christmas decorations up a week before Halloween, which is definitely pushing things a bit too much.
On the home front, we've had a gorgeous Fall season, with lots of color around town. I've been trying to find time to read, but haven't indulged as much as I like as I'm into the part of Dark Captive that's really keeping me glued to my own story. I love it when things happen when I'm writing that I hadn't expected, but it usually requires a lot of rewriting earlier in the story. Gotta make sure those facts all match up!
Here's the opening--this one has a totally different heroine, and I think this particular book is going to open up a bunch of new stories.
December is beginning to look like a crazy busy month. I've got two re-releases coming out, both absolutely as different from one another as night is from day, but the one thing they have in common is that they're both a lot of fun. FERAL PASSIONS is finally coming out as a three-book bundle from St. Martin's Press. This one has all three stories from the series: FERAL PASSIONS, WILD PASSIONS, and DANGEROUS PASSIONS. They're category length romances (around 60,000 words each) and all linked by the common thread of the Feral Passions Resort up in northeastern California. It's a longshot for the men of Feral Passions, but if they don't find mates, their pack is at risk of dying out altogether. What better way for a group of lonely werewolves to attract women than by setting up a luxury resort just for women in the beautiful Trinity Alps? It certainly seems like a good idea at the time...
JUST A LITTLE MAGIC is one of those novella length things I wrote for fun--it has a wannabe Santa who gets pink slipped and falls, quite literally, into the arms of a young woman who's just kicked her worthless boyfriend out of her life. They're both really likable characters; add in a whole slew of sex toys tied into the Christmas holidays, and I can promise you a smile. And yes, it really does work! If you preorder through the link on the cover above, you'll get a 15% discount off the price. At least I think it's 15%.
🙄
Links in the covers will take you to excerpts and pre-order/buy links for both books.
It's BLACK FRIDAY, a day when I absolutely refuse to shop. Life is too short to risk death and dismemberment in the chaos and mayhem that is the US on the day after Thanksgiving, though I understand the selling/shopping frenzy actually started ON Thanksgiving! Of course, our local Safeway had all their Christmas decorations up a week before Halloween, which is definitely pushing things a bit too much.
On the home front, we've had a gorgeous Fall season, with lots of color around town. I've been trying to find time to read, but haven't indulged as much as I like as I'm into the part of Dark Captive that's really keeping me glued to my own story. I love it when things happen when I'm writing that I hadn't expected, but it usually requires a lot of rewriting earlier in the story. Gotta make sure those facts all match up!
Here's the opening--this one has a totally different heroine, and I think this particular book is going to open up a bunch of new stories.
~~*~~
Tuesday, June 19, 2040
A small Hindu temple in rural New York State
She’d been pacing the tight space for hours now, and she’d lost track of the days since he’d locked her in this small building, a temple, actually. A temple built to honor the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.
What other goddess would he worship? Asshole. He thought money was everything, but he was a fool. Unfortunately, the fool was gone and probably free as a bird, while she was trapped here with nothing but a selfish bronze goddess to keep her company. No help from her, unfortunately, or that bastard, either. He’d kept her on the edge of starvation for much too long—so long, in fact that in many ways her body had adapted to the lack of sustenance. She lived, but she had no reserves. Nothing left at all.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Right. That and a good meal would do the trick.
There was no way out, and the only water had been in a small decorative fountain near the altar. She drank the last of that yesterday. Or maybe the day before. It was hard to remember, but what was the point? No food, no water. No way out. She’d tried the door, but her huge paws slipped on the plain round knob. The windows were leaded glass, beautiful designs, actually, but much too thick to break. She’d tried throwing her body against the one she could reach.
Her head and shoulder still hurt.
It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. She was meant for better things. Her mother had promised that one day she would be free. Free to grow and learn, to walk among human men and women without fear. That dream had kept her going for as long as it could. Now? Not so much.
Sorry, Mama. I don’t think that’s going to happen. Memories of her mother’s beautiful face were clearer today. Maybe Mama was calling her. She sighed, hanging her head low. So hard to stand, but she couldn’t, wouldn’t give up. I’m not ready yet, Mama. I love you, but please. Just a few more years? A chance?
Raising her head, she glared at the statue. It stared back with dead eyes. She made another pass in front of the altar, but her vision grew fuzzy around the edges. She swayed in one place; then her back legs gave out. If she could have, she would have wept, but what good would tears do? It was too late for tears, too late to beg. Just too fucking late for anything. She tried to stand, failed. And tried again. The last time used what little strength she had left. With a soft cry, she gave in to the thirst, to the hunger. To the weakness. There was nothing left. But damn it all, she wasn’t supposed to die like this. There were too many left to save, and for them alone she had to live. If she died now, that regret would haunt her into the afterlife, and she didn’t want that particular sin staining her soul.
On the other hand, it was almost fitting that she fall before this particular goddess. The goddess of wealth. What a selfish bitch. Asha remembered her mother talking of another goddess, one who watched over them, except that goddess had somehow lost them. All of them.
Would she see her mother when she died? Asha wondered if there was anything at all after that final breath. She lay on the cold stone floor, her eyes on the goddess.
Except she wasn’t really a goddess, merely a statue made of bronze. But Lakshmi was the goddess filling Asha’s vision as the world finally went dark.
A small Hindu temple in rural New York State
She’d been pacing the tight space for hours now, and she’d lost track of the days since he’d locked her in this small building, a temple, actually. A temple built to honor the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.
What other goddess would he worship? Asshole. He thought money was everything, but he was a fool. Unfortunately, the fool was gone and probably free as a bird, while she was trapped here with nothing but a selfish bronze goddess to keep her company. No help from her, unfortunately, or that bastard, either. He’d kept her on the edge of starvation for much too long—so long, in fact that in many ways her body had adapted to the lack of sustenance. She lived, but she had no reserves. Nothing left at all.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Right. That and a good meal would do the trick.
There was no way out, and the only water had been in a small decorative fountain near the altar. She drank the last of that yesterday. Or maybe the day before. It was hard to remember, but what was the point? No food, no water. No way out. She’d tried the door, but her huge paws slipped on the plain round knob. The windows were leaded glass, beautiful designs, actually, but much too thick to break. She’d tried throwing her body against the one she could reach.
Her head and shoulder still hurt.
It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. She was meant for better things. Her mother had promised that one day she would be free. Free to grow and learn, to walk among human men and women without fear. That dream had kept her going for as long as it could. Now? Not so much.
Sorry, Mama. I don’t think that’s going to happen. Memories of her mother’s beautiful face were clearer today. Maybe Mama was calling her. She sighed, hanging her head low. So hard to stand, but she couldn’t, wouldn’t give up. I’m not ready yet, Mama. I love you, but please. Just a few more years? A chance?
Raising her head, she glared at the statue. It stared back with dead eyes. She made another pass in front of the altar, but her vision grew fuzzy around the edges. She swayed in one place; then her back legs gave out. If she could have, she would have wept, but what good would tears do? It was too late for tears, too late to beg. Just too fucking late for anything. She tried to stand, failed. And tried again. The last time used what little strength she had left. With a soft cry, she gave in to the thirst, to the hunger. To the weakness. There was nothing left. But damn it all, she wasn’t supposed to die like this. There were too many left to save, and for them alone she had to live. If she died now, that regret would haunt her into the afterlife, and she didn’t want that particular sin staining her soul.
On the other hand, it was almost fitting that she fall before this particular goddess. The goddess of wealth. What a selfish bitch. Asha remembered her mother talking of another goddess, one who watched over them, except that goddess had somehow lost them. All of them.
Would she see her mother when she died? Asha wondered if there was anything at all after that final breath. She lay on the cold stone floor, her eyes on the goddess.
Except she wasn’t really a goddess, merely a statue made of bronze. But Lakshmi was the goddess filling Asha’s vision as the world finally went dark.
~~*~~
Asha is a snow leopard, a Chanku shifter of the Berserker race, one who is born an animal and cannot shift until they've had the Tibetan grasses that enable the physical changes needed to change from animal to human. She is also a victim of an active black market trade of endangered predators. Her captives don't know she's Chanku, only that she's a valuable snow leopard, one who is actually a lot smarter than most of the humans running the animal trafficking.
And yes, I am having way too much fun with this story!
And yes, I am having way too much fun with this story!
Got to talk books, at least a little bit, right? I've definitely read some good ones the past few weeks. I just finished ICE, SNOW, & MISTLETOE by Jocelynn Drake, the sole author of this one, which follows another with some of the same characters that was every bit as good, WALKING ON THIN ICE. Her M/M romances are so much "more" than a lot of the stories I read, and she and her writing partner Rinda Elliott are full-on favorites of mine. I finished up the final book in their co-authored UNBREAKABLE series, IAN, which was absolutely wonderful, and then I segued right into their new series, WARD SECURITY for the first book, PSYCHO ROMEO. Sven and Geoffrey made brief appearances in the Unbreakable stories, and it was so much fun to see them really brought to life in this new book. I'm definitely looking forward to more from these talented authors, either on their own or together. Their names are linked to their sites with excerpts and info about all their books.
Another favorite of mine is Elizabeth Hoyt. I read DUKE OF DESIRE a couple weeks ago, and it was such fun. I have loved every book in this series -- I think it might be the final novel in the Maiden Lane series. There are also two novellas--one came out on the 21st, and there's another in a couple more weeks. Her name is linked to her website with information on all her books--and I've never read anything of this author's that I haven't loved. She's one of the few historical authors who is an autobuy for me! The other, of course, would be Amanda Quick, aka Jayne Ann Krentz. I love everything Jayne writes, though I'm waiting impatiently for something else from her Jayne Castle alter ego! (Illusion Town was over a year ago, m'dear!)
On the other hand, I've been pre-ordering books because there are just too many auto-buy authors out there and I don't want to miss a thing! Blood Fury: Black Dagger Legacy (1/9/18) and The Thief: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood (4/10/18)
by JR Ward, Promise Not to Tell (1/2/18) by Jayne Ann Krentz, and Burn Bright (Alpha and Omega) (3/6/18) by Patricia Briggs. Just a few to keep me going into the new year!
I'm doing a small contest this month--ebook copies of Dark Refuge to at least two winners, depending on the number of entries I get. I am asking for your country of residence. I need that information because I have a separate drawing for International readers, since you folks are a smaller group and I want to give you a chance to win something where you're not totally outnumbered! I also need to know what format you prefer--mobi (Amazon) epub (most others) or pdf. Fill that information out in the contest entry form, NOT IN THE COMMENTS SECTION! If you're on your phone, the contest entry form, which SAYS Contest Entry Form, might be at the very bottom of the page. On a computer it's off to the right. I'm hoping to draw winners before the end of the week, so enter asap.
And on that note, it's time to send this out and get back to work. Take care, be well, and always remember to be good to yourself and never forget to take time to read!
Hugs to all,
Kate
Another favorite of mine is Elizabeth Hoyt. I read DUKE OF DESIRE a couple weeks ago, and it was such fun. I have loved every book in this series -- I think it might be the final novel in the Maiden Lane series. There are also two novellas--one came out on the 21st, and there's another in a couple more weeks. Her name is linked to her website with information on all her books--and I've never read anything of this author's that I haven't loved. She's one of the few historical authors who is an autobuy for me! The other, of course, would be Amanda Quick, aka Jayne Ann Krentz. I love everything Jayne writes, though I'm waiting impatiently for something else from her Jayne Castle alter ego! (Illusion Town was over a year ago, m'dear!)
On the other hand, I've been pre-ordering books because there are just too many auto-buy authors out there and I don't want to miss a thing! Blood Fury: Black Dagger Legacy (1/9/18) and The Thief: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood (4/10/18)
by JR Ward, Promise Not to Tell (1/2/18) by Jayne Ann Krentz, and Burn Bright (Alpha and Omega) (3/6/18) by Patricia Briggs. Just a few to keep me going into the new year!
I'm doing a small contest this month--ebook copies of Dark Refuge to at least two winners, depending on the number of entries I get. I am asking for your country of residence. I need that information because I have a separate drawing for International readers, since you folks are a smaller group and I want to give you a chance to win something where you're not totally outnumbered! I also need to know what format you prefer--mobi (Amazon) epub (most others) or pdf. Fill that information out in the contest entry form, NOT IN THE COMMENTS SECTION! If you're on your phone, the contest entry form, which SAYS Contest Entry Form, might be at the very bottom of the page. On a computer it's off to the right. I'm hoping to draw winners before the end of the week, so enter asap.
And on that note, it's time to send this out and get back to work. Take care, be well, and always remember to be good to yourself and never forget to take time to read!
Hugs to all,
Kate
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