Tuesday Teaser: Release -1, an Excerpt from Awakening by Scott Wieczorek

Tomorrow Scott Wiecerzoerk's novel, Awakening will release in

eBook form. This post will be updated with links for purchase after the official release.

Last week, Scott visited the Grove to share about about himself and his writing process.

Today, we want to give you a taste of what you can expect and invite you to the online Facebook Release Party. There will be guest authors, trivia games and GIVEAWAYS.

In the meantime, here is a taste of Awakening, a world in which Angels are real and they are fighting for control over the human race.

Elena's face felt cold as the blood drained from it. She had not seen the woman's mouth move while she spoke. She sobered almost instantly, the hackles on her neck rising as she stared at the woman's cold smile. She recognized the voice in a moment of lucidity as the one she had heard at the airport, their tail, their stalker—one of the Opposition.

My mistress was right, the woman's voice continued. She told me it would be a matter of time before one of you two slipped up. The amazing thing is you both slipped up at the same time. The woman turned to Elena.

The woman stood nearly a whole foot shorter than Elena and appeared much more fragile. Elena tried to gauge whether or not she would be able to handle this woman on her own. She knew from experience Daimon men were quite powerful, but never expected such strength from females.

Let me clue you in on some secrets. First, Daimon men cannot handle their liquor. In fact, all Daimones are very quickly undone by alcohol. The woman eyed Elena up and down before saying, Second, you could never take me on. To illustrate her point, the small woman gripped the countertop and crushed a small section of it into powder.

"What do you want from me?" Elena asked.

The choice is simple, the woman replied mentally. Either come with me to see my mistress. Or...

"Or?" Elena asked, realizing she would regret this decision.

Or you and your companion die, the woman replied. A placid and sickly happy smile spread across her face as she said it.

The woman's evident pleasure at making such a dire threat sent a chill down Elena's spine. She conjured up the most severe feeling of pain she could imagine and directed it right at the Daimon woman as she had done to the other Daimon in Canada. However, instead of the anticipated effect of crippling pain she had seen in the Daimon man, the woman's eyes flashed, and then she laughed.

Silly girl, the woman said to her mentally. I am no mere weakling. Your foolish mind games have no effect on me.

Alec...I need your help! Elena cried out, hoping beyond hope he would hear and come to her aid.

The woman started laughing even louder. A terrifying grin crossed her face. He can't hear you. Alcohol impairs Daimon abilities. And Alec has had a few too many. I guess I shouldn't have bought him so many rounds!

Elena didn't wait for the woman to move. Filled with blind rage over being trapped by this woman, she pressed her attack. If her death was on the menu, then she would take this woman with her as dessert.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See you at the Awakening Release Party on Facebook TOMORROW at 9:00PM ET (GMT-5)

Review: The Ulfric's Mates by Leona Bushman

I had the pleasure of reading The Ulfric’s Mate by Leona Bushman and published by Breathless Press.

It is the classic conflict between warring factions, Hatfields and McCoys, the Montagues and the Capulets.  That is not to say it is not an original story.  Ms. Bushman takes the same universal themes that have been explored through the centuries and weaves them into a well-built world of werewolves and werecats that carries a very Native American (First Peoples) flavor.

Nolan Littlebull is the alpha of the Wahpawhat pack of Werewolves and the lead detective on a series of murders of pregnant women from his pack. Torn between human justice and were justice, he travels deep onto the Yakama Reservation tracking the ones responsible. He is attacked by one of the rival pack, only to be defended by another from the rival pack.

Alexandria George is the healer for the Lupins. She defends the mysterious wolf in their territory from her pack's bully and escapes with the stranger, only to find that they are bonded as a true mated pair.

This is a well written story with strong main characters. Both the fight and sex scenes are well done. The sexual tension between Nolan and Alex is palpable and the consummation is HOT.

Alex is particularly well conceived and I felt that, while this was written from multiple points of view, this was her story. She is emotionally scarred because, despite being her pack’s healer and a human doctor, she is an outsider in her pack. I won’t go into details as to why to avoid a spoiler.

There are the necessary battles for dominance at the end, but we are left with sufficient loose ends to want the next book in the series. And I can’t wait!

My only qualm is that I would like to see more texture to Nolan. I am a fan of the troubled hero and as of the first book, we get only vague references to any inner conflicts he may have.  They do not have the same depth as her exploration of Alex’s “issues” I hope that Ms. Bushman digs deeper into his psyche in future books. 

That said I anxiously await the next book in the series and highly recommend this paranormal romance.

I give Ulfric’s Mate 4.5 triskeles.

 

Leona Bushman lives in Central/Eastern Washington with her husband and children writing, painting, gardening, running, camping, or just reading or crafting. She also loves to swim but rarely gets a chance to as she's busy chasing after the three of five children still left at home.

Want to read, the PRINT edition will be available tomorrow.

Prefer eBook or need it NOW!  check these sites for this and more by Leona Bushman:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ulfrics-Mate-War-Weres-Book-ebook/dp/B008I30BLE

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-ulfrics-mate-leona-j-bushman/1112220049?ean=2940044709539

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theulfric039smate-859491-340.html

Sassy and saucy, she can be found writing about her trials and errors as a mom and writer at the following places:

Blog: http://lbushman.blogspot.com

The website http://www.leonajbushman.com

And don't forget Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLeonaBushman

If you want more of her, she's found on twitter as often as not at @L_Bushman just follow and don't be a spammer. She follows back if you look like a real person. Besides werewolves, she also likes zombies, vampires, and fairies. Oh and don't forget the dragons. You're likely to catch her attention if you talk to her about any of the above. Or sports. She loves sports but rarely gets a chance to indulge that love. So speak up!

Tuesday Tune: Ulfric's Mate's Song --- Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas

I asked Leona Bushman, author of the Ulfric's Mate, to give me a song that she felt set the tone for that book. See the excerpt last week and watch for the review soon

She gave me :


Carry On My Wayward Son  by the 80's prog-rock band

Kansas

For the Book and the Series.

Do songs remind you of books or characters in them?  My character sketches include the music on their mp3.

Getting Ready for the Print Release Of The Ulfric's Mate...A Teaser Excerpt from Leona Bushman

Hot shapeshifters... battles,.... magic... love

I have had the pleasure of reading The Ulfric's Mate and its sequels in eBook format. I am beyond excited that Leona Bushman's The Ulfric's Mate is being released in print. Now I can hope for an autographed copy at a future book signing. I'll be in that line somewhere and loving it!

If you haven't read it, I'm about to give you a taste of wicked that will leave you wanting more. The release is scheduled for July 18 and between now and then you will hear more about it on this blog.

Read on: (warning this scene contains violent elements)

Secretly, Roxy had always admired, even as she hated Heather. She was smart, strong, brave, and picked her battles. Part of the reason Roxy had stolen her mate was to prove she could. Same with killing him. She had wanted to establish early who was in charge. Heather had more of a following to back her challenge if the pack began to openly question Roxy's authority.

She let out a low laugh aimed at Heather, and gratification rolled through her when the healer backed up a step. "Our ancestors were exactly like me and would've done this years ago against a pack like the Wahpawhats. They don't deserve to be called weres when they adopt so many of the human ways. Many weren't happy with the way things were long before our ancestors had the courage to split from the other packs."

"We're part human. What does it hurt?" Heather argued hotly.

"Enough! Boris will escort you to your home office where you will give him the serum you have ready. Now." She waited until they had left, stripped off her clothing, and folded it on the chair. No need to ruin her favorite jeans.

She shifted, going out the back to avoid being seen, and ran through the still forest, the trees towering over her in a canopy of needles. The area nearest their village was quiet. All wildlife had learned to give the area a wide berth. The smell of so many predators in the vicinity deterred most newcomers, and the pack had long ago cleared the immediate area surrounding the lodge of edible game. She sniffed the chilly air searching for likely prey.

There. She caught the scent of deer. Doe if I'm not mistaken. Maybe I'll get lucky and be able to eat the fawn as well. She bounded toward the scent. Power rippled through her. She could not imagine being anything but a were.

As she neared her destination, she slowed, experience telling her the doe was in the meadow. She prowled low, keeping to the shadows of the towering evergreens and the thick underbrush.

Snap.

She froze and watched the doe she wanted to devour. It looked straight at the clump of bushes where Roxy hid. The deer faced the area the sound had come from for a moment before grazing again, content in her safety.

Roxy stayed still for what felt like an eternity to her killing impulse. She slinked forward, being more careful of the fallen dried leaves scattered on the forest floor.

She reached the edge of the clearing and looked around. There were other does with their late fawns. None of the young brand-new, probably aged about six months. Although not newborns, they were still considerably smaller and slower than their mothers. She planned her attack.

Bunching her muscles, she sprang into the clearing, each sprint faster than the last. She was four leaps into the clearing before the first doe startled in fear and ran. The doe she had chosen jerked its head around and looked Roxy in the eyes.

The fear coming off the deer was strong; Roxy's saliva glands began to work furiously. The hunter zeroed in now, ignoring the other tempting morsels fleeing the clearing. Only this doe and this fawn held her attention.

The deer and its offspring turned and fled, up into the hills, heading for the far tree line. The beast within Roxy roared in challenge and victory. A predatory howl left her mouth, and more of her kind answered it. They recognized their leader and the howl of the hunt.

The chase went on. With each leap, the dark wolf gained ground. The deer tried a quick zigzag move, maybe to take the attention away from the fawn, but the younger deer followed its parent.

Roxy took a flying leap to the deer's neck and clamped down hard with her jaw, savoring the bloody gush that flowed down her throat. With a quick toss of her head, she snapped the wounded neck and let the doe drop.

The coppery taste still lingered in her mouth as she chased down the fawn. The best meat. She would take the doe home for the rest of the pack. It kept the grumbling down. But the fawn was hers.

In two quick bounds, she was on the fawn and ripped the head off. Spitting it out, she stood over the fresh kill, one paw holding it still while she tore jagged strips of tender flesh off the body. It was good to be the alpha.

                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stop back next week for more about The Ulfric's Mate!

Saturday Sample: The Shrew That Tames by Michele Stegman. Shakespeare with a Twist

Forsooth! What wickedness breaks through the Grove today?

Today it seemeth, Michele Stegman arrives with a taste of the Shrew That Tames:

Introduction

What's an impoverished aristocrat to do when a beautiful heiress asks him to marry her?

Katherine is an heiress who uses her shrewish tongue to keep fortune hunters away. But what is it about Lord Ashfair that leaves her speechless?

Although in need of money, Peter Monroe, Marquis of Ashfair, has resolved to restore his ravaged estates on his own. How can he convince Katherine that he wants her, not her money?

Ms.Stegman wrote The Shrew That Tames as a challenge from her publisher to write a story based on a Shakespearean play. She chose The Taming of the Shrew, and, as you can tell from her title, she really twisted that old tale into something totally new. The Shrew That Tames is set during the Regency period in England.

Excerpt

The evening of the Harrington's ball, Ashfair and Sir Anthony escorted the Driscol sisters and their mother to the event. Bianca was besieged at once, and her dance card filled quickly.

Katherine stood to the side, watching her sister's card fill.

Ashfair bowed over her hand. "Will you do me the honor of adding my name to your card, Miss Driscol?"

She clutched her card tighter, her head up. "Really, my lord, you do not have to dance with me simply because you are my escort."

His brow went up. The men in this town were all fools if they would dance with such a lovely woman only to edge closer to her money or her sister and not herself. How many times had she been hurt because of it? "You are right, of course. I have to dance with you because I want to see what it is like to hold you in my arms. There are two waltzes this evening. Please put my name beside one of them. And if you will honor me with a second dance, the quadrille would be nice."

As she added his name to her card, he bent to whisper, "I wish I could dance more than twice with you."

"You are entirely too forward, my lord." He heard her set down. However, he also saw the blush that tinged her cheeks. He tried not to smile, but he was beginning to enjoy teasing a blush into her cheeks.

Katherine had a smattering of attention, mostly, Ashfair thought, from those hoping to win Bianca's approval. He was amazed Katherine could be so easily disregarded. True, she could wield a waspish tongue, but every set down she rendered was, in his opinion, well deserved.

At last they began the quadrille, and Ashfair led Katherine onto the dance floor. As they went through the forms of the dance, he noticed that she became transformed. Her features softened, she gracefully floated, and pleasure sparkled in her eyes.

"You love to dance!" he exclaimed.

Laughing, she agreed. "I always have."

The movements took them apart for a moment. When they came together again he said, "A smile or two from you and your dance card would be full."

Her mouth pursed. "And be forced to endure every crack-wit fortune hunter in the place with sweaty hands and a penchant for writing bad verses to my eyes?" She shook her head. "I'd rather be a wallflower."

Surely by now she knew he was one of those fortune hunters. He pulled her close. "You are dancing with me."

She tossed her head. "You do not have sweaty hands, my lord."

"And so far, I have failed to write a single ode to your eyes. What a dastardly escort I am."

"Yes, terrible." She laughed.

Michele Stegman is a multi-published author of historical romances. Her seventh book, The Shrew That Tames, has just been released from Breathless Press. 

Another of Michele's books, Conquest of the Heart, is a Medieval historical, set during the Norman conquest of England. It was released in June from Breathless Press.

Her next offering from Breathless Press will be a short story, The Admirer.

You can find information about all Michele's books at her 

website or Facebook:  

WANT MORE???

 You can purchase The Shrew That Tames and other works by Michele Stegman at these links:

TheBreathless Press  

All RomanceEbooks:

Smashwords:  

Amazon: 

AWESOME NEWS:: Michele will giveaway a copy of one of her other books to 1 lucky commenter!!! SO..... COMMENT Away

Interview with Torie James: Timeless Desire in New Camelot

     Today we are visited by Torie James as she travels far and wide proclaiming her new book, Timeless Desire, the second book of her New Camelot series.

~~~~~~~~~~

     If you could live forever, what would you choose to live for? I chose honor...

     Awakening to a new world, Gawain has high hopes that the last 500 years have cooled the fires of hatred burning in the heart of his wife, Nimue. Cruelly betrayed by the one person she put all her faith and trust in, Nimue hasn't forgotten the lone cowardly act of one of King Arthur's greatest knights. Together again and yet forever apart, can they heal the past when a new enemy rises to threaten the foundation of all they hold dear?

Storyteller’s Grove:  So Torie tell our readers a bit about yourself and your writing journey.

Torie James: Most people go their whole lives not knowing what they were born to do. I discovered mine a little past the age of 8 but lacked the ambition and motivation until the last few years. Then the most extraordinary thing happened. I met a wizard in a forest.

     What? Did I mention it was a dream? Still counts!

     I met Merlyn Emrys. Yes, THE Merlyn Emrys of ancient Arthurian Lore. Note: we are NOT talking a spindly legged, heavily bearded old man with bad teeth and surly attitude. He hates that image, by the way and says he can own Gandalf the White any day. *winks* So, I had this dream one night after watching Highlander II followed by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I was also reading a bit Charlaine Harris in between movies. Long story short, Merlyn said two words to me, “What if”. What if we got the players right but the stories wrong? The tales of Arthur, Excalibur and Camelot. Then he told me what REALLY happened...

     And I created New Camelot.

     My newest book, Timeless Desire, Book 2 of New Camelot, picks up were Timeless Night, Book One, left off. In the first book, we meet Alex and Sabrina, the main protagonists, and learn that all the myths of the Fae, of Merlyn and Arthur, are true. Sabrina is the catalyst that brings into play a prophecy foretold a thousand years ago and reunites the bravest knights of Arthur’s fabled roundtable.

Book 2 tells the story of Gawain and his fiery wife, Nimue. One secret separates them, one curse divides them. He loves her and she yearns for his heart....in her killing grasp. 

SG: What’s your sign? How do you think it affects your writing?

TJ: I am an Aquarian, proudly so! I know, without any doubt that it does affect my writing since the Water Bearer is all about thinking outside of the box! There is no “norm” to me, I color waaaay outside the lines and often love to bring fantastical, futuristic musings to the past.

SG: What do you love to drink?

TJ: Coffee and Dr. Pepper. When I’m lucky, I can run down a Mr. Pibb and then it is ON! 

SG: Do you believe in Bigfoot?

TJ: Absolutely.

SG: If you were on an island and could only bring 3 things, what would you bring?

TJ: Chocolate, my cell phone (I’d conserve the battery...mostly!) and a sock. Just one sock. For my hand. So I could make a hand puppet named Ermie to keep me company when I lost my mind.

SG: If you were 80 years old, what would you tell your children?

TJ: Designer Depends only and go heavy on the baby powder. My cheeks love being pampered.

SG: Can you instruct someone how to make an origami "cootie catcher" with just words?

TJ: Yep. Find Justin Bieber. Attach to self. There you go.

Torie James has loved reading since she was old enough to hold a book in her lap. While her friends were out playing, she was generally curled up nearby falling down rabbit holes, catching second stars to the right, and stepping through wardrobes into mysterious lands and countless adventures. When those stories ended, she made up her own and kept going. This later on translated into a strong passion for writing that has helped her keep her feet on the ground while her head stayed firmly in the clouds. Lover of Dr. Pepper, all things chocolate, and Duran Duran, her dreams finally became a reality with her debut novel, Timeless Night, in 2013 by Breathless Press. Creator of the "New Camelot" series, as well as "The Cloie Chronicles", Ms. James has plans to continue spinning many new worlds.

Torie lives in Southern California with her family and a houseful of pets that rule the roost.

You can find Ms. James and her books at the following sites:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/WriterGurl216

Website: http://torienjames.wix.com/torie-james

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Writergurl216

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7054839.Torie_N_James

Amazon Author: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00CTBYH0M

Meet D, F. Krieger, Author of Panthers and Precincts, a paranormal thriller

Today we welcome D.F.Krieger to Storyteller's Grove. When D. F. Krieger was banned from writing contests at her school, she immediately set it in her head that she would become a professional writer. Since then, she has thrown away her plans of world domination through books, but she still enjoys writing. Her tastes run from classy urban witches to dragons, space pirates to shape shifters. By the time she pens her final book with a hand ravaged by age, she hopes to introduce her readers to many alternate worlds, lines of thinking, and captivating characters.

You can find D. F. on the East Coast, hiding away from the real world with a gleam in her eye and a plot in her head. She resides with her husband, kids, and pets; who all kindly put up with her random bouts of laughter (over things she can't explain) and journal collecting fetish.

Storyteller's Grove: Thank you for coming, D.F. I have put together a few questions that I hope will let your fans, old and about-to-become, know a bit about what makes you tick.

D.F.Krieger: Fire away!

SG: What’s your sign? How do you think it affects your writing?

DK: I'm an Aquarius. Y'know, the crazy ones of the zodiac. I truly believe that my "outside the box" thinking allows me to come up with stories and ideas that are completely unique, fun, and probably certifiable.

SG: What do you love about writing? Hate?

DK: I love being able to create my own worlds and realities. I love putting them in a form that I can share with other people. What I hate is writing a synopsis. Who the hell came up with this form of torture, anyway? I swear, some evil gods sat around chilling and drinking and one was like, "You know what would be funny? Forcing writers to figure out how to convey the basics of their book in a catching way that spans only one or two pages. If they can't, it's a sin in the writing world. Hey, we should call it a Sin-nopsys." And the rest were like, "Totally! Make it a standard practice that if they want to get published, they MUST write one!"  Curse you, evil gods, and well played. 

SG:  Are you more of a hunter or a gather?

DK: Neither. I'm that clever scavenger that lets others do the work, then steals everything under their noses. Okay, so really what would happen is I'd trip, make a lot of noise, and run like hell screaming bloody murder as the hunters chased me, but we're talking how I see myself, right? 

SG:  If you could throw a parade, what kind would it be?

DK: Oh, oh. Horse parade. Lots of horses and riders, dressed up in themes. Knight in shining armor, fairy princess with unicorn, witch riding a horse with bones painted on. One big kick ass horse dress up parade.

SG:  Do you believe in Bigfoot?

DK: And vampires, hellhounds, ghosts. All that jazz. If I'm wrong, eh. At least I'm living life with a thrill in every shadow. 

SG:  If you were 80 years old, what would you tell your children?

DK: Be amazed! I've officially lived longer than anyone else on my mother's side of the family. I'm declaring myself old enough to go to war with life. Be prepared for fallout, posting bail, and many tales to tell of Crazy D Krieger!

SG:  If there was a movie produced about your life, who would play you, and why?

DK: Sandra Bullock. Her personality and movie roles often reflect various aspects of my life already. Practical Magic really hit home in more ways than one. Not to mention I've been told we kinda sorta look alike. So yeah, she already has me down pat...she just doesn't know it yet. ;)

Again, thank you for coming and your interesting answers.

Please check out D.F. Krieger's latest novel, Panthers and Precincts

Meet Zeara—zoologist, crime solver, and crazy cat lady. Throw a literate panther and a sexy detective into the mix and watch the trouble ensue.

People didn’t just happen to “drop by for a visit” at midnight. Whoever was on the other side of that door either had a good reason, one that she probably didn’t want to hear, or would wish they had once she finished tearing them apart.

Dr. Zeara Faxfire and her side-kick cat, Magic, are on the case when a panther is discovered during a police investigation of a missing boy. The fact the panther can write is only slightly scarier than Zeara's attraction to Detective Markovich. Add a little magic, some mayhem, and scientific proof of the paranormal, and she ends up knee-deep in trouble. Can she find the missing boy, solve the riddle of the panther, and face her own past before time runs out? Or will the only way to give everyone a happy ending come at the expense of the job she loves?\

Sound intriguing? OF COURSE. You can pick up your copy and follow D.F.Krieger:

Social links:

Website

Official Facebook page

Faxfire Series Facebook Page

Buy Links:

Breathless Press

All Romance eBooks

Training for the Winter Olympics Can Be Dangerous: Excerpt from Cold Sweat by JS Marlo

Author's Blurb:  Can they conquer the mountains and the past in time to save Hope?

*** 

Seventeen-year-old Hope Craig is deaf and training hard to make the biathlon Olympic Team. But when she is kidnapped from the groomed trails and taken into a remote cabin in the mountains, she must battle more than the elements to survive.

On the hunt for her daughter's abductor, Colonel Amelia Matheson enlists the help of Richmond Morgan, a local Sheriff who once hurt her. To find Hope, Sheriff Morgan and Colonel Matheson must untangle a web of secrets, including their own.

Using her wits and skills, Hope sets out to escape the mountains and save the man her mother had sent to rescue her—a man who is not who he appears to be.

Excerpt

Quest loved the serenity and beauty of winter with as much passion as she loved skiing and shooting.

Her skis glided on the trail, packing the fresh snow into two parallel lines every time she raced down a hill and adding crisscross design to every slope she climbed. Ahead of her, a cute blond guy with dark brown eyes and a smile that could melt a glacier, groomed the trail. The vibrations of his machine sizzled through Quest's body, but as the distance between them grew farther, the sensation faded away.

Her rifle bounced on her back, unloaded, a comforting ally in her silent world. Alone on the trail, Quest didn't bring any ammunition for target practice and didn't wear her transmitter. Later on, once she rejoined the other athletes, she would rectify both situations.

To give her brief reprieves from the white noise she must tolerate in order to hear, Coach Goldman had requested special accommodations. Thanks to him, Quest had been granted permission to train in the early morning solitude of the sleepy mountains, outside the normal hours of operation. She appreciated the consideration.

As she ventured deeper into the forested area, the naked trees cuddled closer against the evergreens, blocking her view of the valley below.

Being invited by her coach to the altitude training camp at Snowy Tip had been a dream come true. Convincing her mother and grandfather to let her take the year off and postpone her entrance to Princeton University in order to train full-time for the Olympic trials had required grueling efforts and perseverance.

White clouds formed around her mouth with every breath she took. After two months in Montana, her lungs had adapted to the lower atmospheric pressure. She no longer felt the effect of the altitude. The trials were three weeks away. She was as ready—mentally and physically—as she'd ever be.

Beads of perspiration trickled between her shoulder blades, quickly whisked away by the microfiber undershirt she wore like a second skin. Every piece of clothing and equipment played a role, down to her gloves from which she'd cut off the tip of the right index finger to better feel the resistance of the trigger when she fired.

The flat section ahead curved around a frozen pond. Red markers delimited the perimeter of the ice surface in case some skiers were tempted to cross over.

A yellow light reflecting over the white blanket of snow caught Quest's attention. Pausing, she looked behind her. Two snowmobiles were headed in her direction. The last one pulled a rake on the ground, mimicking the grooming effect and erasing her ski tracks. Puzzled by their presence on the trail, she moved to the side to let them pass. As they approached, they slowed down, stopping a few feet away from her.

Despite the cold and wind, the ski masks covering their faces weren't common attires among the maintenance crew members. One driver stood up. Big and stocky in his black snowsuit, he looked more like a man than a woman.

Trying her best not to appear intimidated, Quest glanced back and forth between the two of them as she tried to decipher which one led the pack. "Is there a problem, guys?"

The lips of the closer individual moved. "Hope Craig?"

Only strangers—and her mother—called her Hope. "Who wants to know?"

He pulled a gun on her. "No reaching for your rifle. You're coming with us."

Want to read more? Of course you do... 

                   Get your copy here:

Cold Sweat at Breathless Press

At Amazon

Hot Valentine's Interview Andy from Another Gift to Remember by Diane Thorne

Blog Warning:  Another Gift to Remember and A Gift to Remember contain mature themes. You must be over 21 to purchase.

Valentine’s Day if right around the corner and if you are looking for a HOT read and maybe a gift idea or two, you’ve come to the right place.

Today we sit down with Andy from Another Gift to Remember by Diane Thorne. Andy made a brief appearance in Ms. Thorne’s bestseller A Gift to Remember, but rises *** cough, cough*** to prominence in this sequel. Please give him a warm welcome.

Storyteller’s Grove:   It’s so nice to have this chance to chat with you. So tell us about yourself. What got you in the crosshairs for Ms. Thorne?

Andy:   I own a marketing firm with my best friend, Thomas. We went to college together and played football. He's a great guy and I love his wife. She's smoking hot, funny, and smart. She came up with the best birthday surprise for Thomas. He is one lucky man. Anyway, my 40th birthday is coming up and I guess Diane thought it would be a great idea for me to have an equally special day.

SG:       Did you have any idea what the plan was for your birthday?

Andy:   Honestly, I suspected Thomas had something up his sleeve for me. I knew he couldn't let the day go by without doing something big. But I never in a million years thought he would've put together what he did. I mean… I had the best birthday any man could wish for. You'll have to forgive me, but I don't want to give too much away to readers.

SG:       I understand. Were you stunned by the parties involved with your birthday surprise?

Andy:   I was floored. I couldn't believe… Thomas and I are truly blessed to know such special women.

SG:       I’m sure our readers and fans of the book want to know… Boxers, briefs or Commando?

Andy:   Boxers. I don't like my boys to be too constricted.

SG:       If your partner wants to seduce you, what's one sure fire trick she can play?

Andy:   Dancing. I love when a woman dances close with me. I love to feel her and smell her. Kissing turns up the heat.  

SG:       After your big birthday surprise, did you think you would have problems at work?

Andy:   Well, I thought it might be a little awkward. But I recall Thomas telling me about his situation and how he managed to work it out. I thought I could do the same. We just need to communicate. Be open with each other. But when the problems with reports came up, I didn't know what to think. It was difficult, but I knew my best friend could help straighten out the situation. We came together and resolved the situation. Now, I couldn't be happier.

SG:       Secretly, did you have an interest in Thomas's wife, Lynn?

Andy:   Well, I always thought she was sexy and smart. If he had passed on her years ago, I would've gone after her.

SG:       And what about Carol? Did you ever have an interest in her?

Andy:   Carol is also sexy. She has great curves. I'm not going to lie, I had thought about banging her a time or two. But since we worked together and she was close to Thomas, I discounted ever going out with her.

SG:       Which is better, sex at the office or at home?

Andy:   Well, both are nice. But it's nice to have a stress reliever during the work day.

SG:       Are you happy with the way things turned out at work?

Andy:   I didn't realize I had a problem employee, but yeah, I was glad to get rid of her. And now I have the best women in the world working with Thomas and me. Life couldn't be better.

SG:       Would you like to say anything else to our readers?

Andy:   Thanks for the interview. I probably gave too much away, but I hope readers will check out Diane's novella, Another Gift to Remember. It's a hot read and I'm pleased to be one of the main characters in the story.

  

Thomas Barrett has it all. He's a part owner of a marketing firm with his best friend of twenty years, Andy. In addition to a successful career, Thomas enjoys the love of two beautiful women, his wife, Lynn, and his assistant, Carol. He couldn't be happier with life.

Tasked with finding a gift idea for Andy's fortieth birthday, Thomas comes up with a perfect one. Not only will it please Andy, Thomas is certain his idea will provide great pleasure to Lynn and Carol. Thomas wants his favorite naughty women to bring Andy into their love nest. But will Lynn and Carol be willing to have sex with Thomas's best friend? Better yet, can Andy maintain a working and sexual relationship with them.

You can purchase Another Gift to Remember at it's Breathless Press page (CLICK HERE) 

While you are at it, also check out A Gift to Remember, the first book in this series.

The War of the Weres Continues with the Midwife's Moon, a review

Author’s Description

An ex-lover on trial, life as a newly formed werewolf, and a passion kindled; what’s a girl to do? Released from depraved control of a psychotic lupa, free to find his mate, and a passion kindled; what's a man to do?

Lisa Sanchez is having a bad couple of years. She was betrayed by her lover and made into a werewolf but she’s making the best of her new life…except when it comes to love. Lisa is out of luck in that department until Lance arrives in her not-so-perfect life. 

Lance Navarro once saved his mate from the clutches of his ruthless pack leader by hiding her in a rival pack. Then the packs merged and things got interesting.

Can Lisa accept that Lance is to be her new mate, and get past the betrayal of the last wolf who made promises? Can Lance protect her from the vindictive pack leader? Or will they end up sharing an early grave?

Midwife’s Moon is the second installment in the War of the Weres series. In the first book, Ulfric’s Mate, we were introduced to Nolan, Ulfric of the Wahpawhat, and Alexandria, healer of the Lupin pack.  The Lupin and Wahpawhat packs are eventually merged with Nolan as leader. This left Roxie, sociopathic former lupa of the Lupin pack and her cohorts in exile and angry.

In the Midwife’s Moon we resume the story and re-introduce and explore the characters, Lance and Lisa. Their story follows the continued struggles of the merger of the packs, the wicked Roxie and her quest to regain control of the weres. In the midst of this Lisa, a human turned werewolf by and abandoned by her former lover, a member of the Lupin pack, tries to adapt to her new reality. Lance, who rescued the unconscious Lisa, finds her again and the attraction is the powerful and immediate attraction of a mated pair. They must both overcome the pain and rejection of their pasts to save the newly formed pack and themselves.

This is a well crafted sequel. While it stands on its own, I highly recommend that you read Ulfric’s Mate, as well. The characters are three-dimensional and the world building solid. The plot is tightly written with enough tension and a few unanswered questions that make me look forward to the next installment.

Overall this was an enjoyable read and I highly recommend it! I give Midwife’s Moon 5 out of 5 triskeles.

                                             

Leona Bushman goes by many names but the most common one is superhero. She earned this name from saving a kangaroo from a tree—and yes that is as hard as it sounds. The dragons taught their queen how to write, and Queen Leona hasn't looked back. Even when her muse tries to muck things up.

She can be found goofing off and loving dragons and other creatures of the supernatural at these places:

Twitter: @L_Bushman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLeonaBushman

Queen Leona writes mainly for Breathless Press, and the bulk of her books are found here:

Leona's Breathless Press page

This includes:

The Ulfric's Mate*                                                                   Serviced, Vol 1 ~ Over A Dead Body

Ravaged, Vol 1 ~ Barely There*                                              Down on the Farm, Vol 1 ~ The Lion,      the Witch, and the Faeries

Rick Sexed Up the Doc ~ Naughty Nursery Rhyme                The Captain's Christmas ~ Cyber

Crimson, Vol 1 ~ Daryn's Slayer **                                        Slow Burn ~Dead Man Walking special

The Midwife's Moon*

Mayhem in Mexico: Zombie Infestation A Serena Rouge Novel

*Denotes War of the Weres series

Coming Soon from Breathless Press:

Ravaged, Vol 2~ Witchy Wolf Coming January 3^rd.

The Fox in the Wolf Den* freebie