Mid Week Tease: Red Robin and the Huntsman #MidWeekTease #MWTease
Hello, lovelies! This week I’m teasing you with another snippet from my holiday novella set in the Two Thrones universe, Red Robin and the Huntsman. This is the scene where a captured Duncan first finds out who’s behind the banditry plaguing the province of Wellen. Heh, heh, heh…
Many thanks to Angelica Dawson for hosting us, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
The first thing Duncan became aware of was a sullen, painful pounding in his head. Groaning, he tried to straighten up, and couldn’t.
Opening his eyes didn’t improve matters much. His smeary vision slowly came into focus, revealing a room in what appeared to be a small cottage. Its once-whitewashed walls were stained yellow with age and in dire need of repair. Glancing down, he saw that someone had tied him to a wooden chair.
The leader of the thieves came into view, peering down at him. “Good, you’re awake,” he said. The brazen tone from the raid was gone. Now he sounded conciliatory. “I was hoping we wouldn’t have to toss a bucket of water over you. Bit too nippy for that sort of thing, you see.”
“Thanks.” Duncan winced as the words set off echoes of pain in his skull. “Where am I?”
“Somewhere safe. The Redbird wants a word with you.”
“He does, does he?” That caused the painful fog to dissipate. “You do know how much trouble all of you are in, yes?”
The thief’s shoulders twitched. “I’m not the one tied to a chair, captain. Best mind your manners with the Redbird. None of us will tolerate lip.” He hefted his pike meaningfully.
Duncan tried to swallow, but his mouth was desert-dry. “Let’s get this over with. Send the bastard in.”
The thief shook his head, snorting. “You’ve got bollocks like boulders, my friend. On your own head be it.” He nodded to someone out of sight.
A figure in a long, dark red cloak with a hood strode into view. It was the stride more than the dramatic cloak that caught Duncan’s attention. Clearly this was the infamous Redbird, leader of the Wellen brigands.
“You shouldn’t have come here, captain,” the cloaked figure whispered, a harsh sound in the silence of the cottage. “Now we have to kill you.”
Duncan bit his lip to restrain a laugh. The dim illumination from the room’s fireplace couldn’t penetrate the shadows of the hood, presumably on purpose. He focused instead on the boots. Good quality, excellent even, unlike the footwear he’d noticed on the rest of the thieves. And on the small side.
He took in a deep breath. What he smelled on the cold, dusty air confirmed his suspicions. “You can always ransom me,” he offered. “My father’s lord commander of the royal army. He’ll pay for my safe return.”
The Redbird’s hood shifted, turning to the thief for a moment. “How much?”
“Oh, I’d say enough to pay for a decent breakfast with meat. Maybe even some bread as well.” He allowed himself a brief smile. “Your dining hall could do with some variety, Robin. A man can only eat oatmeal so many times.”
The cloaked figure let out a hissed curse before yanking back its hood. Lady Roberta Busse’s now-irritated face appeared, glaring at him. “How did you know?”
“Your walk. Men and women walk differently. Something about the difference in our hips, I suspect. Then I noticed your boots. They’re smaller than a man’s.” He shrugged as best as he could in the ropes. “Finally, I recognized your perfume. You still wear honeysuckle essence.”
“Damn it.” She planted fists on her hips, looking like a furious fire sprite with her flaming hair. Duncan’s treacherous heart ached at the sight. “So what now? Are you going to threaten me with prison? Haul me back to the capital in chains for theft against the crown?”
He had to be careful. He was still tied to a chair, and the thief behind his lost lady love was armed. “I could. But somehow I don’t think you’d risk capture and imprisonment, not to mention the ruin of your son’s reputation, just for gold.” He held up his bound hands. “Plus there’s the fact that I’m somewhat tied up at the moment. What say you cut me loose, then take a seat and tell me what in blazes is going on here.”
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Wicked Wednesday Reads: Cyclops
Oh, look — it’s Wednesday, which means you need a little something extra to help you over Hump Day. Never fear, for today I’m here with Gale Stanley’s hot new romance Cyclops (Watchdogs 1), now available from Changeling Press and other purveyors of erotic romance. Take it away, Gale!
Ray Miller finds his calling in the Army, but an explosion in Afghanistan takes his left eye and his career. Set adrift, he turns to alcohol, until an old army buddy shows up and offers Ray a job. Now Ray has a secret identity. He puts his combat skills to use as Cyclops, a paid assassin who rids the government of bad guys.
Then, one day a chance meeting sets off sparks, and Ray falls for a man who could destroy him. Hooking up with a cop is reckless, but the sex rocks Ray’s world. How long can he hide his secrets before the hitman becomes the target?
Story Excerpt
Mission accomplished. A simple in and out job, take aim at the target and pull the trigger. Now it was time to vanish, lie low and keep my head down. I usually played by the rules, but tonight I didn’t want to be alone. Danger is an aphrodisiac and I was one anxious horndog. I didn’t sniff trouble in the wind, so I went to Jared’s apartment, where I could keep my head down and suck his cock at the same time.
My digital car clock said three am when I pulled into a dark spot behind Jared’s building. He’d be asleep, so I let myself in with the key he’d given me. I shed my clothes in the living room and left them on the floor. I wanted to slip into bed beside Jared and surprise him. Quiet as a church mouse, I opened the bedroom door. A floorboard creaked as I stepped over the threshold. The light came on, blinding me for a few seconds.
Jared sat up and looked daggers at me. “Do you know what time it is, Ray?”
I grinned sheepishly. “Time to get busy?”
“What were you doing until 3 am?”
“Missing you.”
“Right.” Jared threw a pillow at me. “Go home, Ray.”
I picked up the pillow and walked over to the bed. “Don’t be such a sourpuss.” I tucked the pillow behind his back. Yawning, I scrubbed a hand through my regulation cut, two inches of hair on the top of my head, and tapered down the sides and back. I like to leave a little for Jared to pull on. The thought made my dick even harder.
Jared lay down and put an arm over his face. “I have to get up for work in a few hours. Lock the door on your way out.”
I sat on the bed and slid my hand under the sheet. Jared’s limp dick didn’t budge when I made contact. Damn, he really was pissed. “Okay, go to sleep. I’ll just lie next to you.”
“I don’t want you here, Ray.”
My temper rose, but I tamped it down. I have a short fuse but I try to lengthen it around Jared. A few slow deep breaths calmed me down. I pulled Jared’s arm back and stared at his face. His eyes were closed and it was hard to tell if he meant what he said. “Look at me, babe.”
Reluctantly, he opened his eyes. God, he was gorgeous. Honey brown hair framed high cheekbones and emerald green eyes. “Come on, babe, you know you don’t mean it.”
Jared and I had been together for eight months, and I’d gotten used to having a steady fuck, or as steady as it could be in my line of work. I didn’t see Jared as much as he would have liked, and the longer we were together, the harder it was to explain my absences. But, nothing worthwhile came easy and I was determined to keep him. I liked knowing Jared was there when I needed him. And right then, I needed him bad.
Where to Buy
Changeling Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks
About the Author
Gale Stanley grew up in Philadelphia PA. She was the kid who always had her nose in a book, her head in the clouds, and her hands on a pad and pencil.
Some things never change.
Marvelous Monday Reads: Alpha’s Alpha
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Today I’m featuring Elyzabeth M. VaLey and her new M/M shifter romance Alpha’s Alpha. Take it away, Elyzabeth!
Thank you for having me at your blog today!
I’m excited to share my latest release with you, Alpha’s Alpha (Moon Point 2). This story is a standalone of a brand new series which revolves around the shifter bar, Moon Point. If you’ve read Evernight Publishing’s Owned by the Alpha anthology, you’ll find the first story in the series there.
Funnily enough, Lee’s character came to me long before I had even thought up the idea for the series. As a matter a fact, if I remember correctly, it was right after writing Reine’s Salvation (Alpha Protectors I). I was out for a walk with my dog and was thinking about the future characters in that series when a name came to me out of the blue. Lee. Leeland.
I tried to fit the pieces together, but Lee’s name didn’t seem to match the Alpha Protector’s series, so I figured I’d let it stew for a bit and see what my muse had to offer. Little by little, my generous muse offered me more information. He had blond hair. Green eyes. An easy smile. He had a strong personality but he knew how to pick his battles. He was a shifter. A puma.
Then, I started writing Alpha’s Sunshine (Moon Point I) for the anthology call, and BAM! There was Lee. He was best friends with wolf shifter Sisu and he was the manager of Moon Point.
Even while I was writing Sisu’s story, Lee was at the back of my mind, waiting patiently. (Alkaline was a bit more pushy. I guess it’s the lion genes. LOL). I really wanted to write their story for the manlove edition of the anthology but sadly, I ran out of time.
However, Lee and Alkaline were understanding and soon after I set to work in their story. As I did, not only did Lee reveal himself more to me, Alkaline did too. I was thrilled and utterly in love with these two men.
Perhaps because their story was revealed little by little to me, Lee and Alkaline both hold a special place in my heart, so when Evernight Publishing agreed to publish Alpha’s Alpha, I was ecstatic and even now, knowing that they’ve made it out into the world brings a smile onto my face.
I hope you enjoy it too!
Lee never thought he’d find his mate at a club, but even less so, did he expect him to be, Alkaline, the leader of the mafia organization known as the Claws. If the lion shifter were not an alpha, things might be easier, but as it is, his mate is bent on keeping them apart. Not that it matters to Lee, he’ll hunt him down and make him his.
Alkaline doesn’t do sweet. Nor vulnerable. Nor submissive. So when his lion decides that his soulmate is an alpha puma, he refuses to accept it. After all, whoever heard of two alphas mating? However, resisting Lee is harder than he ever imagined.
With two men battling for dominance, who will end up on top? And will their romance survive the match?
Story Excerpt
The beat of the music made the floor vibrate. The strobe lights flashed, creating a maddening effect. Lee lifted his arms toward the ceiling, and swayed his hips. He mouthed the words to the popular song, allowing the rhythm to wash over him and obliterate any thoughts and worries he still carried from the long day at work.
The animal within him stirred. Tossing and turning, it gathered energy from the pulsing tones and climbed to the surface as if awakening from a long sleep. Lee’s blood pumped faster. His vision refocused, throwing everything into sharp contrast, from the shimmering contents of beverages in clear glasses, to the glittery eye makeup of a random stranger. The club smelled like sweat and alcohol. Bodies pressed together, swaying, moving. Glass shattered somewhere followed by a chorus of “Oh!” and loud laughter. All around, people enjoyed a night out, oblivious to anything more than what lay a few feet from them. Unaware of the hunter in their midst.
Lee licked his lips. His cock twitched. It’d been too long since he’d prowled the night for a bed companion. Focused on his work as manager of the shifter bar Moon Point, sometimes he forgot to have fun, to give into his baser instincts. Normally, he’d go home, relieve himself, and fall asleep until the next day. But he was a puma, a night prowler. And tonight, after he’d closed Moon Point, he knew driving to the countryside and going for a run wouldn’t be enough. He was restless, yearning for something more which he could only describe as the need for company, for the feel of skin against skin, for the gentle caress of caring hands, if only for a few hours.
It was time to hunt.
Lee glanced around and caught the eye of a handsome stud with dark, puppy eyes. He grinned. The stranger looked away, then back at him, a small smile playing on his lips.
Game on.
Swerving his hips, Lee started to make his way toward the man and stopped. The hint of a welcoming scent caressed his senses. A desert breeze mingled with rare wildflowers. A spark lit up his core, sending a shiver of excitement through him. The top of his ears tingled. Lee spun. His heart froze, then resurged, pounding frantically.
Alkaline.
He’d never been formally introduced to the lion shifter, but he knew him on sight. He had to. One didn’t manage a bar in one of the seediest neighborhoods of the city without knowing the local gangs. Besides, Alkaline wasn’t exactly easy to miss. At six-foot-five, with shoulder-length red-blond hair, a matching beard, and slightly tanned skin, he stood out wherever he went.
Lee watched him move. His cock twitched. There was nothing submissive about the male specimen coming in his direction, parting the crowd like some kind of god. Alkaline exuded power, force, and unbridled passion.
Their gazes locked and desire rushed through him. Hell, yes. This was just what he needed. A real challenge. Lee extended his hand and Alkaline took it. The lion pulled him close with a firm tug. Hand on his waist, Alkaline guided him to the music.
Lee sucked in his cheeks to keep from laughing. Hell would freeze over before he was the one following. He pushed back, forcing Alkaline to release him. Then, rolling forward, he placed his hands on Alkaline’s hips and took the lead.
The lion snarled. His amber eyes flashed a warning. Lee didn’t retreat. His cock thickened inside his jeans, rubbing against the material. Abruptly, Alkaline dipped him slightly backwards, threaded his fingers in his hair and held, forcing Lee to stare at him.
His puma growled. Bursting through his defenses, it forced his vision to change. It turned sharper, more attuned to the man in front of him, from the tiny wrinkles in the corner of his eyes, to the small mole above his brow, to the thin coat of sweat which made his face glisten.
Alkaline glared at him. Lee’s blood pressure spiked along with his raging libido. He wouldn’t be the first to drop his gaze. He pursed his mouth. The music changed and someone slammed into them, breaking the connection.
They both moved at the same time. Lips clashed. Hungry. Hard. Lee’s fingers threaded into Alkaline’s long reddish mane and Alkaline rested his hand on the nape of Lee’s neck, bringing him closer. Their tongues entwined, desperately seeking for more, until the air ran out of their lungs and they broke apart panting. For a second, they gauged each other, and Lee wondered if he looked as bewildered and as consumed by lust as the other man.
Just when he was about to speak, Alkaline grabbed his hand and placed it over his erection. Lee groaned.
“I need to have you, now,” Alkaline said.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing | Amazon.com | Amazon.uk | Bookstrand
About the Author
Elyzabeth M. VaLey is a writer of sizzling, sexy romance who firmly believes in happy ever after. From paranormal to contemporary, fantasy, or historical, she enjoys exploring her characters’ darker side and writing stories about tortured heroes, strong heroines, and all that comes between them and their love.
When she’s not writing, she can be found walking in the Spanish countryside with her black Lab, exploring castles, or enjoying some tapas with her friends.
Blog | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon
Mid Week Tease: Red Robin and the Huntsman #MidWeekTease #MWTease
Hello, lovelies! This week I’m teasing you with a snippet from my holiday novella set in the Two Thrones universe. Titled Red Robin and the Huntsman, it introduces a few new characters to the series such as Duncan Bardahlson, the eldest son of Matthias’s lord commander Ferdal Bardahlson. And if you follow my FB or Twitter, you know who I cast as Duncan in my head, heh, heh.
When Duncan is sent (along with his annoying brothers Ewan and Hamish) to investigate bandits attacking tax collectors in a small province, he comes face to face with a lost love, the now-widowed Lady Roberta Busse. Will Duncan get a second chance at happiness with Roberta, or is he doomed to spend Frost Fair alone? You’ll find out in December!
Many thanks to Angelica Dawson for hosting us, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
They sat on the bed, Robin’s head on his shoulder. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too. I’m sorry.”
“So am I. We were both fools.”
“No, just young and hotheaded.” Without thinking, Duncan kissed her hair. To his relief she didn’t push him away. “And stubborn as blazes.”
“That’s an understatement.” She chuckled. “Poor Charles. He thought he was getting a demure, gently raised flower as his wife. And he got me instead.”
“Aye. But from the sounds of things, that’s what he needed. Someone strong enough to hold things together when he couldn’t.”
She looked up at him. “And you didn’t need that.”
This time he kissed her forehead. “Says who?”
“Duncan.”
“No, I mean it. I needed you, Robin. I was too arrogant and foolish to tell you, aye. But I needed you.”
Praying he wasn’t doing the wrong thing, he kissed her lips. They were cool against his own, and his heart sank. I’m a fool, I never should have done this…
Then her mouth softened. He heard a small, hungry noise. He wasn’t sure which one of them had made it, and didn’t care. Raising his hand to cup the tangled silk of her hair, he kissed her harder. She responded, opening her mouth and meeting his tongue with her own.
It felt like coming home. She tasted the same as she had twelve years ago, when she was still Roberta Duquesne and he thought he had all the time in the world to woo her. He lost himself in the sensual, swirling dance and the sweet taste of her, the only woman he had ever loved.
And then they were stretched out over the heavy coverlet, Robin in his arms. Her breasts and belly pressed against him like he’d always dreamed, filling him with a hot craving to take her. He had enough presence of mind to pull away from her mouth, sucking in a breath. “If you want to stop, say so now. Please.”
****
Robin wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or cry at Duncan’s agonized question. If he moved away now and left her aching and unfulfilled, she’d go mad. “I don’t want to stop,” she breathed, stroking the soft prickly stubble on his cheek. “I need you. Please, Duncan.”
“Gods.” It was curse and prayer at the same time. His lips came down on hers again, a welcome invader claiming new territory. She surrendered happily, kissing him with all the passion that had lain dormant since Charles’s death.
One large hand with those long, clever fingers stroked her cheek, her throat, tracing lines of fire along her skin. They dropped down to the top of her chest, toying with the neckline of her nightgown but going no further. That was Duncan, a gentleman to the end.
Impatient, she grabbed his hand and placed it on her left breast. The lovely sensation of it made her groan, and the warmth of his palm caused her nipple to stiffen.
He chuckled against her lips. “Forward lass.”
“When was I not?”
“True.” He cupped her breast, squeezing gently before letting it go. Unlacing the ties of her neckline, he tugged it open and exposed her to the air. He gazed down at her breasts like a devout man might look at an effigy of the god Rebben. “So beautiful. Gods, Robin, you’re all cream and pink, like two cherry blossoms.”
The unexpected poetical description made her blush. “Baby-chewed, I would think.”
“No. Perfect.” His head lowered until the wet heat of his mouth surrounded her nipple. She whimpered when the velvet of his tongue licked across it deliberately, the sweet friction setting her on fire.
Duncan continued to make love to her breast with his lips and tongue, hand cradling the other one as if in reassurance. When he switched between then, she keened for a moment in complaint before his mouth worked new magic on her other nipple. Between her thighs a familiar, hungry ache began to grow.
“Wait,” she begged.
He let go of her breast with a soft pop. “What?”
“Take off your shirt. I want to see you.”
He hesitated, grimacing. “I don’t know why. I’m not nearly as lovely as you.”
“Please, Duncan. Let me look at you.”
Letting out a soft sigh, he leaned back and pulled off his shirt. It exposed an impressively muscled chest covered with dark, curling hair. “Ewan says I look like a bear,” he muttered.
“Ewan’s an idiot.” She wound her fingers into the crisp curls, lowering her face and taking in a deep breath. The scent of leather, salt, clean sweat, and a rich, dark musk tantalized her nose. “You have no idea how much I loved seeing you with your shirt off. I kept wandering past the exercise yard when you were sparring, hoping you’d get too warm and strip down.”
He blinked at her. “Truly?”
“Truly. I only wish I’d had the nerve to spy on you when you went swimming with your brothers.” She grinned up at him. “I always wanted to see you naked.”
And now he blushed. “You never.”
“I did. I used to daydream about that lovely band of muscle that disappeared into your breeches like a V. I always wanted to see how far down it went.”
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A fix for formatting problems with Amazon’s Look Inside function
Today’s helpful hint is for any self-pubbing author who’s had problems with the “Look Inside” function in Amazon completely screwing up your formatting and possibly losing you sales. You see, I checked out Lady of Thorns yesterday and scared the cats with my screaming when I discovered that the preview’s formatting was completely fouled up. I proceeded to check all the rest of my self-pubbed books and discovered the same freaking problem with ALL OF THEM.
After calming down and doing some research, I learned that the Look Inside function interprets HTML very literally and doesn’t always seem to recognize CSS (nobody knows why), which can result in a screwed-up preview even if the actual ebook looks fine.
But there is a way to fix this on your own! Unfortunately Scrivener won’t let me look at an ebook’s HTML so I downloaded Calibre, which will allow you to edit the ebook’s HTML. I added Lady of Thorns in EPUB format to Calibre’s library, then right clicked on it and selected “Edit Book”. That opened up an editing app with a list of all the text pages in the book and their individual CSS style sheets. Ignore the style sheets and focus on the text pages that appear in the Look Inside function (note: a page will be called something like bodyx.xhtml instead of the page name, so just start at the top of the list and open pages until you find the ones you want). Double-click on a page to open it in the HTML editor.
A brief explanation of HTML code: the following code <p>text here</p> indicates that all the text between <p> and </p> (in this case, “text here”) should form a single paragraph. Now look at your page’s HTML code. If a paragraph is primarily something like <p> class=”p1″><br></p>, it’s just a space between paragraphs. Ignore it. But if a paragraph contains text that is screwed up in the preview, replace the paragraph’s <p class=”X”> code (just this first part — you can leave the </p> part alone) with the following:
BODY TEXT
Regular body text to be centered with no indentation: <p style=”margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.0px; font-size: 100%”>
Example:
Cautiously, Kel lowered his hand and opened one eye, then the other. Then blinked. Then drooled just the tiniest bit. Because in front of him stood a tall, muscular, absolutely freaking gorgeous man with caramel skin and the abs of a porn star, wearing a linen kirtle and one of the most spectacular scapulars Kel had ever seen.
Regular body text to be left-aligned with no indentation: <p style=”margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.0px; font-size: 100%”>
Example:
Cautiously, Kel lowered his hand and opened one eye, then the other. Then blinked. Then drooled just the tiniest bit. Because in front of him stood a tall, muscular, absolutely freaking gorgeous man with caramel skin and the abs of a porn star, wearing a linen kirtle and one of the most spectacular scapulars Kel had ever seen.
Regular body text to be left-aligned with a first line indentation: <p style=”margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 100%”>
Example:
Cautiously, Kel lowered his hand and opened one eye, then the other. Then blinked. Then drooled just the tiniest bit. Because in front of him stood a tall, muscular, absolutely freaking gorgeous man with caramel skin and the abs of a porn star, wearing a linen kirtle and one of the most spectacular scapulars Kel had ever seen.
Regular body text to be justified with no indentation: <p style=”margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.0px; font-size: 100%”>
Example:
Cautiously, Kel lowered his hand and opened one eye, then the other. Then blinked. Then drooled just the tiniest bit. Because in front of him stood a tall, muscular, absolutely freaking gorgeous man with caramel skin and the abs of a porn star, wearing a linen kirtle and one of the most spectacular scapulars Kel had ever seen.
Regular body text to be justified with a first line indentation: <p style=”margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 100%”>
Example:
Cautiously, Kel lowered his hand and opened one eye, then the other. Then blinked. Then drooled just the tiniest bit. Because in front of him stood a tall, muscular, absolutely freaking gorgeous man with caramel skin and the abs of a porn star, wearing a linen kirtle and one of the most spectacular scapulars Kel had ever seen.
HEADERS
Depending on which app you used to create your ebook, your headers (the larger size text used for chapter or page names) will either be indicated with <h1>text</h1> or with <p>text</p>. The following are meant to be used with <p>text</p> headers. To use them with a <h1>text</h1> header, replace the p with h1.
If you want to center a header: <p style=”margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.0px; font-size: 133%”>
Example:
KEL MAKES A MISTAKE
If you want to left-align a header: <p style=”margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.0px; font-size: 133%”>
Example:
KEL MAKES A MISTAKE
If you want to right-align a header: <p style=”margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: right; text-indent: 0.0px; font-size: 133%”>
Example:
KEL MAKES A MISTAKE
Note: you don’t have to do this to the entire book, just the pages that show up in the preview. This is usually your front matter (Table of Contents, Title Page, Copyright, Dedication, Acknowlegements) and part of your first chapter. Save your edits and upload the revised ebook file to Amazon. Et voila — the actual ebook looks the same, but now “Look Inside” recognizes the HTML and generates a properly formatted preview.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Depending on when you upload your corrected ebook file, you may not see the changes immediately in Look Inside. Don’t panic! I fixed Lady of Thorns and uploaded it on Wednesday evening, and by Thursday everything on Look Inside was fine. I then did the rest to my other books on Thursday, uploaded them … and on Friday morning they all still had jacked up Look Inside previews. When I contacted Amazon about this, they said that it takes seven days for new/updated book files to appear on Look Inside and to wait a week then check again. Since the preview for Lady of Thorns was fine by Thursday morning, I translated this to mean, “We usually run a batch process every Wednesday night. Check Thursday morning and all your previews should look fine.” In any case, if your preview formatting issues haven’t gone away after you’ve uploaded the corrected file, wait a week, then check again.
And if this makes you want to cry because you don’t DO HTML, dammit, ping me and I’ll help you out.
Mid Week Tease: Gentleman Jackson #MidWeekTease #MWTease
Hello, lovelies! This week I’m teasing you with another snippet from “Gentleman Jackson” because I haven’t gotten into any of the sexy stuff in Cross Current yet. Besides, this’ll be out in less than three weeks in Evernight’s hot new antho Lawless — trust me, you’ll want to pick that one up.
Many thanks to Angelica Dawson for hosting us, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
Colton’s place turned out to be a gorgeous three-bedroom loft in a converted factory building. Colton pulled out a burner phone and handed it to Ria, then headed off to the bathroom.
Taking a deep breath, she checked the unlabeled number on her phone and tapped it into the burner phone.
Two rings, then a familiar voice said, “¿Si?”
“Carlos, it’s Ria,” she said in Spanish.
A pause. “This isn’t your number.”
“No, it’s a burner phone.” Quickly, she explained the day’s events in family code, glossing over names or identifying information that could be used by law enforcement agencies listening in. Carlos knew enough to fill in the details. “So I’m out of Dallas,” she finished, pacing along the length of the granite kitchen counter. “I’m going to stay with my friend for awhile.”
He chuckled softly. “Good. You were bored stupid in Dallas, hermana. This man you’re with, he’s a gentleman, a caballero?”
A memory of riding Colton flashed through her mind. She was grateful Carlos couldn’t see her blush. “He’s a gentleman, hermano. He’ll take care of me.”
Another pause, a longer one. “If he doesn’t, tell him there’s no hole deep enough to hide him from me, you understand?”
“Si. I’ll send my details later.”
“Good. Te amo, hermana.”
“Te amo también.”
The call cut off. Only then did she notice the sound of the shower. Putting the phone on the counter, she headed in search of Colton.
The bathroom was just as luxe as the rest of the apartment, with mocha wall tiles and coordinating floor tiles, a twin sink countertop over espresso cabinets, and a huge square tub in one corner. In the other corner was a large glassed-in shower area. Steam rose from it and she could just see Colton’s body through the foggy glass.
Stripping out of her clothes, she stepped into the enclosure. After everything she’d gone through that day, the hot water felt amazingly good. “How’s the nose?”
He turned, rinsing shampoo out of his hair and blinking at her through the cascading water. “I’ll live.” His voice sounded nasal and stuffy. “How are you?”
“Tired. Hungry.” She stroked her fingertips across his chest, laying her palms flat over his pecs. His nipples felt like little rivets against her skin. “Glad to be here.”
“Well, good, because I’m glad to have you here.” He finished rinsing and kissed her delicately, tilting his head to keep his injured nose out of the way. “You call your brother?”
“Yeah. He’s glad I’m safe, threatened to kill you if you hurt me, the usual macho bullshit.”
Firm lips curved into a smirk. “I don’t think it’s macho bullshit, especially coming from your brother.” His arms came down around her, hands slicking down her back and curving over her ass. He tugged her flush against his groin, holding her there. “Luckily for me, I intend to treat you like the lady you are.”
“God, I hope not.” She kissed his chin, careful not to touch his nose. “I mean, would a lady do this?”
She dropped carefully to one knee, resting her hands on his thighs for balance as she laid a kiss on his still-soft cock. Silently she prompted him to lean back against the shower wall. He did, playing with her wet hair as she started licking the silk-soft skin before taking all of his shaft in her mouth, enjoying the feel of it swelling on her tongue.
She finally had to let it slip out before it choked her, using her hand to pump the hardening thickness while she crouched lower and laved his balls with long, gentle licks. They didn’t look bruised, but she was acutely aware of the injury they’d taken earlier in the day. “If this hurts, tell me and I’ll stop.”
He let out a long, rumbling groan. “It feels great. Just be careful—they’re still a little tender.”
“Got it.”
She kept her licks gentle and loving, stroking the furry skin of his sac with her tongue while she caressed his cock with equally slow, gentle touches. Keeping one hand on his thigh, it wasn’t long before she felt the thick muscles there start to tense, then tremble.
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Lady of Thorns is LIVE!
And the third book in the series that was never supposed to be a series is LIVE, people! A huge thanks goes out to my awesome beta readers L.D. Blakeley, J. Kathleen Cheney (both of whom are awesome writers, so go check them out), Theresa Eastridge, and Peter White, and to everyone who pre-ordered the book. I hope you all LOVE it, and remember, reviews on your preferred site put you in the will!
Love was never supposed to be part of the deal…
Lady Amelie de Clerq’s prickly demeanor has earned her the nickname “Lady of Thorns,” keeping potential suitors at bay and making her the butt of the nobility’s jokes. Determined to attract a husband who will love her for herself rather than her fortune, she decides to embark on a journey of sensual self-discovery.
Alain LaPorte, wily lawyer and toast of the capital’s social set, has been summoned to Lierdhe to oversee business negotiations with a neighboring earl. When Amelie asks Alain to tutor her in the bedroom arts, he agrees to introduce the highborn virgin to pleasure. But lessons in lovemaking soon turn into a matter of the heart, forcing both Amelie and Alain to confront their fears about intimacy, loyalty, and love.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play | iTunes
Well, that’s jolly
So it seems that I have a certain enzyme in my bloodstream called ALP which has edged over the acceptable limit since July and has gotten rather high. As this is related to damaged liver cells, I just got to schedule an upper abdomen ultrasound for tomorrow morning, whee. And here I thought I was done with all of the medical tests this year.
Mind you, I’m not particularly worried about it. The most likely causes of high ALP are: fatty liver (certainly possible), bile duct damage, hepatitis (although I have no idea how I could’ve gotten that), cirrhosis (I have maybe three drinks a year so I’m not worried), gallstones (VERY likely) and liver cancer (highly unlikely, considering my family history). I could also have something weird going on with my bones, as well. Whee.
Me, I figure it’s gallstones. I’ve been experiencing tenderness in that area all year, plus the occasional sharp ache. My dad had to have his gallbladder out, and I passed a stone many years ago (OMG, worst pain in my life, and I’ve dislocated my knee so that’s telling you something). That being said, I’m hoping there’s a non-surgical way we can manage it if it turns out to be gallstones. I’m kind of fond of my gallbladder and would like to retain it if at all possible.
Mid Week Tease: Cross Current #MidWeekTease #MWTease
It’s Wednesday? Awesome! Because I have a little teaser for you from the WIP currently up on Scrivener, Cross Current (Olympic Cove #4). Here, my main character Matt has not only learned that Greek Gods, mermen, and selkies are real, but he has his own role to play in the battle against the Mad Goddess Thetis. He just wanted a few weeks of sun and fun before school started, poor sweetie.
Thanks go out to the lovely Angelica Dawson for doing this every week, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
Matt’s tentative knock at the green cottage’s door was met by an unsmiling Griffin. “Hi. Welcome to Greek God Central.”
The repetition of Atropos’s phrase from his dream sent a chill down Matt’s spine. “Hi. Um, Pythia said that I should talk to Amphitrite?”
Griffin moved to the side, letting him in. “Right. She and Poseidon are busy with Donald at the moment. It might be awhile.” He gave Matt a sympathetic look. “How are you holding up?”
“I kinda feel like I got sucked into an episode of Stranger Things. Apart from that, I seem to be okay.”
“Yeah, sounds about right.” The Englishman took him into the kitchen, where he pulled two brown bottles out of the fridge and handed one over. “This’ll help.”
Matt read the microbrewery label. “I thought Brits didn’t chill their beers.”
“We do when we’re in Florida. I take it Nick gave you the scoop on what’s been happening here?”
“Crazy goddess trying to destroy Earth, a bunch of gods and other mythological creatures fighting her, yeah, I know.” He twisted off the bottle cap and took a welcome swig. “I’m not involved.”
“I’m not arguing. I’m new to the whole thing myself.” Although the knowing look in the Englishman’s eyes gave lie to his words. “How are your guests doing?”
“Nick’s treating them. The blond guy’s really a merman?”
“Yep, just like Aidan and Liam. You can probably talk them into going for a swim and showing you their tails.”
“Yeah, no, that’s okay.” He leaned against the counter, rubbing his thumb over the cool, sweating surface of the bottle. “I’m thinking maybe I should go back to Jupiter. If I can’t get my deposit back, I can crash with a buddy until school starts.”
Griffin folded his arms, leaning against the opposite counter. “If that’s truly what you think you should do, then do it. Nobody wants to keep you here against your will.”
Amphitrite picked that moment to appear, looking concerned. “Oh, good, Matt. You’re here. Donald wants to speak with you.”
He straightened up. “Donald?”
“The Oracle of the Waters. Tall man, white hair and beard, came out of the water with our other guests?”
He tried to get his tongue to work properly. “I—why does he want to talk to me?”
“I don’t know,” the goddess said, just a bit exasperated. “That’s something you’ll have to discuss with him.”
She gestured towards the hallway she’d just exited. Feeling like he was walking towards a firing squad, Matt slowly headed deeper into the cottage. Soft voices were coming through an open doorway and he peeked into what was clearly a guest bedroom
Inside, the old man from the beach had been dried off and tucked into bed, wet clothes piled on a chair next to the bed. Poseidon stood over him, handsome face lined as he listened to the man’s words. He glanced up at Matt’s arrival. “Oh, good, they found you. Donald needs to talk to you.”
“Um.” Matt edged into the room, studying the man in the bed. He looked to be about seventy, with Santa Claus-white hair brushed back from a high forehead and a slightly overgrown beard hiding a craggy face. His eyes, however, were his most notable feature. Pale as sea glass, they seemed to burn in that pale face.
“Ah. Matthew,” the man said, a faint lilt coloring his voice. “You’re quite the difficult man to track down.”
Dunn—no, Poseidon—turned and considered Matt. “You’re going to want to listen to him, I’m afraid.” The affable host from last night was gone. Replacing him was a being who radiated power and authority like nothing Matt had ever experienced before. Every rational cell in his body screamed at him to turn around, leave, jump in his car and head north until he was out of reach of the divinity standing in front of him.
“Hi.” He raised a hand and realized he was still holding the beer bottle. With a sigh, Poseidon plucked it out of his hand. “Um, yeah. Ammie said you wanted to talk to me?”
The sea god left, beer bottle in hand, and the man in the bed chuckled wearily. “Poor Poseidon. I don’t think he ever expected me to impose on his hospitality. But if Mohammed won’t come to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed.”
More of the Fates’ words from his dream came back. “Are you talking about my trip to France?” That didn’t make any sense.
But the man nodded. “Yes. You were supposed to visit Marseilles, yes? While you were there, you would have found your way to my cavern and I would have begun your instruction.”
“Whoa, wait. Instruction?”
The old man gave him a wide, white smile. “Yes. Every good teacher knows that learning never truly ends. I’m Donald, by the way.”
“Matt.”
“I know. Matthew Taber, teacher of history to indifferent teenagers, warrior, scholar. You’re my personal choice, you know.”
This was getting far too weird. “Okay, wait,” Matt said, grabbing the wet clothes off the chair and putting them on a nearby dresser. After wiping the seat dry, he sat down in it. “Personal choice for what?”
“To replace me as the Oracle of the Waters.” Another ferocious smile. “I’m not actually immortal, you see. Just very long lived. But even my life is winding to a close, and someone must take over my position and my responsibilities. And out of all the mortals on this planet, I’ve chosen you to do that.”
****
Nick closed the guest room door in time to see a red-faced Matt storm back into the cottage. He went straight into the kitchen and grabbed the bottle of Scotch from the counter, opening a cabinet and grabbing a glass before pouring himself a triple. Nick winced as the other man tossed back the drink in two huge gulps. “I take it that didn’t go well.”
Matt panted and blinked, sniffing hard. “That’s a fucking understatement, my friend.”
“Okay.” Nick reached down a glass for himself and pulled the Scotch out of Matt’s hand, pouring himself a reasonable finger. “You’ve been given your marching orders?”
“Marching orders? Marching orders?” Matt’s voice rose to a bellow on the last phrase. “Do you know what that old hippie in the cottage over there just told me? Apparently I’m the new Oracle of the Waters. I’m supposed to give up everything in my life and go live in a fucking cave on the coast of fucking France so that fucking sea creatures can come and get me to consult with the fucking Fates on their problems.”
“Huh. Yeah, that’s got to come as a surprise.” Nick took a tiny sip of his liquor. “Kinda know all about that sort of thing myself.”
Matt had started to pace the length of the kitchen floor. “Really? Because I don’t see you going off to live like a fucking monk in a goddamn cave.”
Nick had to give him that. “Is it the cave part that bugs you?”
The pacing man stopped, glaring at him. “What’s bugging me is that I came out here for two weeks of sun and relaxation to get over my damn divorce before I have to go back into the trenches. And suddenly not only do I get dragged into some sort of weird-ass battle against a crazy goddess, but I’m supposed to become the supernatural world’s version of Dear Prudence. In a cave.”
“So it is the cave part.”
“Gimme that.” Matt snatched the Scotch bottle back and poured himself another healthy knock. “You say you know about this sort of thing. How the hell do I get out of it?”
“I don’t think you can. It’s one of those fated things.”
The teacher twitched at that. “God. I dreamed about them last night, you know? The Fates. We were having beer and hot wings at a sports bar. They told me—” He stopped. “They told me I was about to get a new job. And a new romance. Who the fuck is going to want to date a guy living in a cave?”
“I think you’re a little fixated on the cave thing.”
They both turned. The blond merman leaned into the entrance to the kitchen, hands on either side of the entryway and still naked as when he first came out of the water. Nick gave him an admiring once-over. The wide shoulders, thick chest, and well-muscled arms common to merfolk tapered down to a narrow waist and a nice Adonis belt of V-shaped muscle. And under that was a great cock, not too large and not too small, nestled on top of a set of heavy balls and surrounded by a short cloud of dark gold hair.
From the corner of his eye he spotted Matt going very still, then looking away quickly. Interesting. “Uh, hi,” the man muttered.
“Sorry. You were shouting. Kind of hard to ignore it.” The merman padded over to them, holding out a huge hand. “I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself. I’m Finn.”
Nick shook his hand. “Well, that’s appropriate.”
Finn chuckled once. “I know, right?” He offered his hand to Matt. “Thank you for taking us in. You’ve got my eternal gratitude for that.”
“No problem.” Matt’s voice was slightly strangled as he shook the mer’s hand. “Do you want me to get you some pants? I think I have a pair of sweats that’ll fit you.”
Finn glanced down at himself. “Sure, why not?”
“Okay.” Stumbling just a little, Matt headed out of the kitchen, Scotch glass still in hand. Cheerful, Finn watched him go. “He’s cute.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Thanks to his agapetos Nick already knew that most mers were bisexual. “How’s your friend?”
Finn sobered. “Still sleeping. He’s not used to swimming that far. I told him to stay behind, but…” He grimaced. “Damn Fae. Stubborn as all hell.”
“How did you wind up with the Oracle, anyway?”
Now the big mer looked uncomfortable. “We’d gone to him to get some advice. When we got there, he told us the price for it would be us escorting him here. I wanted Duncan to stay at the cave, but he insisted on coming along.”
From his accent, Nick placed him as somewhere along the upper East coast. Swimming back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean was something a mer could do, albeit with effort. But to have a seal, even a magical one, in tow turned it into something impressive. “How are you feeling?”
Finn spread his hands. “I’m fine. Hungry. Worried about Duncan. Is the Oracle all right?”
“I haven’t had a chance to go check on him yet. I was going to go do that now. Will you be okay if I leave you here?”
“Oh, sure.” Finn glanced in the direction Matt had taken. “He’s not going to shoot me or have me stuffed and mounted, right?”
“I think his mind is on other things at the moment.”
“Then I’m good. And thank you again for taking care of Duncan.”
The sudden tenderness in his voice said a lot about his relationship with the selkie. Nick was used to unusual hookups happening on the cove, but a mer and a Fae getting together was something he wanted to hear about later on. “If anything goes wrong, I’m in the yellow cottage own the beach. Come get me, okay?”
“I will.”
Nick headed out, wondering how well Matt was going to adjust to his new reality.
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Pour me an absinthe, Gert
As of this afternoon the final line edits for Lady of Thorns were finished and it is officially ready for release next week on Halloween. Not only am I bloody well delighted about that, but I am really, really happy with the way this book turned out. It has a thoroughly solid emotional basis, both characters and plot are fully fleshed out, and it feels like one of the best books I’ve written to date. Also, as my beta Peter said, “Yay for fun books where antagonists are inner demons!”
Yeah, I do a lot of work with inner demons in this one. Amelie and I share a couple of problems about body image and growing up feeling unattractive and insecure about our looks. It was interesting to do a deep dive into the mindset created by that and, in effect, psychoanalyze my own issues by projecting them onto Amelie. Granted, I didn’t have a sexy Alain to walk me through that particular psychological minefield, and I’m still working on said issues and probably will be for the rest of my life. But I think I’m getting a better handle on loving myself and my wacky body the way it is, instead of pining for some impossible ideal.
It also helps that Ramón thinks I’m gorgeous and says so every day. He’s so sweet.
So, yeah, Lady is done, and Cross Current is back on the Scrivener screen and will be my NaNo novel this year. I’m currently at 13K on it, and hope to get it done before I have to report for jury duty on November 29th. And if not, I’ll just bring my iPad and write while I’m waiting in the jurist holding room. I’m hoping to get the last two Shifter Woods novellas knocked out as well so that I can release all four novellas as a boxed set before 2018.
Assuming the cats allow me to work. Seriously, how can a small creature one fifth my size be that annoying? I ask you.
Nicola Cameron Writes 