UPDATE: The winner is…Peggy Harrington!
*~*~*

Thought you might like to see what I’ve released so far this year—just in case you missed it! I published the last three Texas Cowboys stories, the entire Triplehorn Brand series, three more Montana Bounty Hunters, a couple of Colorado cowboy stories, one multi-author anthology, and just one short story! I have to pick up the pace for the rest of the year! Think I can do it? I don’t know, I did just hit 60… 🙂

1. 01/02/18 – BOUND & DETERMINED, Texas Cowboys series
2. 01/23/18 – SLOW RIDER, Texas Cowboys series
3. 02/13/18 – NIGHT WATCH, Texas Cowboys series
4. 02/27/18 – PIRATES, A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology
5. 03/06/18 – LAYING DOWN THE LAW, The Triplehorn Brand series
6. 03/08/18 – DAGGER, Montana Bounty Hunters series
7. 03/20/18 – IN TOO DEEP, The Triplehorn Brand series
8. 04/03/18 – A LONG, HOT SUMMER, The Triplehorn Brand series
9. 04/05/18 – REAPER’S RIDE, Montana Bounty Hunters series
10. 04/27/18 – THE BOUNTY-2, short story
11. 05/11/18 – TRUE HEART
12. 05/22/18 – LONE HEART
13. 06/26/18 – COCHISE, Montana Bounty Hunters series

I have favorites among these stories for differing reasons…

My favorite covers? In Too Deep is just gorgeous! Cochise is sexy as hell!

 

*~*~*

My favorite characters? Reaper is a grumpy hard-ass, who can show a surprisingly tender side to his wife, Carly. I made him suffer in Reaper’s Ride! And then there’s Lacey Jones from Dagger… I haven’t had that much fun writing an introduction to a story in a very long time. If you want to read that intro, head here. My “Bounty Hunter Barbie” is unique.

 

*~*~*

My favorite stories? What can I say, I love writing bounty hunters. I love writing the action-packed takedowns of stupid criminals. They are a blast to write. My bounty hunter stories are chock-full of action!

 

*~*~*

My sexiest story? Hands down, it’s The Bounty-Part 2, because for the shorties, I let the “dirty girl” out to play!

What’s coming?

Coming soon, I have two more bounty hunter stories in the works, Hook (I’m shooting for August), and a crossover with my SEAL stories, S*x on the Beach (coming in September). I’m revising the hell out of a fantasy story, Gargoyle’s Embrace (coming in July). All three are up for pre-order. As well, I’ll be writing a new shorty, Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Client. So sexy times are coming. This fall, I’ll give you the next With His SEAL Team installment. So, be sure to check back in with me!

  

Contest

The projects I have listed above aren’t going to keep me busy, so I was wondering what else you might like to see from me. Want more bounty hunters? Texas cowboys? Witches, vamps, or werewolves? More SEALs?  Comment below for a chance to win one of the stories I’ve released so far this year. Your choice!

The image of a writer varies, according to the person you ask. For some, it’s the image of a famous, wealthy author who goes on book tours, accompanied by a well-dressed but harried assistant and with tons of extravagances. For others, it’s the image of a poorly dressed, shivering person in an attic or garret, pounding away at a keyboard. And then there’s the image of the person who writes on the same book for eons, never to get it published.

The true image of a writer, at least for me, is very different. A writer is someone who lives for words. Words she reads, writes and edits over and over again. And this part of my life is very solitary. Not lonely, certainly, as I’m living with the people I’ve created and placed in jeopardy. But there is another facet of my life as a writer, and that’s the more public image.

As a romantic suspense writer, I compete, whether I like it or not, with many other writers and have to find readers in various ways. One of those is to attend conferences and book signings. There, I put on my smile and talk to readers, meet other authors and generally try to expand my world. Through the years, I’ve come to realize I haven’t only been trying to sell books and “get my name out there”, but I’ve met some awesome people.

I’ve met husband and wife teams who write together or who act as each other’s technical expert/editor/artist. I’ve met mother-daughter teams who do the same. And I’ve met individuals with talents that extend from cooking to metal works and more. Each and every one of these people who I’ve met has left a mark on me and on my creativity, I think. So, this blog’s purpose is to thank each and every person I’ve met over the years who has made conversation, complimented me on my books, laughed at my jokes and sat with me at breakfast when I’m less than pleasant.

While I’m an introvert at heart, I’ve come to appreciate and look forward to the reader/author events I go to each year and to see the friends I’ve made. I relish the opportunity to talk books with people who equally appreciate them, as I do. And I look forward to being able to do this in the future as well.

If I see you at an event in the future, please say hi. I’m there for the pleasure of socializing with like-minded people. And if I sell some books? That’s good too.

Oh, by the way, I have a novella coming out on June 26th, Saving Sidewinder. It’s set in Elle Jame’s Brotherhood Protectors World and is available here:  https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Sidewinder-Brotherhood-Protectors-World-ebook/dp/B07DR2GSZL/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529969250&sr=8-1&keywords=saving+sidewinder.

Below is a short blurb. Hope you check it out.

Saving Sidewinder

Sam “Sidewinder” Jameson left the Rangers to keep an eye on his young friend, Kid, as he recovers from their last mission, an injury Sam blames himself for. To tide him over and be close at hand, Sidewinder agrees to a short stint with Hank Patterson’s Brotherhood Protectors. He expects his assignment to guard Alana Christian and her son from threats to be a job, nothing more. What he doesn’t plan on is how the job will change him and his expectations, both of Kid and of himself.

I’m addicted to Historical romances. In fact, the very first romance book that I ever read was an Amanda Quick novel.  I was hooked from the first sentence and haven’t stopped reading the genre since. There are so many great eras to write and read in — Regency, Medieval, Victorian, WWI and WWII, and let’s not forget Ancient times — give me a hunky Roman legionary any day 😊.

So, it made perfect sense to me when one of my favorite authors, Carole Mortimer, suggested we do an anthology together. I love Carole’s books!

But Ms. Mortimer’s generous offer did make me think. I started wondering what it is in general that I love about romance books and what keeps me writing them. Yes, of course there is the romance. Who doesn’t love a happy ever after ending? I know I’m guaranteed a HEA in any romance that I read, and yet still, I get tense reading my favorite books, rooting for the main couple and hoping they overcome the obstacles tossed their way so they do end up together on the last page.  But I was thinking more about the characters — heroes specifically. And then it dawned on me, I love Cinderella books. No matter what I write — Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Historical, Contemporary, even Reverse Harem, I write heroes who are princes. Maybe not necessarily always the conventional prince with a crown and castle (though I do write a lot of those, even Princes of Hell), but what I love best about a good hero, is that he’s a prince at heart. He loves his soulmate. He’s caring, he’ll go to great extents to do what is right for her, even going so far as giving her up so she can have a better life. Of course then his sidekick has to always step in and hit him over the head with a good dose of sense and make him realize he is what is best for the lady in his world.

And that is what I hope I accomplish with every book I write — a happy ever after ending for a couple who truly love each other. Or in the case of my Reverse Harem books, a HEA for a heroine and her three heroes 😊. But even in RH books, my heroes are always devoted to their girl.

Long live the Romance!

A REGENCY DUO

By USA Today Bestselling Author Carole Mortimer and Angelique Armae

An excerpt from PRINCE OF SCANDAL by Angelique Armae:

He smiled to himself. Eliza was a real spitfire, if nothing else. Though he was starting to see she was a lot more. In fact, she was everything he was missing in his life—kindness, beauty, humor, selflessness. He could go on all night about Eliza’s good qualities. He really should have never let her go. “I may be a cad and God knows what else, but I am not going to steal the bed from you. Now get in and get a good night’s sleep.”

“Not happening.”

“Really, it’s fine. I’m too sore to move.”

“You’ll be stiffer in the morning spending the night in a chair.”

He’d be stiffer spending the night in bed with her. “I’m afraid it must be as nothing can entice me to move at this point.”

“You really are difficult, Your Royal Highness.”

He quirked an eyebrow.

Eliza responded with a lick of her luscious, plump lips.

The woman had no idea the misery she caused him. “If it weren’t for my damn wound, you’d be very sorry for having just done that.”

https://www.amazon.com/Regency-Duo-Carole-Mortimer-ebook/dp/B07C7N8CXQ/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Regency-Duo-Carole-Mortimer-ebook/dp/B07C7N8CXQ/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-regency-duo-angelique-armae/1128523693?ean=2940155220633
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-regency-duo/id1374110595?mt=11&at=

About the Author

National best-selling author Angelique Armae / J. C. Makk is a native New Yorker who loves all things royal, can trace her Irish roots back to the Scottish Highlands, is half Italian, and is owned by a long-haired Tuxedo feline. As a child her favorite toy was Emerald The Witch, a small doll with green eyes, green hair and purple skin. She spends most days writing, unless her cat deems otherwise.

Website: https://angeliquearmae.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngeliqueArmaeFans
Facebook RH group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aarmaesreverseharemgroup/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AArmae
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/c6u8g7

I’ve had such a crazy week!

I rushed last week to wrap up Cochise and get it ready for publication. It released yesterday! That was exciting, and of course, I’ve been trying like mad to get the word out! (Here I am doing it again! LOL) Now, I’m working on a couple of editing projects. Oy!

And, my birthday is tomorrow. However, since we have relatives descending tomorrow for a visit, my family decided that the party was going to happen today. My dd’s been the party organizer, so I’m sure she’s planning lots of black things—cakes, etc., to tease me.

This morning, my mom said her party gift for me is something that’s likely to piss me off (I’m suspecting a Trump card or a MAGA hat), but she wanted me to have something special for my 60th—eek! I still can’t believe I’m that old! It must be true what they say about only the good dying young. 🙂 Anyway, she gave my late grandmother’s diamond ring. I almost cried when she handed it to me. Grandma died last February, and we all still miss her very much.

We’ll have the party early afternoon; mom’s catering in a catfish feast; then all the kids and I are hitting the pool!

Anyway, I’m dressed up and ready. Thought you’d like to see what 60 looks like! I took about ten pics before I got ONE that didn’t make me want to vomit.

Ugh. I hate taking my pictures. My sleepy eye, crooked nose, BCGs (military acronym for Birth Control Glasses—which I wear for comfort rather than fashion!), my too-blonde-almost invisible eyebrows… I don’t mind the little bit of silver in my hair or the wrinkles. And it’s shadows, not a saggy neck. My neck’s just fine, thank you very much. But there you have it. Me. Hitting the big 6-0! Tomorrow, I’ll hit the benchmark, but it will be back to work!

The winner of the free download is…Elysian Fields!
*~*~*

The fourth story in my Montana Bounty Hunters series is here!

Cochise centers around a very sexy bounty hunter, who falls for a cop who has a beef with bounty hunters—until she needs their help. The story also catches you up on Jamie & Sky (and their dog, Tessa), and Dagger & Lacey. The story is hot, has plenty of humor, and exciting takedowns! I hope you love it!

If you have time, tell a friend about this story and, maybe, write a review. Readers trust other readers to let them know whether they should take a chance on a their next book boyfriend. If you love the stories, let someone know. And thanks!

Enjoy! ~DD

Cochise

Cochise
Montana Bounty Hunters, Book #4

Former Army sniper, Cochise Mercier, left Denver SWAT under a cloud of controversy, which was why he ended up back home in Montana, and where he heard about the Montana Bounty Hunters. The “cloud” didn’t seem to bother his new boss, so he’s “all in” and finding he enjoys hunting down fugitives for bounties, encumbered by fewer rules.

Sammy McCallister is a by-the-book sheriff’s deputy, who has a beef with bounty hunters. Forced to stand by with her gun in her holster, while hunters take down scumbags, she’s particularly irked by the new guy in town. Cochise, with his long black hair and thousand-yard-stare makes her uncomfortable, itchy in ways she’s never felt before. When she finds herself needing his help late one night, the reason for her irritation becomes all too clear. She wants him. But first, they have to make it out of the mountains alive…

Get your copy here!

Contest

For a chance to win one of the first three stories in the
Montana Bounty Hunter series, answer me this…

Have you read any bounty hunter stories? Have you watched a bounty hunter movie or TV show?

  

For the sake of argument, everything I’m about to share with you is absolutely my opinion unless I am citing a statistic, in which case, I’ll tell you where I got it from. Cool? Great.

What makes the best stories tick? How much we, the audience, empathize with the characters. Take a step back with me for a moment as I roll the clock back to 1984. I could go back farther, but I am specifically going back to the day I saw the first Terminator movie. I was 12, and I saw it on a Saturday afternoon at my favorite theatre. Me, my popcorn, and my mom settled in to watch the movie.

As a side point, I love sci-fi movies, and Terminator had time travel, so check! I loved big action pieces, with lots of booms, and the film definitely had those. I loved characters I could invest in, and go on this journey with—and guess what, yep, Terminator had that in spades.

More, it had characters I empathized with. Sarah Connor didn’t seem to be particularly special. She was a waitress and had a roommate and was just trying to make ends meet. She could have been my neighbor, or my friends or even one of my parents. My mom was a waitress. So right away, I’m invested in her. Now she spends half the movie getting chased by some unstoppable killing machine and kidnapped by a guy who feeds her this story about being from the future.

Her reaction is what any one of us would have. Are you crazy?

Yet, in the end, she falls in love (or at least some mad survival lust) with Reese, and then in a final battle, manages to kill the Terminator. She does it. Reese keeps her alive long enough to help, and he survives long enough to do some damage, but Sarah rescues herself at the end.

Holy crap. This was like when Princess Leia grabbed the blaster and started shooting. Or when she told them all to jump into the garbage chute. Leia, who’d been held captive, actively participated in her own rescue. In later films, Leia is part of the strategy, the straight-up fights, and eventually strangles Jabba the Hutt during the rescue of Han. Leia was a bad ass.

Sarah Connor inherited that mantle.

Now I can go on and on about the badass heroines of action movies (trust me, I could), but here’s the thing—too often I heard when I was growing up that action movies were for guys. Rom coms were for chicks. We even call them “chick flicks”. My parents wouldn’t get me Star Wars toys, cause those were for boys. But I could have this pretty pink Barbie, cause it was for girls.

Action-Adventure whether it’s Terminator, or The Bourne Identity, or The Avengers isn’t just for “boys.” In fact, according to Deadline.com (see I told you I’d cite the data), Avengers: Infinity War had an audience of 40% women. Of course, it also had a huge audience period as culmination of 10 years of franchise building. A franchise I have wholly supported and am a tremendous fan of.

Why?

Cause I can empathize with those characters whether he’s a king of a hidden country with mystical powers or a narcissistic billionaire in a suit or a remnant of the cold war era spy with varying shades of gray to her morality. I can empathize because the writing, and the action, and the characters themselves have invited us along on this journey.

At the end of the day though, my love of action adventure with elements of romance or not, dates back to that Saturday afternoon in a theater as the end credits began to roll on Terminator. The film didn’t have a happily ever after, if anything, the ending was ominous. A promise that all the horrible things Reese warned her of were coming, yet we also had this sense of hope and Sarah was invested in saving her son and eventually the future.

I love writing these types of stories in some fashion whether it’s a paranormal adventure about wolves on the hunt or military insertion to save someone or a humorous romp of royals trying to deal with life. It’s about the adventure, and yeah, the action. I love reading them, too. Or watching them. Sometimes we’ll pick up a book or go to the movie because it looks cool, but we only stick around or come back for more if it takes us deeper.

Whether it’s saving your kids, saving your house—hell saving the cat—we can live vicariously through the heroes and heroines in our books, and our movies. I love multi-dimensional heroes and heroines. My heroes are not all alphas, and my heroines are not all helpless, needing to be saved. Sometimes the battle is intense and physical, sometimes it’s haunting and emotional.

It’s always about the journey.

Okay, and the hot guys. Yeah, I’m a little shallow.

Sometimes.

What do you love about action/adventure and romance? Do you have a favorite film?

Don’t Miss Heather’s Brand New Releases in the Special Forces & Brotherhood Protectors series:

Shielding Shayna

Honor comes in all sizes.

Shayna Morgan has been a little bit of everything in her life—a daughter, a niece, a sailor, an investigator, and homeless. Nerve damage has left her with only partial feeling on her right side, and pain threatened to cripple her. Family pulled her home from where she slept in her car outside of DC, but it was the men and women of the Brotherhood Protectors who inspired her and gave her a purpose. She may not be able to fire a gun with any accuracy, but her new project fulfills her in so many other ways—helping other female vets just like her. It’s all hard, honest work and good sweat until a shadowy threat takes aim at her ranch.

Purpose comes in all shapes.

Fergus “Oddjob” Roper went into the Air Force at 18, before making a lateral move to the Navy, and then left the SEALs when he was 33. After 15 years of service, two wars, multiple deployments and 3 degrees, he’s looking for his next mission. After a year in Texas working with a horse trainer specializing in equine support animals, he’s heading to Montana to visit with old friends. He came for the beer, and stayed for the women…one woman in particular. Oddjob doesn’t mind mucking stalls, or helping out on the project—but what he wants is to shield the woman who saved his life, even if she doesn’t know it.

Link: https://heatherlong.net/books/military/special-forces-brotherhood-protectors-kindle-worlds/brotherhood-protectors-shielding-shayna/

Covering Coco

Life between the cross hairs

Retired Navy SEAL John Jacob “Jacko” Johnson earned a reputation for being cool under pressure, having more kills from behind the scope of a sniper rifle than anyone else active on the teams, and being a total smartass. Some things don’t change, and not even a traumatic brain injury sidelining him keeps him from kicking in when his friends need it—most recently a top-secret mission to retrieve a lost asset.

Bolt action is louder than words

Coco Adler’s military career ended abruptly on a dishonorable discharge. Or so reads her military file. Recruited for a top-secret program, she digs in deep. When her cover is nearly compromised and she can’t reach her handler, she goes dark but stays on mission. The last thing she expects is a lunatic in a Hawaiian shirt to take her down a moment before a sniper’s bullet would have.

Forced to work together, Jacko will do everything to cover Coco’s extraction—even if it kills him.

Link: https://heatherlong.net/books/military/special-forces-brotherhood-protectors-kindle-worlds/special-forces-operation-alpha-covering-coco/

Meet Titus – the Soon to be Alpha of the Rock Prowler Pack when interviewed by one of his pack’s cubs.

“You want something, Sammy? An interview for your school magazine? Well… I suppose it couldn’t hurt.”

Sammy giggled and opened up his writing book. “So, T. what’s your nickname.”

Titus: “Never had one. Not unless T. counts. You started something the first time you called me that. Now the whole pack uses it.”

Sammy blushed. “It suits you. But I said Big T first, what with you being so big and all. Anyway. Where did you go to school?”

Titus:“I planned to head to earth and do some serious study”—he shook his head—“but things went so far south it never happened. Some witch kidnapped my true-mate and I spent almost a century trying to free her.” The wolf’s shoulders slumped as he stared into the distance. After a deep breath, he added. “Not that she wants anything to do with me or the pack. I guess you can say I graduated from the school of Hard Knocks.”

Too young to understand Titus’s pain, Sammy shook his head. “Girls suck.”

Titus:“Only when you’re a cub. Give it a few years and you might say different. My best dream was to bond with my true-mate but she wouldn’t even look at me. Now I don’t have any dreams left.”

Sammy carefully wrote Titus’s every word in his notebook. “What would you do if you became rich overnight.

Titus:(growls softly). “I can’t see my luck changing now. No, don’t write that bit down. Let’s just say I’m not hurting financially and I don’t need more money.”

Sammy broke off to sharpen his pencil. “And what’s your favorite food?”

Titus:Nothing tastes good anymore except whisky. No, don’t write that down either. Just put that I don’t have much appetite. I hunt and I eat whatever I can find. That’s it, Sammy. Interview over.”

Titus stood and beckoned a group of cubs over.“Time for your tracking lesson. Give me a two-minute head start, and if you find me, I’ll shout the lot of you an ice-cream.”

To Seduce an Omega

The Rock Prowler alpha condemns Viola for her inability to shift. Forced into poverty and isolation, she ekes out a meager existence as a healer. As the pack omega with a crippled knee, she’s forbidden to mate. Her first heat beckons, but no wolf will dare to bed her.

Titus, a wolf rejected by his true mate, overflows with violence and anger. The Lykae King sends him to take over the Rock Prowler pack. He condemns Viola for wanting payment before she treats her patients and threatens to bring in a new pack healer. With her crippled knee and no other income, she’d starve.

She-wolves from families who disagree with the alpha have vanished. When Titus investigates, the alpha’s allies imprison both him and Viola. To escape, he must seduce Viola—the she-wolf he insulted and reviled. If that’s not bad enough, she despises him for his seeming allegiance to the alpha. As he gets to know her, she steals his heart, but after all that’s happened, how can she accept him when even his fated mate refused him?

Buy links
Amazon USA            https://amzn.to/2MFqbcR
Amazon UK               https://amzn.to/2K0Z3TS
Amazon Canada      https://amzn.to/2M89aXA
Amazon Australia    https://amzn.to/2ytGFBS

 Excerpt

“Heal her.” The stranger scowled and thrust the injured woman at Viola.

She blinked and stepped back so quickly she almost overbalanced. After taking a moment to stand up as straight as her crippled leg allowed, she donned her professional healer persona. “For a price. Cash. Up front.”

Viola lied, of course. Leaving anyone in pain was beyond her, but the man with the broad chest and gold-flecked eyes didn’t need to know that. Besides, unless she got hold of some cash soon, she might never eat meat again.

The low growl that rumbled from his throat and the way his eyes narrowed made her wish she’d stayed silent. He bared his fangs, and although she wanted to retreat, she stubbornly held her ground.

His lip curled. “Do it. I’m good for your fees. Just get a move on.”

His deep, angry rumble made her think of a volcano ready to erupt. And damn, when she stared up him, he looked as tall as the mountains that trapped her in Rock Prowler territory. Out here in the midst of the forest, miles from the nearest settlement, she should be wary. This stranger emanated strength, protection, and…flat-out fury. At her.

His jaw clamped as he shoved past her into the hut. She followed, mentally triaging her patient. Tansy’s clothes hung off her in tatters, and an arrow stuck out of her leg. Deep scratches, the sort only a murder thorn could inflict, covered her torso. The woman’s breathing came in fast, shallow pants. Her skin looked as though it had been touched with frost, and rivers of dried blood stained her leg.

Absently, Viola wondered what the other woman been up to that involved tangling with a bush renowned for shredding skin. Not running from Mr. Fix-It here, I hope. Ignoring her concerns and her attraction to a newcomer with the short hair and bad attitude, she reached out to stroke Tansy’s hair. Rather than gather her supplies, Viola hardened her heart and met the stranger’s gaze.

With his torn ear and bent nose, Mr. Fix-It looked ready to tear out her throat. Her stomach clenched as though he’d punched her, and his disgusted look promised a reckoning once she’d tended Tansy’s wounds. Viola’s tender heart went out to the woman in his arms. Despite her bold words, she’d never let Tansy suffer, but she needed to bargain to survive.

As the pack’s omega wolf, she expected nothing from anyone—except insults, of course. Chin high, spine stiff, she kept her hands at her side. “Perhaps you shouldn’t have chased her into a murder thorn in the first place. Of course, I’ll help her once we’ve agreed on a price.”

The stranger’s furious growl cut to her heart, but unless she demanded her cash in advance, she’d starve.

About Kryssie Fortune

Kryssie’s imagination runs wild. She loves dragons, sensual Fae, and sensual vampires. Show her a dominant Lykae male and her toes curl. Feel free to visit her website or check out her blog. She can also be found on Facebook or Twitter.

Author links
Website: https://kryssiefortune.wixsite.com/kryssiefortune-books
Blog: https://kryssiefortune.blogspot.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kryssie-Fortune-Author-Page-267100286738528/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KryssieFortune