Hello lovely readers, I’m back again, this time with a limited-time sale AND a cover reveal!

Today I’m raving about my new cover. I’m thrilled to have such a lovely, and colourful cover for my upcoming story, The Siren and the Water Witch.

If you aren’t already familiar with the Clayridge Chronicles, this story will be part of that universe. It will include some characters from Love Spells, Full Moons, and Silver Bullets, as well as introduce new ones that we can look forward to reading about in future books.

The Tails from the Clayridge Fountain, will be a series of novella-length stories with a primary focus on the fountain in the middle of the town that houses the sirens. These ladies are basically the town prostitutes, so you can imagine what the emphasis will be on!

Fair warning, The Siren and the Water Witch has a HFN for the couple but ends on a cliffhanger. Don’t worry, we’ll see Ezra and Misty again in the next Clayridge Chronicle novel.

Check out the blurb for The Siren and the Water Witch…

Ezra is about to discover just how much one night of pleasure is really worth.

Star athlete and academic wizkid, Ezra Graves, is acing his classes at the Barrett Academy, all except botany. After scoring a passing grade on the midterm, Ezra considers ways to celebrate, and nothing sounds more appealing than a trip to the Clayridge fountain to indulge in the forbidden with a siren.

Ezra doesn’t need to vie hard for female attention as the Academy’s golden pupil, but he’s dying to shed his good boy image and taste the forbidden. Visiting the fountain could damage his reputation and academic career—even get him kicked out of the Academy. More could be at stake, as he receives a gentle reminder that half-blood witches have been disappearing lately. Being away from the protection of the school grounds—particularly at night—could prove deadly.

Armed with enough gold coins to pay for a night with one of the fishy seductresses, Ezra ignores his better judgment and heads for the fountain. But little does he know something dangerous is lurking in the shadows, with Ezra’s name and the promise of a significant paycheck if the witch can be caught and delivered to the notorious vampire, Nixon Castor.

You can preorder The Siren and the Water Witch today!

Now, onto the sales!

I have three ebooks on for .99 cents each!

Playing with Michael is a contemporary short novella. It’s a cute, but steamy friends to lovers story. It kicks off a series of novellas that all focus on different couples.

Drew, my paranormal romance novella, is my first ever wolf shifter story. It was featured in the Shifters Do It Better Anthology, which is available in KU, and for this month it’s also on sale for .99 in the U.S. and the U.K. through Kindle. It’ll be unpublished at the end of the month, so grab it now before it’s too late. It’s got 19 sexy shifter stories inside! Note: This sale is in effect from June 23-29^th 2022.

Lastly, for this week only, I’ve put Love Spells, Full Moons, and Silver Bullets on sale for .99 on all ebook platforms. This is the first story in the Clayridge Chronicles, and is a whooping 115K. It’s a big book.

So take advantage of these sales while they last, and as always, if you sign up for my newsletter you’ll receive a FREE short story. It’s a contemporary cop romance called, Arrested Valentine.

About Playing with Michael:

When his long-time crush Nikki gets dumped, Michael decides to make his move. She’s the perfect girlfriend — so perfect so that she’s never single for long. Michael knows his window of opportunity is limited. It’s now or never.

When her best guy friend Michael breaks all the rules and kisses her at the bar, Nikki’s stunned. Michael’s the guy Nikki always turns to when her heart is broken — again. He’s a friend, a confidant, and, best of all, he’s safe. She can tell him anything. But once the shock wears off and she has time to sort out her feelings, she decides he’s worth the risk. Time to find out just how compatible they really are!

About Drew:

Her scent changed everything.

Alyssa Mayer’s scent is intriguing. It’s sweet, sensual and ignites Drew’s blood like nothing before. His body burns for her, his mind is occupied with thoughts of her, meaning only one thing. She’s his fated mate.

The problem? He doesn’t recognize her from a local pack, nor any pack he’s ever smelled before. Is she human? She is his fated mate, but if she’s human will he dare to break the species barrier? It wouldn’t be the first time a wolf shifter mated with a human, but such a bonding brings its own mess of troubles, and that’s before considering a neighbouring alpha wants Drew to agree to an arranged mating.

After spending her youth drifting from one foster home to the next and spending her adolescent and adult life homeless and alone, Alyssa wonders how long she’ll be able to stay in the small town. She can’t risk anyone discovering her secret. All she wants to do is paint and find a forever home, but as an oddity, a freak of nature, she knows that can never be, no matter how much she’d like to stay.

When she meets Drew, her instinct tells her to run, but for the first time she might just have a reason to stay, but pack pressures and hidden foes are threaten to keep them apart.

About Love Spells, Full Moons, and Silver Bullets:

What do you do when your ex’s werewolf boss wants to feast on the mortal you’ve sworn to protect?

Quinn was unaware of the love potion her meddling cat dumped into her tea, so when Ian Hannigan ends up injured on her property, she thinks she’s dealing with another mortal, not the man who can help mend her heart. Her life becomes a balancing act as she attempts to keep him safe while hiding secrets better left buried with the dead.

In a realm filled with things that go bump in the night, Ian didn’t expect to find security and happiness in the arms of a green-skinned witch, yet for the first time since his parents’ tragic car crash, he’s found some measure of peace. The rumors he hears in Clayridge aren’t pleasant, but Ian knows there’s more to Quinn than what people would have him believe. If he’s placed his trust in the wrong hands, he’ll be paying with more than just his heart. He’ll pay with his life.

Want a peek inside the book coming out on June 21st? It’s part of the Athena Project series, which includes these books written by the fabulous Desiree Holt, Reina Torres, Jen Talty, and Regan Black inside Elle James’s Brotherhood Protectors World!

(And yeah, I know the picture says June 28, but it’s the 21st!)

Victoria’s Six

Read an excerpt!

A hard shoulder butted against her belly, taking away her breath. Not that her adversary today had given her the full might of his movement. Still, he managed to fold her over that said hard shoulder as he straightened and swept her off her feet. As she sailed behind him, she forced herself to go with it instead of tensing in anticipation, tucking in her chin before landing. Her surrender to the move lessened the impact when her back slapped the mat.

Dragging in a deep breath, Victoria Cross gave her sparring partner a stern glare. “You could’ve warned me we were starting again.”

He arched an eyebrow.

Yeah, that had been the point. He’d wanted to surprise her and check out her moves. He’d already made his opinion of her fitness for close-in, hand-to-hand combat measures perfectly clear. If they ever faced that sort of attack, she was to let him lead. Step behind him. Let his superior size and strength take the lead. Always.

Logically, she could see the sense of it. He was an ex-SEAL, built big and tall, not an ounce of lazy flab on his muscular frame. At thirty-seven, he was still in his prime. Battle-hardened.

And dear Lord was he hard.

Shoving that thought aside, she accepted the hand he offered her and let him pull her up in front of him. “You were holding back,” she said, frowning. Something that irritated the shit out of her because it was becoming a pattern. One she was trying to break because he needed to learn to trust in her skills and abilities.

“I used an appropriate amount of force,” he said, one corner of his mouth kicking up.

That half-smile and the deliberate deepening of his southern drawl had her seeing red—he was patronizing “the little woman.” She shot out both hands, slamming them against his chest while at the same time sweeping out a foot to catch him behind the ankles.

He didn’t budge.

She’d used the same move when sparring with her last partner and had planted his butt on the mat numerous times.

Logan Tackett sighed, gripped one of her arms, and turned her, folding her into his embrace so tightly she couldn’t use her elbows to strike his gut. Further, he quickly kicked out and hooked a leg around her ankles, preventing her from stomping on his foot. He had her completely trapped and under his control.

His head lowered, and he spoke into her ear. “You done?”

Seeing as they’d already spent an hour beating punching bags and each other, she relaxed, glad none of her friends were there to see her so overmatched. They’d have laughed themselves silly. “You can let me go now.”

“You sure?” he asked, his breath stirring the hair sticking to her cheek that had come loose from her ponytail.

“We have a meeting with Jake Cogburn in the conference room,” she reminded him while gritting her teeth.

His leg released hers. His arms fell away. When he stepped back from her, she felt a stirring of cool air against her sweaty back and strangely missed his warmth. “I’m heading to the shower,” she said. “See you at the meeting.” Then she quickly moved away, trying to leave behind some conflicting feelings—irritation with herself for not meeting the moment because she’d been working hard to earn his respect and disappointment that he’d let her go.

That last realization had her shaking her head. Logan was her partner. She’d never go there. Besides, she’d noted that he tended to have some old-fashioned views about a woman’s place in this organization. He’d have been fine with her if she kept to her lane—something she’d never accept.

Have you pre-ordered your copy? No?
Pre-order now!

It’s Memorial Day, and the kids are happy to be out of school. They’ll likely spend some time in the pool, and we’ll no doubt have something special for dinner. I like spending the morning watching snippets of news as older veterans head to places where they lost friends to honor them.  There’s a price for freedom. This is the day we celebrate those who gave everything for ours.

And if you haven’t read a story that shows you the importance of Memorial Day, I have one.

Read More about: In His Memory

UPDATE: The winner is…Carol Cox!
*~*~*

April

April was extremely busy for me, but I didn’t make as much forward progress as I wanted on…well…everything!

Here’s what I managed to accomplish…

Work-related:

1. I revised and re-published the sequel to Dark Legacy, which is book #2 in the Dark Realm series, Dark Seduction. It’s a full-length novel, so it took some time!
2. I completed 5 editing projects for other authors in April! Two of them were last-minute, thrown over the fence at me, but I got them done!
3. I’m six chapters into my next book!

Health-related:

1. I’m continuing with Weight Watchers and can proudly say that I’ve lost 28 pounds as of today! I’m not pushing to lose fast because I like how I feel (which is a good thing because I only lost 5 pounds this month!). I’ll continue my daily mantra: Slow is good!
2. I didn’t do so well increasing my activity.

Happiness-related: 

1. I’m continuing to work on the #100DayProject art challenge! It’s still HARD fitting in playtime, but here are a few samples of what I finished…

 

May

Here’s me putting this out in the world…

For work-related, I plan:

1. To revise and compile the Danger Zone trilogy into a single bundle and publish it!
2. To complete my next romantic suspense story.
3. To begin work on my next Hot SEAL story!
4. To complete 4 editing projects in May!

For health-related, I plan:

1. To continue with Weight Watchers and hope to lose at least 5 pounds, remembering: Slow is good!
2. To get the pool ready and begin swimming!
3. To begin some low-impact aerobics, which will include a video workout, plus, add some outdoor activities, like pool maintenance and blowing the patio—counting the things I should already be doing to get ready for pool season. Maybe I’ll do more housework, too.

For happiness-related, I plan: 

1. To continue working on getting my art room better organized, because I plan…
2. To produce something art-related every day this month for the #100DayProject art challenge!

Contest

Comment on anything you’ve read in this post. Tell me what you’re doing to make yourself happier and healthier. Tell me what you plan to read…

Like I said, comment on anything for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

Open Contests

1. Saturday’s Puzzle Contest! Plus, More Open Contests! — This contest ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. My Affirmation for the Day! (Contest) — This contest ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Michal Scott: The Hope and the Dream of the Slave – Anna Julia Haywood Cooper (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Gabbi Grey/Gabbi Black: My Heart is Breaking (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Saturday’s Puzzle Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Beverly!
*~*~*

Thank you, Delilah, for hosting me today. You’re very kind.

I’ll admit a secret – I didn’t think the current war would happen.  I follow politics and world events, and I couldn’t conceive of this happening.  From the beginning—from the first bombs falling—my worldview changed. I felt powerless and, as atrocities continue, my heart breaks a little more each day.

So, what could I do? I can’t influence politicians. I can’t solve the crisis. And asking for world peace, although laudable, isn’t realistic. I donated to a worthy cause. I reached out to my Ukrainian friends to offer unconditional support. But I continued to feel powerless.

Then a friend told me Dakota Willink was putting together an anthology to benefit Ukraine. I’d seen several before, but this one provided me an opportunity to sign up.  I immediately threw my name into the ring.  I’d written a novella previously for another charity anthology, so I knew I was capable of writing a 10k word story in a short period of time. And I have a world to set that story in, so that was easy.

Still, I wanted to do more.  I have another pen name, under which I write very different books. I asked them if I could write a second story, and they agreed.  In fact, I’m not the only author who’s done that. With my task at hand, I sat down at the keyboard.

To be clear, none of these stories are about the conflict. We recognize that it’s far too painful for many readers to tackle at this point.  But love?  Our readers are always up for reading about love.  The stories span broad categories such as contemporary, paranormal, and dark, and delve a little deeper into gay or BDSM or other subgenres.  There’s something in here for everyone.

My first story is The Lightkeeper’s Love Affair.  From my description, it’s a 10k lighthearted gay romance with forced proximity, a loner, a future schoolteacher, and Buddy, the adorable beagle. So, a little something for everyone.  The story takes place in a fictional world I’ve created in British Columbia, Canada, and has some familiar sights to those from here.  If you’re not, I invite you to immerse yourself. This book is under my pen name Gabbi Grey.

My second story, Toronto Tryst, is also, clearly, based in Canada.  I’m showing my roots.  Again, from the description, this is a 5k word BDSM-light romance short story with a surprise that will delight. My dark erotic BDSM series, under the pen name Gabbi Black, is, frankly, very dark. It touches on black places but always with a happy ending.  That series takes place in Vancouver. The final book in the trilogy is coming out early next year, so I didn’t want to disrupt the series.  Yet I wanted to write the story for the anthology. My solution? Pull someone from the BDSM club on the west coast and transport them to Toronto for a nice evening of fun. Don’t be afraid of the BDSM—this is definitely a fluffy read.  A nice sampler for those who are new to the subgenre, and a amusing story for those who are more familiar with it.

Obviously, I’d love if everyone purchases a copy of the anthology.  It contains hundreds of thousands of words—all written by authors who just want to do their part.  100% of the proceeds go to United Help Ukraine.

Thank you again, Delilah, for giving me a place to share my great news.  I would love to give a $10 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky commentator.

Let me know your favorite romance trope!  Mine turn out to be instalove and forced proximity.  And a dog (or cat).  I know pets aren’t a trope, but I just always have to throw one in.  Share your thoughts for a chance to win!

Seeds of Love: A Romance Charity Anthology to Benefit Ukraine Synopsis

You can help us make a difference.

SEEDS OF LOVE is a romance anthology to benefit Ukraine. This collection of short romance stories is not available anywhere else. 100% of the royalties will be donated to United Help Ukraine, a charitable organization dedicated to helping the Ukrainian people affected by Russia’s invasion. They are a grassroots, entirely volunteer-based organization that provides aid to wounded Ukrainian warriors, assistance to their families, and support to internally displaced people.

This anthology features 48 authors. The stories include various sub-genres of contemporary romance, paranormal romance, dark romance, and romantic comedy.

SEEDS OF LOVE is only available for a limited time! Stand with the people of Ukraine and get your copy today!

Participating authors:
Amber Garr, Amy Thorn, Barb Shuler, Brooke Summers, Cassidy London, Cyndi Faria, D.M. Davis, Dakota Willink, DD Lorenzo, Denise Wells, E.H. Lyon, Emery LeeAnn, Erica Himy, Fei Marie Perez, Gabbi Black, Gabbi Grey, Hannah Blake, Heather G Harris, Jenna Lynn, JS Mercier, KA Graham, Kaje Harper, Katherine Moore, Kelly Kelsey, Lane Bellemore, LC Taylor, Liz Durano, LJ Evans, Lux Miller, M.L. Broome, Mel Walker, Miranda Grant, M Guida, Pandora Snow, Persephone Autumn, Raisa Greywood, Ramsey Savage, Remy Reigns, Shelly Hixson, Sophia Henry, Stella Moore, Syd Ryan, Tara Conrad, Tiffany Carby, Vi Summers, Vivian Murdoch, Willow Fox, Yolanda Olson

Links:
Amazon US:  https://amzn.to/3JZ12X3
KOBO:  hhttps://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/seeds-of-love-a-romance-charity-anthology-to-benefit-ukraine
Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seeds-of-love-dakota-willink/1141243081
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60667917-seeds-of-love

This is just a quick note to let you know that Dark Seduction, a full-length erotic paranormal story, is out today! So, if you love a very erotic, very dark story, this one’s for you. 🙂

Get your copy here!
Available in the Amazon store, on Kindle Unlimited, and in print!

Ready for a meaty, sexy read (full-length novel)? Plenty of plot twists? Vampires, demons, and zombies? A yummy menage? A sexy, sexy hero (this one’s EROTIC!)? Well, it drops tonight after midnight!

Dark Seduction

A raging storm unleashes a tempest of desire and an ancient evil…

For nearly 800 years, Revenant Nicolas Mountfaucon has dedicated his life to ensuring an immortal monster never walks free. When a terrible storm unleashes the beast, Nicolas’s past rises to haunt him, taunting him with the memory of the death of his bride and the loss of his brother at the hands of the ancient demon known as “The Devourer.” Nicolas turns to the only person who can provide him emotional and physical solace, Born vampire Chessa Tomas, sure she will join the hunt for the evil creature.

Only Chessa wants nothing to do with hunting the “Big Bad”—she’s shed her responsibilities as a Born, refusing her seat on the council because she doesn’t trust their leader. However, Nic isn’t as easily dismissed—he appeals to the secret side of her nature that begs to be dominated.

Pre-order your copy here!

An excerpt from Dark Seduction…

Fresh from her shower, Chessa heard the heavy knock and glanced at her clock on the bedside stand. Still an hour before she had to be at work.

Not the super. She’d paid her rent. Besides, he’d fled with the rest of the building’s inhabitants when the Mayor had ordered evacuation.

And not her partner seeing whether she wanted to get a cup of coffee before reporting to duty. Her partner wasn’t coming today.

Or ever again.

Curious, she threaded through piles of discarded clothing to her front door and peered through the peephole into a hallway lit only by grayish, pre-dusk light from the landing window. The power had gone out sometime during the night. Just one more annoyance on top of the last hellish twenty-four hours.

A familiar man stood on her threshold. Broad shoulders, long dark hair—her body clenched. “Nic?” What was he doing in the city again so soon? How the hell had he gotten in? She’d heard most of the roads around the city were closed due to flooding.

“Chessa, open the door.”

Something in his voice had her gripping the doorknob tight. Her breath hitched. She didn’t want to know what had brought him here.

“Please,” he said, weariness and raw, aching need flavoring the rich timbre of his voice.

Although they’d sated their appetite for sex a few hours ago, Chessa’s body softened instantly, heat tightening her womb. She hated the way her body betrayed her.

They’d said their farewells, she reminded herself. “We had a deal, Nic. You stick to your turf—I’ll stick to mine.”

“Chessa, open the goddamn door.”

The “or else” he left unspoken in his lightly accented voice. She got the message and turned the knob, stepping aside to let him in as she wrapped her towel tightly around her body.

A quick, sweeping glance told her there was trouble. Big, fat vampire trouble. Nicolas looked a mess.

His long black-brown hair hung in damp, curling tendrils around his lean face. His exposed skin was grimy-looking, and he smelled of sewage and sour swamp water.

His hands reached for her.

Without time to sidestep, she found herself smashed against his chest, his strong hands clutching her close.

She leaned back in the circle of his arms and stared into his face. What she saw troubled her. His jaw was clenched tight, and his face was unnaturally pale—even by a vampire’s standards. “What’s happened?”

His throat tightened, but he shook his head and lowered it.

Only she’d just had a shower, and he stunk to high heaven. Besides, she needed space to calm the riot of feelings he aroused. Ones she was still uncomfortable acknowledging even existed. She pressed her palms against his chest to halt him.

She loved Rene. Although he’d chosen to enter a mage’s sanctuary with another Born vampire, Chessa wasn’t over him yet.

Her feelings for Nicolas were strictly carnal—and she needed to get her libido back under control. Unbridled passion had been unleashed by proximity to Natalie Lambert’s coming into season, as only a transforming Born could inspire. That arousal had spilled over onto Chessa and Nicolas—it was the only explanation Chessa would allow for the strength of the desire that even now made her body yearn toward his.

Nicolas’s chest heaved, and his eyes narrowed to feral slits. “Don’t deny me. Not now.”

She wrinkled her nose. “You stink.”

“Then we’ll shower,” he said, a dangerous edge to his voice.

As always, his first terse words had her melting. “Tell me why you’re here,” she said, searching for a way to put him off while she shored up her fading resistance.

Another shake of his head, this time sharp and violent. “Later,” he ground out.

Then she noted the wildness in his eyes. Something had rattled his cage. Nicolas was never anything but completely in control. Chessa felt the last bit of solid ground crumble beneath her. “All right,” she said softly and held up a hand to ward off a kiss. “But shower first.” He’d have to let her go to follow her.

However, Nicolas wasn’t giving her the space she needed to regroup. He grabbed the top of her towel and ripped it away then slammed his mouth on hers, backing her toward the bedroom.

Chessa’s bare feet skidded on her wood floor as she dug in her heels, but he swept her along, through her bedroom into the bathroom, all the while punishing her lips with a brutal kiss.

When the edge of the tub brought them up short, he reached behind her and yanked aside the shower curtain. “Turn it on.”

Dumbly, she reached behind her, fumbling to turn the knob, finally sending a spray of water that misted around them before he lifted her above the rim of her tub to set her inside.

Nicolas tore at his clothes, dropping them at his feet, then stepped beside her in the stall, crowding her against the cool tile walls with lukewarm water falling all around them. “Any more objections?” he asked, in his oddly rasping voice.

She shook her head, overwhelmed and mute with rising desire. Her body already strained toward his. Her breasts swelled, her nipples ruching tight and hard. Her legs trembled, and her sex released a trickle of fragrant moisture she couldn’t deny.

His hands reached around her and grasped her bottom, lifting her off her feet, crushing her breasts to his chest, her mound against the base of his rigid cock.

With his erection pressing into her belly, any objection was obliterated. She flung out her arms and gripped his shoulders, aiding him as he angled her body toward his and thrust his cock between her legs.

Chessa groaned as he slid inside her. “Bastard, we had a deal.”

His response was a flex of his hips to thrust hard inside her, tunneling deep, pressing higher until the strength of his hips and cock had her feet dangling above the porcelain bottom of the tub.

When he’d reached inside her as far as he could, he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing away her breath and laid his cheek alongside hers, his chest heaving.

She shivered from arousal so strong it nearly choked her and from fear of whatever had shaken Nicolas to his core. She’d never seen him like this. “What is it? What’s happened?”

His head drew away, and his gaze burned as it slid to her lips. “Later,” he groaned.

Again, the wildness in his gaze and the tension that gripped his broad shoulders and arms as he held her unsettled her. This wasn’t Nicolas with his sardonic quips and ever-watchful gaze. Accustomed of late to him showing up at unexpected times to tempt her, this was different.

He was frightened.

Although tempted to argue, to chide him and try to drive him away, she wound her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, and pulled him close, dragging his head down to bury against her shoulder.

If she were honest with herself, she was glad he’d come.

Not that she was ready to be anybody’s rock. She had problems of her own. A life to sort out. One far away from the vampire enclave at Ardeal.

Nicolas was entrenched in that life, but she had broken free decades ago and had vowed she’d never go back. Whatever was bothering him now wasn’t her problem.

But she could hold him and let his warmth and strength provide her comfort as well. She had her own needs and a desolate loneliness that had filled her when she’d shut her apartment door hours earlier and realized the only friend she’d had in the world was lost to her forever.

“Stop thinking,” he growled.

“Just fuck me,” she bit out, meeting his hard gaze with a glare of her own.

Their hips churned together in a desperate coupling. Not at all the sexy, teasing pummeling she’d come to expect—that in itself was an indication of his upset. His movements lacked finesse. He gave no thought for her pleasure, which he was always so careful to draw out—torturing her with her own desire.

Instead, his hands gripped her ass hard, pushing her up and down his cock, grinding her back against the cool tiles as he powered into her.

When he came, his eyes squeezed tight, his body grew rigid, and he held his breath for one endless moment. After his pulsing release waned, he dropped his forehead against the tiles. “Get out.”

Surprised at the harshness of his voice, she didn’t question him, just unwound her legs from his waist and slid down his body. She stepped out of the tub to dry herself with a towel while he remained inside, drawing the curtain closed behind him.

She couldn’t think of a thing to say. Despite the humid air inside the room, she shivered.

Damn. It sure as hell felt like she cared about the fact he’d tossed her out of her own shower.