Report Card

Last week…

1. I completed one author’s edits. I’m currently working on another’s.
2. The weather cooperated so that I got to swim four days this past week. We had a thunderstorm yesterday that knocked out our power for hours. 🙁
3. I’ve continued painting and trying to catch up with #the100dayproject challenge. This was my favorite piece for the week because the paint was made with actual coffee and smells like it!
4. Healthwise, I battled another UTI. I’m currently on antibiotics. It’s always something. Gah!

This next week…

1. I will complete one author’s edits and then I have no more on the near horizon, so it’s time to get writing!
2. I’ll begin assembling my next Ultra compilation for publication.
3. I’ll restart work on Ignition—writing new words. I’m ready to get back on that treadmill. And yeah, I know I said this last week.
4. I’ll continue trying to catch up with #the100dayproject schedule.
5. I’ll hopefully have time to open my Etsy shop for the summer to sell some of the bookmarks and small paintings I’ve been making!

Open Contests

Be sure to check out these posts and enter to win the prizes that are still up for grabs:

1. 1. Gabbi Grey: Challenge Accepted (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
   2. Flashback: Big Sky SEAL (Contest–2 Winners!) — Last day to enter! Win a FREE book!
   3. Memory Game: Wildlife Where I Live (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
   4. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Mad about goats! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
   5. Clear My Bookshelf Giveaway (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a SIGNED book, plus a hand-painted bookmark!
   6. Cameron Allie: Love Spells, Full Moons, and Silver Bullets (F*R*E*E Read, Excerpt, & Contest) — Get your FREE read, plus a sticker bundle!
   7. Word Search: Let’s Celebrate Buy a Musical Instrument Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
   8. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Surprise Blooms! — Win an Amazon gift card!

Early in the week, my pee suddenly became a bright orange-pink. Bet you haven’t read something like that as an opener on another writer’s blog, right? Anyways, I sent a urine sample via my dd to my general practitioner, and they put me on antibiotics for another UTI. So far, so good. I’m peeing yellow again. For someone who hadn’t had a UTI in years, having two in as many months is a PITA. I’ve read that’s not uncommon after a radical hysterectomy, though, so I’m not overly concerned.

School ended for the kids this past Wednesday! Woot. We celebrated with takeout and a movie. We watched A Minecraft Movie, and I guess we were in the mood for a silly one, because we all laughed ourselves silly. The 16-year-old provided a critique of how well the movie matched the actual game (she’s a gamer, and Minecraft is one she loves). If you like a childish, zany adventure movie, this one’s for you. It’s a one-timer for me, but we bought it because the 11-year-old will be watching it over and over this summer, no doubt. She already knows the songs Jack Black sang.

I’ve been busy trying to get back my stamina to complete the work I have in front of me. Editing has been going well. My personal space needs some work—straightening, cleaning. While my family pitches in, I like things to be kept in a certain order, so I’ve been trying to give myself little tasks every day to set things right.

In early April, I had my Christmas cacti placed outside on my back porch. It gets morning sunshine only, so not too much for indoor plants. Both plants surprised me with another blooming. Not as many as in late fall, but lovely just the same. The red plant buds are very sparse, but the white is giving more blooms. The picture I’m using for today’s puzzle is one of the white cactus. Have fun!

Solve the puzzle, then tell me some random things that are happening to you in your neck of the woods for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

It’s the Victoria Day Weekend in Canada. It’s a statutory Federal holiday and the unofficial kickoff to the summer season. The holiday has been observed in Canada since at least 1845, originally falling on Victoria’s actual birthday (24 May 1819). Now it’s celebrated on the last Monday preceding May 25.

We call it the May Two-Four weekend to refer both to Queen Victoria’s birthday, but a two-four is also how we refer to a twenty-four pack of beer, always a popular drink on the holiday weekend.

So how do we celebrate:

1. A lot of folks go camping or head to their cabins. I’ve seen snow on the holiday weekend, and I’ve also gone swimming. The weather is unpredictable around here.

2. Drinking. A lot of people will kick back and enjoy a few cold alcoholic beverages.

3. Grilling. Steaks or burgers or hotdogs…something, but food is essential.

4. Campfire. It’s always a nice weekend to have a campfire on the beach. I haven’t done this in years but did a lot of it during my teenage years.

5. Relax. It is a holiday after all, a three-day weekend to relax with family and friends, maybe curl up and read a good book.

Whether you’re enjoying the holiday or it’s simply another Monday for you, I hope you enjoy it.

And if you’re looking for something to read, why not check out SAMAEL, the first book in the Blackwell Brothers’ Redemption trilogy.

Samael
Blackwell Brothers’ Redemption, Book 1

Love her. Protect her. Reap her soul.

Samael Blackwell is the son of Death—and he’s officially out of chances. After centuries of reaping souls with zero regard for the rules, his father sends him to the dead-end town of Redemption. With only a few hundred bucks and the clothes on his back, Sam has one last shot to prove he can do the job right: reap with compassion or lose everything.

It should’ve been easy. Find the soul. Finish the job. Walk away.

Then he meets Adrianne Sharp.

She’s strong, guarded, and hiding from a past that refuses to stay buried. The connection between them is instant—and impossible. Because Adrianne isn’t just anyone. She’s his assignment.

And her soul’s on the clock.

To win back his old life, all Sam has to do is watch her die. But what if the cost of redemption…is her?

He was sent to end her story. But she just might rewrite his.

Want to read more? You can find SAMAEL here:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F2SDQMVF/
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/samael-n-j-walters/1147212495
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/samael-13
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/samael/id6743937757

About the Author

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, assassins, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit her at:
Website: http://www.njwalters.com
Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/gdblg5
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://x.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

UPDATE: The winner is…Martha Lanham!
*~*~*

Yesterday, the 11-year-old was notified that she’d been accepted into band at the middle school to play clarinet starting this fall. Recently, she went through an afternoon of trying out different instruments at her school to see what instruments might best suit her and had narrowed her choices down to clarinet, saxophone, and I forget what else. The school made the final choice for her, based on their needs, but she’s happy. The clarinet was first on her list. I played clarinet in middle and high school band. How I wish I still had that instrument. We’ve looked into buying and renting, and man, they’ve gotten expensive.

It’s kind of auspicious that today is “Buy a Musical Instrument Day.” It got me thinking about the instruments we already own in this house: an old organ, an electronic piano, multiple guitars and ukuleles, and a harmonica. For me, the piano was my first love. I started lessons when I was seven, I think, with a woman who had polio that affected her left hand. She played beautifully with her right, and she was a great teacher. My father brought me a Yamaha guitar home that he’d bought when he was stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War. I got it for my ninth or tenth birthday, I think, and played it all the way through college. Carrying around a guitar everywhere you went was a thing in the late 70s, as was singing folk music and songs from Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar. Yes, I was that cliche.

Anyway, I’d love to hear about any of your musical experiences. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, then let me know whether you played (or play) a musical instrument (kazoos count! LOL).

Free for a limited time!

Happy spring!

My first indie published book has a brand-new cover, and to celebrate, it’s free until the end of the month!

If you read Bad Boys Behaving Badly: Secret Identities and remember my contribution to the collection—”Claimed by her Naga Bodyguard“—that story featuring a snake shifter takes place in the same world as Love Spells, Full Moons, and Silver Bullets.

Love Spells (for sort, cuz I gave it too long of a name!) takes place in a magical realm and features significant role reversals: she makes the money and she’s protecting him. It’s a fun swap.

In the story (which can stand alone but connects into the ongoing series), we get to encounter all kinds or creatures, from the normal witches, werewolves, and vampires, to the unique sirens, hellhounds, and even a minotaur and some leprechauns. I put my own spin on each type of creature.

And you’re not going to want to miss Lucifer, the fmc’s witty, snarky, wise-ass talking black cat!

Grab your copy today!

Here’s a preview:

Ian raced off as fast as he could, but she was faster. Of course, she was faster; she was a fucking vampire.

When she blocked off his retreat, he turned and started in another direction. Her laughter followed him. Like a cat with a mouse, she toyed with him. Mocking him, taunting him, and foiling each escape. He was under no false assumptions. She was playing with him.

“Little human, come with me,” she whispered. “I’d love to take you home for dinner.”

This time, when she spoke, no haze encircled him, just fear and dread. Her laugh was cut short when a wolf howled in the distance. Seeming on alert, her posture changed, and she lunged for him, all her teasing gone. He braced himself for her attack, sheltering his face as best he could, but her weight never hit him.

Mid-jump, something tackled her to the ground.

A beast, something definitely from a horror flick, rose up over her. It stood at least seven feet tall on its hind legs. Brown fur covered most of its body. It had a wide chest and wolf-like features but walked on two feet. Saliva fell from its mouth, dangling from its teeth like some rabid dog. Its attention turned to him but flickered back to the woman when she attacked it, kicking at its legs before launching nails-first toward the creature’s throat.

Movement behind him caused Ian to turn. More wolf-like creatures were barreling toward them, snapping tree limbs and leaving claw marks in the earth.

Abandoning the skirmish, Ian ran once more.

At one point, he’d been in fine shape, his body toned, his cardio excellent, but in the last year, he’d let physical exercise lapse, and now he felt the repercussions. His lungs burned, his legs ached. He wouldn’t be able to keep up this pace for long. He needed to find help or shelter. Somewhere to hide.

He didn’t bother to look back when he heard something, or more correctly, somethings, from the sound of it, in pursuit of him. He simply pushed on. Nightmare or not, it was his only chance. Praying he’d wake up, he tried running in a zig-zag pattern, but something threw him to the ground, and a second later, pain sliced across his back. Harsh, unforgiving, and deep, claws sunk into his skin.

He screamed in anguish, tears rushing to his eyes. Not a dream. So not a dream.

He was done for. This was the end.

Unexpectedly, the weight above him was removed. Ian pushed up a bit and watched as the vampire woman from before fought against the brown wolf creature.

Pushing to his knees, Ian felt blood dripping down his back. His shirt hung off his body, shredded by the wolf-man’s claws.

He staggered a bit, trying to get to his feet. That’s when he felt hot breath against his cheek. Twisting his head, he came face to face with another wolf-man. This one seemed bigger, its eyes black as night, as it stared at him, spittle hanging from its jowls.

Ian swallowed.

The creature opened its mouth and released a horrific roar.

Spit hit Ian’s face. The power behind that fierce sound moved Ian’s entire body, pushing him backward, like a fat pig blown from its straw house by the big bad wolf.

The creature stalked toward him, and once more, Ian’s legs propelled him forward. A few hundred yards, and he dove behind a pile of brush. He cowered there, knowing it was only a matter of time before they nabbed him.

With one hand, he reached back to assess the damage. The wound was deep. Three, maybe even four slashes across his skin. He’d need stitches or staples, and if he didn’t get help soon, likely a blood transfusion.

A low growl drew his attention. He peeked around the pile of twigs and leaves and spotted the two wolves pacing along what seemed to be an invisible line on the ground. Standing against a tree trunk further back was a woman.

“Why aren’t they attacking?” He wondered out loud as he used his sleeve to wipe sweat from his brow.

“Because they aren’t allowed to hunt on my territory.”

Ian’s gaze swung to the newest voice. This new being was just as shocking as the rest, with a purple and black dress that draped from her body, cut high in the front, revealing shapely thighs covered in torn stockings. Brown hair hung in ringlets around her shoulders, tumbling out from beneath a wide-brimmed pointed black hat. One hand was propped on her hip, and the other was wrapped around a corn broom handle. A heavy metal talisman hung around her neck. The green hue of her skin made her look as though she’d walked off the pages of a comic book and left absolutely zero question as to what she was.

A witch. Now there was a witch.

The vampire had been breathtaking, in a drugging sort of way, but this woman was stunning. Her beauty was raw and real. Or maybe that was just his loopy brain trying to make sense of this crazy world he’d stumbled into.

“Your territory?”

“Yes.” Her gaze dropped to him, and her mouth turned upward in a kind smile. “This is my land, and you are safe here.”

“You can’t keep him there forever, Quinn,” a deep voice spoke from behind the pile of forest rubble.

Ian took another look around the brush. Two men, both naked, one with raven hair and the other with sandy brown, paced that invisible line. “He won’t be leaving tonight, Draven. Go home.”

A snarl came from the brown-haired man. “I’ve tasted his blood, his flesh. Give him to me.”

The vampire, presently fixing her wild hair, sighed. “I’m going to find a new quarry. Enjoy your mortal, Quinn. You know where to find me if you want rid of him.”

Ian watched the exchange with interest. In fact, he was quite invested, as it seemed his life was being negotiated.

Faster than he could see, the vampire disappeared between the trees, but the men remained.

“I want him, Quinn. Give him back.”

“You’re wasting your breath, Draven. Leave now, or I will turn away all business that comes from your pack.”

Draven, the man who had taken a pound of flesh from Ian’s back, growled. “This isn’t over.” Then as Ian watched, he transformed back into a wolf creature and fled, leaving the raven-haired man behind.

He exhaled rather loudly. “I hope you aren’t making a mistake, Quinn.”

Ian glanced to the witch, whose eyes narrowed. “Think carefully about what side you’re on, Alec, and about what your conscience can live with.”

“The pack comes first. Always.”

“And you don’t ever let me forget it,” the witch—Quinn—said.

The raven-haired man looked as though he wanted to say more, but he merely shook his head, turned, and shifted into wolf form before following in the direction Draven had taken.

Blinking, Ian tried to make sense of any part of what had happened. One minute he was fighting with Priscilla, and now he was face-to-face with a witch.

He glanced up at her, wondering if he should start running again, but when he tried to move, his body gave up, collapsing in pain.

The broom dropped to the ground as Quinn came closer, tsking softly. “And just what sort of mess have you gotten yourself into?”

Contest

I’m also going to give away a sticker bundle. These stickers will include a few Clayridge specific stickers, as well as some fun “reader” type stickers. To enter, comment on the blog post and tell me: if you were a powerful witch/wizard/mage/sorcerer what would you want your power to be?

Enjoy your copy of Love Spells!

UPDATE: The winner is…Brenda Southard!
*~*~*

As a way to solve my book-hoarding problem and make room on my bookshelves, I’m continuing my Clear My Bookshelf Giveaway! I have a ton of my books, collected over my 20 years of publishing. So, rather than consign them to the burn barrel I thought maybe a bunch of giveaways would be fun. As the first giveaways last summer seemed to garner a lot of interest, I’m happy to offer more opportunities for readers to win a signed copy of one of my old books this summer, too! I bet if I ask pretty-please, my daughter will be on board with making a trip to the post office for me. She loves it when I volunteer her for stuff. 

For a chance to win a randomly chosen by me (I might say, do you want a western, an erotic novel, or a paranormal?) book, which I will of course sign and fill with a bookmark painted by me, tell me whether you have any special plans for the summer!