UPDATE: The winner is Peggy!

* * * * *

I think I’ve mentioned this before… I love writing short stories. I began my career as an author writing novels. Then browsing some calls for submissions, I ran across calls for short stories. I wrote one. Then another. And then another. I quickly discovered I loved writing them. They gave me a chance to reach THE END very quickly, which was hugely satisfying. They gave the chance to try out different genres to see whether I enjoyed writing them. Plus, they gave me stress relief.

Very soon, I compiled quite a backlist of shorties, and I was tempted to try my hand at editing my own anthologies. I put together several projects for Cleis Press, but when the company sold, I decided to release my own personally-curated books. I find it highly enjoyable developing the theme and seeking authors to write stories.

These anthologies were never meant to be money-makers. Instead, I wanted a way to help authors, and me, expand our reader base by sharing our readers and encouraging them all to pick up every one of these books, so I offer them for a very low price to recoup expenses then offer them for free. There’s little risk that way. If you love only one story in 15, it’s still worth the asking price, but I’m betting you’ll discover authors you want to follow.

So, below is what I have so far of my self-pubbed anthologies. You can check out my full list at my Collections website. Coming in January (I hope), will be the next volume, Pirates: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology.

*****

Conquests: An Anthology of Smoldering Viking Romance

Just $0.99!

Vikings. Fierce warriors who terrified all in their path as they raided and marauded, enslaved and murdered during Europe’s Dark Ages.

But these rough men from a rugged land were also sailors, explorers, craftsmen, and highly sought after mercenaries.

Conquests: An Anthology of Smoldering Viking Romance will transport you to the realm of fantasy where such fearsome and loyal men are relentless potent lovers. Whether the lady of the keep demands a few stolen hours of pleasure with a captured Viking warrior or the handsome Northman is the one seducing his captive, you will find plenty of lusty adventures in settings as far-flung as Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Byzantium, Moorish Spain and the New World.

Let your fantasies run wild to a time when men wearing bearskin shirts and shining iron helms could capture a fierce maiden’s heart!

Amazon | Nook | Kobo | IBooks | GooglePlay | Print

Rogues: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology

FREE!

Rogues! Even the word conjures a special sort of hero—a playful bad boy with a heart of gold—at least when it comes to his lady love. This volume is filled with the Jack Sparrows of old—pirates sailing the high seas, Regency-era highway men, modern-day jewel thieves, like Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief—men doing bad things, bending or breaking the law, but in a very sexy way. With thirteen stories sure to satisfy the reader who craves that ultimate bad boy, prepare to have your heart stolen!

Amazon | Nook | Kobo | Print

Blue Collar: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology

Just $.099!

When it comes to love…Blue Collar is better!

It’s time to set aside those sexy billionaires and enjoy stories about the everyday, even sexier bad boys you meet in real life. They may have dirty hands and wear tool belts and jeans instead of Rolex watches, but they’re earthy alpha males unafraid to get down and dirty when face to face with a woman in need–whatever her need may be!

Just a few of the titillating stories inside…

In “Elevation” by Megan Mitcham, an always-in-control policewoman trapped in an elevator shaft gets a sexy rescue from the handsome repairman. A lonely woman drives a thousand miles to meet an oil field roughneck ready for a long night of laying pipe in Mia Hopkins’ “We Drill Deep While Others Sleep”. Jennifer Kacey shows the lengths to which an enterprising gal will go to get the owner of an oil change shop to check her fluids in “The Boss”. And those are just a few of the sexy stories inside this collection about the everyday hero next door.

These are men who’ve built their powerful muscles from hard work rather than inside any gym, and they sure know how to use their hard-earned skills to pleasure a woman…

Amazon | Amazon UK | Nook | Kobo | IBooks | GooglePlay | Print

*****

Contest

For a chance to win your choice of one of my self-published backlist stories or one of these anthologies, answer me this:

1. Are you looking forward to an anthology filled with pirate stories (historical, sci-fi, steampunk, etc.)?
2. What other kinds of bad-boy themed anthologies would you like to read?

UPDATE: The winner is…Buttons!

* * * * *

At some point, the numerous releases will slow down. I’ll reach the end of the stories my publishers returned to me, and you’ll be stuck with only new stories to read. Will you be sad? I know some of you are more recent recruits to my stories, so the oldies I refurb and repub are “brand new” to you, like this week’s Under a Blood Moon. Thanks to everyone who purchased it! Hope you love it, because I’m writing three brand new stories to complete that series! But here’s what else is coming soon!

Coming November 2nd!
The Cowboy and The Widow
Texas Cowboys, Book 2

Maggie McDermott doesn’t know the first thing about horses, but Daniel Tynan is more than willing to show her the ropes. His gentle ways melt her heart, and his sensual passion burns away her inhibitions. Daniel takes the time to love her right.

Pre-order your copy here!

*~*~*~*

Coming November 9th!
Big Bad Wolf
Night Fall, Book 13

Ginnie Martin is a badass. She was born that way. Forged in blood—her own and her family’s. The vampire who saved her recruited her to fight with his small army against the creature responsible for her losing everything. But now, Viper’s asking too damn much. He wants her to open her home to new allies who, until only recently, were their fiercest foes. Wolves.

Calum Fletcher already bristles over providing muscle to a vampire force. Content living in his remote cabin on Dark Mountain, he’s never been much for mixing with other wolves, much less making nice with vampires. He thought he was having a hard time dealing, but the woman letting him bunk in her home wears an even larger chip on her shoulder. Quickly, his new favorite sport is goading her into losing her temper—because everyone knows a vampire’s bloodlust leads to some very sexy places…

Pre-order your copy here!

*~*~*~*

Coming November 14th!
Reaper
Montana Bounty Hunters, Book 1

“As a general rule, Reaper didn’t like working with a partner, especially female partners. When working a warrant, he preferred to keep his head down and follow the leads. He didn’t like the “chatter” that usually accompanied working with a woman.

However, partnering with Jamie Burke had taught him a few things. There were women who could focus on the job at hand without letting silly distractions get in the way of his concentration. Jamie was one of those rare creatures who didn’t gossip, didn’t get into his business, and could actually be useful when shit went sideways and they had to get physical. Her methods of subduing a target weren’t ones he’d ever employ, but she knew how to compensate for her smaller frame and lesser strength. Over the months since their boss, Fetch Winter, had put them together, Reaper had come to admire the woman’s grit and ingenuity.

Case in point was their present predicament…”

See what happens when Reaper has to deal with a ride-along author who, when shit goes sideways, proves his first female partner’s “grit and ingenuity” weren’t just lucky happenstance, and who challenges Reaper’s relationship rules…

Pre-order your copy here!

*~*~*~*

Coming December 12th!
Wolf Moon Rising
Beaux Rêve Coven, Book 3

In Jefferson Parish, deep in the bayou, is a place called Bonne Nuit. Off the beaten path, isolated by swamp and connected to the sea, there the Beaux Rêve Coven thrives. Five witches… Too many demons to count…

Aoife is the most flighty of the sister witches, and she has a secret, one her mother told her to keep close to her heart. Her father was a fairy. Which explains her quirkiness and her affinity for flowers and butterflies. She lives in a cabin on stilts that juts into the bayou, and one of her demon guardians is a werewolf. She’s attracted, but how would he feel if he married her, fathered a child, and that child disappeared into the land of the fae. Plus, she’s being stalked by her ex-fiance, a skin-walker, who has infiltrated the demons protecting the witches. If he can’t trick her into choosing him as a mate, he will take her.

Pre-order your copy here!

Contest

All you have to do to enter to win a small Amazon gift card, is answer me this…

Are you planning to read any of these stories? If so, which one(s)?

It’s heeeerrrrre! Wearing His Brand, that is. If you love stubborn cowgirls, who aren’t afraid to push a guy to the brink of violence, and stoic cowboys, who go wild when pushed…well, you’ll love this story! And guess what? There are five more stories coming right behind it! So, start here. Get ready for more. Nuff said?

Just a note to those who do read the story… Reviews are greatly appreciated! ~DD

An accident involving barbed wire gives Lyssa McDonough the chance to play damsel-in-distress to capture rancher Brandon Tynan’s attention. Brand promised Lyssa’s older brother he’d keep an eye on his kid sister when he went off to war, but the sexy cowgirl tempts his code of honor past the breaking point when her actions beg for his brand of sensual punishment.

A little TLC turns into one hot encounter neither can just brush off. Now, Brand is determined to put the brakes on Lyssa’s reckless behavior—just as determined as she is to find a way to stay in his bed, forever.

Get your copy here!

UPDATE: The winner is…Ann Q!

* * * * *

Hey there! I’m up bright and early today. What does that phrase mean, anyway—bright and early? It’s  dark as midnight outside at the moment. And you know, I stumbled over the “dark as midnight” too. I wanted to write “dark as fuck”, but figured you might not like that word outside of a scene where the F-word is definitely being used as a verb. The “dark as fuck” is a remnant of a relationship I had with an Irishman. He loved that phrase. Now, it slips far too easily off my tongue and fingertips…

So, there was absolutely no point to that opening paragraph. Hope you didn’t mind the meandering segues. I have a feeling it’s going to be one of those days. I have a shit-ton of editing to do today, and how will I be starting my day? I’m headed to the Pumpkin Days Festival, which a little nearby church in the sticks holds every year. The kids always love it, so of course, we have to go. Games, food, PUMPKINS.

Do you have big things planned for today? I have a suggestion! Read the excerpt below from Hard SEAL to Love, and tell me you’re not tempted to find a SEAL book-boyfriend!

Contest

Comment for a chance to win one of my Uncharted SEALs stories
PLUS an Amazon gift card!
Click on a cover to explore the series!

Hard SEAL to Love

Former SEAL, “Big Mac” McLane, is sure he earned all kinds of bad karma somewhere when his next mission with Charter Group is to guard the “Love Boat” and a pretty program director. Okay, so the cruise line is sponsoring a special cruise for wounded soldiers and their significant others—a great cause. Mac doesn’t doesn’t know a thing about spending time with “good” women, but Kylie Hammond is full of surprises. After the initial shock of meeting her, he feels like he has two left feet whenever she’s around. So he’ll do his job, keep it strictly business, fade into the background whenever she’s around, but Kylie seems to have other ideas…

Kylie knows the muscle-bound SEAL isn’t exactly gung-ho for his new assignment, and she isn’t exactly the “princess” he expected, but she can’t be more pleased. The big man’s the yummiest thing she’s ever seen, and coaxing blushes and glares from him becomes her favorite sport. Then someone aboard the ship is killed. The thing her charity most feared—a terrorist attack at sea—appears to be underway. Now, she has to trust Mac and his team to keep her wounded soldiers safe.

Read an excerpt…

Five hours later, Mac stepped through the entrance of the Hampton Inn. The lobby was a study in orderly chaos. Suitcases were lined up and stacked against one wall. Men and women, some in wheelchairs or walking with crutches and walkers, and missing limbs—some multiples—filled the space.

Mac tamped down a feeling of guilt for being able-bodied and whole as he walked through the throng, nodding now and then as he passed the veterans. He headed to the concierge and asked where he could find Kylie Hammond. After being informed which conference room Soldiers’ Sanctuary had commandeered to hand out welcome packets to arrivals, he headed down a hallway, relieved he didn’t have to push through a sea of bodies. He was ready to start this op. Sooner the better. Five days would fly by, and then he’d have the down time he needed to get his head on straight before the next assignment.

Stepping inside the room, he noted two long conference tables filled with plastic buckets of folders. Three elderly men manned the table.

One of them who sported a gray buzz cut and a surprisingly muscular build glanced his way. He lifted his chin in greeting.

Mac decided he was as good a place to start as any and strode toward him.

The old man held out his hand. “Joe Olinksy,” he said, in deep, loud voice. Then he leaned against the table edge and whispered, “You with Charter?”

Mac eyed him then glanced at his two buddies who were moving closer. His presence as part of the security team was supposed to be on a “need-to-know” basis.

Grinning, Joe waved a hand. “We’re part of your support. Eyes and ears only. We’re a little too long in the tooth to be the muscle, but we’re here to help. We’ll be staying in the stateroom next to yours.”

Skeptical that this band of elderly brothers could be of any service at all, Mac drew a deep breath and gave Joe’s two companions another look.

“This is Morty,” Joe said, pointing toward a thin man with a round, pot belly. “And that’s Sly.”

Sly smiled, and his teeth were blindingly white and little too large in his mouth.

“Ex-marines, 3rd Division during Viet Nam,” Joe said. “You a SEAL like Wiley?”

“Semper Fi,” Morty said, grinning.

Mac grunted, revising his original assessment. These guys had seen real action. “I’m looking for Kylie Hammond.”

“She’s out in the atrium,” Joe pointed toward the windows behind him, “getting a cup of coffee. She’s been manning the tables since dawn. And don’t worry about us. We can handle ourselves. After all our help on the last cruise, Poppy made sure to add us to the team. We’ll have your six.”

The three elderly men hadn’t been mentioned in any of the briefings he’d attended back at HQ. Wiley for damn sure hadn’t said a thing, but then again, Wiley had looked a little smug when he’d heard Mac was being assigned to protect his wife’s best friend. He cleared his throat. “Mac McLane by the way,” he said, giving a nod to all three men.

“We’ll see you aboard the Oceanus,” Joe said.

Mac left them and thought about calling Wiley to find out why the hell he hadn’t mentioned his geriatric buddies. Just to bitch because he was already dreading the coming minutes. He didn’t have a lot of experience with Ms. Hammond’s brand of womanhood. He’d served with women in the field, and slept with the women who swarmed bars outside Navy bases, hoping for a hookup with a SEAL.

Women outside those two categories tended to make him nervous. In his experience, women had served only two purposes, as support and/or stress-relief for a SEAL. Not that he looked down on them. He liked the women he’d known. But he hadn’t had to think much about what kind of impression he made or how to talk to them. He could be gruff and blunt. What the hell would he talk about for the days and nights he and the princess would be glued to each other’s sides?

Entering the atrium, he glanced around for someone who fit the picture he’d made up in his mind. She’d be pretty, no doubt. He couldn’t imagine anyone who was friends with Poppy Shackleford and attending her social functions looking any different.

Most of the small round, brightly tiled tables were filled with men and a few women. Probably wives of the wounded soldiers, who’d be accompanying their husbands on the cruise.

One woman sat alone, her head bent over her cell phone which lay flat on the tabletop, a tall Styrofoam cup beside it. Her hair was a mass of dark brown curls. Her body, what he could see of it hunched over the table, was slender. Her bare arms and the tops of her shoulders, revealed by an olive tank, showed well-developed muscles. She wore no jewelry, save for a watch on an olive-colored web strap. Faux military-issue? And now he wondered whether she was one of those who was so enamored of military men she wore cammo pajamas. He’d met a few like that. As he moved nearer, she must have sensed someone watched her.

The woman’s gaze lifted from her phone and locked with his.

As he took in her features, he slowed his steps. Wide-set green eyes whose gaze never wavered, tan skin, rose-colored lips, cheeks that were prominent and high. She was lovely, but didn’t wear a hint of makeup. She didn’t need it. Unbidden, interest flared inside him, heating his blood.

“Are you Mac?” she asked, her voice even and little husky.

His tongue felt thick as he gave a crisp nod and replied. “You Kylie?”

Her smile was a little tight, but she pushed up from the table to greet him, her arm reaching forward.

When he looked down at her hand, with its long fingers and short bare nails, his gaze dropped to her legs. Another shock stole his breath. She wore shorts which ended at mid-thigh, revealing one long, nicely turned limb paired with a shapely thigh that disappeared into the black cup of a prosthetic limb.

Who doesn’t love a bachelor auction? All for a good cause, of course. Add to that a sexy ménage and you have a wild ride ahead.

Welcome back to the Ugly Stick Saloon. For those who haven’t delved into this little bar in Texas, here’s your chance to catch up. BOOTS & ROSES is the 8th book in the series and there are more to come in my effort to re-release these stories after getting my rights back from Samhain Publishing. As I release them, this will be the first time they are in print! Next year, I hope to add new stories to the series, as I love coming back to the characters that made these stories so much fun.

BOOTS & ROSES

Amazon | Nook | Kobo | IBooks | GooglePlay

SOLD! One word buys her two men…

Near the eve of her ex-husband’s wedding to the woman he cheated on her for, Bunny Leigh takes a step on the wild side and bids on a cowboy and a cop at the annual Ugly Stick Saloon cowboy auction for charity. One date. That’s all she bargained for. For the flower shop owner, who hasn’t been on a date in years, it’s terrifying.

Cory McBride, a college graduate and former stripper, teams with his best buddy and also former stripper-turned -sheriff’s-deputy, Jack Monahan, to win the heart of the beautiful flower girl with whom they’re both in love. Rigging the auction so that Bunny has the winning bid, they embark on a mission to woo the pretty lady despite all the barriers that stand in the way. Willing to share her, the two cowboys must convince her one woman can handle both men.

Thank you, Delilah, for this opportunity to be a guest on your blog. It’s exciting for me to be here because I am a fan.

Romance novels – they are the lead story in this week’s New York Times Book Review section. Titled “In the Mood for Love”, the story is not the usual review of a single book. Rather, writer Robert Gottlieb synthesizes a dozen romance novels. His review is a little tongue in cheek initially, denigrating each of the books and the genre as a whole. Ultimately, Gottlieb gives romance readers his permission to read romance. “…it’s a healthy genre, not trapped in its inflexibility. Its readership is vast, its satisfaction apparently limitless, its profitability incontestable. And its effect? Harmless.”

Despite the attitudes of people like Mr. Gottlieb, romance continues to be the top selling genre in the world. One in three books sold on Amazon last year was a romance. Often considered frivolous, romances continue to provide escape when that is what you need. Perhaps this accounts for the success of my own series, where slightly flawed but incredibly sexy heroes among the top .001% of America’s society happen to live with wealth and connections beyond Mr. Darcy’s dreams.

Contemporary romance doesn’t skirt life’s tough realities. It often addresses difficulties with work, finances, raising children, or managing family issues, to say nothing of the frustration brought about by the many things the characters cannot change – illness or family circumstance for example. These heroines don’t just survive, they thrive. That is now part of the happily ever after – good sex, great career opportunities, self-actualization.

Romance has grown as opportunities for women have grown. I have read novels with women wielding guns, snapping whips, using their brains and waving their pocketbooks – all brandishing their version of power. Plus, unlike the days of Barbara Cartland novels, women over 30, 40 or 50 can now find love.

My female characters are armed with their educations, their confidence and their talents as well as their independence – from Keeli, a struggling jewelry designer, to Sloane who holds a place at the boardroom table, to Charlotte, Director of Finance for a female CEO. These strong and smart characters are often based on women I know and love in real life. These women still want love, they still want the fantasy and – in my novels – they get it.

OODLES OF ROMANCE FOR 99 CENTS

For a limited time, you can get a taste of my Beguiling Bachelors series for just 99 cents. For less than a cup of coffee you can get my full length novel, Bedeviled, along with works from 21 other talented authors in Sultry Nights, a romance collection.

Here’s a brief description of Bedeviled:

Can a love be built on lies?

Charlotte Roche is escaping a menacing threat in Boston when she moves to Chicago for a new job and a new man. Alex is smart, sexy and quickly getting under Charlotte’s skin. A shared love of running gives the sassy beauty an excuse to be near her heart’s desire, but can Charlotte run Alex from the track to the bedroom without divulging her past and risking everything?

Alex Gaines, wealthy banker and philanthropist, has held women at arm’s length all his life to protect long-held secrets of his own. Now he is torn between loving the alluring Charlotte and protecting his dual lives. Can Alex trust Charlotte with the truth or is risking his fortune and family to pursue her? Can the two fall in love when they are bedeviled by lies and half-truths?

When danger follows Charlotte to Chicago threatening her safety and their futures, Charlotte and Alex a forced to make a hard decision – choose the secrets of their past or a future together.

Bedeviled is the third novel in the Beguiling Bachelor series, a trio of steamy contemporary romances set amidst the luxury of Chicago’s elite society.

BUY LINKS: For a limited time, Bedeviled is available in Sultry Nights. Grab a copy of Sultry Nights here or Bedeviled on Amazon standalone here or in Sultry Nights here.

About the Author

Madison Michael is the author of the Beguiling Bachelor Series, smart, sexy novels with complex characters set against the backdrop of Chicago’s elite society. Maddy loves exploring her native Chicago to discover new sites, new restaurants and new elegant events for future stories. Follow Maddy on Facebook or learn more about her and her friends by subscribing to her blog.

Website www.madisonmichael.net
Blog www.madisonmichael.net/category/maddys-blog
Twitter www.twitter.com/madisonmichael
Facebook www.facebook.com/madisonmichaelromance
Pinterest www.pinterest.com/madisonmichaelromance
Goodreads www.goodreads.com/author/show/15221601.Madison_Michael
Amazon Author Page www.amazon.com/Madison-Michael/e/B01EVUGG6G

I have tons of short stories, and every now and then I like to offer one to readers who haven’t yet developed a taste for a more concise, raw read. Do you remember when a short story of mine was featured in Penthouse? Yeah, mine’s the “Raunchy Road Trip.” 🙂

Anyway, if you’d like a free copy of the story, all you have to do is sign up for my newsletter. If you’ve already signed up, you can still claim a copy. As a favor to me, will you share this with your friends? This is the story and the link to your free copy!

FREE READ!