UPDATE: The winner is…Rhonda Spencer!
*~*~*

I’m scribbling down ideas for the new bounty hunter office in Dead Horse, MT. Now, I need to cast my characters. New hunters to add, for sure. New townsfolk to populate the place. I want to “build out” the town more than I did in the original Bear Lodge town. Dead Horse is located close to Yellowstone, so I have to keep that in mind. In addition to hunters, I’m thinking local sheriff, deputies, ranchers, cowboys, diner waitress and cook, football coach, etc. People you expect to “see” in a small town, and some of the seedier folks, too, who can be part of the scene my hunters operate inside.

So, for fun, and for a prize, how about you make some suggestions. I might not use your idea, but it might spark an idea for me. And if you do see your character in the pages of one of my stories, you can have bragging rights! 🙂 So, for the chance to win a free download of any of my Montana Bounty Hunter stories, suggest away…

And remember, I already have the main character of the first book named…

[click to pre-order!]

Open contests! Enter while you can!

1. Do you love this cover? (Contest) —  Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Answer one question! (Contest) — Win a free download!
3. Any ole reason to party…and open contests! (Contest–2 winners!) — Win a free short story!

UPDATE: The winner is…Jennifer Beyer!
*~*~*

Ready for a new Montana Bounty Hunter agency? It’s already up on pre-order here: Cage. After Brian’s story released (Didn’t get your copy? Order it here: Brian), the agency at Bear Lodge is pretty full up of hunters and their women. I figure that with their success (catching lots of bad guys, the reality show), Fetch Winter, the guy who owns the business, can afford to open another satellite agency. This one will still be in Western Montana, but farther south, close to Yellowstone.  This guy, Cage, is one of Fetch’s new hires, and I’m thinking that some of the hunters from Bear Lodge are going to have to show him the ropes, so you aren’t seeing the last of Reaper and his crew just yet. 🙂

Want to know what Cage’s story is all about? Me, too. I’ve only got this, so far: A former SEAL and MMA fighter, and now, newly minted bounty hunter, has to hunt down his first skip…his ex-wife!

Liberty Ireland gave me the idea of calling the new Montana Town “Dead Horse” — Thank you, Liberty! Now, I’m seeing all kinds of ways of using it. For instance, the local high school football team’s motto will be: “Can’t beat a Dead Horse!”

I have three books to plow through before I write this one, so plenty of time to make notes for fun things to happen to my guy and his underground fight promoter ex-wife. Offer up some ideas, make them as crazy as you like, and you’ll be entered to win a $5 Amazon gift card. Have fun with it. Have them hunting aliens! Just let your imaginations go!

Also, here’s what’s coming next. Two are already available for pre-order. Just click on the covers!

Lawless is Book #5 in my Cowboys on the Edge series. I don’t have it up for pre-order just yet, but that’s going to happen soon. The plan is to have it out by April 28th!

And Hot SEAL, Decoy Bride is part of the SEALs in Paradise series. It releases May 19th!

Cage’s story? I’m shooting for late June!

Brian’s book is finally here! I hope you all rush out and get it! I loved writing it. The story has all the elements you expect from a Montana Bounty Hunters story—strong heroine, to-die-for-hero, danger, hot-as-hell sex—but Brian is more. He’s a physically challenged man who learns he is still a hero. You’ll see. I know you’ll love him!

Here’s what the story is about (GO GET YOUR COPY! I can’t wait to hear what you think!)…

Brian

MONTANA BOUNTY HUNTERS: Authentic Men… Real Adventures…

The haunted gaze of one wounded warrior sparks a challenge in a woman determined to help him regain what he’s lost whether he wants her help or not…

Physical Therapist, Raydeen Pickering, has seen her fill of stubborn veterans, some too angry to get on with their lives, some still living in hell in their minds, and then some unwilling to let their broken bodies hold them back. She hasn’t figured out which Brian Cobb is yet. The first time she met the handsome, wounded warrior, he was wary and defensive, his gaze always sliding toward the door, looking for as a quick escape from the Soldiers’ Sanctuary meetings.

Even now, there’s something about the ex-Army MP, now bounty hunter wrangler, that sets him apart from the other men she’s helped mend. There’s something more–not just the haunted look in his eyes or the stubborn set of his chin. The way he looks at her when he thinks her attention is elsewhere gives her hope that she’ll reach him, and that he’ll let her help him regain more of what he’s lost.

First though, he has to figure out he’s in love with the wrong woman. The one he needs is right here, and if she has to do the chasing, so be it, because those looks he gives her have rekindled a fire she thought was lost forever…

Available in ebook!
FREE in KU for a limited time!
Also available in print!

More Montana Bounty Hunters

Just in case you missed any…

Reaper: https://amzn.to/2NztLpv
Dagger: https://amzn.to/2zo6Dav
Reaper’s Ride: https://amzn.to/2KKkisI
Cochise: https://amzn.to/2zq4avV
Hook: https://amzn.to/2UrpyYh
Wolf: https://amzn.to/2yUTjr5
Animal: https://amzn.to/2H4Roob
Big Sky Wedding: https://amzn.to/2uu0JTu
Quincy: https://amzn.to/2QlleM8
Brian: https://amzn.to/2Uzn8JB

UPDATE: The winner is…Ani!
*~*~*

Tomorrow’s the day! Brian releases into the world sometime after midnight, and I hope you’re ready. I love the story, and I think you will, too. But that’s not why I’m here right now.

I’m nine stories into my Montana Bounty Hunters series, and I think I’m done with the boys and girls in Bear Lodge, Montana. Psst! I’ll tell you a secret. Bear Lodge, MT is not a real place. In my mind, it’s tucked in the northwest corner of Montana, but with easy access to the Canadian border, Glacier National Park, the Kootenai Forest, Flathead Lake, etc.  When I started the series, the guy who ran MBH, silver fox Fetch Winter, was looking to expand his business in Kalispell and put partners Jamie and Reaper in charge of the new satellite agency.

So, now I have a couple of ways I can go to continue the series because I love my bounty hunters and I’m not ready to give up writing about their crazy, extreme lives. I’m thinking you’re not ready either. So, this is what I need help with…because I’m busy starting a new book in a new series, and I don’t want to think too hard! 🙂

For a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card, help me decide my course.

#1 Does Fetch want to open a new satellite office, with some so far unknown new manager, somewhere else in Montana or does he want to move his office from Kalispell? I don’t want to write in Kalispell because I’d just as soon build my own little town in my mind rather than have to write about places in Kalispell that I’ve never visited.

#2 This town, that’s not Kalispell, what should I name it? Have fun with this one! Just put some ideas forth and let’s see where they go!

If I get enough cool ideas, I might run a poll to see which name readers love the most.

In the meantime, below are all the yummy covers from the stories that are in my Montana Bounty Hunters series. If you’ve missed a story, the links are below! And here’s me hoping you already have Brian on pre-order, waiting for it to download something after midnight…

MONTANA BOUNTY HUNTERS
Authentic Men… Real Adventures…
Reaper: https://amzn.to/2NztLpv
Dagger: https://amzn.to/2zo6Dav
Reaper’s Ride: https://amzn.to/2KKkisI
Cochise: https://amzn.to/2zq4avV
Hook: https://amzn.to/2UrpyYh
Wolf: https://amzn.to/2yUTjr5
Animal: https://amzn.to/2H4Roob
Quincy: https://amzn.to/2QlleM8
Brian: https://amzn.to/2Uzn8JB

UPDATE: The winner is…Debra Guyette!
*~*~*

Book #9 in my Montana Bounty Hunters saga isn’t actually Book #9 in Brian’s story.

Brian first appeared in Big Sky SEAL, which was Book #10 in my Uncharted SEALs series. I made the heroine of that book a bounty hunter and liked writing about her bounty hunter partner, Reaper, and her wounded vet best friend, Brian, so much, I decided to write another series, so Montana Bounty Hunters was born! Brian also appeared in Big Sky Wedding, which lives in the MBH world, but isn’t actually a “numbered” book in the series, so readers have seen quite a lot of Brian over the past couple of years.

I dragged my feet writing his story. His required more research than the other stories. Plus, I had to think of ways to make my wounded guy “heroic”. Yes, he was a veteran who lost his legs in the desert—he’s already a hero—but I wanted to give him a chance to grow and to learn that losing your legs doesn’t make you less. Brian had to get his chance to grow and shine. And I think I accomplished that. As well, I wanted to depict his daily struggles, dealing with his disability, without making the story maudlin, if you know what I mean.

Deeply angsty stories aren’t something I write because that’s not who I am. The thought of going into depression while I read or write a deeply angsty book gives me hives. When I’m “forced” to watch a deeply angsty movie, I tend to yell at the screen—“Get over yourself!” I do know lots of people enjoy that kind of read, but I really do have to wonder why they need to “live” in that misery for however long the story takes to reach THE END. 🙂

So, back to Brian. I think it’s a moving book. But it’s also action-filled, sexy as hell, and funny. Getting all these things to happen inside a book about a wounded vet who hasn’t resolved all his issues wasn’t easy, but once I had the story in my head, I swear I wrote it in like eight days. It was just all there.

Finding the art to make the right cover, however, took forever. I needed the right guy to portray this description I wrote in the blurb of the book: There’s something more—not just the haunted look in his eyes or the stubborn set of his chin. The way he looks at her when he thinks her attention is elsewhere gives her hope that she’ll reach him, and that he’ll let her help him regain more of what he’s lost. 

Brian yearns for more, although he denies it. I needed a guy who could portray that yearning without looking like a wimpy wuss. And I needed a picture that could be adapted so that I didn’t display his legs because, from below the knee, he has none. Not yet, anyway.

Solve the puzzle. Enjoy it!

And if you haven’t already pre-ordered the book, do so now! It drops on Monday!

Solve the puzzle, then tell me whether you’re one of those who loves a deeply depressing, angsty kind of book or are you more like me, impatient with them, for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Keri Richards!
*~*~*

Hello all and many thanks for Delilah for having me on her blog.

February is the month of love…and Valentine’s Day, and chocolate!

Did you know there’s a stimulant in chocolate called Theobromine (spell and/or say that twice) a bitter alkaloid found in cocoa and chocolate that affects the central nervous system to release endorphins for pleasure? Incidentally, it’s also the ‘cousin’ to my other favorite stimulant: caffeine. A match made in stimulant heaven.

Sign me up!

In the quaint town of Havenport Rhode Island, the fictional backdrop of my stories, there’s a shop and bakery called Led Zeppoli. In almost all of my stories, I mention the bakery’s famous chocolate croissants and exotic blends of coffee. Caffeine fuels my creative genius…well maybe not genius, but it certainly helps me come up with ideas and stay awake.

Led Zeppoli is a play on words between a certain famous four-member English rock group from the sixties and another decadent treat: the Italian zeppole. Ah yes, the zeppole, a fried dough cookie covered in massive amounts of powdered sugar.

Have you ever tried one? No? Well then get to getting because they are heaven in a greasy bag.

Where I grew up in Staten Island, NY was a popular pizza place called Pizza Town, which was located in walking distance from my high school. Besides the best pizza on the planet, Pizza Town sold zeppole and man, oh, man were they delicious. When you opened the white paper bag the powdered sugar puffed a white cloud of sweet goodness into your face.

Many days after school, I would “hang out” with friends at Pizza Town. It’s where I groused about homework and boys, prom dates, and how much Aquanet we put in our hair. Yes, it was the eighties after all. And it’s where I had many conversations with my high school crush who was tragically unaware of my deep-rooted feelings for him. Incidentally, we are still friends but sadly, the old building that was Pizza Town was torn down years ago.

Good memories, indeed.

What makes you get up and go? Coffee? Tea? Soda? All three have caffeine and I find the older I get the more I need something to help me start my day.

One lucky commenter will be chosen at random
and win a $10 Dunkin gift card.

Rescuing the Ranger

Now onto my latest release: The hero and heroine in my latest story, Rescuing the Ranger are Gabe Preston and Francesca Montefiore. Francesca grew up in Little Italy, NYC and now lives in Havenport and owns the florist shop. She loves the small town, which reminds her of the old neighborhood she left behind. When she volunteers her time to help write letters to the troops, she finds an unexpected connection to Havenport and one sexy, former Army Ranger, Gabe who’s in for a visit. And, when her past comes back to haunt her, Gabe comes to the rescue.

Here’s an excerpt to whet your appetite…

God, she hated making him feel any kind of stress. As much as this connection of theirs felt like a million bucks from the first correspondence, in her heart she knew it would cost him. Getting close to anyone again was dangerous. For him and for her.

How Pete had found her was anyone’s guess.

“Look, Gabe. You said it yourself, you’re decompressing after those tours of duty and I…” She stopped, shaking her head, wanting to warn him away. “I’ll destroy you.”

Her voice broke from exhaustion and worry and…damn it, caring and concern for him stuck in her throat. “My past will eventually annihilate this friendship we’ve built with our letters. It’s best if you don’t get mixed up in it, believe me. That’s one of the reasons I never sent you the email. You don’t deserve it.”

She felt compelled to warn him. Hell, he’d survived war as a Ranger, and she wasn’t about to be the person to bring him harm, not when Adele needed him.

His eyes widened before he let out a cynical laugh.

“You? Destroy me?” He crowded her, pushing her back and against the bedpost. His hands wound around her waist, but she couldn’t look up at him, so she fixated on the perfect vee between his pecks. “That’s not possible. My bike helmet weighs more than you.”

“Not physically,” she whispered. “Here, and here.” Frankie finally glanced up and traced his creased temple with her index finger before flattening her palm on his shirt above his heart. God, he was so solid. It would be easy to lean in and borrow his strength. “I know you went through something traumatic back in Afghanistan. I can tell. Those puckers on your hands feel like burns.” At her words, his face paled. “And, you don’t need more strife.”

He closed his eyes for a second and his jaw locked. “You’re so fucking sweet-natured.” He caressed the side of her cheek. She wanted to melt into his touch.

“Don’t you worry about me, and this isn’t just a friendship. You feel it. Don’t deny it. We’re good together, baby. And believe me, you can’t destroy me. Truth is—you kinda saved me.”

Get your copy of Rescuing the Ranger on Amazon. Available in Kindle Unlimited, too: https://amzn.to/2RstmrF

Have a fantastic February filled with love and lots of chocolate and coffee!

Visit me on social media at:
Nicole S. Patrick website: www.nicolespatrick.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicoleSPatrickauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NicoleSPatrick
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoles.patrick/

To paraphrase Forest Grump, “Publishing is like a bucket of unshelled peanuts. The only way to know what’s inside is to put the gritty, ole thing in your mouth and bite down.” Ouch!

Moral: Publishing is a tough nut to crack. And sometimes even if you do crunch your way through the shell, you disappointingly find only one nut instead of two. To borrow another famous phrase—this one from a Northern invader/philosopher 🙂 —“War is Hell.” But what did General Sherman know? He was only fighting a war. We’re talking about getting a manuscript published.

When we write a book, the vision most of us have in mind is row after row of our book covers lining the shelves of a bookstore like Barnes & Noble. Our name at the top of the New York Times Bestseller list and the USA list and (what the heck, might as well go whole hog) named top seller on all the European lists, too. Producers elbowing each other out of the way to get us to sign over movie rights. Nice thought, isn’t it?

Unfortunately, few people accomplish that dream. Many of us languish, writing book after book, sending out query letters by the ton and waiting. Our children grow older and have children of their own, when at long last the prized, long-awaited letter arrives from Dorchester (or insert the name of any publishing house you choose). We snatch it from the mailbox, tear open the envelope with trembling fingers and… “Sorry, but your work doesn’t fit our needs at the moment. Good luck with your writing endeavors.”

Well, thanks for nuthin’, bud.

So here’s my recommended cure for the print effort blues. Try an electronic publisher.

Why go with an electronic publisher for your work? There are several reasons. First, you’ll get a response to your query before you’re being wheeled into the retirement home. Many e-pubs will respond in two weeks, though some may take a couple of months. Still better than most print pubs.

Second, unlike the old days (and may I say, unlike self-publishing), once you’re accepted, you’re very likely to have some fine editing, which all of us need (be honest!). And if you’re as lucky as me, you’ll get some fabulous cover art, too. Gone are the days when e-publishing suffers under the reputation of producing only poor quality plots and lousy editing. Likewise, the days of horrible poser cover art is mostly gone. Many of today’s e-pub artists compete very favorably with artists at big-name publishing houses.

Next, once you’re established with a company, e-pubs will typically take simultaneous submissions. It’s not at all uncommon to have several e-books released in a year—maybe more if you’re prolific and with more than one publisher. My first year, Liquid Silver released four of my novels, two short stories, and a novella. Try having that kind of exposure with any print publisher. In this business—as in most other endeavors—name recognition is vital. Believe me, gaining that recognition is far easier with an e-publisher than with one book a year (or maybe two if you’re lucky) with a print publisher.

Finally, finding some success with an e-publisher helps build your credentials when you finally do give in and submit queries to agents and editors. Being able to say you have ten books completed, edited and released, with a reader base, is a lot better than saying you have a couple of untouched manuscripts lying under the bed you’d like to send for consideration.

To submit to e-publishers, the rules aren’t any different than those for print pubs. Look up the websites, check the submission guidelines and go for it. After you’ve finished the masterpiece, of course.

And there’s an operative word: completed (not masterpiece—that goes without saying). Make sure you’ve finished The Great American (or French or Bohemian, or whatever) Novel before querying. Once you do, to borrow another phrase, you’ll be one of the few, one of the proud—a worthy goal no matter where you’re trying to be published.

~Dee S. Knight

Dee’s latest book is written as Anne Krist, and is a non-erotic romance, Burning Bridges.

Burning Bridges

Letters delivered decades late send shock waves through Sara Richards’s world. Nothing is the same, especially her memories of Paul, a man to whom she’d given her heart years before. Now, sharing her secrets and mending her mistakes of the past means putting her life back together while crossing burning bridges. It will be the hardest thing Sara’s ever done.

“Ms. Krist has a heart-warming, emotional story on her hands. … This is one I highly recommend!” 5 Cups, Krista, Coffee Time Romance

“I did not want this story to end. Fans of romance should place Burning Bridges at the top of this summer’s reading list.” 5 Stars, Anne, Review Your Book

Buy link: KU mybook.to/BurningBridges

About Anne Krist

A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.

After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website. Also, once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity. Contact Anne at annekrist@nomadauthors.com.

Website: https://nomadauthors.com/annekrist/index.html