I’m out of my element here.

My new release, What a Dragon Desires, has a Strong Female Character. Actually, strong isn’t an accurate descriptor because I’ve written strong characters before. Strong as in resilient, fearless, supportive, capable… but Eydís Helvig, the heroine in my third dragon shifter story is more than merely strong. She’s assertive, aggressive, and combative.

And I’m sooooo not.

Which begs the question: how much of me goes into my characters? I used to think there was at least a glimmer of Ava in each of my characters. I could relate in some way to their goals, their strengths, their hurts, etc. Or, at least, my author’s mind could step outside of itself and relate. Yet, for some reason, I really struggled with Eydís’s personality. Almost as if I couldn’t find anything relatable about her (and if the creator can’t relate, what does that say about both the creator and the character?). Yet Eydís isn’t some throw-away, one-dimensional, heartless harridan sort of character.

She was a challenge to write, partially because I was concerned about overstepping the fine line between strong and bitchy. Yes, the term “bitch” is so often (too often) used as a demeaning description for any confident, knowledgeable, vocal woman. I’m using the term to describe a female character who stiff-arms readers into not caring about her or her arc. When the reader isn’t engaged with a character—when they see no relatable or redeeming characteristics—they just don’t care. And their enjoyment of a story plummets, as does the possibility they’ll finish reading the book.

I’ve read my fair share of “strong female characters” who are merely insensitive harpies lashing out blindly at the world (for no understandable or redeemable reason). I hope Eydís doesn’t also fall into that category. After all, she’s a dragon shifter without a dragon. Which means she has an emptiness deep inside that can’t be filled or eliminated and therefore can’t regulate her apex predator tendencies. As a result, she’s aggressive, in-your-face, and combative. Her job involves navigating mostly-male meetings in a mostly-male industry. She has to be confident, knowledgeable, and vocal.

Part of her arc is to smooth those prickly edges. Shocker: the love of a good man helps 😉 A man who accepts her as she is. So much so that he calls her lítill fura… Old Norse for little pine.

While Eydís is allowed to be combative, she can’t be a bitch. Because I need the readers to like her. Which means I’ve kinda written myself into a corner, trying to make her prickly, but not too prickly. And because I am a peacekeeping, non-combative type of person myself (which means, I personally relate more with my hero in this book), I’m possibly more conservative with where that fine line between strong and bitchy actually is.

Uh-oh. Maybe I haven’t made her aggressive enough. 😳

All that angst aside, I’m celebrating a new release! And I’m giving away three kindle versions to random winners. Let me know about your favorite (or least favorite?) strong female character.

What a Dragon Desires

“What a Dragon Desires” is available at your favorite online retailer:
Kindle – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZGWQTN3?tag=avacuvay-20
Nook – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-a-dragon-desires-ava-cuvay/1143253255
Apple Books – http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6446715988
Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=ASLdEAAAQBAJ

Ulrik Drekison serves comfortably at the right hand of his oldest brother. As a Wood Dragon shifter, he is the peacekeeper, serene as the forests surrounding his Minnesota home. When a deadly pest invasion threatens the future of his family’s logging company and the entire state’s economy, he’s primed to battle the infestation but ill-equipped to combat his attraction to the voluptuous woman sent by an opposing company. Unaffected by his Viking good looks and his innate dragon sensuality, she trashes his calm at every turn. Yet, as antagonistic as she is, he can’t seem to walk away from her.

Eydís Helvig was born a dragon shifter… without a dragon. As an apex predator with no beast to back up her brazen attitude, her own clan rejects her and humans barely tolerate her. When she’s tasked to diffuse a small family logging company’s outcry about a bug crisis, she is inexorably drawn by the Drekison’s innate power and integrity, especially the hostile yet passionate brother, Ulrik. She yearns to set down roots she’s never had. But like everyone else, Ulrik and his family won’t want her, especially after her employer’s secret is exposed.

Excerpt:

He nodded once, then palmed her elbow to usher her to his truck. Eydís recoiled from his possessive move. She didn’t tolerate chivalry from men; she was perfectly capable of opening her own doors and shit, and allowing a man to do it for her undermined their ability to see her as an equal. She’d struggled too long and too hard to prove herself in a man’s world. There was no way she’s allow one little action to undo it and plant her into the weak-and-helpless category.

She yanked on the door handle, realizing too late it was still locked, and looked back at him expectantly. He was going to make her wait, wasn’t he? He was going to make her wait until he sauntered over and unlocked his truck, his expression patronizing and looking at her like she was a dumbass for trying to do anything herself.

But he didn’t make her wait.

He clicked his fob and she heard the unmistakable sound of unlocking. “Give the running boards a sec to deploy,” he cautioned when she flung the door open.

She paused and watched the power-deployed boards swing from under the truck, thankful for the boost they offered. Ulrik’s trucks wasn’t one of those cringy overcompensating-for-something behemoths—he didn’t need one; she’d seen his dick—but she was too short to gracefully climb into his cab without the running board.

He was at her side by that point, and held the door while she hoisted herself in. Was she hearing things, or had he caught his breath when she’d leaned forward as she maneuvered into the truck cab? And why did the thought of Ulrik appreciating her womanly assets please her in a far more personal way than it should?

About Ava

Ava Cuvay is an award-winning bestselling author of out of this world Sci-fi and Paranormal Romance featuring sassy heroines, gutsy heroes, passion, adventure… and the word “moist”.

She resides in central Indiana with her own scruffy-looking nerfherder and teen kiddos who think her “Rizz” is “cringe” but she “passes the vibe check” and her books “hit different.” No cap.

She believes life is too short to bother with negative people, everything is better with Champagne, and Han Solo shot first. When not writing, Ava is thinking about writing. Or wine. And she’s always thinking about bacon.

UPDATE: The winners are…Sharon, Jennifer Beyer, and Beth!
*~*~*

Today’s another celebration of an obscure (weird) holiday. I do love those. Every day we wake up is a cause for celebration, right? 🙂

Anyway, I read that this one started somewhere around 2004 and may have been inaugurated by author Donita K. Paul to celebrate the release of her book DragonSpell. If so, thank you, Donita!

We do love our dragons. If you love dragons, of course, you should check out my friend N.J. Walters’ The Blood of the Drakon series. They are excellent stories!

I’ve written a couple of dragons as well. You can win a FREE copy of your choice of one of these stories by telling me about your favorite dragons in books or movies! I’ll choose 3 Winners!

Click on the covers to read more about these stories.

Thanks go out to the fantabulous Delilah Devlin for allowing me to do a guest post for her blog today.

I’m celebrating the release of Passionate Ink’s charity anthology, Hot & Sticky. 2023 marks the fifth year the members of PI have donated their time and talent to this project, and as always, all proceeds will go to benefit ProLiteracy. Last year’s anthology, Holiday Shorts, raised over $2,400, which went to support their mission of worldwide adult literacy. With seventeen amazing authors, this one will be bigger and better than ever.

My story, “Wicked Heat”, is set in the Wicked Magic world, created by my alter ego, Minette Moreau. As the stories in Hot & Sticky are short, there’s always a question of, “What happens next?”

Will Dexa and Soren have babies? If they do, will their children be snow leopards or dragons? What does their house look like? Do they have pets? You get the idea. 😊

It is my hope the following answers some of those questions—and puts Dexa and Soren on the hot seat!

If steamy contemporary romance is more your jam, I have another book coming out TODAY, Friday, August 4. Charon’s Chaos is the fifth book in my Club Apocalypse series. You can learn more about it on my website at https://raisagreywood.com.

Excerpt from “Wicked Heat”

“Welcome back to The Mating Game! It’s time to find out which of our mated couples will win a year’s supply of fresh beef from our friends at the Vanessa Springs Ranch in Wyoming. Will it be Dr. Dexa Khadka and her mate Soren, or Lyric and Todd Warner?”

The host, Chase Miller, smiled at the camera as the canned applause faded, and Dexa resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She couldn’t believe she’d let King Davryn talk her into this, but she supposed he wanted humans to see that supernaturals were just like everyone else.

“Todd, we asked Lyric what you’d do if you had the day off and an empty house. What’s your answer?”

“I’d be sleeping. Definitely sleeping.”

Laughing, Chase held a card up for the camera and a bell rang. “One point for Lyric and Todd!”

“We’re cheetahs. It’s what we do,” Lyric replied, smiling at the canned laughter.

“Soren, we asked Dexa what your guilty pleasure is.”

“Stealing things to please my mate, but I fail to see why I should feel guilt.” Soren frowned at the canned laughter. “Should I have said I did feel guilty?”

A buzz sounded as Chase held up a card, “Dexa said you like to scare the climbers on Mt. Everest when you visit her family.”

“Ah. That is my second favorite thing, but I don’t feel guilty about that either.” Soren lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.

Dragons gonna dragon.

Dexa ignored her snow leopard’s comment and focused on Chase.

“Todd, we asked Lyric what she’d buy if you asked her to get you a treat from the store on her way home.”

“Turtle cheesecake,” Todd replied, smiling at his mate.

The bell rang a second time as Chase held up a card. “Lyric said cheesecake, and that’s another point for Lyric and Todd!”

When the canned laughter faded, Chase turned to Soren. “We asked Dexa who is the bigger pack rat between the two of you.”

“Dexa is.”

“What?” She shook her head; sure she hadn’t heard him properly over the buzzer. “Did you forget your hoard?”

“The score is now two for Lyric and Todd, and zero for Dexa and Soren. Lyric, we asked Todd what always makes you laugh.”

“That old sitcom Dinosaurs.” Todd leaned over to kiss her as the bell rang.

“Another point for Lyric and Todd,” Chase said. “Dexa, we asked Soren which of you is better with children.”

“He is.” The buzzer sounded and she gave Soren a wry smile. “Whoops.”

“Soren said you were,” Chase said. “Lyric, we asked Todd which of you takes forever in the shower?”

“Me. It’s always me.”

The bell rang as Chase held up the answer card for the camera and waited for the canned applause to fade. “Dexa, this is our final question. Which of you is more likely to sleep in and be late for work?”

“Soren.” Her lips parted and she stared at him when the buzzer sounded. “What? You’re always sleeping in.”

Chase cleared his throat and held up the card. “Err. I don’t think we’ve ever had a couple earn no points before. Are you sure you know each other?”

“Yes,” Soren replied without looking at him. “My pleasure is tied to yours, kitten, and nothing you want will ever be denied you. My hoard is yours and none of it has purpose unless it pleases you. You’re the favorite with all the cubs and dragonlets and I can’t wait to have a few of our own. And yes, you do oversleep because I turn off your alarm when you need the rest.”

“Fates,” Lyric murmured. “I don’t know if that’s scary or the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.”

“He’s a dragon,” Todd replied. “They’re…um… You know, dragons.”

Chase stared at Dexa and Soren for a moment, then cleared his throat. “Congratulations to our winners, Lyric and Todd Warner.”

Soren stood and held out his hand to help Dexa to her feet. “I believe I’ve already won the perfect prize.”

UPDATE: The winners are…Debra Guyette, Flchen, and Cindy!
*~*~*

I was a little stressed last week. And it was all my fault.

You see, I have a new dragon shifter book releasing on April 19^th, which means I’m smack in the middle of the last-minute prepwork for it. Final edits, formatting, ARCs, and uploading the final-final-final version to the online retail sites, etc.

But as of the submission of this blog post, I don’t have a final-final-final version of my book. Because I made a rash (inspired?) decision that upended an important aspect of my current book, and all the books in this series: new covers.

I know it might seem weird to rebrand and recover a series before that series is finished. Or even before the second book is published. But the first book, What a Dragon Wants, was originally intended to be a one-off standalone novella. This story is rife with the concept of opposites interconnected to create a whole: a Viking man and a Chinese woman, a white dragon and a black dragon, storms and fire, yin and yang… So the cover was designed to help convey this.

However, right before I published What a Dragon Wants, I made the impulsive decision to turn it into the first book of a series. After all, the hero had three hawt dragon shifter older brothers who absolutely HAD to have their stories written, and who was I to deny them their happily-ever-afters? The Star of the North Dragon series was born as almost an afterthought.

Does that mean the cover concept for my first book works for an entire series? No, it doesn’t. Not without a lot of unnecessary struggle and mediocre results, no matter how talented my amazing cover artist is. So, when I reached out for the cover to What a Dragon Needs, I was made the impulsive suggestion we re-do it all. And I don’t regret it for a second, because my amazing cover artist can work magic.

I’d be lying if I said I gave her plenty of time. It’s my own fault this last week was so stressful. I wanted something to show for this blog. I wanted to send out ARCs with the actual cover and not a place-holder. I need to upload the final-final-final file. Letting brash, ooh-shiny-object author decisions divert me from my vaguely-outlined publishing plan does a number on the stress levels. Ultimately, my books (and readers) benefit from these decisions. My nails will grow back and the new gray hairs will blend with the established grays. But maybe, just maybe, I can learn from this and better plan my work and work my plan. Think further in advance what my book offerings will be. Better outline my—

Oh, what if I wrote mermaid series?!

Contest

For a chance at a Kindle version of my What a Dragon Needs dragon shifter book, tell me of a time when your plans got hijacked by another (better?) plan.

Or Pre-Order via your favorite online retailer: https://books2read.com/b/49VxAk

What a Dragon Needs

Dragon Council Emissary Lucia Bengtsson visits Minnesota’s clan to discover how they thwarted a recent invasion by a long-prophesized World Destroyer. What she finds is a family that welcomes her with an unquestioning warmth she’s never experienced among her own clan members, who have always judged her by the diminutive size of her Light Dragon. Only the sexy yet antagonistic Ivar Drekison offers her support even as he keeps her at arm’s-length. Arms she desperately wants wrapped around her.

Third-born son of the Star of the North clan, Ivar Drekison’s attitude is as sharp and cold as his Metal Dragon’s claws. When gorgeous yet standoffish Lucia arrives to interrogate his family on their battle strategies, he senses an underhanded betrayal brewing. While everyone else adores Lucia and her gentle manners, Ivar clashes with her in an attempt to force the truth behind her visit. In doing so, he must also battle his own overwhelming attraction to her.

What a Dragon Needs Excerpt…

Ivar stood in one fluid motion and headed toward the sliding screen door, his face set in what must be his resting expression of bored disdain. He stepped close enough Lucia warmed from the heat radiating off his body. Or was that her own temperature rising?

“I’m just gonna squeeze right past ya there.” He murmured as his arm brushed against hers, even though there was plenty of room to pass.

If he’d cut her with a knife, she wouldn’t have been more surprised, and she barely halted the instinctive flinch at his voluntary contact. Unfortunately, she couldn’t stifle the soft gasp that passed her lips. She flicked a glanced at his face. Still bored disdain, but with a devious lift to one side of his mouth and a glint of humor in his eyes. Before she could discern his reaction or apologize for hers, he had stepped past.

“Ivar, grab Miss Bengtsson something to drink while you’re in there.” Arkyn called out as he helped Ulrik heap the grilled meats on serving plates.

Ivar’s snort of contempt rumbled in his throat. “I suppose next you’ll ask me to put her food in her mouth and chew it for her.”

Lucia whirled around as the others yelled a chorus of afront from his comment. She opened her mouth to say something that would put him in his place, to wipe that arrogant expression off his face. But what? If she were Lin, she would likely have an arsenal of biting retorts. But she wasn’t Lin. She was the emissary from the Dragon Council, and had to behave in a manner that would reflect well on all of them, her father included. A snappy comeback was out of the question, even if she had one.

So she dipped her head in a show of honor and forced her voice not to tremble. “That would be unnecessary, as I do not have a hot box.”

His smile turned fiendish, like a dragon with a wounded prey. Why the—Helvete! She’d mixed up her English words and said the wrong one. So much for reflecting well on the Council. She grappled with how to correct her verbal blunder and repair any damage, but Ivar’s gaze heated like a furnace and raked her form again, searing the words in her throat.

“Well, Miss Dragon Council Emissary. If you ever do find yourself with a hot box, we can revisit who will put what in whose mouth.” He took a long swig of his beer as if parched. The heat in his eyes cooled as his normal demeanor returned. “In the meantime, we’ve welcomed you into our home. Make yourself comfortable.”

He flicked the empty bottle in a nearby trash can as he crossed the threshold into the house, tossing over his shoulder as he disappeared from view. “That’s English for get your own beer.”

When I started the Forgotten Brotherhood series, I envisioned a unique group of paranormal assassins. They’re not the monsters lurking under the bed. They’re the ones the monsters under the bed fear.

They live by a strict code: Kill only those that truly deserve it and let their gods sort them out. Kill them before they kill you. Never, ever betray a fellow assassin.

It started with FURY UNLEASHED when a fallen angel named Maccus Fury stepped onto the page. Feared by both Heaven and Hell, he’s a force to be reckoned with. Now one of Hell’s bounty hunters has been sent to assassinate him. Trouble is, they’re falling for each other.

Next came ARCTIC BITE and Alexei Medvedev, a secy hybrid vampire/polar bear shifter. He’s been sent to hunt down a missing reaper, who is much more than she seems.

In BURNING ASH, we meet Asher, the father of vampires. He crosses paths with a human vampire hunter, and the both of them become embroiled in a conspiracy to harm the Brotherhood.

BJORNED CURSED—Ancient Viking warrior Bjorn Knutson, the father of werewolves, is tasked by Odin himself to return a woman who’s escaped from the Norse afterlife. Problem is, she’s his long-dead wife, his love. Now they’ll have to fight the gods and Lucifer if they hope to survive.

Nothing was supposed to wake half dragon, half human Lucius from his Deep Sleep, but someone has. Waking a sleeping drakon wasn’t in her plans. Neither was falling in love with him. Love and intrigue challenge their growing relationship in ANCIENT DESIRE.

Last, but not least, is HUNTER AVENGED. Immortal Viking hunter Sven Knutson is on the hunt for an angelic librarian suspected of being part of a plot against the Brotherhood, and she’d led him on a deadly chase. But there is a greater force behind it. Someone powerful enough to take on the most dangerous assassins who have ever lived. Someone who could unleash the fury of both Heaven and Hell. This time the Brotherhood will end the threat to their existence or die trying.

Fury Unleashed
Forgotten Brotherhood, Book 1

Maccus Fury, a fallen angel, is trying hard to keep his sanity. Seems being an assassin might be catching up with him. Now, Heaven, or Hell, has sent a beautiful assassin to kill him. Lovely. She’s pretending to seduce him, and he’s okay with that. She’s smart and snarky—but she has no idea what she’s walked into. And he’s more than peeved that they only sent one person. They’re going to need an army if they want him dead.

Morrigan Quill is one of Hell’s bounty hunters. She sold her soul to keep her sister safe, and now she’s working off her contract by catching bad guys and dragging them back to hell. When Lucifer makes her a new offer––that’s definitely too good to be true—she can’t say no. All she has to do is kill a powerful and crazy-hot fallen angel, who will totally kick her ass in battle.

Good thing he won’t see what’s coming next.

Find FURY UNLEASHED here:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084M1NQ88
Entangled Publishing: https://entangledpublishing.com/books/fury-unleashed
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fury-unleashed-n-j-walters/1136398720
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/fury-unleashed-1
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/fury-unleashed/id1498471438

Find THE FORGOTTEN BROTHERHOOD SERIES here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086BT7QJL/

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://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

When I was a kid, I’d count down the school days until the final bell rang to signal the holidays. I bet you did, too.

Now it can all be a bit overwhelming as you buy and wrap the presents, decorate the house, bake the cookies, do the grocery shopping, cook the big meals, plan and host the parties… It’s enough to make you exhausted before you even start.

As women, we put way too much pressure on ourselves to create the perfect holiday for our families. It’s overwhelming. What it comes down to is letting go of some of the control and not worrying if everything isn’t perfect.

Some of my best holiday memories involve being in the kitchen with my mother baking cookies and cakes. She’d let me stir and add ingredients and, of course, lick the bowl and taste test whatever we made. As a result, I have wonderful memories, plus I can now make all those things for my family and friends.

She also involved us in the making of Christmas dinner. Younger kids can mash potatoes and stir the gravy. Older ones can help with the prep. They can also set the table and do the dishes. It gives them an idea of how much work goes into creating a holiday dinner. And do as much ahead of time as you can. I make my cranberry sauce a few days before Christmas. It sits fine in the refrigerator. Remember, you don’t need to have every dish your mother ever made gracing the holiday table. Pick the family favorites and enjoy them. There is always so much food and treats around the holidays, they won’t miss one or two items.

Draft your kids into duty and have them dust and vacuum. Hey, my sister and I had to do it and it didn’t hurt us a bit. Give your spouse or significant other a list and send them to the grocery store. Make the list as detailed as possible, but don’t be upset if you don’t get a particular brand of mayo or cheese. Someone else shopped. Be grateful and move on.

Cut down on your Christmas list. For office gifts, avoid the hassle and buy gift cards in bulk. They’re the right size and everyone likes them. Pick a local coffee shop. Everyone drinks coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice, milk… You get my point. I buy them in $5 and $10 denominations. And, hey, if you don’t give them all away, you can treat yourself to a nice hour out in January.

Above all else, remember what the season is all about. It’s not about presents or the turkey. It’s about family and friends and hope. It’s about counting your blessings and being thankful for everything you have in your life.

So put the merry back in the holiday this year for you and your family.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!

Ancient Desire
Forgotten Brotherhood Book 5

Nothing was supposed to wake half dragon, half human Lucius from his Deep Sleep. Nothing. And yet something, or rather someone has. The unexpectedly attractive human not only touched him. She kissed him. Now Lucius is awake, and more powerful than he has ever been in his 4,000 years of existence. And once he finds out who led her to his cave, he’ll deal with his 300 years of hunger…

College professor Raine Carson spent her life obsessed with myths and legends. And now she’s woken one up. Only, Lucius is nothing like anything she’s ever seen or read about in her history books. Because this man is part sexy badass and part terrifying…monster. Yet she wants him with a hunger like nothing she’s ever felt before.

Lucius used to be part of the Forgotten Brotherhood—a ruthless group of paranormal assassins. Now he’s unsure if his former Brothers are their allies…or enemies. All he knows is that someone is hunting him, and Raine is just as tangled up in this mess as he is. And he’ll protect her—even if it means unleashing his Dragon and all of its power.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7G3QHRK/
Entangled Publishing: https://entangledpublishing.com/books/ancient-desire
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ancient-desire-n-j-walters/1141872172
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ancient-desire
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/ancient-desire/id6443213388

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 me 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://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

Autumn has arrived with all her splendor. It’s time to pull out the cozy sweaters and wool socks and put the flannel sheets back on the bed. (Did I mention I really dislike being cold.)

This is my favorite time of year. Don’t get me wrong, I love summer—those long, hot days that seem to last forever. But fall is the time of new beginnings for me. There is nothing quite like inhaling the first lungful of crisp, autumn air to make me feel invigorated and alive.

Maybe it goes back to my childhood where each September heralded the start of a new school year. Remember those days of new school clothes, new teachers, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones? The smell of chalk and new textbooks mingled with the unmistakable scent of new sneakers and blue jeans with the tags barely clipped off. There was always such anticipation in the air. The possibilities were limitless.

Nature senses the impending transformation, too. Trees change color, their green leaves turning to a brilliant array of gold, red, yellow, and burnt orange that sets the countryside ablaze. They are putting on their final show before bidding us adieu until next spring. Birds start to migrate, heading for warmer climes. They drop in on feeders in suburban backyards, filling up for the flight south. The small, furry animals that inhabit the woodland areas are scurrying to stock up food for the impending snowy season. Everyone is busy as they sense the coming change.

If autumn is a time of new beginnings, it is also a time of endings. Summer vacation is over and the long, hot days are replaced with shorter, cooler ones. The sun sets earlier each day, inviting the darkness to take precedence.

The nice thing about this time of year is that there are plenty of holidays that invite us to celebrate all the change that surrounds us. Halloween arrives with its ghosts and goblins, encouraging all of us to embrace the dark of the season instead of fearing it. Thanksgiving offers us a respite from the onset of the cold and dark. It is a time of gathering. A time of giving thanks for family and friends and the fact that there is food on the table and a roof over our heads, something I never take for granted.

So instead of bemoaning the end of the summer this year, embrace the arrival of fall. It has vibrancy and life in the midst of death, new beginnings in the midst of endings and limitless possibilities!

Ancient Desire
Forgotten Brotherhood Book 5

Nothing was supposed to wake half dragon, half human Lucius from his Deep Sleep. Nothing. And yet something, or rather someone has. The unexpectedly attractive human not only touched him. She kissed him. Now Lucius is awake, and more powerful than he has ever been in his 4,000 years of existence. And once he finds out who led her to his cave, he’ll deal with his 300 years of hunger…

College professor Raine Carson spent her life obsessed with myths and legends. And now she’s woken one up. Only, Lucius is nothing like anything she’s ever seen or read about in her history books. Because this man is part sexy badass and part terrifying…monster. Yet she wants him with a hunger like nothing she’s ever felt before.

Lucius used to be part of the Forgotten Brotherhood—a ruthless group of paranormal assassins. Now he’s unsure if his former Brothers are their allies…or enemies. All he knows is that someone is hunting him, and Raine is just as tangled up in this mess as he is. And he’ll protect her—even if it means unleashing his Dragon and all of its power.

Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7G3QHRK/
Entangled Publishing: https://entangledpublishing.com/books/ancient-desire
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ancient-desire-n-j-walters/1141872172
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ancient-desire
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/ancient-desire/id6443213388

Check out the rest of the series: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086BT7QJL/

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
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Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters