UPDATE: The winner is…Pansy Petal!
*~*~*

Hello, Delilah! Thank you for welcoming me back to share my new release.  As you might know, I’m always game to try something new when it comes to writing.  I was approached last year to write a gay romance retelling of a fairy tale and to say I was excited was an understatement.  Several tales were still available, and I snagged The Beauty and the Beast. I didn’t know much about the story beyond the two Disney retellings, so I set about doing some research. Which, of course, included buying the Disney combo and watching the movies again.  The one stipulation on my story was that I couldn’t include magic.  No singing candelabras, dogs as footstools, or little boys as teacups.

Undaunted, I tackled the project and…came up blank.  I knew I wanted to set the story in my Mission City, British Columbia world, but beyond that…I had nothing.  One day, I was chatting with a friend from Australia.  She said she wanted me to either write a story with a Canadian bloke in Australia or an Australian bloke in Canada.  Something clicked.  That morning (about 4 a.m. for me and about 9 p.m. for her), we plotted out a basic story.  About an Aussie forester coming to Canada to study, well, forestry management techniques.  So that was my Beauty – a lumberjack of sorts.  Then I needed a beast.  Since I was already flipping the trope, I decided to go with a slender, petite former model.  In stereotype parlance – a twink.  From there, we crafted out a story figuring out how Beauty (Dean) would wind up at Beast (Adam)’s castle (and yes, I have a real castle…of sorts…)  Throw in a dog named Chip, a cat named Maurice, and a pile of characters from the world I’d already created…and I had the skeleton outline of my story.

Executing this book turned out to be more challenging than I’d anticipated, and at one point I despaired of ever getting it ready to publish.  Toss in two amazing beta readers (one Aussie) and a fantastic editor and…we made it.  I hope readers will love the book as much as I now do.  A very different telling than the Brothers Grimm might’ve planned, but still something worth reading, I hope.

Thank you for letting me visit today.  I would love to give away a $5 Amazon Gift Card to one commenter.  Either tell me which fairy tale you would like to see modernized or feel free to mention an adaptation you’ve recently enjoyed.  Random Number Generator will select one lucky winner!

The Beauty of the Beast
A Contemporary Fairytale MM Romance

Dean

All my life, I dreamed about making the long trip from Australia to Canada to study forestry amid the old-growth stands of the Pacific Northwest. Now here I am, living the dream. Of course, nothing’s perfect. The only housing I can find is renting a room from a grumpy, reclusive guy who doesn’t seem to want me around. I should keep out of his way and focus on my studies, but there’s something about him that keeps drawing me in. I feel less homesick when I’m with him, and maybe I can make a difference for more than just the trees.

Adam

Life as I knew it ended with my horrific accident ten years ago. There’s no point to my existence now, but I can’t seem to stop living, so I hide my battered carcass in my mountain home. There, I can wander from room to room and no one stares, no one laughs, no one even remembers I exist. Until I make the mistake of offering a stranded Aussie a room to rent. It should’ve been a simple favor—two men with our own spaces, ignoring each other. Instead, he’s always close by, and he won’t let me wallow, and what’s worse, I think I’m starting to like that. But there’s no way someone like me can have a future with someone like him. Right?

The Beauty of the Beast is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, set in the wilds of British Columbia, where an Aussie forester a long way from home falls for the untouchable man he shouldn’t want. The novel has moderate angst, a feisty foreigner, and what happens when someone trusts again.

Links:
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Beast-Contemporary-Fairytale-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CN4VXZ2T
Universal Book Link:  https://books2read.com/TheBeautyoftheBeast
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-beauty-of-the-beast/id6499569892
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-beauty-of-the-beast-gabbi-grey/1145522583
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-beauty-of-the-beast-5
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1558154

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.

Personal links:
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Newsletter sign-up:  https://sendfox.com/gabbigrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M
Audible Profile:  https://www.audible.com/author/Gabbi-Grey/B07SJVFX1M
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabbiGrey

UPDATE: The winner is…Colleen C!
*~*~*

The first book I completed was A Change for the Good. It was one of those times when the idea came to me complete. I knew the characters’ names, and scenes were fully plotted. I fully intended it to be a one-and-done. I was new to publishing, and I had so many ideas.

However, Forde and Layla popped into my head, and I couldn’t shut them up. Better was the first book that I couldn’t stop writing. I would open my laptop to write a quick one hundred words here and there whenever I got the chance.

With that book, The Change Series was born. I had no plan, only ideas. I used it as a way to try different things. I wrote about interracial couples, male/male, dealt with mental illness, women who did not want to settle down, and characters who didn’t want children. They were imperfect heroes and heroines who were making changes to get what they wanted.

I finished the last book in 2020 and moved on to other series. Three years ago, a member of my team suggested that I update the covers for the series. Every six months, she would remind me of all the reasons why it was necessary and enlisted others to encourage me to do so.

Last fall, I paid for new covers, and since the ladies who were working on the project had read the books, they had great ideas and insights. We tried to position the series for Contemporary Romance and Women’s Literature (Chick Lit.)

Because I could not leave well enough alone, I decided to go back and reread each book and make a few fixes. I thought it would take forever, but the books are easy reads, and I was done in a few weeks.

As I read each book, memories of the struggle to tell the couples’ stories came back to me. The excitement of knowing that I was on the right path when the words came easily and the pain deep in my chest when they thought they might not make it.

I rediscovered my old friends. In Best, I created the best friend that I wish I had. Billie has been through so much and is damaged. She has PTSD and a horrible mother. She moves to Indianapolis to start over. Soon after, she meets Zoe Alessi from Good and becomes a part of the Forde Limited family and finds the love of her life.

Next came A Change in Perception, where I explored the issue of child abuse and made the mother the aggressor. A book club in Michigan read the book and I was shocked to learn that one of the members was furious that I wrote “that garbage.” The reader believed that a mother would never hurt her child.

I’m still amazed at people who refuse to see.

Cress was a tough character to write. She works so hard but really only lives half of a life. When the book opens, she is trying to take some control over her disaster of a life. She doesn’t have a plan except to make changes. I needed to create a character that didn’t know herself, but she wanted to. She was smart and dumb at the same time. Her new friends and lover gave her a safe space to learn and the patience to make missteps.

My plan when writing A Change of Plan was to make Ramsay Kent, who was a ball-breaker and mistake-maker, likable. When the reader meets her in prior books, she is prickly and selfish. When things get tough, she takes off. Rereading her story years later, I saw a deeply wounded woman who was doing the best she could. It was ingrained in her that she was not worth people sticking with. I paired her with Osi Browne, who is a loner. He’s big and scary and intimidates all. He also has infinite patience and the drive to figure the elusive Ramsay out.

Immediately, I saw similar traits between Osi and The Novus Pack’s most popular male, Lore. They have a personal code. They care for only a few, but if you are one of “theirs,” then they will be loyal.

I clearly remember creating Campbell Talbot from A Change of Direction as a woman who made her own rules. She was single and enjoyed being so. Men were a want and not a need in her life. She was unapologetically independent.

In a different life, I could be her. In some ways, I am.

When she meets Sly, neither are looking for a relationship; however, their chemistry cannot be denied. He puts up with her dating rules because they amuse him. When he finally meets her two besties, he gains valuable insight into Campbell.

She needs to feel that she has control because, in her failed marriage, her husband controlled her with money. When she wanted her freedom, he fought and delayed the divorce to watch her suffer.

The final book in the series takes place during the holidays. I devote a chapter to each couple and give an update on their lives and a hint of their future. The story arc is about Billie and Tye moving into their dream house and their fertility journey. The final scene is during the group’s Christmas lunch. I wrote the damn scene, and I read it with tears falling down my cheeks. I was happy for all of my old friends, but especially for Billie.

After reading the series, I realized that I was writing about what I wanted from my friendships and what I wanted to give. I had gone through a period where I lost my closest writing world friends. There was no big blow-up, and to this day, I still don’t know what happened. One day, we were in a four-person Messenger group, and the next…it was disbanded.

In the Change Series, I created female characters that I wanted in my life. Women that were loyal and could have a problem with one another and not ditch a friendship.

As time passed, I made new friends. I probably moved more slowly with them because I was wary. I wanted to be sure they would be honest with me and understand that I’m far from perfect. I was looking for friendships where we celebrated the good times and pulled one another through the bad times.

Taking the time to reread the books gave me the opportunity to see how much I have grown as a writer and as a person and friend. Hopefully, I’ll be much better.

*~*~*

You can learn more about Melanie Jayne:  https://www.readmelaniejayne.com

And the Change Series: https://www.readmelaniejayne.com/change-series.html

To enter the drawing for a $10 Amazon Gift Card— Who is your Book Best Friend?
(A fictional character that you wish was real and in your crew)

Although the concept of motherhood has, in times past, been fairly narrow—and binary—I believe in a more expansive definition.  We can have “mothers” in our lives who didn’t give birth to us.  Aunties or grandmothers who raised us, foster parents who took care of us, or trans moms who might’ve had a different role as we grew up.

This new anthology of drabbles is a celebration of motherhood in all its many forms.  Of moms in their many forms.  Some stories will make you laugh, some will make you cry (yes, even me), and some will make you reflect on how we all view motherhood.

What’s a drabble? It’s a form of microfiction.  100 words.  Exactly 100 words.  No easy feat – trust me on that.  I love this project so much that I submitted stories under three different pen names.  I’ve had three maternal figures in my life: the woman who gave birth to me, the woman who adopted me, and the woman who guided me into mature adulthood.  My birth mom, my adopted mom, and my step-mom.  All hold pivotal roles in my life.  All mean the world to me.

So from funny anecdotes to touching moments to poetry, there’s something in here for everyone.  And the book has been published in paperback and hardcover – so it’s the perfect gift for the mother in your life – whomever that person is. (Or for yourself, to enjoy the reflections of all kinds of motherhood…)

Flowers for You

One hundred perfect words. A thousand heartfelt emotions.

For Mother’s Day and all year-round, we at the Romance Café are shouting about this collection of perfect, bite-sized celebrations of moms, mums, mas, mothers and other caring figures in your life.

These 100-word stories celebrate the many different ways that carers show their love, from the everyday acts of kindness to the sacrifices they make for their children.

Warning: may cause a sniffle or three.

Authors:
Gabbi Powell
Gabbi Black
Trinity Wood
Kaje Harper
Tami Winbush
L Mad Hildebrandt
Hannah McKee
Lisa Gwizdala-Cody
Alexa Santi
Cara north
Sonja Flowers
Michelle Mars
Tori Fields
Rhianon Ruby
Elaine Reed
Danika Bloom
A. Boss
Niki Brazen
DL Gallie
Mila Chase
Debra Deasey
Susan Horsnell USAT Bestselling Author
Jeanna Louise Skinner
Cecelia Conway
Suki McMinn
Annee Jones
Gabbi Grey
J.E. Feldman
Kathleen Ryder
Sarah Stein
Angela Kady
MacKade
Heather Osborne
Harper Michaels
Sofia Aves
Bonnie Poirier
Ryleigh Sloan
Niki Trento
Yolanda Olson
Sera Taíno
Kat Long
Katherine Moore
Melissa Kendall
LoLo Paige
Aurelia Foxx
Krithika
Vanesa L. Perillo
G.R. LeBlanc
Jade Glas
Brianna Malotke
Tori Fields

Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/TNRC2024FlowersForYou
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Flowers-You-Drabbles-Microfiction-Collection-ebook/dp/B0CH3GBY4K
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198359414-flowers-for-you

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.

For years, I’d driven past a small white house on a busy commercial street without paying it much attention. It had been converted into a coffee shop during the era when coffee shops were all the rage (likely due to the series, Friends). Drinking coffee has always been a thing in these parts but not a pastime. This is more of tea and “Coke” country. And when I say “Coke,” I’m not talking about the illegal white chalk. No, down South, any soft drink is referred to as “Coke.” If you ask someone if they want a Coke, you very well could be offering them a Sunkist or Mountain Dew or even a Pepsi. It’s all understood. I’m pretty sure the Coca-Cola people don’t appreciate that much—but then again, I can’t and don’t speak for the company or brand. That’s just my assumption that they wouldn’t as an issue of trademark genericide/genericization.

Coffee is the drink that gets a lot of people going in the morning and continue going during the day. It was considered by many a staple and not a pastime. For that reason, there was no need for a special place to go “have coffee.” And the reason it wasn’t considered a pastime wasn’t, as I implied, due to its unpopularity. Rather, it had to do with the heat.

It’s hot here in the South, and most people are trying to cool off and not warm up. They want something cold and refreshing. Beer fills that for many people. Ice (or iced) tea is another favorite. Thus, in the evenings, people weren’t rushing for a cup of steaming java. So, how was this place staying in business? The answer is simple. It was homegrown—a mom-and-pop. People went because it felt “homey” and was a place to hang out with friends. Sometimes, there was a band, but most times, there wasn’t. Students went there for a quiet place to study or as a getaway from home where they knew their parents wouldn’t create much of a fuss about them going. It was the quiet little place on the hill.

Then, one day as I was passing, I noticed new construction. And I recall my precise thought. “What used to be there?” It was one of those thoughts that only entered my mind as I was driving by, and then out of sight, out of mind. It took several weeks until one day it dawned on me that the building that was missing was the coffeeshop. It had been completely demolished and the rubble hauled away in less than an hour. What had happened?

The easy answer would be the illness that broke the world in 2020. I’m sure that had something to do with it. It certainly didn’t help. The poor economy could also be blamed. But what I’m guessing was its downfall is always what had made it successful: community support. People like me never really “supported” it. Sure, I always said things like, “I hear it’s really nice.” I never had a negative comment to make about it, but I also was never a customer. On those days and evenings when I wanted a quiet place to write, I always forgot about them. The students graduated and moved away. Friends went off the air. Trends changed. Additionally, before the pandemic, I’d heard some people complain that a few of the servers (who were related to the owners) were quite rude to customers. Because of the blood kin, some customers didn’t feel the rudeness would be addressed and took their business elsewhere. If it’s one thing a small business almost can never survive, it’s bad customer service.

I don’t pretend to know the ins and outs of everything that happened with this business, but I do know that it is a loss for the community. However, there is a good chance that the community could have prevented the closing from happening.

What prompted me to write this post was I mentioned going to another mom-and-pop establishment only to be told that they had closed as well. It made me realize that I took so many of these small, local stores for granted. I always assumed that they would be there. But how could they be if people like me never graced their doors to give them business? It had been more convenient for me to go to a big business drive-thru than get out of my car, walk into the shop, and order from a small business. Because these small businesses didn’t have flashy neon lights or billboards across the city, I tended to forget about them. When I drove by, they faded into the background like shrubbery. But if I want the mom-and-pop stores to stick around, I’m going to have to do better.

Here are six ways to support small businesses.

1. Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday occurs in November, generally following Black Friday. This day is designed to encourage people to shop locally and support small businesses during the holiday shopping boom. Large retailers go hard in advertising and promoting Black Friday sales and keep them going through the weekend. Of course, many have now begun starting their sales on Thursdays (or even earlier in the week) and offering pre-orders. For many consumers, these deals are appealing. However, it is important to remember that many small businesses may not be able to compete like this. So, please remember them and drop in their brick-and-mortar or shop at their online store.
2. Lists. This is so simple to do, yet, many people don’t. Make a list of local businesses and keep the list on your phone or another convenient place. When you need to buy an item, refer to this list first. I had multiple opportunities to purchase my lunch from the coffee shop. I was going to spend the money anyway. But I forgot them as an option.
3. Refer a friend. Many small businesses can’t afford large advertising budgets. They gain a lot of their business by word of mouth. It costs you nothing to give them a shoutout, especially if you enjoy what they have to offer. I see many of my friends on social media now doing this, and I have gone to some of these places as a result of seeing their posts.
4. Mailing list. Ask small businesses if they have a mailing list and to add your name. This way you can keep up with sales and what is going on with them. One small business that I liked to shop (but was a little on the expensive side) moved. Because I didn’t go there frequently (again, because they were kinda expensive), I didn’t realize they had moved. By the time I went to the store, the sign stating they had moved had been removed, and another business was preparing to move it. It was almost eighteen months before I realized they had moved across town to an area that I consider a “destination” shopping ground. What I mean is, there are plenty of businesses in that area and parking is hellacious at best. When I go there, it is with the intention of going to a particular store for a specific item. I’m not browsing or wasting time. It’s not because it’s an unsafe area. On the contrary, the area is extremely nice. However, there aren’t many businesses that have items of interest to me, the layout of the stores is a little wonky, and again…parking.
5. Social media. Along the same line as the mailing list, follow small businesses on their social media sites. It costs nothing and affords customers store and merchandise updates.
6. Reviews. If the business has a place to leave a review, consider doing so. One review can go a long way. Plus, owners like having feedback on what they are doing right and what can be improved. That is what helps a business to grow.

That brings this post to a close. Now, it’s your turn to sound off. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button, and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Future Goals

It’s time to hit the ice again in Future Goals. If you enjoy hot hockey players and steamy romance, this is a sports romance novel for you. Read the rest of this entry »

UPDATE: The winner is…Colleen C!
*~*~*

Madame Marie Selika Williams was born Marie Smith in 1849 in Natchez, Mississippi. The Natchez area of Mississippi had the largest number of free blacks in the state, but the hardships they faced were no different than those of their enslaved brothers and sisters. Not long after she was born, Marie’s family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where a wealthy patron enabled her to study music. She is also reported to have studied the Italian style of singing with Antonio Farini in Chicago. In the 1860s, she moved to San Francisco, studied with a Signora G. Bianchi, then made her debut in 1876 as a concert soprano. She married fellow concert artist Sampson Williams. They remained married until his death in 1911.

Together with her husband, Marie toured and performed in the US, Europe, and the West Indies. Newspaper accounts proclaimed her a “colored vocalist of rare ability.” She is said to have added “Selika” to her stage name from the heroine of Giacomo Meyerbeer’s 1865 opera, L’Africaine.

Thanks to an introduction from Frederick Douglass, whom President Rutherford B. Hayes had appointed Marshall of the District of Columbia, Marie performed in the Green Room of the White House for Hayes, his wife and others on November 17, 1878. This made her the first African American to perform in the White House. After she performed, her husband also sang. A Washington Post article stated, “The several pieces showed to great advantage the remarkable power, sweetness, and versatility of madame’s voice and accomplishments, the “Staccato Polka” especially proving her worthy of her title as ‘Queen of Staccato.'”

That same year she performed at the New York Academy of Music and in 1879 at New York’s Steinway Hall. She toured Europe twice, first from 1882-1885 then again from 1887-1892. Her performances were warmly received there as well. Benjamin Brawl in his book The Negro Genius quotes this from the Figaro of Paris, “She has a strong voice of depth and compass and trills like a feathered songster. Her range is marvelous, and her execution and style of rendition show perfect cultivation.” During the first tour, she gave a command performance for Queen Victoria in 1883.

In 1893, she performed with her husband at the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition. In October 1896, she performed at Carnegie Hall with two well-known African American women singers, Flora Baston and Sissieretta Jones.

Besides touring, Marie taught at a music studio which she opened in Cleveland, Ohio. She retired from the stage when her husband died. At age 67 she accepted a teaching position at New York’s Martin-Smith School of Music. She died in New York, aged 87 in 1937.

Once again, I stand in awe of women like Marie Selika Williams. For a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card, share your thoughts in the comments.

One Breath Away
by Michal Scott

Sentenced to hang for a crime she didn’t commit, former slave Mary Hamilton was exonerated at literally the last gasp. She returns to Safe Haven, broken and resigned to live alone. She’s never been courted, cuddled or spooned, and now no man could want her, not when sexual satisfaction comes only with the thought of asphyxiation. But then the handsome stranger who saved her shows up, stealing her breath from across the room and promising so much more.

From One Breath Away…

He really wanted to dance with her. She blinked, speechless. A warning voice protested.

Resist.

Her heart countered.

Surrender.

She firmed her lips, heaved a sigh then accepted his invitation. Felicity’s sputtered shock and Widow Hawthorne’s happy cackle accompanied them to the middle of the dance floor.

He placed his fingertips respectfully but firmly above the rise of her buttocks and held her in place against him. A tickle invaded the wool of her skirt where the tip of his middle finger rested at the head of her crack. Pleasure tripped up her spine and trickled between her thighs. But, from the recesses of remembered experience, a voice of caution persisted.

He wants something, Mary. Beware.

“Why—why do you want to dance with me?”

He smiled with the serpent slyness that probably charmed Eve. “I don’t think you’d believe me if I told you.”

“I might.”

He turned his head slightly. “Really? Your practiced calm says otherwise.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Practiced calm?”

“The face you present to the world until something touches your heart.” He gestured to his right. “Like when that baby there cried. Your expression changed to one of concern, then changed to one of contentment when his mother satisfied his hunger.”

Mary blew a breath through her mouth. This man was studying her. Really studying her. Should she be flattered or worried?

Buylink: https://amzn.to/2u5XQYY

When my first book was released back in October of 2004, the big debate among those in the romance publishing community was whether an e-book could be considered a real book and if the people who wrote them were real writers. It seems absurd now, but e-books were relatively new and exclusively sold on the websites of those companies that published them. That’s right, Amazon wasn’t selling them back in those days, and the traditional publishers were skeptical.

The e-book business allowed some incredibly talented authors to get a foothold in an industry where it wasn’t easy to break in. These online publishers eagerly sought out new talent, willing to take a chance on an unknown writer. And the gamble paid off as sales skyrocketed. E-books were less constrained by traditional subject matter and expanded the romance genre as a whole.

Then, a funny thing happened. Traditional publishers took note, and they not only began to publish e-books but also signed many of the same writers they’d previously snubbed.

There have been tremendous ups and downs over the past twenty years. Amazon changed everything—on one hand, making books more widely available, while on the other, lowering the amount of money authors and e-book publishers made for each sale. The industry floundered. Some companies went under; others rose. Some authors vanished while others flourished. I’ve been fortunate enough to hold my ground, thanks to my amazing readers.

Then came the rise of self-publishing, giving those technically inclined authors another outlet for their work. I admire any author who takes this route and can make it work. I admit that’s beyond me. I’m seriously technically impaired—you have no idea how much—and I’m also horrible at promotion. I’m an incredibly private introvert in a world that is constantly demanding you put more of yourself out there.

When it comes to books, I’ve always been of the mind that it doesn’t matter whether you enjoy hardcovers, softcovers, e-books, or audiobooks, whether they’re published by a company or by the author. All that matters is that you enjoy the book the author has put their blood, sweat, and tears into creating.

I’m a dinosaur in this ever-changing industry. I do my best to keep up while slowly falling behind, but I’m still here, writing the books I love, grateful to the people who read them.

However you enjoy your books, don’t ever stop reading (or listening). I know, I won’t.

If you haven’t checked out my Lone Wolf Legacy series, the first two books in the trilogy are available.

Protecting the Gray Wolf
Lone Wolf Legacy, Book 2

If they want his immortality—they’ll have to take it…

I’m used to other wolves coming for me. They want their chance to try and take out the infamous Gray Wolf. And every single one of them fails—because lone wolves aren’t like the others…we’re stronger. Harder. Meaner. Immortal.

But it also means I’m alone. No pack. No alpha. Just the three of us—white, gray, and black. Two too many, if you ask me.

But with power-hungry mages gunning for us, I don’t have the luxury of reflection. They’re in New York City, and I Will. Hunt. Them. Down.

Which is when I see her, and every cell in my body is on alert, filled with the kind of primal longing I never knew I was capable of. Luna West may be human, but there’s some kind of thread connecting us. Call it destiny, fate…or voracious animal hunger.

I know she’s bait. She’s meant to tempt me, to make me weak. But even if I could resist her, I’m not sure I want to.

Because I’ve never denied my wolf anything…especially the chance to raise some serious hell.

And I’m not about to start now.

Author Note: This book is told in third person point of view, even though the blurb is in first person.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSXC8HTG/
Entangled Publishing: https://www.entangledpublishing.com/books/protecting-the-gray-wolf
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/protecting-the-gray-wolf-n-j-walters/1144686015
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/protecting-the-gray-wolf
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/protecting-the-gray-wolf/id6476511670

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

The calendar says it’s springtime, but winter hasn’t given up its icy grip in my neck of the woods. There is still snow piled around and a distinct chill in the air. I both envy and enjoy seeing pictures from my online friends featuring the flowers and trees that are starting to bloom where they are. We have weeks, if not a couple of months, before we get to that point. It’s not uncommon to have snow in May.

Spring is a time of optimism and renewal. I tend to hibernate during winter, but with the lengthening days I have more energy and feel more hopeful. Easter is also early this year, which adds to growing sense of springtime. There may not be daffodils outside, but I’ll buy a bouquet of flowers to brighten up the place.

I love the first day it’s finally warm enough to throw open the window and air out the place after months of being closed up tight. Time to chase out the dust bunnies and get to spring cleaning. Spring tends to be cold, foggy, and rainy, but it makes the sunny days all the more special. I look forward to the day when I don’t need multiple layers and about eight pounds of outerwear just to step outside the door. Nothing I enjoy more than taking a walk on a sunny day and feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin.

What are you looking forward to this spring?

If the weather isn’t nice where you are, maybe you can curl up and enjoy a good book. If you haven’t checked out my Lone Wolf Legacy series, the first two books in the trilogy are available.

Protecting the Gray Wolf
Lone Wolf Legacy, Book 2

I’m used to other wolves coming for me. They want their chance to try and take out the infamous Gray Wolf. And every single one of them fails—because lone wolves aren’t like the others…we’re stronger. Harder. Meaner. Immortal.

But it also means I’m alone. No pack. No alpha. Just the three of us—white, gray, and black. Two too many, if you ask me.

But with power-hungry mages gunning for us, I don’t have the luxury of reflection. They’re in New York City, and I Will. Hunt. Them. Down.

Which is when I see her, and every cell in my body is on alert, filled with the kind of primal longing I never knew I was capable of. Luna West may be human, but there’s some kind of thread connecting us. Call it destiny, fate…or voracious animal hunger.

I know she’s bait. She’s meant to tempt me, to make me weak. But even if I could resist her, I’m not sure I want to.

Because I’ve never denied my wolf anything…especially the chance to raise some serious hell.

And I’m not about to start now.

(Author Note: This book is told in third person, even though the blurb is in first person.)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSXC8HTG/
Entangled Publishing: https://www.entangledpublishing.com/books/protecting-the-gray-wolf
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/protecting-the-gray-wolf-n-j-walters/1144686015
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/protecting-the-gray-wolf

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