I love to read about werewolves. I could name all my favorite authors who have created rich worlds full of werewolves, but that would take too much time. They all write fantastic sagas about pack rules and the relationships between the fierce and furry. Consequently, whenever I considered writing about werewolves, I’d lose my nerve. I wrote cat shifters and science fiction, demons and elves, but I always lost my nerve when I considered penning the tale of a werewolf.

Then I finally decided to take the plunge. It wasn’t easy. (It never is!) First, I had to figure out the mechanics of a werewolf universe. How did the characters shift from human to wolf form? Would it be a bone-splitting painful wrench or just a beautiful shimmer of magic? Were new werewolves made or born as shifters, or both. If they were made, how did that happen? The always popular bite? Or something else? And of course, why would my world be different from those of the afore-mentioned great authors?

One big difference came to mind right at the start. The Northern Rocky pack in situated where I currently live, making it easy for me to describe background features. I have never read of another author creating a werewolf pack with its headquarters up here in the Rockies, so I wasn’t infringing on an existing series. You know how territorial a wolf pack can be!

Since I lived a good part of my life in Northern Ontario, I am well acquainted with how wolves look and sound. Packs of wolves carve out their territory there and hold it against invading newcomers. The sight of a dark shadow loping across a snowy field, or the sound of an eerie howl echoing in the chill of a fall morning is commonplace. A rock cave in the bush across from our home hosted a new litter of wolf cubs each year, and if we were very quiet and very lucky, we could perch on a hill above them and watch the young ones through binoculars as they tumbled and played in the spring sunshine. So describing wolf behavior wasn’t a problem for me.

There are distinctive differences between wolves and dogs. The way they walk, how they hold their heads, even their reactions to people and other animals differ greatly from our domestic friends. I hope I’ve been able to convey some of those in the descriptive passages of the two stories in this duet.

This first book consists of two stories which is a great way to meet the wolves of the Northern Rockies Pack. I hope you enjoy Seducing Destiny and Dark Kisses. The next book in the series will be released in January of 2020, and I will provide some tidbits between now and then. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek!

Seducing Destiny

Jack, the alpha of the North Rockies pack, knows Destiny needs some time to come to grips with her werewolf heritage before he springs the whole mated for life thing on her.

Destiny has no intention of buying into the whole pack mentality, howl at the full moon thing. Sure, she practically drools at the sight of red meat, but that’s no reason to give up her comfortable life. Besides, she already has a boyfriend, a slick up-and-coming lawyer.

But when a band of rogue werewolves move into the area, Jack can’t afford to have his attention divided. He needs to convince Destiny that she belongs both in his pack and in his bed so he can concentrate on the new threat.

EXCERPT

Destiny stared in dismay at the box in the middle of her kitchen table. Her stomach lurched, a ball of anxiety settling in the very middle of it. Small by most standards, gold gilt covered the entire box, giving it an exotic look. An artfully tied crimson bow surrounded by curls of white lace sat cheerfully atop it, adding to the air of decadent luxury.

She knew who’d put it there, and she knew why. Jack. The Alpha of the Northern Rockies werewolf pack. The man who made her knees feel weak whenever she glimpsed him walking down the main street, or lounging at a local coffee shop. The man who’d made it plain that he intended to be her mate.

The absolute last man on the face of the planet that she intended to get serious about.

She had a boyfriend, one carefully picked with the future in mind. A trial attorney she’d met when she attended a convention in Calgary, Quentin Karnes had everything she wanted in a mate. On the fast track to a partnership in his prestigious law firm, he was cultured, rich, and moved in the highest social circles. Their children would grow up attending private schools, vacationing at the most prestigious resorts, dressing in the latest fashions. They’d want for nothing.

She’d worked hard to carve out a niche for herself in Riverton. Her accounting office catered to farmers and small businessmen, and she’d slowly managed to gain a reputation of being the person you wanted on your side when the government called to audit your tax returns.

She steeled herself and reached for the box. It wasn’t much bigger than a deck of cards, and she held it in her hand, somehow hoping that wishing would make it go away. When she’d moved here two years ago, she’d made it clear to Jack and every other member of the pack that she didn’t intend to join their little social group. She preferred to run alone. She hadn’t grown up in a pack, and if she could, she’d ignore her inner wolf entirely. So what if the sight of a full moon awakened an overpowering urge for a steak with the blood oozing out the sides? A girl needed to curb her baser instincts and make plans for the future.

No point in putting this off. Her sensitive nose could smell Jack all over the damn thing. She caught the trailing lace between a thumb and forefinger and gently undid the bow, dropping the cheerful piece of ribbon on the table. Taking a deep breath, she plucked the lid off.

Her breath caught in her throat. An exquisitely detailed chocolate wolf nestled in a cushion of crushed white velvet. Every detail from the tip of its muzzle to the dominant curve of its tail was perfect. Jack had reproduced himself exactly. She knew if she turned the little wolf over, she’d find a jagged scar running along its left flank.

“I suppose I could always bite your head off.” Destiny felt a wry smile tug the sides of her mouth. Although she didn’t like the idea, being the Alpha meant Jack had complete authority over all the werewolves in the Northern Rockies. Even those that didn’t want to accept him. The fact he’d chosen not to force her to take him for her mate didn’t mean he’d agreed to let her leave the pack. He’d said he’d give her some time to settle in. She’d hoped he’d forgotten about her and settled down with some other female. One who liked her inner beast.

She sighed and looked at the dark chocolate confection. The full moon was less than a week away. She’d been ignoring her darker side for a long time now, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to avoid going into heat this month. What were the chances Jack’s timing was coincidental?

She jumped, startled by the sound of a loud knock on her front door. Quentin must have gotten out of court early. She hadn’t expected him to show up for at least another four hours. She quickly put the lid back on the box. Sweeping the ribbon up off the table, she stuffed the box and ribbon into a drawer and slammed it shut.

“Come on in, the door’s open.” She hoped Quentin couldn’t hear the guilt in her voice. Not that she had anything to feel guilty about. Damn Jack and his fancy little chocolate creatures! She smoothed her hands down her skirt and tried to look calm.

“I know, I was just being polite.” Jack strode into the room, a crooked smile on his rugged face. “You’re not usually this happy to see me.”

Destiny’s heart did a little flip-flop. Taller than her five-foot eleven, Jack’s dark hair was tied at the nape of his neck with a strip of leather, and his sapphire blue eyes sparkled with mischief. Thickly roped muscles stretched the tight shirt and rippled with every step he took. He looked every bit as yummy as the chocolate creations he sold in his trendy boutique.

“I thought you were my boyfriend.” She looked pointedly behind him as if she expected Quentin to materialize any second. “I’m expecting him to drop in after court today.”

Jack ignored her reference to Quentin and gave her a toothy grin. “I intend to be a lot more than a friend, and it’s been a long time since anyone referred to me as a boy.” He advanced, his eyes sparkling. “Glad to hear you finally think of me that way, though, because unless my nose is deceiving me, you’re going to be begging for my attention shortly.”

Destiny felt a surge of color flood her cheeks and she turned away so he couldn’t see her face. It mortified her to know he could smell her eagerness. “You wish.” Now that was lame!

He took her by the shoulders and turned her around to face him, his touch surprisingly gentle for such a large man. “No, I know. The full moon is on Saturday. You haven’t slept with that wimpy boyfriend of yours, and you’re not going to if you want him to live to see Monday. A human male can’t begin to satisfy your needs. I wouldn’t have to lift a paw; you’d tear him apart yourself. Your frustration level is about to escalate to hellish proportions.” A devilishly wicked smile curved the corner of his mouth. “Fortunately, I can help you deal with that.”

Buy Links:
Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z4W4Z67/
Amazon.ca https://www.amazon.ca/Seducing-Destiny-Kisses-Northern-Rockies-ebook/dp/B07Z4W4Z67/
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seducing-destiny-dark-kisses-duet-anne-kane/1134087712
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/seducing-destiny-dark-kisses-duet
iTunes https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1483531619

UPDATE: The winner is…Tamara Kasyan!
*~*~*

Check out my newest release, Blind Trust, part of Elle James Brotherhood Protectors World.

Blind Trust is the third book in my world within Elle’s world, with books set at the Triple C, or Three C’s ranch. These books are near and dear to my heart because I take on the subject of domestic abusive, moving each heroine from victim, to survivor, to thriver, giving the heroine a Brotherhood Protector and a happy ever after.

There’s always a bit of danger in the middle. (Which you will find in almost all of my stories. Suspense, danger, and a fight scene. This is true no matter what romance genre I’m writing in.)

Now about the Triple C’s ranch, how was it born?

If I could wave a magic wand and create a world where domestic abuse did not exist, I would do it in a heartbeat. Since I don’t have a magic wand, I created the Triple C, or Three C’s as it is affectionately known. On this ranch in Montana, in Brotherhood Protectors country, women who have been attacked or abused come to learn self-defense, horseback riding, gun safety and shooting, swimming, and other skills to become stronger, and more empowered.

If you’ve been following along, reading the other books, you may have guessed from the cover that Blind Trust is the story of Cecelia, the receptionist at the Triple C. It took me a little longer to write this one than I had planned, as I learned it wasn’t quite so easy writing from a blind heroine’s point of view. I had to back up a bit, do more research and then rewrite many scenes.

The books, in order, are:
Defensive Instructor
Marine Protector
Blind Trust

They do not have to be read in order, though they are all connected, and there will be more stories to come, set at the Triple C. In fact, I am working on a Christmas story this week that is set at the ranch. I haven’t picked a title yet, but it will come to me before the first draft is done.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of either Defensive Instructor or Marine Protector.
Have you read any of the books set at the Triple C Ranch yet?

Blind Trust

Blinded by a bad date, Cecelia lives and works on a ranch that helps victims of domestic abuse. All she wants is to stay on the ranch, a place where she can find her way around in her perpetual darkness. She has no intention of dating again, especially not Marine Force Recon veteran, Brian “Barbie” Ken, even if his voice is so sexy it makes her knees weak.

Assigned to protect the patrons and workers at the ranch, Brian is fascinated by everything about Cecelia and has made it his life’s mission to take her out on a date. She might be the biggest challenge of his life. Convincing her to leave the ranch will take more than smooth talking after an ill-fated date robbed her of her eyesight. It will take Blind Trust on her part to go out again.

When her cousin ends up in the hospital in San Diego, Cecelia is desperate to visit. Brian offers to drive her. Cecelia agrees to go, taking a leap of faith to leave her familiar surroundings. When a sex trafficker kidnaps Cecelia from the hospital, Brian crosses the border into Mexico to rescue her and bring her home.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YN8D1J5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

About Debra

Author Debra Parmley believes, “Every day we are alive is a beautiful day,” and she likes to give her readers and her story people a story with a happy ending.

A hybrid, multi-genre author, Debra’s first romance, A Desperate Journey, a gritty western historical romance, was published in 2008 in eBook and 2009 in print after being selected as one of ten novels to compete in the American Title II contest put on by Dorchester Publishing and Romantic Times Book Lovers magazine. Debra has written three western historical romances.

An Air Force veteran’s wife, Debra enjoys writing Amazon best-selling military romantic suspense. She married her high sweetheart and after living in five states, has lived for the last 20 years near Memphis, TN.

Founder of Shimmy Mob Memphis, a chapter of Shimmy Mob international, which raises funds for local domestic abuse shelters around the world, Debra is a retired belly dancer. Several of her books feature belly dancer heroines.

Debra enjoys writing historical romance and writes a 1920’s flappers romance series, each book about a different flapper. She also writes contemporary and holiday romance, a dystopian romance trilogy; paranormal romance, fairy tale romance and poetry.

She is a professional speaker and a world traveler who often brings home folk tales and music from countries she has visited.

Her five favorite things are shooting primitive archery with her Mongolian horse bow, shooting long guns, shooting pool, walking on the beach, and hearing from her readers. Each card and letter is a joyful treasure, like finding that perfect shell on the beach.

Places to find Debra and her books:
Website: www.debraparmley.com

FB personal page: https://www.facebook.com/debra.parmley.7
FB fan group Debra’s Beautiful Day Dreamers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/debraparmley/
FB fan page: https://www.facebook.com/authordebraparmley/

To Catch an Elf:
Debra Parmley’s Creepy Shelf Elf Group: Every Dec. I host a 12 days of creepy elf party and have SO much fun doing it! To be notified when the party starts, join this group, which is mostly quiet the rest of the year. https://www.facebook.com/groups/793115644206381/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debraparmley/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebraParmley
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/debraparmley/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/ebook-deals/latest
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Debra-Parmley/e/B002BM9H4A%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/debraparmley

Newsletter sign up: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/w9s9h0

YouTube: Debra’s Beautiful Day YouTube Channel (for contests, first chapter reads, and more):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC27hTWse4gLJxTETQw6i7xw/

I am giving away a bag of goodies and some books from Heather Graham’s Writers for New Orleans in conjunction with celebrating the release of Blind Trust! Drawing is tomorrow night so be sure to get your entry in by leaving your comments over there!

I love it when interests come together.

Three of my loves (opera, learning about African-American women, and writing) came together as I wrestled with how to adapt Richard Wagner’s Die Valkyrie, the second opera of his Ring Cycle, to a Reconstruction/Gilded Age New York setting with African-American characters.

In Act III of Wagner’s opera, the Valkyrie are nine sisters who bring dead heroes from the battlefield to defend Valhalla — the hall of the Gods — for Wotan who is their father and the king of the gods. Fixed in my mind were images from productions showing the sisters all the same age. Check out this youtube video of the Royal Danish Opera’s production to see what I mean: https://youtu.be/FPcrqkViZKw. My Valkyrie are not immortals who never aged. Unless I made them nonuplets, I had to figure a way around the birth order problem.

Then it hit me. My Valkyrie didn’t have to be blood-related sisters. They could be sisters of a sorority. Women’s literary societies of the nineteenth century were places where women escaped the limitations placed on them by society. They could exercise their intellect and share their opinions freely without fear of ridicule or contempt. My Valkyries’ common bond wasn’t to be in service to a man’s goals as depicted in Die Valkyrie, but the pursuit of their own self-actualization as warrior women — artistic warrior women. This is where love number two came into play.

In a previous post on this blog, I shared how disappointed I was that in a box of thirty-six famous African Americans, only six were women. With my idea of creating a sorority, I decided I could base my Valkyrie on the women of the Harlem Renaissance.

I knew already of Zora Neale Hurston, Nella Larsen, Jessie Redmon Fauset and Dorothy West. I went in search of five more and came across this fantastic list of twenty-seven fabulous women (of whom I’d only known about thirteen): https://www.thoughtco.com/women-of-the-harlem-renaissance-3529259.

Now before you object, I know that the Harlem Renaissance took place in the 1920s and early 30’s. Originally, I had thought of basing my Valkyrie on African-American women who participated and battled white racism in the suffrage movement in the 1890’s, but once I latched onto the creative energy generated by the Harlem Renaissance women, everything clicked. So much so I’m having a hard time keeping my story to its original time period.

Anyway, this list gave me twenty-seven heroines from which to draw my nine Valkyrie. Should I base Brunhilda, the defiant Valkyrie who dominates Acts II and III of this opera on Zora Neale Hurston or Josephine Baker, both defiant trailblazing rule breakers? I’m leaning toward the remarkable Jessie Redmon Fauset. Langston Hughes called her “the midwife of the Harlem Renaissance” because as literary editor of the NAACP’s The Crisis magazine from 1919 to 1926 she helped birth the writing careers of many writers and poets of the Harlem Renaissance. Which of the remaining women should I use to round out my sisterhood of warrior women? What new women might I find to use instead? As my research continues, the possibilities stretch before me endlessly. I’m having so much fun learning about these women I have to fight to stay out of the research abyss and move into love number three: writing.

The images and herstories of these women continue to fuel my imagination. I’ve already outlined one of their gatherings. They’re enjoying their exploits, sharing how they’re mentoring women as protégés and men to be true allies. I’m looking forward to writing the confrontation between Brunhilde and Wotan. If you’d like a summary of Wagner’s story, check out this link: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Der-Ring-des-Nibelungen/Story-summary-of-Die-Walkure.

My adaptation of Wagner’s Die Valkyrie is a story of women’s empowerment and agency. With the artistic warrior women of the Harlem Renaissance as my guides, I’m hoping my version of the story will be a source of empowerment and agency for all its readers.

Better To Marry Than To Burn

Freed Man seeking woman to partner in marriage for at least two years in the black township of Douglass, Texas. Must be willing and able to help establish a legacy. Marital relations as necessary. Love neither required nor sought.

Caesar King’s ad for a mail-order bride is an answer to Queen Esther Payne’s prayer. Her family expects her to adhere to society’s traditional conventions of submissive wife and mother, but Queen refuses. She is not the weaker sex and will not allow herself to be used, abused or turned into a baby-making machine under the sanctity of matrimony. Grateful that love is neither required nor sought, she accepts the ex-slave’s offer and heads West for marriage on her terms. Her education and breeding will see to that. However, once she meets Caesar, his unexpected allure and intriguing wit makes it hard to keep love at bay. How can she hope to remain her own woman when victory may be synonymous with surrender?

Excerpt:

She pulled the wagon to a stop. “Care to take over?”

She held the reins before him. He nodded. She handed over the reins, crossed her arms and stared at him. “Tell me more about Emma.”

He shrugged. That kind of detail hadn’t been part of the bargain, but…

“Not much to tell. She used to teach us slaves in secret, then openly when Union forces secured our town. I was her star pupil. We married and came West for a fresh start. She died giving birth to twin boys soon after we arrived. They followed her within a few hours.”

A soft light shone at him from her eyes. “Sorry for your loss.”

“None needed. Good comes from bad. Death, not slavery, took my boys from me. They never had to live as someone’s property.” He sat a little straighter. “Our children will never have to worry about that.”

“Our children?” She swiveled in her seat. “You made no mention of wanting children, just marital relations as necessary. I understood that to mean intercourse.”

“I wrote I wanted to leave a legacy.”

“A legacy. Not a dynasty.”

“Legacy. Dynasty. Is there really so sharp a distinction?”

“To my mind there is. I understood you meant to affect future generations—endow schools, found churches, create civic associations. I didn’t realize that meant children. I agreed to having sex, not having children.”

“Of course I want children.” His brows grew heavy as he frowned. “Doesn’t having sex lead to having children?”

“Not with the right precautions.”

His frown deepened. “Precautions?”

“There are many ways to prevent your seed from taking root, Mr. King.”

“I want children, Mrs. King.”

Her lips twisted and her brow furrowed, but she kept her silence.

“All right,” she said. “You can have children with any woman you like. I won’t stop you. I free you from any claim to fidelity.”

“Legacy—or dynasty if you will—means legitimacy. No bastard will carry my name, not when I have a wife to bear me children.”

“I see.”

Her tone signaled she didn’t.

Buylinks:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KTaGPH
Wild Rose Press: https://www.thewildrosepress.com/books/better-to-marry-than-to-burn

Find out more about Michal here:
Website: https://michalscott.webs.com/
Twitter: @mscottauthor1

People often ask where writers come up with ideas. I usually can’t pinpoint what exactly will spur story ideas, but here’s an example. The other evening, I was mowing the lawn. I got started late, and it’s getting darker earlier every night. My backyard backs up against a wooded area, and the sun had gone down. It was getting darker with every pass, but I wanted to finish. I was walking along, eyeing the forest when I heard a noise. Something was moving fast. I snapped my head around just in time to see a deer go tearing by, between me and the house. I mean, this thing was moving. Deer are usually very graceful, even at high speed. This one was not. He was so close to the ground, he looked like a torpedo, and he was getting ahead of how fast his legs could go. He stumbled, kind of bounced off a rise in the terrain, and shot across the neighbor’s yard back into the woods. Holy crap, did he startle me.

That’s when the questions started. Where did he come from? The forest, for sure. What would have happened if he’d run into me? It would not have been a pretty sight. Deer are not small animals. I was mowing with a large, very noisy piece of equipment. What compelled him to run across the open grass, instead of staying in the tree-line? Deer tend to move in herds. Where were his buddies? Were they out there lurking, too? What else was in there? Had something scarier than a human with a lawnmower made him run for his life? What was scarier to a deer than a lawnmower? Those thoughts all tumbled in my head. The dusk… The crickets chirping nearly as loudly as the lawnmower… The complete disappearance of the deer… Yeah, I didn’t make it for another pass. I quickly ended my mowing task for the night.

I finished the rest of the yard the next day, much earlier in the evening. Would you believe that deer came back? Or maybe it wasn’t him, because this animal was as bold as can be. He moseyed out from the trees, looked at me with my monster mower, shrugged, and started having dinner. He was out in the open, nibbling on grass and leaves the entire time it took me to finish my mowing job. Yes, the questions started again. If he’s so calm around me tonight, was there some kind of predator out there the night before? Why’s he so calm now? Can deer have multiple personalities? What if deer stopped being so timid? What if the deer rose up? Questions, questions, questions… That is how writers come up with ideas.

As you can probably guess from the direction of my thoughts, I tend to write a lot of paranormal romance. My latest is Haunted Hearts, a ghost story. I don’t remember what spurred this story idea, but it was probably a squeaking floorboard or my love of Ghost Hunters or a gust of wind. Anything can generate an idea, but I’m saving that deer. That’s definitely a shifter story.

Haunted Hearts

Does a ghost from the past want the man of her future?

Callie is thrilled when she inherits a house in the small town of Shadow Valley. The house is old and creaky, but she’s not afraid of hard work. Unfortunately, no matter how many repairs she makes, the strange noises won’t go away. Cold spots appear. Lights flicker. Footsteps sound down the hallway. Her nerves are soon so frayed that she resorts to calling the one person in town she hasn’t been able to get along with, bullheaded police chief Carter Landry.

Carter doesn’t have time to investigate things that go bump in the night—although, with Callie, the idea is tempting. He’s busy working with the governor’s task force on a major case and dealing with a rash of petty Halloween crimes. He knows that Callie’s house isn’t haunted… no matter what town legend says.

Still, when her distress call comes in, Carter is quick to respond. He may not believe in ghosts, but someone is intentionally scaring the sassy blonde. And he doesn’t like it. As he investigates, the friction between the two of them ignites into passion… and the strange occurrences in the house subside. But could Carter’s presence be the reason? Callie fears that her sexy cop may be the one the ghost has wanted all along.

Buy links:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Hearts-ghost-Kimberly-Dean-ebook/dp/B07FDDRFMS
Audible — https://www.audible.com/pd/B07JJHTSC3/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-130964&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_130964_rh_us
Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/haunted-hearts-kimberly-dean/1129068549?ean=2940155661061
Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kimberly_Dean_Haunted_Hearts?id=V95jDwAAQBAJ
iBook – https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/haunted-hearts/id1410571296?mt=11
Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/haunted-hearts-16

Website – https://kimberlydean.com

When trying to decide what to write about for this blog post, Halloween kept jumping to the forefront of my noggin. Because October equals Halloween, right?

What do you think of when you think of Halloween? Is it all the yummy candy? The pumpkin carving? The dressing up and being anyone or anything you want for one day with no judgement? The ghosts, goblins, demons, witches, and zombies you might see? Is it simply the spooky energy of the holiday that you enjoy?

Or, is Halloween a night you use to curl up and read a spooky tale?

If you are the type to curl up with a Halloweeny-read, I have a fun, weirdo, and sexy zombie for you!

Wait. What, you say? A sexy zombie? No way.

Yes way!

One day, I was inspired to write a different take on zombies. They weren’t rotting, shambling corpses. They were infected and they did crave flesh—in more ways than one (wink, wink)—but they could be rehabilitated with time and effort.

The title of that story is A Zombie Ate My Panties. Obviously, by the title, you can tell it wasn’t supposed to be taken too seriously. It was supposed to be a fun, short, one-off, goofy, and sexy tale. Something to make people laugh and maybe even make them a little hot…in the pants…in a weird way.

But, it was such fun to write, I had to make it into a series. The second is My Zombie Valentine, and the third is Trick or Zombie—a funny Halloween-themed zombie story.

Trick or Zombie

When Trista takes her zombie trick-or-treating, will he make a snack of one of the kids? Or will he resist temptation and snack on something better when they get home?

https://www.jocelyndex.com/zombie-shorts.html

What should you know before reading the Trick or Zombie excerpt?
Zeek is a zombie. Trista is his caretaker. Oh, and Zeek loves boobs!

Excerpt

“We’re going trick-or-treating tonight!” Trista said. When Zeek looked at her blankly, she asked, “Do you know what trick-or-treating is? Do you remember ever doing that as a kid?”

“Kid. Snack.” He clicked his teeth together in a chomping motion.

“No. Kids are not snacks…not eat.” She implored him with her eyes, but he kept clicking his teeth. “Halloween, Zeek. Don’t you remember at all? You get dressed up like a witch, or a cat, or Superman, or something. Then you knock on doors, say trick-or-treat, and they give you candy. Remember?”

He screwed up his face, his red-ringed eyes rolling back in his head as if in deep concentration. Actually, it looked like he was about to have a seizure. Finally, he sighed, his shoulders slumped, and she felt bad for pushing him even though it was necessary.

“Hey. It’s okay.” She squeezed his shoulder in attempt to console him, but when the sullen look remained, she upped the game to put him back in a good mood. A sour-pussed zombie was no fun for anyone. She lifted her shirt and flashed him.

His eyes widened, and he licked his lips as he reached out and gave her breasts a squeeze. “Boooobs!”

Halloween-Themed Giveaway

I’m hosting a Halloween giveaway on my website. Please go forth and enter. Good luck!
https://www.jocelyndex.com/giveaway.html

What are your Halloween plans?

Happy Halloween to All!

About the Author

Jocelyn writes paranormal and contemporary romances that include humor, lust, love, and four-letter words on the way to a Happily-Ever-After. You can check out all of her books @ www.JocelynDex.com.

UPDATE: The winner is…Fedora Chen!
*~*~*

Happy Octoberfest, y’all. This is one of my most favorite months of the year, next to Christmas. I start decorating October 1st and leave all the pretty fall décor up until the day after Thanksgiving…and then it’s Christmas at the Boon house—LOL.

Of course, this year it’s super special because I’m a MiMi to my first grandchild. Technically she was here last year, but she was only a few months old so she couldn’t really enjoy it herself. Now this year, we’ve already planned her Halloween outfit, which consisted of buying stuff, and then I tweaked it to make her outfit unique. I can’t wait to put it on her and take her out Trick Or Treating. I only hope she doesn’t FREAK OUT when she sees all the other people in costumes. However, she’s loved the big scary blow up things at TARGEE aka Target.

If you follow me at all, then you’ve probably seen a few…thousand pics of RomyGirl, but just in case, I’ll share a little collage of some sneak peaks we were given from her Fall Photoshoot we did at a local Pumpkin Farm just outside of our hometown.

Now, for some fun… Tell me what your favorite season is for a chance to win a print copy of my latest book Two For Tamara, Ravens of War book 2, which just released on October 15th. Be sure and pop over to my Facebook page, Elle Boon Facebook, and tell me or email me at elleboon@yahoo.com.

Oh, and check out Two For Tamara!

Now Available
Two For Tamara
They will Stop At Nothing, To Protect The Woman Destiny Created For them.

WHEN YOU SEE A VISION OF YOUR OWN DEATH… Tamara Mejia decides she will not take living for granted, knowing it was going to be sooner rather than later. When two gorgeous men burst onto her own personal horizon, giving her all the more reason to grab onto every bit of joy and happiness they have to offer, she takes it.

THEY’VE SPENT THOUSANDS OF YEARS SEARCHING FOR THEIR ONE… Rafe and Vin were created by Zeus, the God of War. They are elite soldiers called the Ravens of War and have been best friends for thousands of years. Now that their latest task is over, having found the lost Goddess, their own need to find their Fated becomes paramount. When they meet Tamara, all their protective instincts and deepest desires roar to life.

WHEN LIFE THROWS THEM A CURVE… When an old enemy kidnaps Tamara and whisks her off to Hell, it’s up to Vin and Rafe to find their Fated mate. But they soon realize that finding her isn’t going to be quite so easy, not when their enemy chooses to use her as a bargaining chip. Not when the game involves the Gods, and the stakes are raised. Will the power of the Ravens be enough to save the woman they love?

Two worlds collide in this thrilling second installment of Elle Boon’s Ravens of War series…and these larger than life warriors are just getting started.

Content Warning: Crazy demonesses (is that a word…yes ‘cause I made it up), Zeus unlike any you’ve heard of, and piles of sexy demi-gods. Intended for mature audiences.

~Joyfully Reviewed~ All bets are off when the gods get involved in Two for Tamara, the second story in a unique new series. Two for Tamara is a gritty, complex romance with the occasional tense and scary moment. The Ravens of War series is building into something special.

~NightOwl Reviews~ This is the second book in a series by author Elle Boon. She’s developed a world where gods from mythology are real and unusual powers common. Her heroes are tall, strong and answer to Zeus. However, don’t expect just romance because there is a fight between good and evil that carries through the series. Unexpected allies show up in this story changing the way things are done. Better still though is the female lead who is strong, independent and quite capable of giving the two men who want her a run for the money. Bits of humor pop up regularly giving some of the more violent scenes a bit of relief.

~The BookChick Blog ~ I really enjoy how Boon weaves together a dash of mythology with a whole lot of sexy and fighting off a horrible baddy in between. It definitely leaves me eagerly waiting to read about them.

If you enjoy romance, mythology, and intrigue, then you will definitely appreciate and enjoy the Ravens of War series.

Buy Links:
AmazonUS: https://amzn.to/34K5nKj
Ibooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/two-for-tamara/id1477727155
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/two-for-tamara-1
NOOK: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/two-for-tamara-ravens-of-war-2-elle-boon/1119782921?ean=2940163598069

*~*~*

Oh, and if you’ve not read book 1, Selena’s Men, you should totally check it out as it released just over a month ago.

Selena’s Men

Ravens of War Book 1

A Goddess unknown by all even herself…

Stolen from her birth parents as an infant, Selena lived her life as a normal human, loved by her adoptive parents until tragedy took them from her. Life had given her more knocks than most could take, but she was determined to survive, even when faced with death. Until she came face-to-face with two men who offered her so much more. But could she face what loving them could cost her?.

A set of Demi-Gods…

Max and Malcolm King were once warriors called the Ravens of War for Zeus. They’ve searched the Earth for the one woman to complete them. They’ve fought alongside battlefields for thousands of years, protecting humanity from demons and beings bent on destroying all that’s good in this world. Now that they’ve found their Fated, the one female who they’d give their life for. Will it be for nothing when they find out who her father is?

Are they doomed before they ever begin?

They’re determined to keep Selena safe, knowing every way to kill a man or demon, yet neither were prepared for the ultimate foe to resurface. They’d help defeat Cronus, the God who was bent on destroying Zeus and all the other Gods and Goddesses on Olympus all those years ago, however it seems they’d not done a good enough job. Somehow, the God has found a way to wreak revenge, and this time he’s taken something more precious than Olympus. Will the Ravens be able to save Selena this time, or will they lose the most important thing, their Fated?

Buy Links:
AmazonUS: https://amzn.to/2LgKCgm
AmazonAU: bit.ly/2ZsZ9j7SelenaAU
AmazonCA: bit.ly/30NyhqlselenaCA
AmazonUK: bit.ly/2LdHYJsSelenaUK
iBooks: bit.ly/2NkAxShSelenaapple
KOBO: bit.ly/2Hje2tgSelenaKOBO
B&N: bit.ly/2Zke3mySelenaBarnes

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47886032-selena-s-men?ac=1&from_search=true

~Joyfully Reviewed~ A sexy engaging new series begins with Selena’s Men. The Ravens of War introduces hot, intelligent characters in an original storyline that totally entertains readers. This series has a great start.

~NightOwl Reviews~ Selena’s Men a new take on Greek Mythology and introduces a group of immortal warriors called the Ravens of War. Ms. Boon had done a wonderful job of world building for the story and introducing the characters. Her story line is well thought out and keeps the readers engaged. It is a hot and sexy read from beginning to end.
friend.

~ The BookChick Blog~ Selena’s Men, Ravens of War was a smartly written sexy ménage romance story that contained a bit of everything — myth and legend, gods and goddesses, good vs. evil, sexy twins, and a band of equally sexy immortal warriors. Elle Boon spins a tale that puts a creative spin on the tale of the Greek gods and the titans. But, the story is less about the gods and the “human” who the story centers on, Selena Ramos.

I think everyone has that one person in his or her life—be it a parent, sibling, friend, or even messy next-door neighbor—that firmly believes singleness (singledom, bachelorism, or whatever you prefer to call it) is the devil incarnate or a dreaded curse. And those people have created those super awkward moments where our married friends felt it is their God-given duty to pair off all of their single friends to any other single being—be it derelict, degenerate, hologram, or creature of the night. I mean, as long as the person breathes, the person is considered a suitable candidate. Sometimes, these friends and relatives are overt and pester you into going on the date while others are quite sneaky in their fix-ups. Sometimes, these events go well. Oftentimes—and I dare guess more time than not—they skyrocket straight south, do not pass go, and do not collect two hundred dollars. And since frequently one finds himself/herself unable to avoid these blind date situations, here are some tips on how to create a successful blind date.

1. Ignore what Nike says and don’t do it. Don’t go. Grab your most comfortable pair of pajamas, favorite snacks, and hop on your couch for a night of Netflix or Redbox instead. You will be doing yourself a favor.
2. Don’t wait until the day of the date for the first real contact. (This only works if you have advance warning and not faced with an ambushed blind date). Call, text, or email the person several days before the date to chitchat and get a feel for the person. Doing this may alleviate some awkward moments during the date. Many times, setting up a blind date involves knowing only the time and place of the meet-up. And sometimes, not even that much. For example, although I try my darndest to be on time, I find that I’m either very early or moderately late. Rarely, am I on time. Now, there is a litany of reasons for this which I will not discuss. The point is people who know me well know this about me. However, chances are, they would not pass this information along to others who do not know me as well. This can lead to bad or erroneous first impressions. Therefore, this is something that I warn people if I’m to meet them. Now some people would argue I should just call the person and inform them that I’m running late in these instances, and sometimes, I do. But if I’m driving, I may not have hands-free calling available to me.
3. If the date is a double date, be sure the couple you’re doubling with are people you want to double with. For example, some matchmakers think it’s cute or funny to spend the entire night telling embarrassing stories about one or both of the people that they have been matched up. Now, I like to convince myself that I have a petty awesome since of humor, and I most definitely can poke fun at myself. In fact, I do it better than any other person can. However, some past events or situations, I don’t find funny. For example, there was a time that an elder made what I considered quite a rude comment about me in front of a much older sibling. My sibling laughed. Being the age that I was and taught to respect elders. Therefore, I said nothing in defense. My sibling later repeated the incident to my parents who responded with a mixture of humor and approval. Externally, I appeared to roll with the flow, but in actuality, I internally imploded in a shatter of my self-esteem. It became a pivotal moment in my life, and to this day, I do not look back on the incident with a fondness. In fact, it conjures up feelings of resentment because as an adult, I’m now able to have a voice to rectify the situation. I felt powerless then, and to a certain degree, that continues to be the case. Why? Because I’m unable to address the persons who are involved as they are no longer in my life (either I’ve lost contact or deceased). As far as my sibling goes, he does not mention it, likely because it was so insignificant to him that he’s forgotten. Furthermore, I’ve moved on and do not dwell on it. That being said, there are times when something triggers the memory, and I can see my sibling mentioning sometimes like that in a trip down memory lane, not even knowing it would bother me. Now, have I ever brought it to my sibling’s attention? No, and that was my decision to let bygones be bygones. The point of this tale is when doubling be sure it is with people who have your back and not going to slash open (either on purpose or inadvertently) old wounds.
4. Co-plan the date with your blind plus-one. Be an active participant in what will happen for the night. And since I seem to be on a roll using my life as personal examples, let me toss another one out there. I’m allergic to seafood. One of the worse evenings I could have is going to a seafood restaurant. I have friends who are vegetarians who have been taken to places that only have meat option entrees. Another friend told a horror story (literally) of being taken to a horror movie festival (which she detests that genre) and having nightmares for days. Sometimes, a bad date isn’t about the person but the activity.
5. Plan to pay. This goes along with the previous tip. No one ever wants to talk about financials of dating. I will admit, I’m pretty old-fashioned in many things. However, when it comes to who pays for what, I do not think the man should automatically be expected to pay. I do believe that the person who asks the other person out should be the one to pay, but since in many instances women still wait for the man to do it, the cost would fall on him. Let me be blunt. Times are tough for a lot of people. The cost of living is high. Finances can be a struggle. People may want to go out and have a great date but simply can’t afford it. I dined out with friends for lunch and with only vegetable sides, my bill was close to twenty bucks. Putting things in perspective, if I went out three times in a week at twenty dollars plus the same for a date, that’s over a hundred dollars. Even if this was spread out over a month, a hundred dollars could be groceries or electric bills. But most dates would far exceed that. (And yes, I am cheap.) Yet, this is not the only reason I say plan to pay. Some dates skip out on the bill. So, if you go to that five-star restaurant and your date goes to the restroom but never returns, you could be stuck with paying for the steak and champagne dinner. In romcoms, this may be a cringy laughable scene. It’s not so funny when it’s your bank account that’s drained. Planning the evening allows you to have an estimation of how much cash you need available.
6. If you’re going to go, be into it. Don’t drag yourself out if you’re dog-tired and won’t be able to enjoy yourself. Even if the blind date is someone who you could be interested in, your mind may be too slow to appreciate him/her, or he/she may get vibes that you’re not into him/her. Even if you tell the person you’re tired, they may think you’re being polite in blowing them off.
7. Wear comfortable shoes and underwear. There is nothing that can sour a date faster than wearing shoes that pinch your toes or drawers that give you wedgies. It’s not going to be a fun night (unless you’re into pain).
8. If you’ve never laid eyes on each other, be sure to give unmistakable indications of how to identify each other. I knew someone who intentionally would give a slightly wrong description of self and then arrive early to scope out his date. If he didn’t like her appearance, he’d casually stroll past her and into the sunset. Personally, I view that as a crappy and cowardly thing to do and told him so. A few ways to address this issue is to share a picture.

Here’s an aside. When I was younger and dating, men would ask me why I wouldn’t send them photos. Well, because I know how some people are with making memes, sharing it with their friends for commentary, and possibly other illicit things. Okay, buckle up for a grown person ditty. So, I knew this guy who constantly badgered me for a photo (not dirty ones). Now, this was someone who knew what I looked like.

Selfies in a mirror have never been a thing. And I’m not fool enough to believe the majority of photos on Instagram haven’t been photoshopped, edited, or taken a gazillion times before posted. But this person was insistent—if not daily, then weekly. And my response was always the same: I’ll take a photo when I get ready. Finally, I was at some event, and my friends and I snapped a few photos and I sent him one. Then, it began. He claimed not to have gotten it. I resent. He claimed not to have gotten it again. This continued for a while until I gave up. I told him since he apparently couldn’t receive them, I wasn’t going to waste any more time trying. He stopped asking for a while but soon began again. I thought, well if he didn’t get the first one, I’d make another attempt. So, I sent another. He got it this time. (I later realized why.) Then, sometime later, he claimed something happened to his phone, and he lost all his photos and wanted more pictures. In the meantime, he’d complained that the lighting was too dark or the distance was too far or that it was facial shot or there were too many other people in the photo. That’s when he slipped.

He mentioned that I had resent him the “same photo—” one that he previously had claimed he didn’t receive. And then it all made sense. He was racking up photos. To me, this made him creepy and a liar. He’d stopped lying about not receiving them because he realized I would refuse to send any. Of course, busted him about the like this, and he tried to do some back-peddling until finally, he couldn’t. I pointed out that I’d never asked him to send photos of himself (although he sometimes did) and I never once claimed I didn’t get them or that they were out of focus (which they often were).

Now, I don’t know what he was doing with all those photos, and frankly, I don’t think I want to know. The moral of this story is to be cautious when texting out photos (even to people who you know) as a mean of clearly identifying each other. As I mentioned, none of the pictures I sent were remotely provocative and easily be used for a DMV photo.

1. Don’t kill the date before it happens. Keep an open mind. The person may surprise you. Even if you don’t’ find a love connection, you may find a great new friend.
2. Keep your bestie (if this isn’t the person who set you up) on standby to provide you an excuse to exit. Personally, I think this is a bit chicken. The best approach is to admit politely that you’re not enjoying yourself and would like to end the date early. And you don’t have to make up a reason as to why you’re ending the date (unless it truly is trivial and you’re being a jerk). You can inform the person that the two of you don’t seem to have enough in common or that his/her views on some matters are in conflict with yours and it’s not something that the two of you will be able to overcome.
3. Prepare a list of topics to discuss but don’t present them as a job interview. Having a list will keep the conversation going, especially if you find not to share many common interests.
4. Avoid politics, religion, and exes. This goes without saying but so many people do it anyway. It may lead to disagreement from the start. Some people will argue it is better to discuss it on the first date and get it out of the way before investing in that person. Unless these things are super important, they can wait. I have friends and coworkers that we disagree on many of these issues. We don’t discuss them, and our relationships work fine.
5. Brush your teeth before going on a date. Having bad breath is a mood killer. If there’s no time to brush because you’re going straight from work to the date, invest in breath mints.
6. Don’t get lit at the bar before your date arrives. This may be tempting, but don’t do it.
7. Keep your eyes in your head. This is likely mostly a tip for the men but women are guilty, too. Respect the person you are with for the time you are with him/her and don’t look at other men or women.
8. Leave your vicious pets at home. If you are the pet owner whose animal is likely to maul a person, do not suggest having your animals having a play date in the park as your date. This is not going to end well and could lead to a lawsuit. Keep your sanity and your money and avoid doing this.
9. Go to a sporting event. If your date turns out to be a dud, you can turn your attention to the game and not the date.
10. Carry a bottle of gas relief. Don’t get stuck having the first leg of the date eating at a place that the food disagrees with him/her (or you). The remainder of the date may not smell so good.
11. Have a backup plan if the initial date arrangements fall through. For example, if the date is to see view an outside concert but thunderstorms roll into the area, have an alternative location that the date can take place.
12. And if all else fails, get better friends and avoid family, and you won’t have to worry or experience any anxiety about blind dates at all.

And that’s all the tips I have. I hope they’ve been helpful or, at least, provided some comic relief. But I’m interested in knowing what tips you may have to make a blind date successful. Leave a comment below.

*~*~*

Enjoy sports romance? Check out my adult romance, Defending the Net. It is the second in my hockey series and guaranteed to melt the ice. It is sold at Kindle, Apple Store, Nook, Kobo, !ndigo, Angus & Robertson, and Mondadori Store. DTNis the second in my gay sports romance novel series and guaranteed to melt the ice. Order a copy now at www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Missed the first book in my sports romance series? No frets. Out of the Penalty Box, where it’s one minute in the box or a lifetime, out is available at https://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. Visit www.books2read.com/penalty.

Life’s Roux: Wrong Doors, my steamy romantic comedy about what could go wrong on vacation, is available at Red Sage Publishing. To order, follow the link to https://bit.ly/2CtE7Ezor to Amazon at https://amzn.to/2lCQXpt.

Copies of my romance short stories, anthologies, books, and novels are available in paper, eBook, and audio on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. The links are listed on my Writing Projects page (https://bit.ly/2iDYRxU) along with descriptions of each of my stories or novels.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/and signup today.

Don’t forget to visit Creole Bayou. New posts are made on Wednesdays, where no Creole, Cajun, or Louisiana topic is left unscathed. Plus, get how-to self-help tips, how to writing tips, and keeping the romance alive and fresh suggestions. If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthoror search me on Goodreadsor Amazon Authors.

Finally, take the fear out of rush/pledging. If you or anyone you know are interested in joining a college Greek life organization, check out my special series posted each Monday for everything you wanted (and didn’t want) to know about college fraternitiesand sororities. In these posts, you will find information about both formaland informal recruitmentfor both NPCand NPHCorganizations. Don’t know what NPC and NPHC are? No problem. It’s all explained in this series. This series also provides loads of information for parentswho are unfamiliar with the processes, what is expected of parents, and how to be supportive. Visit Sorority Bible Table of Contentsto view any or all of these posts.

Resources:

• Barnes & Noble
• Books-A-Million
• Gailxy/Gailygrind
• Huffington Post Queervoice
• Joe.My.God
• Romance
• Romance Writers of America
• Southern Writers of Louisiana
• Sports Romance
• Towleroad