suspense novel

Never stop learning

PLEASE WELCOME MY GUEST LISABET SARAI!!!

Take it away, Lisabet!

My bio says that I’ve been writing all my life, and that’s pretty much true. I was penning stories and poems when I was in early elementary school. By high school I’d branched out to novels and plays. Though I’ve also done drawing and painting, sculpture and dance, words have always been my preferred instrument for creation. And to be honest, I grew up believing that I had significant writing talent.

The more I write, though, the more I realize how much I still have to learn.

Total-E-Bound, an English indie publisher focused on erotic romance, brought out the first edition of Getaway Girl way back in 2008. This was only my third or fourth tale written specifically for a romance audience. At that time, I knew almost nothing about the genre and its conventions. (Until I signed with TEB, I’d considered myself an author of erotica.) I spent quite a bit of time reading the work of my fellow TEB authors, trying to grasp the essence of this new category of fiction and to translate that into my own stories. My editors also did not hesitate to point out areas where common aspects of erotica just wouldn’t work for romance readers.

By 2008 I’d concluded that in every romance: 1) there had to be a sense of inevitability to the connection between the hero and heroine, an attraction that might seem to make no sense but which could not be denied; 2) the couple had to at least discuss commitment; 3) the sex (this was erotic romance after all) had to be more than just casual – there should be a sense of fitting or rightness, a connection that transcended the physical.

I tried to implement these conclusions in writing of Getaway Girl. The story was accepted and published, but was never particularly popular. I went on to write a lot more romance, getting better at it over time.

Last year I reclaimed the rights to the story so that I could self-publish it, and a few months ago I set myself the task of re-editing the piece in preparation. I really hadn’t looked at it for more than a decade.

I was appalled by how clumsy and stereotyped it seemed.

Inconsistencies in character and in plot were only part of the problem. There were also long passages of purple prose, most especially in the sex scenes. I posted the tale in my critique group and discovered there were also plentiful anachronisms and inaccuracies related to its historical period (contemporary) and British setting. (The story was originally targeted for an anthology entitled Bound Brits, so it had to take place in the U.K.)

I subjected the story to possibly the most thorough revision I’ve ever done on any of my work. I won’t say that it’s unrecognizable, but I probably modified at least 25% of the text. In the fourteen years since the first revision I’ve learned a lot, both about romance and about writing in general. Practice does make perfect; I’ve published nearly one hundred titles since that early attempt, both romance and erotica. This second edition of Getaway Girl is orders of magnitude better than the original.

But maybe I shouldn’t use the word “perfect”, because in truth, as long as we authors are writing, we are learning all the time. I’m about to revisit my first novel, preparing an expanded twenty-fifth anniversary edition for release sometime this year. This will be the fifth version of Raw Silk. I have no doubt it will be the best.

Our story:

Be careful what you wish for

All Peg wants is a break, a bit of adventure, a relief from her mundane existence in the bucolic but boring Yorkshire hamlet of Kirkby Malzeard. When dashing, sophisticated journalist Lionel Hayes saunters into the pub where she’s tending bar, Peg suspects that he was just the sort of man to fulfill her fantasies of escape.

The seductive Lionel, however, is not what he seems. Before she knows it, Peg is a hostage, roped and gagged, speeding away from the scene of a daring crime. Lionel is armed and dangerous, but somehow Peg still wants him – regardless of the consequences.

Note: This book was originally published in 2015 by Totally Bound. This second edition has been substantially revised and has a new ending.

EXCERPT:

“What are you doing here, if I might ask?”

“Me? Oh, I’m a journalist. I’m doing a story on the find and its historical implications.”

Peg felt a twinge of suspicion. “The press conference was yesterday.”

“My car broke down halfway from London. I spent last night in a town even tinier than this one.” His smile was charming, apologetic. Peg’s uneasiness melted away.

He leaned towards her across the bar, putting his hand over hers. “That’s why I appreciate your help, in giving me the information I need.”

His skin was warm and smooth, none of the calluses of a manual labourer. Not like the farmers Peg had occasionally dated here, before she gave up on finding a man in her home village. He ran one fingertip up and down in the sensitive crease between Peg’s thumb and forefinger. The light touch was enough to turn her nipples to aching knots and trigger a throbbing between her legs.

She caught a hint of his scent, a balsam-laced aftershave or cologne that simultaneously conveyed masculinity and refinement. His forefinger ventured higher, stroking the back of her wrist, a gesture both delicate and bold. Her pussy clenched as though he were massaging her down there, instead of merely brushing a casual finger across her hand.

She stared at the bar, blushing, angry with herself for being so susceptible. Finally, she managed to raise her head and meet his eyes, which were a stormy hazel colour.

“What paper are you from?”

“Oh, I write for an upmarket travel rag. I doubt that you would’ve heard of it. This story should enhance the romance and mystery of your already delightful village. I expect you’ll see a surge in tourists after publication.”

“You should interview Peter Lofthouse. He’s been mayor for the last dozen years.”

“I have the feeling that I’m talking to a real authority right now. Lived here a long time, haven’t you?”

She bristled. How did he know that? Maybe because she seemed such a country bumpkin. “I spent some time in London, but I had to come back. Family problems.”

“Sorry to hear that…” He scanned her chest, seeking a name tag. Peg felt as though he were fondling her breasts instead of just looking at them. Could he see the swollen tips, pushing up through her soft green jumper?

“I’m Peg,” she said, snatching her hand from his and reaching for the bar rag. “And you?”

He bowed slightly. “Lionel Hayes, at your service. But I’ll bet you’re really Margaret, right? It’s much more musical, more sophisticated. It suits you.”

He was clearly trying to flatter her. She didn’t really mind. “Lionel—sounds like an aristocratic playboy from the nineteen twenties. Nobody’s named Lionel anymore.”

The journalist laughed again, soft and intimate, sending the blood rushing again to Peg’s cheeks as well as to other body parts. He drained the last of his pint, then reclaimed her hand. “I’ve got to go. But it’s been pleasure to meet you, Margaret. Perhaps I’ll mention you in my article.”

Buy Links

Kinky Literature – https://www.kinkyliterature.com/book/1587-getaway-girl-/

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2WM4BXR

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D2WM4BXR

Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1557686

Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/getaway-girl-lisabet-sarai/1103185498

Kobo  – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/getaway-girl-10

Apple Books – https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6499560218

Add on Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212364347-getaway-girl

Add on BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/books/getaway-girl-by-lisabet-sarai-2024-05-03

About Lisabet

Lisabet Sarai became addicted to words at an early age. She began reading when she was four. She wrote her first story at five years old and her first poem at seven. Since then, she has written plays, tutorials, scholarly articles, marketing brochures, software specifications, self-help books, press releases, a five-hundred page dissertation, and lots of erotica and erotic romance – over one hundred titles, and counting, in nearly every sub-genre—paranormal, scifi, ménage, BDSM, LGBTQ, and more. Regardless of the genre, every one of her stories illustrates her motto: Imagination is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

You’ll find information and excerpts from all Lisabet’s books on her website (http://www.lisabetsarai.com/books.html), along with more than fifty free stories and lots more. At her blog Beyond Romance (http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com), she shares her philosophy and her news and hosts lots of other great authors. She’s also on Goodreads, BookBub and Twitter. Join her VIP email list here: https://btn.ymlp.com/xgjjhmhugmgh


It’s coming….slow.l..y…

Got the final galley from The Wild Rose Press for Cruel Charade today…probably means a summer release. Been working on this one for four years. *sigh*

But COMING SOON.

Miami attorney Bet Lenard has had a rough year. She’s battling an unknown illness that drives her to drink to cope with her pain. Her lawyer husband has divorced her and taken the best part of their business, their home and their children. On the night of May 16, 1996, Bet finds herself in the Everglades in the middle of the night, drugged, lost and next to a burned car with a dead body in it.

          Hoping she’s hit bottom, Bet must drag herself out of her living hell and discover who tried to kill her. Was it her ex-husband, not satisfied with stealing everything that mattered? An angry client, unhappy with the outcome of their case? Her best friend’s husband, livid that Bet’s restraining order kicked him out of her life forever? Police officers fuming that Bet helped a client convict a dirty cop who was their friend? She has no idea.

          As she tries to sort out the motives behind her would-be killer, even more suspects come to light. The only thing keeping Bet sane is her relationship with her therapist, who encourages her to struggle and survive, despite everything that’s gone wrong. How will Bet discover the truth and bring her enemy to justice before they strike again and, this time, succeed?

Best fiction book 2023 winner! #MFRWHooks

Thanks, N.N. Light’s Heaven for selecting REMNANTS OF FIRE as Best Fiction Book reviewed in 2023! In a previous version, this story languished in a small publishing house that never really wanted it. But after some redding up, now it’s an award winner! Check out the excerpt, and enjoy!

READ AN EXCERPT

Looking for a fresh start, Sara Woods takes a job as a news reporter in a small town. Her first assignment for the Ralston Courier is to investigate of a string of deaths, all young women, all her age.

To deal with chronic back pain, she seeks help at a local healing center. She soon becomes convinced that there is something strange about the Goldstone Clinic. Its doctors and nurses are all the picture of perfect beauty and health, while their patients at first seem to improve and then mysteriously deteriorate.

Dr. Rick Paulsen, a physician at the local hospital, offers to teach Sara how to access her internal power, enhancing hidden skills and revealing secrets from her past.

Police officer Brendon Zale also takes an interest in Sara, watching her every move.

The deeper she digs into the Goldstone, the harder it is to deny links to the paranormal. Can she figure out what is going on and who to trust before it’s too late?

Click here for buy links, excerpt, information, video, and reviews:

https://www.dfpbooks.com/dfp/remnantsoffire.html

Wonderful news!

I try not to be super “HEY LOOK AT ME!!!” here, even though I suppose that’s what the purpose of the blog is. LOL. But on this occasion, I just can’t help it.

I chose to ask for my rights back for three of my books that had been with diverse small press that were not helping me sell books, or even listing them correctly at Amazon. Tired of being the red-headed step-child, if you will, I found a new publishing home, totally rewrote them and got them on the publishing track again.

One of the three is supernatural thriller REMNANTS OF FIRE, which came out in September from Dragonfly Publishing.

Here’s the story: Looking for a fresh start, Sara Woods takes a job as a news reporter in a small town. Her first assignment for the Ralston Courier is to investigate of a string of deaths, all young women, all her age.
To deal with chronic back pain, she seeks help at a local healing center. She soon becomes convinced that there is something strange about the Goldstone Clinic. Its doctors and nurses are all the picture of perfect beauty and health, while their patients at first seem to improve and then mysteriously deteriorate.
Dr. Rick Paulsen, a physician at the local hospital, offers to teach Sara how to access her internal power, enhancing hidden skills and revealing secrets from her past.
Police officer Brendon Zale also takes an interest in Sara, watching her every move.
The deeper she digs into the Goldstone, the harder it is to deny links to the paranormal. Can she figure out what is going on and who to trust before it’s too late?

Wondering if it’s for you? See the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZeEyWTTZIo

Still wondering? Don’t take my word for it– after multiple 5-star reviews, the book has been nominated for Fiction Book of the Year at well-known review site N.N. Light’s Book Heaven. We’ll know next week how we did, but I’m beyond excited.

Stay tuned for updates. And please let your friends and family know about this book. Better yet, it’s on sale for those with ereaders from now through December 31 at smashwords for 99 cents!! As my dad used to say, you can’t beat that with a stick! Although I don’t know why you’d want to… he said a lot of weird things, come to think of it.

ANYWAY. Please check out the book, now that it’s done right. Thanks, readers, and Happy Holidays!

An interview with author Karina Bartow

 Thanks, Karina Bartow, for being with us today. First, would you tell us a bit about yourself? What area of the country do you live in, do you have a family, pets, etc.

On a professional level, I’ve been writing novels for fifteen years and have been traditionally published five times since 2015. I’m living in my childhood home in northern Ohio and am an auntie or “Nin Nin” to two. I also have a very spoiled and feisty parakeet.

Are you a coffee fiend, or do you have another “addiction” you must have on your desk at all times?

Coffee all the way, specifically iced mochas.

Is your education relevant to your writing, or have you branched off in something entirely different to create? How would you best describe your books?

I didn’t attend college, but I trained to be a bridal consultant back in the day. Deep down, though, I always wanted to write, so I also took some honors writing classes in high school. My bridal consultant course gave me a few good tips about sculpting family drama in my plots!

I’ve written a mix of mysteries and love stories. In all of them, I try to entertain readers as well as make them feel something. I also like to add laughter here and there.

Tell us about your most recent publication.  Accidental Allies is the third installment of the Unde(a)feated Detective Series , which follows deaf detective Minka Avery. In its forerunner, Minka left the police force to be a stay-at-home mom to her daughter, Caela. Accidental Allies jumps ahead about four years, with Caela starting kindergarten. Conveniently, a position for a detective at her former precinct opens up, paving the way for her to return to the career she loves. She doesn’t have a very quiet reunion, however, as the county courthouse is bombed the night before she reports for duty.

What inspired you to write this story? What interesting thing did you learn or research to write it that you didn’t know before?

When I decided to bring Minka back to the police force in Accidental Allies, I wanted her return to be suspenseful, much like her departure was in Husband in Hiding. Thus, I set it around an explosion. You can’t get much more action-packed than that, right? Given the crux of the plot revolves around a bombing, most of my research pertained to that…to my mother’s chagrin! I won’t elaborate on what I learned in doing so, but considering I only have one working hand with very little coordination, everyone can rest assured I won’t be putting my knowledge to use!

What’s your favorite thing about the book featured here today? Any special memories you have in the creation of it?

At its heart, the Unde(a)feated Detective Series is about family, and Accidental Allies stays true to that, with an emphasis on friendship. I really enjoyed paying homage to a few of my cherished friendships. As far as a special memory goes, I was able to scout out the area of Orlando around the courthouse and its surroundings, which was fun. We even ate at the diner I feature, so my research was full-sensory.   

What do you most like about writing? Least like? When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

I love being able to create your own world, and there’s no right or wrong—just room for improvement. The part of the gig I don’t particularly love is marketing and self-promotion because it’s really out of my comfort zone.

I first knew I wanted to be an author when I was nine years old, after my mom took me to meet a children’s book author at our local library. Her passion for writing rubbed off on me, so that became my dream from then on.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Are there any writing websites you find particularly useful?

No, I don’t belong to any per-say, but I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with other authors, such as TG Wolff on her Mysteries to Die For podcast and book series. I also subscribe to Authors online magazine and AuthorsPublish.com for new opportunities and helpful tips.   

Is there any special music you like to listen to while writing? How does it inspire you?

I love music, but I can’t write with it on. I like to focus on one thing at a time. However, I was listening to a fairly unknown Daughtry song called “Undefeated” as I mulled over what to name my series, and it hit me—The Unde(a)feated Detective Series!

Do you belong to a critique group? What do you find most valuable about the experience? I’ve always been a bit insecure about my writing, so a critique group terrifies me. My family isn’t even allowed to read my books before they’re published. That said, I’ve entrusted an astute and beloved former teacher of mine to read my work before I submit it to anyone, and her guidance has benefitted me immensely. She even impelled me to write my 2022 love story, Wrong Line, Right Connection.  

To encourage those still on the path, tell us a little about your path to publication. How many books have you published? How many books did you write before selling one? What do you think was the key to selling that first book? 

Husband in Hiding, my debut novel, was the third book I’d written but the first one that I took seriously about publishing. I submitted it to 120 publishers and agents, receiving fifty rejections and the rest going unanswered before I landed an acceptance letter. I think the key was persistence as well as taking into account the few suggestions that were offered to me. In the four books published since then, thankfully, I haven’t racked up rejections like that. I’ve still had to change publishers a couple of times.    

What are you writing now? What’s next for you—will you be making personal appearances anywhere our readers can find you?

 I’m working on another novel in the Unde(a)feated Detective Series, as well as two mini-installments in the form of short stories for TG Wolff’s Mysteries to Die For series.
Anything else you would like to add?

Check out the Accidental Allies book trailer on Youtube! https://youtu.be/byywsuDgo9g?si=wKdDCL6GqbFhg24

Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Allies-Unde-feted-Detective-ebook/dp/B0CHWKQ98F

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/accidental-allies-karina-bartow/1144069605;jsessionid=D196D6EF2F76C613F15D81D65BCDF7D5.prodny_store02-atgap06?ean=9781509252077

Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Accidental-Allies/Karina-Bartow/9781509252077?id=8973185582242

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Unde-a-Feated-Detective-Accidental-Allies-Series-3-Paperback-9781509252077/5087500511?from=/search   

Bio:

Karina Bartow grew up and still lives in Northern Ohio.  Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her.  Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want.  Her works include Husband in Hiding, Brother of Interest, Forgetting My Way Back to You, and Wrong Line, Right Connection.  She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!

Social Media Tags:

Website: https://www.KarinaBartow.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karinabartowauthor 

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/KarinaBartow

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karina.bartow/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/karinabartow/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Karina-Bartow/author/B076L4FCGV?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Disturbing, at best

In my latest book, REMNANTS OF FIRE, one of the clues Sara Woods has to use in her investigation of the Goldstone Clinic is the history of the lead doctor, Francesca Ruprei. From the first moments Sara enters the clinic, she is struck by paintings which were made by the doctor.

“Abstract oil paintings lined the walls, bearing angry, thick strokes of paint, jagged thrusts in vertical lines of red, gray and black. I did not like them in the least, but they were strangely compelling. I had to tear my eyes away.”

Is it possible that the doctor encoded these paintings with magic commensurate with her own powers? Why else would someone have such a visceral reaction?

Looking through some pictures this week at Depositphotos.com, I came across these examples, finding them quite like what I had in mind. What do you think?

When you find the man of your dreams… and he disappears

Welcome sister lawyer author Seelie Kay and her latest, SAINT CON!! Let’s get to know her first.

Q. Why do you write romance?
It began as a way to relieve the stress of a career as a lawyer/journalist and dealing with MS “on the side.” Writing has always been my outlet and the best way to break away from reality for a bit was to write romance. Plus, I love happy endings. I get rather emotional (yes, I’m a crier) but it’s a wonderful release.
Q. Do you prefer a certain type of romantic hero?
I adore smart, dashing gentlemen who aren’t afraid to live on the edge. They can be a lawyer, a bad boy, a billionaire, a prince, or a secret agent. That hint of danger just hooks me! However, they have to be paired with strong, independent women who aren’t afraid to fight for what they want, even love. And brains over brawn, every time!
Q. Why did you write “Saint Con?”
It all began when I woke up to an AMBER and SENIOR alert on my phone. For some reason, I began to wonder why I never saw an alert for an able-bodied adult gone missing. I did a little research and found that in WI, only proof of harm or the passage of 72 hours will trigger a missing person’s investigation.
The burden of finding an able-bodied adult falls on friends and family. That just seems wrong, because most people don’t have the skill or resources to conduct an investigation. However, as you learn from crime shows, the first 72 hours are critical to gathering evidence and finding a missing person. Suddenly, I had the plot, and I knew I wanted to incorporate a character I had been playing with, a street lawyer for the homeless. “Saint Con” was born.
Q. You pretty much use lawyers as your main characters. Why?
It’s what I know. After 30 years, the law and the legal world are so firmly embedded in my brain that I can’t flush them out. That has become the lens through which I view the world and that naturally guides my characters and plots. Injustice infuriates me, but it also leads me to great stories. Even in this book, I find a way to explore social and criminal justice issues.

It was a night dreams are made of, until the man of Jessica Knight’s dreams disappears.

Genre: Romantic Suspense

It was a night dreams are made of, until the man of Jessica Knight’s dreams disappears.

When self-proclaimed good girl Jessica Knight literally bumps into apparent bad boy Connor O’Brien in a suburban Milwaukee wine bar, she is skeptical—of his intentions and the prospect for real love. A former priest, Saint Con is now a street lawyer for Milwaukee’s homeless. After a night of sizzling romance, Jess begins to thaw, and in the days that follow, she is so charmed by Con that she allows herself to start falling in love. Unfortunately, on their first real date, Con fails to appear. Jess doesn’t know if she’s been ghosted or if Con was unavoidably detained, but she leaves their meeting spot devastated.

Until she discovers that Con is missing. Really missing.

The police won’t help because he’s not a vulnerable adult nor is there proof that he has been harmed. So, it falls to Jess and her friends to find him. After surmounting numerous obstacles, Con is finally found, gravely injured and in a coma. Suddenly, it appears a promising love match may be over before it really began.

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * eXtasyBooks * Bookbub * Goodreads

Award-winning author Seelie Kay writes scintillating tales of lawyers in love, sometimes with a dash of kink.

Writing under a nom de plume, the former lawyer and journalist draws her stories from more than 30 years in the legal world. Seelie’s wicked pen has resulted in more than 24 works of fiction, including the new paranormal romance series Donovan Trait, as well the erotic romance Kinky Briefs series and The Feisty Lawyers romantic suspense series. She also authored The Last Christmas, The Garage Dweller, A Touchdown to Remember, The President’s Wife, The President’s Daughter, Seizing Hope, The White House Wedding, and participated in the romance anthology Pieces of Us.

When not spinning romantic tales, Seelie ghostwrites nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. Currently, she resides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee, WI, where she enjoys opera, the Green Bay Packers, gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine.

Seelie is an MS warrior and ruthlessly battles the disease on a daily basis. Her message to those diagnosed with MS: Never give up. You define MS, it does not define you!

Seelie can be reached at http://www.seeliekay.com, http://www.seeliekay.blogspot.com, or on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon gift card – 1 winner,

ebook of Saint Con– 2 winners

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The latest in the Stranger Creatures series!

Kylie Claremont wants answers. She was the victim of a brutal experiment that caused her to develop telekinetic abilities. The position she’s offered as a liaison between Shifters United and the Psy Guild will give her the chance to find the elusive research company that disappeared after experimenting on her and bring them to justice. The only thing standing in her way is an arrogant coyote shifter who is convinced that Kylie is a threat to shifters and shouldn’t be allowed to be a part of Shifters United. She never expected to fall for the gruff, mistrusting man.

Coyote shifter Trevor Ryland will never trust the psy. Still, he knows the time has come to strengthen the tentative alliance between shifters and psy. He fully intends to ignore his attraction to the beautiful psy liaison, but he’d never forgive himself if something happened to her. His plan to protect Kylie from afar is wrecked when they’re forced to work together. She could be his mate but Trevor can’t let that happen. The struggle to deny his need for the one woman with the power to destroy him gets harder every day.

Trevor and Kylie uncover a web of greed and deceit during their search for a travelling research group. They’ll have to work fast and fight hard to stop the CEO’s latest plans or shifters and psy everywhere will suffer.

EXCERPT:

Kylie told Trevor, “I’ve heard about coyotes’ trust issues, as well as some of their other issues. Believe me, as much you want nothing to do with me, not even for a fun, adrenaline come-down session, I have no desire to spend any unnecessary time around you either.”

He wanted to tell her that being with her that night would have been so much more than a quick moment in the sheets to ride the adrenaline high of a rescue nearly gone wrong, but he didn’t dare, instead he signed, “I don’t blame you for not wanting anything to do with me.”

Kylie glared at him. “And no offense but coyotes seem wired wrong if they can’t deal with a break up or a backstabbing. When someone screws you over, you’re supposed to cry, punch things, get a little more cynical, maybe exact a plan for petty revenge, and then move on.”

She’d twisted a knife into the heart of the truth. Coyote shifters were wired just a little wrong. They were more feral than other shifters and needed more time in their animal form. Their curving canines were designed for causing maximum pain and damage. Their claws could shred any living creature in seconds. Coyotes were often gruff and not too sociable but they used their strength and abilities to protect the people who needed protecting.

“Yes. I’m,”since he didn’t know the sign for the word defective, he signed “broken,”then added, “and not good to people who deserve better.”

She closed her eyes and took in a breath as if she were gathering strength for something. When she met his gaze again, he couldn’t look away. She had the most beautiful eyes, whether they were cold or angry or full of passion. Hell, if he could tell a joke and hear her laugh again like she had in her hotel room, her light might destroy him. Not happening. She thinks I’m defective anyway.

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZT58GXZ

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coyotes-vow-christina-lynn-lambert/1143274092?ean=2940185830819

Apple iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/coyotes-vow/id6447381379?ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=books_box_link

Kobo Books: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/coyote-s-vow

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1370196

Google Books: Coyote’s Vow by Christina Lynn Lambert – Books on Google Play

Author Bio:

Before I had the wild idea to write a book, I worked in a few different fields. I was in sales for a while, and after I finished college, I worked as a case manager. When my children were little, I was a personal trainer and running coach. During the evenings, when I was supposed to be studying for another fitness training certification, I started writing a story. Finally, I gave in and acknowledged that writing is what I’m meant to do. I love creating imperfect but determined characters who find the courage to love and the strength to survive in a world where there are no guarantees. My stories include a fair amount of sarcasm, suspense, steam, and violence. When I’m not writing, I enjoy spending time outside and finding ways to avoid cooking. I live in beautiful Virginia with my husband, two teenagers, a sweet, hairy monster of a dog, and two devious cats. 

Author Social Media Links:

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Christina-Lynn-Lambert/e/B01MCYK0K7

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Playing with fire can be deadly #MFRWHooks

My latest book is out, a supernatural thriller called REMNANTS OF FIRE. Here’s the story:

Looking for a fresh start, Sara Woods takes a job as a news reporter in a small town. Her first assignment for the Ralston Courier is to investigate of a string of deaths, all young women, all her age.

To deal with chronic back pain, she seeks help at a local healing center. She soon becomes convinced that there is something strange about the Goldstone Clinic. Its doctors and nurses are all the picture of perfect beauty and health, while their patients at first seem to improve and then mysteriously deteriorate.

Dr. Rick Paulsen, a physician at the local hospital, offers to teach Sara how to access her internal power, enhancing hidden skills and revealing secrets from her past. Police officer Brendon Zale also takes an interest in Sara, watching her every move and trying to get close to her.

The deeper she digs into the Goldstone, the harder it is to deny links to the paranormal. Can she
figure out what is going on and who to trust before it’s too late?

BUY LINKS:

Paperback at Amazon • Paperback at Barnes & Noble • Hardback at Barnes & Noble • eBook at Amazon Kindle • eBook at Apple Books • eBook at Barnes & Noble • eBook at Kobo Books • eBook at Smashwords

EXCERPT:

Of all the corpses I’d seen in six years as a news reporter, Lily Kimball’s hit me the hardest. Found in a drainage ditch along Route 24, two inches deep in snow, she wore only a shabby pair of Banana Republic jeans and a red jersey shirt, a dried clot of blood on her forehead where she’d taken a header into a discarded bottle.

In the half-light before dawn, two CSI-types crouched in front of the body taking pictures and samples, thick parka vests protecting them against the thirty-degree early March chill. Each breath left their cold lips as a mist of water vapor.

“Damnedest thing I ever saw,” the lead investigator said to the waiting medic from the volunteer ambulance service, “Why the hell would some girl be out here in the middle of a snowstorm without shoes, without a coat?”

Good question as far as I was concerned. I was freezing my butt off, despite a hoodie under my jacket, black sweat pants and fur-lined boots. I couldn’t return to the office until I had some answers. So far, all I had was her name, thanks to the CSI techs. No evidence of blunt trauma, no gunshots, no bruising—it didn’t even look like the girl had been tossed out of a car. I angled my pad to catch the headlights of the cop car and scribbled some notes, numb fingers slipping on the pen.

“Your tech pulled a bank debit card from her pocket. Maybe she needed cigarettes or something.” I gestured toward the lights of the all-night market a mile or so further along where the road

intersected with Declan Highway.

The officer’s glare roasted his techs for sharing information, then he eyed me. “Who’re you again?”

“Sara Woods, for the Ralston Courier.” I tilted my laminated badge so he could read it.

He squinted at the black and white picture of a pixie-like brunette with a slightly crooked smile, then compared it to my pixie-like face, much more florid in the wintry wind. I tried for the smile, too, in case it helped. “New blood, huh?”

“Just started. I’m covering for O’Neal this weekend.”

The officer chuckled. “He’ll be pissed. He loves dead bodies.” The medic snickered along with him and they walked away, back to the running patrol car. The heated, running patrol car.

With a disappointed shiver, I observed the techs. They hadn’t disturbed the body much, other than to rule out major trauma. Lily’s skin was icy white, her black hair patchy, so thin it lay atop the snow. Bony stick fingers and toes were dark red, almost violet, from frostbite at the bare tips. It seemed like she’d just fallen over into the ditch. Just let go, dead.

Satisfied with their photos, the techs turned over the stiff body. The girl’s pale, sightless eyes stared into the gray miasma of the late winter sky. Nausea crept from my stomach toward my throat. She had to be about my age, twenty-something; about my size too, although those fingers were wickedly thin. What would have compelled me to leave home in a blizzard, half-dressed, ending in a frozen ditch with my life sucked out? I didn’t know what could cause such desperation.

But the goosebumps that rippled across my skin told me it was still out there, lurking.

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Meet Levi Bradshaw from Tender Misdemeanors

The magical forests of the Bitterroot.

Levi Bradshaw grew up among these trees, and some feel like old friends. That’s why he risks incarceration and worse with his small band of eco-warriors, putting nails and spikes in the trees so loggers won’t cut them down. His group is made up of many young men, and he takes responsibility for every one, mentoring them into a force to be reckoned with.

It seemed harmless enough, until some other folk joined his little group, others with ties to the larger white supremacist, Patriot movement in western Montana and Idaho. Ron Ranning was their ringleader, and he seemed determined to turn Levi’s small protest into another Ruby Ridge.

Unfortunately, Levi doesn’t have a lot of backup. His parents bought this huge old house, intending to make it into a bed and breakfast for the winter ski crowd in Whitefish and surrounding vacation spots, but they both passed before they could make the dream come true. Levi’s brother Zane bailed after their parents’ death, going to law school and establishing himself in California. Levi’s best friend in the group, Alex Sullivan, had disappeared, and Levi was on his own.

His consulting work manages to keep him afloat, and he’s finishing the house bit by bit as he gets jobs. His companions there are Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern, a pair of Rhodesian Ridgeback brothers who have grown up with him, and a pointer named Ophelia, who he rescued after someone injured her on the road outside his house.

Things are only beginning to swerve out of control when his group is targeted by the Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the national forests and gives permission for logging interests to cut trees. The monkeywrenching Levi’s been doing is against the law, and he knows it’s only a matter of time before they catch up with him.

What he doesn’t expect is the arrival of Caryn Orlane, the BLM officer who finds them at work one afternoon. A mutual staredown at gunpoint is a rough introduction, but he comes to see she actually understands what he’s doing. They both agree the more violent agenda of the Patriot group is something that should be dealt with first.

Levi is attacked by his own people, and realizes he needs Caryn, first as an ally, then as a lover. When she joins him, things only get worse on every side. As the death and destruction spiral, the two wonder if there is a way to survive the madness, and how they can uphold the law and still remain together. If not, they’ll lose each other forever.

Here’s the story:

Caryn Orlane has law enforcement in her blood; her father was a cop, and his father, too. She’s a federal agent in northwest Montana, protecting the old forests and keeping the peace.

Levi Bradshaw also believes in protecting the forests, but has a very different MO. He’s the leader of a group of eco-warriors, determined to save the trees of the Bitterroot by legal—and illegal—means.

When they meet in the woods at gunpoint, their encounter ignites a spark of interest, despite operating on opposite sides of the law. When their worlds turn on them, they only grow closer. If they don’t work together, can either survive?

More information and purchase information: https://alana-lorens.com/tender-misdemeanors/

Exciting book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlVFvMZw0a0&t=63s