Tag Archives: forbidden love

Author Amber Daulton – Ángel Defends His Reason for Stalking – New Release: Breaking Her Enforcer

 Please help me welcome today’s guests, Amber Daulton and Ángel Rascón…

People talk about wicked men like we crawl out of the dark already ruined. Like the choices come easy. Like the line between right and wrong snaps clean. I used to believe that, too, until the day Marisol knelt beside me on the sidewalk and kept me alive with her bare hands.

I’d been shot. Heat tore through my chest and shoulder. Blood soaked my shirt and pooled under me. A drive‑by isn’t personal until you’re the one bleeding out on the street, trying to stay conscious long enough to figure out who pulled the trigger. I should’ve died there. Fate disagreed.

When I woke up the next day in the hospital, Marisol was there. She’d stayed overnight in her blood-smeared clothes just to make sure I pulled through the surgery. We were strangers, but her kindness hooked its claws into me.

That’s when I developed my new favorite passion—stalking.

I filed a background check on her, and once released from the hospital, I drove by her house. More than once. All right, a dozen times. Then I waited in her yard, behind the bushes, along the fence line, watching her move through her life like she wasn’t the reason I was still breathing.

Six weeks of recovery gave me too much time to think. Her voice replayed in my head. The memory of her touch. The sassy sweetness in her smile. The huskiness in her laugh. I built an innocent version of her in my mind and wanted the real woman in my life. I fell in love with the idea of her.

Before long, I knew her routine—when she slept, what she ate, where she went, who she associated with—and I learned one very important thing. She was as lonely as me.

Thankfully, she’s a physical therapist and agreed to take me on as a patient. She hadn’t seen me since the hospital, but when I walked into her treatment room for my first session, it had only been a few hours since I last watched her from the shadows.

She was mine to protect. She just didn’t know it yet.

Wicked men with a passion like mine justify everything. I’m no different.

When my crewmate, Bruno, broke into her home, I couldn’t keep to the shadows anymore. I didn’t think. Didn’t hesitate. I went straight through that door and dragged the man off her. Turns out, her brother stole from the cartel. To get the money back, my crew figured the best way to find him was to target her. Now, my loyalties are tested. But one thing will never change.

Marisol is mine. You touch her, you pay the price.

If that makes me wicked, then fine. I’m as wicked as they come. And I don’t regret a damn thing.

He was never supposed to touch her. Now he’ll kill to protect her.

Blurb:

A drive-by shooting lands him in the hospital. And in the arms of temptation.

Cartel enforcer Ángel Rascón knows he should stay away from the woman who saved his life. Marisol is a sensual blend of fire and innocence, irresistible to his inner beast. She’s also the little sister of a man now on the run from the cartel—Ángel’s friend and former partner. Getting involved with her could destroy everything he’s worked for, but when she’s threatened, it’s game on.

Physical therapist Marisol Cruz knows Ángel is dangerous, yet he’s always there. Watching. Waiting. Wanting. After her brother’s enemies track her down, Ángel appoints himself her protector with every intoxicating kiss.

Ángel will have to risk his position—and his life—to keep her safe. But Marisol faces the most devastating choice of all. Loving her stubborn enforcer may mean losing her brother forever.

Excerpt:

Ángel latched the squeaky iron gate behind him and crept across Marisol’s darkened front yard. The soothing droll of crickets masked the sound of his footsteps while the overgrown trees, shrubs, and cacti at the far property line shielded him from any nosy neighbors. Not that she had any in this quiet, working-class neighborhood on the city’s outskirts. As he braced himself against the side of her house, the rough stucco scraped his jacket and the back of his head as it always did. Yellow light poured from the living room window in horizontal beams as though to expose him.

Fuck that. He wasn’t an amateur.

Faint music seeped from inside the house.

He smirked, willing to bet his bank account that Marisol was streaming reruns of her favorite telenovela. Desperate for a glimpse of her, he pressed closer toward the glass pane and peered through the slatted blinds.

Inside, Marisol was bundled under a thick red-and-green checkered quilt on the sofa and cheered like a love-struck teenager over something that happened on the TV.

Damn right. He knew his woman well. From the high-stakes story lines to the nineteenth-century period costumes, Las Sombras del Imperio had found its way into countless living rooms across the country. Including his own.

After the program ended, Marisol turned off the television, slipped on her fuzzy house shoes, and grabbed her dinner plate and glass.

He darted around the house and ducked under a mesquite branch in the side yard. The crisp breeze rustled through the leafy branches, swept back his hair, and chilled his skin. Gritting his teeth, he huddled deeper into his denim jacket. His thick, cable-knit shirt caught against the hard ridge over his collarbone, irritating the taut skin. A deep, metallic chill radiated from the inside out, numbing the fracture site with a dull ache. He yanked the collar away from his neck and cursed.

Light now streamed out from the kitchen window.

As the rambunctious mutt next door yapped at something stirring in the bushes, Marisol peered out the glass into the darkness. Fine lines crimped her face.

Ángel slunk deeper into the shadowy foliage. Once she focused on washing the dishes, he swiped a branch out of his way and rolled his tight, sore shoulders. A low grunt tore from his mouth.

Distant laughter rang out, disrupting the tranquility of the night.

He pulled his phone from his jeans back pocket and checked his notifications. Nothing from Raul. Or Muniz. What the hell was going on with them? He slid the cell back in.

A crash echoed from the other side of the house.

Ángel jerked upright.

Marisol flung her dish towel aside and raced out of the kitchen.

“Mierda,” Ángel dashed back around the house and snatched his gun from his hip holster. His pulse thundered in his ears. Icy dread slashed through his stomach.

The front door hung open.

“Get out!” Marisol shouted from inside. Something shattered. “Get out of my house!”

Buy links:

Universal: https://books2read.com/BreakingHerEnforcer

Amazon: https://amzn.to/43dXnRa

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breaking-her-enforcer-amber-daulton/ 1149425099?ean=2940185002971

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/breaking-her-enforcer

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Amber_Daulton_Breaking_Her_Enforcer?id=ncW_EQAAQBAJ

Apple/iBooks: https://apple.co/4uZMn5u

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1963634

BookShop.org (Support Local Bookstores!): https://bookshop.org/a/121133/9798233981111

About the Author:

Amber Daulton writes raw, edgy romantic suspense and dark cartel romance featuring high stakes, deep passion, and defiant hearts. She’s the author of the Lozano Cartel, Arresting Onyx, Embracing You, and Ramseys in Time series, as well as a rich catalog of standalone novellas. Her books are available worldwide in digital, print, and select audio formats.

From her home base in North Carolina, she builds dangerous criminal underworlds and maps out fierce, second-chance love stories alongside her supportive husband and her demanding feline writing assistant, Zita.

Learn more: https://amberdaulton.com

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Chelsey M. Ortega: 10 Moments That Changed My Life ~ Bondwitch: Hybrid #RomanticFantasy

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Chelsey M. Ortega…

Identifying 10 moments that changed my life felt like a challenge because I’m still young (yes, 35 is young no matter what my students say), and I’ve lived a pretty standard life. Nothing big has happened to me. But as I thought about my life, something big doesn’t have to happen to be considered life-changing and noteworthy. I also discovered that my life-changing moments were not obvious right away. The changes happened over time, and started with that one seemingly insignificant decision.

1 Joining the ballroom world. I took my first ballroom class when I was 11 years old. Dancing on teams and competing brought me a group of lifelong friends, helped me hone my social skills, and taught me the value of hard work.

2 Getting Engaged. Other than the obvious changes of choosing to combine my life with my husband’s, our engagement taught us how to choose our love over other’s opinions.

3 Moving out of my parents’ house. I went straight from my family home to my married home. I chose to live at home after graduating high school because I couldn’t imagine living with five other girls in college. Moving in with my husband was special because I chose him, and he chose me; we weren’t assigned to be roommates.

4 Having my first baby. This was a big deal for me because I thought I didn’t want kids, but I knew I would “have to” because of my religious upbringing. I learned that I can love, care for, and raise children. None of it was easy, but my beautiful family was worth any struggles I’ve had in the early years of motherhood.

5 Picking the “wrong” degree. I received my Bachelor of Arts in History Teaching with a minor in TESOL. I was strongly encouraged to not go that route, and I didn’t listen. Even though the decision to pick a “less marketable” degree seemed like a bad idea at the time, it led me to a much better future for my teaching career.

6 Attempting to be a blogger. After I had my first baby, I became lonely because I stopped working, and I was now different from my college classmates. I tried to enter the mommy blogging-sphere of the early 20-teens. I wasn’t successful, but what I did get out of it, was a consistent practice to my writing craft.

7 Moving to a place I “feared”. When we were ready for house shopping, we could not afford the houses in the cities I wanted to live in. Our agent recommended some houses in a city I never considered. I cried on the way home after those first showings. I could not see myself living there. We’ve now lived here for almost seven years, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

8 Going to work earlier than planned. My husband’s first career was a casualty of Covid. I had a very strong feeling that even if he did get a new job quickly, it was time for me to go back to work. It’s a good thing that I followed that prompting because my husband was unable to find a new job in his old field. He stayed home with the kids and went back to school (online) to do a career switch. Six years later, we are both very happy in our careers.

9 Publishing my first book. The trials of Covid also brought on completing my first manuscript. When I completed Bondwitch, I knew it was worth sharing, and I knew that could write more books. The Wild Rose Press accepted Bondwitch and officially made me a published author!

10 Getting my Masters. I am currently in the middle of this moment. When I was one semester away from graduating college, I realized that I had chosen the wrong major, but I didn’t want to start over. One of my professors recommended that I continue as is, and once I had a few years of teaching under my belt, get my Masters in TESOL. 11 years later, I have officially started my Masters program, and will graduate in 2027!

Life is made up of choices. And our choices take us to places we were meant to be. What is a decision you’ve made that you now see the worth in making?

Blurb:

To Grandmother’s house they went, but Grandma dishes out judgement and threats instead of cookies and hugs.

Annamaria Lyons is finally with her grandma. But Libby holds unyielding control of her coven and granddaughters. Annamaria has been betrothed to a male witch, but her heart yearns for her vampire boyfriend. Libby threatens deadly consequences if Annamaria refuses her upcoming wedding. Will Annamaria give in or risk everything to follow her heart?

Marianna Lyons is a big disappointment. She lost her magic when she was forcefully turned into a vampire. As the inferior minority, Marianna craves Libby’s approval. When Marianna is tricked into breaking coven rules, she has a choice to make: go through a tortuous rehab, or leave her new home. As Marianna rediscovers herself, will she accept her new identity, or conform to Libby’s impractical expectations? 

Excerpt:

“Open the gate.” Annamaria stood as tall as she could in front of the two inside guards.

 “I’m sorry, Miss. Madam Libby’s orders. No one goes in or out tonight.” His face was a mask of neutrality.

“But tonight’s the night Anthony returns.” The guard’s eyes softened, pity swirling in their chocolate brown depths. She pinched her brows. Was this why Libby snooped through her phone this morning? Annamaria looked to her left. The other guard was talking to Zeke, who bobbed his head with folded arms. She looked to her right. No one. She ran along the perimeter, calling on the air to give her a boost. Annamaria leaped upward, a strong wind from her palms catching and guiding her.

“Miss!” 

The guard ran right behind her. His fingers grazed her ankles. Annamaria’s control of the air flickered and she wobbled. She kicked at him, planted her foot against his head, and used his sturdy form to thrust herself upward. She called on a final boost of air, landing on top of the wall. The guard cried out as he landed flat on his back on the ground below. Annamaria looked over the wall. Four figures stood near a vehicle in the dark.

She jumped and used the air to slow her fall. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she ran toward the group. The figures became clearer. Two shifter guards, Marianna, and Anthony. Annamaria made a beeline to Anthony and threw herself into his arms. He caught her without changing his stance or breath. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he wrapped his arms around hers, nuzzling his nose into her hair. 

She kissed him in front of their small audience, and anyone else who might be watching. Anthony kissed her back, parting her lips with his tongue and lightly sucking on her bottom lip. Though they had been “dating” for the past month, their last kiss had been before she fled Will’s over a month ago. She kissed him until she ran out of breath, then inhaled and rested her forehead against his.

“Welcome home,” she whispered, gazing into his dark brown eyes and dropping her feet to the ground.

Anthony chuckled, and his black skater hair fell forward as he looked down to meet her gaze. “I’ll go away more often if this is how you’ll greet me.”

Buy links:

Amazon Barnes & Noble The Wild Rose Press Walmart

Other buy options: https://chelseymortega.com/bondwitch-2/

About the Author:

Chelsey M. Ortega is a teacher by day and award-winning author by night. History is her first love, and any story involving magic and romance, her second love. She especially loves witches and is still awaiting her acceptance letter to a well-known school. Chelsey received her Bachelor’s in History Teaching from Brigham Young University. In addition to writing, Chelsey teaches high school U.S. History and ELD. She lives in Utah with her husband, three children, and two cats. Follow Chelsey at www.chelseymortega.com

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“Researching My Ancestors for Second Wives” by Patricia McAlexander ~ #HistoricalFiction

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Patricia McAlexander…

 “Researching My Ancestors for Second Wives”

(The nine members of the Kornmeyer family listed on the manifest of the Jane E. Williams, October 7, 1850)

On a January afternoon in 2018, I sat at a computer in the Heritage Room of the Athens-Clarke County Library in Athens, Georgia, excited as an image came up on Ancestry.com—the manifest listing the name, gender, age, and birthplace of each passenger arriving in New York Harbor from Rotterdam on the barque Jane E. Williams, on October 7, 1850. There I found the name of my great-great-grandfather: “Martin Kornmeyer (M) 38, Farmer, Baden.”  Listed below were the names of those traveling with him:

Rosa Jackle (F) 28, Baden

Theresa Kornmeyer (F) 15, Baden

Martin Kornmeyer (M) 14, Baden

Peter Kornmeyer (M) 12, Baden

Joseph Kornmeyer (M ) 10, Baden

Gabriel Kornmeyer (M) 8, Baden

Phillip Kornmeyer (M) 6, Baden

Mathilda Kornmeyer (F) 4, Baden

The last seven names were, of course, his children. But the list raised several questions. Catholic Church records had listed the Kornmeyer family—which presumably would have been Martin, his wife Maria Ursula Uhl, and their seven children—as leaving the town of Böhringen, Baden, in 1848, on their way to the New World.  But where was Martin’s wife?  And who was Rosa Jackle? She was not another child—she was only ten years younger than Martin. Finally, passage across the Atlantic at that time took six to twelve weeks, so the Jane E. Williams must have left Rotterdam sometime in the late summer of 1850. What had happened to the family during the two years after they left Böhringen? And what were the stories of those children in America, especially the younger Martin Kornmeyer, my great-grandfather, and his daughter Emma, my grandmother, born there in 1877?

Left to me were only documents on Ancestry.com; a nineteenth-century painting of the Jane E. Williams that came upon Google; gravestones in a Boonville, New York, cemetery;  passed-down family tales and mementos—old photographs, letters, yellowed newspaper articles; my grandmother’s two-stone topaz engagement ring.  Realizing how little I knew about the lives of these ancestors, even with help from other descendants, I decided their full story could be told only as historical fiction. I would have to fill in the blanks with imagination.

So, with notes and photocopied documents at hand, I began to write Second Wives. I used mostly their real names, adhered to the timeline of actual events, and embedded into the novel family tales and mementoes. Even as the novel was in progress, I researched the historical background, traveled up the Rhine as the Kornmeyers must have on their journey from Baden to Rotterdam, and visited sites of family homes and graves in Boonville, New York, where they settled.

 I’ve always felt that one of the rewards of writing is the process itself,  but that was especially true with Second Wives, as those ancestors I never knew came to life for me. But even more rewarding is when I’m told they came to life for readers as well.

About:

Inspired by the author’s ancestors, this historical saga traces the lives of three generations through marriage, loss, and the possibility of renewal through a second love. 

Excerpt:

Martin reached down, scooped up a handful of soil, and, opening his fist, showed it to her. “I’ve loved this land, worked this soil, all my life. It will always be a part of me. But the crops have failed too many times. The farm is mortgaged. We would lose it if we stayed longer. And you know the political situation here.” He let the soil sift through his fingers back to the ground.  “I will find new land in America. It will be a better home there for Esther and our children and their children.”

Rosa recognized in his eyes, his voice, the kind of passion she’d seen in Johannes when he talked of politics, of revolution. She turned away to look out past the farmhouse and barn to the winter-barren land beyond. She thought of the ragged men in the cities, of their angry demonstrations, of what Johannes had said about America. She turned back. “Yes, I see why you have to go.” Pulling her hood back over her head, she began moving out into the wind. “And it’s time for me to go back to Stuttgart. I’ll find work there as a governess.”

 “Rosa!” He reached out and took her arm. “Esther and I want you to come with us.”

Buy link    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GTWT772K

Note: If you search for Second Wives on Amazon, for some reason the search bar has my name as Patricia ALEXANDER—they’ve omitted the Mc. They tell me it has to do with autocorrect and cannot be changed. Pay no attention. The book comes up anyway.

About the Author:

Originally from upstate New York, Patricia Jewell McAlexander earned degrees from the State University of New York at Albany, Columbia University, and The University of Wisconsin, Madison, all in English. It was in Madison that she met her Southerner husband, Hubert, a fellow graduate student. They made Athens, Georgia their home, raised their son there, and taught at the University of Georgia. After retiring, Patricia has had more time to garden and travel while renewing her interests in photography, history, and, most of all, writing fiction.. Since 2020 she has published four contemporary novels of romantic suspense—Stranger in the Storm, Shadows of Doubt, The Student in Classroom Six, and The Last Golden Isle. In her most recent novel, Second Wives, she combines the romance and psychological complexity of her previous works with family lore and genealogical research to create her first novel of historical fiction. 

Email: mcalexanderpatricia@gmail.com

Website: https://patriciamcalexander.weebly.com 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/patriciamcalexander/

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

X (Twitter):  https://twitter.com/PatMcAlexWriter

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Gemini Rising by Bianca Swan ~ #AHAgrp #Blog

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Bianca Swan…

 

St. Michael’s Mount is a tidal island in Mount’s Bay in Cornwall, U.K. I was lucky enough to visit the Karrak Loos yn Koos,  Cornish for “hoar rock in woodland”, on my honeymoon back before recorded time. Seriously, it was last century. I immediately fell in love with this small island accessible only by a manmade causeway, passable only between mid-tide and low tide. This causeway is made of granite setts. Two types of granite are indigenous on the Mount.  These are a tourmaline muscovile and a biotite muscovite. I’m not a geologist. Wiki, my friends. The island is a civil parish and linked by the causeway to the town of Marazion.

While the National Trust now guarantees the preservation and conservation of the Mount, the St Aubyn family continue to live on and manage the island, as they have done since the middle of the 17th century.

St Aubyn Estates has been part of the West Cornwall landscape. Today, it is a modern, family-owned enterprise spanning 5,000 acres with a diverse portfolio of businesses, including land and property management, tourism and hospitality, building and farming. James and Mary St Levan live on St Michael’s Mount.

In WWII, the Mount was fortified  during the invasion crisis of 1940–41. Three pillboxes can be seen to this day.

I  hope you have enjoyed this quick tour of the island.  If I’d had more space, I’d have gone into the history but I wanted to tie in my book, you see.  The Keep in Gemini Rising, where the twins are raised, and Alain later becomes Lord of the island, was inspired by that long-ago trip to St. Michael’’s Mount. You never know what will stick in your subconscious and surface years later.  I never forgot the Mount.

~*~

Gemini Rising by Bianca Swan was published by Black Lotus Books:

This book is not for the faint of heart. It pushes all the taboos, and because it does Amazon has so far refused to carry it.  It can only be purchased through the publisher’s website. One reviewer said: “Yes, it does push boundaries, but it also holds surprises that make it more than it appears to be and definitely an interesting and entertaining read.”

Science said male/female identical twins were impossible until the Alastair twins were born. Were Alina and Alain genetically encoded or did growing up in an isolated island castle determine they walk the forbidden trails?

Blurb:

The Alastair twins are a scientific impossibility. To parents who’ve tried every way to have a child, their male and female identical twins are a miracle.

Isolated in their island castle, the Alastair twins Alain and Alina turn to each other for friendship and love. But when their love shifts from fraternal to frighteningly deep, they’ll each dance with their lust in their own way.

A dark fantasy of forbidden longings and midnight pledges, spoken only to be broken or kept. How can these phenomenal twins possibly unleash their innermost desires? The answer will shock you.

Excerpt:

Rory rushed him, grabbing his shirtfront, his fist drawn back to strike. Alain raised a defense. The horses snorted, hooves scrambling on cobbles. Aiden Alastair strode into the barn hall, assessing the situation at a glance.

“By all that’s holy!” Father’s hands fisted. “Have you both taken leave of your senses?”

Rory freed Alain with a shove. “I’m rearranging your son’s pretty face. You’ve said yourself that Alain’s too pretty for his own good.” The old, familiar humiliation and pain twisted in Alain, but he squared his shoulders, and with blood on his mouth, faced his father. His brother-in-law’s lips curled in a mocking smile. “I was just trying to help you out, Lord Alastair.” He put hateful emphasis on the title.

Alastair crossed his arms, glaring at his son-in-law. “You’re my daughter’s husband and as such this is your home, but I won’t tolerate fighting beneath my roof.”

Rory hung his head, staring at the cobbles, said nothing. His stiff posture sagged.

Father’s eyes found Alain. His expression altered from angry to hurt. “I would have expected more of you. Did you start this?”

Of course, he’d jumped to the conclusion Alain was to blame. He was always ready to believe the worst of his only son. He could tune them out, suppress his feelings and stoically endure. But not this time. Damage, like love and hate, came in degrees. All his life Alain had suffered at this man’s clumsy hand. He arched an eyebrow.

Rory’s gaze lifted to Alain’s face. He gasped, “Don’t.”

~*~

About Bianca:

Bianca lives in the Lone Star State with her baby grand piano and is very fond of her snazzy convertible whose name is Zippy Z. She enjoys reading, horses, symphony, theater, and writing. She still believes in the power of love—and the power of lust—and enjoys delving into the soul of both the L-Words, bringing to life hot, passionate men and the lucky, passionate women who love them.

You can find Bianca at:

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/bianca.swan.589

Web Site:  https://www.biancaswan.com/

Blog:            https://biancaswanblog.wordpress.com/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4573416.Bianca_Swan

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#HobbyCareerPassion: Animal Love and the Internet by Emily Heebner

Welcome to my weekly feature where authors share about the hobbies, careers, or passions of their characters. And Merry Christmas!! 

I’m pleased to introduce today’s guest, Emily Heebner…

Animal Love and the Internet 

I’m grateful for the internet. However flawed, it lets folks research any topic at any hour in the comfort of home. It allowed me to write about puppies being born.

I had married into a family of animal lovers. Not that I didn’t already love animals, I did! I grew up with a beloved dog, Cookie, a great friend and confidante. But in typical suburban fashion, my mother did most – okay – all of the animal care herself.

So when I became matron of my home plus dog, I put my foot down. “Everybody helps!” I declared.

Now that we have our third dog, Sally, plus two cats, plus lizard who’s determined to out-live us, I continue to study. Especially that night I arrived home late and almost drove over a furry larva in our driveway.

It was to be the night we switched from cat loathers to cat lovers.

I was opening our gate so I could pull my car in when I noticed a fluttering leaf out of the corner of my eye. Exhausted, I wanted to ignore it, but the night was hot and still, so I looked again. Lit by my car’s headlights was a furry larva near our hedge, squirming across the driveway. I left the car running, ran for the house and called, “Honey, come quick! Leave Sally inside!”

“Is it a rat?” I asked.

“A cat.”

Umbilical cord attached, the wee one was brand new, probably dropped by her mom when I opened the gate. We learned from the internet we should’ve given the mommy time to retrieve her baby. But we were unschooled and quick to adopt hero mode.

Soon “Solo” was swaddled in clean towels, with a ticking clock and a heating pad close by her box.

The internet taught us much. Since the mommy wasn’t there to lick, my husband assumed operation poop training, which entailed wiping Solo’s butt with warm, damp cotton balls. I was better at bottle feeding, getting her to latch onto the hummingbird like nipple as she sucked and “swam” in the air with her arms.

On the third day, the vet said to bring her in. While he checked her, our larva-kitten pooped on the table. I watched the vet pick up the piece of poop, throw it away, then stick his finger in her mouth. What? The moment flashed so fast, just like the wiggling leaf on the driveway that was now our tiny pet. Did I really see the vet stick his finger in her mouth? The same finger that picked up the poop?

Next day, Solo was lethargic. I put her on our bed to play but she lay still, then moved, dragging her back leg. I quickly put her inside my shirt, looked up fading kitten syndrome, phoned the vet, got in the car, and phoned Eric.

It was a different vet on call so we squealed about the other vet’s poopy finger moment. This new vet explained that without her mother’s milk, Solo was extra vulnerable to infection. He loaded her up with more than the recommended antibiotics and with a doubtful smile, wished us well.

Flash forward: Solo will be four years old this spring. She’s healthy. She and Sally are good friends.

In Seneca Lake, Arthur helps a Labrador deliver her puppies in a saloon. One gets stuck but survives. The internet and Solo taught me how to write that scene.

Blurb:

It’s 1944, and high school senior Meg Michaels has always obeyed her grandparents’ wishes, till now. They’re urging her to give up her dream of Cornell University and accept a ring from wealthy Hank Wickham before he deploys overseas.

But Meg has studied hard and yearns for something better than life in the rural Finger Lakes. Plus Meg’s suddenly fascinated with her childhood friend, Arthur Young, a handsome Seneca Indian farm worker. When Meg and Arthur nurse a sick puppy to health, their friendship transforms into love.

But locals look down on “injuns” and resent the fact that Arthur’s farm job exempts him from military duty. While the war rages in Europe, Meg and Arthur must fight their own battles at home…

Excerpt:

They all watched, hoping a puppy would begin to appear. Brandy grunted and contorted, but nothing changed.

“Dang it.” Arthur wiped his forehead into the upper part of his sleeve. Then he carefully slipped the fingers of one hand inside Brandy’s swollen vagina. She squirmed at first, even growled some. But as Arthur’s hand made its way farther inside her, she breathed through her nose, poised, as if she trusted him, painful as it was. Her eyes fixated at the towel beside her head.

“Good girl,” he murmured. “I’m gettin’ him, Brandy.” Her belly lurched. “Hold still now, girl.”

Arthur’s hand began to reverse direction. He pulled so slowly, Meg wasn’t sure at first. A tingle of dread ran through her. Minutes seemed to pass. Then his forearm tightened.

He shook his other hand toward Meg.

“Towel!”

She grabbed some clean ones from the whelping box.

“Sac’s broke.” He was pulling a wet tail and tiny paws from Brandy’s birth canal. He wrapped a towel around them. Brandy’s belly contracted. Then swoosh, the puppy slid out. Meg handed Arthur a dry towel which he wrapped around the pup. Brandy watched and panted, then gnawed on the cord and began to eat the afterbirth. But the puppy lay still.

“Gol dang it—”

Arthur picked up the lifeless pup and rubbed him vigorously in the towel. He stood and stepped back from Brandy, swinging the pup belly up, over his head, then down between his knees in an arc. He did it again, then checked the puppy’s nose and mouth.

“Dang it!”

He swung the puppy again, then checked his mouth. A soft gurgle could be heard.

“Atta boy—” said Charley.

“C’mon, big guy.” Arthur rubbed him roughly in the towel. “Wake up.” He wiped the pup’s nostrils and blew on his face. The puppy squirmed just slightly. Arthur rubbed and rubbed, as if summoning a genie from a magic lamp.

Meg stood beside them. “If you can wake up,” she said, “we’ll make you fat as Ol’ Pete.”

Arthur stopped rubbing and studied the pup’s face. “We’ll call you Li’l Pete, how’d you like that? Folks’ll think you’re one part hog.”

Brandy moaned.

Charley tried to grin. “His ma swears he’s pure pup, Art. She ain’t been near no hogs.”

“Keep rubbing and talking.” Arthur handed the puppy to Meg. He stooped down to check Brandy. “Comin’ head first. This one ain’t stuck.”

 

Bio:

Emily Heebner, MFA is a fiction writer, professor and theater professional. A Cornell University graduate, she worked extensively as an actor, then wrote documentary scripts for dvds including The Hours, Tuck Everlasting, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Passion. Seneca Lake, her Coming of Age novel, explores interracial romance. Published by The Wild Rose Press, it’s available in Print, ebook and Audiobook formats.

website: emilyheebner.com

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emily.heebner.90

https://twitter.com/EmilyHeebner 

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New Release: Unimaginable Lover by Rosalie Redd

Today’s guest, Rosalie Redd has a very special interview for us…

 

Want to meet Tanen, the hero of Unimaginable Lover, book 3 in the Warriors of Lemuria series? I sat down with him for a brief interview…

Did you turn out the way your parents predicted?

Tanen adjusts himself in the chair and straightens the collar on his shirt. His brow furrows. “Much to my chagrin, no. My father was a warrior. I was a disappointment to him.”

I squirm in my seat. I am uncomfortable in the presence of this large male. “Why is that?”

He crosses his arms, his biceps bulging tight against his shirt sleeves. “Because I didn’t follow in his footsteps. Instead, I chose to pursue knowledge and my love of the ancient scriptures.”

What is your most treasured possession?

Tanen traces his finger along the pin that graces his collar. The silver metal, in the shape of the letter M, reflects the overhead lights with an unearthly glint. “My pin. It signifies my status as council leader and represents Lemuria and life ever after.”

I stroke my fingers over the keyboard as I record his comments. The sound echoes around the large chamber, and a cool breeze runs over my shoulder. Goosebumps form.

He leans back in his chair and touches one of the sunstones lining the cave walls. The gem flares, brightening the room and the air warms. “Is that better? The crystals will take away the chill.”

“Thank you, Tanen.”

What do you value most?

He studies me for a moment before answering, his gaze flicking over my features. “King Noeh’s respect. I will do whatever he asks to help win this war against our enemy, the Gossum, and for our goddess, Alora.”

I can’t help but smile at his sincerity.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

The muscles in his arms visibly tense. His gaze tracks to my necklace, and he cracks his knuckles. “I’d rather not say.”

My unease is once again forefront in my mind. The chair is suddenly rock-hard beneath my bottom and no amount of heat in the room will take away the chill running down my spine. 

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

The smile returns to his face. His blue eyes swirl with gold flecks, mixing together in a beautiful dance.

Despite my nervousness, I’m mesmerized.

He winks. “Ignorance.”

When he didn’t elaborate further, I clear my throat. “Time to move on.”

What scares you?

He places his arms on his thighs and leans forward. “Failing my king.”

I wouldn’t want to face this warrior in a dark alley.

What happens after you die?

A slow smile curls his lips, twinkling the blue in his eyes once again. “When a warrior dies his soul returns to Lemuria, back to the character board to fight again in another war on another planet.”

“Thank you, Tanen, for the interview.”

He places his hand over mine and gives it a gentle squeeze. “You’re welcome, Rosalie.”

 

Thank you, Rosalie and Tanen. I enjoyed getting to know you. Now, pelase tell us about your story…

 

unimaginableloverothersites

Blurb:

A shifter and a human together? Unimaginable…

One careless decision. The colony betrayed. Tanen’s only course is a desperate hunt for justice, but his solo mission is cut short when he’s mortally wounded during a fight. Rescued by a sweet, innocent female who nurses him back to health, he can’t deny the passion that burns between them. Now he must choose between his duty and honor or his desire for the precious, but forbidden, human female.

Broken promises and ruined love hardened Sheri’s heart. When she finds an injured and extraordinarily sexy man on her property, she’s pulled into a world she never imagined. As she nurses him back to health and they bond over their love of books, she’s torn between the lessons she learned from her rough past and the need to seek solace in Tanen’s arms, but she must learn to trust him, and herself, in order to survive.

Excerpt:

Sheri’s pulse raced as a strange mixture of shock and desire coursed through her veins. The tall, muscular stranger pinned her against the wall. One second she’d pressed 9-1—on her phone and the next, she was here, in his arms.

His biceps bulged, and she had a sudden urge to run her fingers over them, feel the steel that was below the surface, but her hands were trapped at his hips. She gripped his taut waist, and his heat bore into her, warming her fingers, tingling the sensitive nerves. Although caged in his embrace, he was gentle with her, holding back the strength that ebbed from him in waves. As he leaned in, his breath cascaded over her shoulder, warm and enticing.

“No infirmary.” His gravelly, rough command came out on a whisper.

She should’ve feared him, this stranger in her home trapping her in his arms, but instead, her insides melted, warmed by his touch, his voice, his scent. Something about him made her long for more.

So focused on the man who held her so close, she hadn’t noticed Coop. His insistent barks echoed through the house.

The man tensed, and in the process his lean body pressed tighter against hers. Her skin prickled at the contact.

With a quick glance over his shoulder, she caught sight of her pet. He growled, his lips curled over his fangs.

“No, Coop. Stop!”

His back legs bunched in preparation for his attack.

The man didn’t release her, but turned to face her dog. He held out one hand, palm open. “Halt.”

Coop’s growl faded.

He took a tentative step forward.

His nose quivered, and a small whimper eased from his chest. Her pet, an ex-police dog trained to track and defend, placed his muzzle under the stranger’s palm.

She gasped. If she hadn’t seen this for herself, she wouldn’t have believed it. He patted Coop on the head, and the dog’s tail beat against the floor.

The man’s eyes were red-rimmed, and sweat coated his forehead. “I have to leave…”

His eyes glazed over, and his grip around her waist loosened.

As her hands traveled along the space between them, her fingers trailed over the firm muscles of his abdomen and chest. The strength and power under his skin lit up her nerves. She moved a stray hair away from his brow and focused on his eyes. Bottomless pools of blue, they reflected the pain hidden behind his features.

Her chest constricted. “Please, let me help you.”

His gaze fell to her mouth, and he reached up to stroke her bottom lip with his thumb, teasing her. “How? Like this?”

Before she could stop him, he slipped his hand around the base of her neck and pulled her close. His mouth hovered over hers for the briefest moment. She closed her eyes, aware that doing so was an invitation all its own. Warm and welcoming, his lips tasted of musk and pepper. With unexpected tenderness, he teased her with his tongue, caressing the crease between her lips. The sensitive nerves tingled at the contact and she inhaled, parting her mouth.

Moaning softly, he deepened the kiss, and explored her. His tongue brushed the sore spot in her mouth, but instead of pain, his smooth caress eased some of the ache. The passionate need in his kiss bore into her, sending a wave of desire to her core. Beneath the thin material of her shirt, her nipples peaked, and she couldn’t hide her reaction to him. A slow groan rumbled in his chest.

Buy links

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7K0PCU

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01N7K0PCU

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N7K0PCU

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01N7K0PCU

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unimaginable-lover-rosalie-redd/1125333110

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/unimaginable-lover

ibooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1185271791

 

rosalieredd15forweb

Bio

After finishing a rewarding career in finance and accounting, it was time for award-winning author Rosalie Redd to put away the spreadsheets and take out the word processor. She pens paranormal, science fiction, and fantasy romance in her office cave located in Oregon, where rain is just another excuse to keep writing.

 

Contact links

Website:  http://www.rosalieredd.com

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/RosalieRedd

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/34148783-rosalie-redd

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

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/rosalieredd

 

 

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