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When I said that Chatting with a Vampire would be out in October, I did not mean this late. My intention was to have it out at the beginning of the month or mid-October at the latest.

Chatting with a Vampire was originally published in the Just Vamps anthology and was very short. I wanted to lengthen it before republishing it. I had difficulty pulling myself away from another book I was working on and, as usual, life likes to throw up its roadblocks.

Anyway, it’s short and sweet. Enjoy it with your Halloween candy.

Here’s an excerpt:

     Alaya ran her hands over her skirt again in an almost subconscious effort to make it longer. Her blouse was the same shade of pink with a deep V. The slinky material clung to her breasts and accentuated the dip of her waist.
     “Nervous?” Sheila had to shout over the loud music playing in the club.
     She turned towards her friend and nodded. 
     “You should be. What changed your mind about meeting this guy?”
     “He seemed nice.”
     “Most serial killers do until they take out the knives.”
     Alaya made a face at her. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward. She wasn’t going to find Alex standing in the entrance. Also, her outfit was gaining a male audience she didn’t appreciate. A couple of men to their right ogled her and Sheila like they were fresh meat. There were a few seats remaining at the bar so Alaya guided Sheila in that direction. Glancing around, she still didn’t see Alex. Maybe he decided to back out of their date? She’d sent him her picture as well. Maybe he hadn’t liked what he saw.
     The bartender came over and they ordered colas. “See him yet?”
     Alaya shook her head. There were so many people in here and the music was so loud she was beginning to get a headache. She took a sip of her soda. 
     Sheila scanned the dance floor from beneath heavy false lashes that gave her dark eyes an exotic appearance. Her short curls were a shiny helmet that reflected the nightclub’s lights. “Well, if he doesn’t show up soon, there are plenty of other men in here.” She nodded to a group of men sizing them up. With a wicked grin, she crossed her long mocha legs.
     Alaya shook her head at her friend’s antics. Sheila’s black leather mini was shorter than her own skirt. She felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning, Alaya bit her lip in trepidation and excitement. It was Alex. He was dressed in a shirt and slacks with a dark blue jacket. She appreciated that he had taken the time to dress nice for her. Alaya had a weakness for men in suits. 
     He was even better looking in person. The hair that had appeared dark brown in his photo was alive with red and gold, reminding her of fall, her favorite season. He wore it loose, but it was neatly styled and sleek and shiny. He was tall and fit with broad shoulders. Alex’s lips curled in a smile and Alaya’s heart skipped a beat. She could have stared at him all day. “Alaya, I’m Alex.”
     “Damn,” she heard Sheila whisper next to her. Alaya silently echoed that sentiment.
     Suppressing the urge to fan her face or fall off her stool in a faint, Alaya extended her hand to Alex. “Alex, it’s good to meet you. This is my friend Sheila.” His gaze slowly travelled to her friend for a brief instant but soon returned to her as though he couldn’t bear to take his eyes off her.
     “It’s lovely to meet you both. Your photo didn’t do you justice.”
     She felt herself flushing with pleasure. “Thank you.”
     “I see you already have a drink. May I buy you another?”
     “No, thank you.”
     Sheila slid off her stool. “Alex, have my seat. I see someone I know.” She hugged Alaya. “Call me later,” she whispered before moving off. Alaya’s eyes widened but she didn’t stop Sheila. This was their agreed upon signal. Sheila had sized him up and deemed him to be safe – and fuckable. She bit her lip and admitted to herself that she did want Alex. 

Thank You!

I’d like to thank everyone who bought Her Sweet Alpha. I’ve been very pleased with its reception. It’s the first shifter book I’ve written and I wasn’t sure if it was something readers would embrace.

I do read reviews in the first week or so following a release. I can’t help myself. I want to know what people think. And I appreciate that someone took time out of their day to share their thoughts.

Sometimes this is a good thing. I want to know what readers enjoyed because it lets me know when I’m on the right track. Of course, no matter what, the next book can’t be exactly the same. We’d all be bored if that was the case. Even when someone hated a book, if their review is constructive, I feel I can learn something from it and it challenges me to do better next time.

Sometimes, of course, reading reviews isn’t a good thing. When I get bad reviews that don’t explain why they didn’t like a book, there’s nothing I can do with that. And, yeah, it bums me out. It’s like someone tossing a rotten tomato at your baby and then running off.

After days of pouring over not just reviews of my books but also critical reviews of books that I’ve loved, I’ve come to the trite conclusion that you can’t please everyone. Trite but true and soothing. All I can do is write stories that interest and please me and hope that someone else out there will enjoy those stories as well.

As summer draws to a close, I’m working on a book that I started many years ago. I’m hopeful that it will be complete by the end of the year. I’ll reveal more about that in the future.

In October, I plan to re-release my short story Chatting with a Vampire. It was included in the Just Vamps Anthology. It is the only vampire story I’ve ever written. I’ve edited it and extended it a bit, but it’s still a short story so it will be $0.99 and it will be available on Kindle Unlimited. I’ll be more specific about release dates on it soon.

Her Sweet Alpha Excerpt

Her Sweet Alpha is due out Friday. It's available for pre-order at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Here's a short and sweet sample. Enjoy!


     Halle watched in a frozen stupor as Dade closed and locked the door behind himself. “You’re letting out all the heat,” he explained. She stumbled back a step for every one he took forward. “We need to talk,” he said. “But first, I guess I should educate you on a few things.”
     He ran a broad hand through thick mahogany hair. The wind tousled waves added to his wild, untamed appearance. She was stunned anew by the vibrancy of his yellow eyes. Even if she hadn’t known of the existence of werewolves, those eyes would have reminded her of a wolf. There was something about him compelling other than just his good looks. He fairly crackled with raw energy. He was impossible to ignore. He was at once sexy and…terrifying.
     “How-how did you find me?”
     He growled softly. “I told you. You smell delicious.” He tapped the bridge of his nose. “I followed your scent.”
     “Yeah….” He thought he was her mate. And he was looking at her as though he could eat her up. That shouldn’t be a turn on, but somehow it was. When Lamar did it, it turned her stomach with disgust. Yet, this stranger had her panties wet and her nipples tight. And she didn’t understand it in the slightest. Yes, he was good looking, but she was mature enough not to have her head turned by a pretty face. Considering her track record with men, he was probably a liar, a cheater, or a loser. Most likely a combination, if not all three. “Listen, I don’t know if you heard me back there, but I’m human.”
     He nodded. “I know. Doesn’t matter. You’re my mate.”
     She frowned. “You can mate with humans?” 
     Another nod, this one slower as his eyes leisurely swept her body from head to toe. Halle retreated another step. “Don’t run,” he said. “I won’t be able to stop myself from chasing you. It’s a primal instinct. I’m faster than you. I will catch you.” He wet his lips. “And probably fuck you.”
     “You said we needed to talk,” she swiftly reminded him, unable to keep the panic out of her tone. She didn’t want him following that train of thought. She was an idiot. She never should have opened the door to him. He was too large. If things got physical, she didn’t stand a chance of being able to fight him off.
     He shook his head rapidly, as though trying to clear it. “Talk. Right.”
     “And to clarify—I’m not agreeing to be your mate.”
     “Don’t have to agree. You just are.”

Coming July 19....

Alpha werewolf Dade Stone is closing in on his thirtieth birthday. He's in dire need of his true mate. And then he finds her--only she's human. Dade has never been with a human. He's too big and too scary. His animal side wants to claim his mate now, but he knows she needs time to adjust to the idea of becoming his mate.

Halle Fielding is working as a waitress when a large stranger claims she's his mate and that she's going to marry him and give birth to his pups. Pups! He actually said pups! She's sure there's some mistake. She's human, and with his yellow eyes and sharp teeth, he's clearly not. If only he weren't so sexy….

Summer Release

I just finished writing Her Sweet Alpha this morning! It’s the werewolf story that I’d initially planned to finish before Aryanna & Dexter. There are still some steps to go, but the plan is to have the book out before the month is over. I’ll announce a date soon.

I always feel at loose ends when I finish writing a book or reading a book. My mind asks: What’s next?

I plan to republish Chatting with a Vampire by October. It was a short story published in the Just Vamps anthology.

For those of you who aren’t into the supernatural stuff, I’m going to turn the majority of my attention to another story I’d been working on and hope to finish before the end of the year. I’ll keep you updated on the progress.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

Another Aryanna & Dexter Excerpt

The sound of tinny wedding chimes stopped him cold. Dexter stiffened and turned. It was a damned Bioexpa drone. He’d heard it a few times around the office when others had gotten married. He hated that damned company with a passion. Whenever they sent their drones into his office, productivity dropped. The person matched became useless for the rest of the day. Likewise, with those coworkers in close proximity. They sat around gabbing and giggling. Essentially doing nothing. It was disgusting.
     But that wasn’t the only reason he hated them. They’d transformed his mother into a person he didn’t recognize. It was ironic. His mother used to give him her attention sparingly. Some would call it neglect. Now, she sought him out often and invited him to dinner at least once a week. However, the changes in her made him uncomfortable. He declined her dinner invitations and avoided her in general.
     And there was their refusal of his business offer. Fucking idealists.
     Dexter scowled as the drone came flying into his office. As he was alone with Brent, a married man, he figured this one had a screw loose. He crossed his arms over his chest, watching as it flew toward him.
     A circular beam of blue light shot out of the bottom of the drone. “Dexter No Middle Name Sloane, please place your left hand into the beam of light,” said an electronic voice.
     “The fuck you say!” The shocked words exploded from him.
     “Dex, I didn’t know you’d registered.”
     “I didn’t.” The drone repeated its command since his hand remained safely tucked away beneath his arm.
     “Better do as it says or it’ll be here all day.”
     “Not if I beat it to death.”
     “Aren’t you at all curious as to who it chose for you?”
     “No.”
     Brent sighed. “You can be such a stubborn child.” He rounded Dexter’s desk and pried his hand out from beneath his arm.
     Dexter fought him but as soon as his hand was out the drone zipped into action as though realizing it had a reluctant subject and needed to perform its required mission quickly.
     “Identification verified. Dexter No Middle Name Sloane, you are hereby married to Aryanna Melisandre Kirk. Her contact information has been sent to your communication slate. Please make arrangements to meet and begin your probationary cohabitation period.”
     His knees went weak. Aryanna? How was this possible?
     “Please do not move as you are fitted for your wedding band. You will feel a slight warming sensation.” Dexter went as still as a stone, not wanting to fuck this up.
     A thick silver band with a thin blue strip of light circling its center appeared on his ring finger. “You may withdraw your hand. For questions or further information, please visit the Bioexpa Data Match website.” And then the drone left as quickly as it had arrived. If he had a chair, he’d have collapsed into it. He stared at the ring in wonder until his vision misted over.

Aryanna & Dexter Excerpt

I know, I know. This excerpt is so late. But if you haven't read Aryanna & Dexter, this is new to you. And if you did read it, it's a nice flashback. Enjoy!


     “I think that both you and I know that Dexter & Brent has little use for the services of Woodside Consulting.”
     Aryanna wasn’t terribly surprised by Dexter’s statement, but she was confused. She stared down at the plate of pasta he had prepared. It was delicious. It tasted as though someone had spent hours on the sauce, though she knew that wasn’t the case. Dexter had the most high-tech kitchen she had ever seen. He’d pushed a few buttons and out had come two plates of pasta topped with grilled chicken and what appeared to be freshly chopped bell peppers.
     Everything in his place was high-tech. The man obviously loved his gadgets. Lights came on and went off automatically as they entered and exited rooms. Doors opened and closed. Even the chairs in the dining room molded to conform to the user. That had given her quite the surprise when she sat down.
     “Mr. Sloane, then why-”
     “Call me Dexter or Dex.”
     She didn’t feel comfortable calling him Dex. “Dexter, why am I here? If you’re not interested in signing a contract, why meet with me? You could have handled this over the phone.” It wasn’t that she regretted the opportunity to spend more time with him. Dexter Sloane was serious eye candy. And he smelled delicious. She hadn’t been able to smell him last night since it was pretty impossible to smell anything over the perfume that Melissa favored.
     He took a sip of water from his goblet. “Can I be honest with you?”
     “Yes.”
     He leaned forward and his violet blue eyes bored into her. “I invited you here because I wanted to know what I have to do to get you in my bed.”
     Aryanna gasped so hard that she began to choke on the swift inhalation of air. Coughing, she grasped at her glass of water.
     “I see that I’ve shocked you. I like to be straightforward in my communication. I could have continued to drag out the pretense of being interested in a contract, but I felt it would have been a waste of both our time. This way is so much more efficient, don’t you think?”
     Aryanna gulped her water and cleared her throat. She was surprised at how detached and clinical he sounded about the prospect of their sleeping together. She did find him very attractive. She would have to be blind not to. He was gorgeous.  If pressed, he could make his living as a model. The breadth of his shoulders alone was enough to leave her breathless. And she had always found intelligence sexy. Without a doubt, Dexter Sloane was the most intelligent man she had ever met. But did she want to be with a man who sounded as though he’d be cataloging the experience as though it were some sort of experiment? No.
     Dexter muttered something indecipherable before sighing. He straightened up in his seat. “Aryanna, would you like to go to dinner with me? Tonight?”
     She blinked at the sudden change in topic. Then she realized what he was doing. The direct route didn’t work so he’d decided to go to plan B. She didn’t know if she should let him get away with it. Wouldn’t dinner just be more of the same? He’d probably proposition her after dessert and she’d have to make a decision.
     She wet her lips and his gaze tracked the movement of her tongue. Then she saw it—the flare of heat in those dark eyes. He quickly extinguished it, but she knew it had been there. Mr. Sloane was not as detached as he seemed. It intrigued her. She’d been prepared to turn him down, but she found herself nodding. She smiled. “That would be lovely.”

Update-ish

Well, I’d say it was way past time for a 2019 update. I’ll tell you a secret: I’m really good at starting a story. Getting me to finish it is the challenge. I begin full of excitement, but that euphoric buzz wanes as I get to work nailing down the details. At that point, I have to push myself to focus. That’s why my Works in Progress Tab always has multiple listings. 

Because it’s closest to being complete, I decided to concentrate on finishing my werewolf story. I love a werewolf story. It gives your hero legitimate reason to be big, sexy, and growl-y. You can keep up with my progress on this book and others by checking my Works in Progress tab. The werewolf story is simply called Dade at the moment. Even if I don’t do a full blog update, I try to update my word count regularly.

After Dade's story, I’m going to bend myself to something regular with no magic because I know there are readers who just want an ordinary love story.

Shockingly enough, I never posted an excerpt from Aryanna & Dexter. And I love posting excerpts! I know most of you have already bought it, but I’ll post an excerpt soon. Hopefully, shortly after, I can post an excerpt from something new.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous 2019!