Dark Cover, Release Date, and Excerpt!

 

Phew! Edits of Dark are done. We're looking at a possible publication date of July 16. If you're thinking, "But that's Friday!" then you're not alone. Here's the teaser that will appear on the Evernight website:

“You called, Veracity.” 

She whirled around in time to see Dark materialize from shadows in a far corner of her bedroom. She grabbed her chest. “You couldn’t appear in front of me?”

He arched one dark eyebrow. “You called me. Why are you surprised?” Her gaze flickered over him, and she bit back a lustful sigh. Dressed in all black, he was as tall as Gaedrian. He wasn’t as broad, but he’d filled out since she’d first seen him three years ago. His shoulders were wider. His arms and legs rippled with muscles as he moved closer and then leaned casually against a bedpost. 

She was as mesmerized by his beauty as she was the first time they met. When his second brow rose to meet the other, she realized she was staring and she hadn’t answered his question. “I’ve never … um … summoned you. I didn’t know if you’d come.” 

He always responded to Whimsy’s calls, but then, she was his queen.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“You’re under no obligation to come when I call.” She took a step toward him on legs that trembled. She’d never been alone with him. She’d never been alone with any man other than her father. 

“I will come when you call,” he replied simply.

She nodded. “Thank you. Um, why weren’t you there when we landed?”

His silver eyes bored into her. “People tend to be terrified of me.” He tilted his head. “But you’re not.”

“My sister isn’t afraid of you.”

“She was.”

“But now you’re friends.”

He nodded. “Still, it’s not exactly wise to invite me into your bedroom. Alone.”

“You wouldn’t hurt me.”

His gaze dropped to her chest where the bodice of her dress clung to her generous curves. She felt his gaze like a physical touch as it flowed down her waist, over her hips, and back up again. He’d never given her the impression he was interested in her in any way. His treatment of her had always been polite but distant. He probably hardly thought of her existence at all.

Her feelings for him were far more complicated. From the beginning, she’d been struck by his beauty. She admitted to having a girlish crush without knowing a single detail about him. But as the time passed and she did get to know him better, the crush didn’t fade. Instead, she feared it had bloomed into something more. She admired his kindness, his loyalty, and his strength of character.

Veracity had been careful to hide her continued feelings for Dark. She’d been silly at seventeen, mooning over him. Many boring lectures from her mother later, she’d learned never to mention his name or to show any interest in him around her parents.

“Veracity, your colony values chastity. I do not.”

She lifted her chin. She knew he wasn’t a virgin. She didn’t like it, but she had no claim to him. “Are you trying to scare me off?”

“Do I need to scare you off?”

She bit her lip and took another step, this one placing her within touching distance. She would never think to approach him without some encouragement. Until a moment ago, there had been none. He’d always been friendly but … distant. “You know that I … admire you, don’t you?” He had to know. Whimsy said that he could read minds.

He nodded. He caught her hand in his when she reached out to him. His thumb caressed her palm, sending a flood of warmth to her belly and below.

Finished Again

When I said “sort of,” I really meant it. The very next day I went back and added an epilogue. Next day, same thing. I just kept feeling like the story wasn’t done. Hopefully, I’ve covered all the bases now. I was happy with the conclusion.

I’ve spent the week reading through it and looking for mistakes. I finally finished today and submitted it to Evernight Publishing. While I’m waiting for them to get back to me, I’ll going to go back to work on Rick and Missy’s story.

Well, I cannot get into my Facebook page at all currently. If I ever get in again, it may be just to delete it.

Dark's Story

I’ve officially “sort of” finished with Dark’s story. I’m at the end, but not quite sure if I’m finished. I’m going to step away from it for a few days before doing a read through it. If inspiration strikes, I can add to it. There’s always something more, but for the most part, I think I’m done.

From here, I want to work on Missy and Rick’s story and another Bioexpa story. Time passes so quickly. It’s been forever since there’s been a Bioexpa story. I’m really looking forward to working on that.

I hope everyone enjoys their holiday. Stay safe!

A Few Announcements

It’s been an unusual year. That’s putting it mildly. I hope all of you have kept happy and well. I popped in to drop a few announcements.

If you haven’t read it, Her Sweet Alpha is a Kindle Deal this month and is available for 99 cents. Ideas for a sequel kept poking at me and I’ve worked on a few chapters. It features Halle’s cousin Missy and Rick, the mechanic who fixes Halle’s car.

My main concentration has been Dark’s story, the final book in the series that began with Whimsy. I’ve found Dark’s story a challenge to tackle. He’s a superhuman character who somehow has to be vulnerable to be relatable and flawed enough to allow a plot to develop. (I was working on it this afternoon but was interrupted by my daughter with English homework. The struggle of schooling at home continues.)

I’ve also been working on another Bioexpa tale. Every once in a while, I’ll get a request for another one. I truly enjoy writing these. I like that though they’re set in the same universe, they are standalone stories.

I have a Facebook page that I’m thinking of deleting. Ever since they updated, I’ve had difficulty getting the page to load without going through a couple of extra steps. Even so, I can’t get into my inbox. If you’ve left me a message in the last couple of weeks, I haven’t seen it and I’m sorry for not being able to respond to you. You can always reach me here or you can follow me on Twitter @ThayerKing.

So, that’s what I’ve been up to of late. Stay well everyone!

Finally...Coming May 29

His Fantasy is available for pre-order on Amazon. 

Kendal Washington is a romance writer who is perfectly happy being alone. But that doesn't mean she doesn't fantasize about steamy nights filled with passion. Ciaran is a boy from her past. In high school, he was her bully. Now, he claims that it was all a misunderstanding. Yeah, right.

 

Ciaran Gregson wanted Kendal from the moment he saw her, but his family stood in his way. Now, he's an adult and he'll allow nothing to stand in his way. Not even Kendal's reluctance to trust in him or in love. He's more than willing to help Kendal live out her naughty fantasies and he'll win her heart along the way.

 

WARNING: Kendal's fantasies include forced seduction and may not be for everyone.

I’m going to let you in on a secret: I’m terrible at updating social media. I have two Facebook accounts. There’s the Thayer King one and then there’s the personal one for family, friends, and games. I update the personal account about once a year. Last year I posted two photos of my dog so that should cover this year’s posts as well.

I say all this in hopes that you’ll understand why it’s March and I haven’t updated…well, anywhere. I really appreciate your patience. Thank you to all of you who’ve dropped by to comment here and on the Thayer King FB page.

I had really, really hoped to have His Fantasy completed by January. And then by February. I can only blame myself. I tend to start a book with enthusiasm but as I near the end, my attention wanders off. This happens not only when I’m writing a book, but also when I’m reading one.

Despite this, I’m very close to finishing His Fantasy. For those of you who purchased Chatting with a Vampire, you’ve already read an excerpt. For those of you who didn’t, here’s a bit of a teaser:

     She was in danger of falling out of the damn dress. Kendal admitted she looked sexy as hell after all of Jennifer’s prodding and primping. They’d left Garrett to close up the shop while they left for Jen’s house. Kendal had styled her hair so that it fell in thick spiral curls around her practically bare shoulders. The dress had thin straps and a plunging neckline that revealed the soft inner curves of her cleavage.

     As she was seated at the reserved table, her self-esteem was bolstered by the many appreciative looks she’d seen from male customers as she’d walked through the dining area. This certainly wasn’t her usual look and she’d been worried that she wouldn’t be able to pull it off. Staring at her heart shaped face in the mirror, she’d been stunned by Jennifer’s handiwork. She’d even felt a spark of anticipation at going out and being seen in this dress.

     She glanced at her watch. Her date was running late. Kendal suddenly realized that she didn’t even know the guy’s name. After she was given water, she pulled her phone out of the dainty purse Jen had given her. Her oversized cell phone left little room for anything else besides a lipstick. Jen had laughed and slid in a condom. Kendal didn’t bother telling Jen that she wouldn’t need it. She found Jen in her list of contacts and called her. Jen answered on the fourth ring. She could hear whimpering in the background. He’d been asleep the entire time she’d been at the house.

     “Aw, is that little Garrett?”

     “Yeah, he has a fever. He’s fine. Nothing a bit of medication and sleep can’t handle. How’s the date? He’s to die for, isn’t he?”

     “He hasn’t arrived. I called because you never told me his name.”

     “I didn’t? Oh, that’s odd. His name is—” Garrett chose that moment to wail rather loudly.

     Kendal winced. “You’re sure he’s OK?”

     “Kendal, can you hold on a sec?”

     She glanced around the restaurant while she waited for Jennifer to come back to the phone. She tapped her fingers on the table. She couldn’t help but notice as a tall man in a designer suit made his way through the restaurant. He was undeniably handsome. His black hair was thick and curly. He wore it a bit longer than was the norm for men in power suits. His eyes were a pale color she could not identify from this distance. She frowned. He looked familiar.

     Jen came back onto the line sounding breathless. “Sorry about that, Ken.”

     “It’s OK. You have Garrett settled?”

     “Yup, he’s happy in daddy’s arms.”

     Kendal’s frown intensified as the man locked gazes with her and smiled. His eyes slid over her barely-there dress and his smile widened. “Jen, I couldn’t hear you when you mentioned my date’s name. What is it?”

     The man stopped at her table and grinned down at her. His eyes were a strange pale green that was almost clear. It was a most unusual color. It reminded her of a mist covered pond. He held out his hand. “Kendal, I’m Ciaran Gregson.”

     “Ciaran Gregson,” said Jen simultaneously.

     “Shit,” Kendal muttered.

     Only Jen heard her. “What was that?”

     “Nothing. Know this, Jen, you owe me big time,” she hissed with her head averted from Ciaran.

     “What? Why? He’s everything I said he was and more.”

     “It’s the ‘more’ I want to discuss with you later.” Kendal hung up on her friend. Jen knew she did not date white men. And of all the white men in the world, she would pick the one man responsible for that choice. Ciaran Gregson had made her last year of high school a nightmare. Well, she thought, pasting on an insincere smile as she finally greeted Ciaran, she could make sure at least one night of his life was hell, too. “Kendal Washington.” She shook his hand briefly before withdrawing.

Available Now on Amazon!

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.