 So It's been a while since I've used my blog. *slaps wrist* Sorry.
Corey, Book 3 in my Atherton Pack series is releasing tomorrow. With the release of Corey he marks the end of my long journey to re release all my works after the debacle that was Silver Publishing. Now that all my works have been re released everything else you will get from me this year will be NEW!!! YAY. I can't wait to start working on continuing many of my series'. But for Now we have the last re release. Corey underwent some major re writes and expansion of roughly 13k. It took me a while to work my way through Corey, but I got there in the end. So for now here's an excerpt for you to tide you over until tomorrow's release. BLURB: Corey Jones has always maintained he didn't want a mate. After falling for his college professor and having his heart broken, he vowed to never go there again. Now, his decision to remain single is put to the test when he meets his Alpha's new personal assistant, Ethan Davies, and discovers the man is his mate. After growing up in the foster care system all Ethan ever wanted was a home and someone to love him. He's overjoyed that his recent move has brought him to his mate. Ethan's happiness soon turns to devastation when Corey walks away from him and their bond. Ethan is forced to walk a fine line between respecting his mate's wishes and refusing to give up on the one thing he's wanted his entire life. With Ethan's determination, an interfering brother, and pack members too interested in his personal life, Corey may not stand a chance. EXCERPT: A knock on his office door brought Ethan back to what he was supposed to be doing. “Come in,” he called out. Tommy opened the door and took a couple of steps into the room. He stood with both hands protectively holding his stomach, as if he expected something bad to happen to his baby at any minute. Tommy looked down at his watch, then pointedly at Ethan. “It’s six o’clock on a Monday evening. Why in the world are you still working?” Ethan looked at the clock on his computer screen and sure enough, the damn thing flashed 6:01 pm. He glanced back at Tommy and smiled sheepishly. “Got lost in the work I was doing, didn’t even realize how late it was.” “Well, it’s time to stop. Tonight’s poker night and it’s our turn to host, which means you need to get out of this office and clean up a little before everyone starts arriving. Ben will want to introduce you to some of his mates.” That knowing glint was back in Tommy’s eyes again. “What aren’t you telling me?” he asked, staring at the Alpha mate. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tommy replied with a huff and turned to leave. Ethan didn’t miss the huge grin that broke out on the guy’s face, though. “You better get a move on. Wouldn’t want to be late or anything.” Tommy chuckled as if he’d said something funny and then flounced—well, at least that’s what Ethan assumed the man had been trying to pull off—from the room and left Ethan staring at a now empty doorway. Shaking his head at Tommy’s behaviour, Ethan turned back to his computer. He silently wondered if the man was always like this or whether the pregnancy caused his weirdness. He’d been on the job for an entire week now. Being Ben’s personal assistant and helping the Alpha to manage all the packs across the country was an interesting job, Ethan looked forward to work every day. The day after he’d interviewed for the position, Ethan had flown home to Newcastle and packed his things. It had taken Ethan a month to pack up his apartment, serve out his notice at his job, put his house up for sale, and have everything moved to Atherton. All he’d wanted the entire time he was in Newcastle was to get back to Atherton and start his new role. Making the decision to apply for the job had been easy, but Ethan never thought in a million years that he would actually get it. Deciding to accept and move halfway across the country was one of the scariest things he’d ever had to do. Seeing as how Ethan had grown up a child of the foster care system, he’d seen some pretty scary shit in his life. Ben had been nice enough to pay for his belongings to go into storage until he found a place to live. Ethan had tried to argue that it wasn’t necessary, but Ben wouldn’t take no for an answer. Ethan had just planned to find a place and have his stuff shipped there so he could unpack when he arrived, but both Ben and Tommy had talked him out of it. Their main argument had been that he really needed to inspect the property personally, as he didn’t want to be stuck in a place he hated because he’d signed the contract sight unseen. Ethan had reluctantly agreed, and for the last week he’d been searching for something that was within his price range and suited his needs. He didn’t have a great deal of stuff. Ben had been more than kind to him and offered Ethan the use of one of his spare rooms until he found somewhere more permanent. The knowing grin Ben and Tommy both sported when they discussed it annoyed Ethan slightly. It was obvious the pair was keeping something from him, but for the life of him, Ethan couldn’t think what it might be. After the way Tommy had acted when they’d first met, Ethan had been surprised the man was all right with him being in such close proximity to Ben any more than he absolutely had to. Tommy had been ready to rip his throat out when Ethan had walked out of Ben’s office after his initial interview. Something had changed dramatically since then, but whatever it was, Ethan had been kept in the dark about it. Ethan could remember something else he’d been kept in the dark over. He’d been shocked as shit when Ben had explained to him about the ability for male wolves to fall pregnant. If it wasn’t for the fact that Tommy was the size of a bloody house when Ethan had returned to Atherton, he would probably still think the Pennaeth Alpha a little crazy. There was no doubt about it, though; Tommy was pregnant. This was obvious, not just by the basketball-sized lump in his belly but by everything else that went along with pregnancy. Tommy had the widest-ranging mood swings Ethan had ever seen. Ethan chuckled as he remembered one instance the previous Friday when he had been in Ben’s office discussing one of the South Australian packs and Tommy had walked in and started stripping off his clothes. Ethan had been too shocked to move and had watched as Tommy sat in his mate’s lap and had started to ravage the man. Just when Ethan had gotten his senses back and stood to leave, Tommy had burst out into tears and started to hit Ben weakly in the chest. Ben tried to soothe his emotional mate, and Ethan had bolted, wanting out of there as fast as possible. Ethan knew seeing the Alpha mate like this wasn’t exactly ideal, but it gave Ethan a great deal of insight into what a relationship based on love and friendship looked like. He’d never had anything even remotely close to what the Alpha pair had, but God, Ethan wanted it badly. He didn’t know if he wanted the kids, the swollen feet, mood swings, and weird-ass cravings at all times of the day or night, but the love of a man who stood by him, no matter what? Yeah, he wanted that. Now he just had to find his mate, and the chances of that happening here in Atherton were probably not that high. Ethan was only twenty-four, but after an entire life with no one to love him, Ethan was ready for more. He figured after he stuck it out here for a couple of years working for Ben, then he could move on and start his search for the man fated to be his and, with his mate, finally get the comforts of home he hadn’t had since his parents died. Ethan shook his head and looked at his watch. If he didn’t get a move on, Tommy would kill him. He saved the files he was working on, then shut down the computer. Ethan tidied everything on the desk in preparation for coming back tomorrow morning, then closed the office door behind him and headed to his room. As he walked across the hall, he heard the doorbell chime and swore softly. The last thing he wanted to do was be late. Ben and Tommy had explained about their poker nights to him, and he’d been invited along to last week’s, which had been held at one of Ben’s friend’s houses. Seeing as how Ethan had only arrived late the night before after several long days of driving and was starting the new job the next day, he’d begged off, stating all he wanted to do was collapse on his bed and sleep for a week. Now, though, he didn’t have any excuses, and both Ben and Tommy were expecting him downstairs. To tell the truth, Ethan was kind of looking forward to meeting some new people. He’d met several over the course of the last week as pack members came for meetings with Ben on different subjects. He’d also spoken with a great number on the phone, but it was always nice to put a face to the name. Apparently, the guys downstairs were Ben’s closest friends. Ethan would meet the rest of the pack at the next group get-together, which was scheduled in a few weeks—on the night of the full moon. He’d just missed the last one. Ethan was couldn't wait to run with the pack. He had been on a couple of little solo jaunts since he’d been here, but there was supposed to be no better feeling than running with your pack. Pre Order Links: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Corey-Atherton-Pack-Book-3-ebook/dp/B00T210G2K/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1423525557&sr=8-4&keywords=Corey ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-coreytheathertonpackbook3-1733839-145.html Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/corey-the-atherton-pack-book-3
1 Comment
The talented Lexi Ander is visiting with me today and has graciously agreed to give away a free e-book copy of her latest release Keeping Faith to a lucky commenter. I want to thank Toni for hosting me on her blog. :-) She was a godsend when life overwhelmed me and I realized that I hadn't made plans for my November release. Thank you for being an angel, Toni!! Keeping Faith was released on November 28th. It's the sequel to the free story, Playing for Keeps. The Unshakable series started small. I noticed a story prompt at the GoodReads M/M Romance group's annual Don't Write In The Closet event. The author of the picture prompt wanted a story about an established relationship between three young men. The picture was what made me stop and read the request and I really liked the idea. Most ménage a trios stories are about the beginning of the relationship where the characters meet and fall in love. Awesome… but what happens next? How do they handle life events? What trials do they run into? How is the way they live different than that of a two person relationship? The story may have a happily-ever-after ending, but do they really have sixty years of bliss or do they travel the same bumpy road the rest of us do? Playing For Keeps, the story of AJ, Trent, and Brock, began two years into their relationship. They were young men in the last year of college. So far they'd hid their relationship but someone was threatening to expose them. What would be the cost if others became aware of their unconventional relationship? It's a sweet novella about the strength of their love and commitment… and I thought when I finished that would be it. No mas. It's strange how the enthusiasm of readers and comments like "this needs to have a sequel" will spark ideas in me. Why did I think I was finished with the guys? I typically don't write contemporary stories. Fantasy/Sci-Fi is where I'm most comfortable but I couldn't pass up the challenge of the plot because I love polyamorous stories regardless of the setting. As a reader, I need more to the plot than relationship issues and sexual tension. This is why I don't write contemporary stories. I love puzzles and antiheros and heart-stopping action/adventure and humor. I didn't know if I could write more about AJ, Trent, and Brock. What more did they have to tell me. What issues did they have to face after the end of Playing For Keeps? What was their lives like? *drums fingers on the desk* In the first book Trent's father, William Harte, makes demands of Trent followed by threats. I only hinted at things that William didn't want to go public. He was tangled up in some nasty, dangerous business that wouldn't have any good consequences. That situation was what I brought over into Keeping Faith. Even though the story is set in the holiday season and the guys are going about their own seasonal traditions, the actions of Trent's father darken their doorway. As my editor put it, "The story was—darker? Edgier?—than I expected…" But Keeping Faith isn't only about the sins of the father being visited up on the son. I included all my favorite things: puzzles, an antihero, heart-stopping moments, heartache, humor, the excitement of the season, and a view of the life AJ, Trent, and Brock are building together. It's about needing to believe—to keep faith—in something when logic warns that the outcome won't lead to a happy ending. Happy Holidays and thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoy the exclusive excerpt. Side Note: If you haven't read Playing For Keeps, it is a free read that you can find on Fireborn's website or over at All Romance (ARe). I would suggest reading it first before jumping into Keeping Faith. Today's excerpt is from the prologue which introduces some new characters but also gives you an idea of how much trouble Trent's father is in. If you follow this (very short) blog tour, each day there will be a new excerpt tailored to the blog post.  Blurb: Trent, Brock, and AJ are excited to spend Christmas together in their new home but secrets and dark dealings by Trent's estranged father interrupt their plans. Brock is kidnapped and Trent and AJ scramble to find a way to get Brock back before it is too late. Several months after Trent Harte was drafted into the NFL, he, AJ Barnes, and Brock Everette are settling into their new home in Miami. Christmas is approaching and they are excited to share another holiday season with each other. Unbeknownst to them, William Harte, Trent's estranged father double-crossed a deadly adversary and then disappeared. To draw William out of hiding, Trent becomes a target. In a horrible twist of fate, the kidnappers grab Brock instead leaving AJ and Trent scrambling to find a way get Brock back. Detectives believe Trent is responsible, and with each passing hour the likelihood of Brock returning home alive dwindles. Brock traded his safety to ensure his lovers were out of harm's way. He would do it again even knowing he'd end up captured and restrained in a part of town that no one in their right mind would willingly go. The kidnappers are terrifying, but Brock is a fighter, holding onto hope with both hands. He must decide to either wait to be rescued or find a way to escape. Stuck between the wills of a ruthless assassin and an insane mob thug, something needs to happen soon or he'll never see Trent and AJ again. Excerpt: Paul held out a manicured hand to her. Sammy forced her feet to move, loathing to touch him, even if only briefly. Once her palm slid against his, he pulled her down into his lap. "I already explained last night it wasn't your fault. William Harte will pay for what he made me do." He ran a knuckle under the covered bruise on her cheek. His cell phone rang and after glancing at the name on the screen he answered. "Your status?" Sammy wanted to move from his lap but his firm grip on her hip told her to stay. He would tell her when he wanted her to get up. "What do you mean he hasn't touched his accounts? Harte is a pampered elitist. He doesn't know the meaning of going without. He must have other accounts you haven't discovered. Dig deeper, I want the man found!" She scanned the desk. A silver five by seven framed photo of Paul's elegant wife, Patricia, sat next to the computer monitor. At first Sammy had been guilt ridden when she discovered Paul was married, until she met Paul's wife. Patricia came from an influential family in Europe. For two weeks every year, Patricia came to the States to visit with Paul. On one such visit, Patricia had walked into Sammy's suite of rooms in a flourish of expensive silk and designer accessories. She appraised Sammy as if she were an item up for auction. "You're a pert one, aren't you? As always, Paul, your taste is impeccable." With a pat on the cheek, Patricia accepted Paul's proffered elbow, the two leaving Sammy standing in the middle of the room in stunned silence. Paul hung up the phone with an angry growl. "Sweetheart, I'm going to miss my plane." Sammy refrained from trying to wiggle away. Patience was the key when dealing with Paul. "I won't be joining you in Miami with this unfinished business with Harte. You will cut your trip short and be back here on Christmas Eve." Paul stroked her thigh, his fingers stopping at the edge of the dress's hem. "Of course," she replied as if it were already a given. Paul patted her leg, the signal for her to rise. Dutifully she leaned forward to give him a kiss. He caught her chin. "Not now, you're wearing lipstick and I'll never get all of it off." He grasped her chin and turned her head where he pecked her on the cheek. "Now, go." Sammy moved from his lap and adjusted her skirt so it fell properly. "I'll call you when I arrive," she promised. Not that she would be returning. Paul grunted in acknowledgement. He had already mentally dismissed her, the manila folder opened once more. Before she could cross the room again, the oak door opened and a man only known as The Gentleman, Gent for short, entered the room. He paused upon seeing Sammy. Her steps faltered. Of all the people to run into before leaving. She was one of a handful of people who knew Gent's name and his relationship to Paul. Sammy never ever let on she knew their secret for it was something they closely guarded. She doubted she'd live long if they suspected she knew Paul's personal assassin was his sister's only child, Aldrich. Sammy's heart pounded in her chest. Even knowing what she did, she couldn't bring herself to dislike him too much. Aldrich had always been kind and courteous. She'd heard the rumors he was dangerous, bits of conversation here and there hinting at the viciousness of Paul's "dog". Maybe she'd spent too much time living in this world of ambiguous morals, black deeds, and cutthroat business. When she looked at Aldrich she didn't see the monster others claimed him to be. She guessed him to be around her age of twenty-seven but she couldn't be sure. She found she'd miss seeing him even if he sometimes scared the hell out of her. Not because of what people said about him but because of everyone who associated with Paul, Aldrich was the only one who could possibly discover her true identity and why she had become Paul's mistress. "Samantha, I'm glad I caught you before you left." She held out both of her hands, a ritual since she’d first met him four years ago. A head taller than her, he bent at the waist slightly to kiss the backs of both of her hands. A lock of wiry dark brown hair fell to cover one of his crystal blue eyes as the soft hair of his close-cropped beard brushed her knuckles. She held her breath as his thumb brushed the cuff of her sleeve, barely revealing a purple bruise. He stared for a second before his lips brushed the discolored skin, his thumb covering up the blemish as he straightened. Whereas Paul wore a dark blue pinstripe three-piece suit, Aldrich wore a tan Gucci jacket and vest, with a plaid button-up shirt and a blue and red striped tie. His white trousers were rolled up at the ankle to reveal he wore no socks with his two-tone brown and white wingtips. Paul detested his nephew's choice of clothing and she suspected Aldrich dressed this way to annoy Paul. Those light blue eyes pinned her when he pressed a small slip of paper into her palm. "This place won't be the same without you around. You do bring a ray of sunshine to this tomb." "Quit flirting with Samantha, she needs to catch a plane and doesn't have time to dawdle with you." Paul sighed in exasperation. Aldrich squinted slightly as the back of his knuckles grazed her sore cheek under the hidden bruise. For a breath, his eyes turned to ice and just as quickly the look disappeared. She couldn't stop the shiver crawling up her spine. "I won't keep you. Have a safe trip." His low voice held a hint of warmth Sammy dared not analyze. "It was nice seeing you," she replied before leaving the room. The butler stood in the foyer and opened the door for her. The Mercedes waited at the bottom of the steps, with her bodyguard holding open the rear door. Gracefully she slid onto the buttery soft leather seat. She didn't dare glance at the note until she sat on the plane. "Don't come back" was written in an elegant hand along with a bank name and an account number. She tucked the slip of paper into her purse, swallowing down the nausea that threatened her suddenly delicate stomach. Publisher: Firborn Publishing, LLC Tentative Release Date: November 28th, 2014 Genre: Action/Adventure, ADVISORY- Contains moderate violence, Category Length Novel, Comedy/Humor, Contemporary, Family Drama, Happy Ending, HEAT, Holiday-Winter, Male/Male, Ménage, Mystery/Suspense, Part of Series, Romance Heat Level: 3 Flames Buy Links: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Faith-Unshakable-Lexi-Ander-ebook/dp/B00QBDTMY0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417270136&sr=8-1&keywords=keeping+faith+lexi+ander Barns & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/keeping-faith-lexi-ander/1120832891?ean=2940150073036 Are (All Romance): https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-keepingfaith-1689373-145.html Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/keeping-faith-2 Publisher: http://firebornpublishing.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_bookx_info&cPath=5&products_id=49  Playing For Keeps Blurb: College running back, Trent Harte, has been living with his lovers, AJ Barnes and Brock Everett, for two years. Caught in a compromising position, rumors abound. It's hard enough to be an openly gay football player, but gossip and snide comments only add to his stress. Threats against his partners causes Trent to wonder if he should step back from the relationship. AJ and Brock know there is something wrong when Trent begins to pull away. A call from Trent's father only adds to his distress. AJ and Brock refuse to let him shoulder the responsibility alone and they call for help. Will Trent find the strength to withstand the pressure and hold on to those he loves? Or will AJ and Brock be too late to convince Trent that they are playing for keeps? The (very short) Tour Schedule: 12/1 – Toni Griffin's blog (http://www.tonigriffin.net/blog) 12/2 – Hearts On Fire Reviews (http://heartsonfirereviews.com/) 12/3 – Angel Martinez's blog (http://angelmartinezauthor.weebly.com/) 12/4 – World of Diversity Fiction (http://www.wodfreview.com/) 12/5 – Lexi Ander's blog (I know, this is like cheating!) (http://lexiander.blogspot.com/)  Lexi has always been an avid reader, and at a young age started reading (secretly) her mother’s romances (the ones she was told not to touch). She was the only teenager she knew of who would be grounded from reading. Later, with a pencil and a note book, she wrote her own stories and shared them with friends because she loved to see their reactions. A Texas transplant, Lexi now kicks her boots up in the Midwest with her Yankee husband and her eighty-pound puppies named after vacuum cleaners.
Web site: http://www.lexiander.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexi.ander.9 Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LexiAnder1 Blog: http://lexiander.blogspot.com/ E-mail: [email protected] GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6521302.Lexi_Ander GRL is officially over for yet another year, and I'm sad. I've been looking forward to attending for so long now, that it just doesn't seem like there was enough time... The conference seemed to fly by. Now everyone is looking toward next year, which will be held in San Diego. It's a little too soon to tell whether or not I will be able to attend in 2015, I can tell you that I want to, finances and family situations willing. So I thought I would share with you some of my pics and highlights from the conference.
 So that's the hotel... There wasn't a single straight line anywhere and the rooms weren't square, however, I loved it. The food could have been nicer, but that's about the only thing I would improve. I was so excited when I officially registered and picked up my GRL packet... Look... that's me... OMG As for the people that attended GRL. HOLY COW... I've never met a nicer bunch of people anywhere. Everyone went out of their way to make you feel welcome and comfortable. There were a lot of newbies at this GRL, just like me and not once did I feel left out or overwhelmed by things. I had several fan girl moments when I was able to meet my favourite authors. I unfortunately didn't get a pic with them all. Charlie Cochet and Andrew Grey being two of them. Here's a couple of the pics I did get.
I attended several of the panels. The author Spotlights with the RJ Scott, Amber Kell and Stephanie Hecht where they discussed flawed heros was a lot of fun. As was the Mary Calmes, Poppy Dennison and Lynn Lorenz panel where the topic of choice was once close to my heart. Shifters. I also attended a Reading where Silvia Violet, JP Barnaby and Zahra Owens read from their works.
I had a great deal of fun interacting with not only other writers but with the readers as well. It's still a little mind boggling for me when readers would come up to me and tell me they loved my books. They were all so wonderful, and it was great finally being able to put faces to names. The swag room and the Author signing for me were a great deal of fun. Having that time to chat with the readers and discuss your books was incredible. The entire thing was very surreal to me.
 I was lucky and got to share a signing table with the incredibly talented Angel Martinez. It was wonderful to be able to meet my eXtasy publishers, Tina Haveman & Jay Austin. I had a great time. I want to send a big shout out to all the hubbies that attended. RJ's Hubby, Mr Amber Kell, Silvia Violet's Hubby Brent & Christy Thomas's hubby ET. It was fabulous that you all came and it was awesome seeing some of you again and meeting others for the first time.  Inquisitive little squirrel going hunting for nuts.
All in all I had an absolute blast. Do I wish the conference went for longer, yes. I ad such an amazing time I didn't want it to end. Was it worth the expense of flying from Australia to the United States? You betcha. Would I do it again? In a heart beat.
A big thank you goes out to Carol Lynn, Ethan Day, Reese Dante, Teresa Emil and the other organisers of this fantastic event. I have nothing to really compare it with, but I thought you did an amazing job and I can't wait to come back and attend a future GRL. Thanks to all the readers who came up to me and talked about my books. And a big thank you to the other Authors who let me go all fan girl on them.  Whoops... So with everything going on in my life, I may have forgotten to announce the winner of Liam. The winner is Shorty Chelle.
If you've already purchased this story then you can chose something from my backlist or one of my coming soon books. Please email me at [email protected] and let me know what story you would like and the file format you prefer. Most stories available in PDF, ePub & Mobi.  LIAM - Book 1 in The Atherton Pack will hit the shelves again on the 19th July 2014PLEASE NOTE: There are no additions to this story. The only changes were minor editing.
BLURB: After a long night at work, all pastry chef Declan Morgan wants to do is have a run before he heads home to bed. His peaceful lope through the forest turns into a nightmare when he witnesses his Alpha kill a pack member in cold blood. Now Declan is on the run from the very people that should be protecting him. Liam Anderson has never minded all the travel that comes with his position as a Beta to the Pennaeth Alpha. He's used the time to search far and wide for his mate. He never expected to find the man naked and scared on his back porch. Liam's overjoyed at finally finding the one man fated for him, now if only he can get Declan to open up and trust him with the secrets he carries. If you would like to go in the draw to win a copy of Liam simply comment. I will announce the winner on Friday. EXCERPT: Another week passed with Saturday night arriving as it invariably did, and Declan Morgan once again found himself alone. Sometimes the fact he had no friends really bothered him. He had a younger brother, Tommy, and they were close, but the ten-year age difference naturally kept some distance between them. Declan didn't really want to hang out with his little brother all the time. They were members of the Cairns pack, but neither of them had made many friends. Tommy had really connected with two guys his own age. Declan, however, hadn't managed to hit it off with a single person. Declan never felt very comfortable around other people. He always worried he would say something stupid and end up embarrassing himself, so most of the time he didn't say anything at all and just kept to himself. Being a pastry chef wasn't conducive to gaining friends. Declan woke up at four most mornings and crawled back into bed by no later than nine at night. Since their parents' deaths a couple of years ago, Declan had watched over Tommy. They had packed up their lives last year and moved to Cairns, Queensland. Coming from the sweltering heat of central Australia, it seemed the perfect place. Declan hadn't really wanted to move halfway across the country, but he had to go where he could find work. Now he just had to stick it out at his current job for another year or so, until he'd saved up enough cash to open his own bakery. As much as he loved what he did for a living, he didn't really enjoy the job he had at the moment. It was much too commercial for his liking. He didn't want anything huge, just a small little bakery, and he thought with Cairns' large tourist population, it would suit his needs. Declan had started to count down the days until he could realise the dream he'd had since he'd been a little boy. Pulling his phone from his pocket, Declan dialled his brother. "'ello." The voice of his younger brother came through the phone. "Hey, bro." "Dec, where are you, man? I expected you home hours ago." Tommy sounded worried, and Declan really hadn't wanted that. "Sorry, Tommy, got caught up at work. They had two staff call in sick, and I had to stay back to make sure everything got done. I'm just out at the pack grounds. I need a run. I should be home in about an hour," Declan told his brother. "Okay, no worries. Chase, Jackson, and I will save you some pizza." "Hah." "Yeah, like there's going to be any left when you get through with it," Declan heard Chase say clearly through the phone line due to his enhanced hearing. Declan laughed. His brother's friends were right; the way those boys ate food, it would be a miracle if any survived for him. "Don't stress about it, Tommy, I can get my own food. Enjoy your evening with the guys and I'll see you soon." "Will do. Later." Tommy hung up the phone. Declan checked to make sure the call had been disconnected, then stored his phone and his wallet in the glove compartment of his car before getting out. Sighing, Declan glanced around, making sure no one could see him, and then he stripped his clothes and stashed them on the passenger seat. It had been forever since he'd had an opportunity to change and let his wolf run free. Yes, he and Tommy had joined the local pack, but Declan really didn't like the Alpha. The man really epitomized the word sleaze, with a capital S. Declan had yet to attend a meeting where the Alpha hadn't been leering at or trying—unsuccessfully most times—to get into the pants of most of the pack members. He didn't seem to care what gender they were or if they were already in a relationship. After the Alpha's first attempt at Declan, which he shot down, he did his best to avoid pack meetings. He shivered in the cold night air before taking a deep breath; Declan relaxed his body and let the change come over him. Once complete, Declan shook his entire body, from snout to the tip of his tail. God it feels good to once again be on all fours. Lifting his muzzle slightly, he sniffed the air. Catching the scent of a nice juicy rabbit in the distance, Declan took off through the trees. He'd been running for maybe twenty minutes when he finally got sick of playing with his food and pounced. He didn't always hunt and eat when in his wolf form, but it had been a while, and he could feel his wolf getting antsy. Hunting always calmed his other half down. Happily chomping down his small feast, it took Declan a minute to realise what the sounds were that drifted through the trees. Taking one last bite, Declan cautiously got up from where he had been lying on the ground and slowly made his way towards the angry voices. Step after careful step, Declan didn't want to make any noise and alert whoever to his presence. Crouching down low behind a shrub, Declan could see through into a clearing on the other side. He had thought he would be alone out here, not only because it was a Saturday night and people usually had something better to do, but also because he hadn't seen any other vehicles in the car park. There were two lots and he hadn't bothered to drive around to the other one because it surrounded the entrance all the way on the other side of the pack lands. The angry voice of his Alpha brought his attention back to the group of men in the middle of the clearing.  I'm not sure if you're aware or not, but I have a new release out tomorrow. Okay, technically, Forbidden Mate is a re release, but I figured seeing as how the story has more than doubled in size (35k to 81k) I can get away with saying a new release. :)
Forbidden Mate is book four in my Holland Brothers series and will be available at Amazon, B&N & Smashwords. (What time depends on how long the distributors take to process.) It is currently available for Pre-order from both ARe & iBooks BLURB: Finding his mate should have been Patrick Holland's greatest day, instead it turned into a nightmare with one phone call. His mate didn't want him. His heart broke, but at sixteen he was too young to do anything. The next ten years—ten long years— of Patrick's life are spent at odds with his mate. Split by forces he can't comprehend and a long line of misunderstandings, Patrick doubts he'll ever get the man he's both loved and hated. Jake Richmond never expected to come home from Uni to find the youngest Holland brother was his mate. Knowing the news might uplift his still grieving father, Jake shares the news only to have his young mate threatened. Jake does the only thing he can think of, protect Patrick. The next ten years are nothing but torture for Jake as he watches his mate grow into a remarkable young man. They say time heals all wounds, but how much time? EXCERPT: Rick watched as his mate once again walked away from him—well, this time he was just shy of running. He lifted his hand to his cheek; the skin still tingled from where Jake had caressed him. Sighing loudly, Rick turned and walked back into the house to join the rest of his family. His wolf still yearned for his mate, even after all this time. Patrick wished Jake would just pick a side and stay there. He was so confused about the tender caresses, and how Jake had taken care of him at the bar and gotten him home showed Rick that Jake cared about him. Then the man pulled something like he just did and runs away, adding to Rick's confusion. It hadn't escaped Rick's notice how Jake had been looking at him recently as well. He just didn't know what it all meant. None of Jake's confusing behaviour stopped Rick from wanting his mate. Even when Rick had admitted to hating the man, he'd still wanted him. The small glimpses of Jake's body he had seen over the years at the pack gatherings fuelled his private time. His wolf didn't understand why his mate had rejected him, and Rick was forced to keep a tight rein on it so he didn't shift and claim what was his whenever they were in the same room together. Walking into the house, Rick couldn't stand the thought of going back into the lounge room with all the happy couples. Especially as he knew that would never be him. He knew who his mate was and they would never have the chance to sit cuddled up on a lazy Sunday afternoon watching football or get caught making out by his brothers when they came home from work. Rick made his way to the kitchen. He wanted a drink and needed some peace so he could think. Grabbing a beer from the fridge, Rick headed outside and sat on the back steps leading from the porch to the garden. He knew he'd promised Alex he'd cut down, and he would. One beer wasn't going to kill him, though, and Alex had said he could drink at home. A cool breeze blew his hair and he lifted the bottle to his lips. Drinking half the bottle in one go, Rick agonised over what he was going to do. Should he find someone else and try to be happy? Even as much as Jake had hurt him over the last ten years, Rick knew, without a doubt, he would never love another man. The thought of letting someone who wasn't Jake touch him sent shivers of revulsion down his spine, which had only been reinforced by Rick's recent failures at trying to move on. Thinking of the reason behind why he would be in close contact with his mate for nearly the next week, Rick tried to imagine himself swollen with child. The only image that conjured in his mind was with Jake as their other father. That wasn't about to happen, so it looked like Rick's life was shaping up to be a lonely one. Rick was so lost in his thoughts he didn't hear the back door open and was startled when Brian came and sat down beside him holding a glass of water. "Hey," Brian said quietly. "Hey, yourself." "For what it's worth, I'm sorry," Brian said quietly. Confused, Rick looked at his brother-in-law. "What in the world do you have to be sorry about?" Brian smiled slightly at him, then lowered his voice further. "I'm sorry Alex is making you go on this trip with your mate." Rick sucked in his breath and jumped back, never once taking his eyes off the man next to him. His heart hammered away in his chest. How did Brian know? Rick hadn't told a soul, and he didn't think Jake would have either, seeing how he didn't want him. Thinking fast, Rick did the only thing he could think of. He wasn't strong enough to outright deny the truth, his damn wolf had sparked a wriggle of hope in him because of Jake’s odd behaviour recently, so he did the next best thing. "I don't know what you're talking about. Are you feeling okay?" "I'm fine and you know exactly what I'm talking about. I don't know why he hasn't claimed you, but I'm willing to bet everything I own that Jake is your mate."  Finding Connor. My very first attempt at a Sci-Fi story has just released as a stand alone. It's currently available in both ebook and print from Amazon & B&N and ebook alone from ARe.
BLURB: Mark, a RAAF fighter pilot, is on leave for the first time since the aliens decided to say 'Hello'. He meets Connor, a numbers man for a casino, at a gay bar and danced the night away. Their one night together changes their entire lives and what people think they know about life on Earth. If you are yet to pick up a copy of Finding Connor I will be giving one away to celebrate it's release. Simply comment to go in the running and I will announce the winner early next week. Finding Connor BUY LINKS: Amazon, ARe, Mischief Corner Books, B&N, Congratulations to Maggie Miller & Demetra for winning a copy of Dealing with the Dead or Dealing with the past.
If you could please email me at [email protected] and let me know which book you would like I will send it out to you. I only have PDF versions of these stories unfortunately. I just realised it's been a while since I blogged anything. Sorry about that. Will try to be better in the future. Today Dealing with the Past, the second book in the Thompson Agency series was re released through eXtasy Books. Dealing with the dead has also been re released and is now available for purchase. You can find the books here: DWTD & DWTP These stories are both re releases however there has been no significant changes to the books, only minor editorial ones. For anyone that is yet to pick up a copy of these two books I will be giving one copy of each of them away. simply leave a comment to go in the draw.
As you all may have heard by now Silver Publishing has closed its doors. I am sadden by the events that have lead to this abrupt shutting of what was once a very good publisher. Silver gave me my start in writing and for that I will be grateful. However this is negated by series of lies we were all told over the last two years, the shotty reports and the large amount of unpaid royalties and wages owed to myself, fellow authors and staff.
Even though I didn't get the money that was rightfully mine, I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to my readers. I know you all purchased my books in good faith that I would get paid and I just wanted to let you know I appreciated it. I am thankful that all authors, including myself, have received the rights back to their work. Where to find my previous Silver Publishing titles: Mischief Corner Books: Holland Brothers Unexpected Mate - Currently Available Determined Mate - Currently Available Protective Mate - Currently Available Forbidden Mate - Coming May A Very Holland Christmas - Coming Soon Atherton Pack Liam - Coming Soon Ben - Coming Soon Corey - Coming Soon Extasy Books: The Thompson Agency Dealing with the Dead - Coming May Dealing with the Past - Submitted I have also Submitted Frankie's Vamp, book 1 in the Hot Encounters series to another publisher, I have yet to heat back from them. Now that all my stories have been returned to me I will be continuing on with these series so keep an eye out on my WIP page to see what I'm working on next. For all those readers that previously purchased from Silver I received the following email from them this morning: To our loyal readers, from the authors and staff of Silver Publishing: As you may have heard, Silver Publishing has closed its doors. It was a sudden change that came without forewarning to us, but we are endeavoring to make sure the readers are taken care of, to the best of our ability. Our Distribution Manager has submitted a list of pre-ordered books to the sales and billing dept, and refunds for books you have not received yet should be processed, hopefully this weekend or early next week. The servers, we have been told, will be kept online until May 1. Before then, please download all books you’ve purchased and back them up in whatever manner you prefer. The books are not DRMd, so this should not be a problem for you. We would prefer for you to protect your investment in our books proactively. Many of our authors are moving on to new pastures, re-issuing titles they previously had with Silver, and continuing favorite series. Please don’t hesitate to contact us via our web sites. As always, we acknowledge that our readers are with us by their conscious choice and love of what we do. In return, we endeavor to maintain our loyalty to you in return. Happy reading from us all |
Toni GriffinToni Griffin lives in Darwin, the smallest of Australia's capital cities. Born Archives
November 2022
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed