Thursday, September 29, 2022

Halloween Romance and a Mummy of a Good Time! - Heart of Egypt by @meganslayer #pnr #romance #hotread #Lbgtq #gay #mummyromance

                                  

Heart of Egypt by Megan Slayer

Contemporary, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, LGBTQ Romance

Novella

From Pride Publishing

 

His heart has always belonged to the man he loves—a modern-day actor?

Thutmose knew from the moment he purchased the six-carat ruby that he had something special. So much so, he refused to turn the gem over to the Pharaoh. His punishment for his disobedience? Death and a curse. He shall wear the Heart of Egypt for eternity.

Second chances aren’t permitted—until Aiden touches his coffin.

Aiden Cory, star of the show Hunters, has no idea he’s stumbled on a mummy or the chance at finding true love. When he meets Thut, he’s head-over-heels. He doesn’t know about the Heart of Egypt, but he knows he’s attracted to Thut. There’s the minor problem of Thut being a mummy.

Can modern love save Thut from an ancient curse?

https://books2read.com/u/38PRgL

https://www.firstforromance.com/book/heart-of-egypt

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7P1FHWB/

https://books.apple.com/us/book/heart-of-egypt/id6443051173

 

Excerpt:

©Megan Slayer, 2022, All Rights Reserved

 

“Do you not love your Pharaoh? Are you not devoted to me?”

“I am.” But the Pharaoh wasn’t his dearest love. Apparently neither was Azizi.

“You would accept the love of your lowly born lover over me? And you wouldn’t offer the gem in order to save your lover?” The Pharaoh raked his fingernails down Thutmose’s bare chest. “You’ve displeased me. Your heart, body and riches should belong to me. To the kingdom. You vowed to belong to me once. Why not again?”

He said nothing. His allegiances belonged to the Pharaoh, but his heart belonged to Azizi.

“Very well.” The Pharaoh let go and stepped away from Thutmose. “I’ve given you plenty of time to obey. For your actions, I curse you to death, but not any death. You have been found guilty of declining to acquiesce to the Pharaoh’s wishes and your punishment is mummification. You will be parted from that ruby, the rest of your riches as well as your life. Your mummy will rot and you will be ignored by the ages. True love can’t save you. Nothing can.” He snapped his fingers.

A servant brought in Azizi, who then sat beside the Pharaoh. Azizi rested his head on the Pharaoh’s lap.

“You should’ve given him the gem.” Azizi stroked the Pharaoh’s thigh. “Now you’ll pay with your life.”

Another servant grasped Thutmose’s arm. Pain surged through Thutmose. When he looked down at his chest, the tip of a blade poked through his skin and the hilt jammed into his back. His entire body ached and red blood spread down his torso. He’d never known pain this deep or such a full betrayal.

“If I cannot have the gem, then no one can.” The Pharaoh stood over Thutmose as he collapsed on the floor. “Mummify him. Now. I want him to suffer.”

Thutmose couldn’t believe what was happening. He swore he heard someone—maybe the Pharaoh—demand the servants search him for the gem. Let them. He was dying. He didn’t need a ruby now. He’d rather have his life.

 

Monday, September 26, 2022

Goodbye to the Wylder West by Marilyn Barr

 Saying goodbye to a series is bittersweet. This year the CEO of The Wild Rose Press announced the end of The Wylder West romance book series. I’ve loved writing in 1879 Wylder, WY and enjoyed the camaraderie with the other Wylder authors. Frankly, I could have written about my sexy, leather tanners for a dozen more books. It is my pleasure that I introduce you to my last Wylder West books and the Wylder sisters, Ava and Abigail.

After the contracting of Dance to a Wylder Beat, I set out to make my critique partners and beta readers happy by granting their one request. While I fell in love with the alpha-male Nartan Sagebrush, they fell in love with his cinnamon roll brother, Ikshu. The overwhelming response to Dance to a Wylder Beat was “when does Ikshu get his happily ever after” and “when will Ikshu’s book be finished?” The original plan was to force him to open up by pairing him with a soiled dove from the Wylder Social Club. However, Fate intervened. The call for proposals for the Wylder family gave me the idea to pair shy Ikshu with the youngest Wylder sister…but she wouldn’t be a good girl… Wicked Ava Wylder is my favorite character that I’ve ever written (and I know we aren’t supposed to have favorites.)

I was shocked when my proposal was accepted. It was such a longshot. On October 12th, Sound of a Wylder Silence will be available on most major book retail websites. Here’s more about Ikshu’s book:

Ikshu Sagebrush lives in the shadows of his mystical brother, loudmouth sister-in-law, and the trauma he endured. When a chance meeting with a Christmas angel makes him consider stepping into the light, Ikshu calls to the spirits of his ancestors to help restore his voice.

 Ava Wylder is no angel, but her wicked ways are the catalyst Ikshu needs to face his inner demons and build a life. She would gladly trade her family’s wish for her to become a lady of a manor house in New York for the natural beauty of Wylder and a simple existence with Ikshu. When their families and community status step between them, she cannot fight for their love alone.

 Will Ikshu find his voice to make his intentions known, or let true love slip through his fingers?

 (Pre-order available here - https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/f3942c18-134f-11ed-b914-c32445638a6b)

 Once Dance to a Wylder Beat won the Crowned Heart Award from InD’Tale magazine, I dared to submit a proposal for the older Wylder sister, Abigail. I couldn’t believe another author hadn’t written her story already. Could lightning strike me twice and my proposal would be accepted for a second sister? In Sound of a Wylder Silence, Abigail is described by Ava as someone like me - a perfectionist. Did I dare to tell my super personal story of miscarriage, survival, and second chances? I submitted the proposal a heartbeat before The Wild Rose’s Christmas company shutdown, so I would forget about it. I never thought I would be so fortunate to write both Wylder sister’s stories.

When the response came, it took me a week to open the email. Writing Abigail's story used a few boxes of tissues, so you may want to grab a box when you read it. I’m proud to unveil the cover and blurb for Hush Little Wylder, Abigail’s heart wrenching story and Boone Silver’s introduction to the Wylder West series.


Picture-perfect Abigail Wylder rushes home to save her family’s reputation, but no one knows her behavior while in England is another scandal she must conceal. Will her secret embarrass her family more than her sister’s new mystical in-laws or her father’s deteriorating mind? Unwed and four months pregnant, it won’t be long before her dresses can no longer hide her shame.

Boone Silvers has carried a torch for Abigail Wylder since he was a teenager. When he discovers her baby’s British father has rejected her, he offers to step into the role. He believes he is the luckiest barber in Wyoming with a second chance to have a family after what happened to his first wife.

Secrets swirl around the couple until a tragedy shines a light on all their faults. Will Abigail choose happiness with Boone or do the unthinkable just to save face?  

Trigger Warning: Assault (not by hero), Miscarriage

 Hush Little Wylder is still in post-production, but you can pre-order Sound of a Wylder Silence here: https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/f3942c18-134f-11ed-b914-c32445638a6b

Or catch up with the Sagebrush Brothers in Dance to a Wylder Beat for 99-cents here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0951NLCZW/

Sunday, September 25, 2022

Making Truly Terrifying Villains by Nancy Gideon


I’m doing double duty blog postings today because I’m in the middle of a weekend Facebook event and I’m as sick as dog. So, if you follow me on Paranormal Romantics and you happen to catch my Weekend Writing Warriors post and think . . . Déjà vu! . . . you’re not wrong. It’s not often that both posting dates fall on a 25th that just happens to be a Sunday, so I’m taking it advantage of it . . . and then I’m going back to bed.

I picked a topic that would boost my adrenaline level enough to overcome my cough medicine and lack of sleep. Villains! Oh, I LOVE a good villain and one of my own favorites is in the series I just finished reading through again while keeping my sniffling away from the fam. RISE BY MOONLIGHT, the concluding book in my “By Moonlight” dark shapeshifter series had to go BIG with a bad guy (who just happens to be a BAD girl!) to tie up all the overlapping plot danglers. And Genevieve Savorie is the Queen B (and I don’t mean Bee!) of them all; the big bad in charge of all the other bad-enoughs that have darkened the pages of earlier books. Here’s a glimpse of her . . .

Evil whispered in his ear, “Hello, Michael. Friends again?”

He turned to face the lovely creature he’d once admired, back when having a soul was a deficit and cold cunning, the highest aspiration.

“You use that word as if you know what it means.”

“I’ve no use for things that get in the way of what I want or what our people need. Have you remembered what those things are or have you called me here for a different reason, one that would allow you to live beyond our reunion.”

She was so beautiful it was difficult to believe such evil thrived beneath that glamorous surface. Tall, fashionably garbed, flawlessly pale, dark in hair and soul, a lovely surface covering the blackest ichor, her resemblance to her sister Marie went only skin-deep. She craved power the way her poor sister, Marie, had sought love, with an unquestioning fervor that brought about her destruction - a fate Genevieve would share if her nephew had his way.

In that moment, Father Michael Furness decided he would not fall with her.
Soooooo, what makes a villain a reeeeeal nasty piece of work? One that’s terrifying . . . and yet strangely fascinating beyond just being a foil for the HEA? Here are some of the things I want from my favorite villains:

  1. Provide contrast to the hero/heroine. The villain is what makes their heroic traits shine, he’s their dark mirror and tempter;
  2. A lack of boundaries. Good guys have to follow a moral code. Bad guys throw it out the window. They’re full of nasty surprises that walk outside the norm and the acceptable;
  3. Add plot movement. The quality of the villain/antagonist in any form heightens the tension and ups the conflict to force an active response to overcome them;
  4. Lack of remorse/empathy. That’s why they’re called Bad Guys. They walk unapologetically on that dark side without regret or concern for the evil they do because they have a reason to justify their actions – unless they’re just plain nuts;
  5. Force conflict/heroism: Even the mildest, meekest character can become heroic if the stakes make them desperate or the corner they’re in requires action to escape or save another. There’s a lion inside every mouse.
No one appreciates a good nasty bad guy for contrast like the film industry. Here’s the best of the baddest . . .


Who are some of your favorite Baddies?

♚♚♚♚♚
Nancy Gideon on the Web



Thursday, September 22, 2022

Fun Facts about Autumn Equinox & A Demon's Witch Sale

 1. Equinox is an instantaneous phenomenon

Equinox is usually thought of as a phenomenon lasting an entire day. However, it is a single moment in time, when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, which is an imaginary line in the sky above Earth's equator. After Autumn Equinox, there will be earlier sunsets and later sunrises in the Northern Hemisphere.  

2. Day and Night are not precisely 12 hours each

Aequus, meaning 'equal', and nox, meaning 'night', are the Latin words from which the word equinox has been derived. However, day and night are not precisely 12 hours each on the day of fall or spring equinox.

3. Equinox does not occur on a fixed day

The Autumn Equinox usually occurs on September 22 or 23, but occasionally, it can even occur on September 21 or 24. This happens because the Earth takes 365.25 days or 365 days and 6 hours to orbit the Sun, which means the Equinox occurs 6 hours later than the time at which it happened the previous year


4. Equinoxes signal the start of Northern Lights

Aurora Borealis refers to a spectacular view of colorful lights in the night sky. Autumn Equinox is the prime time for viewing Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. This is because geomagnetic storms happen twice as frequently than the annual average. During the equinox, solar winds or the particles of plasma are better able to reach Earth's atmosphere, due to the Earth's axial tilt, through our geomagnetic field, and this interaction results in the strongest geomagnetic storms. The particles of plasma interact with atoms of oxygen, nitrogen and other elements in the atmosphere, and release photons of different wavelengths, causing beautiful colors of aurora. Bet that's more than you ever wanted to know. LOL

5. Harvest Moon in the Autumnal Equinox

The first full moon occurring after the Autumn Equinox is termed as the Harvest Moon. This is the time when moonrise occurs earlier in the evening, as a result farmers are able to work longer.


6. Defining colors of autumn leaves

Chemicals such as flavonoids, carotenoids and anthocyanins become more prominent in leaves after the Autumn Equinox, while Chlorophyll decreases, and this results in the vibrant ambers, reds and yellows of autumn. 

7. Autumn Equinox in Greek mythology

When Persephone, a Greek Goddess and the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, was abducted by Hades, the God of the Underworld, to make her his Queen, autumn began, according to Greek mythology.

 8. Snake of Sunlight in Mexico

Now this I thought was really interesting. On the day of the Autumnal Equinox and the Spring Equinox, afternoon sunlight bathes the western side of the main stairway of Mayan Pyramid of El Castillo, in Mexico. This creates a shadow which imitates the body of a 120 foot long rattlesnake, creeping downwards. 

 10. Apple Magic practiced during Autumn Equinox

Pagans celebrate Autumn Equinox with a harvest festival known as Mabon, which is a time for practicing Apple Magic. 


Which brings me to an interesting witchy read. A DEMON'S WITCH, on sale for only #99cents, for a limited time. First book in award winning A DEMON'S WITCH SERIES.

 What's the best seller A Demon's Witch about you ask. 

The best seller A Demon’s Witch, was born in a hair salon from an old rock and roll song. What if the hairdresser is really a ruggedly handsome demon overlord. What if a powerful witch breezed into his salon and the attraction was undeniable? What if the salon is multi-species catering to mortals and paranormal creatures alike is located in Washington DC? Adds a new dimension to our concept of DC, doesn’t it? The setting and storyline are unique. Kick back in enjoy the adventures of Bruce and Angie as an entertaining escape from the not so ordinary world these days. This spicy romance has it all intrigue, humor, thrills, danger and a splash of magic to keep you on the edge of your seat.  Available from Amazon, Barnes&Noble, ibooks, and Kobo

 

Saturday, September 17, 2022

The Rules for Lying: Free on Amazon


The Rules for Lying 

Big Easy Shaman Book 1

by L. A. Kelley


FREE Sept. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19



Magic isn't for sissies

 

WARNING: No good comes from a book with magic, mayhem, theft, murder, sass talk, demons, animals committing felonies, gleeful revenge, and bad things happening to good people for no particular reason. This story won’t encourage good habits and probably fine tune bad ones. The only lesson learned is don’t lie until you know the rules.

Life in New Jersey is tough in the Great Depression, but teenager Peter Whistler has an exceptional ability to lie. He hones his talent, convinced it’s the ticket to easy fortune. He certainly doesn’t foresee the arrival of a murderous conjuror with mysterious designs on a little blind girl named Esther. Drawn into a nefarious plot to unleash a demon, Peter leads Esther and an enchanted terrier on a desperate escape to New Orleans and meets Amelie Marchand. Like all well-bred Louisiana gals she’s trained in deadly martial arts, but with a murderous stepmother, Amelie has troubles of her own. Peter and Amelie’s one chance for survival is to head deep into the bayou and seek help from a mad shaman known as the Frog King.

Welcome to an alternate 1930s where both jazz and magic fill New Orleans’ air. Can a little luck, mystical lies, and a dash of Cajun crazy help Peter harness the power to kill an immortal demon? If not, the Depression will be a picnic by comparison when hell arrives on Earth.


Excerpt

The Grimaldis huddled over a piece of paper. Mr. Grimaldi looked up and cleared his throat. “Everything is in order. The carriage house suited you?”

Pike slid an envelope stuffed with cash across the tabletop. “Yes. It was private and exactly as described. We have a deal.”

Mrs. Grimaldi snatched at the bills with undisguised greed. “We wouldn’t do this, you understand, but the Feds raided all the local speakeasies. Our best clients shut down. Times are tough.”

Mr. Grimaldi scrawled a signature on the paper and handed the pen to his wife. She added hers, and then Pike tucked the paper in his pocket. “You needn’t be concerned about the girl.”

My ears pricked up. Girl? What girl? If Pike meant Mrs. Hart, the doctor needed to get his own eyes checked.

Mr. Grimaldi shifted in his seat, a flush tinting his fat cheeks. “People might get the wrong impression if the arrangement is discovered. You understand—they don’t realize our actions are for her own good.”

I sucked in my breath. Mr. Grimaldi lied big time.

“Don’t worry. No one will ever find out.” Pike’s voice was as cold as midwinter ice.

A teensy doubt jabbed at my mind that this had to do with gangsters, but I brushed it roughly away. Pike and the Grimaldis rose from the table. I darted from the window and ducked behind a tree right before the kitchen door opened.

Mrs. Grimaldi beamed at Pike. “If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to stop by.”

The dark man set the fedora on his head and snapped the brim over his eyes. “I’m quite satisfied. You won’t see me again.”

True.

For some reason, the truth shook me more than a lie. Mr. Grimaldi closed the door, but Pike remained on the stoop. The kitchen went dark and then a light switched on in an upstairs bedroom window.

I peered from behind the tree. Why did Pike wait? To rob the joint after they fell asleep? If so, I had no plan to stop him. I had half a mind to help.

The bedroom light flicked off and the yard went pitch black. One second…two seconds…three seconds…

A yellow beam danced across the door, and my throat nearly closed in terror. That was no flashlight.

The ray from Pike’s eyes narrowed and focused pencil-thin. The smell of burning wood drifted across the lawn as he etched a smoldering hieroglyphic of a flame in the middle of the door. The outline of glowing embers flared and then snuffed out. Pike stepped back from the stoop. He paused for a moment as if to admire his handiwork and then sprinted down the alley.

Heart thumping, I darted to the door. My fingers stroked the spot where I last saw the little flame. The wood was still warm.

I snatched back my hand. The wood now blazed hot, more scorching by the second. The glowing outline flared to life again. A spark shot out, soared overhead, and landed near the chimney. Patches of shingles exploded in flames.

A long thin spark slithered from the symbol, a fiery snake writhing toward the keyhole. Without thinking, I reached to sweep it away only to jerk my fingers from the scalding heat. The spark slid into the opening. With a roar, a curtain of fire engulfed the downstairs windows.

In a panic, I banged on the door. “Wake up! The house is on fire!”

A thick choking cloud of smoke billowed under the doorframe, and I staggered back in a coughing fit. In a blink, the first floor was an inferno. How did the fire spread so fast? Mrs. Grimaldi’s terrified screams cut through the crackling fusillade of flames.

Blistering heat drove me across the yard. The panic-stricken face of Nico Grimaldi appeared at the bedroom window struggling to open the sash.

Crrrack.

The wooden supports inside the house splintered and gave way. Mr. Grimaldi vanished in a thunderous crash as the second floor collapsed on the first. His wife’s screams cut off.

Multiple sirens wailed in the distance. I stumbled down the alley as hot cinders rained from above. Embers lit on my clothing, and I slapped them away. The Grimaldi house was now a nightmare of hellfire. I flinched as the outside walls caved in with a deafening roar.

The first of the fire trucks screeched around the corner. Cops would surely follow asking questions I couldn’t answer. As I ran across the street, the glare of a headlight caught me for an instant.

Tires squealed, and a man yelled, “You there, stop!”

AMAZON LINK



Thursday, September 15, 2022

Blurring the Lines Between Science Fiction and Paranormal Romance by Cassandra Chandler


BLURRING THE LINES BETWEEN

SCIENCE FICTION AND

PARANORMAL ROMANCE

Guest post by Cassandra Chandler

The line between Science Fiction and Fantasy is often a blurry one. As someone who writes Science Fiction, Paranormal, and Urban Fantasy Romance, I’ve been having a lot of fun exploring this in my Cygnian 7 series. While these books are absolutely Sci-fi Romance, they contain aspects of the Paranormal as well. The Cygnians have soulmates that they seek throughout their life—the single sentient who holds the other half of their soul. Until the soulmates meet, they always feel as if something is missing.

When I sat down to write their books, I knew that the Cygnians were facing an extinction-level threat from an imbalance in their population. I had an idea for the science behind why so many more males have been born than females over the past few centuries, but I had no idea about the mechanism for how soulmates worked in these sentients or how Cygnian soulmates were being born on Earth.

In the Cygnian 7 series, I get to delve into the origins of the soulmates’ spiritual journeys, going so far as to showing you what the Cygnian afterlife is like in the third novel, Lar: A Scifi Alien Warriors Romance, and introducing you to their goddess. It’s been fascinating to discover more about the Cygnians and their soulmates as I write their stories, and so much fun to explore the boundaries between what should be explained through Science Fiction and what needs to be left in the Paranormal realm of the unknowable. It’s also a great way to mess with my characters. 

In Dorn: A Scifi Alien Warriors Romance, Amy isn’t even sure she believes in souls, let alone soulmates. The pull she feels toward Dorn is irresistible, but since she’s someone who needs to have rational, scientific explanations, she balks at giving in to their connection (plus, she thinks he abducted her, and is not okay with that, no matter how gorgeous he is). It was so fun to explore that aspect of her character and watch how it manifested in her reactions toward Dorn—and how he tried to handle it.

The Cygnians and I, as well as my readers, have so much more to learn about this aspect of their existence, and it’s going to tie in with much bigger storylines going forward. I’m thrilled to continue their adventure and see where these new stories take us.


ENJOY AN EXCERPT FROM DORN:

He smirked as he focused on the electric arcs of pleasure firing along his spine plates, knowing that, as his soulmate, she had to be feeling something similar. If what the other warriors in his prism had told him was true, focusing on the sensation would amplify what she was experiencing, adding his pleasure to her own. She gasped, brown eyes widening and lush lips parting. Her cheeks and neck flushed and her heart accelerated, his dual, discordant beats quickening in an attempt to match hers.

She shook her head and said, “Stop that.”

“Stop what?” He took another step forward and this time she didn’t retreat.

“Stop putting your alien pheromone whammy on me.”

“‘Alien pheromone whammy?’ I have no idea what that is.”

“Bullshit,” she said. “If you didn’t know what I’m talking about, you wouldn’t look so smug.”

His grin broadened. Nothing slipped past his soulmate.

“How did you know I can’t swim?” he asked.

“Lucky guess. You’re deflecting.”

“Deflecting. That’s an interesting word.” He nodded, overplaying his pondering. “It implies warding something off. Turning away an attack.” He stepped closer again, till he could almost feel her heat. Leaning in a bit, he said, “Are we sparring, Amy?”

Her eyes narrowed further. 


DORN

A SCIFI ALIEN WARRIORS ROMANCE

BY CASSANDRA CHANDLER

Amy Myers has dedicated herself to learning everything she needs to become a field agent and protect people. Martial arts, weapons training, strategy, whatever it takes. She will achieve her objective, despite her family’s objections. Discovering that her entire planet needs to be protected from hostile aliens after she’s nearly killed during an abduction attempt changes her plans—especially when the giant blue alien who took her from Earth claims her as his soulmate.

Before he even met Amy, Dorn nearly lost his newly found soulmate in a brutal attack by the Tau Centauran Assembly. When he touched her broken body, he realized she was his. Their bond should draw her to him like the pull of a gravity well, but she’s convinced that he and his fellow Cygnian Warriors have abducted her and her sisters and were behind the attack that nearly cost her life.

Dorn knows the true enemy hasn’t stopped his deadly pursuit of the Myers sisters. The malevolent shape-shifting alien chasing them is still out there, and he will do whatever is necessary to obtain his new target—Amy. Can Dorn convince Amy that they are meant to be together or will he lose her forever?

AVAILABLE FROM:

Amazon | Apple Books | B&N Nook | Kobo

Books2Read Universal Link



ABOUT CASSANDRA CHANDLER:

USA Today Bestselling author Cassandra Chandler uses her vivid imagination to make the world more interesting, spawning the ideas she turns into her enthralling Science Fiction Romances and darkly evocative Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Romances. Fast-paced and funny, lighthearted or dark, her stories will introduce you to characters you’ll fall in love with and worlds you long to explore.

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Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

BookBub | Amazon Author Page


Saturday, September 10, 2022

Alien Creation - Part One by Keri Kruspe

 



A reader asked me the other day how I came up with the ideas about the aliens I use in my novels. I have to admit the question surprised me. Creating an alien is natural to me. They just seem to pop up.

But that couldn’t be true… could it?

Well, I confess my background helped to “birth” these folks. I’ve been reading science fiction since I was in my early teens. Not to mention all the comic books and being inundated with various TV shows and movies with aliens all my life.

Nowadays there’s a glut of strange, “alien” hunks in the SciFi Romance genre. In the Top 20 of SciFi Romance in Amazon (as of the second week in August 2022) we have “Orcs”, “Minotaur”, “Lizardman”, “Naga” (snakes) and “Spiders” (check out Ensnared by Tiffany Roberts). I confess I like my aliens to be different, but to be honest, I prefer them to have more human features than not.

With these characteristics in mind, I created aliens that appeal to me (I know, selfish. But hey, I have to fall in love with my heroes before anyone else can!). When I began creating my first series, An Alien Exchange, I got to indulge in my fascination with captivating, alien hunk-men (yep, that’s my term and I’m sticking to it). In this first article, I’ll delve into a couple of those wonderful out-of-this world guys. So, sit back, take a sip of your favorite libation, and enjoy the ride of a crazy person creating a whole new species and the planets they come from.

The Planet Zerin

When I came up with this idea, it was in part because it seemed all the SciFi Romances I read had the same theme: aliens were short of females and resorted to kidnapping Earth women to prevent their species from becoming extinct. I fancied something different. Instead of snatching unwilling women, I wanted women to have a choice. Stay on Earth in their lonely life or take a chance to find a soulmate in space.

Thus, the planet Zerin was born. It’s a democratic society with a ruling monarchy that has the final say on the laws generated from their governing senate. This is the home planet for two of the four main characters in this series. The main foundation of their society is the family. All familial ties override everything and mean more to them than anything.

Zerin’s population is a balanced one with a healthy ratio of males to females, so they don’t have to kidnap human women. In fact, it’s illegal for a Zerin to take a human as a mate. An enterprising species, the Zerin’s set up an “Exchange” program with Earth women to help the other populations in the Milky Way Galaxy that were short of females.

For a small fee, of course.


A Zerin

Zerin’s live longer than humans, around 200 to 300 Earth years old. This is primarily due to medical advancements and the natural rotation of their planet.

The first hero is Commander Qayyum E’et (kway-yum ee-ee-too).

Age: 75—Zerin years, still considered quite young by his people, around 6’6” and 230 lbs.

Hair: Straight, black as midnight that reflects a dark blue. A braid starts at the right temple and crisscrosses on the top, framing his face and ends in a long rope just at his crotch. The rest of his hair is pulled back into a tail flowing down his spine.

Eyes:  Dark midnight eyebrows rise up and down like an upside down “v” over his almond-shaped eyes. Instead of black, his irises were a dark iridescent green, slightly oval shaped and surrounded by a ring of dual color. The first ring was a dark emerald, with the outer ring a contrasting shade of lighter green.

Ears: A bit larger than a human with a slight point on the top.

Mouth: He has full lips when parted, showing his small incisors; fangs that protruded where a human’s eye teeth would be in the upper and lower part of his mouth

Hands: He only had three fingers on each hand with thumbs short, like a human. 

Skin Tone: His skin color is a light russet brown with an overlay of iridescence, pearlescent sheen.

Sexual “Extra”: When sexually excited, a Zerin male will excrete an oil from his pours (especially the palms of his hands) much like a lubricant. It makes the skin on human women extra sensitive to stimulation. I got this idea from an old David Bowe Film “The Man Who Fell to Earth”.

TrueBond: A Zerin couple will instantly recognize their TrueBond by scent, tactile experience, and appearance. Mating oils seep from their palms and chests, which enhance and magnify their sexual pleasure with each other. A TrueBond couple solidifies their union after being together sexually… when the male ejaculates inside the female. After their first mating, they will physically take on characteristics of each other, i.e., blended hair, skin, and eye color. To complete the TrueBond, a tattoo call the MalDerVon scroll appears with the heir crystal nestled in their temple. During the TrueBond process, the two would have extra sensitivity if separated for any length of time from each other. Then they suffer physical and psychological pain.


Along with Qay in this series is his cousin, D’zia. D'zia is one of my favorites because he a bit of a smartass. If you look closely, you'll see a small spider-droid on his shoulder. That's JR10 (named after the author JR Ward), who gives D'zia a run for his money on being a snark-a-holic. 









This is Ki. He claims his Zerin heritage, but unknown to others he is a hybrid. His Crart ancestry comes with a secret that even his closest friends aren't aware of - he's a dragon shifter. 

I'm totally in love dragon shifters, so I was dying to make one of my heroes one. 




The last fellow in this series is not a Zerin. He is a Runihura male by the name of Aylzrunth (Eye-laz-run-ith). His planet is a matricidal society where males are second class and females’ rule.


Most Runihura males are massive, well over eight feet tall. His skin is obsidian, black as midnight, platinum hair, and neon blue eyes with silver blood. When they meet their mates, they place a silver crown on their heads and the male transfers his essence to the female until the both of them glow, binding them together. The circlets they have on their foreheads absorbed into their skin, completing an unbreakable union.

That It?

Nope. Not by a long shot. In my next article, I’ll introduce you to the other aliens in my Exchange universe. After that, I’ll highlight the aliens in my current series, Ancient Alien Descendants.

I’d love to hear any thoughts about my guys. Or, better yet, I’d love any suggestions you have for an alien in my new series I’ll be creating next year…


Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Using Trope Graphics to Find Your Readers

 


Hello! It's been an eventful month in my household. My oldest child moved away to go to college, and my youngest is now back to school for in-person learning after two years of online learning at home. My spouse was on holidays, and completed a lot of small projects around the house. Plus, I've been getting ready for a book release!

But, today's post is not really about any of that. Today, I want to talk about those graphics I'm sure many of you have seen across social media. Especially lately. You know, the ones with the book cover in the middle with book tropes listed all around it, along with other information about what happens in the story.


Last week on social media, someone called trope graphics "cringe," and couldn't believe authors would use tropes and fiction tags to promote a book. I think they are exactly the opposite. They help readers to find books they might like to read quickly. Before, authors had to entice the reader simply by having an appealing book cover. Authors hoped their covers enticed readers enough to read the blurb and then buy the book. But with a few words, authors have a chance to draw in more readers than with only a cover.


Trope graphics usually contain the following:
  • the book cover (this is most important)
  • all the tropes the book falls under (second chance romance, mistaken identity, friends to lovers, only one bed, etc.)
  • other information that might tease or entice readers, whether about the characters, the setting, or the plot
  • arrows pointing from the information to the book
Trope graphics may also include the name and title of the book if that is not clear enough on the cover. Most trope graphics contain 5 to 8 pieces of information about the book. Plus, you can use the background to set the mood or reveal the setting of the book.

I make my trope graphics using Canva

  1. I start with a blank Instagram post. They are square, and I find they generally look best to use on all social media.
  2. I go to Elements then Frames to find a tablet or phone-shaped frame. Then I center it in the graphic. Canva will show you where the center is if you drag it around with your mouse.
  3. I upload my cover then drag and drop it into the tablet frame.
  4. I add the boxes of text/information that I want to share in the graphic.
  5. In elements, I look up arrows and then use a variety of them to point the text to the cover. You can easily flip, rotate, shrink, angle, and even change the color of the arrows.
  6. Then I search the backgrounds (click) and the elements (drag and drop) to find a picture that works for the background image. Often I have to edit the image (brightness, tint, shadows, transparency, etc.) so that the text is readable and stands out. 
  7. When I'm satisfied, I download it as a PNG file and share it on social media with other information and buy links for the book.
  8. Instead of starting all over for each book, you can duplicate the page and then replace the cover image, the text copy, and the background.
While I don't have one made for every one of my titles, I do have them made for my upcoming release, RET (releases September 12), and the other books in the Kaddim Brothers series.




After the comment was made last week, I saw a lot of authors also making graphics to also share a little about themselves with readers. So, I made one, too. Have a great September!





Sunday, September 4, 2022

All Things Cozy

 By Maureen Bonatch 

Fall is on the way. This may have you thinking about back-to-school, pumpkin spice, sweaters and all things cozy. For me, the word cozy often brings thoughts of reading by a fire wrapped in a blanket with a beverage of choice.

But this fall cozy has me thinking about my latest cozy mystery series.

With the release of one book from the A Witch Shifter series at the end of August, September and then October, this magical, fun series will be filling my fall season.

I'm sharing a little about the first book in the series below and a place to stock up your TBR with cozy reads.

A Cagey CATastrophe:

Can an unpredictable witch and her snarky familiar find the missing teen witches before it’s too late?


Hi, I'm Abigail. I’d barely accepted I was half magic-blood when my sister from another mister showed up in a tacky van and dumped me in the Witchness Protection Program. Now I’m stuck in a house with an arrogant warlock and an ancient gossip-loving witch in a neighborhood with more secrets than stray cats. I shouldn’t be here, for mortal's sake, I'm 30 years old!

 

Soon after arriving, I wake up as a cat and discover the chatter in my head since moving here has been the local cat population talking. Is this what’s made me so interesting to all the wrong people? I'm a witch who can shift? Maybe I need witchness protection after all.

 

When someone with dark magic starts luring wayward teens away from the area, it leaves me questioning how good this protection program really is. But before I can learn how to stop blowing things up with my magic or turning into Abby the tabby, another teen witch goes missing.

This time, I fear that she was taken to get to me, so it’s up to me and my fat tomcat familiar to save her. If I can’t, the darkness won’t just stop at me. It will come for us all.


Learn More by Clicking Here:



An Excerpt from A Cagey CATastrophe


“I’d never seen a more gorgeous . . . warlock. My mouth soured. Enchanted gardens. Warlocks were arrogant jerks.

      The arrogant jerk turned while slipping his arms into his shirt sleeves. He brushed his hands over his body. His smile was warm when he lifted his head and spotted us. “Carman. You’re early.”

      She rushed to embrace the sexy mancake in a hug. He swung her around once before letting her feet settle on the ground. Carman stood back and gestured to his shirt. “What happened to you?”

      He frowned. “Darn glitter spell.”

      She laughed as she brushed glitter from his cheeks. “They’re just kids.”

      “Easy for you to say. This is the third time this week. This sparkly crap is in my sheets. Believe me, there are places you don’t want to find glitter.” His smile faded, and he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Another one’s gone.”

      “What?” Carman glanced to me and then masked her distress. “We’ll talk later.”

      He fell silent when his gaze landed on me where I stood gaping as I pictured him in bed covered with glitter. Cauldrons!

      Carman presented me with a flourish of her hands, making me feel like a game show prize “This is Abigail, your new charge.”

      “What? I’m no one’s charge,” I said, challenging Scott to defy my statement.

      He glanced from Carman to me. “But . . . but she’s old.”

      I curled my fingers into a tight fist to contain my annoyance. Spouting cockiness like a typical warlock. “Thirty isn’t old.”

      “I’m sorry.” He smiled sheepishly. “I meant you’re not a kid. For one, you’ve already made it through puberty—thank heavens. One more hormonal, teenage witch might tip the precarious hold on my sanity.” His eyes studied me, lingering with approval.

      I turned to my sister, desperate to focus on anything other than him. “What am I doing here?”

      ”“It’s the perfect place to learn how to control your magic. You aren’t Scott’s charge like the other kids. He’s your bodyguard.”

      “Bodyguard?” Scott and I asked in unison.

      “Why would I need a bodyguard? And what did he mean by another one’s gone? Another what?”

      “Nothing,” Carman said. “Part of what Scott will guard you against is yourself. At least until you gain control over your magic.”

      I felt as deflated as the van tire. Not knowing what I was, or what I was capable of, made me too interesting to the wrong people. The street appeared deserted, but I felt like someone was watching. A Witchness Protection Program? Perhaps someone in this weird neighborhood would know something about how to solve the mystery of what I was.


Free Cozy Mysteries


Looking to get cozy this month? From Sept 1- Sept 30th you can stock up on some free cozy mysteries. Just follow this link: https://books.bookfunnel.com/thatcozymystery/15gi5vzsr6



What Do you Consider Cozy?



M.L. Bonatch believes music can be paired with every mood, laughter is contagious, and caffeine and wine are essential for survival. When she’s not doing the bidding of a feisty Shih Tzu, she’s a mom to twin daughters, exploring the beautiful woods of PA with her hubby and dancing as much as possible. She writes paranormal cozy mysteries as  M.L. Bonatch, urban fantasy, paranormal romance and other genres as Maureen Bonatch.


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