She didn’t just find aliens—she found their secrets! Check out TRADE SECRETS by @CassChandler in #PetsInSpace 6! #SciFiRomance

TRADE SECRETS

The Department of Homeworld Security series

by Cassandra Chandler

Gwen Williams wants nothing more than to explore the vast possibilities of outer space, but Earth’s technology isn’t going to get her there. Her solution? Make contact with aliens. The only problem is, her plan works a little too well—landing her on the radar of a group of aliens with plans of their own that involve her homeworld.

Xan was just trying to help his Vegan friends avoid getting into trouble for messing with human things they should have left alone. He didn’t expect to run up against Gwen, a brilliant, beautiful Earthling who stirs a depth of emotion in him that he didn’t know he possessed—and who also has evidence of his friends’ transgression. Adding in the fact that the super-smart “space cat” who’s adopted him has plans to bring Gwen into their little family and this Coalition pilot has some tricky space to navigate.

As if that wasn’t complicated enough, the trio discovers a plot on Xan’s ship that could compromise the security of all of their people—and the newly forged bonds between the sentients working toward peace in the galaxy. Will they be able to work together to secure a more peaceful future, or will their secrets drive them apart?

Available as part of Pets in Space 6 ANTHOLOGY!

Pets in Space® is back for a new year of adventures!

Join the incredible authors in this year's Pets in Space 6 for another out-of-this-world adventure. This award-winning, USA TODAY Bestselling anthology is packed full of your favorite Pets in Space®. Featuring 11 original, never-before-released stories from some of today's bestselling Science Fiction Romance and Fantasy authors, Pets in Space 6 continues their vital support of Hero-Dogs.org, the non-profit charity that improves quality of life for veterans of the U.S. military and first-responders with disabilities. Don't miss out on this limited-edition anthology before it’s too late!

AVAILABLE FROM:

Amazon | Apple | Barnes & Noble

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OUR CHARITY: HERO-DOGS.ORG

Proud supporters of Hero-Dogs.org, Pets in Space® authors have donated over $15,300 in the past five years to help place specially trained dogs with veterans and first responders. 10% of all pre-orders and the first month’s royalties of Pets in Space 6 will again go to Hero-Dogs.org. Open your hearts and grab your limited release copy of Pets in Space 6 today so together we can continue helping this worthy charity! https://www.hero-dogs.org/

Pets by Diane Burton

Do you have a pet? Have you ever had one? Growing up, I always wanted a dog. With seven kids, the last thing my mom wanted was something else to look after. Dad bought a pure-bred boxer puppy. Dumb as a post. And a runner. Whatever dog food she ate came right back up. Just what Mom wanted to do—clean up puke. One day, the dog ran off. At least, that’s what Mom said. I hope she found a good home.

As an adult, I still wanted a dog. We’ve had three. One was a cuddler, the next a runner. You can’t imagine the number of times I chased after him around the neighborhood. The last was the most well-behaved. A sweet dog who originally belonged to our son. Right now, we’re between dogs. And I miss the sound of nails on wood floor as our pet raced to the door to greet me.

In two of my science fiction series, I worked in dog-like pets. Did they resemble dogs here on Earth? Sure. Why not? One belonged to an elderly character (The Chameleon) that helped track a kidnapped victim. In my first sci-fi romance (Switched), the caninus belonged to the hero’s uncle. If I were a cat-lover, I imagine I would include a feline in my stories.

There are two reasons I thought of pets. My son and his family just adopted a Great Dane puppy. He is so cute . . . and growing like crazy every week. The other reason is the latest Pets in Space anthology (number 4). I love this series. In this new release, the pets in each story (by 13 authors) have special qualities. One is a little dog-like character who reminded me of my sister’s dog. Another is a snake, and there’s even a burrowing animal that saved a crashed starship crew from starving.

I haven’t finished the book yet. So many terrific stories—each about the length of a novella. Cassandra Chandler was on my blog last Wednesday and shared a bit about each of the stories. She will be here next Tuesday to share more about this book. Then on November 2^nd, our friend and former contributor Veronica Scott will tell us even more. 

I have no monkey in that circus. I just liked the series and wanted you to know about it.

Have fun reading, no matter what you enjoy.

Do you include pets in your stories?

4 Life Lessons from My Dog

Scruff is my writing partner. Kind of an unusual name for a writing partner unless you realize he’s a dog, a Shih Tzu to be exact. I’ve mentioned Scruff’s role in my writing process before. 

Such as how he waits for me to get in the office to start writing (mostly because he wants a treat—he knows I keep some in there) or how he gets me out of the chair to stretch and play for a while when I need a break. 

But there are other lessons I’ve learned about writing, and enjoying life in general from Scruff.

 

Make Time for Naps 

Scuff naps a lot. Pretty much a large portion of his day is spending

napping. It's made me wonder if he’s part cat. Napping is something I rarely, if ever take the time to do because there is always so much that needs done on my To-Do list. 

Although most of these things would still be there if I took a little break now and then to stretch and rest my eyes. 

My body would probably thank me for the reprieve. Writers, and anyone else who spends a lot of time sitting, benefits from taking care of their body.

Forgive and Forget

No matter what Scruff may have gotten in trouble for, or how

cranky I might be, he quickly forgets it and moves on. He’s just as happy to see me and his sappy smile makes it impossible to stay angry with him, or anything else in the world. 

Most of us tend to linger on past wrongdoings or wallow in guilt or anger over regrets from time to time. 

We are often our harshest critics, and the time we spend doubting ourselves, and others, from things that happened in our past don’t usually provide any benefits. As much as I’d love to find one, so far, a magical “do-over” button has eluded me. If the story isn’t working out, I either push on or work on something else. Focusing on one tiny piece for too long makes me lose track of the big picture. 

Eat Dessert First 

If Scruff gets a little bit of “people food” he waits to see if he’s going to get something better and eats that first. 

We often hold our rewards until we meet a goal, or do all the things we “should” do, but sometimes it’s better to treat ourselves first and celebrate the little triumphs to inspire us to keep moving. 

Don’t wait to read that book you’re looking forward to until you get a large block of uninterrupted time. 

Why not enjoy a chapter now? 

 

Size Doesn’t Matter
 

Scruff is a big dog—in his mind. If the door is open a crack—that he can easily fit through—he waits until we open it more to pass through. If he’s safe on the deck, he fears nothing. He trots around

with the arrogance of a much larger dog where he rules our household.

As a reader, I’m not usually concerned about the length of a story. I’m more concerned about how much I enjoy the characters and the storyline. 

The only time I might be a little upset is if it’s so good that it ends too soon. As a writer, I have my eye on the word count as I’m writing, but I also know when the story is “done”, and it doesn’t usually follow the rules about word count and chapter length.  

Have You Learned Any Lessons from Your Pets?

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the All Things Magical Giveaway! Kindle Fire! Ebooks & Gift Cards- Oh My! Click Right Here to check it out.

Author Bio: Maureen Bonatch grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four

seasons—hockey, biking, sweat pants and hibernation—keeps her there. While immersed in writing or reading paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music, and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line. Find Maureen on her website, Facebook& Twitter

The Actor and Dog off the Chain ~ @MeganSlayer #mmromance #novel #pets #dogs

Odd title for a blog post, right? I know it is. Follow me here. It’ll make sense in a moment.

When I wrote the book, What’s His Passion? Wild Card, I knew I had two strong characters—Kris and Zayn. I knew they were the focus of the book, but side characters can be just as important.

I’m an animal lover. I really am. Having three cats and three dogs, you could say I live in a zoo. You’d be right. When the mailman knocks on the front door, it’s a five-alarm panic. But I love it and this love showed up in Wild Card. Kris is a wounded man. He needs more than a lover. He needs a few friends, too. My dogs are great companions. They don’t talk back—although I’m convinced some of the barking is sassing—not that I mind. They stay beside me when I’m blue and are great for exercise. So how does this match up to Kris? And why would I bring a dog into a story about a gay man in porn?

In Wild Card, Kris lives in a nice private development, but even in the nicest places, wicked people exist. His next-door neighbor has a dog. You’ve probably seen the type—the dog is constantly outside. There’s no grass under the dog house and the circle he runs. Rain, shine, heat, cold…the dog is there. Kris sees a bit of himself in the dog next door. They’re both wounded. The dog needs attention and love. So does Kris.

So Kris’s in porn. He believes he can reach a little higher in life. He believes the same thing for the dog. They’re kindred spirits. The dog is a pit bull, so people think he’s dangerous. He’s actually very sweet and goofy. But out on the chain, he comes across as scary. He really wants attention. Same thing for Kris. People see the porn actor and think he’s dirty or nasty. He’s so much more once someone unlocks his potential.

Here’s an Easter egg for you—the dog is named Nugent. According to the neighbor, he’s named after Ted Nugent. That’s not where I got the name. I’m a huge Cincinnati Bengals fan and the kicker for the team during the writing of Wild Card happened to be named Nugent. The dog is named after a professional athlete. Grin.

Now I have to admit I’m the kind of person who can’t stand to see the dog/cat/etc hurt in a book or movie. For the dog in Wild Card, the feeling was no different. Nugent is a sweet dog. He and Kris as well as Zayn have to have a happy ending. Want to know what the happy ending is? Then you’ll have to read What’s His Passion? Wild Card. I hope you enjoy the love and the dog.

Here’s a little bit about What’s His Passion? Wild Card:

Following his heart and passion will be his biggest role of all.

Kris Hunter wants out. He’s done pornographic films for the last six years. The pay’s been good, but his creativity is nearly dead. His passion is to act and to be a star on the big screen in mainstream films. When he auditions for famed casting director, Zayn Mason, he’s convinced he’s on the right path. He doesn’t want to take the casting couch route to success, but he certainly wants Zayn in his bed. Can he follow his dreams and the man he desires or will forces beyond his control derail his progress?

Zayn Mason sees the potential in Kris. As a casting director, he looks for the right actor to fill the roles in movies. He’s seen plenty of talent come and go, but no one stirs his soul both creatively and physically like Kris. But Zayn knows the pitfalls of the movie industry. Crossing over from porn isn’t easy and Hollywood isn’t always forgiving. Besides, he’s got demons of his own. Can these men get beyond their pasts and find a future together under the bright lights of the silver screen?

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of voyeurism and intimacy with multiple partners.

Three ingredients for writing

~ Maureen L . Bonatch~ 

“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one    knows what they are.” ~William Somerset Maugham

            When I pick up a new book, or visit an author’s webpage, there's one thing I always look for. It’s not the title of the book, or the blurb...it’s the back flap. I’m looking for the information about the author...and the picture. 

           Why? Perhaps it’s the facts the author shares about their life enabling me to try and dissect their formula of how to write a great story. Or to ensure myself that these are real people, because authors have always been the ‘rock stars’ in my mind.

            Over the years I’ve scrutinized many back flaps, scoured every ‘about the author’ bio on their websites, eagerly seeking the secrets of writing a novel.

As we settle into the dog days of summer and I ponder over what I’ve learned, I've realized writers take many varying paths on their way to becoming authors, but a few basic things appear to be keys to success.

You have to have a pen, an imagination and usually…a pet. (Look here for yourself, this is just a few examples, if you look, I'll bet you’ll find even more)

            Why is this?  I suppose because a pet is usually content to park themselves for hours at a time or look at you intently as you declare a paragraph a masterpiece and wag their tail to agree with you.  Or because writing is a solitary activity and often consists of long stretches of staring into space or talking aloud to oneself as a scene is dissected...animals don’t seem to find this behavior strange as humans do.

      “Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing.”~ Margaret Chittenden

            Luckily I have always had a pen, an imagination and a pet to help me write.

My First Writing Partner, Bummy 

My Current Writing Partner, Scruff

           

I know my pet helps keep my "butt in the chair" by doing his part of blocking the back of my chair and my potential escape. 

Scruff doing his part to keep me from escaping the chair 

      He also helps prevent the dreaded author spread of "book butt" by insisting I leave the chair now and then for what my dog feels is his necessary entertainment time once he becomes jealous of my undivided attention with my characters.

            In many of the stories I love, a pet plays a key role or is almost a secondary character. 

A few examples include, Einstein, in Dean Koontz, Watchers 

Or Angie Fox’s, Pirate, from her Demon Slayer series. 

           

Do you think having a pet in the story makes a character more human? Or the story more enjoyable?

            In my upcoming release from The Wild Rose Press: DESTINY CALLING, my heroine inherits a pet. A kitten, aptly named Tercet, which means three. Because the kitten is one of three, and so is my heroine, Hope.   

Follow me on Facebook to find out more about my upcoming release, writing habits, inspiring quotes, musings or just for the cute pics of Scruff.

It's Friday...

The Lord of my manor

Happy Friday - or Furday as I like to call it.

You all know I love animals, and with cats topping that list, dogs run a close, close second. Then there are the snakes that hang on my screen door beneath the ceramic birds - pretty little things. Hey, I didn't kill them! All but one of my four cats are rescued ferals who love to hunt. By the time I see the snake, it's deader than a door nail and they are beautiful, so I dry them out and display their trophy. I can only hope my girls never come home with anything larger than 15 inches, and I sincerely wish they'd all be nonvenomous. Yes, the girls are truly better hunters. The best being Jewelly who has only one eye, a jewel-bright (hence, her name) yellow eye. She lays on the porch railing and catches birds in flight!!

I was a little concerned for my kitties last month when a fox trolled the neighborhood, but he/she has since moved on. What a weird bark-like sound it made in the wee hours of the morning.

If you're ever down under, look up the beauties below, and say hi for me. *smile*

Quoll

Frillnecked Lizard - it's got hands!

Bilby

Aptly named Thorny Devil

Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out.-© J. Hali Steele