Monsters Lurking in the Old West by Marilyn Barr

 

I love writing a romance where someone with a hidden monster finds love despite their beastly nature. Before I fell in love with the Ephraim shifters of the Old West, I found many monsters in Arapaho legends who I considered for my upcoming release, Dance to a Wylder Beat. (What’s an Ephraim shifter? Check out my previous blog post here.) While I can’t guarantee at least one of these monsters will not end up a romantic hero in a future Marilyn Barr paranormal romance, these are my top five most inspiring that didn’t make it into Dance to a Wylder Beat.

I found my treasure trove of monsters at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Center for the Study of Indigenous Languages of the Old West. Many of them have been expanded in anime, video games, and horror movies but I wanted to get as close to the true Arapaho legend as possible. Because of the nomadic nature of the bands and tribes, many of these legends overlap with other Native American creatures and stories (especially those of the Gros Ventre and Cheyenne). Also, the names of these monsters have been “Anglicized” to use our alphabet so spellings may vary by source.

1.       Chebbeniathan translates to the “Spider Above”. This is the being responsible for creating our Earth and manipulating the “strings of fate”.  Nartan mentions this being in Dance to a Wylder Beat:

As the sun rises, I carry my anger to her cabin door and bang on it to wake her. The door creaks open, and fear freezes my blood. Did the candle stay lit because she was kidnapped under my nose? I set my water pail down as I listen inside. She was cagy about bears yesterday. Did her fear attract one to her bedside?

It is common wisdom in the Arapaho tribe that what you say is what our Creator, Chebbeniathan delivers. With more bravado than common sense, I run empty-handed into the cabin.

 

2.       Nihancan is a spider shifter who is a trickster in their myths. I was attracted to the story of Nihancan and the bear shifters (I wonder why?) until I read it. Nihancan finds a few plums and lures the bear family from their den with the promise of more. Momma bear agrees to let them babysit her cubs while she goes with the eldest cub to pick the plums. There is no Papa bear in this story. When she returns, the trickster has eaten the cubs and dug a hole in the bottom of their den. The bear shifters charge down the hole in anger and get caught in the awaiting webs. Yikes! After a few interactions with the settlers, the word Nihancan came to mean “white man” as well as “trickster” in the Arapaho language.

Artist Rendition of "The Web of Life" from SongOfGaea.com

 Hiincabiit translates to “Water Master”. This horned river-serpent is featured in many different tribe’s myths and pictographs. While it was giant and scary in its description, it was a good monster. Offerings to the closest serpent would yield good luck while hunting or in war. Someday there is a non-zero chance I will write a romance starring a lonely river monster whose fierce face makes them misunderstood. I found the stories of this monster so inspiring; I couldn’t help but refer to them when describing the gunsmith’s forge in Sound of a Wylder Silence (coming in 2022):

 

The left wall is covered with guns, yoked by chains like beads on a string. I suppose having them locked is best, but the display reminds me of a cross between an evil charm bracelet and a firing squad. Only slightly less frightening is the forge hearth at the back of the shop. Flames leap within its cavernous mouth as it awaits its next meal like the Hiintcabiit monster of the rivers. Only true respect will keep the beast from feeding upon the humans with the courage to work with them.

Horned Serpent Pictograph found in Utah taken from HistoryCollection.com

1.       Boh’ooonii’eihii is the name of the thunderbirds. There was a fiery bird responsible for all the summer weather from droughts to floods and tornadoes.  This bird was large enough to catch and carry a killer whale in its talons. This bird was balanced with the “Winter Owl” of the same name which is responsible for snowy weather. Wouldn’t a love story between the Summer Thunderbird and the Winter Owl be bittersweet? They could love one another but not get along, so they separate themselves for the good of the Earth…sigh.

 

2.       Hecesiiteihii translates to the “Little People of Strength” but they are not connected to a certain princess movie with seven such people. These cannibal dwarves have terrifying tales associated with them. From stealing limbs off bodies while the owner sleeps to snatching babies, these dwarves are the stuff of nightmares. The good news is that in Arapaho mythology they are extinct. A great war united all the tribes of all the nations to fight off the dwarves and humans prevailed. With invisibility, super speed, strength greater than humans, aggressive temperaments, and unlimited hiding places, how were they defeated? Legend says they would take out their hearts before battle to be temporarily undead and invincible. A clever brave found a stash of hearts and destroyed them during the battle. One by one the dwarves dropped where they stood.

 "Hecesiiteihii" Artist Unknown taken from HistoryCollection.com

Are you ready to travel to 1878 to meet the magical Nartan Sagebrush? I promise he's not a monster - only his temper. He’s an Arapaho Shamanic apprentice who would have told the stories of these monsters to his brother, Ikshu. Their story, Dance to a Wylder Beat, starts when Nartan gives up his mystic ways to become a humble leather tanner to assimilate into the Wylder Community, in Wyoming Territory. When straddling two worlds has stressed him to the brink, he reaches to his spirit guides for help. The guides suggest a catalog bride and they have just the girl in mind. Nartan wasn’t comfortable in his skin before she crawled under it. Now he burns…

Dance to a Wylder Beat is on pre-order for $0.99 on

Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0951NLCZW/)

and iTunes (https://books.apple.com/us/book/dance-to-a-wylder-beat/id1567780912)

until 7/16/2021 with an official release date of 7/21/2021.

5 Ways to Get Readers to Fall in Love with Your Villain

By Keri Kruspe

“Author of Otherworldly Romantic Stories” 

Cackling, evil laugh…. the wringing of gloved hands… 

the melodramatic mustache twirling…

    Yeah, yeah. We get it. 

    To make a good story, we include a villain (human or not) to offset our hero to create conflict. 

Good guy vs. bad guy—back and forth until the good guy triumphs at the end and the villain is defeated. Woo-hoo… truth and justice win!

    Oh, ho-hum. Yawn… yawn… yawn.

    Okay, I’m being snarky. If we didn’t love these stories where the hero outsmarts the villain, that trope would have died out centuries ago. The best way to keep these stories “fresh” is to have your reader fall in love with not only the hero, but with the villain as well. To the point where the reader will secretly fall in love with the bad guy, rooting for them from time-to-time.

    What’s the best way to do this? Why…  make them a flawed, of course! Resist the urge to make the bad guy into someone who is ugly with no redeeming qualities. A boring cardboard stereotype whose every action is glaringly predictable.

5 Suggestions to Fix Your Villain

 These aren’t in a specific order, just some fun ways to fix your bad guy:
1. Parents matter—even to a villain. That includes orphans. The absence of parents can be a motivational force in their (or anyone’s) life. Was how they were raised a main factor on what drives them? Here are a couple of examples in my own work.
The main bad guy in my Alien Exchange universe has been shaped by his family and how they treated him growing up. The lack of love and recognition (all because he didn’t look like others in his race, especially his identical twin who did) drove him to extremes to prove his worth. Not only to his elitist parents, but to the entire galaxy.
In my second series, Ancient Alien Descendants, the main villain discovers he is not the legitimate blood heir to the throne of a planet, so he has to commit all sorts of atrocities to ensure no one finds out so he isn’t executed.
2. What (or who) does the villain love? The villain who only wants to take over the galaxy (what do you expect, I write scifi romance so it’s all about the bigger stuff…) is tedious and has been overdone. But if you can somehow put in what they love, it gives them an added dimension. The best part of it doesn’t have to be anything big. The villain in my latest series actually loves his people. He feels that if he wasn’t in charge, they’d succumb to extinction. He’s just happens to be a self-absorbed narcissist at the same time…
3. Why do they do the things they do? Here’s where the big “M” word comes in “motivation”. Why do they want to take over the world? Why do they hate the hero and want to mess their lives up? Uncover the deep, deep roots that drive the villain and what they want. Alexander the Great wanted to conquer the world to show up his father (there goes those pesky parents again…).
4. What would make this person the hero? What if you wrote your novel from the villain’s point of view? What would he have to do to make him the hero? They end up doing things that might be wrong, but they firmly believe they have the right to kidnap/kill/torture anyone who they deem deserves it. Aren’t righteous villains the really scary kind (think Thanos of the Marvel Avengers series)?

5. Install in your villain, a trait you’d love for yourself. What if your villain was crazy smart, or a cunning manipulator? Are they decisive, able to make their minds up immediately? Or—maybe they are master story tellers who created worlds people are dying to be a part of… 

Other Type of Villains

The Antagonist: 

    A person you’re not quite sure is as bad as you think, or maybe they’re just misunderstood. The hero may have found the strength to overcome, but the villain gets dragged down instead.

They’re Better than the Hero: 

    They’re more charming, seemingly kinder, smarter, or well-informed. Make your readers cheer on the hero to become more like the villain. A great example would be Loki in the Marvel universe. He’s smarter and way humbler than Thor could ever be.

The Crazy One:

    You can spot these folks a mile away. The Joker/Hannibal Lector/Harley Quinn… These bad guys are overblown, excessive, obsessive, narcissistic and delusional. Most of all, they’re unpredictable (ooh…. the fun…). They come in like a massive hurricane and destroy everything in their path. No amount of logic or reason has a chance to tame them. 

Wrap This Up, My Pretty

    Think of your favorite villain. What makes them so special? The best advice anyone could give you about villains is to make them as real as your protagonist. Better yet, give them mirror (positive or negative) traits of your hero. If anyone tells you your villain is better than your main character, chances are you have a compelling story to tell!

In closing, I want to share the opening “thoughts” of my villain, Sub Prince Murduk of the planet Akurn. Here’s an excerpt from my newest release, Alien Legacy: The Shapeshifter.

Enjoy!

    Sub-Prince Murduk, supreme co-ruler and sovereign of Akurn, Governor of the capital city of Eengurra, experienced something he never had before. At first, the way his body reacted confused him. His hands were shaking, and waves of dizziness caused black spots to swim across his vision. His heart raced hard enough to drown out any noise outside of himself.
He held his breath. Was that… fear?

    Unrelenting, a tsunami of terror threatened to suck him under. Emotions and he had parted ways long ago, so who could blame him if he didn’t know how to handle situations he rarely experienced?

    After seeing Inanna alive for the first time since she escaped all those millennia ago, he immediately cloistered himself in his private quarters to get hold of his careening emotions. Speaking to her shifted something deep inside him. While he once believed she might not have survived the ancient world-wide flood, he had received various reports over the years that she lived. Not only lived, but she bred with one of those disgusting Adamou and produced five sons.
It was absurd how those offspring became the foundations of some of Earth’s legends. They, along with other Adamou who’d escaped separately from Inanna, had dominated Earth’s past. These beings could not only read minds, but they could manipulate and create matter while controlling anyone they chose. See, this was the reason the Akurn monarchy had made it unlawful to mix their genetics with any alien species. It was fortunate that as the abominations bred, the Akurn DNA became dominant and the powers dissipated with each subsequent generation.
His eyes narrowed. He’d give anything to have a tenth of what those disguising atrocities so carelessly possessed.

    Now after this first conversation with Inanna, Murduk sprawled on a plush couch. He ignored the humongous window overhead with its blurring colors of interplanetary dust, cosmic rays, and the coronal ejections from the bodies throughout the solar system. With shaking hands, he lit his hookah and inhaled. A ribbon of red narcotic smoke twirled around him. He exhaled and sighed at the smoldering comfort. Soon his hands steadied, and his vision cleared. The tight tension between his shoulders relaxed.

 

Meet The Wolves of Clan Sutherland by Mary Morgan

 

I’m excited to share my upcoming new release, Rorik, The Wolves of Clan Sutherland, Book 2! Before we take a peek at the Dark Seducer’s story, I want to introduce you to the Norse and Scottish men who are rumored to be part wolf. They are the elite guard for King William of Scotland. Their bloodline flows with the magic from both countries, giving them unique and powerful qualities.

 

Meet the Wolves of Clan Sutherland!

Magnar ~ The Barbarian. As leader of the Wolves of Clan Sutherland, Magnar is a fierce ruler for those under his command. Beware if you should become his enemy, since his motto is to strike first and ask questions later.

 

Rorik ~ The Dark Seducer. His smooth charm and power of persuasion has enticed many women to his bedchamber. Pleasure is his motto as he obtains secrets for the king. Love is simply a weakness. Rorik’s heart is as frozen as the steel of his blade.

 

Steinar ~ The Pirate. Known for his exceptional battles fought at sea, this man seeks the ultimate treasure for Scotland. A prize valued by both—Norse Gods and Kings.  

 

Gunnar ~ The Thief. His highly praised skill in retrieving any object required by the king has left this one believer of Christ seeking penance at every holy shrine he encounters. He is the sole wolf who also refuses to acknowledge the Norse God Odin.

 

Bjorn ~ The Mercenary. As he secretly takes coin from another king to kill this king’s enemy, Bjorn’s ruse is to help those who have fallen under the trap of the King of England and bring them home to Scotland. 

 

Ivar ~ The Rogue. His loyalty is questionable at times. If given a choice between obeying his leader, the king, or his wolf, this rogue would choose his beast.

 

Thorfinn ~ The Traitor. Given away to another family shortly after his birth, he has despised his twin, Magnar most of his life. His enemy is the King of Scotland, and the Wolves of Clan Sutherland. 

The Dark Seducer is known throughout Scotland as a man who charms many women into his bed. Pleasure is his motto as he obtains information for his king. Yet Rorik MacNeil harbors one secret buried beneath his heart of steel. An unfulfilled conquest plagues both man and his inner wolf, and Rorik would rather suffer death’s sharp blade than confront his greatest fear.

As the Seer for the Orkneyjar Isles, Ragna Maddadsson confronts an unknown destiny when she travels across the North Sea to Scotland. In her quest to deliver a message from a powerful vision, she fears the warrior will not listen. If Rorik ignores her warning, Ragna must find a way to forestall his impending death. If unsuccessful, she risks having her heart cleaved in two.  

To unravel their true fates, Rorik and Ragna must trust in the power of the wolf.  

Release Date: 6.30.21

Universal Buy Link

 

Take Me to the Water! Why ponds, rivers, and lakes are in my books lately. Post by Jessica E. Subject

For as long as I can remember, I have always sought out water when I'm feeling stressed or upset, or simply to relax. When I was little, I used to head down the street to the creek and catch tadpoles, or wait for the muskrat to make an appearance. Whenever visiting my grandparents, I'd always go to the lakes near their houses. As a teen, my high school was right next to the river that runs through the city. And as I got older, I'd go to lakes, old gravel pits, wildlife conservation areas, and waterfalls to be near the water. Family vacation spots had to include water, whether for fishing, swimming, or simply relaxing near.

 

Since mid-March of 2020, I haven't left the city due to the pandemic. I go for long walks with my daughter, but only to cross the river rather than to walk the paths around it. I miss the water.

Subconsciously, I've been including water in my stories to make up for what I'm missing in real life.

In VAWN (Kaddim Brothers #1, coming soon from Decadent Publishing,) Vawn sits on the edge of a pond with his feet in the water after an argument with his older brothers.

In MEMORIES OF US (Shifter Towers #6 that will be part of an MPreg anthology,) Envi invites Hayden to spend the day with him up at Traverse Pond in an attempt to rekindle the relationship they once had.

I already told my husband that when he has his vacation time this summer, I want to go to the water, whether a lake, waterfall, or just a pond. It doesn't matter to me. I simply need to go to the water.

Is there a place like that for you?

Memorable, Forgettable & Annoying Character Traits

 by Maureen Bonatch 

I love a good pair of socks. I can’t describe exactly what makes them ‘good', but I know when I find them, or when I wear them. So the only person who really knows this about me, is me. 

Close friends and family probably know that I always have my Blistex and that I can’t get enough water, read as much as I can and/or that I’m rather introverted until it’s time for dancing. 

I love music, and my favorite artist as a teen and for years after was Prince (even through his time as a symbol and as the artist formerly known as Prince). 

I was heartbroken when he died and then shocked at how many people reached out to me on social media from the present, and way-way in the past, because they remembered that I loved his music. Some of my Prince CD collection...

Character Traits 

You might say these are things that might be identified as my character traits. These are things that other people might notice and remember more than saying I have brown hair or my height—because I’d bet there are a lot of five-foot seven brunettes walking around and unless someone is standing by a ruler, I’d be hard pressed to narrow down their exact height.

 

Think about how you might describe yourself, or how others might explain how to identify you. It might be something a little more subtle, or not-so-subtle like my hubby. More than one person who didn’t know his name has referred to him as, ‘that big, loud guy.’ 

 These are also things that help make the characters in a story memorable, whether you’re reading the story, or writing it. 

Character traits are what bring me back to a series to revisit those characters I love, or what stops me from reading further because I can’t relate to them, or they annoy me.

 Memorable Characters 

As a reader, I love to find a new favorite character and then discover that they have an ongoing series. Just like hanging with a good friend, I want to visit them again and again. As a writer, it can be challenging to craft that character that is memorable and that a reader can relate to. 

In addition, when you’re writing a series, you have to want to stay with that character for a long time so it’s helpful to like them and enjoy their company.

 I still recall the very first novel I wrote (still in a ‘drawer’, suffering through many edits, but still may never see the light of day). When someone reviewed that story for me they said that my hero sounded like an a$$hole. Umm…not much of a hero, lol. 

 Sadly, their assessment made sense, but I was grateful that they shared that because it really helped me understand the importance of fleshing out a character—and that sarcasm doesn’t always come across well. 

 Speaking of characters, let me introduce you to Marissa

I’ve been spending a lot of time with her as the protagonist of my Charmed Cocktail Cozy series. Her pink hair might make her memorable in appearance, but I’m hoping her kind heart, quirky sense of humor and dogged determination to overcome her lackluster spelling abilities make her a character you want to get to know better. 

Hi, I’m Marissa Hale. I took a summer job at a nightclub in Florida to escape the cold Pennsylvania winter, and to visit Gran. Although staying with Gran at the retirement condo with a bunch of nosey witches becomes the least of my worries when I stumble upon a corpse in the club freezer. 

I can only hope to avoid making this a permanent vacation in the slammer by solving this murder mystery with the help of Gran, a talking cat, and a demon with a real devil-doesn’t-care attitude. 

Curses, Cats & Corpses in the first in the Charmed Cocktail Cozy series and available for preorder now with 10 other author stories in When the Cat’s Away. 

USA Today bestselling author Molly Fitz has gathered a fantastically talented group of emerging and established talent in the Cozy Mystery genre. Together, she and her ten author friends are ready to present the ultimate bookworm staycation.

Pre-Order your copy now: 

https://mollymysteries.com/WTCA_Kindle 

https://mollymysteries.com/WTCA_Apple 

https://mollymysteries.com/WTCA_Nook 

https://mollymysteries.com/WTCA_Kobo 

Just a small-town girl, Maureen Bonatch leads a double life. She lives in a magical world as a novelist, and as a nurse leader in reality. Maureen’s first novella was a paranormal romance published when blogs were a new-fangled thing. She’s since changed her focus to writing paranormal cozy mysteries as M.L. Bonatch and urban fantasy as Maureen Bonatch. 

While she’s not busy writing or doing nurse-things, she’s a mom to her twin daughters, bicycling in the beautiful woods of PA with her hubby, doing the bidding of a feisty Shih Tzu, and dancing as much as possible. She believes music can be paired with every mood, laughter is contagious, and that caffeine and wine are essential for survival. 

Follow M.L. Bonatch all through cyberspace- she's new in town and can use some friends!

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Adventure Books for Kids by Diane Burton

 Where were all the great adventure books for kids when we were growing up? I’m talking about books for the 10-14 year old reader. I’m talking about stories we could have identified with when we were that age. A difficult age. Not really a child but not an adult. There have always been lots of stories for little kids. What happened to the interesting books when we were in fifth through ninth grades?

 The adults in our lives told us to read or gave us books like Robinson Crusoe, Robin Hood, Little Women—classics that were written long before our time and in a manner that required so much concentration we lost sight of the story. Where were the books written in our time? Of all the books I read during the middle grades the only ones that I remember were stories about teen girls in early Michigan by Elizabeth Howard, like Peddlar’s Girl and North Winds Blow Free.

 Where were the Harry Potters, the Katniss Everdeens, the Percy Jacksons, the Gallagher Girls? Today’s books have characters who act and sound like contemporary kids. They have fantastic adventures. Their lives have at least a touch of reality that the reader can identify with. More than anything, though, I think it’s the voice in which the stories are written that captures the reader’s attention. The classics were written in the style of their time—the 1800s. They weren’t classics then. They were just good stories. Then.

 I am fascinated by all the books available for kids today. How to choose what to read next must be a problem for them. Maybe an interested teacher or librarian who knows a kid well enough will recommend one—the way the bookmobile librarian did for me with the Elizabeth Howard books. More likely, it’s one of their friends saying, “Hey, you gotta read this.”

 My older grandchildren (14 & 11) are voracious readers. Naturally, when they learned I’m a writer, they wanted to read my books. Not for a while, their mom and I said. So, I decided to write an adventure story for them. And, since they are Star Wars fans, I made it a science fiction adventure. That’s how Rescuing Mara’s Father came about. To separate it from my adult fiction, I wrote it as D.M. Burton.

 

RESCUING MARA’S FATHER

A Middle Grade Science Fiction Adventure

 

Blurb:

Her father is gone! Taken by the Queen of Compara’s agents. Mara has to rescue him before the Queen tortures and kills him.

Instead of the kind, loving father she’s always known, he’s become demanding, critical, with impossible expectations—not just as Father but also as the only teacher in their frontier outpost. Mara would rather scoop zircan poop than listen to another boring lecture about governments on Central Planets. Give her a starship engine to take apart or, better yet, fly, and she’s happy. Now, he’s gone.

Never mind, they’ve had a rocky road lately.

Never mind, Father promised she could go off planet to Tech Institute next month when she turns fifteen, where she’ll learn to fly starships.

Never mind, she ran away because she’s furious with him because he reneged on that promise. Father is her only parent. She has to save him.

Along with her best friend, eleven-year-old Jako, and his brother 15-year-old Lukus, Mara sets off to find her father. Her mentor, old spaceport mechanic, seems to know why the Queen captured Father. In fact, he seems to know her father well. But, does he tell her everything? Of course not. He dribbles out info like a mush-eating baby. Worse, he indicates he’ll be leaving them soon. And Lukus can’t wait to get off our planet. Mara’s afraid they will all leave, and she’ll be on her own. Despite her fears, Mara has to rescue her father.

 

Excerpt: 

“There you go again.” I ignore Father’s startled look. “Why does everything have to be so hard? You used to make learning fun.”

“You were a child then. You are almost an adult. You must try harder.”

“I do try. It’s boring. Why can’t you teach interesting stuff like Basco does? He doesn’t lecture me. He doesn’t tell me I’m not good enough.”

A pained look crosses Father’s face. “That is different. When you work with him at spaceport, you work with your hands. I am trying to teach you to think, to analyze, to make—”

“What difference does it make now? I’m going to the Tech in three tendays.”

He takes a deep breath. “I know you have been looking forward to going—”

No. He wouldn’t. “Don’t you tell me I can’t go.”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean it.” I fist my hands on my hips. “You are not going to tell me I can’t go. You can’t. I’ll be fifteen in three tendays. I’m going.” We’ve had a lot of arguments, but I’ve never defied him before.

“You may be old enough to enroll in the Institute. You still need parental approval.” He lets that sink in.

I’m stunned speechless. Not for long. “You wouldn’t. You wouldn’t punish me like that.”

“Mara, you must obey me on this. You must stay here. You will pay attention in class. You will apply yourself.”

“Like Perfect Lukus? Maybe you wish he was your son instead of a stupid girl like me.”

His eyes widen. “Mara.”

My eyes burn. I’m going to cry, like a stupid girl. “I can’t believe you would forbid me to go to Tech just because I’m not a perfect student in your stupid class. You don’t love me. I’m probably not even your real kid.”

My words hang between us. My chest heaves. I clench my teeth, so I don’t start bawling. I can’t believe he won’t let me go to Tech. Worse, I can’t believe I blurted out the horrible thought that has been festering in the darkest corner of my mind for several tendays.

I wait for him to tell me I’m wrong. That he does love me. That I am his child.

Father slumps into the chair I abandoned. I’ve never seen such a look on his face. Like he’s been kicked in the stomach by a hican. For a sec, before he sat, I thought I saw something else in his eyes. Guilt? Couldn’t have been. He doesn’t care enough to feel guilty about forbidding me go to Tech.

I’m ashamed of my outburst, ashamed that I revealed my worst fear—the fear that he isn’t my real father. We’ve argued before, but I always kept my fear a secret. Now, he knows. I can’t bear to look at him, to see reproach in his eyes. I race into my bedroom and slam the door. I force myself not to throw myself on my bed and cry.

Instead, I lean against the door and try to control the anger I just spewed in the kitchen, anger still rising up inside me. Anger at myself for letting my temper get the best of me. Anger at Father for not letting me go to Tech. Anger at him for not denying my accusation, for not taking me in his arms and saying, “Of course, I love you. Of course, you are my child.”

Anger at him for not coming after me.

If he did come, he would probably tell me again how I don’t try, how I don’t measure up. I’m not sticking around for another lecture. I grab my jacket. My trousers are heavy, but the shirt won’t be enough in the chilly evening. I search under my bed for my emergency pack—the one Father insists I keep ready at all times, ever since the riots. I grab it and slip out the window. Automatically, I close it behind me so critters can’t get in. I don’t have a plan. I just know I don’t want to see Father for a while.

 Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

 

How I envy kids the wealth of books available today, the adventures they can have by reading. What books do you remember from your pre-teen/teen years?

 

Starting Over by @wendizwaduk #romance #contemporary #kindleunlimited

 I made the jump to Kindle Unlimited and want to share the news with you!! Check out my super short, free on kindle unlimited story, Starting Over!

Starting Over by Wendi Zwaduk 

Contemporary Paranormal Fantasy Romance

Short Story 

Megan Slayer Publications

Music soothes Levon Blackfoot’s soul. He lives for the rush of the crowd and the high of performing, but something’s missing. The music he loves isn’t working. It’s time to make some changes.

Good thing it’s almost the New Year, the Haudeshaun. There’s no better a time to evaluate and pursue the woman he loves—Callie.

Callie King has loved Levon since the moment they met, but a misunderstanding destroyed their relationship. If she can open her heart, they can have a second chance. She loves and needs him.

Maybe Haudeshaun is the perfect time to get what she wants—Levon.

Two broken people with a chance to start over at Haudeshaun—if they’re willing to try.

Free on Kindle Unlimited or $.99 to buy!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096KX5BZ7/

Check it out!!

Spirit Ridge by L. A. Kelley: On Sale for 99 Cents

Spirit Ridge

On Sale for 99 Cents Friday, May 28 to Friday June 11

A dark shadow rises.

San Francisco in 1885 was a dangerous place for those who crossed Colin Doyle. To Nob Hill elite he was a successful businessman. To the underbelly of San Francisco he was The Mick, a criminal mastermind ruling from the shadows. If a buyer’s tastes ran to opium, a whore, or a politician, The Mick could name a price. No one who betrayed him ever escaped the city alive.

Until now.

Nell Bishop is a fearless investigative reporter for the San Francisco Dispatch. She’s on the run to the Arizona Territory with the one witness who can expose Doyle’s corrupt empire and stop the plan to extend his evil dominion to the West.

Marshal Sam Tanner of Spirit Ridge in the Arizona Territory fought the visions sent by his Apache blood. They always foretold a death he couldn’t prevent. Then Sam dreamed of the coyote with golden brown eyes who warned of a black shadow spreading evil across the land. Did the message call him to help the beautiful woman who stepped off the stagecoach? Can Sam and Nell elude the mysterious dark riders who dog their trail or will the next vision mean death for both of them?

Adventure, romance, humor, and the call of Apache spirits weave together a Wild West adventure where either murder or justice can come at the twitch of a trigger finger.

Excerpt

Surprise shot through Bart’s expression. “Never reckoned you smart enough to figure the truth. The Mick’s reward ain’t for fetching you alive.” His tongue flicked in and out again. “Please me, and I’ll make it quick.”

Tears sprung to Daisy’s eyes. “Sweet Jesus, help me.”

Bart’s heartless chuckle encased Nell’s heart in ice. “Ain’t no God nor man gonna help a whore.”

“Get away from her this instant!” Nell stepped into the alley, right hand hidden in the tunic, finger on the trigger.

Bart raised the gun to meet the new arrival. “Where’d you come from? Best be on your way. This ain’t no concern of yours.”

Nell strode toward them through the fog. The gaslight shone on her white wimple and the scapular under the veil.

Daisy gasped. “She’s a nun, Bart. You can’t shoot a nun.”

“Shut up,” he barked, backhanding her across the mouth. “For five thousand, I’ll shoot anyone.”

  “Get out of here, Sister,” Daisy moaned. “Please, don’t get hurt on my account. I ain’t worth it.”

“Release her.” Nell’s tone betrayed not a single tremor. “If you beg trouble, sir, let fly. I guarantee you won’t live long enough for regrets.”

Bart’s thumb pulled back to cock the trigger. “Your words don’t cut nothing. The devil claimed me as his own long ago.”

“Then perhaps,” she responded coolly, “the time has come to meet your maker and beg forgiveness in person.”

A shot rang out. Daisy shut her eyes and screamed. 

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L. A. Kelley writes fantasy and science fiction adventures with humor, romance, and a touch of sass. 

BLOOM WHERE YOU’RE PLANTED! By Nancy Gideon

I love pressing young seedlings into the earth and sitting back to watch things grow. Amazing since I loathe getting my hands dirty, kneeling on the ground to sweat over a patch of rocky soil. Until I found my perfect Zen with container patio gardening. No more aching back. My OCD fanaticism is fed and watered matching starts by color and texture at the greenhouse then assembling them with the appropriate pot and accent greenery. Gloves on, soil in, plants arranged, decorative doo-dad added . . . voila! Eden! Then, after two days tops, all I need is a cup of coffee, my glider, a sunrise, and a cat! I even grow my own herbs and lettuces!

 What does this have to do with writing, you ask? Everything. It’s creation from basic parts: The beautiful, the hardy, the grounded, the dramatic, all combined to a pleasing conclusion. We pick our characters: The bright, lacy heroine; the strong, hardy hero; the vining intrigues, and surprising pops of unexpected plot lines. And then come a villainous harsh wind, a cold snap or icy rain to challenge the promising start of their relationship. And it’s all at your fingertips, in your control. If one doesn’t satisfy or end the way you’d expected, you don’t stop. You experiment, learn from experts, and begin again. You do the work to your satisfaction then sit back and enjoy the fruit your labor, right? Not quite. There’s constant watering, finding the right spot to place each pot, plucking off the parts that don’t enhance the whole (even when it’s painful!), worrying through that fierce downpour or extended heat wave. If you plant the tender seedlings too shallow OR too deep, they fail to thrive. But setbacks don’t make you quit. You learn from them and try again. Finding the right mix of soil, the right amount to water, what prospers and what, sadly, no matter how beautiful, doesn’t. And you love each different effort with the same pride and pleasure?

 How is your garden growing? Are there weeds to pull? Offshoots to prune and plant so they can take root and grow stronger on their own? Colors and textures you can integrate to achieve eye pleasing surprises and combinations? Some varieties that just don’t flourish, where others run wild as your imagination, increasing over and over?

I was a new seedling over six and a half decades ago (tomorrow!) and through all those various seasons of growth, I never stopped looking for ways to root deeper, to flourish brighter, and to bring enjoyment to those around me, while weeding out those things that got in the way. My advice: Sink those roots deep and make the most of what your garden provides. And don’t forget to take time to enjoy what blooms!

Since this is a paranormal group, who else is excited to howl under that Super Blood Moon tonight?? Hard to miss since last night’s precursor shone through the windows and lit up my entire bedroom like a spotlight from ten p.m. to early a.m.. Do I hear John Fogerty singing, “Don’t go out tonight . . .”


Have a fun and safe upcoming Memorial Day as we carefully come together as family and friends and ease into June! Happy Writing!

♚♚♚♚♚

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A Woman From Mercury

 

My first foray into fiction was a short piece of magical realism called Women are From Mercury. I had no idea what the story was going to be, but the moment I started writing, it flowed out as though already written in my head. The main character, Patience, is literally given away in marriage by her father to a man she doesn't love.

There is an undercurrent of magic in this story that simmers just below the surface. Patience harbors something within her that burns for freedom. Is it magic, anger, or force of will that brings on her fevers? I liked the idea that in my setting, a time when women had few choices in their lives, my character is an inferno-in-waiting. Her abusive husband doesn’t know who he is dealing with. Certainly, not a love goddess from Venus!

The story was picked up right away by the literary journal, Across the Margin, and went on to be named one their best stories of the year. You can read it here: https://acrossthemargin.com/women-are-from-mercury/

Encouraged by this first story, I wrote a couple dozen more short stories that have been published here and there. Some have magical realism, or paranormal, characteristics. Some don’t. There’s a flicker of Patience in many of my stories – women yearning to be free of judgment or cultural norms, and to find their own voice. I owe a lot to this fictional character who set me on the path to fiction, and gave me the encouragement I needed to keep writing. 

Like Patience, I was on fire.

My latest book which I’m readying to send to the publisher features three strong-willed women, with not a trace of magic to be found. The Three Widows of Wylder is historical fiction, set in the American West, about Clara, Mary Rose, and Emma who are each on the run from terrible crimes. A bit of Patience’s determination to persevere is in each of these characters. They know what they want and aren’t about to sit back and let events govern their endings. These spirited women go about achieving (or not) their goals in very different ways. I’ll share more about this upcoming book later this year.

As I finish up this latest manuscript, I’m already outlining my next book or two, with Patience as my muse. Guaranteed, in one way or another, my future heroines will contain fire in their core.

 

Here’s a snippet from Women Are From Mercury:

 

Patience stepped into the warm sunlight. The loose church stairs creaked under her shoes just like always. This was her favorite moment of the day. After the devil-warning, verse-reciting monotony of the church service was completed, she was dismissed from chores until the following morning. Out of sight of the house, Patience would strip off her petticoats, kick off her shoes and simply run as fast as she could. She would throw rocks, crush lavender between her fingers and sing by the cooling breeze of the river. She’d wade into the river’s cool waters and remain there, her feet submerged, until her toes turned blue. Patience reveled in her freedom.

The very sight of Patience was an offence to the Preacher. She came to him in his dreams. Those crystal blue eyes, her swollen bosom and tiny waist. The Preacher would toss and turn in his narrow bachelor’s bed, sweaty and tortured as Patience’s rosy, full lips whispered softly to him ungodly desires.

“That girl’s overdue for marriage,” the Preacher said to Patience’s father after service one day. Startled, Patience’s father’s eyes followed after the Preacher’s to his daughter. For the first time, he noticed the provocative sway of her hips as she walked and the alluring bounce of her shiny hair upon her shoulders. From across the yard, he heard her soft laugh – beckoning, teasing, and bewitching.

Patience’s father looked back and saw the Preacher lick his lips.

Read the rest of the story here: https://acrossthemargin.com/women-are-from-mercury/