Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the
participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)
I don’t have a holiday story – sorry! So I’m continuing on with my latest release, Star Survivor. (Blurb below the excerpt.) I’ve jumped way ahead, to a point where Twilka and Khevan are on the run, trying to evade other assassins, since the Red Lady has a kill order out on Twilka. This snippet is the next day, after the conversation the two were having in last week’s excerpt. I’m trying not to give spoilers! The couple are on the run in a bad area of town, waiting for their friend Nick to arrive. (Edited a bit from published version):
She looked over her shoulder to see if Khevan was on his way to rejoin her yet and her nagging problems fled as she observed him standing fifty feet away, talking to another D’nvannae Brother. Adrenaline banished all traces of tiredness. Is he betraying me? The suspicion ran through her like a shock of ice water.
She couldn’t see Khevan’s face, but she didn’t like the smirk on the other Brother’s countenance. Trying to control her breathing, she was frozen for a moment, debating what to do. Should I get away from Khevan now? Wait for Nick on my own? This could all be a cruel trick on the part of the Red Lady, with Khevan fully on board to torment her for his goddess’s pleasure – a twisted mind game would be the Lady’s style.
Arguing with herself, panic lacing the edge of her nerves, she took a second glance at the two Brothers, now standing as if ready to fight each other. Clearly the discussion wasn’t going well.
The blurb:
The survivors of a terrible wreck meet again—but this time only one can survive.
They survived an iconic spaceship wreck together. She never expected to see him again … especially not armed to kill her.
Twilka Zabour is an interstellar celebrity. She built on her notoriety as a carefree Socialite who survived the terrible wreck of the Nebula Dream, and launched a successful design house. But now the man who gave meaning to her life, then left her, is back–this time for the worst of reasons. Will he kill her … or help her survive?
D’nvannae Brother Khevan survived the Nebula Dream in the company of a lovely, warm woman, only to be pulled away from her, back into his solitary life in the service of the Red Lady. Now Twilka’s within his reach again–for all the wrong reasons. Khevan will do everything within his power to discover why Twilka has been targeted for assassination, and to save her.
But Khevan is not Twilka’s only pursuer. Will allies Nick and Mara Jameson arrive in time to aid the couple, or will Khevan and Twilka’s ingenuity be all that stands between them and death?
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Happy New Year!
I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL) and as always I recommend sampling before you buy!
THE EDGE OF THE BLADE (THE UNCHARTED REALMS) by Jeffe Kennedy
FOREVER WILDE (IMMORTAL VEGAS BOOK 6) by Jenn Starke
Marcus Aurelius is a changed man, in more ways than one. The preppy, confident medical school student is now a hard-bitten, magic-wielding assassin. He’s also a man on a mission. He has debts to pay and old wrongs to right before he dies—sometime this week.
AJAX’S HARPY HOLIDAY: DRAGOFIN MATED BOOK 1 by Mychal Daniels
red mountains and clouds as if from another world. He’s seen her his entire life, a life filled with glamour and fame… and loneliness. For the woman in the mirror is his one true love. But, this he does not know, not until he is dragged into her world–one of beasts and lands beyond imagination. One where his sacrifice is the only thing keeping her and the world in which she resides alive.
— except him. His worried parents send him to visit Earth, hoping it will distract him from his solitude. Zak finds more than a distraction: Jennifer, the lovely human at the Interstellar Embassy, is his One! But surely such a beautiful creature can’t be interested in a strange-looking alien like him….
Being human is worse than anything Marcus could have imagined. His brilliant cerulean scales are gone, replaced with paltry skin he is sure could not even stop a bird if one flew into him. But worse than imprisonment in a male body are the awakenings of unfamiliar human desires that are nothing like the animal urges that were so easily satisfied as a Drakkon— emotions like loneliness that make him seek out companionship with a woman who, unfortunately for him, happens to be a sweetly-scented virgin.
Angela’s parents died in horrific circumstances a few years ago, about the time she had last seen her childhood home—a quaint, old cottage situated deep in the woods that holds many secrets.
DREAMS OF THE EATEN (CHILDREN OF THE DROUGHT BOOK 3) by Arianne ‘Tex’ Thompson
THE DRAGON’S CHRISTMAS WISH by Georgette St. Clair
A very Merry Christmas to you if you celebrate the holiday and best wishes for an excellent, cozy winter day instead, if that’s more appropriate!
participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the S
I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL) and as always I recommend sampling before you buy!
ONE FELL SWEEP (INNKEEPER CHRONICLES BOOK 3) by Ilona Andrews
Stormwrack series. The Lambda Award nominated series begins with Child of a Hidden Sea.
VS NOTE: It was when reading a Cynthia Eden novel a long time ago I first realized the ancient Egyptian gods I wanted to write about could be seen as shifters…which eventually led to my first published novel, which features the Crocodile God of ancient Egypt as a shifter. It was a HUGE breakthru for me as a writer and I’ll always credit Ms. Eden. She’s also a lovely person!
VS NOTE: As I understand it, Takamo, a science fiction game created in the early 1980s, and Takamo Universe, the massive multiplayer online (MMO) version now under development. The Takamo Universe back story is based on the writings of Randall Ritnour, game play events that occurred in Takamo, and the creative contributions of a host of Takamo players and fans.
some help…
for their lust, I crave touch like an addiction, I make them beg on their knees for one, simple, caress.
her child has been returned to her, and she owes her new pack everything. She needs to be strong for her daughter, to look to the future. After all, she’s a human living in a world full of shifters—strength is everything. But how can she survive when she’s broken inside?
Arianna is a 20 year old queen heir, eligible for the crown of wolf shifters. Heirs are trained and groomed from birth so that they’re ready to rule should the queen perish during their time of eligibility. Only heirs can control the mecca, a powerful force of magic that runs beneath the boroughs of New York City.
out for the entire, tiny town of Bear Canyon or supervising the annual Brawl where bear shifters from all over trek to his mountain, he does it all without complaint. Well, maybe a complaint here or there, especially when a curvy human woman somehow wanders into Bear Canyon, drawing the attention of every hungry bear shifter in the vicinity, including himself.
The hard part should have been over. Former slave Miara and Crown Prince Aven have escaped with their freedom and their lives. From kidnapper and captive, they’ve grown into a powerful partnership. And they’ve returned to the mountain fortress of Estun, triumphant, to warn his people of the rising menace just across their border.
the Darkness was won and lost. TRIALS takes fans of Thorn St. Croix into the past, before the opening pages of BLOODRING. These stories, set in Faith Hunter’s Rogue Mage world, are adventures with new characters and old, facing dangers unimaginable. And they must save the world all over again.
After nineteen-year-old Jade Kryst is caught by space marshal Mason Hadley while trying to smuggle supplies to a rebel-held planet, she quickly discovers that her captor is not a man to be underestimated, and when she fails to cooperate with a thorough strip search she ends up with blushing cheeks and a sore bottom.
anything but a fairy tale. Orphaned at a young age, she was raised by one of the Banded Men, a race of huge, fearsome warriors often considered barbarians in the days before the collapse of human civilization. But with her aging adopted father nearing the end of his days, she will need to find a place for herself in the world.
For Sophy, an unloved and unwanted demigod, happiness seemed an impossibility until one night when she made a deal with the god of death and was flung into a dangerous world of ancient gods and unknown possibilities.
Alex can’t imagine his family life without Bazin and Miaxa, though. Time to show them Christmas holiday traditions, preferably without space aliens blowing things up.
apart. On top of that, they must separate from each other before the holiday. Then Nick is caught in a raging snowstorm while traveling on his Yamaha trying to make it home. If that isn’t enough, he must tap his unused supernatural gifts not sure of what the outcome may be. Will his psychic abilities help him find a way back to Krista or will they end up alone without each other on Christmas?
the Alpha Star Colony, is made far more difficult by the proximity of the man who makes her yearn for love.
The lines. Mysterious yet familiar: the key to controlling every ship in the galaxy. Once they were thought of as tools, but since linesman Ean Lambert discovered strange new lines in an alien vessel, they have become so much more—symbols of a power too great to ignore.
her nature, but life among humans gives her the freedom to roam and do as she pleases. That is, until anti-shifter extremists target her, putting her life in immediate danger.
Follow the adventures of Catherine Shahrazad, possibly the oldest human in the known galaxy, and her gifted pilot, Bedivere X, as they return to Federation Space from the vast and unknown fringes. Cat’s history and her presence have caused riots in the past. What will happen this time? Why is Cat back?
Giveaway #1: Limited Edition PETS IN SPACE mug 
featuring Moby and Midorri from my story in the book, “Star Cruise: Stowaway” plus an ebook copy of PETS.
Giveaway #3: One (1) ‘Pride and Prejudice’ mini book fashion jewelry necklace that I purchased at The Ripped Bodice romance bookstore here in Southern California for this giveaway. (Please note there isn’t anything on the necklace or the box to indicate The Ripped Bodice connection – sorry!) Book pendant is approximately 3/4″ tall (so therefore tiny). PLUS an ebook of my latest SFR novel, STAR SURVIVOR.
It was suggested I add hashtags to the title to help readers find this post on social media. We’ll try it for a couple of weeks and see what we think…
BEYOND SURRENDER (BEYOND SERIES BOOK 9) by Kit Rocha
THE COMPLEX: HUNGRY TOUCH by Shona Husk
A three day holiday from hell…
Raven and her sister, Cara, are at the mercy of a small detachment of Florentine vampyres, who are delivering them as a peace offering to the feared Curia in Rome.
bestselling authors….
When their ship is seized by the same enemy days later, they are surprised to find their captors are gorgeous, human-like men. They are also huge, stronger, and much more advanced. Maggie can only hope they aren’t the barbarians they first thought and can be reasoned with. Those hopes are dashed when they are whisked away to the aliens’ world to become mates to these dominant men. They are shocked further to learn that on Primaria, men make the rules, women are expected to obey, and defiance will be met as it has for generations, with a bare bottom spanking. Reeling as their world, and mission, is turned on end, Maggie and her crew can think of nothing except escape…..
kind. When he meets Skylar, she’s the most intriguing woman he’s ever seen. His instincts scream at him he can trust her, but she represents everything he hates most; Dragon shifters. He has to decide if she is gathering information for her brother, and use her to discover their weaknesses and use that knowledge to wipe out her entire clan, and kill her at the same time.
When fresh, a drakon’s blood can cure any illness and prolong a human’s life, and the Knights will stop at nothing to get it.
Lacey Barton can’t deny her crazy attraction to Alex Trevino, but that doesn’t mean she has time for the gorgeous SWAT officer. She’s hell-bent on discovering who’s behind the brutal dogfights sending countless mauled animals to her veterinarian office. The trail leads Lacey to a ring of vicious drug dealers and suddenly she’s in way over her head—right smack in the middle of a SWAT stakeout.
Council has been exposed. The hybrids have been released from their unjust prisons. And Jonathon Cromfield—the evil puppet master pulling all the strings—had finally been put in the ground.
Thanks to a sadistic warlock’s attempt to harness demon magic, Paige Westbrooke has more power than a charmed witch can handle. Not to mention an unknown stalker who wants her newly acquired magic, and isn’t afraid to kill her to get it. If she wants to survive, she’ll have to accept the help of Aidan St. Claire, the handsome and charming—very hot detective—who sets her inner witch on fire.
You can’t hide your secrets from Lathan Montgomery-he can read your darkest memories. And while his special abilities are invaluable in the FBI’s hunt for a serial killer, he has no way to avoid the pain that brings him. Until he is drawn to courageous, down-on-her-luck Evanee Brown and finds himself able to offer her something he’s never offered another human being: himself.
Two events made September 1st a memorable day for Jesse Cullum. First, he lost a pair of Oakley sunglasses. Second, he saved the life of President Ulysses S. Grant.
Three years after taking up residence at the University of Din Edin, Sophie and Gray return to London, escorting Lucia MacNeill, heiress of Alba, to meet the British prince to whom she is betrothed. Alas, sparks fail to fly between the pragmatic Lucia and the romantic Prince Roland, and the marriage alliance seems to be on shaky ground.
As Kayla tries to come to grips with her true nature, the Dark Fae attack. In an all out bid for supremacy, the sadistic enemies unleash new evil. If she and the warriors of Forever Faire are to survive, she must find a way to master her powers.
name’s Mardok and he’s fascinatingly different – and distractingly appealing. But Mardok can’t stay on the ice planet, and he says he can take me with him.
After ten years fighting the Hive, Gunnar, Erik and Rolf are now the Kings’ guards at Viken United. Bowing to the new Queen’s wishes, they agree to share an Interstellar Bride. It should be an easy task since she’s matched to three of them, all battle hardened warriors. But none can save her from being kidnapped during transport.
The Prophecy – “Every generation the nine daughters of Zeus are reborn, and with their rebirth are also nine Guardians. They will be marked by the gods, and given gifts to protect his treasure. Their abilities will only be unlocked when they find their muse.”
shifter Kai Drachenburg find themselves on opposite sides of a supernatural war that has been raging for centuries—with no memory of their love or the world that was. They have every reason to hate each other, but if they want to survive this Shadow World, they’ll have to put their differences behind them and find the person who cast the spell before this hellish reality becomes permanent.
Former gunrunner-turned-Empress Hail Bristol was dragged back to her home planet to fill her rightful position in the palace. With her sisters and parents murdered, the Indranan empire is on the brink of war. Hail must quickly make alliances with nearby worlds if she has any hope of surviving her rule.
Maegester-in-Training Noon Onyx feels like she’s done it all – mastered fiery magic, become an adept fighter, learned the law, killed countless demons, and survived having her heart broken by both love and an arrow, but now she’ll face her greatest challenge yet…
hottest USA Today, and Amazon bestselling authors as they tell you tales of vampires, shifters, elementals, fae, and demons trying to find a little love this winter.
It was suggested I add hashtags to the title to help readers find this post on social media. We’ll try it for a couple of weeks and see what we think…
HERO: GALACTIC GLADIATORS BOOK 3 by Anna Hackett
JUMPING BARREL (CYBORG SIZZLE BOOK 7) by Cynthia Sax FREE
Slade Maxwell is a noble and a senior in college who’s expected to graduate and be next in his family to work for the queen. His desperation to escape that path leaves him unprepared for class, but when his classmate, a chiseled warrior by the name of Douglassaire Hart, asks their professor about an ancient sword called the Djed Key, Slade pays close attention. The sword is a mythical relic that’s said to have brought magic to the world, and its secrets could be Slade’s ticket out. He joins up with Douglassaire, wondering what else he knows. And, should he open himself to the warrior, will his feelings be returned?
VS NOTE: Another series I have very much enjoyed!
The Black Dagger Brotherhood continues to train the best of the best to join them in the deadly battle against the Lessening Society. Among the new recruits, Axe proves to be a cunning and vicious fighter—and also a loner isolated because of personal tragedy. When an aristocratic female needs a bodyguard, Axe takes the job, though he’s unprepared for the animal attraction that flares between him and the one he is sworn to protect.
face his tragic past. Three centuries ago, he closed off his heart, yet his warrior spirit is still drawn to the wild. And there’s no one more familiar with the wild than Riley—and the wolf within her…
Laird Cormac Murray has witnessed how love destroyed his own father after the death of his mother, and he vows to never take a wife. Yet, when he comes upon a bewildered lass traveling alone, he finds his heart will no longer listen to his mind. In the end, Cormac risks everything to claim the love of a woman not of his time.
It seems that everyone around her is moving on and happy, but she can’t seem to get it together. When an unexpected kiss changes everything she thought she knew about her packmate Nathan O’Neill, she feels alive for the first time in a year. She’s too broken for him though. At least that’s what she tries to tell them both.
mysterious thefts and shadowy figures spur her into action. With Toby five thousand miles away, Estelle and her winged horse must hunt for the culprits alone. Soon they are embroiled in a mixed bag of aliens and ancient magic. Toby’s unexpected arrival throws her into turmoil and spurs events into a climax. Under pressure to succeed, Toby is trapped in a web of deceit. The two supers must catch the crooks in less than a week to salvage his reputation.
grief. To protect herself, she keeps her Gift locked away. But when a hard-faced shifter from Portugal seeks lodging with her clan, her every instinct screams that he’s up to something–and she’s just the woman to take him on.
Set includes:
The Dragonlings and their besties are excited about the preparations for another Halloween holiday. As the night of the festival draws closer, the Dragonlings, Roam, and Alice discover a threat to the newest members of their families; the Queen of the Demented Symbiots plans to send her minions to capture the new babies and take them to the land of Halloween where she lives.
and making a home with Alexei, the dangerous, handsome love of her life.
Rayzor of Twelve, a lonely Bounty Hunter banished from his home world, is determined to follow his mission parameters: He must extract his target from a primitive planet called Earth with zero human casualties.
Beagle which tells of an ageing judge traveling through rural China and of a criminal he encounters. Of the story, Beagle says it “comes out of a lifelong fascination with Asian legendry – Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Indonesian – all drawn from cultures where storytelling, in one form of another, remains a living art. As a young writer I loved everything from Robert van Gulik’s Judge Dee mysteries to Lafcadio Hearn’s translations of Japanese fairytales and many lesser-known fantasies. Like my story ‘The Tale of Junko and Sayuri,’ ‘The Story of Kao Yu’ is a respectful imitation of an ancient style, and never pretends to be anything else. But I wrote it with great care and love, and I’m still proud of it.”
When Sedona’s most eligible bachelor is accused of murdering a local psychic, medium Phoebe Carlisle finds herself drawn into the danger that surrounds him—by the meddling of the shades she channels and by his irresistible charms. A public defender and a gifted medium, Phoebe is devoted to justice—and not just for the living. Proving Rafe Diamante’s innocence means conjuring up two shades who were former lovers and now ignite the chemistry between their hosts.
Without her soul to balance her opposing natures, Violet’s transformation into a demon is nearing completion. The evil that resides inside her is becoming harder to contain. If she doesn’t find her essence soon, the balance could be permanently tipped towards the darkness.
her ex has found them and is on his way to take their daughter back. But a massive snowstorm prevents her from packing up and leaving town – and instead delivers a sexy stranger to her doorstep. Can she trust that he isn’t one of her ex’s henchmen?
But to succeed in the seven days he’s been granted, he’ll need to work with the one human who wants nothing to do with him, and who he can’t help falling for–Meda Gabriel, a cagey, street-smart bar owner with a unique skill set and, maybe, the key to his mission….
her terrible blows.Maybe Claymore isn’t worth saving, and even if Crystal is willing to try, it just might take everything that she has left to offer.
Mate the human, save the day… not quite. 
until she has to face the very situation that killed her the first time. Does she have what it takes to face her fear?
If only everything was that easy. With six older sisters, two baby reindeer and an evil gnome of an auntie hellbent on world domination, Elsa’s got her hands full.
but who seems to have a thing for Harper. Because he keeps the worst of the lethal predators on the planet away from her while they’re running.
Lily’s attraction to the huge Zandian warrior unnerves her. She’s never been moved by a male, nor interested in sex before, but Rok coaxes every bit of emotion out of her as he demands her complete surrender. But he intends to turn her over to the authorities, which will mean her certain death. She must find a way to escape the handsome alien before she loses her life–or worse–her heart.
years of work on a deadly vampire virus have not led to a cure, nor have they softened the wall he built around his heart. When he’s forced to work with Doctor Makeda Abel, Lucien is convinced he’s reached his limit of patience with humanity.
explosion—and an even more explosive situation. Not only is the Mastermind back in the game, influencing the Club 51 True Believers to find and destroy all Centaurion bases, but he’s also found a dangerous benefactor and created some frightening new cloning abilities.
of him, including marrying Mirella Canalis, his genetically engineered bride.
The humanoid supersoldiers known as the déchet were almost eradicated by the war. Ever since, Tiger has tried to live her life in peace in hiding. But in the wake of her discovery that Central City’s children are being kidnapped and experimented on, Tiger’s conscience won’t let her look the other way.
The Free Navy – a violent group of Belters in black-market military ships – has crippled the Earth and begun a campaign of piracy and violence among the outer planets. The colony ships heading for the thousand new worlds on the far side of the alien ring gates are easy prey, and no single navy remains strong enough to protect them.
VS: And one final note, our ROMANCING THE STARS anthology, with eight stories including my “Star Cruise: Rescue” short story is now $.99 and will go off sale as of December 31st!