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Alice Renaud: The Origin of Halloween
Monday, October 28th, 2019

Do you love Halloween? I do, I do, I do. In the UK, where I live, a lot of people complain about it. “What is this American invention that has crossed the Atlantic and is spreading its commercialized tentacles everywhere, etc.” What those good folk don’t realize is that it’s all our fault. Yes, we British actually invented Halloween. Possibly in cooperation with the Irish.

It started with the pagans (doesn’t it always?). In Ireland, and possibly in parts of Britain, too, Halloween was called Samhain. In my mother’s homeland, Wales, it was Nos Calan Gaf, Winter’s Eve. And the Saxons called it Blood Monat, the month of blood. It was a festival that marked the arrival of winter. A time of magic and danger, when the barrier between this world and the Otherworld became so thin that gods and monsters could cross into our universe and walk among humans. On that night, people who had been enchanted and turned into animals could regain their human form, until dawn.

Later, the Catholic Church adopted the feast and made it into a festival of the dead. 1 November was the day of All Hallows, All Souls. So the day before became All Hallows’ Eve — Halloween. Still a time of danger and magic. Poor people went round to the houses of rich people and offered to pray for their souls in return for food. Rich people would bake special cakes to give out, called “soul cakes”. The practice was called “souling”. Irish immigrants took it to the US where it became trick o’treating.

So the monsters are still with us, though usually in the form of little kids wandering the streets in costume. Normal rules are still suspended — it’s the only night in the year when we positively encourage our children to accept sweets from strangers.

It’s also a perfect time to read ghost stories and paranormal tales. I would like to suggest two of them, which have been inspired by Halloween and the old Celtic myths that accompanied it.

MYSTIC DESIRE is a collection of brand new paranormal romance stories by talented BVS authors. Buy link: https://books2read.com/u/4j1AD2
It includes stories about hot warlocks, Native American dream catchers, mystical jewelry, lustful vampires, a grumpy leprechaun, a ghostly terrier, a zombie apocalypse and things that go bump and ooh! in the night. There is something for everyone in this anthology!

MUSIC FOR A MERMAN, on pre-order at the special promo price of $0.99 until the release date of 1 November, is Book 2 in the Sea of Love series, a fantasy romance trilogy inspired by Welsh folk tales. Buy link: https://books2read.com/u/mdG7Bw

Rob Regor knew that humans were trouble. All the shape shifting mermen of the Morvann Islands knew it. And human women were double trouble… especially when they were lying on the road in front of a digger.

Can Rob, merman and rookie cop, fight his attraction to the sexy eco-warrior Charlie? Can Charlie open up her heart to Rob, when a secret buried in her past surfaces and changes her completely?

Read below an extract from The Sweetest Magic of All, my story in the Mystic Desire anthology…

Saffy knelt on the grass and opened the book of spells. Book was a strong word for the worn diary in which Auntie May had recorded her enchantments, but all witches had books of spells. So she’d call it a book, just as she called herself a witch.

Though she was only an apprentice. A chill crept over her skin, as if a shadow had blotted out the summer sun. She stared hard at the spidery handwriting, but all she could see was the thin body of her aunt, almost swallowed up by the tubes and machines that were keeping her alive. Only one thing could help her now, the magical amulet that she’d once worn around her neck. The amulet had vanished a week ago, on the day she’d had a stroke, and they’d rushed her to the hospital in Swansea. No one had been able to find it since.

Cold enveloped Saffy and seeped into her limbs. The amulet was her aunt’s last hope. She had to find it. Now.

She took a deep breath. The familiar smells of the seaside meadow streamed into her nose, pushing back the icy fear that dug its claws into her flesh. Salt on the wind. Wildflowers. Good, rich earth, softened by the morning dew. “I can do this,” she said.

She placed the book on the grass and waved her hands above it, the way her aunt had shown her. Auntie May had made magic look so easy. Saffy had never managed to cast a spell on her own, but today she had to try, and succeed. She kept breathing, in and out, to keep herself calm. The spell to find lost objects was supposed to be easy. And this meadow was a special place, where the ancient magic of the world flowed fast and strong. Surely the spell would succeed here.

Saffy laid her hands in the grass, on either side of the yellowed pages. A ladybird landed on her index finger and walked down onto the book, as if to encourage her. She concentrated. All her life seemed to pour into the breath she was taking… into her tongue as it formed the words.

“Bound and binding
Binding, bound
See the sight
Hear the sound
What was lost
Now is found.”

She closed her eyes and waited for the vision that would show her where the lost amulet was. All she saw was the red light of the sun, shining through her lids. She opened her eyes. There was only the meadow, frothy with oxeye daisies, and the turquoise dome of the sky. A perfect midsummer day, mocking her and her pathetic attempts at magic. Bitter dismay surged, burning her throat and the back of her eyes. She let out a strangled cry. “Fuck and triple fuck!”

“What have you lost?”

The male voice, behind her, made her jump. She turned. A man, wrapped in a black coat, was staring at her, just a few feet away. A warm tide of embarrassment rose from her neck to her cheeks. He must have heard her say the spell. He’d think she was nuts.

N.J. Walters: Halloween—Then and Now
Friday, October 25th, 2019

Like most things, the holidays have changed quite a bit from when I was a kid. Back in the late 60’s and early 70’s, people’s idea of decorating for Halloween involved sticking cardboard cut-outs of witches, pumpkins, skeletons and ghosts on the windows and doors. That was pretty much it. Many people didn’t decorate at all. It just wasn’t a thing back then. Now, people transform their entire lawns and homes with elaborate and spooky scenes.

The costumes have also changed dramatically. Now, there are pop-up stores that cater to all things Halloween, including intricate costumes, accessories, and makeup. The only people I knew who had actual costumes when I was growing up were the kids next door—their mother sewed them. The rest of us made do with plastic masks secured with elastic strings that frequently burst and had to be stapled back on. Those masks were hot and uncomfortable, but we loved them. Usually, a cheap reflective poncho was included, which your mother would make you wear over your jacket. I had a princess mask that I wore several years in a row. I loved it. And if you had siblings, you often swapped masks from year to year. You didn’t get a new costume every year.

Trick or treating was carried out using a plastic pumpkin. No need for larger tote bags or the ever popular pillowcase. There were no chips or mini bars given out when I was a kid. It was all candy—suckers, bubblegum (individual, not full packs), hard candy, caramels, bags of homemade popcorn, chicklets (gum, two pieces in a mini box), rockets (they’re a Canadian thing and my personal favorites), and molasses candy, which most people I know hated, myself included. I’d even get an apple from the next door neighbors. They were not popular with us kids.

One thing that hasn’t changed? Kids still love to get dressed up and run from house to house, collecting a stash of candy to be dumped out later at home and sorted through with glee.

For the adults, there are theme parties and scary movies. If you prefer to stay home on Halloween night, help yourself to any remaining treats after the kids have all gone and curl up with a good book. And if vampires are your thing, you might want to check out the Dalakis Passion vampire Series.

DALAKIS PASSION VAMPIRE SERIES

The Dalakis brothers are unlike most men. They are vampires. Each one has searched through the long years for that one woman who can complete him. As the centuries pass, hope dwindles but doesn’t die. Finally the time comes for each brother to claim his woman. But danger is everywhere and there are enemies who wish to destroy them. Protecting a modern woman isn’t easy, but there is nothing these brothers won’t do to keep their chosen one safe.

Dalakis men love forever—deep, dark and eternal. The search for love is their curse, but it is also their salvation.

Series links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076H9RHR5/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/28181
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/dalakis+passion

About the Author

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit me at:
Website: http://www.njwalters.com
Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/gdblg5
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

Anne Kane: Introducing the Northern Rockies Pack!
Thursday, October 24th, 2019

I love to read about werewolves. I could name all my favorite authors who have created rich worlds full of werewolves, but that would take too much time. They all write fantastic sagas about pack rules and the relationships between the fierce and furry. Consequently, whenever I considered writing about werewolves, I’d lose my nerve. I wrote cat shifters and science fiction, demons and elves, but I always lost my nerve when I considered penning the tale of a werewolf.

Then I finally decided to take the plunge. It wasn’t easy. (It never is!) First, I had to figure out the mechanics of a werewolf universe. How did the characters shift from human to wolf form? Would it be a bone-splitting painful wrench or just a beautiful shimmer of magic? Were new werewolves made or born as shifters, or both. If they were made, how did that happen? The always popular bite? Or something else? And of course, why would my world be different from those of the afore-mentioned great authors?

One big difference came to mind right at the start. The Northern Rocky pack in situated where I currently live, making it easy for me to describe background features. I have never read of another author creating a werewolf pack with its headquarters up here in the Rockies, so I wasn’t infringing on an existing series. You know how territorial a wolf pack can be!

Since I lived a good part of my life in Northern Ontario, I am well acquainted with how wolves look and sound. Packs of wolves carve out their territory there and hold it against invading newcomers. The sight of a dark shadow loping across a snowy field, or the sound of an eerie howl echoing in the chill of a fall morning is commonplace. A rock cave in the bush across from our home hosted a new litter of wolf cubs each year, and if we were very quiet and very lucky, we could perch on a hill above them and watch the young ones through binoculars as they tumbled and played in the spring sunshine. So describing wolf behavior wasn’t a problem for me.

There are distinctive differences between wolves and dogs. The way they walk, how they hold their heads, even their reactions to people and other animals differ greatly from our domestic friends. I hope I’ve been able to convey some of those in the descriptive passages of the two stories in this duet.

This first book consists of two stories which is a great way to meet the wolves of the Northern Rockies Pack. I hope you enjoy Seducing Destiny and Dark Kisses. The next book in the series will be released in January of 2020, and I will provide some tidbits between now and then. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek!

Seducing Destiny

Jack, the alpha of the North Rockies pack, knows Destiny needs some time to come to grips with her werewolf heritage before he springs the whole mated for life thing on her.

Destiny has no intention of buying into the whole pack mentality, howl at the full moon thing. Sure, she practically drools at the sight of red meat, but that’s no reason to give up her comfortable life. Besides, she already has a boyfriend, a slick up-and-coming lawyer.

But when a band of rogue werewolves move into the area, Jack can’t afford to have his attention divided. He needs to convince Destiny that she belongs both in his pack and in his bed so he can concentrate on the new threat.

EXCERPT

Destiny stared in dismay at the box in the middle of her kitchen table. Her stomach lurched, a ball of anxiety settling in the very middle of it. Small by most standards, gold gilt covered the entire box, giving it an exotic look. An artfully tied crimson bow surrounded by curls of white lace sat cheerfully atop it, adding to the air of decadent luxury.

She knew who’d put it there, and she knew why. Jack. The Alpha of the Northern Rockies werewolf pack. The man who made her knees feel weak whenever she glimpsed him walking down the main street, or lounging at a local coffee shop. The man who’d made it plain that he intended to be her mate.

The absolute last man on the face of the planet that she intended to get serious about.

She had a boyfriend, one carefully picked with the future in mind. A trial attorney she’d met when she attended a convention in Calgary, Quentin Karnes had everything she wanted in a mate. On the fast track to a partnership in his prestigious law firm, he was cultured, rich, and moved in the highest social circles. Their children would grow up attending private schools, vacationing at the most prestigious resorts, dressing in the latest fashions. They’d want for nothing.

She’d worked hard to carve out a niche for herself in Riverton. Her accounting office catered to farmers and small businessmen, and she’d slowly managed to gain a reputation of being the person you wanted on your side when the government called to audit your tax returns.

She steeled herself and reached for the box. It wasn’t much bigger than a deck of cards, and she held it in her hand, somehow hoping that wishing would make it go away. When she’d moved here two years ago, she’d made it clear to Jack and every other member of the pack that she didn’t intend to join their little social group. She preferred to run alone. She hadn’t grown up in a pack, and if she could, she’d ignore her inner wolf entirely. So what if the sight of a full moon awakened an overpowering urge for a steak with the blood oozing out the sides? A girl needed to curb her baser instincts and make plans for the future.

No point in putting this off. Her sensitive nose could smell Jack all over the damn thing. She caught the trailing lace between a thumb and forefinger and gently undid the bow, dropping the cheerful piece of ribbon on the table. Taking a deep breath, she plucked the lid off.

Her breath caught in her throat. An exquisitely detailed chocolate wolf nestled in a cushion of crushed white velvet. Every detail from the tip of its muzzle to the dominant curve of its tail was perfect. Jack had reproduced himself exactly. She knew if she turned the little wolf over, she’d find a jagged scar running along its left flank.

“I suppose I could always bite your head off.” Destiny felt a wry smile tug the sides of her mouth. Although she didn’t like the idea, being the Alpha meant Jack had complete authority over all the werewolves in the Northern Rockies. Even those that didn’t want to accept him. The fact he’d chosen not to force her to take him for her mate didn’t mean he’d agreed to let her leave the pack. He’d said he’d give her some time to settle in. She’d hoped he’d forgotten about her and settled down with some other female. One who liked her inner beast.

She sighed and looked at the dark chocolate confection. The full moon was less than a week away. She’d been ignoring her darker side for a long time now, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to avoid going into heat this month. What were the chances Jack’s timing was coincidental?

She jumped, startled by the sound of a loud knock on her front door. Quentin must have gotten out of court early. She hadn’t expected him to show up for at least another four hours. She quickly put the lid back on the box. Sweeping the ribbon up off the table, she stuffed the box and ribbon into a drawer and slammed it shut.

“Come on in, the door’s open.” She hoped Quentin couldn’t hear the guilt in her voice. Not that she had anything to feel guilty about. Damn Jack and his fancy little chocolate creatures! She smoothed her hands down her skirt and tried to look calm.

“I know, I was just being polite.” Jack strode into the room, a crooked smile on his rugged face. “You’re not usually this happy to see me.”

Destiny’s heart did a little flip-flop. Taller than her five-foot eleven, Jack’s dark hair was tied at the nape of his neck with a strip of leather, and his sapphire blue eyes sparkled with mischief. Thickly roped muscles stretched the tight shirt and rippled with every step he took. He looked every bit as yummy as the chocolate creations he sold in his trendy boutique.

“I thought you were my boyfriend.” She looked pointedly behind him as if she expected Quentin to materialize any second. “I’m expecting him to drop in after court today.”

Jack ignored her reference to Quentin and gave her a toothy grin. “I intend to be a lot more than a friend, and it’s been a long time since anyone referred to me as a boy.” He advanced, his eyes sparkling. “Glad to hear you finally think of me that way, though, because unless my nose is deceiving me, you’re going to be begging for my attention shortly.”

Destiny felt a surge of color flood her cheeks and she turned away so he couldn’t see her face. It mortified her to know he could smell her eagerness. “You wish.” Now that was lame!

He took her by the shoulders and turned her around to face him, his touch surprisingly gentle for such a large man. “No, I know. The full moon is on Saturday. You haven’t slept with that wimpy boyfriend of yours, and you’re not going to if you want him to live to see Monday. A human male can’t begin to satisfy your needs. I wouldn’t have to lift a paw; you’d tear him apart yourself. Your frustration level is about to escalate to hellish proportions.” A devilishly wicked smile curved the corner of his mouth. “Fortunately, I can help you deal with that.”

Buy Links:
Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z4W4Z67/
Amazon.ca https://www.amazon.ca/Seducing-Destiny-Kisses-Northern-Rockies-ebook/dp/B07Z4W4Z67/
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seducing-destiny-dark-kisses-duet-anne-kane/1134087712
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/seducing-destiny-dark-kisses-duet
iTunes https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1483531619

Kimberly Dean: The Deer and the Darkness
Saturday, October 19th, 2019

People often ask where writers come up with ideas. I usually can’t pinpoint what exactly will spur story ideas, but here’s an example. The other evening, I was mowing the lawn. I got started late, and it’s getting darker earlier every night. My backyard backs up against a wooded area, and the sun had gone down. It was getting darker with every pass, but I wanted to finish. I was walking along, eyeing the forest when I heard a noise. Something was moving fast. I snapped my head around just in time to see a deer go tearing by, between me and the house. I mean, this thing was moving. Deer are usually very graceful, even at high speed. This one was not. He was so close to the ground, he looked like a torpedo, and he was getting ahead of how fast his legs could go. He stumbled, kind of bounced off a rise in the terrain, and shot across the neighbor’s yard back into the woods. Holy crap, did he startle me.

That’s when the questions started. Where did he come from? The forest, for sure. What would have happened if he’d run into me? It would not have been a pretty sight. Deer are not small animals. I was mowing with a large, very noisy piece of equipment. What compelled him to run across the open grass, instead of staying in the tree-line? Deer tend to move in herds. Where were his buddies? Were they out there lurking, too? What else was in there? Had something scarier than a human with a lawnmower made him run for his life? What was scarier to a deer than a lawnmower? Those thoughts all tumbled in my head. The dusk… The crickets chirping nearly as loudly as the lawnmower… The complete disappearance of the deer… Yeah, I didn’t make it for another pass. I quickly ended my mowing task for the night.

I finished the rest of the yard the next day, much earlier in the evening. Would you believe that deer came back? Or maybe it wasn’t him, because this animal was as bold as can be. He moseyed out from the trees, looked at me with my monster mower, shrugged, and started having dinner. He was out in the open, nibbling on grass and leaves the entire time it took me to finish my mowing job. Yes, the questions started again. If he’s so calm around me tonight, was there some kind of predator out there the night before? Why’s he so calm now? Can deer have multiple personalities? What if deer stopped being so timid? What if the deer rose up? Questions, questions, questions… That is how writers come up with ideas.

As you can probably guess from the direction of my thoughts, I tend to write a lot of paranormal romance. My latest is Haunted Hearts, a ghost story. I don’t remember what spurred this story idea, but it was probably a squeaking floorboard or my love of Ghost Hunters or a gust of wind. Anything can generate an idea, but I’m saving that deer. That’s definitely a shifter story.

Haunted Hearts

Does a ghost from the past want the man of her future?

Callie is thrilled when she inherits a house in the small town of Shadow Valley. The house is old and creaky, but she’s not afraid of hard work. Unfortunately, no matter how many repairs she makes, the strange noises won’t go away. Cold spots appear. Lights flicker. Footsteps sound down the hallway. Her nerves are soon so frayed that she resorts to calling the one person in town she hasn’t been able to get along with, bullheaded police chief Carter Landry.

Carter doesn’t have time to investigate things that go bump in the night—although, with Callie, the idea is tempting. He’s busy working with the governor’s task force on a major case and dealing with a rash of petty Halloween crimes. He knows that Callie’s house isn’t haunted… no matter what town legend says.

Still, when her distress call comes in, Carter is quick to respond. He may not believe in ghosts, but someone is intentionally scaring the sassy blonde. And he doesn’t like it. As he investigates, the friction between the two of them ignites into passion… and the strange occurrences in the house subside. But could Carter’s presence be the reason? Callie fears that her sexy cop may be the one the ghost has wanted all along.

Buy links:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Hearts-ghost-Kimberly-Dean-ebook/dp/B07FDDRFMS
Audible — https://www.audible.com/pd/B07JJHTSC3/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-130964&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_130964_rh_us
Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/haunted-hearts-kimberly-dean/1129068549?ean=2940155661061
Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kimberly_Dean_Haunted_Hearts?id=V95jDwAAQBAJ
iBook – https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/haunted-hearts/id1410571296?mt=11
Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/haunted-hearts-16

Website – https://kimberlydean.com

Jocelyn Dex: Halloween, Zombies, and a Giveaway (Contest & Excerpt)
Thursday, October 17th, 2019

When trying to decide what to write about for this blog post, Halloween kept jumping to the forefront of my noggin. Because October equals Halloween, right?

What do you think of when you think of Halloween? Is it all the yummy candy? The pumpkin carving? The dressing up and being anyone or anything you want for one day with no judgement? The ghosts, goblins, demons, witches, and zombies you might see? Is it simply the spooky energy of the holiday that you enjoy?

Or, is Halloween a night you use to curl up and read a spooky tale?

If you are the type to curl up with a Halloweeny-read, I have a fun, weirdo, and sexy zombie for you!

Wait. What, you say? A sexy zombie? No way.

Yes way!

One day, I was inspired to write a different take on zombies. They weren’t rotting, shambling corpses. They were infected and they did crave flesh—in more ways than one (wink, wink)—but they could be rehabilitated with time and effort.

The title of that story is A Zombie Ate My Panties. Obviously, by the title, you can tell it wasn’t supposed to be taken too seriously. It was supposed to be a fun, short, one-off, goofy, and sexy tale. Something to make people laugh and maybe even make them a little hot…in the pants…in a weird way.

But, it was such fun to write, I had to make it into a series. The second is My Zombie Valentine, and the third is Trick or Zombie—a funny Halloween-themed zombie story.

Trick or Zombie

When Trista takes her zombie trick-or-treating, will he make a snack of one of the kids? Or will he resist temptation and snack on something better when they get home?


http://www.jocelyndex.com/zombie-shorts.html

What should you know before reading the Trick or Zombie excerpt?
Zeek is a zombie. Trista is his caretaker. Oh, and Zeek loves boobs!

Excerpt

“We’re going trick-or-treating tonight!” Trista said. When Zeek looked at her blankly, she asked, “Do you know what trick-or-treating is? Do you remember ever doing that as a kid?”

“Kid. Snack.” He clicked his teeth together in a chomping motion.

“No. Kids are not snacks…not eat.” She implored him with her eyes, but he kept clicking his teeth. “Halloween, Zeek. Don’t you remember at all? You get dressed up like a witch, or a cat, or Superman, or something. Then you knock on doors, say trick-or-treat, and they give you candy. Remember?”

He screwed up his face, his red-ringed eyes rolling back in his head as if in deep concentration. Actually, it looked like he was about to have a seizure. Finally, he sighed, his shoulders slumped, and she felt bad for pushing him even though it was necessary.

“Hey. It’s okay.” She squeezed his shoulder in attempt to console him, but when the sullen look remained, she upped the game to put him back in a good mood. A sour-pussed zombie was no fun for anyone. She lifted her shirt and flashed him.

His eyes widened, and he licked his lips as he reached out and gave her breasts a squeeze. “Boooobs!

Halloween-Themed Giveaway

I’m hosting a Halloween giveaway on my website. Please go forth and enter. Good luck!
http://www.jocelyndex.com/giveaway.html

What are your Halloween plans?

Happy Halloween to All!

About the Author

Jocelyn writes paranormal and contemporary romances that include humor, lust, love, and four-letter words on the way to a Happily-Ever-After. You can check out all of her books @ www.JocelynDex.com.

Elle Boon: Happy Octoberfest! (Contest)
Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

UPDATE: The winner is…Fedora Chen!
*~*~*

Happy Octoberfest, y’all. This is one of my most favorite months of the year, next to Christmas. I start decorating October 1st and leave all the pretty fall décor up until the day after Thanksgiving…and then it’s Christmas at the Boon house—LOL.

Of course, this year it’s super special because I’m a MiMi to my first grandchild. Technically she was here last year, but she was only a few months old so she couldn’t really enjoy it herself. Now this year, we’ve already planned her Halloween outfit, which consisted of buying stuff, and then I tweaked it to make her outfit unique. I can’t wait to put it on her and take her out Trick Or Treating. I only hope she doesn’t FREAK OUT when she sees all the other people in costumes. However, she’s loved the big scary blow up things at TARGEE aka Target.

If you follow me at all, then you’ve probably seen a few…thousand pics of RomyGirl, but just in case, I’ll share a little collage of some sneak peaks we were given from her Fall Photoshoot we did at a local Pumpkin Farm just outside of our hometown.

Now, for some fun… Tell me what your favorite season is for a chance to win a print copy of my latest book Two For Tamara, Ravens of War book 2, which just released on October 15th. Be sure and pop over to my Facebook page, Elle Boon Facebook, and tell me or email me at elleboon@yahoo.com.

Oh, and check out Two For Tamara!

Now Available
Two For Tamara
They will Stop At Nothing, To Protect The Woman Destiny Created For them.

WHEN YOU SEE A VISION OF YOUR OWN DEATH… Tamara Mejia decides she will not take living for granted, knowing it was going to be sooner rather than later. When two gorgeous men burst onto her own personal horizon, giving her all the more reason to grab onto every bit of joy and happiness they have to offer, she takes it.

THEY’VE SPENT THOUSANDS OF YEARS SEARCHING FOR THEIR ONE… Rafe and Vin were created by Zeus, the God of War. They are elite soldiers called the Ravens of War and have been best friends for thousands of years. Now that their latest task is over, having found the lost Goddess, their own need to find their Fated becomes paramount. When they meet Tamara, all their protective instincts and deepest desires roar to life.

WHEN LIFE THROWS THEM A CURVE… When an old enemy kidnaps Tamara and whisks her off to Hell, it’s up to Vin and Rafe to find their Fated mate. But they soon realize that finding her isn’t going to be quite so easy, not when their enemy chooses to use her as a bargaining chip. Not when the game involves the Gods, and the stakes are raised. Will the power of the Ravens be enough to save the woman they love?

Two worlds collide in this thrilling second installment of Elle Boon’s Ravens of War series…and these larger than life warriors are just getting started.

Content Warning: Crazy demonesses (is that a word…yes ‘cause I made it up), Zeus unlike any you’ve heard of, and piles of sexy demi-gods. Intended for mature audiences.

~Joyfully Reviewed~ All bets are off when the gods get involved in Two for Tamara, the second story in a unique new series. Two for Tamara is a gritty, complex romance with the occasional tense and scary moment. The Ravens of War series is building into something special.

~NightOwl Reviews~ This is the second book in a series by author Elle Boon. She’s developed a world where gods from mythology are real and unusual powers common. Her heroes are tall, strong and answer to Zeus. However, don’t expect just romance because there is a fight between good and evil that carries through the series. Unexpected allies show up in this story changing the way things are done. Better still though is the female lead who is strong, independent and quite capable of giving the two men who want her a run for the money. Bits of humor pop up regularly giving some of the more violent scenes a bit of relief.

~The BookChick Blog ~ I really enjoy how Boon weaves together a dash of mythology with a whole lot of sexy and fighting off a horrible baddy in between. It definitely leaves me eagerly waiting to read about them.

If you enjoy romance, mythology, and intrigue, then you will definitely appreciate and enjoy the Ravens of War series.

Buy Links:
AmazonUS: https://amzn.to/34K5nKj
Ibooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/two-for-tamara/id1477727155
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/two-for-tamara-1
NOOK: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/two-for-tamara-ravens-of-war-2-elle-boon/1119782921?ean=2940163598069

*~*~*

Oh, and if you’ve not read book 1, Selena’s Men, you should totally check it out as it released just over a month ago.

Selena’s Men

Ravens of War Book 1

A Goddess unknown by all even herself…

Stolen from her birth parents as an infant, Selena lived her life as a normal human, loved by her adoptive parents until tragedy took them from her. Life had given her more knocks than most could take, but she was determined to survive, even when faced with death. Until she came face-to-face with two men who offered her so much more. But could she face what loving them could cost her?.

A set of Demi-Gods…

Max and Malcolm King were once warriors called the Ravens of War for Zeus. They’ve searched the Earth for the one woman to complete them. They’ve fought alongside battlefields for thousands of years, protecting humanity from demons and beings bent on destroying all that’s good in this world. Now that they’ve found their Fated, the one female who they’d give their life for. Will it be for nothing when they find out who her father is?

Are they doomed before they ever begin?

They’re determined to keep Selena safe, knowing every way to kill a man or demon, yet neither were prepared for the ultimate foe to resurface. They’d help defeat Cronus, the God who was bent on destroying Zeus and all the other Gods and Goddesses on Olympus all those years ago, however it seems they’d not done a good enough job. Somehow, the God has found a way to wreak revenge, and this time he’s taken something more precious than Olympus. Will the Ravens be able to save Selena this time, or will they lose the most important thing, their Fated?

Buy Links:
AmazonUS: https://amzn.to/2LgKCgm
AmazonAU: bit.ly/2ZsZ9j7SelenaAU
AmazonCA: bit.ly/30NyhqlselenaCA
AmazonUK: bit.ly/2LdHYJsSelenaUK
iBooks: bit.ly/2NkAxShSelenaapple
KOBO: bit.ly/2Hje2tgSelenaKOBO
B&N: bit.ly/2Zke3mySelenaBarnes

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47886032-selena-s-men?ac=1&from_search=true

~Joyfully Reviewed~ A sexy engaging new series begins with Selena’s Men. The Ravens of War introduces hot, intelligent characters in an original storyline that totally entertains readers. This series has a great start.

~NightOwl Reviews~ Selena’s Men a new take on Greek Mythology and introduces a group of immortal warriors called the Ravens of War. Ms. Boon had done a wonderful job of world building for the story and introducing the characters. Her story line is well thought out and keeps the readers engaged. It is a hot and sexy read from beginning to end.
friend.

~ The BookChick Blog~ Selena’s Men, Ravens of War was a smartly written sexy ménage romance story that contained a bit of everything — myth and legend, gods and goddesses, good vs. evil, sexy twins, and a band of equally sexy immortal warriors. Elle Boon spins a tale that puts a creative spin on the tale of the Greek gods and the titans. But, the story is less about the gods and the “human” who the story centers on, Selena Ramos.

Dee S. Knight: Writing in an anthology (Excerpt)
Thursday, October 10th, 2019

As an author, I’ve had the privilege of being part of several anthologies. All of them had a theme. In some, the authors worked closely with each other and in others we had no idea what the others were writing. All of them have been fun.

What’s the reason for being part of an anthology? The immediate benefit is pretty obvious—you get your name into the public arena just as you would with a single book, but you stand with other authors who might bring in readers you wouldn’t normally get. In other words, Author A writes romance, but with a new twist, and she/he has their followers. You write romance, too, with your own readers. Author A’s readers and yours will all buy the new book, and hopefully will discover new authors they might not have tried before. A side benefit of being part of an anthology is the camaraderie that forms between writers. You’re part of one effort and you all promote and fight for the anthology’s success. Also, the writing effort is less than for a whole book, from very short stories (10K words or less) to novellas (25K words or less).

Here are a few examples of the types of anthologies I’ve been part of. In Ain’t Your Mama’s Bedtime Stories (which sadly is no longer available for purchase), there were (I think) 10 authors who wrote individual stories based on fairy tales. We kind of coordinated with each other in that we shared the fairy tales we were going to turn into their adult versions. We kept track of our progress and did initial proofreading for each other before submitting the book to the publisher. It was fun to see the take on the different stories.

In Resolutions, the interaction was far greater. There were four of us (I said that we were four friends writing about four friends), and the theme was how four women fulfilled their New Year’s resolutions for the year. We had a single setting—a restaurant where the women were meeting for a New Year’s Eve dinner. As each course progressed, a woman told her tale. The ending of one story laid the dinner setting for the next story. We had to stay in touch with each other to make sure the opening and closing of each story meshed. In addition, we edited each other so that when the book was turned in, it was virtually ready to publish. I especially loved this book because I love the women I worked with. It’s quite a treat to collaborate with friends!

My latest anthology adventure is Mystic Desire. For this anthology, each author worked totally independently. The theme was the supernatural or paranormal, and other than establishing that, we had no other contact. We each sent our work to the publisher and didn’t know what the stories were, except for short blurbs that were shared at pre-release on September 1. It wasn’t until the book launch on October 1 that we were able to read everyone’s stories. This was the easiest anthology to be part of because there were no schedules to mesh or keep up with, and no editing duties. And you know what? It still was fun to be part of a successful whole, finished product. This anthology has some great writing in it!

If you are offered the opportunity to be part of a collaborative writing effort, I recommend you take the chance. The royalties are often not that great—whatever money comes from sales is divided among many people—but the fun of collegial sharing with other writers is worth it. Plus, who knows? You might be discovered by new readers!

*~*~*

Mystic Desire, Black Velvet Seduction’s anthology of paranormal romance tales is available now!

Mystic Desire is a collection of short paranormal romance stories. This is a chance to read and discover the work of a diverse group of very talented authors.

The themes in this book are varied, as are the collection of characters and artifacts, including Native American dream catchers, mystical jewelry, and characters such as lustful vampires, hot warlocks, a grumpy leprechaun, a ghostly terrier, a zombie apocalypse and things that go bump in the night.

From soft and tender love to hot passionate, kinky sex, there is something for everyone in this anthology.

Read stories by your favorite BVS authors: Alice, Renaud, Dee S. Knight, Anne Krist, Callie Carmen, Jan Selbourne, Suzanne Smith, Richard Savage, Zia Westfield, Lora Logan, Patricia Elliott, Carol Schoenig, R.M. Olivia, and Breanna Hayes.

Buy links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/322Ziq3Uni
Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/4j1AD2

“An Awareness of Evil”, from Mystic Desire


Amanda McMasters is a psychic living in small town, Idaho. Far from the usual episodes where she can sense a person needing help, Amanda is suddenly thrown into full-blown visions of a little girl who feels threatened. She feels the girl’s terror, sees the poor state of her home, and smells strange and awful things—like the blood pooled around her mother and the faint whiff of a body beginning to decompose. With the help of her visions and Detective Brendan Gilchrist, Amanda races to save the little girl before she meets her mother’s fate.

Excerpt:

With a start, Amanda looked at the floor. The razor-sharp chef’s knife she had been using to slice onions lay within a millimeter of her bare feet. “That would have been bad,” she murmured.

Her hand shook as she bent to retrieve the knife and place it in the sink. The onions could wait a few minutes. She reached blindly for a chair at her kitchen table and collapsed onto it. She had never had an episode like this, in the middle of doing something else. Normally, she meditated, relaxed, let her mind open itself to the ether. This… This had come at her like a tornado, invading her vision and taking control. And it was so clear, so vivid. This was not the misty, uncertain sensation she’d gone to the police with. She actually saw the child.

The girl no longer heard her parent crying—her mother, Amanda sensed—but she was even more frightened than ever. The girl’s back was to her but there was no mistaking the trembling in her shoulders and the short, shallow breaths she took. A coppery smell filled Amanda’s nostrils and she had recoiled. That probably caused her to drop the knife. She felt the same fear as the girl and everything in her urged her to run.

Never, never tell.

The words came from a man but seemed to echo in the girl’s mind. They became part of her being, her mantra. Never, never tell.

I won’t.

That was the girl’s answer. Then the vision ended, throwing Amanda back into the reality of her kitchen and a nearly severed toe.

“My God. Who is this child? Where in hell is she?” Using two hands because using one shook the bottle so badly she feared she’d miss her glass, Amanda poured herself a healthy portion of wine. After a good gulp, she felt steadier.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she grabbed her cell phone and the detective’s card from her purse. He answered after only two rings.

“This is Gilchrist.”

“Detective, I’m sorry to bother you but I want to pass on any information I have no matter how small. Oh. Sorry. This is Amanda McMasters.”

“Yes, I recognized your voice.”

His voice seemed to hold a smile that Amanda liked very much. But now was not the time to ponder the man. At the moment, she was more interested in his status in the police department than the fact he was deliciously handsome and seemed open to what she tried to do.

“I had another sense of the girl. This time I actually saw her. There might be something that could help.”

To her relief, he didn’t hesitate. “Where are you? I’ll come by.”

About the Author

A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. Writing was so much fun Dee decided to keep at it. That’s how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, she’s lucky that her dream man, childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret. For romance ranging from sweet to historical, contemporary to paranormal and more join Dee on Nomad Authors. Contact Dee at dsknight@deesknight.com.

Author links:
Website: https://nomadauthors.com
Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h8t2y6
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dee-s-knight-0500749