Hi Readers!

At last!!!  I put out the first four books of the Delos series, and later, wrote sequels to each one of them.  The first of those sequels, Secret Dream, is following Cav and Lia from Nowhere to Hide, Book 1.  I’ll be rolling out three more, one a month!  I’m excited to hear from you as to whether you like having a sequel after the “big” book. So do let me know! Below is an excerpt from SECRET DREAM.  Enjoy!

Secret Dream

Sequel novella to Nowhere to Hide, Book 1, Delos series
Publishing date: 7.25.16
Ebook, paperback and audio
www.lindsaymckenna.com

Ex-Navy SEAL Cav Jordan faces danger daily in his job as a security expert. He even faced down a gang of South American drug dealers to protect his fiancée, Lia Cassidy. So why is he terrified of meeting her parents? Having lived through his own horrible childhood Cav can’t understand the situation is he is walking into. Lia just wants him to meet her parents. Why does this feel like the fight of his life?Secret Dream by Lindsay McKenna

“Steve Cassidy. Welcome, Mr. Jordan.  We owe you a lot.”  He gripped Cav’s hand, and choked out, “You saved Lia’s life.  Thank you…”

For a moment, Cav was stunned by the sudden kindness emanating from the farmer’s expression who was thin, wiry, sunburned and physically sinewy from the daily work he did.  Gripping the farmer’s calloused roughened hand, he said, “Nice to meet you, sir.  And I was just doing my job.  Call me  Cav?”

“Call me Steve.”  He clapped him heartily on the back, still clasping his other hand.  “And you’re a hero to us, son. Nothing less.”  Steve released him, keeping his hand on Cav’s broad shoulder, watching Lia clinging to he mother, both of them in a tight, loving embrace with one another.

Embarrassed by such a show of emotions, Cav murmured, “Thank you, sir.”

Steve gave him an assessing look.  “Just Steve will do.”

“Yes, sir….I mean, okay,” Cav stumbled.  It was very different meeting people who were strangers, but this was Lia’s parents and he didn’t want to fuck this up for her.  Awkwardly, he stood there, watching tears roll down Susan’s face.  He wasn’t sure that Lia wasn’t crying too, such was the tight bond they shared.  Obliquely, his mind leaped backward.  Cav remembered the times his mother had cried.  But they were tears of pain.  Tears mingled with blood from her nose, a split lip or both after his father got done beating her up.  How many times had Cav cried alone in his room wishing she would run away with him from his monster father?

Steve clapped him on the shoulder.  “Let’s us guys go find your luggage, huh?” and he smiled a little.

Good idea!  “Yes, sir—“

Steve laughed and patted him warmly on the back.   “You’re staying a week with us, Cav.  I’ll work that military side out of you by then.  Come on, let’s hunt up that luggage you and our Lia, eh?”

There was a male gruffness mingled with warmth to Steve that made Cav want to open up to the man.  He had a deeply weathered face, his blue eyes the same color as Lia’s.  The woman he loved had her mother’s same color of hair, her father’s sparkling, mischievous looking eyes and her smile.  There was benevolence to Steve Cassidy, and Cav automatically found himself wanting to be close to this man who exuded a male gentleness he rarely found in any man.  “Thanks for coming to pick us up,” Cav said, noting that the baggage from their flight would be spit out by Carousel Two.

“We’ve been looking forward to seeing you two,” Steve said, standing with his hands on his hips, watching the luggage starting to be dropped off the conveyor belt.  “Did you have a good flight?”

“Yes.  It was quiet. That’s all I ask.”

“We don’t travel much,” he said.  “With a farm, you can’t walk away from it, so I’m glad you came for a visit.”

Cav felt Steve’s genuine sincerity.  He hooked a look over his shoulder, seeing Lia and her mother talking animatedly with one another as they walked toward them.  Susan had given Lia her smile and her beauty, no question.  He liked that the mother had hooked her arm around Lia’s waist and they walked closely, their affection for everyone to see.  He knew Lia’s affection himself and already, he could see how happy she was at being home with her parents once more.  They breathed even more life into her, if that was possible.  Compared to the ghost of a person she was in Costa Rica months earlier, Cav was stunned at Lia’s natural radiance.  She was sunshine to his darkened soul who craved her.

“Uh oh,” Steve murmured, grinning as he turned.  “I’m about to get attacked.”

For a moment, the word put Cav on instant guard. But as he turned, he saw Steve opening his arms as Lia flew into them, her arms wide open, joy radiant on her face as she clung to her father.  A lump formed in his throat as he watched Lia being swallowed up by the big man who kissed her hair, kissed that cheek that had that deep scar on it, his eyes only for his beaming daughter in his arms.  His gaze flicked to Susan, who stood a few feet away, teary eyed, smiling, her lower lip trembling as she watched Lia with her doting father.  It hurt to swallow and Cav turned away, remembering too much of the twisted and distorted family he’d somehow managed to survive.  He’d never known a moment of affection from his father.  Only his fist.  His hatred.  His anger always aimed at him.

UPDATE: The three winners are…Galina Sulaiman, Jen B., and Pansy Petal!

* * * * *

I am at my desk today. No babysitting. How did that miracle happen? The 7-year-old didn’t need 3-4 days of recovering in the hospital! The doctor sent her home the next day. He told her he’d had football players who’d undergone the same surgery and they hadn’t been able to stick the pain like she could. They were “weenies” compared to her. So, she’s home, ensconced in her “infirmary” (the living room). Her poor mom is exhausted, and I will spell her, but not until after I get one bit of work completed first! So, the cancer-filled tibia is gone. Completely. We hope that took care of the issue, but she will be checked for recurrences of her cancer pretty much for the rest of her life.

In the meantime, I have a brand new naughty stepbrother story out! I had so much fun writing it. My heroine’s a phone sex operator whose SEAL brother catches her “on the job”. Let’s just say, he’s not pleased… 🙂 Don’t have your copy? It’s only $0.99! And KU subscribers can pick it up for FREE!

Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His SEAL Team

When Sara’s stepbrother surprises her with an early return from
a mission, he brings two of his Navy SEAL teammates along…

Get your copy!

Contest

Three winners will choose one of my previous Stepbrothers Stepping Out stories! All you have to do to enter is answer me this…

If you had all the money in the world, where would you be right now?
And what would you be doing?

You can win one of these stories…

Just came back from a convention and had the opportunity to hang around some of my great military writer friends, some of whom also write Navy SEAL romances. First, let me start by saying that writing romance is writing fiction. These stories need to have enough truth in them to be believable, but they are all made up stories, at least mine are.

One of the things buzzing around was a question of Navy SEAL medics, and whether or not they were actually SEALs. There was a former SEAL who served in the 1960’s who said they were not. A whole room full of people I’m sure took notes.

The truth is, and I corrected him privately, the SEALs are changing every year, every few months. What was “gospel” at one time is no longer valid now. So when the discussions come up about what’s accurate and what’s not, it depends on your point of view as far as dates of service, and it also depends on the story. Publishers can get misinformation and their editors can actually question certain truths they have been mislead by. I heard examples of it this weekend.

But the fact remains, Navy SEAL medics today are deployed to all 10 SEAL Teams. They are also trained in all the other specialties, so that if one falls, another can take up the post. Marcus Luttrell was one, tells about it in his book, Lone Survivor. In the Vietnam era, when the SEALs were new, they lacked medics to help these guys because they were losing them on the field before they could get to the hospital. Many were retired as “SEALs” but never went through the BUD/s training.

Now it is different. But books written years ago, might reflect the old “rules” if I can say that.

So, if someone starts blogging or speaking about certain things not being factual or accurate in a writer’s SEAL story, just walk away. There are much more productive ways to determine if a writer is your favorite. We all do the best we can. Movies get it wrong. TV gets it wrong every day. Publishers get it wrong. Editors get it wrong. Writers get it wrong. But this is fiction.

About Sharon Hamilton

Sharon Hamilton is a NYT and USA/Today bestselling author most known for her SEAL Brotherhood series.

A lifelong organic gardener, Sharon lives with her husband in the Wine Country of Northern California, where most of her stories take place. When she’s not writing, she’s getting verra verra dirty in the mud, or wandering Farmer’s Markets looking for new Heirloom varieties of vegetables and flowers.

Her latest release is Band of Bachelors: Alex.

I’m so excited to share my newest release with you, STRONG SILENT SEAL, Book 2 in my SEALs of Coronado Series!

The hero is Navy SEAL Logan Dunn, a hunk who has a body worthy of a Greek god despite his love of junk food. He’s not necessarily looking for a relationship, but when he meets wedding planner Felicia Bradford, he considers changing his mind despite the fact she’s holding him at gunpoint!

He does what any Navy SEAL would do—he saves the girl and takes out the bad guys.

Wedding planner Felicia Bradford is in trouble. Mercenaries are holding her sister hostage and threatening to kill her unless Felicia helps them steal top secret information from the Navy’s Special Operations Headquarters. Having no other way to access the base, she pulls a gun on the first man in a Navy uniform she finds, demanding he get her through the gate.

Navy SEAL Logan Dunn just got back from a mission in Syria and is looking for a little down time to relax. That plan goes out the window when a beautiful woman shoves a gun in his back and begs him to do something he can tell she clearly doesn’t want to do. Logan does what any Navy SEAL would do in the same situation—he saves the girl and takes out the bad guys.

But their actions that day kick off a crazy chain of events, including a fast-burning whirlwind romance, an out-of-control sister, an insane covert plot involving a defecting Russian pilot, a mercenary bent on revenge, and a sunrise wedding for a bride who never wakes up before noon.

Getting through her sister’s kidnapping will look like a piece of cake compared to what comes next.

Excerpt
https://www.paigetylertheauthor.com/BooksStrongSilentSEAL.html 

Amazon
https://amzn.to/1MQaaPi 

B&N
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/strong-silent-seal-paige-tyler/1123600972?ean=2940152794571

KOBO
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/strong-silent-seal 

iBOOKS
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/strong-silent-seal/id1097671833?mt=11 

All Romance eBooks
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-strongsilentseal-2003577-153.html 

*hugs*
Paige

UPDATE: The winners are Melissa Packett and Pat Freely!
See comments for instructions!

* * * * *

All you SEAL lovers—get ready to get your freak on! And yes,
I’m hearing Missy Elliott’s song in my head! 🙂

Military Super-bundle of eleven novellas and novels by New York Times, USA Today and award-winning bestselling authors: Lynn Raye Harris, Cora Seton, Zoe York, Kimberley Troutte, Jennifer Lowery, Elle James, Delilah Devlin, Kat Cantrell, Anne Marsh, Kate Pearce and Amity Lassiter.

Get your copy here!

HOT SEAL RESCUE (HOT SEAL Team) by NYT and USAT Bestselling Author LYNN RAYE HARRIS. Navy SEAL Cody “Cowboy” McCormick gets a whole lot more than he bargained for when a gorgeous woman with a gun abducts him in broad daylight.

A SEAL’s OATH (SEALs of Chance Creek) by NYT and USAT Bestselling Author CORA SETON. Wanted: one wife, one baby. Love not required. Navy SEAL Boone Rudman has six months to find a wife and get her pregnant or he’ll lose his chance to win 1500 acres of prime Montana ranch land. So when he discovers Riley Eaton living on his new ranch, all grown up from the tomboy she used to be, he decides she’ll do for his bride–whether or not she’s got other plans.

FALL DIRTY (SEALs Undone) by NYT and USAT Bestselling Author ZOE YORK. Navy SEAL Hunter Dex is a man on a mission–to discover all of his beautiful new girlfriend’s deepest desires.

BRING THE HEAT (SEAL EXtreme Team series) by RITA-nominated NYT and USAT Bestselling Author KIMBERLEY TROUTTE. When hostiles ambush an Army convoy with top-secret weapons and hold his wife hostage, Navy SEAL Tavon Sting faces an impossible choice–protect the White House and his team or save the woman he loves more than life.

A SEAL’s PROMISE (Book #4, SEAL Team Alpha) by NYT and USAT Bestselling Author JENNIFER LOWERY. Brogan Steele is a hard-as-nails Navy SEAL. Inheriting half of a spa doesn’t fit any part of his life. His attempt to be a silent partner bombs when he falls for his beautiful partner.

SEAL’S DECEPTION (Take No Prisoners Book #8) by NYT and USAT Bestselling Author ELLE JAMES. A Navy SEAL poses as bodyguard to a sexy CIA operative undercover as the arranged bride of a Saudi prince in search of the biological weapons sale traced to the Prince’s palace.

BABY, IT’S YOU (Uncharted SEALs, Book #5) by NYT and USAT Bestselling Author DELILAH DEVLIN. Carter Vance, Jr. stands at the fork in the road. Wounded in action, the Navy SEAL has a decision to make: whether to find work with a spec ops unit, or return to his family ranch in Texas and repair his fractured relationship with his dying father and the woman he wronged. Complicating the decision is his reignited attraction to Melanie Schaeffer and his confusion over his feelings for his dead brother’s little girl, whom Melanie has raised since his brother’s and her sister’s deaths by a terrorist’s bomb.

COMMANDING HER SEAL (ASSIGNMENT: Caribbean Nights) by award-winning author KAT CANTRELL. Lieutenant Commander Charlie St. Croix needs some downtime to decide if he should reenlist. What better way to recharge than with Audra Reed, a hot redhead who’s a self-confessed adrenaline junkie?

The TROUBLE WITH SEALS (ASSIGNMENT: Caribbean Nights) by NYT and USAT Bestselling Author ANNE MARSH. A quick, straightforward business transaction rapidly becomes something else when a Navy SEAL butts heads with a beautiful woman over a piece of paradise.

ONCE A SEAL (The Morgan Ranch series) by NYT and USAT Bestselling Author KATE PEARCE. After an eventful career as a Navy SEAL, Jay Williams returns home to Morgantown, California to take over the running of his family’s bar. After being rescued from a hostage situation and barely emerging alive Erin Cooper definitely has trust issues… There’s only one person who will tell her the truth. Her mystery SEAL might not know it, but he’s her last chance…

A COWBOY SEAL’s BRIDE by Bestselling Author AMITY LASSITER. Navy SEAL Lane Sutton wants to retire to the ranch his grandfather left him and battle his demons in peace. Too bad the only way to legally claim the ranch is to marry a woman from his past. A woman who once rejected his proposal and will surely be hell bent on doing so again. But this time, there’s no way Lane’s letting her–or his ranch–go without a fight.

Contest

If you’d like to catch up on the rest of my Uncharted SEALs, you can check out the titles by clicking on the covers here. Two lucky commenters will get a chance to start their reading adventure, because I’ll give them their choice of one of these stories!

Meet Sharon Hamilton’s Newest Bachelor!

Band of Bachelors: Alex by New York Times Bestselling Author Sharon Hamilton is now on sale!

Adrenaline junkie and Navy SEAL Alex Kowicki is one of four bachelor SEALs trying to navigate his successful military career while achieving his goals as a first class connoisseur of beautiful women. He isn’t ready to jump back into anything but his free falls, HALO drops or his missions overseas. He trusts his buddies to fix him up with another blind date that won’t be as dangerous as his last ones.

But Sydney Robinson has other plans. A beach volleyball player who can spike better than most men, she knows how to execute a series of events that include stalking the handsome SEAL all the way to Sonoma County, capturing him in a winery and delivering his carcass to her bed for keeps. Along the way, the two of them fight a home-grown terrorist cell in a duel that might cost one of them their lives.

This is Book 2 of Sharon’s Band of Bachelors series and was preceded by Band of Bachelors: Lucas (Book 1). Sharon’s bestselling SEAL books include the following series about the fictional SEAL Team 3: SEAL Brotherhood, Bad Boys of SEAL Team 3, Band of Bachelors, True Blue SEALs, and Nashville SEALs.

And now a Special Excerpt from BAND OF BACHELORS: ALEX…

She hesitated. He was good at brushing people off. Regardless of their world-class evening and morning, he could separate that. He could walk away. Her heart fluttered slightly as she realized perhaps she could not. Or just didn’t want to.

“So what do you want to know?”

“Who are you, Sydney?”

And boy was that the right question! Not who are you dating, who do you hang around, what do you do all day? It was usually the question that came up after the second or third date, just before she was about to exit stage right.

Her answer was measured, and well practiced.

“I want more out of life than life’s given me so far, but I’m not complaining. I just want more of it. I want the juice of life, not to live life. I’m looking to get a good partner and travel the world playing volleyball until my knees ache and my back or shoulder gives out. And after volleyball? Who knows what I can do at eighty?” She gave him the smile she’d given so many other dumbstruck men over the few years since she’d been dating. It was always the same. It also usually got same reaction.

But this time, she saw something ignite inside Alex. The backdrop of lonely sea gull cries, the salty gentle breeze and the sounds of metal clanging as work began late at the docks, only enhanced the excitement brewing in her belly. She was struck with the beauty and power of something maybe dangerous about this man. And also something so beautiful, her eyes watered.

Can’t wait to keep reading? Get your copy of ALEX now: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
(Print & audio coming soon!)

About the Author

Sharon Hamilton is a NYT and USA/Today bestselling author most known for her SEAL Brotherhood series. She also writes Golden Vampire and Guardian Angel series.

A lifelong organic gardener, Sharon lives with her husband in the Wine Country of Northern California, where most of her stories take place. When she’s not writing, she’s getting verra verra dirty in the mud, or wandering Farmer’s Markets looking for new Heirloom varieties of vegetables and flowers.

I’m in editing mode today. Working on someone else’s wonderful pages. When I finish, I’ll go back to wrapping up my next Uncharted SEAL story, Baby, It’s You. Love SEALs who are cowboys? Yeah, that’s what’s next. In the meantime, the excerpt below is a reminder of what came before… Enjoy!

Comment for a chance to win one of these stories!

Her Next Breath

Ex-SEAL Jackson Keller’s first mission with the Charter Group’s spec ops unit is a bust. Instead of capturing a drug lord in his Mexican compound, he finds a beautiful, naked woman. But she may have information they need to nail the narco-terrorist, so he takes her, sealing his fate. She’s his to watch, his to “manage” until the op’s done.

Suri McAnally’s made some mistakes—mainly trusting her college roomie who just so happens to be the son of one of Mexico’s most dangerous drug lords. If Jackson can save her, she’ll do whatever he says, mirror his moves, and try to keep her insta-lust under control. Her next breath depends on it.

Buy at Amazon!

When Suri awoke, it was to discover she was resting inside the curve of Jackson’s arm, her thigh draped over his, her head on his chest. She didn’t know who’d moved the blanket. Maybe they’d both naturally gravitated together. She hated to think she might have been the one to cross the line demarking their personal space.

Partly because she didn’t want to wake him, and partly because it was a new experience lying inside a man’s embrace, she held her breath and remained perfectly still. She breathed in his scent, which was a sagey musk combined with the remaining odor of the paint he’d worn on his face. His skin was smooth, warm, tanned and cloaked a hard, very muscular frame. Her fingertips tingled, and she very nearly gave into the temptation to run one tip over his hard abs. Instead, she curled her hand into a fist.

Last night when she’d seen him fully for the first time—without the paint, his body nearly nude—she’d felt her knees wobble. He was devastatingly handsome, not in a pretty-boy way. He was too manly, too large, all hard angles and lovely bulges, with short, nearly dark-brown hair and those cloudy gray eyes. Even the stubble on his chin made her thighs clench.

Suri hoped she didn’t sleep beside him for many more nights or she’d grow accustomed to his physique. Any man she met after this little adventure would pale in comparison.

Her glance traveled downward to the sheet barely covering his hips. Maybe it was the fold of the sheets, but the fabric was tented.

“Playing possum?”

She raised her head and met his gaze, blushing because she’d been caught staring at his sex.

“Didn’t want to disturb you.”

“You’re breathing, aren’t you?” he muttered in a graveled tone.

She frowned, not understanding, and then pushed away from his body although she instantly regretted the loss of his warmth. When she’d first awoken, she’d felt sheltered, safe—and not just from Diego and his henchmen. She’d felt…cherished.

Ridiculous, she knew. And slightly pathetic. Was she really so needy for human connection that she was romanticizing over Jackson?

But in the morning light, his face wasn’t quite so hard-bitten. Scruffy, dark bristles covered his chin and jaw; his gaze rested on her rather than spearing her.

His glance cut away, and he looked at his watch. “Chow’s nearly over. We should dress.”

“I’m starved.”

The corners of his mouth twitched.

His first smile?

And then his features grew remote again, his mouth firmed. “Get dressed. I need to check in with Teague.”

Aware his gaze followed her still, she rose and stretched her arms high, and then headed to her pillow case.

“You do that on purpose, don’t you?”

She aimed a grin over her shoulder. “Why, whatever do you mean?”

His gaze narrowed, but a one-sided smile curved.

Feeling as though she’d accomplished something noteworthy, she entered the bathroom, closing the door against the temptation that was Jackson Keller.