Dear Reader, I am so excited! I finally managed to get the manuscript up for Six Geese Laid! Thank you so much to Delilah for welcoming me back to share it with you.

This was a fun one for Rachel Wilder and I to do. It was originally written for the WROTE podcast and performed by Vance Bastien. He did such an amazing job with it! Hearing our words spoken out loud was a new experience for us.

The story came about because our friend, J. Scott Coatsworth, asked me if I’d like to contribute something for the podcast, and I thought, hey, that sounds fun! So we wrote it really fast during Thanksgiving week while we were at a family reunion.

The thing about writing fast is that it allows you to avoid the inner critic. There is power in drafting, which one learns when doing things like National Novel Writing Month (https://nanowrimo.org/). If I stop to wonder, “Is this spelled right?” “Is this the right way to say this?” “Would this really happen?” I lose the magic of the story. If I listen to the narrative I see in my head, and stay curious, then I can navigate from one piece to the next. “And then what happens?” “What would he say?” “How does that look?” I’ve heard it described as driving at night: you can’t see the whole journey, but you can see what’s in your headlights, and you can get from one end of a state to the other that way.

The other thing I enjoyed about writing this is that it’s a humorous story. It’s based in our Chicagoland Shifters world, and while there are times where things are funny, that series is urban fantasy – so, dark, angsty, and sexy. This story is a different vibe, and that was fun to experiment with going in. Short stories are always a challenge for novelists, because they need to be a full story: that means, a beginning, a middle, and an end or resolution. I find that difficult to do in a short format.

You’ll have to judge for yourself whether we hit the mark or not. But whether you decide to read it or not, I want you to know, Dear Reader, from the bottom of my heart: thank you for reading. Us authors work hard to tell stories that entertain and we are ever so fortunate to have readers like you that like to read.

Buy links (if you see your favorite retailer isn’t listed here, please drop me a note in the comments).

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3uHRcH2
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/six-geese-laid/id6473762401
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/six-geese-laid-a-catherine-noon/1144449549

*~*~*

“My own experience has taught me this: if you wait for the perfect moment when all is safe and assured it may never arrive.”
~ Maurice Chevalier

acatherinenoon.com | noonandwilder.com | writerzengarden.com | knoontimeknitting.com

November is a very special month. It’s not Thanksgiving Day—I’m Canadian, we had Thanksgiving last month. My birthday is this month. I tend to make it a month-long celebration. Go big or go home! LOL

I’ll have a small cake or a large cupcake. Something yummy. I admit to having a sweet tooth. I have plans to buy the new Shelly Laurentson book when it is released. Love her shifter romances. I’ll probably take myself out to a movie. I love going to the movies by myself. I can sit wherever I want—three rows from the front. I generally don’t eat at the movies, but I’ll likely buy a drink. There’s a good chance I’ll visit one of my favorite stores and buy myself a small treasure—maybe a crystal. I admit, I’m a crystal junkie.

I’ll also take the time to look back over the past year—the highs and lows—as they’ve all brought me to where I am today. It’s not quite New Year’s Day, but it’s close. I find it’s a good time to take stock and see where I might change some things in my life, maybe make some plans for the coming year. After all, I’m not getting any younger.

One recent milestone in my life was the celebration of my 19^th year as a published author. When I look back, I would never have believed I’d still be making my living as a writer. Yet here I am 119 books and all these years later. Who knows what the future holds in store? All I know is that I’m looking forward to it and feel blessed to still be here.

Taming the White Wolf is my latest book—number 119. Something to celebrate!

Taming the White Wolf
Lone Wolf Legacy, Book 1

White wolf Devlin Moore has spent nearly the last century following his destiny: hunting rogue werewolves. His fate is to be the only one of his kind—hardened, feared, and brutally ruthless. Only now, Devlin’s not alone. There are two others. And if that wasn’t unsettling enough, Devlin is drawn to New York City for what appears to be a human…

As far as Devlin can tell, vibrant artist Zoe Galvani is no threat. But there’s something about her— from her unusual eyes that look similar to the same shocking hue as his own, to his growing need to mark her as his that suggests magical forces may be at play.

Now there’s no escaping each other, or the attraction that grows stronger by the second. But no one, especially a human woman, should have this effect on a lone wolf. And just when he’s sure that having her could be his undoing…the truth steps out of the shadows.

If you want to read more, you can find Taming the White Wolf here:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7NTXG92/
Entangled Publishing: https://entangledpublishing.com/books/taming-the-white-wolf
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taming-the-white-wolf-n-j-walters/1143634327
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/taming-the-white-wolf
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/taming-the-white-wolf/id6450183902

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, assassins, 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 her 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

UPDATE: The winner is…Debra Guyette!
*~*~*

Where Do You Get Your Ideas?

As an author, I get asked this often.

I’m lucky. Ideas come easily to me.

I’m the person to come to if you want to bounce ideas.

It is also a problem because it never fails when I’m knee-deep into the first draft of a new book. Something pops into my head. It’s hard not to pursue the new and shiny. However, I’ve learned over the years that the good ideas stick.

I’m nosey.

I’m an only child who grew up in a rural area, so when visiting bigger families, I tried to absorb everything that went on. People tend to tell a stranger their secrets. I use what I’ve overheard in my books, You Always and Greyson.

Placement

This past summer, I spent time in airports, and they are a treasure trove of information. I admit to listening to one-sided phone calls and changing seats to overhear a family tiff. My book, Kaydee, was based on a couple’s discussion during dinner at the next table.

TV

I also watch daytime talk shows and judge shows. I am amazed at what people will share with the world. I am an avid fan of The Housewives and other Bravo shows. I know that segments are scripted or exaggerated. The side-eye moments shared in the bottom corner of the frame, or an opinion muttered spark my creativity. My upcoming release, Nothing Permanent, was based on a Steve Wilkos episode.

Magnet

I also attract the crazy and weird. I will attract somebody if you leave me sitting on the sofa in a hotel lobby for five minutes. I’ve heard about cheating exes, an alien abduction, and roommates who haven’t showered for five days. A psychic told me it was because I’m an empath and a Leo—I attract people who need understanding and a protector.

Song lyrics or a line of dialogue

I wrote an entire book based on a song I heard while driving home from a nail appointment. I kept circling the block until I plotted the book You Only.

I’ve also heard a declaration and made up a story. Things click, and off I go. That is how my book- Best came to be.

Dreams

I don’t like being a cliché, but it is true. I have lifelike dreams. I dream in color, can feel textures, and smell scents. I’ll wake up and know that I have a book. Sometimes, I dream several nights about the same subject.

My books, See Me, Better, and the upcoming Me, You & the Moon, came from dreams.

Go With It

I think that you must be open to the new and different. Sticking with what you know and are comfortable with might not spark your creativity. I took the challenge of writing a book with no on-page sex or cussing. It was not easy, but I did it. Check out Cut to the Chase, Here’s the Rub, and the upcoming Nothing Permanent.

I trust that my brain will come up with new ideas or put things together differently. That makes every day a new adventure.

For a $10 Amazon Gift Card, share what sparks your creativity.
The winner will be picked at random and contacted via e-mail.

To learn more about me and my books, visit: http://www.readmelaniejayne.com or https://www.facebook.com/MelanieJayneAuthor/

Yaelle

I am on the verge of losing everything, with nothing left to do… but let go.

Moving to Wolfsbane was a mistake. Being here has opened the world to me and my daughter, Addie. Yet instead of being thrilled that we finally found peace, I expect the worst every day.

My mate is patient and loving. But I know he wants more than I can physically offer. The therapist assures me I am making headway. Still, I am painfully aware of my shortcomings. How strong can our mate bond be if we have never been able to consummate our union? Try as I might, I can’t escape the nightmare of my time in the lab.

On top of that, the Markov brothers want to involve the Witches Council with Addie’s plight. As much as this sets my nerves on edge, I’m overruled. Matters worsen when the arrival of a member of their coven awakens horrors from my past, I’ve spent years trying to bury.

Fearing my very existence is holding back everyone I hold dear; I make the choice to banish myself and give them a chance at true happiness. Heartbroken and alone, I learn the ghosts of my past are closing in fast. Will they finish what they started in the lab? Or will the family I pushed away save me from myself?

Get your copy here!

On October 25^th of this year, I went in for total knee replacement surgery. It’s been a long time coming. In fact, the surgeon told me I probably should have had it done ten years ago. While I don’t think he’s wrong, precisely, I didn’t want to rush into anything. I was doing “all the things:” physical therapy, working out three times a week with a trainer, twice a week yoga, mindfulness meditation, pain management training, and I have lost about forty pounds in the last year. In September, my husband and I went on a work trip to San Francisco, and it became glaringly obvious that the status quo could not continue. So, I called the surgeon, and we scheduled it as soon as possible.

You’d think that would be it, right? I mean, major surgery is, well, major surgery. I met with my Human Resources team and my department head to schedule my time out of the office. Would I need medical leave? No, I would just take two weeks off, so it was done on “PTO,” or “paid time off.” I’d scheduled the week of American Thanksgiving as vacation for my family, and I “gave” that back – since I’d be out from October 25^th ’til November 8^th. And then I settled down to prepare.

What I didn’t realize, is that I was, in fact, embarking on a roller coaster.

Our annual Founders Retreat for Writer Zen Garden is the last full weekend in September. This year, we met in picturesque Park City, Utah, at a ski resort. It was, in a word, amazing. The condo we rented was enormous, with a full kitchen and huge living/dining room with a large table to seat all of us. We cooked, we wrote, and something magical happened: Dear Reader, I got my writing mojo back. I wrote more in the month of September than I’ve written in the last eight years combined. It’s felt like one long, dark slog through the Mines of Moria: first the 2016 election debacle, then the publishing world imploded (which, to be fair, had already started by then), the pandemic, the riots, the wildfires, (one of which, the Bolt Creek Fire, was within fifteen miles of our home), and the rise of fascism around the world. All of it meant that my well was bone dry. Sure, I’d try to write, and I kept up my avid journaling practice. But Story?

Nothing.

It’s immensely painful beyond words for a writer to go dry. I’ve met people who will airily assure me they don’t “believe” in writer’s block. My friend, I wish you the peace of your naivete. It happens, and it happens to the best of us. And it’s like bleeding to death with nothing coming out.

So to say I was ecstatic would be an understatement. It’s as though a part of me that had been amputated, suddenly grew back. Things started to heat up: I met some new friends through the NaNoWriMo Seattle Discord server and started writing “word sprints” with them (a word sprint is where you show up and do timed writing for, say, fifteen minutes).

When I settled in to prepare for my knee surgery, Dear Reader, I thought everything was going to be easy-peasy: I was writing again, I could take two weeks off to recover, what could go wrong?

I did not schedule any time to prepare. I worked until October 24^th, and surgery was October 25^th. That was my first mistake.

Then, the week before surgery on October 16^th, my beloved eleven-year-old cat Nadya had a stroke at 07:30 while I was on a video call with my therapist. She told me, “don’t catastrophize,” which is good advice but I knew what I knew. My husband was out with the dogs and our housemate, his brother and a retired emergency veterinary technician, was asleep. I waited for my husband to get back and my appointment to be done (which was the longest fifteen minutes of my life, let me tell you). My husband woke up his brother, and he examined Nadya, and gave us his advice.

Get her to the vet immediately and tell them it’s a thrombus. It’s not a saddle thrombus, which affects both hind legs; he said in his opinion it was a thrombus (i.e. a blood clot) that lodged in her right front leg, cutting off sensation and nerve impulses to her right leg. We got in the car and raced to the vet. I told my husband to call them first, to make sure they were open and that we were coming, and they told us the bad news: take her to the emergency hospital in Lynnwood, an hour’s drive, because they have the scanning equipment we’d need.

We got there and got her seen by the emergency techs right away. We came back home, and I naively thought I’d be able to pick her up again.

The cardiologist said that she was in early-stage heart failure. My brother-in-law and his partner, also an emergency vet tech, said they’ve seen exactly one cat survive this scenario and that cat died within three months, because once they throw one clot, it’s inevitable they’ll throw another. The treatment is unpleasant and consists of either subcutaneous medication (i.e. stabbing my cat with a needle) or oral meds (shoving a pill or, more likely, multiple pills down her throat on a daily basis), or both.

We made the decision to let her go and drove over that night after work.

Afterward, we came home and I went back to preparing for surgery, and trying to relax because relaxation is critical to good outcomes.

At 0430 the morning of surgery, my old man cat Boria fell down behind the dryer and got hung up in the wires for the dryer and the septic tank alarm. We’re not sure if he fell asleep on the dryer and fell off, or if he just got confused and climbed back there, or what. We got him out and my brother-in-law and his partner tended to him for the next two days. Meanwhile, I went in for surgery on Wednesday as planned.

Boria died in my husband’s arms on Friday, October 27^th.

Dear Reader, may you never go through back-to-back events like this.

I had planned to give you the news that Six Geese Laid, our holiday story set in the universe of the Chicagoland Shifters, is available at your favorite eBook seller. I even have it halfway uploaded onto Amazon but didn’t quite get it finished in time to get my guest post over to Delilah. I will, and my goal is to get it done by this weekend for you so you have something new to read before the holidays (our longtime fans will know this is the audio story that the talented Vance Bastien read for us on the WROTE podcast, and this is the long-awaited eBook version). And I also can tell you that Rachel Wilder and I are hard at work on our newest book series, the first of which is called, for right now at least, As the Crow Flies and is about crow and raven shifters and the trouble they get into.

I’m still doing all that, but I’m moving a bit slower than I planned. But the good news out of all of this is that I AM moving, at long last. Nadya and Boria are with me in spirit, keeping me company as I get back onto the page. And like Peggy Carter in the Marvel series, we’ve decided that I will be the bionic battle granny to my newest grandchild, who we will get to meet in June of 2024.

Talk about ups and downs, Dear Reader. My heart is sad, and glad, and grateful.

Best wishes,

Noony

Resources

• National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo: https://nanowrimo.org/
• My NaNo: https://nanowrimo.org/participants/a-catherine-noon
• Park City, Utah: Then Best Ski Resorts: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g57097-zff8-Park_City_Utah-Hotels.html
• Knee Replacement Surgery: https://www.prolianceorthopedicassociates.com/services/knee-replacement

“My own experience has taught me this: if you wait for the perfect moment when all is safe and assured it may never arrive.”
~ Maurice Chevalier

acatherinenoon.com | noonandwilder.com | writerzengarden.com | knoontimeknitting.com

Summer is winding down, but there’s still time to get out there and enjoy. If you’re looking for something to do without taking a long road trip or getting on a plane, here are some suggestions for having summer fun at home.

Play tourist in your own town or city. We’re all guilty of it. We tend to overlook what makes our town or city special when we live there. There are museums, music venues, festivals, and historical sites to be enjoyed.

Check out a new restaurant. I’m guilty of going to familiar restaurants. I don’t go out often, so when I do I want to be assured I’ll like the food and the ambiance, but it doesn’t hurt to shake things up now and maybe find a new favorite place.

Go for a walk in a new part of town. Many towns and cities have walking trails in or nearby. It’s fun to explore a new area. Maybe take a friend with you.

Go on a picnic. Whether it’s the backyard or a nearby park, pack a bag full of yummy food and get out there and enjoy a sunny day, either by yourself or with family and friends.

It won’t be long before the temperatures dip and the days grow shorter. Enjoy them while you can!

Taming the White Wolf
Lone Wolf Legacy, Book 1

The lone wolf answers to no alpha or pack. From his first transformation, he knows his destiny: to be both judge and executioner for rogue werewolves. Welcome to the spellbinding first book in New York Times bestselling author N.J. Walters intense new werewolf series.

White wolf Devlin Moore has spent nearly the last century following his destiny: hunting rogue werewolves. His fate is to be the only one of his kind—hardened, feared, and brutally ruthless. Only now, Devlin’s not alone. There are two others. And if that wasn’t unsettling enough, Devlin is drawn to New York City for what appears to be a human…

As far as Devlin can tell, vibrant artist Zoe Galvani is no threat. But there’s something about her— from her unusual eyes that look similar to the same shocking hue as his own, to his growing need to mark her as his that suggests magical forces may be at play.

Now there’s no escaping each other, or the attraction that grows stronger by the second. But no one, especially a human woman, should have this effect on a lone wolf. And just when he’s sure that having her could be his undoing…the truth steps out of the shadows.

If you want to read more, you can find Taming the White Wolf here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7NTXG92/
Entangled Publishing: https://entangledpublishing.com/books/taming-the-white-wolf
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taming-the-white-wolf-n-j-walters/1143634327
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/taming-the-white-wolf
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/taming-the-white-wolf/id6450183902

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, assassins, 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 her 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

UPDATE: The winner is…Amy Dudley!
*~*~*

This old silberback is a handsome thing, isn’t he? Although, he does look liked he’s ready to eat a booger.

And why am I posting his picture? Well, my day started at 5:15 because I awoke from a nightmare, and there was no way I was going back to sleep.

I dreamed that my daughter and I had decided to hike a trail in the woods. We came across this hut that was mostly fallen down. As we passed a fallen wall, I thought I heard a sound from under the section of wall and stepped closer to peer under it. A set of glowing eyes stared back.

I backed away and told my daughter to run as the creature crawled from underneath the rubble. At first, I thought it was a silverback gorilla, because from his torso up, that’s how he appeared, but as he stood, his legs were too long and his posture was upright. I was looking at Big Foot! We ran, and he followed, bellowing down the path, his footsteps making the ground shake. We made it to the car and managed to get on the road. When I looked back, he stood in the middle of the road beating his chest.

Back home, we were nervous wrecks but laughing at our close call until I heard a thump at the back door, and it crashed inward. Big Foot folded himself downward to fit in the space and stepped inside—and that’s when I woke up.

So, it got me thinking. Why aren’t gorillas ever featured in shifter stories? Is it because their expressions are so human that it’s creepy? Aren’t they as sexy as bears or wolves? They have such ferocious-looking faces, I can’t see it, but then when you look at a bear up close, I don’t see the attraction either.

So, for a chance to win a download of your choice from my backlist, answer that question, or tell me which creatures you think make the sexiest shifters.

And I can’t be more excited! This has been a labor of love from start to finish. Silver Soldiers is the 7th BBB anthology, featuring authors you know well and authors you’re going to love meeting for the first time. What’s more exciting? This 81,000–word book is only $0.99! We want as many people as possible to read it, so we’re making it accessible and affordable to all. If you haven’t already picked up your copy, all the links to your favorite online shops are below.

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who contributed stories to this collection, as well as to the authors who submitted but didn’t make it into this book. Thank you for the privilege of letting me read your stories! Well done, all!

Take a peek below to see why I’m so excited! There is truly something to suit everyone’s tastes. Heat levels vary but all stories are explicit. The genres are varied—historical, science fiction, contemporary, and paranormal. And every one of the tales has a happily ever after or at least a happy for now/hint of happy in the future.

If you read the collection, please tell someone else what you enjoyed. Write a review. That’s the best reward a reader can give an author (or group of authors) for their hard work.

Happy reading! ~DD

SILVER SOLDIERS: A BOYS BEHAVING BADLY ANTHOLOGY will satisfy the reader who craves stories with older alpha male heroes—those salt-and-pepper hotties with crow’s feet earned through rugged training and years of combat. Former soldiers finding their footing after their first careers, or current soldiers nearing the end of their military careers. They’re ready to find the right partner to put down roots, ones who aren’t afraid of scars and rough edges.

Fight Like Cats and Wolves by A.J. Harris – After their helicopter is forced down by a rogue war machine, an Army veteran must use wits and fangs to survive with his mysterious pilot

Handfasted to the Highlander Warrior by Aurora Russell – A hardened warrior reluctantly prepares to release his vivacious bride from their handfasted union…until a sweet, sexy surprise changes everything.

SNAFU—Situation Normal, All F***ed Up by Ava Cuvay – A sidelined Army cyborg’s only joy is the dimpled smile of a curvy Pentagon admin until she offers him a proposition he should refuse

Operation Purple Sparkle Diamond by Brenda Margriet – A resolute Afghan veteran deploys on his most desperate mission yet—wooing the hesitant heart of his daughter’s kindergarten teacher

Ripples by Delilah Devlin – A former Special Forces soldier, looking forward to the peace and quiet of his new houseboat, finds his solitude shattered by the arrival of his neighbor and her kid.

SEAL in Distress by Denise De Marco – While dealing with an unwanted inheritance, a former SEAL confronts his toughest battle yet against an unexpected woman

Storm on the Bayou by Elle James – A retired Navy SEAL and a pretty parish deputy hole up in a bayou fishing shack, weathering a violent meteorological and unexpectedly passionate storm

Star Diplomacy by Kimberly Dean – With the threat of an interplanetary war looming, a hardened military negotiator must find a way to connect with the enemy’s beautiful ambassador

Take Me to the Water by Michal Scott – An unexpected dare holds the key to a second chance with the disgraced Buffalo soldier she’s never stopped loving

This Time Forever by N.J. Walters – A retired Delta Force operator thwarts a holdup, saving the life of the woman he left behind twenty-seven years ago

Weathering the Storm by Natasha Moore – During a violent storm, a stranger walks into a woman’s bar who reminds her of the lover she lost who died behind enemy lines years ago

Sarge in Charge by Reina Torres – When lowlifes threaten the curvy bar owner in his Arizona town, the president of the Broken Arrow MC proves he’s the sarge in charge

Broken Trust by Rhonda Lee Carver – A retired SEAL must protect an old flame who’s feisty and more dangerous than any criminal—and dead if he can’t earn her trust

Clear to Engage by Sukie Chapin – One struggling bookshop owner, one hot-as-hell former SEAL-turned-carpenter, one line drawn in the sand—until the job is done, they’re not clear to engage