If you love books, reading, AND winning contests, don’t forget to enter today to win a signed print copy of book 2 in the Refuge Bay series, Zachary Undone!
I’m giving away FOUR print copies and mailing them out all over North America, LOL, thanks to our wonderful friends at GOODREADS!
Enter here: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/335743-zachary-undone-the-men-of-refuge-bay-book-2
And good luck!!
p.s . FYI There are three books in the series. There’s also a Christmas one that’s a standalone, Book 3, and Nathan Unwrapped is Book 1!
p.s. Lest I forget the preorder link (okay, I did, but came back in to add it lol), here it is! https://www.amazon.com/Zachary-Undone-Men-Refuge-Book-ebook/dp/B09KYHMY3N/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=zachary+undone&qid=1639589120&sr=8-1
Win a $10 Amazon gift card…just in time for the holidays!
AND…a free backlist Susan Saxx e-book!
~~~~
Good morning!
Life never seems to slow down, does it? Are you the same? Here I thought I was all ready early for Christmas, and that that would ease things up. Well, honestly, it has. The two trees are up, and most of the prezzies are wrapped. (See the pic of how my wrapping went on the right, lol).
What I didn’t realize was that that would just free me up more to start drafting the next book! So I’ve been massively busy working on Seth Unraveled, while still picking up a few little prezzies here and there :-), and there’s a pile of them still to be wrapped too. I’m also working on Zach’s launch, and yeah. I’m still a flaming newbie at all that. 🙂
(More wrapping highlights: here’s a pix of one of the cuties. He almost held the tape for me…)
Also, one of my besties surprised me with a tiny mountain of wrapped prezzies too – they’re on my dining room table right now, and they’re an ADVENT calendar of gifts! So every day I get to unwrap one. (Yeah, I’ve been pretty damn good, except for yesterday. But who can resist one that you KNOW is chocolate, lol? Okay, there’s a whole story on that…)
This morning was two stunning Christmas red and green plaid tea towels, with a thin thread of sparkly gold running through them. (Oh, who can resist the sparkly? I can’t.) Sigh. It’s a wonderful way to wake up every morning (especially after some of the nights I have!)
So, that’s life in the fast lane, over here. I hope you’re doing good with whatever preparations you’re smack in the middle of.
Now, on to the GOOD STUFF…
I’m super proud of this book — Zachary Undone — and this story. Zach, with his decent, good and wounded heart really is the star of this story. I love him. Yet all the others at Refuge Bay also shine, for me. Galen (his hoped for squeeze), Nathan, Og and Trasher. Seth, Palmer. All of them. I’m really loving these people and love writing about their inherent goodness – through a ton of conflict they have to wade through.
TWO CONTESTS!
Anyhow, in honour of Zach‘s release this coming Friday, I have TWO giveaways prepared for you!
Enter to win a signed, first edition print copy of Zachary Undone! (4 winners in the U.S. and Canada will be chosen by Goodreads, then I’ll get busy and email them out, happily! :))
2 . Rafflecopter contest for the $10 Amazon gift card and a backlist single copy ebook of mine! Enter the Goodreads Giveaway, supply your Goodreads Handle where you entered it, then IF YOU CHOOSE you can tweet about the giveaway and do a few other actions to get even MOAH entries for the gift card and book!
And if you refer ten friends, you can get 10 extra entries!
Fyi – Check out the Contest Queen if you love winning free stuff. The energy just vibrates off her…and she’ll help you win stuff – all the time! (I love her!!)
~~~~
That’s all for this newsletter. Here’s Zach, below. I
‘ll email next week a couple of times, too, so you don’t miss out on the contests! =)
HE’LL WALK BACK INTO HELL TO PROTECT THOSE HE LOVES
It’s ended. All of it. Because of his secret, shameful past.
The family he’s surrounded himself with. The healing. The epic sparks–could it be love?–between him and sexy Irishman Galen. The ones that could light up the damn sun.
Now, everyone Zach loves is threatened. Including the amazing little girl his best friend and his partner have adopted. The one he loves like no other. And worse–they don’t even know it.
It’s time for action. Former military man Zachary will walk back into hell to save those he loves…no matter the cost to himself.
Fans of Nathan and his partner Og, their little girl, Trasher, and Irishman Galen Tilth (from Book 1, Nathan Unwrapped) will love this next installment of Refuge Bay!
—
*Book 1 in The Men of Refuge Bay series is NATHAN UNWRAPPED.
That’s it. Don’t forget to enter the 2 contests. And Good Luck! 🙂
Can’t you just smell the earthy scent of that forest?
I know we’ve almost seen the end of October 2021, but we’re having amazing weather in my area the last little while – the final few days of our ‘second summer’, I guess. The big trees outside my window still have all their leaves. It’s like everything has stopped breathing….there’s a hush. And we’re all waiting…together.
🍁 🍁 🍁
I’d like to treat you to an excerpt of my first Delta North Team novel today. Cole Dawson, a Canadian soldier and former leader of the elite Delta North Team Special Ops unit has come home to a ranch filled with trouble, and family issues.
It’s challenging. Doesn’t help he’s on his own, and it all falls to him…
A Real Man: The First Miracle
Cole Dawson strode through the wing of Toronto’s Mount Sinai hospital, a frown on his tanned face. His worn cowboy boots clattered on the shiny terrazzo floor, and he held back an urge to spit.
How the hell had Jack Elbert Dawson Sr., the toughest man he knew, ended up in a cardiac rehabilitation ward?
No matter. He had to see Dad himself. Reassure himself the man, only sixty plus a few years young, was still going strong.
He rounded the hallway, fielded a couple of nurses he’d hadn’t seen yet, noted their upturned brows and lightning-fast looks of inquiry, then headed down the stretch to Dad’s room.
Caught the vibration in his pocket. Damn. He’d forgotten to turn his cell off, like all the signs yelled at him to. He yanked it from his faded jeans. Probably one of the posse back home desperate for news about Dad or Boss, whichever Jack Dawson was to them.
The list of emails flashed, the requisite ads. A couple from Delilah Toms, his agent, still in touch. Some from Jesse, his lead hand, already responded to.
And there was the latest message, bolded. Waiting. Impatiently. From Krystal. Figured. No preamble, just straight and to the point.
—How’s he doing?
Only third time this morning she’d asked.
He texted back with work-hardened thumbs barely hitting all those damn buttons.
—Just about to see, Sis.
And then added, because Krys did fret so much—had to be that artistic temperament she kept telling everyone she had—
—I’ll let you know as soon as I see him.
But Krys, astute young woman she was, wasn’t ready to let him go yet. There came the telltale words, where she shared what she wouldn’t, with anyone else…
—Cole…I’m scared.
That’s all it took, and his mind was back with her. With all the family, back at their beloved ranch at the foothills of the Rockies in Dawson Ridges, British Columbia. Where the northern winds blew down from Alaska, decimated the land with its unforgiving iciness. Where Deep River surged, in the spring, then finally let go, and the hills, the lowlands all flushed an emerald seen nowhere else on God’s green earth.
Where right now, until everything was fixed and the ranch was sorted, there was a huge, gaping hole.
Jack Elbert Dawson was that hole. He had to be back there. Healthy, sound, barking out orders again, at his spread of countless acres.
But right now, Cole needed to ease the worry in his sister and tame the crazy, if he could. Hell, he had tons of experience, right? As the respected platoon leader Dark Storm for the elite Delta North Team, a special unit cobbled together from both Americans and Canadians, like their forerunner The Devil’s Brigade, he’d had to bolster many a soldier under him. Strengthen them, give them courage. He’d done it every which way he could.
Here? Redirection might work.
—How’s mom? The others?
Krys answered, using the voice command feature she loved. Because she could pound out voluminous responses that way, without doing any work.
—What do you expect? Mom’s baking up a whole bunch of Dad’s favorites, filling the freezer. Says she’ll be busy tending him, or trying to, when he comes home, so she wants to be ready. Fighting off Baxter, John QT and Roger, who all want to lick the bowl every time she’s done a batch, and are jumping at the counter, fighting among themselves.
A smile curved on his face. Baxter was their squat little pug, the one who wanted to rule the world, and sometimes just about managed it. John QT was their highly intelligent wolfhound. Roger was an untamed, furry, who knew the heck what. Irrepressible in spirit, but oh, so loyal.
A more unlikely trio you’d never meet, but they were inseparable. They spent their days together, visiting the various operations and people around the ranch.
Making their rounds, Mom called it. Doing their shifts, Dad snorted. They spent a ton of time in the ranch house, in the kitchen when things were going on—and when weren’t they? At night, they cuddled with each other or various members of the family in the huge, rustic living room everyone gravitated to.
They all needed to be back there. Especially Dad. Cole thumbed his own response back.
—Her own fault. She trained them that way since they were pups. If there’s food around…
—Well, when Mom really gets tough with them, they listen. But right now she’s too worried about Dad. And it’s turning into butter tarts, date squares, and egg bread. It’s crazy the output that woman has when she gets in her mind the whole world depends on—or will one day depend on—her culinary prowess.
Cole chuckled, back in the kitchen with Krys, mentally. Watching the scene, first hand, the warm glow filling his heart again.
—That’s why Dad kept the hands on, back when we lost work, years ago. We didn’t have Dax then, and Mom was too sad when there weren’t a zillion people to cook for.
He could see her, auburn hair tied back, the odd pale swatch in it when she didn’t get to the beauty salon on time. Peeling, cooking, stirring. Singing. The dance steps interspersed with the cooking, as she tried to do her routine while handling bowls, fryers, pots. Feeding everyone, and it wasn’t only with food.
But love.
It was a special picture, and time had taught him just how special.
His throat tightened. Dad needed to come home again, be part of that picture. Be healthy, strong. Be Dad.
More from my 4 day I LOVE FALL Odyssey that I was on a few weeks back!
Guess who DIDN’T get lost in the place below! *preens*
(Of course, they never defined the time amount you needed to get out in, to be considered…NOT LOST. 23 hours and 10 minutes…does that qualify?)
Ha. Just kidding!
Though it WAS fun trailing behind my friend and throwing dry corn kernels off into the maze in front of her….
_______________________________________________
Booky News & Releases…
📚 📚 📚
Look for Zachary Undone to hit in November – book 2 of my Refuge Bay series.
Check out the reviews for Nathan Unwrapped (book 1) here, and add both to your Goodreads list here and here. Read book 1 now so you know the backstory!
Here, everything’s sunny, as summer teases us by dragging into September. Man, we had some tough humidity to get through the last two weeks, but after all the rain, I almost didn’t care.
(Almost. Almost, lol).
I got to do some summery things, too. Walks outside, small pool get-togethers (and a fire-pit!) were on the menu. I don’t know about you, but unless i get outside and enjoy the great outdoors, I feel cheated. I wasn’t cheated this summer. 🙂
I hope you all had a good summer, whatever you did!
Kitties enjoyed it, too. Though they seem to love the creature comforts, and posing in all those cute positions…
Dang. They’re so good at it…
IN ALL THINGS WRITING
I’m doing edits on Zachary’s story, the third book in the Refuge Bay series. I’ve added an extra 10k to a book I thought was already done, but early readers wanted more story between Galen and Zach, and I have to say I agree with them. ( my early readers!)
So every morning, I spend time with Zach and Galen, and I’m already working on the next book in the series. Trasher continues with her witty sayings… (But what’s an adorable, freshly adopted, past runaway little girl supposed to do??
Yup. She’s doing it. Man, I love that kid.)
As well, I’m gathering together all the fine men of the Delta North Security Force, and the ladies that will test them, and yes, drive them crazy. (I mean, us women. We have a job, right?) And there’s going to be some exciting news about this series that I can’t share yet…but I hope you’re going to love it.
Now, I’d like to share the two new books from my fellow authors in the special, multi-author world of Thackeray College..
Available NOW. 🙂
_____________________
Devon and Cooper are HERE!
only .99c each!
The Love at First Kiss Steamy College World!
Changing the Game by Laura M. Baird
Reformed nerd Cooper has loved spoiled society girl Lidia since they were kids. Now that they’re in college, he’s finally ready to do something about it. Will one kiss change the game?
Million Dollar Smile by Becky Brandt
All his life, Devon has gotten everything he’s ever wanted, but his money can’t buy the one thing he wants most: Skye. Until one scorching kiss changes everything.
Have you ever wanted to hang out at a snowy mountain ski resort?
More, in the company of a blond, handsome and hunky Ski Patrol first responder?
(Yeah. Throwing in an adorbs little puppy in ‘avvy dog’ training, too. Just to sweeten the Valentine’s Day gooey chocolate and flowers and love n’ stuff pot.)
Here’s your chance!
In my full-length novel When You Came(part of the connected REAL MEN series), the curvy, very plain-Jane academic geek Keara, is forced into a job at a newly opened ski resort in the mountains of British Columbia. This woman, though (who hates skiing), has BIG problems on her mind. Wants nothing to do with skiing, or inane pursuits like that. She has an agenda. It’s time-sensitive, and really…it’s critically important.
Yet it doesn’t help she’s forced to work with a nordic god ski patroller. Who’s her boss. Who, if she let it, makes her blood race.
Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.Ha. Not with this extra weight on me.
But things are not always what they seem. Let’s pull the curtain aside and peek into what’s happening at Snowy Peaks on Terrence Point mountain, Canada, this snowy February morning, right now….
~~~~~~
Sven and Keara strode into the ski chalet early the next morning, dogs in tow. It was Day One of the Valentine’s Day Extravaganza.
But the mood was decidedly different than just a short twenty-four hours ago. Hell.
He’d worked late the night before. Keara and Buddy had stayed with him too, because of the still present danger of Blaine, or a crony of his, finding her at the cabin. He’d been adamant on that, and there’d been no disagreement.
But after that mess of a reunion with Tara Lynn? He’d sought Keara out. He’d caught up to her where he’d first given her hell, more than a week ago, in the unfinished bit of the resort, back in the deserted area.
This time it felt like it was him that was dancing fast to give an answer that would make sense. How the tables had turned, and through no fault of his own. “Keara,” he’d said, imploring her with his eyes.
There was nothing between them, officially. No promises.
But hell, there was something between them. There could be something between them. The more time he spent with her, the more he knew there could be. Something.
He didn’t dare analyze what that something could be, but it floated in his soul daily. He knew what he felt, more and more, every day.
Peace. Trust. Enjoyment. The knowledge he could entrust her with whatever was heavy on his mind. Or light. And she’d know how to handle it. Would give it the respect or importance it deserved.
And more? The spark—the solid beginnings of a firestorm—whenever he saw her and didn’t curate it, or force it down.
A sexual firestorm. It slapped the breath from his lungs, at a moment’s notice.
Crazy Keara. Crazy, spreadsheet-loving, animal-protecting, mental superstar, Keara. Dear God. He had a thing for her. And it was becoming harder to deny, every damn day.
It was scary. Despite the fact she was currently his employee, and under him—and not in the good way–there was a little voice in him telling him to take note. This could be the big one.
Relationships. Love. All scary, all the time.
It had been scary when he was five, and it hadn’t changed one iota now that he was twenty-seven.
Who doesn’t love a snowed-in cabin in winter, especially if there’s a gorgeous, kind guy and a sweet puppy to share it with?
Keep reading to get a peek into When You Came, a Valentine’s Day novel set on Terrence Point mountain, with all of the above. 🙂
psst. I DO love Valentine’s Day. It celebrates…LOVE. And it’s a perfect day to cuddle up with a good read!
So to give you a cheer-up, and a picture into the world of Kaera, my academic-geek, curvy, anti-exercise, and anti-skiing heroine in my Valentine’s Day story (the one who’s thrown into the trendy and unfamiliar world of a newly opened ski resort in British Columbia, along with an event planner’s job she does NOT WANT), I’ve uploaded a special, sneak peek for you. It’s an excerpt of one of the winter cabin scenes.
If you’d like to be part of the VIP community and get access to all the special reads that are coming, simply sign up for my m/f newsletter, and it will tell you how to gain access. 🙂 Here’s the link!
Then settle in, and enjoy Keara and Sven’s cabin excerpt… 🙂
More from my 4 day I LOVE FALL Odyssey that I was on a few weeks back!
Recent Comments