Category Archives: adventure reading
Check out this review!
from poems_by_jojo (a friend and sister writer)
“I usually post poems, but this is a fantastic read for Pride month (or any other month). One of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors.”
Shark Shifters and Selkies
PLEASE WELCOME LYNDI’S ADVENTUROUS FRIEND KATE HILL!!!
Whenever I’m planning a new book, research is always an adventure, even if it’s mainly done at home. I love to learn new things that help me create exciting fictional worlds.
My latest release, Shifters’ Sea, is a paranormal romance featuring shark shifters and selkies. Both mythical creatures have different backgrounds. In my story I’ve tried to blend what I’ve learned about their legends with the fantasy world in my story.
Shark shifters have roots in legends from Hawaii and Greece, among other places, while selkie myths are of Celtic origin. Unlike normal sharks who are often the object of fear, shark gods and goddesses of Hawaii were protectors. Shark shifter legends in Greek mythology were often more frightening. The gods and goddesses sometimes turned people into sharks as punishment, as was the fate of the once beautiful youth Akheilos.
Selkie myths told of charming creatures that easily shifted from seal to human and held great appeal. They sometimes mated with humans who fell in love with these lovely shifters.
In my short story Shifters’ Sea, a modern shark shifter and selkie meet during a storm at sea and for them a new adventure begins.
Excerpt from Shifters’ Sea:
The seal fights its way closer to the boat. I’m about to dive in after it when it reaches the edge. Grabbing a coil of rope, I toss it overboard. The seal shifts to a blond woman. She clings to my line.
Grunting, I haul her up, fighting wind and water, until she lands, naked and panting on my deck.
“Hey are you okay?” I kneel beside her. Still breathing hard, she lifts her gaze to mine and nods. I’m momentarily stunned. She has the most amazing green eyes I’ve ever seen, not to mention a gorgeous body. Muscles, generous curves, long legs. If we weren’t in the middle of a storm, I’d be slack-jawed, but right now my main concern is to keep us afloat. Not that I couldn’t survive in the open sea, even in a storm, but I’ve gotten attached to this boat and I’d rather not lose it.
“Come on. I have clothes you can put on.”
We stand and the ship lurches. I reach out to steady her, but her sea legs are just as good as mine. Not shocking, considering what she is.
I glance off to the side. Another giant wave rises and in it, I glimpse a big, dark silhouette with glowing amber eyes. It’s gone in seconds.
“What’s wrong?” asks my unexpected guest.
“I thought I saw something, that’s all.”
Shifters’ Sea
by Kate Hill
Series: Romantic Moments
Format(s): Ebook
Heat Level: Spicy
Pairing(s): M/F
Genre/Themes: Paranormal Romance, Shifters, Instalove
Length: Short Story
Purchase Link:
Blurb:
Kai – Once upon a time, my kind were protectors, but the modern world doesn’t believe in legends, so I cruise the oceans, happily single with no responsibility. During a storm at sea, I rescue an irresistible woman and get dragged into a battle with a crazy cousin who has developed a taste for selkies.
Ivy – When I left home to escape an arranged marriage to the leader of our selkie harem, I didn’t expect to be caught in a storm and hauled aboard an old tub by a gorgeous guy. Kai is everything I want, but when I return home to tie up loose ends, I find a killer hunting my people. We selkies learn fast that to kill a shark, it takes a shark.
Note: Shifters’ Sea is a short insta-love paranormal romance. This Romantic Moments story is the perfect length for a lunch break, before bed, or any time you want a quick, romantic read.
About Kate
Kate Hill is a vegetarian New Englander who loves writing romantic fantasies. When she’s not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out, watching horror movies, and researching vampires and Viking history. She runs the Compelling Beasts Blog that is dedicated to antagonists, antiheroes, and paranormal creatures. Kate also writes as Saloni Quinby.
Visit her online at https://www.kate-hill.com. Join her newsletter at https://kate-hill.com/index.php/newsletter.
Kate’s Links:
https://www.instagram.com/katehillromance/
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/katehillromancewritingandmore
A man must make a hard choice
PLEASE WELCOME LYNDI’S ADVENTUROUS FRIEND MAGGIE BLACKBIRD!!
I write romance starring Canada’s Indigenous People. Normally, I stay within my comfort zone of contemporary and historical. But for Twisted Beauty, my latest release, I wanted to focus on the Indigenous People of North America, but with a twist. The twist comes from my fave movie The Road Warrior aka Mad Max II. I longed to take my characters into that kind of civilization where they live outside of modern society and play by their own rules.
I’m an action movie watcher at heart. Although I love romance novels and writing them, when it comes to visually immersing myself in something, it must be action or mystery. Some kind of adventure! And that’s exactly what Twisted Beauty is. Adventure in the plot, but also adventure in the character arcs of the two main male leads.
I’m not an adventurer LOL. I golf. I exercise. I walk. I enjoy working on my lawn. I don’t even get on rollercoasters haha. So I live vicariously through movies where the leads are finding themselves in all kind of adventurous situations.
Currently, I’m hooked on watching the climbs on Mount Everest thanks to YouTube. Would I go up Everest? Heck no. I enjoy a good hike, but not that far off the ground. So my characters do the crazy and wild living that I won’t. Sure, I’d love to race cars, but I’m leaving that up to Chassis (one of the male leads) to do for me in his ’69 Mustang Mach 1. Or Hunter, who sits on the passenger seat of his car, aiming a shotgun at Chassis to take him down.
I hope you enjoy reading the novel as much as I had fun writing it. Yes, it borders on dangerous and violent, but there is plenty of romance, too.
Book Blurb and Buy Links:
His community or his enemy. He can’t have both.
Deep in the badlands, long after the fall of modern civilization, Hunter patrols the area as the war chief for his Lakota community. His latest mission is to hunt down a marauder who robbed his neighbors of their precious goods. He’ll act as this man’s judge, jury, and executioner.
Having lost everything at his former Ojibway encampment, Chassis is far from home. He wanders the badlands, a grim reaper bringing death to those with what he needs to survive. But there is one man courageous enough to challenge him.
When the duo faces off, neither expects the sizzling chemistry to erupt between them, nor for their duel to touch what both have denied themselves. Now they must choose to either remain together and sacrifice their beliefs, or go their separate ways, losing what they’ve spent their lives searching for—love.
EXCERPT
The ember stirring in Chassis grew stronger, most likely because the man wasn’t a coward and had pursued him with the cunning of Nanabush. There was more going on here than a mingling of pure exquisiteness and bold masculinity. The stranger was as determined as Chassis. Most would have ignored his supposed crime. But something told him his opponent not only believed in an eye for an eye, the fucker wanted both, which was why the man had stalked him here—to kill him.
For some strange reason, he admired that.
Or he could be wrong. The people he’d robbed might be his opponent’s parents, as he’d surmised earlier. Any other reason to hunt down someone who’d robbed a couple of their food and gasoline was ludicrous.
Chassis moved the knife again but applied minimal pressure. The man’s incandescent eyes widened for a brief second and then were masked by an emotionless façade. Fear lingered, though, since he sat on the man’s chest. The vibrations coming from his captive’s rapidly pounding heart were present in Chassis’ groin.
Again, he peeked at Waabooz. Her presence reminded him why he couldn’t allow himself to become vermin. He licked his lips. But it’d be so easy to take what he wanted…
“Turn over.”
The man’s upper lip curled into a snarl. “Forget it. You want my life? Then you stare into the eyes of the man you’re gonna murder.”
“Is that what you do?” Chassis couldn’t help the amusement from creeping into his voice. It was sort of funny. The man’s ruffled feathers were about as stupid as some hero swooping in to save the day. Heroes didn’t exist. Not anymore. “Is that what you were going to do when you came here? Stare into my eyes before you killed me?”
The man snorted.
“Well?” Chassis again ran the blade across his opponent’s throat.
“Your question doesn’t merit an answer. Vermin like you don’t—” The man’s reply had spit to it.
“Vermin? I’m vermin?”
This son of a bitch was no better than Chassis. At least he was honest about what he was. He didn’t hide behind a mask, pretending to be an avenging angel out to save the day.
“That’s exactly what you are—vermin.”
Enough with the pleasantries. “Turn over,” Chassis coolly ordered.
“No.”
“Then I guess you leave me with no choice…”
Genre(s): M/M Dystopian Romance, LGBTQ+, First Nations Romance, Native American Romance
Heat Rating: Level 4 (violence, dubious consent)
Publication Date: November 3, 2023
Publisher: eXtasy Books
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Twisted-Beauty-Maggie-Blackbird-ebook/dp/B0CM8Y8NKP/
eXtasy Books: https://www.extasybooks.com/Twisted-Beauty
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/twisted-beauty-4
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144307020
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/twisted-beauty/id6471351602
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Maggie_Blackbird_Twisted_Beauty?id=40jhEAAAQBAJ&hl=en_CA
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1479229
BookStrand: https://www.bookstrand.com/book/twisted-beauty
Also available in Kobo Plus.
Author Bio: An Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes. When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most.
Links: Web Site | Facebook Page | Twitter | Goodreads | BookBub | Instagram | Amazon Author Page | eXtasy Books Author Page | Newsletter Sign-Up
Giveaway and book launch!
There is a darkness far worse than the night.
Bumper City
Detective Alton Cold Mystery Series Book 1
by Alan McGill
Genre: Futuristic Mystery Thriller
In the future, Las Vegas is nearly destroyed. Rebuilt under a dark cloud that blocks all sunlight, Sin City takes on a whole new meaning.
Beneath the neon, The Pagliacci Serial Killers are on the loose and a new drug called “Colors”, infused with nanotechnology, is killing thousands. Violence erupts as the mutant population take to the streets to protest working conditions and the disappearance of their loved ones.
Big Tech, the wealthy elite, and corrupt politicians attempt to cover it up. They can’t allow anything to interfere with the elections, profits, or their plans.
Can hard-nosed detective Alton Cold and his A.I. car Bessimer catch the killers, stop the cabal, and expose the truth? Or will the appearance of a mysterious woman cloud his judgement as the unnatural cloud darkens the sky?
To save the people he cares about, he’ll put everything on the line to confront a darkness far worse than the night.
Alan McGill is an American author who lives in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a clowder of cats. Alan was close to his grandparents who grew up in the Great Depression. They were married young and remained together until his grandmother’s passing. His grandfather served in the Navy during WWII and was a gifted storyteller who weaved humorous tales about tough events. Alan grew up with these stories of right and wrong along with watching fictional heroes such as The Lone Ranger, Adam West’s Batman and Captain America. Heroes who stood up to bullies and protected those who could not protect themselves. This made an impression on the author to always do what was right in his own life and shaped his love for storytelling. He is a multi-genre author with his debut novel being A Cry in the Moon’s Light which is a horror romance and mystery series. As with all his books, one of the primary themes involves characters who strive to do the right thing regardless of the adversity they face. The second theme present in all his books is love. A pure and deep love that defeats all evil.
A glimpse into the future?
College, careers, and adventure travel took my husband and I on an amazing journey across the U.S. and around the world, but we’ve finally come home. Some of the places we enjoyed visiting growing up have become overrun with people, but there is still plenty of remote, rugged and beautiful places to explore, including the area where I based the fictional community of Beartooth on. There are Beartooth Mountains, the Beartooth Highway, and Beartooth Pass, but there is no community except on the pages of my novels in The Beartooth Chronicles.
Currently, the Beartooth Highway is closed from about October to Memorial Day each year due to extreme amounts of snow. But what if all of the glaciers melted? What if the climate changed enough to allow year-round gardening at 9,000 feet above sea level? And what if society disintegrated to the point that life in the rest of the country became too dangerous? Being cut off from the world wouldn’t be easy, but would the sacrifices be worth having a refuge from the world?
Refuge from the World (The Beartooth Chronicles, Book 1)
Ashley McPhee arrived in Beartooth with her mom, Sara, when she was three years old. Ever since Ash can remember, life has been simple and peaceful. She enjoyed a carefree childhood, tending honey bees with her mom, and spending time with her best friend, Caleb Solomon. But, life in their idyllic mountaintop community is changing.
After learning of the government’s plan to use a geoengineering process to cool the planet, Ash and Caleb realize they need to step up and take an active role in the community. Along with fear for how the process might impact their food supply, Ash learns her mom’s health is failing.
Sara doesn’t want Ash to face an uncertain future alone and nudges her and Caleb into marriage. Even though they have known each other most of their lives, Ash and Caleb’s relationship has changed drastically in a short period of time. They embrace the challenges of learning about each other, dealing with tragedy and grief, protecting their community from deadly predators and ruthless neighbors, and experiencing epic adventures, while trying to find solutions to a rapidly changing environment and deteriorating world.
Excerpt:
Caleb stood up a walked several paces away from Ash. He turned and looked down into her eyes. “When we all got up to leave, he shoulder-bumped me, trying to push me off the trailer—bad idea, I’m bigger and stronger. I shoved him off and jumped down, ready to teach him some manners. He said I wasn’t good enough for you, and I’d probably get you killed in the wild. I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and yanked him to his feet, and then Neal stepped in.”
“What did Neal say?”
“He told Tyler that in a fight he’d put his money on me, so he didn’t think it was wise to provoke me. He then proceeded to remind me that unless I thought I was capable of keeping the electrical and water systems running, breaking any of Tyler’s bones was a bad idea.”
“I have to agree with Neal. I have no doubt you could seriously hurt Tyler, but you can’t let him goad you into anything,” Ash said as she stood and walked toward him.
Caleb pulled her to him and held her tight. “I know I’m not good enough for you, and if something happened to you, I’d never forgive myself. I couldn’t go on. Maybe you shouldn’t go with me into the wild.”
Ash looked up and ran her hand down his cheek. “Tyler said something similar to me when you saw us talking during the break in the meeting. I’ll tell you what I told him. I would rather die with you in the wild than live without you. I’m going with you.”
The Beartooth Chronicles series. In a world plagued by natural and human disasters, a small group of individuals secure a struggling mountaintop resort to establish a sustainable community away from a country riddled with violence and hate. The home they’ve created has provided a safe and comfortable existence, but as environmental disasters continue to multiply, bringing out the worst of humanity, the residents of Beartooth find themselves faced with a series of challenges that will test their ability to survive. Book 2 in The Beartooth Chronicles, Above the Abyss, is coming summer 2024.
Author Bio
Kim McMahill started out writing nonfiction, but her passion for adventure, stories of survival against the odds, and speculating about the future of humanity and our planet, soon turned her attention towards fiction. She has published multiple novels, over eighty travel and human-interest articles, and contributed to a travel story anthology. Growing up in a beautiful mountain west community, traveling the world, and enjoying a twenty-year career with the National Park Service, has given her the opportunity to live in amazing places, experience incredible adventures, and witness many changes in our world, all of which have helped shape her stories.
Social Media Links
Blog: https://www.kimmcmahill.blogspot.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KimMcMahillAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimmcmahill/
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kim-McMahill/e/B007IK0EJW/
Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kim-mcmahill
Buy Links- Official release is March 19, 2024, but you can pre-order ebooks now. And print books will ship immediately.
Amazon ebook-https://amzn.to/3wwE9ZV
Amazon Print-https://amzn.to/49CiTki
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/refuge-from-the-world-kim-mcmahill/1145008600?ean=2940186040781
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/refuge-from-the-world
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1531094
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kim_McMahill_Refuge_from_the_World?id=UeT4EAAAQBAJ
Setting by memory in the Florida Keys
PLEASE WELCOME LYNDI’S ADVENTUROUS FRIEND MARIA IMBALZANO!!
Key West is one of my favorite places to visit. My husband and I go there twice a year and have been for the past 37 years. Since I know the island so well and have done many of the water and land activities they have to offer, Key West was the perfect setting for “Island Detour” (although I did change the name of the island to Sunrise Island).
Sophie Kearns, the heroine of this book, takes a temporary teaching position at Sunrise Island School. When she arrives, she learns that outdoor skills are as important as academics, and her lack of the former has her at a distinct disadvantage
It was so much fun looking back to some of my failed encounters with nature in the Keys as I was writing this book. Kayaking was my number one disaster. My husband and I, along with our two teenaged daughters at the time, signed up for a kayaking tour through the mangroves. There were about seven kayaks, all two-person, on the tour. My older daughter came with me, because my younger daughter always asked whether I ever did something in the past before deciding whether to come with me. Of course, I had never kayaked, so she opted for her dad. (She did the same thing when we went snowmobiling) What a traitor!
I should have paid more attention to the instructor, but I’m sure my older daughter and I were talking. She was always being reported as way too chatty in school. I took the rear, which is the steering spot. We all followed our tour guide out into the shallow waters as we headed toward the mangroves. Unfortunately, we were not in sync with our paddling and ended up spinning around in circles, causing us to laugh uncontrollably and get further away from our guide. At some point, he gave up on us. Now when we go kayaking, I make sure my husband sits in the back.
There are scenes in this book where I imagined myself doing what I have Sophie doing. She goes out fishing with Max, the hero, and has no idea how to bait a hook, cast a line, or take a fish off the hook. And cleaning them when they get back is way beyond her life skills. Camping is another disastrous adventure, which is partly based on my older daughter’s overnight trip when it rained so hard her tent caved in (that may have had something to do with the way she put it up).
So I invite you to read “Island Detour” and take Sophie’s journey to the Florida Keys. You will laugh, sigh, and maybe even cry. The early reviews say that this emotional enemies to lovers story will have you turning the pages well past your bedtime.
EXCERPT:
“Just because you have issues shouldn’t mean you can’t trust anyone but yourself.” The second the words were out of her mouth, she knew she’d gone too far. But he had started it. And frankly, she didn’t care if she had struck a nerve. His jaw clenched, an almost imperceptible movement. After a few seconds he bowed his head and sighed. Then he turned his back to her, picked up his rod, and cast the line into the ocean. No comeback. No smart remark. A minor victory. Had she really gotten in the last word this time?Unfortunately, she couldn’t let it go.“Is that how you deal with conflict? You turn around and ignore it?”She was definitely pushing the envelope now, but he deserved it. One didn’t just end an argument by turning away. He needed to stick with it. Fight it out. Until the bitter end.She watched him in profile, the brooding, detached fisherman whose lips rarely inched into a smile, whose eyes rarely sparkled, and whose cutting words were meant to slice—and hurt. Which they did.Sophie looked over at Ben, who had remained quiet during their little altercation. He held his finger to his lips as if to say enough.She itched to continue but followed his unspoken suggestion. He knew Max a lot better than she did. And sometimes, she just had to let things settle down.
Maria Imbalzano is an award-winning contemporary author who writes about strong, independent women and the men who fall in love with them. She recently retired from the practice of law, but legal issues have a way of showing up in many of her novels. When not writing, she loves to travel both abroad and in the states. Maria lives in central New Jersey with her husband–not far from her two daughters. For more information about her books, please visit her website at http://mariaimbalzano.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mariaimbalzanoauthor
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Website Link http://www.mariaimbalzano.com
Goodreads Author Page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7276749.Maria_Imbalzano
Book Bub Profile page https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maria-imbalzano
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00FG9RI5K
Buy Links
https://books2read.com/u/4D20y7
Awards
Maria is a member of New Jersey Romance Writers and has received many honors and awards for her work including the ACRA Readers’ Choice Heart of Excellence Award, the Wisconsin Romance Writers Write Touch Readers Award, The NEST (National Excellence In Story Telling) Award, the Carolyn Award, Book Buyers Best Award, The Stiletto Reader’s Choice Award, Long & Short Reviews Book of the Month Award (3rd Place for Book of the Year), and Still Moments Magazine Reader’s Choice Award.
A parenting adventure
PLEASE WELCOME LYNDI’S ADVENTUROUS FRIEND SUSIE BLACK!!!
Coming from Southern California, naturally, our family loves water. When my son was thirteen, we took a holiday-season family vacation to Cancun, Mexico. One great thing about Cancun is there are many water-related activities. I signed my son and me up for a boating/snorkeling adventure to a coral reef.
The details of the two-hour trip were explained before departure. It took one half hour to get to the coral reef and another half hour to return to the dock. This left an hour to snorkel when we arrived at the coral reef. Each couple was assigned a twelve-foot powerboat that they operated from the dock through a strait to the coral reef where they anchored and could snorkel for an hour.
Every boat in the ten-vessel fleet departed one by one and caravanned in a follow-the-leader style behind the lead boat captained by the owner of the adventure company. The turquoise blue strait was narrow and surrounded by an uninhabited, dense jungle. The owner of the company cautioned every guest captain that they must keep up with the flotilla and stay the course both going and returning from the coral reef and not go so slow that they fall back and get lost in the jungle.
Ours was the last boat to leave the dock. The boat ahead of us was traveling at a pretty good clip and I goosed the gas to catch up with it, as we’d been instructed. I kept the boat at the speed the owner requested to remain in the flotilla.
Of course, the faster we went, the rougher the ride. We hit a swell from the wake of the boat ahead of us and water splashed in as our boat was momentarily jostled about. I glanced over at my son and noticed he was soaking wet, white as a sheet, and tightly holding onto the cleat horn as though his life depended on it.
A second swell hit us and my son yells, “SLOW DOWN! YOU’RE GOING TO KILL US!” I waved him off and maintained the faster speed, determined to keep up with the flotilla. A third swell hit us and I bit my lip not to laugh out loud when my son wailed j’accuse style, “WHAT KIND OF MOTHER ARE YOU?” I answered, “A mother who doesn’t want to get lost in the jungle.”
Needless to say, we got to the coral reef in one piece, anchored, and had the time of our lives snorkeling. It was only after I threatened to leave him in the jungle, that he kept his lips zipped about the speed on the return trip to the dock.
STORY and EXCERPT FROM SUSIE’S BOOK RAG LADY!
Holly Schlivnik dreams of being a writer, but fate has other plans. A family crisis throws her into an improbable situation and her life will never be the same. Determined to make her own luck when things don’t happen the way she plans, the irrepressible young woman takes a sledgehammer to the glass ceiling and shatters it to smithereens. The wise-cracking, irreverent transplanted Californian goes on a raucous, rollicking rollercoaster ride of hysterical adventures as a ladies’ apparel sales rep traveling in the deep South and finds herself along the way.
“To tell you the truth, the problem is, I kinda like Dad’s offer.” I squirmed in my chair. “But I don’t wanna make a mistake. I will screw my life up if I make the wrong choice. I’m trying to imagine myself doing the job Dad does. The adventuresome part of me says it’s cool. No school, no exams, no tedious papers to compose. I’d be experiencing life instead of reading about it. And getting paid to do it. But the realistic part of me says, are you nuts? Schlepping those heavy garment bags all over the place? And what kind of a life would I have traveling all the time? I don’t trust myself to make the right decision, and I’m driving myself crazy. I want someone else to decide, and tell me which way to go.”
Nana looked over her glasses and clucked her tongue. “Well, too bad, kiddo. Life doesn’t work that way. Let me tell you something. And the sooner you learn it, the easier your life will be. Man plans, and God laughs.”
I looked at Nana like she’d spoken in Sanskrit. “Meaning?”
Nana answered in the same indulgent tone she used when I was a toddler. “It means plan all you want, but most of the time, your plans don’t mean a hill of beans. To use your vernacular, shit happens. You’re going along singing a song, confident life is a well-planned party. But the truth is, the road to life from birth to death isn’t paved in a straight line. It’s paved with hills and valleys, U-turns, and unexpected curves. And trust me. Nothing usually works out the way you think it will. To really live life and not merely exist taking up space, you must love a good mystery, love a good adventure, and love a good challenge. Kiddo, nothing in life is as constant as change. Keep your head on a swivel, and explore all your options. Look behind you for a sense of history, to the sides for a sense of proportion, and most important, remember God screwed our heads on facing forward for a reason. To look ahead to the future. To make good decisions, you can’t be afraid to make a mistake. You will learn more from your failures than from your successes. Regret is the worst human emotion because it is the one we can usually do nothing about. Always be yourself, don’t live your life for someone else, or in terms of someone else. Trust your gut, and believe in yourself.”
When she finished, I asked, “So, what should I do?”
Nana waved that gnarled index finger at me again and smiled. “Nice try, kiddo. It’s not important what I think. It’s only important what you think. So?”
In a moment of clarity, I looked Nana in the eye and made my decision.
ABOUT SUSIE:
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Grand Teton National Park setting for Gayle Irwin’s new Christmas Romance
PLEASE WELCOME LYNDI’S ADVENTUROUS FRIEND GAYLE IRWIN!!!
The Teton Mountain Range and Grand Teton National Park beckon visitors to western Wyoming every year during every season. The majestic snow-capped, craggy peaks invite photographers of every skill and call to mountain climbers to tackle treacherous terrain. Area wildlife, including moose, elk, bison, red-tailed hawks, trumpeter swans, numerous small songbirds, among other species, flit and roam grassy meadows and forests of pine and aspen. This magnificent area is the setting for my upcoming holiday sweet romance book.
In the Shadow of Mount Moran began as an epiphany in 2020. Just as the United States began to shut down because of COVID-19 that spring, my husband and I were traveling to the Jackson, Wyoming and Grand Teton areas for an early anniversary trip. I had been thinking about crafting a Christmas story in my Pet Rescue Romance – Yellowstone Country series, and as we traveled the highway over Togowtee Pass (elevation more than 9,000 feet) and begin our descent toward Grand Teton National Park, two great peaks of the Teton Range, Grand Teton and Mount Moran, came into view. The highway flanked on both sides by pine trees, a canvas-like creation came into view with these two awe-inspiring mountain peaks in the center. Instantly the words “In the Shadow of Mount Moran” popped into my brain. I told my husband, “I have the title for the Christmas book!”
The setting for this book holds a special place in my heart. Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole, Wyoming is part of the Greater Yellowstone Area, a large, majestic region that is part of the American national park system. Wildlife and natural beauty abound. I lived in southwestern Montana, near Yellowstone National Park, for many years. The series in which this book is included is called Yellowstone Country – all the books are set in either southwestern Montana or western Wyoming. The scenery, the wildlife, the geysers, the mountains and the forests – they play a role in each story.
In the pages of In the Shadow of Mount Moran, readers travel to the splendor of the Jackson Hole Valley and Grand Teton National Park in this sweet, later-in-life pet rescue romance book. There are now six books in the series, four with the same female primary character – this new Christmas book brings her, Rhiann, back into the picture, but the main story is about two new characters, Rachel and Nick.
Here’s an excerpt:
He put the truck in ‘drive,’ and heard Rachel say, “I’m really sorry I cost you so much time today.”
Nick shrugged and offered her a quick smile.
“No need to apologize,” he stated.
He returned his eyes to the road, the striking orange and red sunset glancing off the rearview mirror.
“We did a good thing today, a really good thing.”
“Yes, but it impacted your business.”
“I told you – my brother covered all the pick-ups and drop-offs today, and we didn’t have any special tours scheduled. Tomorrow, however, is a different story. So, you picked a great day to find London!”
He grinned at her, and after a moment of eyes locking on one another, Nick returned his gaze to the roadway.
“So, tell me more about your experience with rescue dogs. How did you come about being a dog rescue lady?” Nick asked.
Rachel chuckled, and he found he enjoyed her light laughter.
“I’ve enjoyed being around animals since I can remember,” she said. “I grew up on a small farm in the Midwest, and when I was a teenager, my parents moved the family to Montana. We lived on acreage, so we had horses, goats, rabbits, cats, and dogs. I went to college to become a vet tech and began helping at the local animal shelter. I also started transporting for various rescues in the Pacific Northwest, and about ten years ago, I became transport coordinator for the I-90 corridor, from Spokane, Washington to Bismarck, North Dakota.”
Nick looked at her in surprise.
“That’s a lot of territory!”
Rachel nodded.
“Not a lot of populated areas so it was just easier for me to make connections and set up the transports for the entire route. But as I mentioned to Janet while we were at the shelter, I’ve just gotten back into the work in the last year.”
“How long did you take a leave of absence?”
“Almost five years.”
He heard her take a deep breath. She didn’t exhale for a few moments, and he glanced at her.
“Rachel, you okay?”
A few seconds ticked by before she answered.
“Yeah. I gave up so much to try to make him happy, including helping the rescue groups I so admired.”
“Who? Who did you try to make happy?”
“Oh,” she said slowly. “Not important. I’m just glad to be back in the game, as they say. It does take a village to do rescue and adoption work.”
As they traveled in silence for a few moments, Nick stole a few glances Rachel’s way. She stared out the passenger’s side window, and the atmosphere in the pickup turned chilly.
“So what’s your most memorable rescue?”
His question seemed to startle her. She looked at him, almost in a daze, and asked, “Sorry – what?”
“Your most memorable rescue. What is it?”
Rachel gave him a soft smile.
“There are several, but I suppose it would be a group of larger dogs, labs and spaniels, saved from a puppy mill near Missoula. A woman I know who lives about thirty miles from Bozeman, Rhiann, she took them into her rescue, and she and her husband, before they were married, adopted two of them. They were a bonded pair, and Rhiann couldn’t stand to think they might be separated or unadoptable as a pair, so she took them in, and after she and Levi married, they had them together for another four years. The dogs passed within a year of each other, they were so bonded.”
“That’s an incredible story.”
“Yeah, yeah it is. Rhiann is one of my favorite people to work with. Despite how hard rescue work can be, that woman and her team, including Levi, pours their hearts into each animal they take in. I’m happy to be working with her again.”
He heard the passion and care in her voice.
“You really are into the rescue work, aren’t you?”
Rachel glanced at him and gave another brief smile.
“Yeah. It brings me joy to be part of that village of volunteers.”
Join Nick and Rachel on their adventure in the shadow of Mount Moran!
Buy Links for In the Shadow of Mount Moran:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CPZGZHKM
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/41ExgkL
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/in-the-shadow-of-mount-moran/id6474099761
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/in-the-shadow-of-mount-moran
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1492572
Book Description for In the Shadow of Mount Moran:
Tagline: Letting go of fear beneath Wyoming’s Teton Mountain Range
Will the grandeur of the Teton Mountain Range and the discovery of a lost dog help two people wary of love open their hearts once more?
Two months after her divorce finalizes, Rachel Baker escapes to the GBarN Ranch and Resort in western Wyoming. A winter vacation of outdoor activities and quality time with her younger sister amid the majestic Teton Mountains is Rachel’s holiday gift to herself. While on a cross-country ski trek, she spies what she thinks is a wolf. She is fascinated and mystified by her discovery. Additional discoveries await her during this holiday vacation.
Nature photographer and outdoor activities coordinator, Nick Fenton, is skeptical of Rachel’s sighting of a wolf. When he and Rachel see the animal a few minutes later, he realizes they’ve found London, a husky lost during a dog-sled training race earlier in the season. Together, they help reunite the dog with his owner. Like Rachel, Nick carries his scars from a previous marriage and is hesitant to let his guard down.
Can Rachel and Nick set aside their hurts as they discover more than a lost dog in the shadow of the glorious Mount Moran?
Gayle’s Bio:
Gayle M. Irwin is an award-winning Wyoming author and freelance writer who has been recognized by Wyoming Writers, Inc. and the Wyoming Press Association for several of her works. She is a contributing writer in eight Chicken Soup for the Soul books and the author of the Pet Rescue Romance – Yellowstone Country series, a sweet, later-in-life contemporary romance collection of five, soon to be six, books. She also writes stand-alone romance stories, including Love Takes Flight, set in a beautiful valley of western Montana. A portion of book sales are donated to animal rescue organizations. Learn more about at her website: gaylemirwin.com.
Gayle’s Social Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gayle.irwin.12 (personal) and https://www.facebook.com/GayleMIrwin (author page)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wycabinlady/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wyoauthor1
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/gaylemirwin
Website: https://gaylemirwin.com/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/gayleirwin
Visiting one of the spookiest film locations in America
PLEASE WELCOME LYNDI’S ADVENTUROUS FRIEND TERRY SEGAN!!!
Do you recognize the place she got to visit? Maybe not without the scary soundtrack and the twin girls. Let’s hear more about her time in the Stanley Hotel.
Who wants to tour a haunted hotel? You should all have your hand up! After all, it’s Halloween season.
While I write paranormal mysteries that are pure fiction, I love a good ghost story based on reality. My tour of The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO, fed those cravings. I’ll tell you upfront that I did not see any spirits with my own eyes (insert disappointed foot stomp here), but the whole time spent had a spooky vibe, which I loved.
The first surprise about the hotel is that it’s a stone’s throw from the town of Estes Park. As hauntingly beautiful the drive to The Overlook Hotel is depicted in Stephen King’s The Shining, it is not off by its lonesome. Rolling up to the actual structure, however, wiped away any disappointment as the hotel is simply majestic.
Of course, there were many touches referring back to the original movie, despite not being filmed there. It surprised me to hear from the tour guide that Stephen King and his family only spent a single night. The author received enough inspiration from the setting and the stories told by the staff that he wrote the novel.
My tour guide not only believed in spirits, but related personal encounters she’d had at The Stanley. She also shared pictures of apparitions that were sent to her from previous guests. Room 217 has been renamed after the famous writer who stayed there, and reservations for the suite are booked out two years. The only paranormal experience I had took place in a large room on the ground floor, which had once been the bar. Immediately upon entering, most guests (myself included) felt a heaviness to the air.
Many of the historical facts about the two Stanley brothers, who built the structure, can be found online. My attraction for the place lies in the paranormal aspects attributed to the hotel. As a writer, much of my own inspiration comes from places I’ve lived or visited. Every trip I take leads me to create plot lines, scenes, and even mishaps which could find their way to the pages of my books.
Today’s release of Manatee Soul, The Marni Legend Series Book 2, came about from a girls’ trip to Crystal River, FL. My two main characters, Marni and her sister, Gloria, participate in some of the tourist activities I enjoyed. While my travel companion and I both willingly ventured into the water, Gloria didn’t have quite the same enthusiasm, as you’ll discover. Add in Phil, a snarky ghost demanding the sisters’ attention, and you’ll embark on quite the aquatic adventure.
Book & Author Details:
Title: Manatee Soul
Author: Terry Segan
Blurb:
Marni Legend has embarked on the most perilous journey of her life—a vacation with her sister. The women are like two peas in a pod, providing each pod came from a different mother ship. One day into their Florida adventure, Marni questions her choice of travel partner. Gloria strives to understand her carefree younger sibling while kayaking and snorkeling without chipping a nail.
With nothing but eternity on his hands, Phil insists the sisters resolve the circumstances of his untimely demise. The wise-cracking spirit leads them on a trail filled with bartenders, bikers, and the promise of a hidden treasure.
Her greatest challenge will either be enduring a week with Gloria or surviving the thugs searching for the stolen booty. Can Marni figure out who to trust, who to avoid, and who she’d most likely want to be trapped alone in an elevator with?
EXCERPT
“What’s wrong? Can’t hold your liquor?” Phil quirked from beside the outer rail.
“You are not allowed to comment,” Gloria rasped.
“Why not? This is terribly amusing.” Phil stood with arms crossed.
“We went to the bar because of you,” Gloria said.
“And did I make you down several beers and shots of tequila?” Phil asked.
Gloria put a palm to her forehead. “Can you talk quieter? I can’t handle shouting right now.”
Phil snickered.
“Phil, give her a break. She’s not used to playing the wild girl.”
“And I’m not used to playing the dead guy. Guess we all have our issues. At least she’ll recover from hers.”
She sucked down more soda. “Why is he still here?”
“Because you haven’t helped me to move on. You really are slacking on your responsibilities.” He shook his head.
Letting out a loud gasp, Gloria said, “I don’t mean here, like still on this planet. I mean why are you still here on our balcony? If you don’t stop prattling, my head will explode.”
Phil rubbed his hands together. “Now that would be fun to watch. And by the way, I do not prattle.”
“Just let me die in peace.” Did she end that comment with a growl?
“If that were to happen, then we’d be together for eternity.” Phil clapped his hands together like an excited toddler. “Marni, quick, more tequila.”
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Manatee-Soul-Marni-Legend-Book-ebook/dp/B0CF6HFHKD
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143894199
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/manatee-soul
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195939375-manatee-soul
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/manatee-soul-the-marni-legend-series-book-2-by-terry-segan
Author Website: https://terrysegan.com/
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerrySegan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrysegan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SeganTerry
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorterrysegan
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Terry-Segan/e/B087YQGXMD
BIO
Terry Segan, originally from Commack, NY, now resides in the desert where she’ll never require an ice scraper or snow shovel again. The beach is her happy place, but any opportunity to travel soothes her gypsy soul. The stories conjured by her imagination while riding backseat on her husband’s motorcycle can be found throughout the pages of her paranormal mysteries. Growing up immersed in sarcastic humor and science fiction movies, Terry’s goals are to cause her readers to laugh out loud, cry with joy, or cower under the covers wondering if the noise under the bed was real or imagined.
Down, but not out– this Alpha’s healing takes patience and love
And now, the latest shapeshifter tale in the Romantic Moments series from KATE HILL! Pre-order while it’s hot!
Tag Line: Tia is there to remind him that even an alpha wolf’s broken spirit can heal.
Story:
I’m a powerful and respected Alpha, but the wolf Mette covets my leadership. I’m injured when my conniving enemy challenges me.
After losing my pack and nearly my life, I go to lick my wounds in the human world, but my beloved mate Tia knows that a wolf’s broken spirit can heal, and there is only one true leader of our pack.
Note: Caleb is a very short werewolf action romance story with a mild heat level, moderate violence, and a HEA. This Romantic Moments story is the perfect length for a lunch break, before bed, or any time you want a quick, romantic read.
Excerpt:
Reaching the village, Tia shouted to the nearest wolf to bring the healer.
Finally we made it to our cabin where I collapsed on our bed. Tia brought a cup of water and lifted my head to help me drink. Gazing at her, I realized how much I loved her and how much of a risk she’d taken by becoming my mate.
An aggressive howl echoed from the clearing near our cabin. This wasn’t just any howl, but one of challenge for leadership of our pack.
Tia’s horrified, furious gaze met mine and she whispered, “Mette.” Then she snarled through clenched teeth. “The coward!”
I’d only known real fear at one other time in my life—the day Tia and I had been attacked by hunters and she’d been lost. My fear now mingled with regret. I’d promised her a happy life, but we were about to lose it and there was nothing I could do about it.
Drawing a long breath, I painfully pushed myself to a sitting position.
“You don’t actually intend to fight him?” Tia demanded.
“I have to.”
Author Bio:
Kate Hill is a vegetarian New Englander who loves writing romantic fantasies. When she’s not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out, watching horror movies, and researching vampires and Viking history. She runs the Compelling Beasts Blog that is dedicated to antagonists, antiheroes, and paranormal creatures. Kate also writes as Saloni Quinby.
Visit her online at https://www.kate-hill.com. Join her newsletter at https://kate-hill.com/index.php/newsletter.
Social Links:
Website: https://kate-hill.com/
Blog: https://kate-hill.com/blog/
Newsletter: https://kate-hill.com/index.php/newsletter/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kate-Hill/e/B002BLS7OW
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kate-hill
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16157.Kate_Hill
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katehillromancewritingandmore/_saved/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/katehillromancewritingandmore
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KateHillRomance
Preorder Link:
Lyndi Alexander's worlds of fancy 