Category Archives: survivors
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
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
Decide to be a survivor–this is it
PLEASE WELCOME LYNDI’S ADVENTUROUS FRIEND JANINA GREY!!
What does the word Survivor mean to you?
To me, a survivor is someone who has undergone serious challenges and overcome them. Since I work by day with Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence survivors, that is one population that comes to mind.
Yet, there’s another—much more personal—type of survivor that wears that title, that badge. Anyone who has dealt with cancer— The Big C— as Liza Minelli Purkypile calls it in LOST IN YOUR RHYTHM, is a survivor I can relate to on a personal level.
Like Liza, I was 23 years old when I first battled cancer and kicked its butt. I was given a fifty/fifty chance of living five years. Thirty-five years later I’m not only still alive, but I’ve garnered two more Cancer Survivor medals.
I wrote Liza’s story to remind cancer survivors there is indeed life after The Big C. It’s my way of paying tribute to all those in my life who have faced this insidious disease—too many to even mention in the dedication.
Jack Issa, a musician and former Broadway performer, has his own demons he is battling. And again, some of my own traumas are wrapped up in this character—traumas many people struggle with regularly. Body image, unsuccessful careers, starting over, failed marriages. How do we go on?
Because there is a survivor in all of us.
Jack’s self-image and confidence shattered when he fell off the scaffolding in New York City. He retreated to Demilune to reclaim his life. Liza’s self-image and confidence had been surgically removed, and after growing weary of hiding, she moved to Demilune to also reclaim life. There was no stopping either of them because they are survivors.
Survivors. We may not appear strong, or come across as Alphas, or act openly and outwardly fierce and aggressive. But don’t mess with us. We’ve been to the depths of darkness and from that darkness found healing. Strength. Resilience.
That’s what I wanted to awaken in people who read my story. That desire to live and love and keep going.
LOST IN YOUR RHYTHM may seem like it’s about music, but it’s so much more. It’s about the rhythms of life. The rhythms of love. The rhythms that ebb and flow within our mind, body and spirit, that we dance to even while we are sleeping.
The other rhythm I wanted to explore in this story was that which pulsates throughout the universe, that draws like-minded people together in search of community. Earth and Sky, the retreat, the book series, embraces that rhythm in each story, culminating in this third book that ties everything together .
It shows that yes, everything happens for a reason. Even tragedy. So when you feel that you are lost in a forest, remember that life is for living, so don’t be afraid to get lost in the rhythm of love.
EXCERPT
“I’m sorry if I ruined our evening,” Liza said as she rummaged through the plastic shopping bag she’d set on the kitchen table.
“Ruined it? No way. Like I said, watching you go all ninja on that guy was hot. Freaking hot.” As if on cue, her cheeks glowed red as embers in a simmering fire. He wasn’t exaggerating. Between her battle with cancer, and now this, Liza was an enigma. Tiny and birdlike, she had an indominable strength he never would have guessed. “Hey. I got it. Ninja Girl.”
“Ninja Girl? That’s the nickname you’re going with?” Liza rolled her eyes and clearly struggled to maintain an unimpressed expression.
“Has anyone ever called you that before?” He stepped closer, and dipped his head, wanting to taste her.
“Actually . . . no. Surprisingly. No.” Mock defeat narrowed her eyes as she locked onto his mouth.
“Ninja Girl,” he whispered against her lips as he nudged her nose with his.
“Drummer Boy,” she echoed back, claiming a kiss before he had a chance, tugging him into her personal space by his belt loops.
Janina Grey Bio
Janina Grey has been writing since she could hold a crayon, and there has been no stopping her since. Journaling, short stories, poetry, newsletters, news, feature, columns, Op/Eds, and press releases have kept her busy her whole life. But it was the sweet Harlequin romances she read in her downtime that stayed forever in her heart and gave her the inspiration to write her own contemporary romances now published with Soul Mate Publishing.
By day, Janina guides domestic and sexual assault survivors down their path of healing and empowerment. But in the wee hours of the morning, she hunkers down at her childhood writing desk with Imagine Dragons, Coldplay, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, or Led Zep streaming through her earbuds while she brings to life her characters as they face their real-life sorrows and successes, and best of all, their happily-ever-afters.
Growing up on Long Island and living periodically in Tennessee as a youth has given her the opportunity to meet many different types of people and experience many different lifestyles. After moving from Long Island to settle in the Mohawk Valley in Upstate New York with her family, she found the support needed to pursue her writing endeavors with Central New York Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America.
When Janina is not writing, she may be marching for women’s rights, kayaking, camping, drumming, or dancing around the fire.
With the kids grown, she and her husband, David, share their 115-year-old Mohawk Valley farm house homestead with a few resident spirits and a very squawky murder of crows.
Janina Grey Social Media:
Websites: www.janinagrey.com
Amazon: amazon.com/author/janinagrey
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/janina%20grey
Facebook: facebook.com/janinagrey
Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/18967836.Janina_Grey
Instagram: @janinagreyauthor https://www.instagram.com/janinagrey_author/
Twitter: @janina_grey / https://twitter.com/janina_grey
Bookbub.com: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/janina-grey
Newsletter— Sign up for my newsletter
https://mailchi.mp/ff6710d770aa/janina-greys-adventure
Buy Links
Amazon
Soul Mate Publishing
Meet thriller author Jennifer Anderson!
Thanks for being with us today. First, would you tell us a bit about yourself? What area of the country do you live in, do you have a family, pets, etc.
– My name is Jennifer Anderson. I grew up in Southern Illinois in the little town of Eldorado. I currently live in the much bigger small town of Gallatin, TN, just north of Nashville, with my husband of 27 years and an ornery cat. We have two sons, their delightful wives, and three grandchildren.
Are you a coffee fiend, or do you have another “addiction” you must have on your desk at all times?
– I drink way too much coffee. I used a Keurig for a while, but I really like to have a pot of coffee going so I can warm up my ever-present cup.
Is your education relevant to your writing, or have you branched off in something entirely different to create? How would you best describe your books?
– My degree is in advertising, and my jobs were always about writing. I worked as a copywriter, eventually landing at Nashville’s famed WSM Radio, where I transitioned into writing and producing a nationally syndicated radio show for a decade and a half. But I always dreamed of writing books. I was finally able to do that with my first novel – BUKU – which is a post-apocalyptic, dystopian thriller.
Tell us about your most recent publication/whichever book you’d like to talk about today?
– I am in the middle of writing my first series. BUKU is the first book, and I released the second book in the trilogy this fall. Both books are set in a world overrun by massive beasts which were developed in a lab so that their blubber could be used as clean-burning fuel. However, as often happens when man starts tinkering with nature, things go horribly wrong. A world devastated by these creatures is really just the setting of the stories though. Both BUKU and the sequel BUKU: Sun and Shadows follow a medic named Iris who is trying to save the people she loves while fighting not only buku, but the people who take advantage of the weak for their own purposes.
What inspired you to write this story? What interesting thing did you learn or research to write it that you didn’t know before?
– I had a dream – just a short, vague dream – that launched me into thinking about my main character Iris and her love interest Oso. I’ve always loved action-adventure movies and grew up reading Stephen King, so my story naturally developed into a fast-paced thriller with lots of suspense. I think what surprised me was, despite the fact that my books are about a world overrun by monsters, many readers comment that it’s realistic. It feels like it could happen. That was a big lesson. As long as you keep the characters and their reactions and relationships and motivations real, readers will follow you practically anywhere.
What’s your favorite thing about the book featured here today? Any special memories you have in the creation of it?
– Perhaps because it’s the newest, I really love BUKU: Sun and Shadows, the second in the trilogy. My favorite thing about is that my protagonist Iris is brought to her breaking point. The fear she experiences is all-consuming, and she has to push past it by relying on the people she feels she should be protecting, including children. It’s one thing to be strong. It’s another to be weakened, and to do what needs to be done anyway.
What do you most like about writing? Least like? When did you first know you wanted to be an author?
– I love writing a scene that works so well it has me grinning or crying or pumping my fist. Everything is worth those moments. Unfortunately, it takes me a long time to figure out exactly where a story is going. So I procrastinate a lot. I mean, a lot! I am amazed by, and jealous of, writers who can write fast. However, I remember being in junior high, maybe even grade school, dreaming of writing a novel. This is a lifelong dream, so I am keeping at it!
Do you belong to any writing groups? Are there any writing websites you find particularly useful?
– Several years ago, my pastor started a group for creative people – artists and writers and musicians. We met over lunch once a week. Sometimes we read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Sometimes we shared what we were working on. Mostly we just talked, and it was wonderful therapy for me. A lot of creative people can become blocked – scared of truly exploring what they can do – and that was definitely the case with me. I began writing my first book because of that group and will always be grateful for it. Most of the groups, FB pages, websites I use now are more about marketing and self-publishing.
Is there any special music you like to listen to while writing? How does it inspire you?
– Lately, I’ve been going on youtube and playing movie scores while I’m writing. It’s hard not to write dramatic scenes with the music from Game of Thrones swirling around you!
Do you belong to a critique group? What do you find most valuable about the experience?
– I give my book to a few friends I trust to act as beta readers before my final edit, but otherwise, I rely on myself for critique. For years I wrote a radio script that was read by a broadcast duo with big personalities. I think hearing my words read by someone else taught me how to step back and truly examine what I’ve written. The flipside of that is that I am now at a point where I want to write what I want to write, how I want to write it! So no, I haven’t tried a critique group, perhaps to my detriment.
To encourage those still on the path, tell us a little about your path to publication. How many books have you published? How many books did you write before selling one? What do you think was the key to selling that first book?
– The most encouraging thing about the world of writing these days is that you can self-publish. You can go directly to the readers through digital platforms and never have to convince agents or publishers to take a risk on you. Of course, that also means that you are wholly responsible for all aspects of your book, including getting people to buy it. I self-publish through Amazon. So far, that’s two books and a novella. To make sure those books sell, I invested in a course on self-publishing, bought a few tools of the trade, and I spent quite a bit of money on my covers. So far, it has worked pretty well for me, though those who self-publish will tell you that the way to make money is to write a lot of books. One of these days, hopefully I’ll accomplish that.
What are you writing now? What’s next for you—will you be making personal appearances anywhere our readers can find you?
– I am currently working on the final book of the BUKU trilogy. I don’t have a name for it yet! After that, I am looking forward to trying my hand at a different genre, probably fantasy romance. I don’t really have any personal appearances scheduled, but you can always hit me up on Facebook or Instagram @jenniferandersonwriter.
Anything else you would like to add?
— Just that I appreciate the time and the discussion! Oh, and if you’re interested in free stories, including the prequel novella, subscribe to my newsletter at jenniferandersonwriter.com. BUKU: Micah’s Story sets the stage for the trilogy, and I’d love to send it to you. You’ll also get my four best personal stories, including getting married at the Grand Ole Opry and giving a ride to William Shatner, which is a really funny story! Include social media links, bio, etc. J
www.facebook.com/JenniferAndersonwriter
www.instagram.com/jenniferandersonwriter/
jenniferandersonwriter.com
www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Anderson/e/B07FVMDRK1
Jennifer Anderson hails from Illinois — the opposite end of the state from Chicago. There, among the corn fields and coal mines, she grew up exploring new worlds through books, while dreaming of creating her own worlds. With a degree in advertising from the University of Illinois, Jennifer became a copywriter, working mostly in broadcasting. She eventually landed at famed WSM Radio in Nashville, Tennessee. From there, she moved on to write and produce the syndicated radio program “The Crook and Chase Countdown” before deciding to pursue her childhood dream of writing fiction. Jennifer lives in the Nashville area with her husband Mike, where she snuggles cats, neglects housework, and tries to find space for her vintage finds.
A story of our times
Report from team 17-JRG, star system 49x, 700 cycle-unit mark.
The forced gene sequence mutation continues on the dominant planet species. While sub-species show random mutations in line with our objective, none have spread as quickly as intended.
Our work with the dominant species continues to be thwarted by the species itself, as they believe themselves to be intelligent and empowered. They have developed various counteragents to the insertion of the forced gene sequence mutation. These seem to be distributed in relevant proportion to the concentration of what appears to be forms of government organization. In areas where there is less political organization and less affluence (as evidenced by the availability of food, shelter and personal wealth), we are having more success, as the population cannot obtain said counteragents. We hope to have fully transformed this specific population’s gene pool within the next 100 cycle-units.
The rest will take creative solutions if we are to alter the remainder of the planet’s population in time.
In response to the creation of counteragents, we have modified our active virus for greater transmissibility, releasing the twelfth mutation in the current time period with moderate success. It has spread to most of the planet’s land masses within a very short span. We have several more possible mutations prepared and set to be released if the counteragents and other precautions enforced by the political rulers continue to block our efforts.
It is unfortunate that some deaths have occurred in the course of inoculating this world with the virus. The counteragents have succeeded in ameliorating side effects of the process, and that is to be commended. As far as we know, the mutation perseveres even in these cases. However, the loss of even a million lives to save the rest is to be a debate for the ethicists, not the scientists. For now, we must continue to change the gene pattern of every living creature that we are able to affect.
It would be so much easier if we could communicate directly with the species on this planet, to explain that we do not intend harm, but in fact, seek to protect them against the invasion force that is even now on the verge of their star system. The Vigrat seeding ship has registered on our sensors, and will not be farther than 350 cycle units away. By that time, if we succeed, all life on this planet will be infectious to the Vigrat and they will have to move past to another system to colonize. This planet can avoid what happened to our own homeworld.
But our earliest attempts to interact were met with such violent rejection that we have withdrawn our representatives. All we can do is follow our objective and continue forcing the gene mutation until every last species target has been infected. This we will do until the Vigrat are able to detect us, then we must move on.
We will, as ordered, report again in 50 cycle-units. Team 17-JRG, signing off.
When danger is all around, all you can do is move forward #MFRWHooks
Xi San saved the life of a mysterious girl one night in his ravaged San Francisco neighborhood. He can’t get her out of his mind, but believes that she’s lost to him. Lin Kwan came to America to bring her scientist father Chinese medicinal herbs, hoping to stop the virus that killed most of the world’s Caucasians before it mutates to infect the rest of the world. On her way to finding him, she meets again the man who once saved her, a man she can’t forget.
With a diverse group of fellow travelers, they head for St. Louis, where civilization is being rebuilt. Between them and safety, danger lurks—Gabriel, a self-styled religious leader and white supremacist, who has organized his army from Upper Midwest survivalist and militia followers, determined to take revenge for the white man.
But Gabriel isn’t their only enemy. Before they reach their destination, they will battle nature, prejudice and even those hidden among them who wish their destruction.
Now available at Amazon.com and other online booksellers. Or place an order through your local indie bookstore!
EXCERPT:
After one such trip, Valery came to stand behind San on the small porch.
“You going to be up to taking off soon?”
“I’m feeling ready, but the doctor says no. And Archer wants to wait. Weeks, maybe.”
She snorted. “Well, don’t you worry about what he says. Kwan and I can take him.”
San looked up at her. Her pigtails and bright ruffled shirt gave an impression of a much younger girl, but he read her adulthood in her eyes.
“Is that so?”
She nodded slowly. “You bet it is.”
“Good to know.”
She patted him tentatively on the shoulder and went back inside.
Surprised at the unusual sign of solidarity, he chuckled. She might think he was an idiot where Kwan was concerned, but maybe when it came to the group, she was still on his side.
Marie came to the door. “Hang? Your radio’s calling!”
The boy extricated himself from the truck and ran inside, Piao and Terry on his heels. San got up, too, moving aside as Archer and his friends came running then followed them in.
The man’s voice was tight with anxiety. “KC-five-NXS, KC-five-NXS, this is K-two-JJB. Hang, are you there? What’s going on?”
“KC-five-NXS, yes, I’m here.” Hang settled onto the floor in front of the radio as the others gathered around. “Thanks for getting back to me. I wanted to let you know we’re going to be delayed.”
“What? I don’t think you can wait any longer, son. Word came down this morning that Gabriel’s on the move. His people set off explosives all along the stretch of I-Eighty between Omaha and Lincoln, knocking out the road. It’s impassable.”
“Cabrón,” Valery hissed.
San eyed Charlie, his worst fears coming to life. Yeah, I do know what I know, fool. “We need a map,” he said.
“I got one in the truck,” Terry said and hurried out.
“Why would he do that?” Hang asked John. “Don’t his people need to get around, too?”
“Word has it that some groups in the two cities planned to set up a blockade, aiming to take Gabriel out. Apparently, he got the jump on them. He’s celebrating on his damned radio station, claiming the other side was the attacker. I’m not sure how much of what he says you can believe, but we’ve got confirmation from our men on the ground that there are plenty of dead, and they aren’t Gabe’s people.”
“Whoa.” Deflated, Hang leaned back against the bookshelf where the radio sat.
“How many dead?” Marie asked.
“Reports range from just a few to hundreds, depending on who’s telling the story.”
Terry came back with the map, and they spread it out on the table. Mere inches separated Lincoln from their intended route on Interstate Seventy, inches that translated into only one hundred and seventy miles. And they still had three states to cross moving east.
John continued, “I know you’re dealing with a wounded man, but honestly, son, you might have to leave him behind if you’re gonna make—”
“No way!” Hang’s eyes blazed. “He’s going to be on the radio, and he’ll give old Gabriel hell. You just wait!”
San reached out to pat the boy on the shoulder.
“Calm down. I’m fine,” he told John. “We’ll be leaving almost immediately. Right?” He turned to Charlie, and the others did, too. The silence awaiting his answer stretched out. “I’ll take my people on ahead if you’re not ready.”
“If he’s headed down the eastern side of the state, maybe he hasn’t hit Chadron yet,” Marie murmured.
San was distracted by the non sequitur. “What?”
“Or the Mormon lands, either. They’re on the western end of the state,” Jack said.
“Okay. We’ve got some decisions to make,” San said. He spoke a little louder. “Thanks, John, for the information. Someone’s passing that on to KMOX, right?”
“You bet. I expect that will provoke some discussion tonight. Gotta run. Hang, son, you check in so I know you’re okay, will you?”
“Yes, sir, I promise. KC-five-NXS over and out.”
He shut off the radio. San looked at the map again. Then he looked at the others. “So, how quickly can we get out of here?”
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Meeting SATURN
First of all, I was under the mistaken impression that this book was a collection of stories about the planet Saturn. It isn’t.
What it is, is a wonderful assortment of 20 science fiction and fantasy stories, SOME of which are, in fact, based on the lovely ringed planet. Others are about time travel, wizards, working in space, brain transplants… so much good stuff. You can even learn who the Chosen One is…and there isn’t a midi-chlorian in sight. Bokerah Brumley, who in addition to editing the anthology, is apparently the “peafowl wrangler,” has done a superb job giving us a little bit of everything.
The stories range in length, so there’s one for every bit of time you might have, whether waiting in the car, COVID-style, for someone at the doctor’s office, or that precious few minutes just before falling asleep. (but word to the wise– DON’T read You Will Be Uploaded at bedtime!)
As a romance writer, one of my personal favorites was The Lords of Titan, by G. Scott Huggins, which shows just how far some men will go for love. I also really admired They Also Serve by Rob and Karina Fabian. Anyone who’s been short might predict the ending of this one ahead of time. But each of the stories has its own appeal. Highly recommend!!
When zombies aren’t the worst thing after you…. K. A. Raines
Welcome to Lyndi’s Adventurous Friend K.A. Raines!
Title: The Infiltrator
Author: K. A. Raines
Genre/heat rating: Dystopian romance/4
Blurb: A virus has rendered humanity mostly extinct. Keira Starr is alone, staying alive by staying on the run, sleeping in empty gas stations and the trunks of cars long abandoned on the highway. The world is overrun by “Ghosts,” the mindless, bloodthirsty dead, but they are the least of her problems. She is being hunted by ragtag groups of ruthless men, independent contractors working for a mysterious human trafficking ring. When she is finally captured, she discovers that Derrick Caine, despite his gruff demeanor and appearance, may just have a different agenda altogether.
Excerpt:
“What happened to you?” she breathed. “Who did you lose?” She knew she was pushing him, that she should stop before she went too far, but it felt like observing a train wreck, watching from a distance as the engine rushed ahead at full steam, and, even foreseeing the impending disaster on the tracks, being powerless to stop it. “You risk your life tryin’ to save women and children. Who was she? Your wife?” She didn’t even know why she cared. She didn’t want to care. Derrick Caine was a virtual stranger to her, yet she knew she was already in way too deep.
He growled suddenly, a low, guttural sound that jarred her out of her trance when she rather unexpectedly found her space invaded by him for the third time in the past several minutes. Yet the charge in the air had shifted subtly; he no longer seemed angry, exactly, but there was something decidedly predatory in his eyes.
“You want from me?” His voice in her ear was a dangerous rumble that elicited chills up her spine and ignited a fire that bloomed hotly in her womb, a delicious contrast. Quite suddenly, all she wanted was to relieve the dull throb between her legs that his voice and presence evoked; she wanted him so badly that she physically couldn’t endure not to have him soon.
You. Just you. “I could ask the same of you,” she settled for, and she couldn’t stop the tremor in her voice. She was overwhelmed by him—by his nearness, by the heat emanating from his body, drawing her in. She tentatively raised a trembling hand, reaching up to touch a raised scar on his chest, just above his left pectoral. His chest continued to visibly rise and fall, and he was breathing hard through his nose in an obvious effort to calm himself, fists clenched in tight balls at his sides. His breathing hitched when she barely touched him, a feather-light caress, her fingertips just skimming the jagged edge of his scar. She had known all along that he was in pain. So much unbearable pain—yet he would never admit it to anyone, least of all her.
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CFRXZCS
Bio: K.A. Raines is a U.S. Navy veteran who lives in Longview, TX with her children and who has a passion for reading, writing, red wine, and good food. Her love for science fiction, the paranormal, and romance bleed into her writing.
Author links:
Twitter: twitter.com/KA_Raines
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100052614996318
Website:
Crossing America to save the country from supremacists #MFRWHooks
The Color of Fear series is topical and satisfying– the country is suffering from the aftermath of a deadly virus, and a group of young BIPOC is under attack from a a cult leader and white supremacist. But they have the herbs and seeds, brought by Tzu Lin Kwan all the way from Hong Kong. that may turn the tide and save the rest of those threatened by the now-mutating virus.
Xi San saved the life of a mysterious girl one night in his ravaged San Francisco neighborhood. He can’t get her out of his mind, but believes that she’s lost to him.
Lin Kwan came to America to bring her scientist father Chinese medicinal herbs, hoping to stop the virus that killed most of the world’s Caucasians before it mutates to infect the rest of the world. On her way to finding him, she meets again the man who once saved her, a man she can’t forget.
With a diverse group of fellow travelers, they head for St. Louis, where civilization is being rebuilt. Between them and safety, danger lurks—Gabriel, a self-styled religious leader and white supremacist, who has organized his army from Upper Midwest survivalist and militia followers, determined to take revenge for the white man.
But Gabriel isn’t their only enemy. Before they reach their destination, they will battle nature, prejudice and even those hidden among them who wish their destruction.
EXCERPT:
“Oh, my God!” Valery squealed, staring at another brochure. “Look at this. We have so got to stay here.”
“Stay…here?” Kwan’s features tightened into a frown. “We have far to go—”
“Just for tonight, chica. Look, while I love looking at the stars, camping out with you, my aching bum also loves sleeping in a real bed.” She handed over the advertisement.
Kwan examined the photos of the cream-colored Victorian house with the blue trim, surrounded by flower gardens. It looked magical, like a castle built to attract the seven daughters of the Jade Emperor.
Valery jabbed her finger at the picture. “They’ve got a veranda. A real veranda.”
The word unfamiliar to her, Kwan deduced a veranda must be some sort of railed porch. “It also says high tea from eleven until two. It takes three hours to make tea? Quite a long ritual.”
Val laughed. “It doesn’t take three hours. High tea was a Brit tradition, you know. The rich used to eat meals a couple times a day, like, breakfast and dinner. About halfway through the day, the ladies would get faint from hunger and being squished by those damned corsets and so they started a tradition, more like what we’d call lunch.” She took the brochure back. “You know, they have, like, finger sandwiches—”
“Finger…sandwiches?” Kwan gasped. The thought brought flashbacks of the ocean voyage with Zhong. Then, people ate many things to survive.
“They don’t put real fingers in them, silly.” She pointed out the menu. “Kind of prissy ladies’ lunch with tea, fruit, scones…that stuff.” She sighed. “Although something tells me there won’t be table service today.”
Kwan considered the pictures of the three guest rooms, two with four-poster beds and cozy teddy bear themes, and the other a watercolor brush of white and pale blue with a sea motif. She hadn’t slept on such a soft mattress since before her parents had left Hong Kong. At her aunt’s, she had slept on a futon, and at the Hsus’, on a thick mat. The thought of a real bed appealed to her, too. Very much.
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ADVERSARIES–The Color of Fear series comes to a bloody conclusion #mfrwhooks
A journey 10 years in the making comes to an end for both this author and the characters in ADVERSARIES, being released from Zumaya Publications this week.
This third book takes places over the course of two weeks in St. Louis, which has become to new seat of government for the USA after a terrorist attack sends an airborne plague around the world. The disease targets mainly Caucasians, and many have died. Not so with Gabriel, the self-proclaimed leader who is bent on revenge against the other races he blames for the losses. His army of Angels has gathered, and he is ready for the slaughter:
Gabriel was amazed how quickly the ranks of his followers had grown. When he’d first founded the compound back in Great Falls, Montana, he’d heard whispers within the community that he was a “right-wing nut,” a “neoreactionary,” and even a “mountain Klansman.”
He’d been none of those things, of course.
Or all of them.
He was mostly just looking out for himself and worried about the direction the government was once again taking the country.
Now that he and his followers had emerged from their isolation, he was in exactly the right time and place. People were terrified by a virus that targeted the backbone of America, the White population. The road to his success was traveled by those who’d survived, particularly the Whites with conservative leanings, less education, and anti-elite views.
“We’ve been led in the proper direction, my friends. Coming east from the bunker was the best thing we could have done. These red states have done well by us.” He counted off on his chunky fingers. “Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, now Iowa. Soon Kansas and Missouri, too.”
He grinned and wiped his forehead.
“True that more brown and yellow people survived, but it’s the White men and women who made it through who are ready to fight to take their country back.”
And I’m here to guide them along.
His “Adversaries” are Tzu Lin Kwan, who has brought Chinese herbs from Hong Kong for her scientist father to make a cure; Xi San, a pre-med student turned street vigilante; Valery Paz, a Latina Valley Girl who knows how to use a gun; Eddie Garrick, a techno whiz and electrogeek, who has re-animated KMOX radio in St. Louis to gather survivors; Teremesha Johnson, formerly a petty thief, now on his way to genuine hero, house mother Marie Westbrook, and so many more.
A virtual launch party–with prizes!!– will take place Oct. 9 over Zoom– leave your name below so we can get your email and add you to the list if you’d like to attend!’
Video trailer for the series available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5HtphfL7TE&t=21s
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Lyndi Alexander's worlds of fancy 