Saturday, February 15, 2020

Wolf's Victory has Published!

Online Jigsaw Puzzle of Wolf's Victory Cover

Wolf's Victory, Second Box Set in the Texas Ranch Wolf Pack Published


Wolf's Victory, containing books 7-12 of the Texas Ranch Wolf Pack Series (TRWP), complete and unabridged, has published! 

To celebrate, I created the Wolf's Victory puzzle to share with you. With 160, rotating pieces, this puzzle may take a while to complete. If you haven't checked out my puzzle album, you can work TRWP jigsaw puzzles of each of my TRWP book covers. Fun and relaxing!


Other News


I'm working on two books, right now. I started Tala Ridge Alpha, but an idea hit that I couldn't put aside. So, I'm also working on a book, as yet untitled, about Magnus' little sister coming to Earth. You never know what problems, or solutions, a teenage dragon might come up with. And her pet unicorn is bound to cause issues!

Later,


 


Friday, February 7, 2020

Sneak Preview: Tala Ridge Alpha and Cover Reveal

Tala Ridge Alpha Preview


My next series is the Tala Ridge Shifter series, which will be about Terrell Pace and his Colorado pack. Terrell is just about to turn thirteen-years-old when the first book starts, but his forced shifting during the vampire attack in Wolf's Enemy forced his body into early puberty.

Terrell is learning how to deal with Dusty Mercer, the Regent assigned to him by Nate Rollins, as well as learning how to be alpha to a small pack, and more.

But rogue werewolves may be more than he can handle.

Like the rest of my books, the books of the Tala Ridge Shifter series will be clean and appropriate for teens and adults.

If you read this in my newsletter, you may notice a few slight changes.

The cover image for the book is preliminary and may change if needed.

Chapter 1


La Veta County Sheriff Cole Jameson absently picked up his coffee cup and sipped. Cold. Making a face, he set it down, the ceramic cup thumping on his ancient wooden desktop. Glancing at the door to the front office, he called, “Mitch, that new pot ready?”

Deputy Mitch Vaine leaned into the sheriff’s office and grinned. The deputy’s straight, even teeth, boyish good looks, and meticulously combed hair paid homage to his last name. “Almost, Boss!”

Cole shook his head when Mitch disappeared back into the front office and sighed before turning back to the patrol logs he needed to review and sign off on. Since he escorted Micah Bird to the Tala Ridge Ranch for a CPS complaint, he’d found keeping his mind on his duties difficult at best.
Werewolves! In his county! And they’d been there for years. Even before the town was founded in 1886.

He heard the front door open and shut but left it to his deputies to see what whoever it was wanted. “Jameson! Where’s Jameson?”

He winced at the fury in Commander Terrence Bird’s roar, stood, and walked to the office door. Deputy Lincoln Stiles’ large form blocked Bird’s path to the office. “Sir, you need to calm down.”

“I want to see Jameson, right now!”

Tucking his thumbs in his holster belt, Cole tilted his head and narrowed his gaze at his former CO. Dressed in fatigues, combat boots, and a heavy jacket and black cap dusted with snow, all the SEAL commander needed to be combat-ready were his weapons.

Realizing the commander knew he and Micah were dating, Cole sighed. “Commander.”

Bird’s sharp eyes speared him. If looks could kill, the sheriff would be a pile of broken bones and goo. Refusing to be cowed by the man’s obvious anger, he jerked his head toward his office. Cole sighed. “Why don’t we take this somewhere more private?”

Lips pressed tight, shoulders bunched, Bird slapped aside the short gate separating the front office desks from the waiting area and walked past Deputy Stiles, brushing the man’s shoulder. Cole raised an eyebrow. There weren’t many men as big as Commander Bird, but Stiles matched him inch for inch. The dispatcher and the rest of Cole’s deputies watched wide-eyed. His former CO stopped a foot in front of Jameson, hands on his hips. Cole met his gaze, then jerked his head toward his office door.

“Have a seat, Commander. I’ll get us some coffee.”

Wordless, Bird shoved past him and walked to the visitor’s chair. Now that the commander wasn’t staring at him, Cole took a quiet, deep breath, then blew it out. He glanced at Vaine. “Coffee ready, yet?”

“No, Sir. It’ll be another five minutes or so.”

Cole nodded. “Bring us two cups, black, when it’s done. Otherwise, y’all get busy.”

Ignoring the scamper to find something to do, he turned his back on his deputies, took another deep breath, and blew it out. Closing the door behind him, he walked to his desk and sat. “Morning, Commander.”

Bird leaned forward, askew elbows resting on the arms of his old-fashioned wooden chair. “What the blazes do you think you’re doing, Jameson?”

“You spoke with Micah?”

“Nah, Mom told me. Said you’ve been keeping company with Micah since before Christmas.”

“Yeah, well, that’s true.” Jameson fixed Bird in a level stare. “I won’t hurt her, Sir. I’m serious about our relationship.”

Bird tensed. “If you’re just . . ..”

“I’m not.” Cole opened his top desk drawer and pulled out a small box. “If she’ll have me, I plan to marry her.”

Taking a deep breath, Bird visibly forced himself to relax. He glanced at the midnight blue ring box, then raised his gaze to his Navy friend. “Tell me.”

“I accompanied her to a CPS visitation before Christmas. She was pretty shook up by everything that happened. Afterwards, we had a meal and started talking. We had coffee the next day, and since then we’ve met for coffee or a meal almost every day.” Cole shrugged. “I know it’s quick, but I love her, Terry. I’ll never purposely do anything to hurt her.”

Bird sighed away some of his anger. “I wanted her to find a safe guy, you know. Someone not likely to leave in the morning and die before coming home. Not a soldier.” He glared at Cole. “And not a cop!”

“I know.” Cole fisted his coffee cup and stared at the cold coffee. “I didn’t plan it, Terry, it just happened.”

“Because she got upset about that CPS visit? What happened?”

Cole hesitated. The pack alpha had decided the command to keep them secret placed on him years ago in Oregon was good enough. He could talk about the local pack, but he wasn’t sure he should. Chewing the right corner of his bottom lip, he glanced out the only window in his office. “You know I can’t talk about that, Terry.”

“Yeah. That’s what Micah said. But she’s hiding something from me, Cole. Something that scares her. What is it?”

Rubbing an itch above his left eye, Cole opened his mouth, then snapped it shut when a sharp tap sounded on the door. “Sheriff? I have your coffee.”

“Hold that thought.” Cole stood and walked to the door, opened it, then took both cups from his deputy. “Shut the door, Vaine.”

With a nod, the deputy pulled the door shut. Cole carried the coffee to the desk and set a cup in front of Micah’s brother. “Here you go. Black and strong enough to float horseshoes, since Deputy Vaine made it.”

The commander’s large hand lifted the cup. He sipped, then nodded and winced. “I think you could walk on that.”

Cole grinned. “Boy’s talented when it comes to coffee.”

Bird snickered, then his face settled back into a tight expression. “Just tell me if there’s something I need to be worried about, Cole.”

The automatic denial refused to leave Cole’s lips. He sighed and moved aside the first, cold cup of coffee to make room for the second hot one. “Terry, I can’t tell you anything, but I promise I’ll do everything in my  power to make sure she stays safe.”

“Meaning there’s something to worry about.”

Cole studied Terry’s worried eyes. “You remember Nate Rollins? Lieutenant-Colonel, Marines, Brighton’s Elite Unit?”

Bird blinked. “Sure. What about him?”

“He says everything is cool. He’ll keep everything safe.”

“Marines are involved in one of Micah’s cases?”

“No.” Cole tried a different direction. “You ever meet Captain Waylon Rickles?”

All expression left Terry’s face. “I did. What’s he have to do with this?”

“You ever see him . . ..” Cole grimaced at the pain erupting in his head. Pain warning him to stop talking. Aware of his former CO tense consideration, Cole sighed. “Never mind.”

“You know.”

“What?”

“You know about Rickles.”

Cole’s gaze snapped to Terry. “Rickles is a . . ..” He couldn’t force out the word.

Soundlessly, Bird mouthed, “Shifter.”

Face pale, Cole stood and swayed for a moment. Walking to the door, he turned and glanced at Terry. “I’ll be right back.”

Closing the door behind him, he marched across the outer office, ignoring Stiles’ heavy frown and the questioning looks from his officers. Stepping out on the sidewalk, he pulled the door shut, then walked to the alley. With shaking fingers, he pressed the Tala Ridge Ranch button on his cell.

“Tala Ridge Ranch, Dusty speaking.”

“This is Sheriff Jameson. I need to see Nate and Terrell right away.”


Question: Does the red text on the cover need to change? Maybe white?
More soon!

Other News


The pre-order for Wolf's Victory is up until February 15, which is when the book goes live!

I'm working on the new series every day. I've built my preliminary character charts for the series. It will change over time, but it helps not to have to stop and figure out a character's name when they first appear in the books. Closer to the publish date for Tala Ridge Alpha, I'll post a copy of the character chart here.

Hopefully, your February is going great. Do you have plans for Valentine's Day?

Take care.

Later,




Texas Ranch Wolf Pack Series