The secret to being an author is to simply write

If that subject line/title to this post had you clicking the link to make sure I wasn't going senile in my old age, thank you. If it had you clicking because you were scratching your head wondering what I really meant to say, well, I guess you'll be a little surprised because it was exactly what I meant to relay. People ask me all the time, how do you publish so often. I look at them, blink a couple of times to make sure I understood their question, smile and tell them 'I simply write'.

Then it's their turn to look at me like they didn't hear me correctly. That's when I explain.

One of the things I've seen authors (including myself) do is to write a couple of pages or a chapter and then go back to edit. It's a process for them and I respect everyone's process, heck I had the same process years back. The problem was it was a time vampire and kept me from publishing.

After years of working on random stories my husband said to me one day, 'your writing is a habit. It's a great habit for you but I don't ever expect it to become anything more than a habit.' Well, it was something like that. Now, out of context you might say, what? So let me explain. One of the ways I deal with pain, disappointment, past trauma, or anything that truly upsets me, I write. Its one of the first things I recommend to my hypnotherapy/coaching clients and I like to practice what I preach.

Now up to this point my very supportive husband wanted me to publish something and had removed every obstacle in my way to make this happen. What he didn't successfully remove was my inner critic until that moment when he tried to show his love and understanding by telling me it was okay if I didn't publish and kept my writing strictly in the hobby category.

Those of you who know me, know that while I understood his meaning, I took that as a challenge. If you know me, I like challenges. I enjoy championing over challenges, obstacles, and anything else that keeps me from my dreams. It's why I became an actress, singer, dancing, manager, hypnotherapist, coach, reiki master, and author. I have that personality that says, 'go for it!' and his words made me realize I was 'going for it' in the wrong way.

I sat down, did some self-reflection, self-hypnosis, and forced myself to face my inner critic (who isn't a very nice gal). In fact, in one hypnosis session I invited the inner critic to a meeting in my mind and I gave her the boot... literally had to kick her to the ceiling to get her to stop nit picking and invited a new, supportive motivator to take her place (yes, you can do things like that in hypnosis and it really can work).

For that to work I had to recognize my weaknesses as well as celebrate my successes. I knew I could weave a story but I also came to terms with my poor editing skills. I decided to take some classes to help in that arena, I also hired one of my best friends (who is an amazing author in her own rights) Michele Gwynn to edit my stories. With all the right pieces in place the only thing left to do was write.

So I did. I didn't go back and edit the chapters I just wrote. My fingers flew across the keyboard and the story poured from my mind onto the blank screen. Before I knew it, I had over 100,000 words written and realized I needed to make the book a series. It wasn't until I wrote the words, 'The End' that I went back and did a read through. What I realized as I read the words on the page was that once I removed the obstacles I could produce a pretty great story. That was when I graduated from writer to author.

Sure a lot had to happen to make it possible but the biggest thing I needed to do was write.

So I guess that's what I should go back to, but before I do, just a little peek on the business side of things (I am an author, after all).

I wanted to give a little shout out to my Ghost Connection series. It was my first adventure into writing in the first person and I'm pretty proud of the adventures Cassie has been on since I started the serial. I've been working on the third book in the series and am pretty excited about what is happening.

For those of you not familiar with the series, Cassie O'Grady is a medium. She became one when she died (and was resuscitated) at age seven from a car accident that took her father's life. From that moment on she saw ghosts. This life change messed with her psyche and she realized she got along better with spirits than living beings. Her best friend is a ghost but he has a secret that links them together on a deeper level than either one of them ever realized.

In book one of the series titled, Lost, Cassie is enlisted to help a teen spirit who was killed by her boyfriend in a jealous rage. The boyfriend is still a threat and Cassie, despite her own good judgement, is convinced to go save the girl's brother and parents from the emotionally unstable boyfriend.

There are a few twists and turns that reveal family secrets, cause heartache, and changes her life forever.

In the second adventure of the series, Death Does Not Become Her, Cassie is still healing from the tragedies of the first book when she is called in to help a college girlfriend who appears to be dead. But appearances can be deceiving. The girlfriend is actually in a coma on the verge of death unless the poison used in a ritual sacrifice that put her in the coma is discovered in time. The last thing she wants to do is help another spirit but it's hard to turn away from your destiny.

In the third book of this series (which is currently in production) Cassie discovers a ghost who is collecting souls and depositing them into a virtual city. This spiritual Artificial Intelligence is upsetting the balance of life, death, and the after life and this is unacceptable. She is enlisted to help bring down the AI's plan and meets others from the government that are similar to her.

Each book in this series is only .99 for a limited time. One Click them today and please be kind and review them. You can also get both of these books in audio. Vanessa Reynolds did an amazing job as the narrator to these stories. I wrote this series for mature YA, NA, and adults of any age. There is a sweet romance developing between Cassie and Detective Dash but it will remain low heat level. Here is the series link for Ebook or Audiobook: Ghost Connection.

Check out all my books on Amazon and one click your weekend read.

If you have time this weekend check out the release party for The Mating Challenge which is a steamy BBW shifter romance based in a dystopia future. It's book two of the Vanished Series and definitely written for the 18 and older crowd. Here's the pre-order link on Amazon... only .99

Hope you have a fang-tastic weekend.

My 500 words day three: the beginning of the writing process

So today's topic is about something I get asked in interviews and radio shows. I suppose it makes people curious how in a little over a year I can have seventeen stories published and have five currently in the works. It's more of a question of curiosity and for those who want to be writers I hope it helps them find motivation. What's the question? When do I find time to write? Are there specifics needed to create my writing space? How do I begin the process? How do I maintain the process? Okay, so that's more than one question but it all comes together for one blog topic.

First I think it's important to note. It helps that I have an amazingly supportive husband who works in the real world while I work at home creating fictional worlds and characters. This is perhaps the biggest contributing factor to having an abundant back list of books/stories. It also helps that I mix things up with novellas/short stories/full lengths. My largest book is over 115k words and my smallest comes in around 10 - 15k words. I'm proud of the number of stories I've produced but I also know length and time are contributing factors to their production.

I also split up my day between managing and cleaning the house, working out, chatting with my fans/street team, marketing my books, working with coaching clients, and somewhere in that midst I find time to write. Those of you who know me, know I'm at my best in chaos... this is not the same for everyone. I think for those aspiring authors my best advice is to create a schedule, stick to it as best you can, be flexible when needed (this is something I tell my coaching clients all the time ~ change is inevitable, don't fight it, work with it), and watch your story grow. You may not be able to produce a ton of books right away, which can have to do with time or self-confidence, but getting that first one out there is the biggest hurdle... it does get easier as time goes by.

As far as writing space, I really only need my laptop and some music. I can write by the pool, in the bedroom, or a moving vehicle (as long as hubby is driving). I also carry a mini recorder for ideas and to work out scenes if I'm struggling with writer's block or nowhere near my laptop. I used to carry around a notebook for that same purpose. Either one works great. The music I suppose is my anchor. I can write without it but the ADHD part of my mind needs a distraction which is what the music becomes in the background. As long as I distract the hyper part of my mind I can focus on the story and characters. When I do my final read thrus of manuscripts I can always tell the parts that were written without the distraction component.

The last two questions can be answered together. At any given time there are multiple manuscripts open at the bottom of my computer screen. Currently there are five stories running around in my head (Fire Master Rising ~ book three of Winters Saga, Daddy Made Me Do It ~ book one of Demon Ascension series, Dragon's Dream Dancer ~ book two of Demon Fairy Tales series, The Faerie King's Guardian ~ book two of Mystery Springs Series, and The Gator's Witch ~ book two of Shifter Love Tales)  and four more on the back burner of the creative process stove (Remote Paranoia ~ PBI Case Files book five, Spiritual AI ~ book three of Ghost Connection Series, book one of the Refuge Island, and the third book of Vanished Series).

I pop between manuscripts throughout the day adding new chapters to the stories. This helps me to keep things from getting stale. If you've read my work you know I like a lot of action mixed with romance, fantasy/paranormal blended with mythology, and a ton of twists and turns. I love it when fans tell me I bent their minds or made them think/wonder what if. I try hard to make scenes unique to the characters, especially the intimate scenes. As many times as I write a kiss or fight scene the challenge becomes making it different. Working on multiple manuscripts at one time helps me in that arena. It's an odd process, I know, but it works for me. I guess my advice here to aspiring authors is to find and develop your process. Every storyteller is different and the writing process changes from one to the next.

Thank you for reading my daily journal. I hope it helps you with whatever you're working on.

Since this post was about the beginning of the writing process I figured I'd share my Winters Saga in this post as part of the business side of things. Have you read Lone Wolf Rising and Vampire Princess Rising? Fire Master Rising is shaping into quite an action packed story and coming soon. This was my first series ever published and I wrote the story for mature young adult to adult fans of any age.

It started out as a story of a teen witch who became a werewolf in search of vengeance and grew into a family affair. Rebecca's Story in Lone Wolf Rising was so intense the first book only covered a week of her life. In book two, Vampire Princess Rising the focus went to the broken relationship between Rebecca and twin sister Savannah after Rebecca's actions in book one caused Savvy's transformation. Of course, those that have read it know there is a lot more going on in the background as the story progresses.

Book three has a larger focus on Hunter and his journey to becoming a powerful fire witch. There is still plenty of paranormal battles, traveling between universes, and alternate from different dimensions. All mixed with some romance. It's a great romantic adventure and one I hope you get a chance to check out.

Okay I guess it's time to get back to writing. I have a scene for Fire Master Rising running around in my head and want to get it finished tonight. Thank you for letting me share a little about myself and my work. I hope you have a wonderful day.

You can check out all my books on Amazon here.

What motivated me to take the 500 words a day challenge, discounted series, and raffles

I'd like to say my motivation was to write but that's not the case. Writing words daily is fairly easy, in the last two days I wrote up almost 10k words on a new manuscript. It's a story about a justice demon and her journey to escape hell and become human. It's going to be at least a 14 book series and the first book is rolling out on paper with the force of a steam roller which is nice for an author. This post is actually a break from the story and my forced attempt to stay grounded in reality. It's easy to get lost in the story when your telling it, especially if the story is action packed.

I think that is the first reason I decided to take this challenge. I write so much in the paranormal and fantasy world that I miss out on the real world a little. I also wanted an avenue to get more personal with my fans. You know what to expect when you read my books; action, paranormal, mythological gods, and some romance... but not many people know me. My strengths and weaknesses. My whimsical, yet slightly off sense of humor, and my compassion for people and animals. This project forces me to ask tough questions and share those answers with you on my blog. I've always wanted a more personal blog and it's already starting to get there.

Thanks to this project and being asked to join a blog hop I designed a fun post on how to refresh bedroom play... well, it lead to tips on communication but all in the name of making things more fun in the bedroom. As a coach, hypnotherapist, and romance writer I figured I might have some insight into this topic. Look for that post, coming soon as part of a blog hop and the giveaway that will also be part of it.

I also have the goal of video blogging and this change in my blog format will help me to vlog about important issues.

I guess I can say, I'm doing a little spring cleaning on my blog and I hope you all like the changes. There will still be sneak peeks of my books, giveaways, and insights into why I went certain directions in different stories but there will be a lot more and I'm uber excited about it. I hope you are too.

Have you made any plans to freshen up or change things in your life? Feel free to comment below. I'd love to hear from you.

I guess I'll sign off for the night. I really want to get back to the story and hit that 10 k goal. I'm so close. Because I'm an author and constantly have things going on I thought I'd share a few things coming up on the business side of things.

The Mating Challenge (Steamy, Adult, BBW, Shifter, Romance) is still available on pre-order for only .99 on Amazon. The release party is scheduled for this upcoming weekend. Will you be joining us? Here's the party page. It's a great read. What could be sexier than six alpha males competing to the death to mate with one awesome woman?

I've also decided to price all PBI Case Files adventures at .99 for a limited time. It's a great series and people have really enjoyed the "CSI... with a paranormal twist" premise. I'd love for more to enjoy it so I'm going to reduce this series for a while. I'm also hoping the reduction in price will pay off in more reviews. Check out the adventures here.

Ghost Connection, adventures one and two are also only .99 each. You can check out this series here.

Ohh, I almost forgot. I'm part of two awesome raffles. Check these out.

If you'd like some extra spending cash before Spring Break, enter my Spring Break Giveaway. I've joined up with some awesome authors, Digital Book Today, and The Kindle Book Review--The #1 Site for Reader Giveaways, and we're giving away two (2) $200 Amazon Gift Cards March 23 - April 5. Check it out and enter everyday. Good luck! Here's the link. 

I've also got an audiobook raffle going on as part of my blog tour from Magic of Books (which is going phenomenal!). Here is the link to that raffle as well.

Have a great night and chat with you later, my friends.

Taking the challenge (500 Words Daily)

As an author writing 500 words a day in a fictional world I've created is fairly easy, even when battling writer's block. The challenge for me will to write 500 words about myself, my world, and the real reality. Being an author becomes a bit of a public affair. I'm not saying being an author means fame and fortune, constant spotlight and attention, or anything of the sort, but your readers and fans like to know more about the person behind the story telling. During this 31 day challenge I hope to reveal more about myself to my fans. Allowing you a peek at the person behind the curtain, behind the marketing world indie authors are required to operate in.

Hopefully this challenge will give you some insight into me and what inspires my character and world building. Real life inspires fiction, just as fiction inspires imagination.

I hope this 500 words a day challenge will be fun, insightful, influential, and engaging. As you read the daily challenges from me I hope you will find the author more approachable and feel comfortable with opening dialogues and conversations with me. As I share my stories perhaps you'll be open to sharing yours. You can interact with me on Facebook here. If something I posted in a daily challenge inspires you to reach out message me there or at spiritandmindconnection@live.com

Getting to know me might be fun and I know getting to know my fans will be fun as well. So this is me, announcing my intention to take the 500 Words a day challenge. If you're interested in joining this challenge here is the link. Check it out. Join me on the journey.

Be sure to subscribe to this blog via the email link in the upper right hand corner.

Thanks for reading and catch you on the flip side tomorrow.

Just a quick shout out to my upcoming release party event for The Mating Challenge (a steamy, adult, paranormal, shifter, BBW, romance). Here's the Facebook party link if your interested in attending the festivities. You can also check it out on Amazon, add it to your wishlist, or one-click it here.

Sneak peek of 'Genie's Treasure' the first adventure of the Magical Secrets Series

Genie's Treasure is a treasure hunting story with a paranormal and mythological (even god-ly) flair. It's full of action, family love, intrigue, magic, inter-dimensional travel, and love. All of that is wonderful and the story will touch your heart. I wanted to share a sneak peek of Genie's Treasure with you today. I hope you enjoy.

Introduction

Joshua and Josie Parker are antique hunters with a penchant for enchanted items. Josie’s discovery of a secret map in a genie lamp sets the siblings on a magical adventure to Galveston Island. An adventure that leaves each of them in precarious situations, one of them facing death and the other a broken heart.

When Joshua triggers the genie, his life is turned upside down. Instinct has him wanting to save the genie but will his determination cost his sister her life? Join the siblings on an adventure that will leave you wondering, what if?

Prologue

The clouds rolled across the sky with a furious determination to cloak the world in darkness. Amani watched with horror as her little brother, Faris battled the wicked wind and downpour of rain to get the horses into the stables. The majestic animals were their livelihood, they managed the royal stables and if anything happened to one of the precious creatures their family would face terrible wrath from the prince. It was rumored the prince loved his horses more than his wives, especially Black Knight.

Amani rung her hands and bounced softly from one foot to the other as Faris ran the last horse, the fine stallion of amazing pedigree, toward the stables. She waited for him at the stable door, ready to close it tight once he was over the threshold. Unfortunately, Black Knight was not in tune with his namesake and when lightning struck a nearby tree he reared up, putting Faris in danger.

She sucked in a scared breath, she’d seen fear in the majestic creatures’ faces before but this was terror and Black Knight was not easily tamed. His wild nature was why the Prince named him his favorite.

“Where are you going, boy?” A man wearing a black mask and dark clothes stepped in front of Faris, blocking him from the stable entrance. Somehow the man didn’t see her or maybe he didn’t see her as a threat.

“I’m trying to lock the horses up. Please step out of my way,” Amani heard her brother say. Her feet moved before her brain knew what was really happening. She rushed to her father’s office and picked up the shot gun. Checking to make sure it was loaded and the safety was off, she ran back to the entryway of the stables to provide back up for her brother if he needed her.

“I’ll take, Black Knight,” the intruder told him. The horse reared up angrily at the storm raging around them.

The coldness in the cloaked man’s voice ran shivers up Amani’s spine. She’d always been good at gauging a person’s emotions but this man sounded void of anything but hatred, cold, bitter hatred. It made her skin crawl. Another crack of lightning snapped a tree branch from the trunk. The horse pulled and bucked, reacting in fear, his only motivation was to get away.

Faris caught Amani’s eyes and puffed his chest, raising his chin defiantly. While he attempted to steady the furious black stallion he said, “I’m sorry but it’s my duty to protect the horses with my life.”

“If you’re willing to pay with your life than so be it.” The masked man flung a dagger at Faris and Amani screamed as the knife sunk into her brother’s chest. The light that left his eyes as he crumbled to the ground told Amani the robber hit his heart.

She didn’t think. Her father taught her to fight. Taught her to shoot the shotgun in her hand if she ever needed to defend her family. She knew as the scream left her lips that she only had moments before the assailant thrust a dagger in her direction. She felt the kick from the shotgun before she knew she had even pulled the trigger.

Black Knight lunged into the air, front hooves landing on the man she shot. If the bullet hadn’t killed the man the horse stomping finished the job. It was a gruesome sight. Amani dropped the gun and fell to her knees. She’d just had a hand in taking a man’s life. Emotions flooded her. Fear, sadness, remorse, disgust for her act. It didn’t matter that she was following through with her duty to protect the horses, that she was entitled to take vengeance on the man who murdered her little brother in cold blood, or that she was worried for her own life. None of that matter because she’d committed the most heinous of crimes, she’d taken a life. There was no coming back from this.

The tears that fell were as heavy as the rain from the angry clouds overhead. The blood was too much and Amani had to turn her head from the sight of the two bodies that laid dead in front of her.

There was another scream that broke through the storm like a thief, this one of pure misery. Amani looked up to see another intruder, this one a woman. The newcomer ran to the bloody, beaten body of the man Amani had murdered. Black Knight had disappeared but that didn’t matter now. Her brother was dead and so was the intruder.

The grieving woman glared daggers at Amani’s frail form. “You did this.” She pointed an aged finger toward Amani’s wilting frame.

“I’m so sorry,” she pleaded with the woman.

“No, you’re not sorry.” The woman stalked toward Amani, pulling her hood down and allowing the rain to soak her from head to toe. “You’re not sorry.” She pulled Amani to a standing position. “But you will be. I curse you!”

“What?” Amani staggered back. “No, he killed my brother. He was going to kill me, I had no choice.” Even as the words left her mouth she knew they were wasted. She burst into tears, covering her face with her hands, hiding her shame. “I wish I could take it back.”

“You wish? You wish? Foolish girl, don’t you know wishes are the devil’s tools?”               

Amani shook her head. “No.”

“You killed my son and I could kill you but I’d rather see you suffer. I curse you to spend an eternity granting other people’s wishes, maybe someday you’ll realize what a wish really is.” She ripped an emerald heart necklace off her neck and pressed the jewel to Amani’s forehead as she chanted in a foreign language Amani had never heard of before. Amani frantically tried to escape the old woman’s grasp, but she was far stronger than her frail appearance demonstrated.

One minute she was fighting to get out of the old woman’s grasp and the next she was transported to another place. The new place looked like a pasture on earth, only the colors were off. Everything had a grey tint to it. Even stranger, there were no sounds, no animals, no rain. The place was void of people…void of life. Where was she and how did she get home?  

Want more? You can get the whole story here on Amazon.

You can also get this story in my Paranormal Affairs box set which includes the first books in 11 of my hottest, highly rated paranormal series. Free with Kindle Unlimited or $4.99 for the set. Have a wonderful weekend....

Please consider subscribing to this blog by email at the top right of this page. Also I would love it if you joined my newsletter email list (I often do monthly subscriber giveaways exclusive to the subscriber list of the Newsletter). Here's the link 

Sneak peek of The Mating Challenge coming soon!

Please enjoy this sneak peek of The Mating Challenge (book two of the Vanished series) to be released individually and as part of the Eros Indie Erotica Author Challenge.

Introduction

Andrea Slater escapes the prison of an underground compound only to be captured by a wild werewolf community that is convinced she has shifter blood. Six hot alpha males compete to claim her as her mate but can she submit to this new life and give up her freedom?

Chapter One

Blake crept along the corridor keeping his packages behind him and his eyes on the destination. Andrea Slater and Mario Buckley were brave souls, but they wouldn’t have any luck if they couldn’t get the mission off the ground. His part was simple, theirs would be far more dangerous. All he needed to do was get them topside. The rest was up to them.

“Okay, the coast is clear.” He motioned for them to follow him down the south corridor, their booted feet pounding the cement floor of the underground compound.

Andrea made it to the keypad first and entered the code while Mario placed his hand on the glass plate and allowed his eye to be scanned. It was the reason he was chosen for this mission, he had the access to get topside and had no reason to stay here.

Andrea was a different story. She couldn’t handle the rules of the compound. She’d been in and out of jail and psychiatric therapy, but nothing helped her overcome the loss of freedom. Her military training made her the perfect operative for this mission, and sending her to the surface was actually an act of mercy at this point.

A shadow caught Blake’s attention from the left. He turned and aimed his weapon. Stun guns were the only firearms they were allowed in the compound. The theory was that humans were scarce and a commodity. They didn’t want to lose one to violence. “We’ve got company, hurry up and get out of here.” He whispered loud enough that Mario and Andrea could hear him and started down the hallway.

“No, Blake. Melissa will kill me if anything happens to you.” Andrea grabbed his arm and pulled him back a step.

“Your mission is more important. Besides, it’s probably Sean. He’s the one on duty tonight.” He pulled his arm back. “Get out of here.”

Mario grabbed Andrea’s arm and pulled her toward the open escape hatch. “It’s now or never, Andrea.”

Andrea looked at Blake who nodded. She conceded and went with Mario. They were right, they had to go. Hopefully whoever Blake was about to face was friend not foe. Andrea climbed the ladder first, and Mario followed her up. An alarm sounded as they closed the hatch which quickened their pace as they headed toward the Earth’s surface. They didn’t know what to expect when they got topside. If they listened to what they were told it was surely death, but if there was a chance that they could survive on the ground above, they needed to find out.

It was dark when they managed to pry the second hatch open and step onto the planet’s exterior. They could barely make out the terrain, but the fresh smells that assaulted their nostrils urged them forward. Gone was the stale, recirculated air, replaced by sweetness and moisture. The coolness of the brisk wind reminded her of her time, long ago, before she was abducted from the past and taken to the future to reproduce human children to repopulate the Earth. It all sounded like a noble cause. The only problem is the way they were going about achieving their goals. Kidnapping, drugging, using compulsion to control them, and forcing them into holding cells they claimed were apartments.

There had to be a better place, and she really hoped it would be here. Their eyes quickly adjusted to the silvery light that came from the full moon and focused on their surroundings.

“Let’s head to the mountainous area over there. Perhaps there is a cave we can take cover in.” Mario suggested.

“Good idea.” She lifted her backpack onto her shoulder and unholstered her stun gun. She felt better knowing she had some way to defend herself. The rumors of the dangers topside included zombie clone husks, demons, shifters and other paranormal creatures. All of the stories were meant to instill fear in the heart of humans to deter them from trying to escape, but as uncommon sounds of wild creatures echoed in the distance she couldn’t help but wonder how many of those supernatural beings actually existed. Probably most of them since the compound they just left was full of vampires, shifters, cyborgs and humans.

They took off at a steady jog toward the mountains, keeping their eyes to the periphery to make sure there weren’t any shadows following them. It was eerily quiet for what they were expecting. It was less than two clicks before the hair on the back of Andrea’s neck rose. It was the feeling that she was being watched. She stopped and narrowed her eyes on the horizon, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

“Andie, what are you doing?” Mario stopped and turned in her direction after her footfalls diminished behind him.

“You don’t feel that?”

He shook his head. “Feel what?” He turned his eyes toward the horizon, following her gaze. “I don’t feel anything but cold.”

“Right. Okay, let’s go,” she took off at a steady run, quickening her earlier pace as dread twisted slowly up her spine. Something was wrong, instinct told her to be on guard. But whatever the threat was, it was not visible to her yet.

Two more clicks and they reached the bottom of the mountainous terrain. Mario pulled out a glow stick but Andrea placed her hand over his before he could snap it on. “I don’t think that’s wise.”

Mario looked at her quizzically. “Okay.”

“Let’s just hurry and take cover.” Andrea turned as something hard slammed against her face, and her knees buckled underneath her. She turned to warn Mario, but as darkness narrowed her vision she saw he was being attacked. The last thing she remembered before she slipped into unconsciousness was a wooden spear sticking out of his chest and the life leaving his eyes as he fell face-first into the dusty ground.

The amazing box set Eros is available for only $0.99 on pre-order from Amazon now.  I'm so proud to be a part of this awesome box set with these amazing authors, Don Abdul, Melissa Bell, Riley Bryant, R.J. Cree, Max Cummings, Al Daltrey, Lynessa James, Jake Furie Lapin, Inga Lykke, P.T. Macias, J.M. Nash, Amy Rachiele and Salice Rodgers. Check it out it's definitely worth a one click.

Please note this story and the Eros box set is intended for readers 18 and older.

Sneak peek of "The Dragon's Succubus" book one of Demon Fairy Tales series

An awesome sneak peek of The Dragon's Succubus. Starting with the introduction and the first chapter for your reading pleasure. Please note this book is intended for adult readers as it can get steamy hot...

Being a princess is a pretty amazing job, that is, unless you’re a princess of the Underworld. Alleyah “Lee” Jenkins is the daughter of Hades and a human woman, Joanna. Her birth left her an orphan in the human realm. When she hit adolescence, she came into her succubus powers and learned the truth of her birthright. She was destined to marry a demon prince and together they would rule the thirteenth level of the underworld. She had different plans.

For the next twelve years she hunted and dispatched demons to the underworld, honoring the memory of her human mother and clearly stating her opposition to taking her throne in the underworld. When she meets a bounty hunter named Connor MacGregor, her world is turned upside down. He is tasked with the duty of bringing her to justice for a crime she didn’t commit. His family honor, and the lives of his siblings, depend on him accomplishing his goal. He didn’t, however, expect to discover she was his mate!

Chapter One

The heavy beat of the techno music playing over the speakers of the rundown nightclub, Jericho, was a jarring and somewhat strangely comfortable lullaby for Alleyah Jenkins. Two years ago this place was the hottest destination in town for a Friday and Saturday night, but now, they were lucky if a couple hundred patrons came the entire weekend. Lee didn’t mind the lull in customers or the cut in tips. It made both of her jobs easier. As the bartender, she rarely had customers waiting and fewer patrons meant she could focus on her real calling, and tonight she had a new target in mind.

She’d spent the better part of the last two hours flirting with a reptile, and she was about to close the deal. All she needed was her back up bartender, Alex, to show up. She passed the blond haired, green eyed man a beer and this time held her hand on his for ten extra seconds. Then, she winked and gave him her best smile before she leaned over and whispered, “You want to accompany me on my break out back?” She made sure her abundant chest was positioned perfectly over the bar so he could see the goods.

The smile he gave back meant he got the message loud and clear. He was more than willing to join her in the alley for a little bump and grind. The pieces were falling into place nicely and she was happy knowing that her diversion would keep the bastard from finding another woman to torment tonight. If all went well, the last intimate moment the man had on this earth was going to be with her.

As if on cue, the back-up bartender, Charlie Harrington, entered the nightclub. She was wearing tight black jeans and an even tighter white t-shirt which meant she was looking for good tips tonight. It was odd she was here, it meant Alex was taking the night off, which he never did on a weekend night. He had to be lying on his death bed to not be here. Lee made a mental note to check on him after her shift was over.

Charlie, the redheaded female bartender, didn’t make it behind the bar before Lee jumped out to meet her. She gave the girl an affectionate smile and tossed her apron to her partner for the night. “I’m taking a break.” She smiled as she glanced over to her shag partner who stood up and followed her sashaying hips out the back door.

The good thing about being a succubus was she was rarely turned down by men or women. It made her the perfect hunter. Her curvy body, blonde curls, and violet eyes helped too, but it was hard to resist pheromones like hers. She could be unattractive and still be alluring to her prey.

She waited for her mark to make it across the alley while she sipped her bottleneck beer silently. The grin on the man’s face was priceless. Demons were always so cocky. This one was no different. He placed both hands on either side of her head and moved within inches of her face, trapping her to the wall…or so he thought.

He was focused on possessing her and she was focused on her mental checklist. Sulfuric smell, yep. Check. Yellow tinge to eyes, check. He brushed her blonde hair back away from her eyes, and she took note that the upper half of his ring finger had been chopped off. Body disfigurement. Minor, but check.

“I’m Reed, what’s your name?” His voice was silky smooth, almost hypnotic.

Compulsion powers, check. Social skills and desire to make a connection, uncheck. Okay, not good. Everything about this man screamed demon so why was he not lining up with her checklist?  “No names,” Lee told him as she crushed her lips to his. Bastard! She never killed a mark unless she was able to verify, without a doubt, it was a demon. Now she had to actually make out with the arrogant ass to make sure he was who he seemed to be. Thankfully, he was a good kisser and responded to her lips instantly.

She excreted a little extra pheromones into her saliva as she slid her tongue along his lower lip. He opened wide to deepen the kiss. His fingers slid down her body and ignited her inner demon, her succubus side came alive when his hands slipped under her t-shirt and glided upward to cup her breast. Lee wrapped her leg around his hip and pressed her urgent, needy body up against his groin. His desire for her evident in the hardness trying to push itself out from behind his zipper. He moved both hands up above her head and dipped his mouth to her neck. A moan escaped her lips and then she heard the click and felt the cold metal against her wrists.

“What the hell?” Her violet eyes shot daggers as he brought her hand down and she saw the cuff connecting her wrist to his. “I’m not into kinky stuff without discussing it first.” She had a feeling he wasn’t into bondage either. The clear look in his eyes told her he wasn’t under her spell. She’d never met someone who was unaffected by her hormones. Demons, humans, supernaturals, they all succumbed to the pheromones her body emitted. Why didn’t he?

“You and I are going to take a ride, Alleyah.” The glazed-over look of sexual desire was gone, replaced by stone-cold resolve.

“I don’t ride in cars with strangers.” She spun around and kicked the back of his knee, the force of the blow causing him to lose his footing and crumble to the ground. He pulled her with him. She really should’ve thought that move through. She managed to chastise herself before her knees hit the dirty, damp ground. The coppery smell of blood rose on the air and she watched as Reed’s green eyes turned red with hunger. He wasn’t a demon, he was something else, something worse. He was something that fed on blood.

Demons fed on the souls they collected. The souls they harvested agreed to be victims in exchange for something they wanted. Lee felt sorry for the lost souls that demons consumed, but those souls chose to be the demon’s food. Blood feeders were different. They stalked their prey and took what wasn’t offered to them. They were the bottom feeders of the supernatural races and she despised them, but she didn’t hunt them. She left that job to the human hunters. Her motivation behind killing demons was more of a family affair.  

Lee threw a punch toward Reed’s jaw and heard the familiar crack. He turned and gave her a grin as though she hadn’t even touched him. “By now I’m sure you know I’m not as easy to kill as your weak-ass demons. Why don’t you be a good girl and come with me willingly?”

“Like hell!” She kicked him in the face, punched him in the gut, but it wasn’t until she took aim at his groin that he grabbed her foot, twisted, and slammed her down to the ground.

“Sorry, sweetheart. I like that part of my anatomy too much to allow you to inflict damage.” There was humor in his voice. He actually looked like he was enjoying her attempts at fighting for her life. Jerk!

“Really? It seemed rather small to me, almost too tiny to care about.”

A deep laugh rumbled from his diaphragm. “I’m not adverse to taking it out and demonstrating its power.”

“Animal.”

“Yes, I am.” He tugged her up and pulled her against him. His breath hot on her skin. “Which is a step up on the evolutionary ladder over you, succubus.” His lips closed the gap and claimed hers, and the tiniest inkling of hope sparked inside her soul. He was attracted to her or her pheromones were kicking in. Either way, she had some leverage that she could use to escape capture. Now she just needed to figure out who wanted her and why.

His tongue swirled in her mouth and she reciprocated, both of them feeling a hunger build inside them. “Now, I’m sorry for this.” He zapped her with an electrical current to the brain which fried her mind and made her pass out.

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Check out the other books in this series here and take a look at Jami Brumfield's other Adult Paranormal Romances here.