Guest Post: Unmasked (box set) by Angela Knight #urbanfantasy #actionadventure @AngelaKnight

UNMASKING THE HEAT

By Angela Knight

I’ve always thought comics were sexy.

That may seem a little weird, until I tell you I discovered comics about the time I hit puberty. When I was twelve, my grandmother passed away, and my mother took me to a therapist. He had an enormous stack of Batman comic books in his lobby, and he gave them to me. I took them home, and I was hooked.

The Batman artist of my teenage years was Neal Adams, who made Batman look sexy and tormented — and basically naked as he chased Catwoman all over Gotham. One of my favorite Pinterest images recently is of Bats holding Catwoman with her whip wrapped around his throat. (Though the Batman of my imagination has always seemed more of a sonofabitch Dominant than anything else. It isn’t much of a stretch. That character is a bit of a bastard even in 1990’s cartoons.)

Years later, my first published work was in comics – a three-issue mini-series called Cycops about three cops with computers implants in their brains. I basically used the same idea in my Time Hunters series for Berkley Sensation. Like the Cycops, the Warlords had the abilities to draw on brief explosions of superhuman strength.

Power has always fascinated me. For one thing, I believe we have more of it than we think we do, something we often discover only when we’re backed into a corner.

That’s why I write the stories I do – about people waging desperate battle against evil for those they love. It’s only then they discover their inner superheroes, realizing they have more strength than they ever knew. We become our own superheroes only by being tested.

Besides, with great power come great sex!

Unmasked (Box Set)

Things get hot when heroes take off their masks — among other things!

Hero Sandwich: When Meg Jennings finds herself at the mercy of a pair of kinky heroes, she discovers keeping a wicked secret can be good, dirty fun.

Voodoo: Voodoo is tired of waiting for Lynx. Time to show him everything she can do with her psychic superpowers.

Taming Jack: Lark Anderson is determined to save Deputy Jack Ramsey — even if it means accepting an inhuman invader.

Natasha and the Android: When Natasha is kidnapped by an android supervillain who wants to find out why humans are so obsessed with sex, she realizes the dark side has a lot more going for it than she thought.

Masks & Mistletoe: From rescuing a ten-year-old from an evil Santa to celebrating a BDSM Christmas, superheroes Lock and Ultra explore discipline, dominance and the kinky way…

Publisher’s Note: Unmasked (Box Set) contains the previously published novellas Hero Sandwich, Voodoo, Taming Jack, Natasha and the Android, and Masks & Mistletoe.

Get it at Changeling Press

EXCERPT

All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2021 Angela Knight
Excerpt from Hero Sandwich

Meg Jennings stepped out onto the roof of her apartment building, her boots scraping on the concrete. Below, horns honked and an eighteen-wheeler growled in acceleration as a fire truck wailed its way down the street.

Restless, she strode to the roof’s edge. All around her, the lights of Manhattan glittered in the darkness as if the stars had showered down to earth. Meg stared downward, brooding.

She’d had no choice except to break it off with Richard tonight. Much as she loved him, she couldn’t keep tolerating his secrecy, his habit of disappearing, his evasiveness. She couldn’t even remember the last time they’d actually ended a date without him being called off by some mysterious phone call. Any explanation he’d bothered to give afterward always had the ring of a lie.

Meg had lived a double life long enough to recognize the signs in somebody else. She knew what she was doing in hers. She wasn’t at all sure she wanted to know what Richard was doing with his.

Maybe he was a hero, risking his life in the pursuit of justice. But there was something about Richard, something just a little bit dark, a little bit ruthless. That sounded more like villain than hero to Meg — and she wasn’t willing to go down that particular road again. She didn’t like where it led.

Even so, the expression on his handsome face when she’d told him it was over had stabbed into her soul. Pain and vulnerability were not emotions she associated with Richard Drake, billionaire captain of industry.

She’d found herself explaining. “I just can’t live with the lies anymore, Richard.”

A cool gleam of determination replaced the pain in those wolf-pale eyes. “We all have our secrets, Meg. And we all tell lies.” Then he’d walked out.

Now she glowered at the city below. We all have our secrets. What the hell did that mean?

With a huff, Meg stepped off the edge of the roof and into empty air. For an instant, she fell like a rock. Then the generators in her suit started pumping out lev-fields, and she rose slowly skyward like a soap bubble on the breeze.

Absently, she watched the traffic stream below her boots in a river of headlights. Was this what Richard meant? Did he know what she was? And would he tell anyone in that other life she suspected he led?

If he did, he might as well paint a target on her chest and declare open season. Too many pissed-off villains — and even a few heroes — had sworn to take revenge on Paparazzi for the photos she’d taken. If any of them ever found out who she was, she wouldn’t have a prayer.

It was hard to believe Richard would deliberately endanger her that way. But then, she didn’t really know him, did she? That was the whole problem.

Frowning, Meg stretched her body out in the air, letting the lev-fields cradle her in invisible lines of force. With one hand, she checked the bag attached to her equipment belt. Her camera gear was safely stowed, ready for the night’s adventures. Taking a deep breath, she slowly flexed her toes, triggering the acceleration controls in her boots. Instantly, she shot forward, propelled by the levitation fields rippling around her.

It was ironic, really. If her father hadn’t been such an adrenaline junkie, he could have been pulling in billions in patent proceeds. The American military would have paid a great deal for a suit that could both levitate its wearer and turn him invisible.

Unfortunately, exploiting his inventions had always held less appeal for Gerald Jennings than committing crimes as the supervillain Bankbuster. He and his partner Nightwolf had terrorized New York together, in between battles with superheroes like Cougar and Lynx. Which was why Gerald was doing fifty in Attica now instead of living the high life in Acapulco.

Meg was lucky she hadn’t gone down with him. When she’d turned fifteen, Nightwolf had lost a fight with Cougar and gone to jail. Her father hated working alone, so he gave her a lev-suit and forced her to become his sidekick, Sneak Thief. For the next two years, she’d lived in a constant state of terror as they used their suits in nighttime bank robberies.

Finally, Meg could take no more. She told her father she’d robbed her last bank. Enraged, Gerald beat her so badly, he had to take her to the hospital before he robbed the bank he’d targeted. Cougar and Lynx caught him that very night.

Bankbuster’s conviction freed Meg from her life of crime, but it also left her with a very big problem. Her mother was dead, and the money Gerald had left in an offshore bank wouldn’t last long. Though she was old enough to go out on her own by then, she had no way to support herself except minimum-wage jobs.

Meg briefly considered selling her own suit to the Army, but she didn’t know how it worked. Besides, admitting she had Sneak Thief’s costume wasn’t exactly a good move, given the charges hanging over her head. She had to find another way to make a living.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angela Knight’s romance writing career began in 1996, when she realized her dream of romance publication with Red Sage’s Secrets anthology. She is a New York Times best-selling author of more than fifty novels, novellas, and ebooks, including the Mageverse and Time Hunters series. Her career spans twenty plus years. Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine gave her a Career Achievement award in Paranormal Romance, as well as two Reviewers’ Choice awards for best erotic romance and best werewolf romance.

Angela is currently a writer, editor, and cover artist for Changeling Press. She also teaches online writing courses with SavvyAuthors.com. Besides her fiction work, Angela’s writing career includes a decade as an award-winning South Carolina newspaper reporter. She lives in South Carolina with her husband, Michael, a thirty-year police veteran and detective with a local police department.

Witches and Demons by Saloni Quinby #paranormalromance @katehillromance

Witches and Demons (Witches and Demons 4)

Ghosts, demons, curses, and a passion that may destroy them all…

Dark Before Dawn (Witches and Demons 1): In one night two strangers share a lifetime of passion. Once a year, evil haunts the woods on Sam’s ancestral land. Sam uses his magic to keep it under control, but this year he’s recovering from an accident and his magic is weak. His powers can be strengthened through sex, but his partner has abandoned him. Only with Aaron’s help can they survive the dark before dawn.

Accursed (Witches and Demons 2): The first-born sons in actor Ian Northhill’s family have all died on their thirty-fourth birthday, and Ian’s is just around the corner. The problem is, he doesn’t believe in ghosts, demons or curses. When Ian and Medium Maxim Thomas meet, they’re overwhelmed by lust. Will Ian trust Maxim enough to allow his lover to save him from the family curse?

Warriors of Sir Guy (Witches and Demons 3): For eight hundred years The Warriors of Sir Guy have tracked the half-demon child of their founder, vowing not to rest until the creature is destroyed. Only Robin sees the good in him. When he warns Robin that demons have infiltrated the Warriors of Sir Guy, the lovers are thrust into a battle that might destroy them.

 

Get it Today at Changeling Press

https://bit.ly/3eIbPFw

Preorder for July 31st  at retailers …

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3h8A94M

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2CRAv0P

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3eIuWiL

B&N Nook: https://bit.ly/30nKsLM

 

Excerpt

All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2020 Saloni Quinby
Excerpt from Dark Before Dawn

Night fell upon the longest stretch of lonely road Aaron had ever traveled. He’d stopped about an hour ago to ask directions from an elderly man walking a wolf-dog. Aaron generally wasn’t afraid of animals, but the way this canine had snarled and growled, its eyes blazing and fangs flashing, Aaron had been wary. Unfortunately the old man hadn’t been much friendlier than the dog, but he’d given Aaron curt directions to the nearest highway. At least he’d told Aaron it was the fastest route. About ten minutes ago he’d turned down a dirt road, past an iron gate the old man had described. Now he wasn’t so sure the directions were accurate. Maybe the old dude had decided to play a trick on an obvious city guy. Aaron looked like he belonged deep in the country about as much as the wolf-dog belonged in a city park.

The night grew darker and Aaron started to worry. He was nearly out of gas and the car was making a strange grating sound, not to mention the check engine light had turned on seconds ago. He’d been driving since six o’clock in the morning and that was after a measly four hours of sleep. If the car didn’t die first, Aaron might end up falling asleep behind the wheel. He was torn between pulling over to get some rest and continuing a little farther to see if the turnoff for the highway was nearby after all. Then fate made the decision for him. The damn car choked and died.

Cursing, Aaron tried to start it, but it refused to move. Finally he sighed, folded his arms on the wheel and rested his head on them. He closed his eyes.

“I’ll only relax for a minute,” he said. He’d just started zoning out when he jumped awake.

Was he crazy?

He couldn’t sit here in the middle of a dark road. If someone happened to drive by, they’d crash into him.

Groaning, he stepped out of the car and pushed it to a safer position along the side of the road. By now it was so dark that his hazards were the only light in the area. He wished he’d charged his cell phone battery before leaving the hotel. At least then he could call for help. Before leaving on his business trip, he’d accidentally left his car phone charger in his second vehicle. An hour into his journey he realized he’d forgotten it, but he’d decided not to turn back for it. Now he wished he had. An hour of inconvenience would have saved him hours, maybe even a night, in the woods of northeast USA. Even better, why hadn’t he simply flown?

Seated behind the wheel, he set his chair to a full recline position and, using his black sports jacket as a blanket, settled down to rest.

Aaron felt like he’d just drifted off when banging on his window roused him.

He jumped up, his heart pounding, and stared at a slim, dark-haired man standing near his car.

“Hey,” the guy shouted, his voice muffled through the closed window. “You can’t stay here.”

His brow furrowed, Aaron opened the window partway and said, “I don’t have much choice. My car died and my cell is out of batteries. Do you have a phone by any chance?”

The guy closed his eyes and shook his head. “I don’t believe this. This is private property.”

“You own the road?” Aaron asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

“Road? Mister, this is my driveway. Didn’t you see the gate at the end?”

“Yeah.”

“So you just opened it and drove on through?” the guy asked, a harsh edge to his voice.

Curling his lip, Aaron said, “No. It was wide open.”

“Open?”

“Yeah, so I didn’t realize it was private property.” Aaron sighed and shook his head. “Besides the old guy with the wolf dog said this would take me to the highway.”

“Old guy with the wolf dog? That’s Mr. Seymour. He’s a little nuts. I wouldn’t doubt it if he opened the damn gate.”

“I’m sorry for trespassing, but –“

“Any other time I wouldn’t care if you parked all night. Just not tonight.”

“I told you –“

“I know. I know. Well, you can’t stay here. It’s not safe.”

Now Aaron became suspicious. What was this guy up to? “Why?” he asked.

“There’s a private hunting party going on. You might get hurt and I don’t want to be responsible.”

“Then how about either letting me use a phone or calling a ride for me?”

The man stared at him for a long moment. The flashing hazard lights cast eerie shadows on his face, but he seemed to be quite handsome with fabulous cheekbones, a long, slender nose and wide set eyes. Aaron couldn’t tell exactly what color they were, but they looked light.

“All right,” the guy said. “My cabin isn’t far. You can come with me.”

 

About Saloni Quinby

Saloni Quinby (Also writing as (Kate Hill)

Always a fan of romance and the paranormal, I started writing over twenty years ago. My first story was accepted for publication in 1996. Since then I’ve written over one hundred short stories, novellas and novels. I love to blend genres. I also love horror and a happily ever after, so if you’re looking for romance with witches, aliens, vampires, angels, demons, shapeshifters and more, there’s a good chance you’ll find something to your taste here.

When I’m not writing, I enjoy reading, watching horror and action movies, working out and spending time with my family and pets.  I love hearing from readers, so feel free to leave a comment at my blog or connect with me on Twitter.

Saloni at Changeling Press | Saloni’s Website | Twitter

 

 

 

Mine to Take (box set) by Jacquelyn Frank #darkfantasy #bdsm

Mine_to_Take_Promo

 

Mine to Take by Jacquelyn Frank

#DarkFantasy #BDSM #RomanceBooks

Vicious warlord Vicktor destroys and dominates every land he conquers and every slave he captures. When he offers his brother and commanding general Valerian a rare gift, a defiant slave of surpassing beauty, neither man dreams Vicktor’s gift will reshape their kingdom.

Get it Now at Changeling Press

https://bit.ly/30yO2V9

Or preorder for June 26th at retailers…

Amazon: https://amzn.to/30xRAa7

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2B0fK2l

B&N Nook: https://bit.ly/3dSJ4Go

Kobo: https://bit.ly/37mFAtc

Phantom Lure by J. Hali Steele #paranormalromance @JHaliSteele

Phantom Lure (Phantom Lure 4)

Cover Art by Bryan Keller

When Lucifer tossed his favorite lover, Grange Stafford, out of hell, and tortured Heath Terran, it should have ended there. Instead, that was only the beginning — the creation of the Phantom Lures.

Driver: Phantom Lure Grange Stafford, the handsome man who drives the bus on Roman Curt’s route to work, appears in Roman’s unrealized fantasies. What would Roman’s girlfriend think of his wanton desires?

Captain: A Phantom Lure from northern Europe, Captain Gent Finway prefers Nordic weather and icy waters. Now he’s heading south to the Caribbean, captain of a cruise ship on its maiden voyage. His blood turns hot when he touches his new chief officer, Salvatore Martino.

Locomotive: Caught in Satan’s web of deceit, Heath Terran is the reason Phantom Lures exist. Grange sets a scenario in motion with other Lures to free Heath. Full of Lucifer’s power, Grange takes what he wants. In taking Heath, Grange changes Heath and their world forever.

 

Available at Changeling Press

Also in paperback

 

EXCERPT

All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2020 J. Hali Steele
Excerpt from Driver

The city streets teemed with a variety of people ripe for hooking. Providing a relatively safe haven, Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, was a splendid place to exist and Grange Stafford anonymously canvassed the narrow, crowded streets searching for what he considered necessary. Excitement charged every sense as he thought of capturing someone new and educating him in boundless carnal pleasures.

At this moment, his catch was in sight.

The athletic, dark-haired man with a summer tan who boarded his bus thought his stolen looks at Grange went unnoticed, as the petite woman beside him talked on and on about a threesome. They didn’t. Grange caught every peek in his direction through the rearview mirror, even analyzed each glance. What Grange attempted to ascertain was when the handsome, blue-eyed male would come to the realization he’d relinquish his virginity to Grange. Hell, with confusion marauding through the man’s mind, he remained unaware his eyes begged the bus driver to take him. His name, Roman, rolled around in Grange’s head as he envisioned introducing him to the delights of same sex intercourse.

Grange wanted Roman badly.

Careful to mesmerize real bus drivers, steal their vehicles and appropriate designated routes only happened when Grange’s need grew so raw he couldn’t ignore it. Passengers were called catches, and though not every ride ended satisfactorily, he found mass transit riders not nearly as jaded or adventurous as those using other types of transport. Grange appreciated a catch fragrant with a bit of fear and apprehension over new sexual experiences. His favorites were normally couples he initiated into the joys of threesomes. Grange got off on watching a woman see her boyfriend impaled by him, the lovely way her mouth bowed in surprise when his penis sank so deep inside her man, his balls smacking the other’s ass. Performing fellatio on her lover with the same mouth was another turn on. The couple seated right behind him had his cock so damn hard Grange could come if he wanted to. Hold it, wait for the tight-assed man to conclude that until he let Grange have him, the visions he experienced would not dissipate.

Grange had done the necessary thing to make sure Roman’s satisfaction with his girlfriend or anyone else would remain elusive as long as the idea of Grange riding him to an orgasm played through his mind.

The woman, Paula Frame, hadn’t escaped Grange’s attention, neither was she aware participating in a threesome would have never entered her pretty little head without his prodding, though she did possess a wilder side. Her creamy skin glowed this evening as she animatedly stressed her desires to Roman. Not tall, she had shapely legs and a heart-shaped ass begging to be had, and after he took care of her boyfriend, Grange would see to it she got just what she believed she coveted — a menage where she’d be taken and cared for by two big men.

Nearing Race Street, Grange knew Paula’s stop fast approached. She wouldn’t disembark because she’d not only worked herself into a sexual frenzy, she’d pulled Roman in her wake. Shit! The thought of Roman fucking her tonight urged drops of cream to escape his ramrod stiff shaft.

“Twelfth and Arch,” Grange called out. Passengers exited quickly, but Paula remained seated. Pulling from the curb, he continued on his way until he came to Sansom Street, Roman’s stop. As Grange knew they would, Paula and Roman waited until the last rider vanished through the doors before climbing off. When Roman turned to glance at him, Grange smiled. “Enjoy your evening.”

Lips curved tentatively in his direction, and Grange sighed at Roman’s mind settling down. The relief Roman experienced as he came close to accepting his predicament sounded an audible snap in Grange’s head as the man stuttered, “To-tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow,” Grange replied. Tonight he’d go home alone and savor anticipating what he’d denied himself for two days — the longest a Phantom Lure could go without sexual contact and not begin to lose powers. Roman was a man who could provide unbridled sexual fulfillment. A man Grange was sure would embrace losing his virginity.

 

About J. Hali Steele

A multi-published author, J. Hali Steele wishes she could grow fur, wings, or fangs, so she can stay warm, fly, or just plain bite the crap out of… Well, since she can’t, she would much rather roam where her fictional big cats live — in the high desert of California. Discovering a new love of contemporary male/male erotica has flipped a switch she can’t turn off, so she hopes eventually it drifts back into her otherworldly realm.

When J. Hali’s not writing, she can be found snuggled in front of the TV with a good book, a cat in her lap, and a cup of coffee.

Growl and roar — it’s okay to let the beast out.

J. Hali at Changeling Press| Twitter

 

 

A Changeling for All Seasons Vol. 5 #BDSM #boxset #BBW #bisexual #holidayromance

A Changeling For All Seasons 5 (Changeling Seasons (ebook) 5)

Publisher: Changeling Press
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller

 

Christmas Magic by Anne Kane: Tali hopes the Christmas Magic of the Sugarplum Ball is strong enough to get Jax into her bed.

Blitzened by Elizabeth Jewell: Christmas Eve rolls around, Nick gets a yen to kindle some holiday spirit in his human boyfriend’s heart

Emmy’s Wish by Ayla Ruse: Will this little Elf get the huge (male) present she wants?

Santa’s Treat by Camille Anthony: Plum’s been a very good girl, and the treat she wants is Santa.

Christmas Stalkings by Cassidy McKay: What’s a Christmas Elf to do when he wants to sex up the North Pole a bit? Make adult toys, of course!

Wrapped Around by Megan Slayer: Taygan’s going to make Luc’s holiday one he’ll never forget — complete with the real Santa, peppermints, and hot sex.

Stranded by Sean Michael: Can this threesome turn a Christmas disaster into a Christmas delight?

Santa’s Claws by Stephanie Burke: Santa’s going to see to it that his Elf and the naughty human to whom he’s bound have a very Merry Khristmas… or else.

 

Get it TODAY at Changeling Press

 

BookBrushImage-2019-10-4-18-1833

 

 

 

A Changeling for All Seasons Vol. 4 #holidaybooks #Christmas #romancebooks #PNR

A Changeling For All Seasons 4 (Print) (Changeling Seasons (Print) 4)

Cover Artist: Bryan Keller

 

Eight  tales of Christmas Magic from your favorite Changeling authors!

Dawg-Napped! by Anne Kane: Comet’s decided the cute little prairie dawg Cyndi is just what Bruce needs to cuddle up with him in his North Pole cottage.

Stray Urges by Lacey Savage: Memories made between the sheets, under the mistletoe and beneath the hard body of a devoted mate can never truly be forgotten.

An Orgasm for Christmas by Marteeka Karland: Rose knows exactly what she wants for Christmas — the biggest screaming orgasm the Magical Forest has ever seen!

Bound for Christmas by Sean Michael: Luke has been lusting over Jenny and Greg and he’s more than willing to let her wrap him up as the best Christmas present ever.

Just Wink by Bryl R. Tyne: How hard could donning a Christmassy green Speedo and pretending for thirty seconds to savor a giant candy cane be, anyway?

Christmas in the Zone by Isabella Jordan: Two guys, two gals, and an aphrodisiac under the tree. Can Rick keep up until Maddox and Madeline find an antidote?

Make the Yuletide Gay by Lena Austin: Beware the cowboy bearing gifts — who may make Dr. Gary Lord’s Yuletide much gayer than he’d planned.

Tails N Scales by Tuesday Richards: What is a prairie dawg to do when a family of gator shifters asks him to dinner?

 

Get the PRINT copy today!

 

Praise for An Orgasm for Christmas

“I loved this enchanting, erotic, quick read. This sweet and spicy romantic winter treat will definitely melt your winter blues.”

5 Hearts! — Theresa Joseph, The Romance Studio

 

Praise for Bound for Christmas 

“Gloriously naughty, Bound for Christmas showcases a sex scene the reader will be begging to recreate in the real world.”

— Nightshade, Whipped Cream Reviews

 

Praise for Just Wink

“If you want a book that’s got heat and heart, then you need to read Sugarplum #5: Just Wink.”

— Tiger Lily, Whipped Cream Reviews

 

 

 

 

A Changeling for All Seasons Vol. 3 #holidaybooks #romancebooks

A Changeling For All Seasons 3 (Print) (Changeling Seasons (Print) 3)

Cover Artist: Bryan Keller

 

Eight tales of Christmas Magic from your favorite Changeling authors!

Fire and Ice by Lacey Savage: When Elle’s best friend asks for a favor on Christmas Eve,she learns there’s more than frozen yogurt in the walk-in freezer.

Frost Bite by Tuesday Morrigan: The Fates give Julian three days with Jacklyn. Three days to change the course of history.

Sophie’s Present by Anne Kane: Dandy knows just what to do to make Sophie’s Christmas the merriest ever.

Summoning by Leila Brown: Johnathan’s crazy college roommate sends him a Christmas present with a set of instructions…

Suspicious Surprises by Camille Anthony: Only true love will guide two lovers through this Christmas minefield of suspicious surprises.

His Guardian Angel by Kate Hill: Angel is the only one who can tame Gannon’s beast, giving him the greatest Christmas gift of his life.

Satisfaction Guaranteed by Kira Stone: Ambrose, a Changeling, is eager to help Thomas with his quality control problem…

Haulin’ Hawg by Lena Austin: BD has plans that involve bungee cords and a motorcycle to prove his love.

 

Get your PRINT copy today!

 

Praise for Fire and Ice

“This is a story that is different and unique. Readers and fans of Lacey Savage will recognize her flair for the erotic. This is a hot, hot story and is sure to melt the panties off the reader. But, Ms. Savage also has the knack of telling a good story that captivates with twists and turns and surprises.”

Five Hearts! — Valerie, Love Romances

 

Praise for Frost Bite

“This is a wonderful story of love reclaimed, and new beginnings. There is a happy ever after that these two really deserve, and a surprising new beginning for them as well. The heat level in this one is off the charts, and is the perfect warm up for a cold night.”

— Holly, Whipped Cream Reviews

 

Praise for Sophie’s Present

“Anne Kane definitely reinforces the holiday spirit with this little gem of a story and reinforces the idea that while being good is its own reward, being naughty can also be very titillating.”

4.5 Blue Ribbons! — Chrissy Dionne, Romance Junkies

 

 

 

Make Me a Match by Willa Okati #RomCom #boxset #LGBT #NewAdult @willaokati

Make Me a Match (Duet)

Publisher: Changeling Press
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller

 

Rivals to friends to lovers and more — there’s much ado about you, you, you.

Open Cover Before Striking: Davis Carmichael doesn’t do love. He’d rather strip naked and crawl through a field of broken glass than give anyone that much control over him. The only thing he cares about is his journalism career. That is, until he meets Cristian Baranov, a die-hard Romeo with an uncanny knack for making connections and taming cranky wordsmiths. A man who breaks down Davis’s resistance with a sweep of his hand for just one night. Neither expected they’d ever meet again, but fate has other plans…

Best Laid Plans: Jefferson’s a serious-natured soccer star, and Teddy was born to party till the wheels come off. But they have more fun fighting with each other than they would kissing anyone else. Maybe — maybe — they’re falling in love. But when everything turns topsy-turvy, is their new alliance strong enough to save the day?

 

Get it TODAY at Changeling Press

or pre-order for October 25th at retailers

   

Also Available in Paperback

 

EXCERPT

All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2019 Willa Okati
Excerpt from Best Laid Plans

Oh yes.

Teddy retraced his path backward, down the three shallow porch steps and onto the sidewalk in front of 1514 Saltman Street. Dandelions and crabgrass grew through cracks in the pavement, and someone named BIG JOE had signed the concrete before it dried back in — Teddy squinted — 1983.

Teddy pressed the fingertips of both hands to his mouth as he craned his neck for a good look up at 1514. Two blocks away from the University of West Ioannes campus. Near enough to walk; far enough for independence. Red brick — the kind of red that made him think of sunsets and abattoirs — battered and chipped at the corners. Faded black shutters at every window. The wooden porch boards had been painted a dull slate gray and had gaps between them big enough to lose a quarter down. Straight-up house on the bottom floor, divided into two doll-sized apartments on the second floor. Climbing vines draped lushly over the walls. And it had balconies.

Yes and yes again. Teddy’s grin grew behind the lattice of his fingertips. He jigged in place, three steps of a Cossack kick that made his mop of coppery hair bounce over his forehead. It’s perfect.

He shaded his eyes to squint up at the balconies. Those were what had really sold him on the deal — well, he would have signed up no matter what to get out of the dorms, but anyway. When he’d been offered a chance at a different arrangement, he’d jumped at it. He’d imagined it would be nice, but this was the cherry on top. His own private balcony, where he could cozy up in a blanket in winter and leave his flip-flops wherever he pleased during the summer months. He’d bet it got great natural light. He’d been born to bask, and his full-body dusting of freckles proved it.

Did the balcony already have a chair, or would he need to scout one out at the Army Surplus? Teddy stood on his tiptoes, but he couldn’t be sure. The sturdy vines growing up the sides of the house made it difficult to see past them in places, so thick and verdant green that they had their own personality.

Hmm. I wonder…

Teddy kicked off his shoes and wiggled his bare toes on the pavement, right over BIG JOE’s signature. The vines looked strong enough to climb, and he was a small guy. They ought to hold five-four and a buck-twenty-five. He tugged at a trailing green tendril to check and made a pleased noise in the back of his throat when they didn’t give way. They barely budged except to rustle at him in annoyance.

“Let’s see what we can see,” he said, reaching for a double grip on the vines over his head. “Up, up, and away!”

He almost made it halfway to the second story — not bad, personal record — before his left foot skidded off. Oops. He’d forgotten to account for natural skin oils on his soles and slipperiness from the warmth of sneakers in summertime. If it hadn’t been for that, he thought, he would have made it all the way.

“Yipe!”

“Whoa!”

The body-to-body collision jarred the fillings in Teddy’s molars, and the pair of sinewy arms that wrapped around his chest made his ribs squeak in protest. He flailed and kicked his legs backward and got his ass dropped on the sidewalk for his pains. Right on JOE. Oh, the humanity. “What the hell?” he yelped, looking up again at six feet of indignation framed in chestnut hair and bright-blue eyes.

“Jefferson?” Hastily, Teddy flipped his leather kilt down to hide the goods. “What are you doing here?”

“Saving your ass. Don’t bother to thank me.”

“I wasn’t going to,” Teddy said. He rolled to his knees and got up, dusting himself off. Jefferson! Of all the people. To say they didn’t get along — and never had — was like daring to suggest water might be slightly wet or that fire had the potential to burn. And they couldn’t ever seem to avoid each other. He was besties with the boyfriend of Teddy’s bestie, Noelani, which was just all kinds of swell. Everywhere he went, Jefferson poked his giant soccer head up, with his jock buddies in tow and his utter, absolute lack of a sense of humor and his stupid cologne-ad face.

Jerk. Teddy picked a stubborn dandelion fluff off his elbow. “What are you doing here? It’s summer session. You’re at soccer camp.”

Jefferson arched an eyebrow. He leaned his hip against the porch, his Ioannes tank clinging tightly to his pecs. Unlike Teddy, he tanned instead of burned. Freckles had never dared show their faces on his skin, no matter how much time he spent kicking little white balls around, broiling on a practice field. “Am I really? Look again. Unless you think I’m a figment of your imagination.”

“My imagination can do better than that,” Teddy said. Okay, maybe not much better. He could admit to an aesthetic appreciation for the benefits of good nutrition and plentiful exercise, and maybe some good genetics, but that was it. There, he drew the line. He lifted his chin. “Are you playing hooky or what?”

Jefferson ignored the question. He reached out to take one of Teddy’s hands, the move so surprising that Teddy actually let him do it — until Jefferson flipped it from back to front and wrinkled his nose. “Nice manicure. You and Noelani go to the same place to get your nails done?”

Teddy bristled up. He might be small, but he was a redhead, by God, and he had the temper to match. And it was a nice manicure. He jerked his hand back and flashed the nails, neatly shaped and trimmed and painted a sparkly blue, at the… the… oaf, finishing with the middle ones up. “I can get you a discount if you want. Nail Me Spa on Maple. I don’t know if they can do much for athlete’s foot.”

Jefferson chuffed a short breath through his nose and glowered at Teddy. “I was just saying. Jeez. Why do you always have to get all fired up?”

Teddy ignored his question with what he hoped was grand aplomb. Ooh, Jefferson always got him wound so tight. “What are you doing here?” he asked again, planting his feet on the sidewalk.

“What do you think?” Jefferson turned to pick up a duffel that’d been hidden in his shadow and hitched the strap over one shoulder. “I’m moving in.”

“You’re what?”

 

More from Willa at Changeling Press …

Willa Okati is made of many things: imagination, coffee, stray cat hairs, daydreams, more coffee, kitchen experimentation, a passion for winter weather, a little more coffee, and a lifelong love of storytelling. She is definitely one of the quiet ones you have to watch out for.

You can reach Willa at willaokati@gmail.com.

Join Willa on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/willa.okati.

 

 

Hidden Oaks by Ana Raine #ActionAdventure #boxset #RomanceBooks #PNR #shifters #Gay #LGBT @changelingpress

Hidden Oaks (Hidden Oaks 4)

Publisher: Changeling Press
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller

 

The Secret of Hidden Oaks: While working on his Master’s degree in psychology, Carson is offered an internship at a private research hospital. But Harbor Oaks hides a dark secret. His patients are Changelings, shape shifters, being held against their will, and Carson soon discovers he’s really the subject of the scientist’s experiments. His only hope of escape is Tate, a shy, quiet doctor with an agenda all his own.

The Secret of Harbor Springs: Carson and his mate Tate team up with Gaven and Lily to escape Federal agents who are trying to bring them back to Hidden Oaks. Carson holds an unusual power over other Changelings — a power the Federal task force charged with rounding up Changelings will go to any ends to make their own.

Liberate: Carson and Tate have been running for months, trying to evade the JIA so they don’t end up lab specimens for the ruthless organization. With their future on the line, Carson realizes the most important part of his life will forever be his mate, Tate, but how can he trust a man who never tells him the whole truth?

 

Get it TODAY at Changeling Press

or preorder for October 18th at retailers

   

 

Praise for The Secret of Hidden Oaks

“Ana has a pretty good imagination and can spin a wonderful story with it. It caught my attention from the start and kept my attention all the way to the end.”

— Lisa, MM Good Book Reviews

 

“If you like mysterious conspiracies and weird goings-on, if you enjoy reading about men who have a lot to hide and those who hunt them, and if you’re looking for a fun story with some dark secrets around shifters, then you will probably like this short story.”

— Serena Yates, Rainbow Book Reviews

 

 

EXCERPT

All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2019 Ana Raine
Excerpt from The Secret of Hidden Oaks

“They are not human,” Dr. Kline explained.

“You are delusional,” I said, taking a step away from Dr. Kline, but unable to stop looking at the young woman. I was sure my vision was playing tricks on me, because the young woman’s arms were gone and in their place were fur-covered legs. Her dress split down her back and as she howled in agony, I saw her entire body was quickly being covered in fur. Her screams were over soon.

Instead of looking at a young woman, I was staring at a dark feline. I thought it was a jaguar. “W-what…”

“All of the patients here are a danger to society and to themselves,” Dr. Kline explained, hitting the red button again so the lights went out, leaving only natural light. Before my eyes, the fur receded back into the jaguar’s body and flesh began to cover her legs and back.

“What are they?”

Dr. Kline smiled and pressed the color button before touching my shoulder lightly. “We call them Changelings.”

* * *

My hands were still shaking, my knees knocking against each other as I fidgeted in the chair in front of Dr. Kline’s desk. What was wrong with them? What was wrong with me? Surely, that was some sort of trick and that young woman really hadn’t transformed into a jaguar? All lies…

“Have you decided?” Dr. Kline asked softly, as he pushed the two boxes toward me.

Stay or run away? Both options were equally unappealing. The drug he wanted to give me that would erase my memory would probably only work as long as I didn’t have any triggers. How could I forget when there were animals everywhere to remind me?

A knock on the door made me twitch. I turned to see the heavy oak door being pushed open. I was afraid of who was going to enter, not sure if a patient was able to escape out of their crisis stabilization unit and was going to come charging at me. Maybe instead of erasing my memory, they were really just going to erase me.

“Ahh, Dr. Tate.” Dr. Kline stood up and went around the side of the desk. I leaned away from him and I was sure he saw, but he just pursed his lips together and didn’t remark. “This is Dr. Tate, Carson. He’s one of our leading doctors, although these days he spends more time in our research department.”

“Hello. This is the new intern, Carson, was it?”

His voice made my back tingle. I focused on the desk, knowing if I looked at Dr. Tate I probably wouldn’t fare well. His voice was smooth and confident, the exact kind of man I preferred.

The way he’d said my name was already enough for my stomach to begin pooling with heat. I couldn’t keep staring at the same lines in the oak desk. Slowly, I looked up at the new doctor.

My breath hitched. He was tall, towering over Dr. Kline, who already towered over me. He had soft blonde hair, several shades lighter than my dark brown. His blue eyes were clear and focused on me, his lips upturned in a marvelous smile. But his body is what really got me going. He wasn’t wearing a lab coat, but instead dark pants and a crisp blue sweater that exposed just enough of his creamy skin at the base of his neck.

I should’ve known looking at him would be dangerous.

“Please tell me you are planning on staying with us?” Dr. Tate asked softly, as he crossed the room to me and took my hand. My hand was rather small inside of his. I felt trapped.

My mind went blank. “I’ll stay.”

Dr. Tate’s jaw locked, but Dr. Kline was the one who clapped his hands and exclaimed, “Excellent.” He grabbed the contract out of the box and shoved a pen in my hand.

I tried to scan the document, but although Dr. Tate had released my hand, he was still standing dangerously close. I could feel his eyes on me, and wished he would undress me instead. Shuddering, I passed my movement off as a twitch and signed the contract.

Dr. Kline scooped up the contract and placed it in a folder in his filing cabinet.

“So… what exactly am I supposed to do?”

“Dr. Tate is going to be your mentor. When you go into the patients’ rooms, he will be there to make sure everything goes well.” Dr. Kline waved a hand at the handsome man standing beside me. I almost felt a sense of possessiveness emanating from Dr. Tate. “He is a scientist, now, as I said. You will have time enough to shadow one of our psychologists here so don’t worry about getting your necessary experience. But we have a… more pressing use for you.”

My chest tightened. What kind of use?

Dr. Kline seemed to have read my mind. “We would like you to teach them how to be human, in a manner of speaking.”

“How?”

“Simply by being, although I am sure you will come up with some techniques and hypothesis on your own. The most important thing you must remember is to never wear or carry anything red. Do you understand?”

I remembered the young woman convulsing on the floor. “Yes.”

“We would like to let the Changelings go back to society, but in order for that to happen, we need someone who has not been working with them to grasp what is different about them from humans. I expect you’ll keep a journal.”

“Of course.” They wanted me to document changes in behavior? This internship kept sounding stranger.

Dr. Kline stood up so I followed suit. He started to extend his hand toward me but then withdrew it on second thought. “Please come to me if you need anything.” He smiled at me and then gave Dr. Tate one experimental glance before going to his large bay window and turning his back to me.

“Come with me.” Dr. Tate nodded toward the door. Something about him was strangely protective. Just by standing near him I felt my fear about Hidden Oaks subsiding. God, I bet he was so good in bed.

Silently, I followed Dr. Tate, hesitating when we approached the elevator.

“Don’t worry,” he said kindly, “We’ll be going to the top floor where the lab is.”

“Why?” I managed to ask.

“My office is up there.” He grasped my wrist, pulling me onto the elevator with him. When he released me, I had to resist the urge to reach back out for him…

 

More from Ana at Changeling Press …

Ana is still figuring out what she wants to do with her life, although social work seems to be the most likely. Her best friends are a box of chocolate and her kitten who always sit beside her while she writes. When Ana was in high school, she often wrote about the LGBT community, but now her work is less…innocent. Ana enjoys writing anything and everything, including BDSM, dragons, shifters, magic, and more.

If you’d like to follow her, here is her blog site: http://anarainebooks.blogspot.com.

Dreams and Lovers (Duet) by Willa Okati #boxset #PNR #GayRomance @willaokati @changelingpress

Dreamers and Lovers (Duet)

Publisher: Changeling Press
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller

 

What if saying goodbye to all you ever thought you were sure of is only the first part of hello?

Lovers, Dreamers, and Me: Tolliver’s buried his life in taking care of his sister and the bookstore his grandmother left him. That doesn’t leave much time for romance. Sarah, his sister, decides to do a little matchmaking. Only her choice is another man, and Tolliver’s not gay! Noble’s not, either, but he is deeply attracted to Tolliver, and he’s not above using his psychic gifts to draw them together. The road to discovery has more twists and turns — and toys — than even he ever dreamed.

The First Hello: Shawn Tillerman thinks he’s losing his mind. Wary and damaged after a hard life filled with broken promises, he’s been having flashes of lives he didn’t live. He hasn’t told anyone what’s happening to him — he’s too busy keeping his twin sister away from Oxy. If he can sell the house he’s inherited, he can turn their lives around. Or not. Because Raleigh, the compelling stranger who wants their house, swears Shawn’s reliving memories. That he’s the man from Shawn’s dreams. Shawn doesn’t believe Raleigh — but he’s beginning to wish he could.

 

Get it TODAY at Changeling Press

Also Available in Print

 

or Pre-Order at retailers for September 6th

   

 

cooltext313674828699598

All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2019 Willa Okati
Excerpt from Lovers, Dreamers and Me

It wasn’t love at first sight.

Sarah, Tolliver’s kid sister, saw him first. Perched on the Old Curiosity checkout counter doing her homework, she swung her heels and nudged Tolliver with the toe of her sneaker. “Incoming customer.”

Tolliver reluctantly turned away from the page of the old book he’d been halfway through, its faded type and strange serifs tempting him back in. “I got it. Keep working.” He closed the book and lifted his chin in the customer’s direction, his eyes still on the book’s worn leather cover. “Can I help you?”

“Hope so,” the man said, his voice a deep, melodious tenor that shaded toward baritone. “I was told you might have some hard to find tarot decks in stock. There’s one, a local artist — Judy Schuyler. She did an abstract Impressionism set. Do you have that deck?”

“We might have sold hers,” Tolliver said, not really paying attention to the guy and registering no more than a vague impression of height, tousled brown hair, and bare arms. He kept one eye on the flyleaf of the 1891 edition of Great Expectations, pencil poised to sketch his reseller’s price. Amazing. He almost wanted to keep this one for himself.

“Can you check?” The customer was persistent, and patiently unruffled. “Maybe for Sharice Donough, too? She’s not local, but she did a mountain music inspired. There’s a stringed instrument on the front –”

“Right. It was a mandolin, I think?” He’d caught Tolliver’s attention at last. Tolliver reached for an inventory log, still kept on paper for the most part — he was a traditionalist — and started flipping through pages. “I’d swear I remember getting one of those last year. Wait. Do you mean the Wisconsin Sharice or the Montauk Falls Donough?”

Tolliver’s fingers slipped on the light-lead pencil he held and sent it clattering to the floor. “Sorry, let me get that.”

“No problem,” the customer answered, his stance relaxed. “I’m not in a rush.”

Tolliver crouched, scanning the flotsam and jetsam he kept stashed under the old four legged breakfront he used as a checkout counter. “Did you check in the glass cases on the back wall?” he called. “Ha. There you are.” The pencil had come to a stop halfway in, halfway out of the desk’s boundaries.

“Hang on, I think I see it.” The tip of a sneaker, encasing a foot of amazing length, prodded the pencil. “Is this what you’re looking for?”

Tolliver had reached for the pencil at the same time. Together, they sent it skittering across the shop floor.

“I’ve got it,” the customer said, rich amusement lacing his tone. He crouched. “Do you always work this hard for this little?”

“I pay attention to detail,” Tolliver replied, slightly annoyed. He caught a glimpse of long, tapered fingers with solid knuckles snaffling the pencil.

He stood, brushing the layer of dust he’d acquired down there off the knees of his khakis and reached, still not looking, for the pencil. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” The customer tipped his head to one side and studied Tolliver. Tolliver noticed, sort of, the lionlike amber of his eyes and the generous width of a smile over white teeth. “The Schuyler?”

“Back wall, glass case,” Tolliver said, already drawn back to the Dickens. He ran his fingers reverently over the binding. Ruined from years of handling, but a piece of history all the same. “What you see is what we’ve got. If it’s not there, sorry, you’re out of luck.”

The customer laughed, low and rolling.

Tolliver frowned up at him over the book. “What?”

“It’s nothing.” The customer swung around, loose limbed and graceful, and tossed a casual wave at him.

“No, what?” Tolliver held his pencil point down on the counter. “Share the joke.”

The customer shrugged and half turned, the leonine cast to his features shadowed. “I’d heard the owner of Old Curiosity was cranky, but it was still worth shopping here. You never know what you’re going to find.” His grin was still bright. “Back wall?”

“Back wall,” Tolliver confirmed, frowning. He kept an eye on the customer as the man ambled away, long feet, lengthy stretch of legs, and arms held loosely comfortable at his sides, thumbs tucked into his belt loops.

Weird guy.

So, no. Not love at first sight.

Intrigue, though. That was part of it.

More from Willa at Changeling Press …

Willa Okati is made of many things: imagination, coffee, stray cat hairs, daydreams, more coffee, kitchen experimentation, a passion for winter weather, a little more coffee, and a lifelong love of storytelling. She is definitely one of the quiet ones you have to watch out for.

You can reach Willa at willaokati@gmail.com.

Join Willa on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/willa.okati