Good News from ATIV Finalist, Evonne Wareham

Never Coming Home, my second AT [American Title] entry will be published in 2012 by an independent romance publisher here in the UK, called Choc Lit ~ choclitpublishing.co.uk ~ They are fairly new and quite dynamic and I am really excited. I will be their first romantic thriller.

I'm still in a bit of a daze about it, but just getting used to the idea enough
to start to tell the world.

Evonne Wareham
~~~

Congratulations, Evonne! Who wouldn’t love a publisher that offers this saying:

‘I never met a chocolate I didn’t like.’
Deanna Troi, Star Trek: The Next Generation

Belonging Excerpt - Lust at First Sight

Here's another excerpt from BELONGING. It's in first-person present tense because it's a flashback. Don't ask. Except for the flashbacks, the book is told in standard linear third-person past tense. Writers are creatures of whim.

It’s a quiet night at MaeLyn’s. Jeremy leans against the old hotel bar and sips lime-flavored water from a bottle. Kellee and Arabella have a spin contest going on the barstools off to his right. The contest ends when a vampire slinks into the lounge. His eyes are far too bright, even for a vamp. Blood lust. Jeremy straightens, ready to move, but the vamp fixates on Arabella. He’s still got enough mind left to crook a finger. Arabella hops off the barstool and trots to his side. They take the back stairs to the second floor. Jeremy relaxes again.

He likes it here at the brothel. Everyone has benefitted from his knowledge. Injuries are way down since Jeremy offered instruction on how to cope with a blood-lusting vamp. The girls have all but adopted him, and vampires ask for him specifically. He’s needed. With each client, for several disjointed hours a night, he can pretend he belongs.

Another vampire enters the lounge. The girls take instant notice. This one has no shaking fingers or glittery eyes. He prowls into the room like a tiger testing an unfamiliar hunting ground. He’s aware of the girls, but he seems more intent on marking exits and floor plans, escape routes and defensive positions. That’s a natural reaction from any nightsider, especially vampires. They’re secretive by nature and demand secure quarters. MaeLyn offers free visits to newbies so they can scope out the place, certain she’ll make her money back in subsequent repeat business.

Glorielle takes it upon herself to play Welcome Wagon. She’s a wasp-waisted blonde with thighs that can crack titanium. She sweeps up to the vamp and goes into her pitch. He appears to take an interest but continues to study the room.
His recon reaches Jeremy, and stops.

Jeremy pushes away from the bar. Accustomed to being eye-groped, he automatically drops into a provocative pose. The vampire frowns but starts toward him. A collective sigh of disappointment rises from the girls. Glorielle stomps off in a huff.

The vampire halts a foot away. He’s a good-looking son of a gun. Those eyes especially draw Jeremy in. Jungle-green, full of intrigue and danger. He’s not even using a vampire’s allure, but Jeremy can’t look away. Under the heat of that regard his body melts out of its artificial come-hither and into a more natural stance. The vampire notices, and grins. Jeremy’s heart does a little skip.

He sweeps his gaze up and down Jeremy’s length. “They must have doused you with a ton of Miracle-Gro,” he remarks. “What are you, the bouncer?”

“Staff.”

“No shit.” The vampire treats himself to a more detailed perusal of Jeremy’s body. Jeremy finds his attention drawn to the vampire’s hands. They’re sturdy and look like they’d feel right at home gripping a wrench, or a gun, or a woman’s body. Or a man’s. He imagines those hands working their way from his shoulders on down, and his heart stutters again.

The vampire finishes this second recon and smirks. “At the bat houses down in LA the hookers are all built like linebackers. Even the women. You look like they stuffed you with straw. You sure you got what it takes?”

He meets the bat’s brass full on. “Try me.”

That brings a full smile to the vampire’s lips, enough to bare his fangs. He licks his tongue across his bottom lip. “I might just take you up on that.”

Throughout the exchange his brazen stare hasn’t left Jeremy’s eyes. Jeremy is surprised. So few vamps ever look above his neck. Just looking at this cocky bat he feels—he has no idea what he’s feeling. He’s astonished he can feel at all.

This is crazy. He’s only a customer.

“I’m Jeremy,” he blurts. “I’m here every night.”

“Good to know.” The vampire nods. “I will definitely be back for you.” He winks and strolls out of the lounge. Jeremy doesn’t even realize he’s holding his breath until he lets it go.

Something just happened, Jeremy thinks. The girls seem to know what it is. They peek at him, whisper to each other, and giggle behind their hands. Glorielle snipes a comment just loud enough not to be clearly overheard.

He doesn’t realize it at the time, but his life has just changed again.

# # #

BELONGING is available on the Siren website, and in Kindle and print from Amazon.com.

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ March 21, 2011

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #133

As the following week unfolds, look for TRUTHS long hidden, to be revealed in such a manner that the AWAKENING is exponentially quickened.

While the dogs of war rule, or as Shakespeare says: *cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war*, there are many behind the scenes who are building new simple technologies meant to assist humanity.

This will be a week of great conflicts for most of us. There is great good to be had. As well, great horror can, and will, strike at any moment.

On a personal level this may be mitigated by your ‘goodness’ as a human being.
Because, for the next six months, this will be a time of great reward for those who are deserving. And, a time of great sorrow, and punishment for those who have treated others badly.

However, a word of CAUTION. What *you* may perceive as deserved punishment, is most likely NOT. For, this time of reward and punishment is accomplished on a much subtler level than humanity’s current ability to understand.

More large earthquakes are on the horizon. Volcanos will ‘begin’ filling the atmosphere with ash. And, riots will become the norm throughout the world.

What begins now, in a huge way that cannot be stopped, is the *Rise of the Renegade*. Even though, every evil attempt will be made to kill off this trend, and coopt it to serve the enemies of humanity, these attempts are doomed to fail, especially as the AWAKENING gains planet-wide strength.

Note: Remember to keep preparing for every type of emergency. Specifically, if you are on the West Coast take proper precautions against radiation poisoning. As it was in the past, during Chernobyl, so it is now. The truth is not being told.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~

HAPPY AGE OF AQUARIUS ~

May your brightest, most romantic dreams come true...

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Special Blatant Plug Post

They’re here! They’re on Amazon! I’m doing cartwheels and that’s not easy with a computer on my lap! My compilation volume, LOVE ON THE WILD SIDE, and my latest release, BELONGING, are both now available in print at Amazon.com. Maybe on the Barnes & Noble site, too; I didn’t check that one. If they carried Siren/BookStrand print books on their store shelves I’d feel more inclined to give them good press.

BELONGING is now out on Kindle at Amazon as well. Yesterday was a banner day for me. If I hadn’t been in the library I probably would have squee’d a lot.

Not to disparage epublishing or ebooks in any way, but I’m old-school enough to prefer print to a screen when it comes to reading. I don’t own a Kindle. I have a couple of books downloaded to the laptop but haven’t read them yet. In my mind, a computer is for writing, checking emails, watching funny vids on YouTube and playing Spider Solitaire when I’m supposed to be working. I’m sure I’ll learn to read on one eventually.

Quick recap: LOVE ON THE WILD SIDE collects my first two shapeshifter novellas, COYOTE MOON and BEST OF BREED, into one book for handy reference. BELONGING is my thinly-disguised Wincest -- I mean, M/M vampire love story. Throw in A LONDON WEREWOLF IN AMERICA and I now have two novels and a collection in print. I’m starting to feel like a real writer.

That leaves only BAD BOYS in e-form. It’s likely to remain that way unless I write a companion novella, or they pair me up with someone else’s orphan M/M story. Any volunteers?

Magical March Greetings...

Magical March greetings, here’s a recent blog I penned for SHAPESHIFTER SEDUCTIONS. Why post here? I have good news.
~~~

The Shapeshifting Chihuahua as Villain

Mad as a March Hare *greetings”, shapeshifter lovers. It’s that time of year, and Spring is less than two weeks away. I see the yard bunnies gamboling about, and no doubt, they are creating baby bunnies.
~~~

This past week I received an unexpected gift, one we authors excitedly jump and down for in giddy-landia. Our very own Serena Shay wrote an Author Discovery for my futuristic erotic romance, MURDER BY HAIR SPRAY IN GARDENIA, NEW ATLANTIS.

I’m going to share it near the end of this post. Never fear.

However, while my heroine, Sheriff Kalypso, and my hero, Zryphus, are not official shapeshifters, the starring villain is, and so are some of the secondary characters.

When it first emerged in my writerly mind that the serial killer was a Chihuahua shapeshifter... well, it struck me as deliciously bizarre. I mean, a Chihuahua. Yes, they can be fearsome attackers for their size. In fact, I’ve read where burglars fear small yappy dogs, especially Poodles and Chihuahuas, more than most breeds.

Still... an adorable, put-him-in-your-bag Chihuahua?

But there he was before my mind’s eye, looking smugly dapper as a Southern gentleman... and, by that certain gleam in his eye, I knew he was also diabolically psychopathic.

So, how is it in the year, 2051, there is a shapeshifting dog capable of turning into a serial killer? Here’s a bit of back story.

Picture this scenario, if you will...

It’s been a rainy weekend. The sun has finally broken through the clouds. The birds are chirping. You step outside to take out the trash, or to simply enjoy the beauties of nature... and there he is. Near your doorstep.

Drenched, shivering, and so tiny, he gazes at you with pleading brown eyes. A Chihuahua. Maybe, he even looks like the tan-coated, “Yo Quiero” Taco Bell Chihuahua. And you always were gooey-heart fond of that little critter.

He’s wearing no collar. No way to ID him at the moment. He looks hungry, pathetically in need. He’s shivering so hard you wonder why his itsy bitsy bones aren’t rattling... you call to him... eagerly he comes to you... you pick him up and coo sweetly...

But... what if... he’s been designed to be the perfect spy... and you’re the target...

WHAT IF... 40 years earlier... on March 7, 2011.
~~~

Shapeshifting Infiltrator

Infiltrating, it’s a specialty of mine. I come by it naturally. Though, my talent has been honed to a laser-like precision.

Once I present my face to the biometric scanner, I adjust the Level Six security badge filched from the woman I am impersonating -- using her mannerisms, of course.

No worries, said woman is now on a planet in a nearby solar system. She is luxuriating at a resort-like, interplanetary trade center. Men interested in purchasing a bride with her charms will bid for her, and, as they say, the rest of the story is a ‘happily ever after’. That is, if you revel in carnal pleasures.

Careful to stay in tune with the woman’s energy matrix, I glance around the waiting room, as if it’s all too familiar. It is standard for many of the underground compounds where advanced experimentation, especially genetic manipulation, takes place on a humongous, mind-blowing scale.

Why am I doing this? My shapeshifting kind needs to know, if we are to survive and prosper. Also, you can imagine the market for this type of information. It brings in those pots of gold. And silver.

Hearing the twelve-foot thick door open with my inner animal ears, I remain seated, and smooth my uniform skirt with one gloved hand. Inside, ‘the game’ thrills through me. The hunt is on, and I am the one being chased.

He doesn’t speak as I rise, the large bull of a man who is likely a clone of a WWII General. In fact, we will not converse in any way.

The woman officer I impersonate has the ability to mind-record her experience, then write a report for her White House boss. No, no one in residence who is a politician. The ‘elected’ are kept out of the loop.

According to protocol I am to walk beside him, but two inches behind, so I am able to follow his lead. With a piercing stare, he watches me approach.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if his gut is warning him about me. Still, he smartly turns on his heel, and we move into a corridor that has been designed to accommodate beings up to twenty feet in height.

The white-blue glare of light not only reveals the finest detail of an individual’s features, but sterilizes. No germs allowed here.

Sooner than I expected we enter a dome-shaped room of mammoth proportions. The rounded ceiling allows for perfect light distribution, as well as distribution of any released aerosols.

It takes several blinks of my eyes before I comprehend what I’m viewing. Tanks, like good-sized aquariums, hold liquid-suspended bodies of Chihuahuas. Different colors, all different sizes. Stunned is not a strong enough word for the emotion I suppress.

Slowly, we walk by tank after tank, and it becomes obvious human genetics have been introduced. Hands instead of paws. Skin instead of a dog’s coat. The front half is Chihuahua while the back half is humanoid. Then, the reverse.

I cringe inside, but keep my impassive demeanor. What is the precise goal? It certainly doesn’t appear to be only placing the brain of a human inside a Chihuahua.

My question is answered as I look ahead at a semicircle of giant tanks. They hold the dead bodies of a man-dog creature in different stages of a shapeshift.

The obvious hits me. Why a Chihuahua? Having no time to consider answers, I refocus on the horror-sad creatures suspended in some type of blue-tinted gel. At least, they have escaped through death.

What I see next, though, in hanging translucent tubes. They have not escaped. Obviously, the human-looking males are biologically alive. Their bodies are slender in stature, and I sense they are primitive shapeshifters.

This is born out in a gruesome demonstration. One of the tubes is electrically charged. White arcs of plasma lightning spiral rapidly up and down, reminding me of a scene out of Frankenstein. Only this is the futuristic version.

Except, it’s occurring now. The man creature comes alive, moving, then writhing. In a process that is painful to watch he gradually shifts into a misshapen dog. It resembles a Chihuahua.

For the barest instant, I lose my connection to the woman officer’s matrix, the energy copy I have made of her that I wear like a garment. My nausea surfaces, and I taste it.

Slipping back into character, I sweep my gaze over the twenty tubes, and memorize every detail as the officer would have done for her report. If I’ve failed due to my momentary lapse -- if I’m about to get caught, well, there’s no time to worry.

I keep panic from nipping at my heels, and wait on fate’s next move.

With an abrupt turn, the General strides for an exit. Like a programmed robot, I follow, keeping my place beside him. Before I know it, we pass through some type of energy field.

The bright New Mexico sunshine beats down on me a moment later. Before me, thirty feet away, is the black limousine I arrived in, waiting. The driver holds the back door open.

As the General pivots from my side, I hear in a growled whisper, “Whoever you are, you’re damn good.”

I know in that instant, he’s letting me go for reasons of his own. Who says clones don’t have souls? Or...

I move with a military stride toward the limousine, then lower myself within. As we glide through the opening gates, I realize in the time it takes for a trap to snap, that the General is an infiltrator, too. Just not a shapeshifter.

I have a sense he’s a time traveler. But, only as sense.

So, jump for the juicy grapes...that changes my plan of escape. Why endanger a fellow infiltrator?

Closing my eyes, I explain my mission to the Guardian Wind Spirit, and ask for his assistance. Several minutes later, a desert whirlwind arrives out of the blue. Like a mini tornado red dust whips around the limousine, forcing the driver to stop.

I throw off the uniform. With a mischievous grin, I open the door, even though it’s been secured.

Diving outward, I roll. All the while I transform into my furry self.

Free, I race for the nearest cover. It won’t be long. Already, I hear the whir of our clan’s small, phase-shift hovercraft.

Who am I?

My kind may be living next door to you right now. For sport, we may peer at you from a dense thicket, knowing you can’t harm us. Or, we might lead you on a merry chase.

Have you noticed a sly smile flitting over your neighbor’s features? Perhaps, a flirtatious, even vixenish personality?

Some of my kind are cooking enthusiasts, specializing in fowl dishes. Chicken, duck, pheasant, squab...turkey and goose... the holidays are always a tummy-filling banquet for us. We laze about the den, the fireplace crackling happily.

Oh, and pudgy pigeons are a favorite food, when we can snatch them unnoticed. If you dare boast, count on family and friends to invite themselves over for a savory roast and a wine toast.

My kind are fox humanoids, as old a species as humans. Yes ~grins~ why not admit it up front? We are only cunning and sneaky when it’s a necessity, or to our advantage. Often in these times.

The difference between us and the human population today, we were never genetically altered to serve a master. My kind never lost the ability to shapeshift because of cruel genetic interference, as was done to humans after the fall of Atlantis. Since Earth became our home, age upon age ago, we have preserved the ability to change forms at will.
~~~~~~

AUTHOR DISCOVERY ~ Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis

~~~ An Author Discovery by Serena Shay ~~~

What happens when two strong-willed characters collide? A whole lotta alpha goodness!

Kalypso Sun Wing and Zryphus Vasquoz are sure to delight readers with their sassy interactions with one another and their "my way or the highway" attitudes.

Kalypso Sun Wing likes to think she's as hard-headed a leader as they come, what with her command position during the conflicts and her general dislike of Federal, but really she is a mushy-gushy marshmallow on the inside. She protects her friends, her society and the ones she loves.

Zryphus, whew, what can I say about Zryphus? He's smart and a male in all the wonderful ways men can be male. He comes on strong and stays that way, proving to Kalypso that he's here to stay and that she can trust her heart with him.

I love the way Ms. Kougar has taken a real historical event and injected it into a fabulously fictional future. The mixing of the two era's offers, to this readers way of thinking, an innocence to a fast paced, post war society.

Don't miss Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis - New Atlantis Trilogy, Book 1. You'll want to be ready for the next installment on the newly re-risen continent!

Serena Shay

Author of the top selling, THE CHALLENGE ~ serenashay.com ~ shapeshifterseductions.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis
by Savanna Kougar

Blurb:

In 2051, Atlantis is no longer a legend. The risen antediluvian land has been colonized by rebels who battled for freedom against the Global Elite.

New Atlantis Sheriff, Kalypso Sun Wing, has survived the sterile fifties' suburbs, the revolutionary turbulence of the sixties and the disco guru seventies. After the suicide of the man she loved, Kalypso barely survived the designer eighties or the fast-forward nineties. Watching Atlantis rise from the ocean she realized her destiny.

Zerculeon, Zryphus Vasquoz, chose an enforcement career with Earth's Federal Union. He is fascinated with primitive worlds and wants to make his own way outside the family heritage. Once he gets an eyeful of the beautiful Sheriff, as they investigate the Hair Spray serial murder, Zryphus knows he's found his one woman, despite her cold disinterest.

When the Hair Spray Killer stalks Kalypso, Zryphus won't let her out of his sight, or his bed. They realize those controlling the Killer's leash will use every evil to win world dominion.
~~~~~~

Available at ~ bookstrand.com/murder-by-hair-spray-in-gardenia-new-atlantis ~ bookstrand.com/savanna-kougar ~
~~~~~~

The Kougar’s news ~


Just Another ParaNormal Halloween, an anthology, received a 5 star review from Linda at Goodreads~ goodreads.com/book/show/9476103-just-another-paranormal-halloween

What Linda said:
Just Another Paranornomal Halloween Is A Collection Of Great Stories By Eight Authors That Combined Their Tales In One Awesome Good Read! From Pixies And Wolf Shifters Falling In Love, To Vampires And Tiger Shifters To Witches And Necromancy, There Is Something For Every Taste! This Is A Chance To Read An Author's Style Of Writing And Enjoy Their Books. I Just Loved Every Story That I Read And I Laughed At Ms. M'Lady's Wit And Cried At Ms. Phelan's Story Of Lovers Separated By Fates.

THE TIGER’S MASQUERADE is my erotic romance short story. Here’s the blurb ~

Stacy wasn’t looking for a tiger-man to erotically and exotically fill her tank , then steal her heart. That is, until the Halloween ‘Call of the Wild Masquerade’ ball. But, what kind of tiger does she have by the tail?

Zyrru wasn’t looking for a human woman to un-tame his fiercest passions, and alter his royal life forever. After all, he’s only vacationing on Earth, and is almost engaged to The Princess. But her rosefire scent is irresistible.

Available at ~ mojocastle.com/ParaHalloween.html ~
~~~

HAVE A MAGICKAL MARCH

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Well, I Never

It’s release day! “Belonging” is now on the market. For those who missed my earlier chest-thumping, “Belonging” is the story of Jeremy, a young man raised by vampires, who falls in love with a vampire, only to discover his boyfriend is carting around some really serious baggage. More serious than being undead, having fangs and drinking blood, I mean.

I never thought I’d write a vampire story. Hell, I never thought I’d be writing romance. I grew up reading SF, fantasy and comic books. I watched Star Trek religiously. Romance novels in those days centered on weepy wussettes who pined after arrogant assholes who belittled them throughout the book and then married them in the last chapter. Not what I wanted to read, and definitely not what I’d write. Write a romance? I scoff at you.

Shows what I know.

At some point in the 1980s the wussettes stopped crying, got jobs, got independent, kicked those arrogant jerks to the curb and found men worthy of them. I discovered Nora Roberts and started reading romance. I was still into SF and fantasy, though the books I’d always favored had a romantic element to them. I was writing and occasionally selling fantasy stories. Still no plans to write romance.

Enter paranormals. Suddenly the fantasies had hot parts. I could get mutants and relationships in the same book. Better still, humor, long missing from both genres, was allowed. Okay, maybe I could write this.

A market call for an anthology sparked an idea and prompted me to try my hand. They didn’t take my story. Another publisher did. All of a sudden I was a published paranormal romance writer.

Hetero only, thank you very much. Chicks and dudes exclusively. Okay, back in high school when I was writing X-Men fan fiction I made Angel gay. That was an aberration. I don’t do slash. No way.

Then another market opened up, and sparked another idea. Two guys, one woman. The guys ditch the woman and end up together. It sold. Just like that I’m a published writer of paranormal M/M romantic comedy. If my English teachers could only see me now.

Still no vampires. The market, in my opinion, had become oversaturated with the fangy fuggers. Sure, I read “Interview with the Vampire,” and drooled over Spike like everyone else with estrogen. Couldn’t get into “Moonlight,” sorry. I planned to stick to shapeshifters. What else could be said about vampires? How do you make it original? Nope. No vampires, no way, no how.

You know where this is going.

No anthology this time, just the raw idea. I look down at my screen and there’s a vampire there and I’m writing about him. Them. Two guys again. What the hell? What happened to all the women?

Okay, there’s a woman. She’s in the next one. Halfway through my vampy tale I got an idea for a sequel. A M/M/F ménage. I never thought I’d be writing a ménage, but …

The moral of the story? Never say never, I guess. My subconscious is a twisted bastard and my muse is an evil bitch. If this keeps up, I’ll be writing that M/M/M ménage idea after all, and damn the pronouns. That one has an SF setting. I haven’t abandoned my background entirely.

One little side note: My original title was “Blood Lust,” but while I was dragging my feet with the final edits Stormy Glen came out with a book with that title and I had to scramble after something else. The moral of THAT story is, stop screwing off and get back to work before all the good titles get taken. I’ll never procrastinate again. Oh, wait …

My New Cover

Here it is, my cover for BELONGING, my upcoming M/M vampire book! Hot, eh? Since I haven't even finished the edits yet, I can't give out a release day. I'll be back with more info and a possible blog when the book comes out.