That's right, cover reveal time!

It feels so fast, only nine days after the release of Heir. I've been writing nonstop to make sure Howl for the Holidays will be available before Christmas. It's a Christmas book, after all. And I think Harkins and Amy have waited long enough for their happily ever after. Late nights *yawn* are totally worth it.

Harkins and Amy have known each other for years. He's looked after her, and loved her from a distance. But he's always felt she deserved more than he could offer her. Amy adores Harkins. She respects him, cherishes him as a friend, and has always had a crush on the scarred enforcer. She sees past their difference in age, past the scars, to the loyal, caring man beneath. Sometimes a close friend is a true mate.

The cover is sweeter than my usual, which I feel fits the story. There's no shifter bad guys, no evil plots to uncover and foil. That's not to say that there's no conflict or danger, because what fun would that be? It's the journey that brings my couples together, and Harkins and Amy's is an adventure into the wild winter mountains. Expect steamy passion and the warm fuzzies that every ending should bring. Especially during the holiday season.

I hope you enjoy the cover while you wait for Howl for the Holidays to be released in about two weeks.

I'm excited to share that Heir is available now on Amazon!

Heir is the third book in the Protectors of the Pack series, and takes place in Greenville City. The focus is on Hunter Briggs and Grace Perry, an accountant at Briggs Unlimited. We finally get to find out who hired the Silent Butchers, but not without a search for information. Grace and Hunter team up to solve the mystery, and find more than they bargained for.

Though this story is the complete romance between Grace and Hunter, I highly recommend you read Bodyguard and Enemies first. The stories are very related.

I’ve also written an exclusive bonus chapter that follows after the conclusion of Heir. Christmas on Glendale Street is a short but fun look at how Hunter’s bodyguard spends his Christmas. Dax is along for Hunter and Grace’s entire story, so I wanted to give him a chapter of his own. To pick up a copy, follow this link and sign up for my newsletter.

Happy reading!

Oh how I love this cover. As the giant graphic suggests, Heir is coming November 22! This is the final novel in the Protectors of the Pack series. If you haven't read Bodyguard and Enemies, be sure to pick up those before reading Heir. The full story of Hunter and Grace's romance is included in Heir, but the plot is linked to those in books one and two. Here's a peek at what's in store:

I'll show you what it means to be mine...
Heir to a multi-billion dollar company. Heir to the alpha of the largest pack in the state. Wolf shifter Hunter Briggs works tirelessly to be worthy of his birthright. When his father falls ill, it's up to Hunter to step up and take his place. But he can't shake the feeling that someone close must be to blame. And his prime suspect, a gorgeous blonde bombshell, just might be the mate he's been searching for.
A big city. A fresh start. Grace Perry wants nothing to do with anything shifter. Most of all she is absolutely, one hundred percent, not looking for a mate. Unfortunately her new boss happens to be a wolf, who is convinced that someone is trying to kill him. When his suspicions become reality, Grace is determined to find out who is responsible. Too bad her boss's way-too-smoking-hot son has the same idea. And she just can't stop running into him.

I enjoyed telling Hunter and Grace's story; their chemistry is as hot as the cover model. And like both the Sawtooth Peaks and Riverwood series, Protectors of the Pack ends with everyone coming together. Up next is my Christmas story. I don't know yet if it will be a novel or novella. It's all plotted and this week I've started the writing. I decided that for Christmas I should write the couple that I get the most requests for--Harkins and Amy. Their story is set after the events of Sawtooth Peaks, though it is set up to be read as a standalone. Stay tuned for updates on my latest projects, including Harkins and Amy's Howl for the Holidays!

Today I wanted to share a different kind of post, a look behind the curtain. This is my eleventh month of publishing paranormal romance novels, and marks a year since I first decided to try my hand at becoming an author. It's been a wonderful, crazy, busy year that has taught me so much. And I'd like to share some of that knowledge with aspiring authors or anyone interested in the craft.

Going indie means a lot of things. First, that I get to control everything. Which also means I have to handle everything. Sounds like the same thing, right? Well, having total creative control is wonderful. No one tells me what my next book has to be about. I can tell the stories I want to tell, in the way I want to tell them. But, it's up to me to make sure that the quality is professional, the cover and blurb are on point, and that somehow the wonderful world of paranormal romance readers realizes I exist. And all expenses come out of my pocket. There's no advance. But, that means the success I find is mine, and it's oh so gratifying.

There are a lot of great tools that I use to create my books from cover to cover, paperback and ebook alike. For the indie author on a tight budget, who also is artistically inclined, I definitely recommend checking out these amazing freebies. Just for the record, I'm not saying you should pass up buying a cover. If you use MS Paint and you can scroll down Amazon's search page and spot your cover because it looks like it doesn't belong with the rest, you definitely should buy a cover from a professional. If you don't, you're only hurting your chance of selling the novel you've put your blood, sweat, and tears into. That said, I love digital art and have found a lot of amazing tools for both covers and other graphics.

Here's a few favorites from my Author Toolbox:

Gimp
I know. I know. Everyone says you need Photoshop. I have an old version of Photoshop that I've used a bit. Now, Adobe offers a pay per month subscription to use their tools. If it's within your budget, go for it. Personally, I've had a great experience with freeware. Gimp works a lot like Photoshop and is great for photo editing and putting together covers. If you check out my first batch of covers, I had not yet discovered the awesomeness of Gimp.
https://www.gimp.org/

Inkscape
Inkscape is a vector program. So if you scale up an image, you don't get the pixely weirdness you would if you were working with a photograph. I like to draw freehand, with pen and paper, then scan in my sketch and make it smooth and perfected in Inkscape by drawing over the image with vectors. This allows me to play with sizes, symmetry, and color. I use Inkscape for my logos, and the kind of font work that gimp doesn't support.
https://inkscape.org/en/

1001 Fonts
There are a lot of great fonts out there. 1001 Fonts offers a wide variety. Some are free for commercial use. Some aren't. So be sure to read the terms that come along with each.
http://www.1001fonts.com/

I just unwrapped the proof copy of my very first paperback!

I'm thrilled with the way the interior worked out. The cover looks a little different than I expected, with hard to read text in a few places. I'm off to update with text that pops a little more. Then Running to the Pack will be available for purchase in paperback! I'll be ordering a few copies to sign and give away, so stay tuned for details on that.

Defending the Pack is next on my list for preparing for print. I am wrapping up the final edits for Heir, and working on an exclusive Newsletter bonus chapter--Dax's Christmas.

Have a wonderful week!

Guess what time it is. That's right, time for another free promotion! Grizzly Bait is getting its first free sale starting tomorrow. I always run these promotions worldwide, so even if I don’t list the links for your country, everyone is included. If you have not yet read the Riverwood series, you should know that all three books are about a single couple. The first two end with HFNs, while the last is HEA. Liam's worth three books, trust me!

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GGL89UY
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01GGL89UY

In other news, I have a paperback coming, and a new release scheduled for later this month. Because October was a bit crazy, Heir is still in editing. We had everything from a hurricane, to my birthday, to my Mom responsibilities involving field trips and costume creation. Heir is the final novel in the Protectors of the Pack series. It's always a mixed bag when I finish a series. It's nice to see everything come together, but it can be hard to say goodbye to the characters I've grown to love over the months of learning their voices and telling their stories. The best part is that goodbyes aren't always forever. It's exciting to start something new, and see familiar faces pop back up again.

After Hunter and Grace's happily ever after, it will finally be Harkins and Amy's turn. I think it's the perfect way to end the stories involving the Sawtooth and Greenville City wolves. At least for now. :D I'm working on plotting and on the cover of this one while wrapping up edits for Heir. I'm hoping to have Harkins's story out for Christmas. Either way, it's coming next. After that I have the next three series swirling around in my head already. Two include characters from Riverwood, and the third is something a little different. I look forward to sharing more with you in the future.

I'm also happy to share that I’ve completed my first paperback! I’m eagerly awaiting the proof copy of Running to the Pack. So long as all looks well, I'll be moving on to Defending the Pack next. I love the idea of actually holding my work in paper instead of just on my flash drive.  I'll share a picture when it arrives and let you know how it turns out. Here's the cover :o