A writer's imagination...

Many people would look at this scene and think, "Just another foggy day on the Oregon coast."

I looked at this scene when I snapped the photo and thought, "There is something lurking in that forest in the mist, something that will shift into a creature with sharp fangs and powerful jaws and threaten the heroine."

Whenever I travel, my imagination is always on overdrive, because travel inspires my writing. I enjoy visiting new places and envisioning scenes for a book. This particular spot on Oregon's coast, at a state park, inspired me to write a scene for The Mating Ritual, the next book I'm writing in the Werewolves of Montana series.

The Mating Ritual follows The Mating Hunt, which is Kyle and Arianna's story. That book is finished and about to be sent to a professional editor. In the meantime, while I am awaiting word on the next Nocturne, I am slogging ahead with The Mating Ritual.

Both The Mating Ritual and The Mating Hunt are much longer books, coming in around 50,000 words. And these books are fun to write.

In The Mating Ritual, Darius is searching for his long-lost mate and finds her. But he also finds she is in deep trouble, and has lived in the Skin World far too long to respond to her Lupine instincts for scenting danger.

If The Mating Chase was about a woman who returns to the Lupine world after living as a Skin in college, The Mating Ritual is about a woman who is STILL living and working in the Skin world, and the trouble she faces trying to blend both worlds.

The book takes place mainly in Oregon, and it's a road story. And I'm having so much fun writing it. Because behind a curtain of fog on a lonely, windswept and craggy shore, you never know what will lurk in the forest....

Excerpt from Phantom Wolf

From Phantom Wolf, my new Harlequin Nocturne:

"Tears rose in her throat. Splaying her hands against the cold tile wall, she surrendered to them. She’d failed those she’d promised to keep safe. Failed saving Sam’s family. So much failure, too many lives lost.

The shower door opened. Naked, Sam stepped inside. He reached for her, but she pulled away, scrubbing her cheeks. Pretending everything was normal.

With gentle persistence, he pulled her against his broad chest, his hands tunneling through her soaked hair. 

Saying nothing, only letting her cry, loaning his strength and support as she wept.

And then she felt him tremble, felt his broad shoulder shake beneath her cheek. Kelly looked up.

Tears ran down Sam’s cheeks.

He leaned his forehead against hers, cupping her face in his hands, and kissed her. The salt of their tears mingled together, washed away by the shower. Kelly opened her mouth beneath his as his tongue slid into her mouth, stealing away her breath. His kiss was demanding and yet gentle, urgent and desperate.

Then he pulled away, reached for the bar of soap and began to wash her.

Symbolic and soothing, his actions roused her desire as he slid the soap over her arms, the slope of her neck. 

Droplets clung to his thick brown hair and sparkled in his long lashes. Water cascaded down his strong, muscled neck, beaded in the dark hairs of his chest and slid lower.

He looked beautiful and sexy and intent, and it took her breath away.

His heated gaze remained affixed to hers as he stroked the soap over her wet, glistening skin. Sam brushed kisses alongside her jaw, sweet and tender as when they’d first made love. His hands cupped the rounded curve of her hips, pulling her tight against him."

NEW release! Phantom Wolf

Phantom Wolf is now available for purchase! I’ve posted a sexy excerpt below.

The second book in my Navy SEALs paranormal miniseries features Sam “Shay” Shaymore, a SEAL whose team is sent to capture and arrest his former lover, Kelly Denning. But passion once more flares between the pair when they travel through Honduras to find missing children in danger of being sacrificed by an evil dark lord…

“Shay felt fully awake as Kelly sighed and leaned against him. Oh man, too awake. Especially certain parts…

Kelly nuzzled against his throat, giving a pretty little sigh. “You always know how to make me feel better. Wish I could do the same for you.”

Feel better…his mind automatically shifted to sex. Closing his eyes, he buried his face against her hair, inhaling sweet jasmine and fresh raindrops. Need surfaced, chasing away the night sweats.

She lifted her head, eyes questioning. Shay stared at her soft, red mouth.

He brushed his lips against hers, a bare nuzzle. And then she made the sweetest purring sound beneath his mouth.

Hello.

He deepened the kiss, pulling her hard against him, her body so soft and warm, Kelly’s heart beating fast as a hummingbird’s wings. Losing himself in her sweetness, he drank in the promise of abandon in her lips. 

Thoughts of loss and grief vanished, driven away by her excited little breaths. Erotic heat spiraled through him as he claimed her mouth and felt her hands squeeze the hard muscles of his shoulders.

Vaguely, he wondered if other lovers had soothed away her bad dreams. The thought bothered him. Shay hated the idea of another man touching her, his hands skimming her smooth skin, his lips pressing against hers.

Mine.

Even though he had no claim, he wanted Kelly exclusively for himself.

All these years, he’d dreamed about touching her again. Caressing her soft flesh, feeling her quiver beneath his questing hands as she did now.

Beneath the insistent pressure of his mouth, her lips grew soft and pliant. Shay kissed her deeper, as if his last breath depended on it, each inhale and exhale feeding him life. Sliding his hands down the slope of her back, he cupped the sweet roundness of her ass, drawing her closer. Kelly climbed into his lap and wrapped her long, slender legs around his waist. With a low purr, she rubbed herself against him.”

Click here to purchase Phantom Wolf on Amazon.

Click here to purchase Phantom Wolf on Barnes and Noble.

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