Happy Book Birthday, Complete Me!

I’ve had a lot of release days, but I think this is a first. We’re having a hurricane/blizzard. It sounds like the roof is going to blow right off this building, and there’s no way we’re keeping power. So I got up in the middle of the night to make sure I could post this. 🙂

X has found his mate, and the Sawtooth Shifters series is complete.

This series became so much more than I expected for me. Every character I write becomes real. I write in first person, as you know, so it’s like they’re telling me their story just like they tell it to you. I’ve never written a seven book series before, and it was only supposed to be four books. Just the Channings and the Forever Home girls. But once I met the Lowes, they refused to be silent. Even though the characters are far from perfect, the characters found the people who loved them just the way they were. It was never about having to ‘fix’ each other, but each character realizing they were good enough just as they are. That there was so much more right than wrong. In Sawtooth Forest, I created a place I’d like to call home.

It’s been hard to let these characters go. I cried when I typed the end.

Keep reading for an excerpt of Complete Me!  And thank you for reading this series and loving these characters just as much as I do! xx

Xavier Lowe wants peace.
A rogue attack kept him trapped in his wolf form, and he’s had enough of the endless war on Sawtooth Forest. His brothers want to play by the rules, but not X. If they don’t take care of this threat, there will be no future to fight for.
Chandra wants to belong.
Her parents left Sawtooth Forest before she was born. They didn’t want her to be sold, instead they gave her a chance to find her true mate. Now she’s in the place she wants to call home, but she never expected her pack to reject her.
Except for one. X knows that Chandra isn’t just any wolf, she’s his mate. And he’ll show her why Sawtooth Forest is worth fighting for.

Excerpt:
X came over to me. Determination and something that made my insides throb uncontrollably swirled in those incredible eyes. He pulled me into his body roughly and his lips crashed against mine in a kiss.
I was too stunned to move. This gorgeous, naked man kissed me in a room full the people who, whether they wanted me or not, had become my whole world in such a short amount of time. I imagined this is what it felt like to be stuck in a snow globe, frozen in time with everything raining down around me. Like the decorative orb, it was magical.
X didn’t give up. His lips moved against mine, coaxing them open. Just like those candy-colored eyes, he tasted salty, sweet, and a little bit forbidden. He’d been starving for this for much longer than the month I’d cared for him, and so had I. I hadn’t exactly been holding out for my true mate, but the way X touched me, his hand cupping the back of my head protectively, his thumb massaging my nape in time with the kiss, I felt like I’d never done this before.
Thank God he held on to me. X probably thought I’d run, but this kiss had turned my knees to junk.
“Come upstairs with me,” he whispered against my cheek.
“X, I…uh…” I had no idea what to say. I forced myself to look away from him, to the rest of the room. They were probably aware of what we were doing, but they didn’t care. There were several similar reunions happening all around us. It was funny, this passion I’d craved all my life scared the hell out of me when I held it in my hands. “We should probably…”
“Talk?” He grinned. “Believe me, there’s a lot of things I’ve been fantasizing about doing with you in my bedroom. How do you think I got through this month? I want to know everything about you.”
I laughed, falling against him in relief. “Talking sounds amazing.”

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1kSgYyD
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Pprjdx
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1Kbgpqi
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1J0Np9L
iBooks: http://apple.co/1ZfElVv
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1J0MKVD
BN: http://bit.ly/1KwQxdY
aRe: http://bit.ly/1TKrbLB

 

Happy Book Birthday, Shelter Me!

Today’s Brew: who ever knew I’d prefer black coffee???

by Kristen

It’s the new moon, and another Sawtooth Shifter finds his mate. We haven’t heard from the Channings in a few months, and there was no way I’d leave Dallas hanging.

Dallas and Lyssie have been in each other’s sights for a while now. They were together at the shelter when Dallas was rescued, and spent some quality time together while the threat from Ryker loomed large, but they were both gun shy about making a commitment. Let’s be plain about what they were actually doing: being stupid. They were waiting for everything to be perfect before they moved forward, until they learned there is no perfect, there’s only forward, whether we’re ready for it or not.

Sometimes when I read over a story in editing or for whatever reason, I’m in shock that I actually put those words together in that exact way.  Shelter Me is one of those stories. I didn’t realize how much I would identify with Lyssie when I sat down with this story. Like Lyssie, I’m guilty of waiting this perfect thing that doesn’t exist. I like to think of myself as this fearless badass, but sometimes I get punched right in the face with the reality that I’m not.

In the middle of writing Shelter Me, someone tried to burn my apartment building down. There were two small fires intentionally set. No one was hurt, and the fires were caught in time that we didn’t lose any material things. No arrests were ever made.

I couldn’t stay there anymore. That morning, I lost my home. I’m in a new place now. I know I’m lucky, because I was able to move to a nicer place that technically makes a lot more sense for me (much closer to the city for the day job, and no more trips to the dreaded laundromat!). But that feeling of coming back at the end of the day and being able to simply exhale and let go hasn’t followed me here yet. I’m hoping it’s just taking the scenic route, because I miss that feeling. A lot. While I’d known I had to move for a long time, I kept putting up with a lot of unnecessary shit because the devil I knew seemed easier than taking a chance on something new.

That fearless badass is still here. She needed a little kickstart. Just like Lyssie. Making the best of the worst is what makes us appreciate all the little things that make life great.

Shelter Me isn’t a downer, I promise you. There are tons of light-hearted moments and appearances from our favorite wolves and the Forever Home crew. And of course, some smokin’ hot sex. The Sawtooth Shifters never disappoint in that department.

And if you don’t believe me, here’s some more teasers:

My next move is definitely to Granger Falls, Idaho. There’s got to be a couple of unattached wolves still roaming Sawtooth. (If only the town really existed!)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Qh7uuJ
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Z91FAY
Amazon AU: http:// http://bit.ly/1ZelODY
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1OccGwy
iBooks: http://apple.co/221P3hj
BN: http://bit.ly/1PiRgeW
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1Z88zWZ
ARE: http://bit.ly/1SCXz2c
Google Play: http:// http://bit.ly/1N0IUqz

Check out an excerpt from Shelter Me here.

Haven’t started the series yet?  Forever Home is free.

Happy Book Birthday, Celebrate Me!

PROGRAMMING NOTE: The Undead Duo is on vacation!  We have stockings to stuff and cocoa to spike. We’ll catch you in the new year!  

Happy book birthday to Delaney and Shea! It’s Christmas in Sawtooth Forest!

This one feels like it’s been a long time coming, and in a way, it has. I’ve always written, but more importantly, I’ve always told myself stories.  When I couldn’t sleep because I was stressed out about things I couldn’t fix in the middle of the night, I made up characters and a plot to get my mind off my shiz. Originally that story was Callie and Tristan from Because the Night, but once I wrote their story, I had to find a new couple, because anything I came up with I had to write down for later use.

Enter Delaney and Shea.  I told myself I’d never write their story, because I needed something that belonged to me.  But when I created the story arc for Sawtooth Shifters, I knew they’d fit perfectly for the Christmas installment. Celebrate Me was born.

Delaney really surprised me as a character. She wanted this happily ever after.  And if anyone has ever deserved one, it’s Delaney. She has a terrible past but she never gave up. I’d write a scene and she’d do something I’d never expect, but when I read it over, I realized that she really wanted to whatever it was that I didn’t anticipate.  It was an awesome lesson for me, not to make assumptions about what other people want. Not to limit their futures based on their past.

Shea and Delaney are complete opposites on paper, but they really couldn’t be more perfect for one another. Both are misunderstood, both have trouble communicating, and both of them need someone to give them a chance.

I hope you love them as much as I do.

Shea Lowe has a bad reputation.

After years of throwing punches first and asking questions later, he’s hit a dead end. Notorious in Sawtooth Forest’s underground fighting ring, Shea wants out. Volunteering at Forever Home’s new farm is his only chance of getting another job on a ranch. But first, he’s got to prove that he can be trusted.

Delaney wants a voice.

Selective mutism made it sound like Delaney chose to be silent, but she didn’t choose to spend seven years locked in a cage. Forever Home is the last place she should’ve been sent for rehabilitation. But when a reckless, misunderstood werewolf treats her in a way she’s only dreamed possible, she realizes there’s no place else she’d rather be.

Delaney shows Shea that actions speak louder than words, and he vows to give her the one thing she’s never had–a joy filled Christmas with a real family. But Delaney must decide if she can accept Shea’s past if they have any chance at a future.

This is an EXPANDED VERSION of Celebrate Me (originally featured in Sugar, Spice, and Shifters)… More Shea, more Delaney, more Sawtooth Shifters! Includes deleted scenes and an alternate ending.

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1WKxMDX
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1IRa1sT
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1IRMlV6
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1Z9RCM7
iBooks: http://apple.co/1Y24D9K
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1OBEX28
BN: http://bit.ly/1O4IxCq
aRe: http://bit.ly/1RjUCDZ
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1YcUQRN

 

Happy Book Birthday, Protect Me!

*pops the cork on the champagne*

I did something with Sawtooth Shifters I’ve never done before. First, I didn’t really say anything about it before the series dropped. And I didn’t give you one book. I gave you two. Almost three. Protect Me has been available for what seems like forever now, but today you can finally read it! THANK YOU so much for an AWESOME preorder on Protect Me! I know many of you are waking up to Kiera and Baron on your Kindles or preferred reading devices and fuck, you guys rule. I hope you love them as much as I do.

Kiera is a bad ass chick, and Baron believes it’s time for a different way in the forest. On paper, they don’t look like they’d work. But these two sizzle together.  They’re not a traditional romance couple by any stretch of the imagination, but that doesn’t stop them from getting their happily ever after.

Keep reading for an excerpt!

A scarred soldier. A submissive shifter. It’s not what you think.

Baron Channing is tired of fighting.

As second in command, he’s built to take orders. The Channing pack has protected Sawtooth Forest for generations, and now they’re guarding the women who saved the family from the dog fighting ring. The Channings must fight for respect, but Baron doesn’t believe violence is the answer. He needs to take a stand for what he believes in if he wants to keep the incredible woman he’s been assigned to protect.

Kiera is a soldier.

She grew up in a man’s world, and she’s got the scars to prove it. Sent to Forever Home for rehabilitation for PTSD, Kiera didn’t believe she could learn anything from a bunch of homeless animals. But when a rescued werewolf sees her in a way no one else ever has, she realizes how wrong she was.

Together Kiera and Baron learn that the bravest thing is being true to yourself.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1g5hvL1
iBooks: http://apple.co/1UIhaRz
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1KJfi6n
BN: http://bit.ly/1OuKMwt
aRe: http://bit.ly/1P8MCEP

 

Excerpt:

When I was a little girl, I wrote a book. It was similar to the movies I watched a million times with princesses kissing princes and fairy godmothers who waved magic wands, granting them their happily ever after. Because most of the books I read at the time had pictures, I took great care in illustrating it. Colored everything inside the lines. My brothers found it and had a fucking field day. I was the only girl, the youngest of five, so the ridicule was endless. Having nobody to play with but a bunch of boys toughened my ass up in no time, and soon I dreamed of adventures they didn’t laugh at. Anything that would get me as far away from the Kansas farm and the endless flat land we called home had my name written all over it.
I never stopped dreaming of my prince. I didn’t tell anyone about it anymore—I’d learned my lesson. Especially now that I was twenty-nine and my imaginary boyfriend’s GPS didn’t seem to work in Idaho. It was a bitch getting a signal out here.
After the things I had seen, now I was pretty sure happily ever after only existed in fairy tales.
Prince Charming or not, I’d never been satisfied with mediocrity. Baron Channing was the closest thing to my nine-year-old rendition of a fairy tale prince I’d ever seen. I’d originally drawn him in crayon, but I’d nailed the long, shiny black hair and tan skin. I even got the blue eyes right, but I hadn’t dared to imagine they’d be flecked with an impossible amount of gold, like sun streaks on a cloudless day.
Had I met Baron as a man first, I don’t think I would’ve been surprised to learn he was a wolf. Everything about him was sleek and powerful. I was dying to see what his body looked like under his clothes. I got hints of muscle straining against his shirt, but it was just a tease. I hugged my pillow to keep my hands off of him.
I should’ve never let my brothers talk me out of writing romance and becoming a fairy princess. Instead I let them lead me to war.

Welcome to Sawtooth Shifters!

Hey Everyone! You may have noticed I was a little quiet all summer with releases. You know it’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for. I’m excited to reveal what I’ve been up to. Meet the wolves of Sawtooth Forest and the ladies of Forever Home Animal Shelter.

The Channing and Lowe packs have been captured by one of their own, and forced to fight each other in a dog fighting ring. Trina and the ladies from Forever Home rescue them, but the wolves aren’t the only ones in recovery.

With Sawtooth Shifters, I wanted to write strong, realistic women who were starting their lives over. They’ve all been through some serious shit and it would be just as easy for them to retreat and let the bad stuff win. I want them to triumph.

The wolves have something to fight for too. Their future. All the female wolves in their generation have been promised to the wealthiest wolves in the forest. Sold to the highest bidder. The pack system is in jeopardy. The Channings and Lowes have very different ideas on how they’re going to guarantee a future for their families.

Forever Home is an introduction to the world, then the following books will focus on each couple’s love story, with the story of the pack struggles continuing throughout the series. There’s no cliffhangers. You can read them on their own, but you’ll enjoy the series more as a whole.

FOREVER HOME:
Shadow Channing is in chains.

Pack rivalries have imprisoned his family beside their enemies. They’re forced to fight for survival each month in a dog fighting ring. Shadow assures his brothers they’ll escape, but to do so they must either team up with the rival pack that led them to their capture, or fight to the death for their freedom in front of a cheering crowd.

Trina is in recovery.

When rumors of dog fights start swirling around town, the owner of Forever Home Animal Shelter is determined to put a stop to them and bring the dogs to safety. Even when they turn out to be wolves. Trina knows that everyone deserves a second chance at life, especially after a car accident ripped hers away from her.

Shadow will do anything to repay Trina for saving his life, but soon he realizes he’s not the only one who needs saving.

FOREVER HOME IS FREE!

AMAZON  iBOOKS   BN  KOBO

RESCUE ME:

Shadow Channing needs to rebuild his pack.
After six months in captivity, everyone thinks he and his brothers are dead, and Sawtooth Forest is in uproar. The packs must change their ways, or violence will lead them to extinction. To become alpha, Shadow must get revenge on his captor as well as secure the future of his pack. Easier said than done when there’s a shortage of female wolves, and they’ve been sold off to the wealthiest wolves in the forest.

Trina is a work in progress.

After a car accident claimed the life of her fiancé, Forever Home Animal Shelter is the only place she feels like herself, relating to animals much better than people. When the pack of wolves she rescued shape shifts into men on the full moon, their leader will do anything to repay her for her bravery and kindness. Trina knows that Shadow needs her to protect his alpha status, but soon she learns she needs him just as much.
Trina must decide if she’s ready to take a chance on giving Shadow her heart, especially when she knows how easily it can all be taken away.

AMAZON  KOBO

PROTECT ME:

A scarred soldier. A submissive shifter. It’s not what you think.

Baron Channing is tired of fighting.

As second in command, he’s built to take orders. The Channing pack has protected Sawtooth Forest for generations, and now they’re guarding the women who saved the family from the dog fighting ring. The Channings must fight for respect, but Baron doesn’t believe violence is the answer. He needs to take a stand for what he believes in if he wants to keep the incredible woman he’s been assigned to protect.

Kiera is a soldier.

She grew up in a man’s world, and she’s got the scars to prove it. Sent to Forever Home for rehabilitation for PTSD, Kiera didn’t believe she could learn anything from a bunch of homeless animals. But when a rescued werewolf sees her in a way no one else ever has, she realizes how wrong she was.

Together Kiera and Baron learn that the bravest thing is being true to yourself.

COMING OCTOBER 13 PREORDER NOW:

AMAZON  iBOOKS  KOBO

These books will be available on all retailers. Some of them are slower to upload than others. I’ve been waiting for the links to go live, but it’s not fair to you or these books to not talk about them. Each installment will come with the new moon.

November–Conquer Me Major and Cass
December–Cherish Me Shea and Delaney
January--Shelter Me Dallas and Lyssie
February–Complete Me X and his mate

So many of you have been in touch with me lately, so I wanted to answer a couple questions here.

Why aren’t the Sawtooth Shifters books in Kindle Unlimited?

I’m doing some cool things to promote these books, and that required me to release them across all retailers.  I’ve enabled lending on all of the books, so you can lend them to your friends. Authors still get paid when you do that, the same as if you borrowed the book in Kindle Unlimited.  Plus, I want everyone to be able to enjoy these.

I’m introducing them at a lower price, and each month, the next book will be available for preorder at the lower price. Soon after release, they’ll go to regular price.

What about Leah and Jagger? Sure they’re happy RIGHT NOW but we know all hell is about to break loose! When is the next Escort book coming? 

You guys blew me away with your support and enthusiasm over No Strings Attached. It hit #1 in holiday books (appropriate for Jagger Holiday!) and was top ten in all erotic romance. I couldn’t knock off Grey, but holy crap. It was frigging amazing. I love you all! The answer is, soon. I have some deadlines I had to meet, and this is my crazy time of year at the day job.  My next priority is the follow up to No Strings Attached, tentatively titled Wrapped Around My Finger. 

I’m so lucky that the voices in my head tell me awesome stories. And I’m even luckier that you all want to read them.

Okay, back in the writing cave!!  I’ve got my work cut out for me!