Run for Your Love Today!

My newest book came out today, graced by cover art from the incredible Victoria Miller. You can read the basics here (be sure to scroll to the bottom for a buy-one-get-one-free offer!). I'll also be doing a blog tour the week of Halloween, so you can hear all about the subversive ideas I threw in amid the hot sex. :)

Blurb:

Shotguns seem to be everyone's favorite accessory for the zombie apocalypse, but Zach Paul believes he can survive without hurting anyone—not even the zombies. An elite-level runner, he plans to speed away from every danger. Then Zach meets a woman he can't bring himself to leave behind, and staying beside her tests all his principles.

Viola Ortiz fought free of her controlling boyfriend just before the zombies came, but now she believes her macho ex is the only one who can protect her. She sets out to reunite with him, only to encounter Zach instead. The tall, lean runner is everything her ex is not, and Viola is shocked to find he turns her on as no man has before. Viola's ex, however, isn't willing to let go of her, and soon it's clear that other survivors are as dangerous as the zombies.

Zach and Viola can run, but they must find safety before they lose their humanity in the struggle to protect their lives and growing love.

Excerpt:

It may not have been too crazy for me to think I could keep clear of the zombies in the Quarantined Area. On the news everyone kept saying these are "slow zombies." They're dangerous, diseased, and mostly impervious to pain, but not the sort of terrifyingly speedy hunters that have been popular in movies lately. My plan to run in there was risky, but I like to think not completely doomed. I planned around my talents instead of just deciding I'd somehow figure out how to execute a standing long jump of multiple feet once I found myself staring down at concrete two stories below a rooftop. I trusted the only thing I've been able to rely on my whole life—my legs.


What I didn't take into account were bullets—as in projectiles whizzing past my ears as I booked it down the sidewalk. Why the hell does everyone think the zombie apocalypse gives them a license to act like Rambo? I'm not just talking about what happened once zombies actually appeared in the middle of our city, eating brains, shambling, and whatever else they do. I'm talking about all the years of excitement about zombies—Facebook quizzes predicting whether your relationship would survive an outbreak, the sudden popularity of YouTube videos about parkour, and a pervasive cultural obsession with shotguns. I think people watched zombie movies and decided it would be great for the rule of law to break down to the point that they'd be allowed to solve problems by shooting first and asking questions later.


It's not the most macho position to take, especially not in the neighborhood where I grew up, but I guess it's clear by now that I'm a pacifist. Some other guy might respond to the looters by taking cover behind an abandoned building and pulling out his own gun to trade shots. That's not my style.


Instead, I shouted, "What the hell?" and tried to run faster.


Two days into societal breakdown, street cleanliness had already suffered. Trash bags, newspapers, and other detritus littered the road, and I swear the pavement had more cracks than usual. It took all my concentration not to slip or break my ankle.

I don't have experience dodging bullets, so I wasn't sure if I'd be harder to hit if I tried to zig-zag or not. Since I didn't know, I ducked my head, picked up the pace, and hoped for the best.


The guy with the gun shouted, "Drop the backpack!" Apparently, he thought bullets made good punctuation.


"There's nothing in it!" I screamed back. Which wasn't strictly true. I didn't have any money or valuables, which I assumed was what they were looking for. On the other hand, the backpack had everything I thought I needed to survive in the Quarantined Area, so I didn't want to give it up.


"Like hell it's empty!" The guy chasing me squeezed off a few more shots.


The fact that he hadn't managed to hit me yet confirmed one of the points I'd like to make about guns, which is related to a couple of the things I've already ranted about. A lot of people think you can just pick up a gun and go to town. That tells me that most people have never actually held a gun, much less fired one.


I've been to the shooting range a number of times with my older brother Dominic, and once, before a birthday party he celebrated one year in Vegas, that included firing machine guns. Before I'm accused of hypocrisy, I'll add that Dominic spent a long time trying to get into the police academy, and I provided moral support while he studied and trained. Anyway, after several good tries, I learned that if you can hold a gun without your hand trembling uncontrollably, you're doing well. And it takes training before most people can manage to hit, say, the broad side of a barn.


The looter chasing me might think he was tough, but he'd obviously never gotten the chance to practice with a gun. I promised myself I'd say a prayer of thanks as soon as I got out of range of him and his burly friends. I almost looked forward to the zombies at that point—at least I'd understand their motives.


Someone cried out behind me, and I risked a glance over my shoulder. One guy lay on the pavement clutching his ankle, probably a victim of one of the cracks I'd noticed earlier. Two of the others seized the excuse to quit running, squatting beside him clutching their sides, gasping, panting, and coughing. I allowed myself a satisfied smile. The guy with the gun hadn't tired yet, but he would, as long as he didn't manage a lucky shot before I finished putting him through his paces.


I lengthened my strides. It felt good to take my body to its limit, to dig as deeply as I could into the inner reserves I'd built up over the years... Right up until I realized I'd forgotten to keep an eye on the littered road.


My foot tangled in a plastic bag, and I went down hard. It was like something out of kindergarten—bloody knees, bloody palms, and pain that brought stinging tears to my eyes. A bullet hit the asphalt a mere foot away from me.


"Let up, man!" I made my voice as threatening as possible, despite my vulnerable position. "I got nothing!"


"Give me the backpack!"


Adrenaline forced me to my feet. I took a deep breath, preparing to push myself back into a run despite the stiffness already settling into my knees.


That wasn't to be, because my fall had allowed the big guy catch up with me. He may not have known how to use his gun, but he sure as hell knew how to use his hands. He demonstrated on my trachea as soon as he got hold of me.


I hate to say it, but I froze. I thought about trying to stomp on his foot or something, but I didn't really expect that to work, and I didn't want to die a traitor to my own pacifist ideals. I helplessly pondered what to do as he squeezed my neck tighter, and I started to feel chilled and light-headed.


That was the first time I saw her, and considering how little oxygen was reaching my brain at that moment, you can probably understand why I thought she was some sort of apparition. She was beautiful. Sexy? Yes. She had the sort of curves that make a man want to spend long afternoons in bed just tracing the shape of them. Lips to match and ringlets of black hair that I immediately wanted to feel across my bare chest. But she was also beautiful in a holy way—some kind of light in the eyes or glow to the skin that reminded me of pictures of La Virgen. She was dressed all in blue too, which contributed to my impression that she wasn't entirely of this world—my mother taught me that blue is Mary's color.


Her small, compact body hurtled into me and my captor with force far beyond what I would have expected from her weight. She screamed that he ought to let me go, and his grip loosened, I think because he was so stunned. Neither of us knew where she had come from or what she had to do with me.


Unfortunately, the deranged looter's first instinct after letting go of me was to go after her, specifically by hooking a finger through one of the big gold hoop earrings she wore. I stretched my own rules a little and jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow, hoping to distract him enough that my rescuer and I could both escape.


She didn't have the kind of qualms I did. Out of one pocket, she produced a can of pepper spray and proceeded to administer a healthy dose straight into his eyes. I covered my face in time, but he gave a high-pitched scream and clapped his palms to his cheekbones. The gun hit my foot then the pavement. The woman screamed too, and I wondered if he still had her by the earring.


I dropped to the ground and crawled a few feet away, moving through the pain in my knees and palms. A glance at the woman showed she'd gotten herself free of her opponent's grip and had grabbed the upper hand by far. She administered a series of precise and painful-looking strikes to his abdomen.


Any second, more of the looters would join this fight. I didn't feel good about running away when she'd gotten involved in the first place because of me.


Pushing myself to my feet, I went over and grabbed her elbow, wincing when my scrapes contacted her skin. "We have to get out of here," I told her. "Try to keep up."


She rolled her eyes but didn't answer me. I took off running, feeling so much adrenaline by then that the pain in my knees didn't really bother me.


She wasn't next to me.


I whirled without stopping, in time to see her scoop the looter's gun off the sidewalk and toss it into a glittery backpack she carried, slung too low to be entirely practical.


I took my own turn rolling my eyes. Just what I needed. Another Rambo wannabe. "Come on!" I shouted.


I have to admit that despite annoying me by going for the gun, she'd impressed me so far. The next thing she did really caught my attention. She grinned at me, as wicked and gleeful as if we'd gone out racing to settle a bet. Then she covered the distance I'd put between us so fast it took me a moment to realize I was being outpaced.


She shot past me and tossed another smile over her shoulder. "You better hurry," she said, with a Puerto Rican accent and not a trace of effort. "Ahora, chacho. Those guys look mad."

Buy Links:

All Romance

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Breathless Press

Bio:

Annabeth Leong has written romance and erotica of many flavors -- dark, kinky, vanilla, straight, lesbian, bi, and menage. Her titles for Breathless Press include the contemporary werewolf erotic romances Not His Territory and Not the Leader of the Pack, and Run for Your Love, a romance set in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island, blogs at annabethleong.blogspot.com, and tweets @AnnabethLeong

Buy One, Get One Free Offer:

Did you miss Annabeth's previous titles with Breathless Press? Not to worry. E-mail proof of purchase of Run for Your Love, such as an Amazon receipt, to annabeth dot leong at gmail dot com and let her know your e-book format of choice. Annabeth will buy a copy of her werewolf novella, Not His Territory, for anyone who sends this information before November 12, 2013.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Dead Man Walking titles that Breathless Press has coming out this month! All month, they're serving up hot zombie novels!

Cover Reveal: Run for Your Love

The incredible Victoria Miller has done it again! This is the cover for my forthcoming zombie erotic romance from Breathless Press, and I couldn't be happier! More details to come!

Run for Your Love

I've got a new book on the way from Breathless Press, which publishes my paranormal erotic romances. It's called Run for Your Love, and here's a draft blurb:

Everyone else is running away from the zombie apocalypse, but Zach Paul and Viola Ortiz are running towards it. Zach wants to honor a pact he made to look out for his brother, and Viola has unfinished business with an ex-boyfriend. Quickly, the two realize they need each other to survive, but it’s not long before they figure out they need much more than that. Together, Zach and Viola must make a desperate run for life, honor, and love.

I loved writing this book, but was also really nervous about several risks I took. I only managed to finish writing it after I realized that the things that made the book feel risky were also the things that made it feel special--those were the things that represented my voice and unique vision. I hope I can remember that for future novels.

Here are a few of the things that made me both nervous and excited, and explanations of why that is:

Pacifism
-- My hero, Zach, is a pacifist, and that includes zombies. He's really unnerved by the excitement the zombie apocalypse creates for people, and doesn't like that people suddenly feel justified picking up shotguns and going to town.

This makes me nervous because I worry it will alienate fans of zombie fiction, which so often involves... picking up shotguns and going to town.

This makes me excited because it feels like a truly different take on a crowded genre. Also, Zach's morality allowed me to explore a lot of interesting things about his character, such as how a man can be both masculine and nonviolent (and he totally can!) and how a person handles negotiating with an ethical position when under extreme duress (hint: Zach does not perfectly uphold his morals at all times).

Religion
-- Both Zach and my heroine, Viola, are Roman Catholics. Zach practices more actively than Viola, and has a patron saint he venerates, but both are believers. However, they also have a lot of premarital sex, and they don't feel a lot of conflict about it.

This makes me nervous because I actually don't see a lot of actively religious people in romance outside of the inspirational genre. I worry that nonbelievers will be offended by my characters' beliefs, and I worry that believers will be offended that the characters don't behave exactly the way the Church says they should.

This makes me excited because I really liked representing what to me is a realistic portrayal of two sincerely religious people. Zach's religion absolutely informs his pacifism, and both Zach and Viola are respectful of the faith. They basically decide not to pay too much attention to the Church's position on sex, and that is realistic to my own experience and that of many people I've known, even if the Church might not like for me to say so. Zach says at one point that he's got other sins that he's a lot more worried about. Religion and sexuality are often in conflict, but I don't know that they have to be. While religion definitely holds positions on sexuality, do these have to be the dealbreakers they're often made out to be? I'm a very devout religious person myself, and there are plenty of things I don't do "right" and plenty of places I personally compromise with the Church's official position. Why should not following sexual prohibitions be seen as more horrible than failing to, say, give to the poor? (And, in some cases, I think religious people should stand up and protest the Church's negative positions on sexuality. I am both devoutly religious and absolutely in support of LGBT rights inside and outside of church--but that is a discussion for another day). I guess the point here is that sexuality and religion are complicated together, and I'm glad I let that be messy in my book, because that's the way it is in real life.

"Healthy" Attitudes
-- Viola holds a lot of opinions that I don't consider "healthy," especially in the start of the book. Zach engages with her on many of them, but I sometimes felt strange writing from her viewpoint since she certainly has screwed up ideas about what relationships mean.

This makes me nervous because I worry that readers will think I'm in support of all Viola's viewpoints, or that everything she says is something I would say.

This makes me excited because it allows for character growth. Also, I am not entirely made up of healthy viewpoints myself, and it is good to remember that I can explore that sort of thing in fiction.

***

Also, lest you think this is a work of philosophy and not adventure, let me add that this book includes lots and lots of dramatic escapes from perilous situations, lots of hot sex, and lots of zombies. I can't wait to share it with you, and will post more details when I've got them.

In the meantime, check out my other books from Breathless Press, Not the Leader of the Pack and Not His Territory, which are both on sale at the Breathless site for 40% off!

Out Today: Not the Leader of the Pack

I'm so excited to share my new paranormal erotic romance with you — Not the Leader of the Pack. I'm proud of this book — it's hot, it's set in a world that fascinates me, and writing it helped me get through a rough time. I'll be doing a blog tour at the end of June, so there will be plenty of chances for me to talk more about all the things that went into putting this book together. In the meantime, here's some information (be sure to scroll down to the end to see my buy one, get one free offer).

Blurb:

Rival alphas Juli Gunby and Neil Statham want to tear each other apart — but will they do it in battle or as mates?

When Juli Gunby left Missoula, Montana, she didn’t intend to come back. Not to her exacting alpha werewolf father, and certainly not to Neil Statham, the beta who rejected Juli’s girlish advances. Her father, as usual, has other ideas, using his dying breath to pass pack leadership to his daughter. Juli resolves to carry out her duty to her father and her pack, but the one man she wants on her side has made himself her enemy.

After years of loyal service to the pack, Neil expects to take over as alpha when his mentor dies. As good as it is to see Juli again, he knows he can’t trust her. After all, she abandoned both him and the pack years ago and never looked back. Neil determines to fight for his rightful position in the pack, even if that means going up against a woman who fills him with an overwhelming urge to mate every time she walks into the room.

Someone needs to lead, and the more Neil and Juli fight, the more they attract interference from those who would control the pack and destroy the ties between them.

Buy Links:

All Romance

Amazon

Amazon UK

Bookstrand

Breathless Press

Excerpt:

"Juli. We're the only pack members who saw your father pass that ring of leadership to you." He paused to allow the significance to sink in, the bar noise around them rising to fill his silence. "You have another life in Lewistown. You have a career. You've made it clear you're not interested in this pack. We can say whatever we want about what took place in that room. He could have passed the ring to me as far as anyone else knows. No one would question that."

He would have kept talking, except that Juli wrenched herself violently out of his grasp at that point. "Not interested in this pack? We can say whatever we want?" He heard her just fine over the music despite the new distance between them. In fact, he worried who else had heard her mention the pack. And who else had seen that furry paw she'd thrust into his face. 


They both froze for a second, staring at her latest lapse of control. 


"Damn it." Juli's curse came out more as a growl than as words. 


"We need to get out of here," Neil said. "You just focus on staying cool." She knew better than to argue with him. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out, leaving their beers behind. They could finish this conversation in his truck. 


They ran for the truck like the rest of the world was on fire, and slammed the doors behind them once they got there. Juli writhed in her seat, gasping, her wolf form rippling just on the other side of her skin. Neil panted in response. He didn't normally have trouble controlling his shift, but with her beside him, so close, too much of him wanted to meet her in a place of complete abandon. He wanted to run with her under the moon, fight her for supremacy until neither cared who wound up on top or on the bottom. Then, with one last vicious pounce, he wanted to surrender to the merging of their bodies. He swallowed hard. 


Stats. He ran through the winning World Series teams for the last three decades. He tried to calculate his total career RBIs. The stream of data calmed Neil down. He started the car. "I'm going to drive us somewhere a little more private," he told Juli. "Just in case." 


"Back to the hospital." 


"You're in no shape—"


"Back to the hospital." She showed fangs. Neil didn't need that so soon after he'd regained his own control. He stopped arguing and pressed the gas. They'd go somewhere. He just needed to be driving so he had something to concentrate on besides the idea of Juli giving herself up to the beast. He needed a really good reason to remain in human form. 


The truck's cab filled with her labored breathing. Neil turned on the radio to distract himself from the sexual images the sound called up for him. He'd always avoided being alone with her, afraid to give even the appearance of impropriety. Right then, Neil wasn't sure if he was grateful for the trouble he'd saved himself or sorry as hell for what he'd missed. The instinctual attraction he felt for her was off the charts. 


He got so caught in his reverie that only Juli tugging at his sleeve alerted him that her struggles had become sobs. "Neil, can you pull over?" Her voice sounded deflated. "I'm sorry I insisted about the hospital. I'm not ready to go back there yet." 


Her obvious misery immediately pierced his sexual fog. Neil pulled the truck into a convenience store parking lot and looked at her. "Do you want a minute? I can go get some water." 


"No, it's okay." She hesitated, chewing on her top lip. "I'm obviously way out of control." 


He watched her face carefully. "About what I said in the bar... I didn't mean to offend you." 


"You just think I don't care about any of this." 


"Well, do you?" 


Her head snapped up and a bit of the wolf flickered behind her eyes again. "How can you ask me that?" 


Neil blew out a long breath. She wanted him to make his case? He could do that. "You know being pack alpha doesn't pay. What about your fancy job in Lewistown? The one that was so important you couldn't come back here to visit your dad?" 


She rubbed her eyes. "Can you try to keep the venom out of this, Neil? Jeez, you're so bitter, you'd think I failed to visit you." Bingo. But Juli continued speaking, oblivious. "Gabriel's not going to like it if I resign. He talked a lot about developing new talent when he hired me. But it's not like the Council can't run without me. This was my father's last request. Besides, the pack probably needs me more." 


He swallowed, unable to believe she had the nerve to say these things. "Maybe I'm underestimating how good you are at walking away from things. Foolish of me, since I have personal experience." Neil shook his head, uncertain if the anger surging through him was directed at himself or at Juli. "The pack needs someone really committed, Juli. Not someone who will leave again the next time it's convenient." 


She snapped her gaze to his, her eyes widening with understanding. A wave of fear rushed through him. He'd revealed too much of his personal feelings. They needed to decide about the pack first. "You were the one who rejected me, Neil," Juli said, her voice so soft he almost couldn't hear her. "All I did was move on."

Bio:

Annabeth Leong has written romance and erotica of many flavors -- dark, kinky, vanilla, straight, lesbian, bi, and menage. Her titles for Breathless Press include Not His Territory, Not the Leader of the Pack, and a contribution to the Ravaged anthology. She enjoys writing about the tension between passion and control that werewolves embody. Unfortunately, when Annabeth loses control of herself, she does not gain the power to change shape. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island, blogs at annabethleong.blogspot.com, and tweets @AnnabethLeong. She loves talking books on Goodreads, too: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5295946.Annabeth_Leong

Buy One, Get One Free Offer:


Not the Leader of the Pack stands alone, but I've written in its world before. I’d love to share the previous title, Not His Territory, with current readers. If you’d like to participate, e-mail proof of purchase of Not the Leader of the Pack, such as an Amazon receipt, to annabeth dot leong at gmail dot com and let me know your e-book format of choice. I will buy a copy of Not His Territory for the first 25 people who respond.

Behold! Cover Art for Not the Leader of the Pack

Breathless Press has one of the best cover artists in the business — the talented Victoria Miller — and she's outdone herself for my forthcoming release, Not the Leader of the Pack. Slated for release on May 31, this tells the story of two werewolves battling over pack leadership — and fighting down a powerful urge to mate. I'll be posting a lot more information in the next month.

This book is set in the same world as my previous Breathless release, Not His Territory.



Keep an eye out for excerpts and more in the month to come! In the meantime, you can warm up with Not His Territory, here.

A Milestone, and How to Choose from My Work

Perhaps only of interest to me, since the books themselves have not posted yet, but I noticed recently that my author page on Ellora's Cave is up. So that's really happening. :)

Writing for them has made me think a lot about that phrase "erotic romance" -- in my work for EC so far, it's been really true. I employ all my eroticist tricks, coming up with varied sex scenes that reveal character and move the plot along, while also building a love story that comes to fruition in a happy ending. I've enjoyed the form, and it's taught me a lot about how to plan (that belongs in another post).

I'm very proud of my work for EC -- The Fugitive's Sexy Brother is the most complex story I've written, including a villain who nearly stole my heart, a thriller plot, and three different couples who use three different styles of BDSM. I'm planning to write a lot more in the erotic romance form.

And if you like my dark erotica (where happy endings are not guaranteed), never fear. I've got two deliciously dark pieces coming out from Forbidden Fiction this year (Andromache's Prize, which drops next week, and Icarus, a retelling of the myth that is, IMO, the best thing I wrote last year). And the year is young.

One thing I've always known is that as a writer I really like to stretch into a wide variety of styles. As I've moved into publishing more stand-alone books, I've tried to group them in sensible ways so readers know what to expect. Of course, it's wonderful if you love everything I do. On the other hand, if you prefer certain styles, my current system is:

Breathless Press - erotic paranormal romance (all werewolves so far, includes HFN)
Ellora's Cave - contemporary erotic romance (realistic modern settings, ends in HEA)
Forbidden Fiction - erotica (often mythological, generally dark, sex in a variety of moods, all bets are off about how this thing will end - some HEA, some tragic)

I love the freedom this system gives me, and I hope it helps readers pick up books they're going to enjoy. I also do a lot of work for anthologies, in which case I try to follow the mood that I think fits the publisher, and am generally erotic and sex-positive.

Not the Leader of the Pack

I'm thrilled to announce that my Breathless Press title, Not His Territory, is getting a sequel!

I love the world of that book, and am glad to revisit it. Not His Territory is a paranormal romance set in the Northwestern United States. There, the werewolves chafe under the strict control of the legalistic Werewolf Council. Though the Council claims to be protecting the interests and safety of werewolves, many feel it's trying to legislate the wolf right out of the members of the packs. Against this backdrop, primal urges boil over into romance, sex, and rebellion.

Not the Leader of the Pack, as it's currently titled, introduces a new pack and a new romance. If you read the original, which is set in Big Timber, Montana, you may recall that Raul at one point refers to "the situation in Missoula." Not the Leader of the Pack tells the story behind Raul's comment:

When Juli Gunby left Missoula, Montana, she didn't intend to come back. Not to her father, who became ill-tempered after being abandoned by his mate, and certainly not to Neil Statham, the pack beta who rejected Juli's girlish advances. But a trip to her father's deathbed threatens to become a permanent stay when the old man uses his dying breath to charge Juli with pack leadership. Juli wants to fulfill his last request but Neil, feeling betrayed that the responsibility isn't passed to him, threatens to lead the pack to revolt if Juli becomes alpha. Neil and Juli can't compromise, and the more they fight, the more their old feelings of attraction rise to the surface. It's clear they're going to tear each other apart eventually, but it remains to be seen whether they'll do it as rival alphas fighting for leadership or as lovers in the throes of passion.

For Not the Leader of the Pack, I sank into the world a lot more -- this book is about four times the length of Not His Territory. I can't wait to tell you more about it as release approaches (and I'm dying to see what delicious cover Breathless makes for this).

A Review and Character Interview

My werewolf novella, Not His Territory, got 4 sweet peas on Mrs. Condit and Friends Read Books!

Ms Leong is a creative writer who takes a well-known story and puts her own twist on it, producing something quite new and imaginative.

The site is worth checking out even if you're already familiar with the book, because I did an exclusive character interview that's only posted there:

Me: You look great for a woman who’s gone into hiding.

Chandra: I do? I haven’t thought much about my appearance lately, to be honest.

(Here, she dabbed self-consciously at a non-existent speck of mascara.)

Me: More relaxed than I’d expect. Have you been sleeping better?

Chandra: Sleeping? Oh God, is my face red? Raul and I definitely make sure to get a good night’s sleep. To go to bed early, anyway. I mean, we spend a lot of time in bed. Oh, hell. Can you edit that to make me sound less —

Me: Less madly in lust? Not a chance.

Chandra: I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to this.

And, of course, you can pick up the book here.

Release Day For Not His Territory!

That hot cover is for my new release from Breathless Press, Not His Territory.

Here's a blurb:

Werewolf investigator Raul Silva has always followed orders, but the latest might be one too many. Can he really resist his target's hot ex-wife?

After a devastating encounter with an illegally shifted werewolf, a wounded Raul Silva slumps on Chandra Williams's doorstep, begging for refuge. As an investigator for the legalistic Werewolf Council, Raul's been sent to look into instability in the local pack. Chandra's presence makes him want to succeed at his mission for personal — not professional — reasons.

The Werewolf Council disapproves. Chandra is strictly off-limits for Raul according to both the traditions and laws of the werewolves. But after a life devoted to upholding principles, Raul's instincts and desires are boiling to the surface. Can Raul resist Chandra, or will he break with everything he stands for to pursue a woman who is not his territory?

And a short excerpt:

"Can I take off his marking? I'm glad it kept you safe, but I'm not his territory. It's not his house. I pay for it."

Raul's eyes took on a strange weight. Chandra shivered, too aware of his body. "I wish it were that simple."

"Why isn't it? I can buy spray paint and cover up his mark."

"A territory dispute must be resolved on the full moon in the ancient way."

"The ancient way?"

"A challenge. A battle for control. It's done in fully shifted form."

"Well, I'm not a werewolf. What am I supposed to do?"

"We're set up to be self-policing. Your ex shouldn't be behaving the way he is. Marriages to humans are somewhat frowned upon and are supposed to be done with full knowledge and consent on the part of the human. This obviously wasn't how he did it with you, since you know nothing of our customs. A human has good reason to be wary of marrying one of us, though. Werewolf law often resorts to the ancient way for final arbitration. A human is at a disadvantage in any dispute with one of us. It's much easier when we keep to ourselves." Both of Raul's hands gripped the tablecloth now. Chandra wondered what part of this upset him so much.

"So you're saying he shouldn't have married me."

"Not if he planned to treat you this way." Raul's voice came out as a snarl.

"I mean, because it breaks werewolf law."

"It's not that a werewolf can't be with a human," Raul said. His emphasis on the words "be with" sent a chill down her inner thighs. "It just needs to be done properly." Now Chandra grabbed her own handful of tablecloth. She needed to figure out how to get free of her ex, not become distracted wondering what Raul would consider the "proper" way to be with a human.

"Okay, well." Chandra's voice shook. She forced herself to look at a spot on the wall beyond Raul. If she looked directly at the man, she'd be off on another fantasy before she knew what hit her. "Since that's water under the bridge at this point, isn't there any way to dispute his claim on my house?"

Raul's hand brushed hers. Chandra jumped. "Another werewolf could dispute on your behalf. I could do that for you. If you wanted. I owe you my life as it is."

Chandra waited for him to move his hand away. He did not. She went on speaking anyway, despite the bolts of arousal shooting through her lower belly. "And what then? Am I—I mean, my house—is my house your territory if you win?" Her arms trembled. The idea of being his territory sounded medieval to her brain, but her body loved it. Enough that she involuntarily crossed her legs and squeezed them together, further igniting the heat between her thighs.

"In theory," Raul said slowly. "I suppose so. In practice, only if you want it to be." He smiled. "I'm a werewolf, not a caveman."

You can grab it from Amazon, or from the publisher's site.

While you're over there, check out the new release, One Wild Vegas Night, from my fellow Ravaged author SJ Thomas.

Ravaged Author Heather Whittington Talks Encantado

Ravaged author Heather Whittington shared a few insights about her contribution to the anthology. Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book (and include your e-mail address so we can contact you if you win)!

What is your story in Ravaged about?

“Encantado” is about a young man who meets a mysterious woman at a party. Derek sees
her hooking up the with host during the shindig. When the host's body is recovered from the ocean, Derek wonders if the woman had anything to do with it, despite his intense attraction to her.

Where did you get the inspiration for your story?

I was looking for a different sort of shapeshifter, one that hasn't been done many times over. I came across the legend of encantado during my research. Meaning “enchanted one,” the encantado are usually dolphins who shift into human form. They are particularly attracted to parties and sex.

Favorite line?

Hard to pick one. Guess I'd have to go for this bit: "It's my day off, Chris. My only day off this week. You think I'm gonna waste it by getting up early and accomplishing
something?"

Now for a little about yourself. How long have you been writing, and how did you become a writer?

I've been a published writer for about a year and a half now. I've been writing since high school at least. When I met a friend at the theatre a few years ago (I was auditioning for a musical), she saw I had the Nanowrimo banner on my blog and invited me to join her writing group.

Have you got anything else out/due out?

I have stories printed in anthologies by Pill Hill Press, Wicked East Press, Bards and Sages Quarterly, and SNM Horror Magazine. Several stories are available in several of SNM Horror's online magazine. I also have a stand-alone story with Breathless Press called “Bordello Secrets.”

Top tip for writing/publishing?

I always thought Nike had the best advice: Just do it.

And a few questions just for fun. If you were a shifter what animal would you change into?

A cheetah. Though any feline animal would do.

Favorite food and drink?

I love fresh strawberries in vanilla yogurt, and I love chocolate milk.

Favorite movie?

Way too many of these. But the tippy-top of the list would have to be “Serenity.”

Boxers or Briefs?

Boxer-briefs.

Finish this sentence: I have never...

been drunk in my life. Though there are a lot of people who would buy tickets to that epic event.

Find more about Heather Whittington here.

Can't wait to be Ravaged? Buy the book here.

Want more from Ravaged authors? Check out the full set of interviews at the links below, and don't forget to comment for a chance to win (include your e-mail address so we can contact the winners)!

Ravaged Author Mickey J. Corrigan Talks Internal Savagery

Ravaged author Mickey J. Corrigan shared a few insights about his contribution to the anthology. Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book (and include your e-mail address so we can contact you if you win)!

What is your story in Ravaged about?

"Internal Savagery" is the story of the frightening yet alluring transformation of Bradley's lover, Melissa.

Bradley is a graduate student who studies the socialization behavior of gorillas. His story begins in the office of a therapist, where Melissa cries and rages while Bradley attempts to defend himself against her charges of infidelity and neglect. He can't understand why she refuses to acknowledge their wild passion, their hot lovemaking. He also wonders why she has changed. Melissa does not seem to understand her own transformation. She's angry and confused.

Melissa is full of a new deep rage. She hits Bradley, pounds the couch between them. She even looks different: her body is bigger, thicker, her forehead wider, her jaw more prominent. She is very unhappy with her appearance, but Bradley is strangely turned on. He loves Melissa, her fiery nature, her animalistic behaviors. Now he has to find a way to prove it to her.

With humor and pathos—and some hot sex scenes—"Internal Savagery" explores how
much we are willing to change to fulfill our lover's desires. Melissa wants Bradley to love her, so she becomes what he loves. Isn't this what real love requires?

Where did you get the inspiration for your story?

Hey, I've been in therapy. And, well, it wasn't fun. It was hard. Painful. But transformation did occur.

Couples therapy can be helpful and insightful. But it is also a torturous process. You need to reveal parts of yourself you would rather not look at or share. And you need to be willing to strip down your ego to its most naked self. Sometimes a therapist can suggest a way to see yourself that is very revealing. In Internal Savagery, the annoying couples counselor does just that.

I set the first half of the story in the therapist's office to see where the stress and anxiety would take the two lovers. I knew what was happening to Melissa, but Bradley didn't. I wanted to hang out with him while he found out what it would be like if his girlfriend became exactly the kind of lover he craved.

Since Bradley was passionate about gorillas, the direction of the story unfolded in some interesting ways. I used modern technology to help Bradley and his girlfriend discover just what was happening for her. And exactly what was going on between them.

I especially enjoyed revealing Bradley's thoughts as he was being emotionally scoured by the therapist. It is a lot of fun to tell a love story from the man's point of view, and to share what guys really think when women are asking them what they really think.

Favorite line?

"The truth shall set you free. But only if somebody else believes it. There was more to share about their sex life, but Bradley didn't want to go there. The doctor would question his sanity."

Now for a little about yourself. How long have you been writing, and how did you become a writer?

I'm new to the genre, although I've been publishing for a long time under another name.

Have you got anything else out/due out?

Dream Job, a cyber-romance novella, was released by Breathless Press a few months
ago. Professional Grievers, a quirky romance featuring a couple who attend strangers'
funerals, is currently in press. And a novel about college girls who work as professional girlfriends is due out in January. I also have two novels with a literary agent, which means my fingers are stiff from remaining crossed all the time.

Top tip for writing/publishing?

My top tip for writing is simple but not easy: Go lock yourself in a room and write. Stay there for as long as it takes: days, weeks, months, years. Like Rapunzel, let your hair down occasionally to allow your lover to visit. Otherwise, hide yourself away and get it done. The successful writers are the ones who stay locked in the tower until the darn thing's written.

As for publishing, it's a world of options. Once you come out of your tower with a
manuscript in hand, you should be able to find a willing publisher. Ebooks are fast and fun. The New York publishing houses take longer, and they can be brutal. You will have less input on the final product. Personally, I'm enjoying the world of ebooks. When I'm not locked in my tower.

Find more about Mickey J. Corrigan here.

Can't wait to be Ravaged? Buy the book here.

Want more from Ravaged authors? Check out the full set of interviews at the links below, and don't forget to comment for a chance to win (include your e-mail address so we can contact the winners)!

Ravaged Promo Blog Hop

The Ravaged Promo Blog Hop starts now!

To celebrate the release of Ravaged this weekend, the authors featured in the anthology have put together Q&As for your reading pleasure. Friday, August 3, through Monday, August 6, hop through the five blogs below to learn the stories behind the stories in Ravaged, and a few details about each author.

Each of the five hosting sites will post two interviews. If you comment, you have a chance to win one of 10 PDF copies of Ravaged that the authors have on offer.

Be sure to check out these participating blogs this weekend:



Can't wait to be Ravaged? Buy the book here.

Not His Territory

Check out the cover to my forthcoming werewolf book, Not His Territory. Truly, the art department at Breathless Press has outdone itself. Here's a description of the book, which is slated for release in October:

Raul Silva is an investigator for the Werewolf Council, and has dedicated his life to procedures, regulations, and holding back the beast within. When he visits Big Timber, Montana, to investigate reports of unruly pack behavior, he meets Chandra Williams, ex-wife of the local pack alpha and the best reason he's ever found to unleash the beast. According to Council law, she still belongs to the pack alpha, but Chandra insists that she is not his territory. How many rules will Raul break for Chandra's sake?

This isn't the first time Breathless has unleashed a wickedly hot cover for a werewolf book. Remember how hot and bothered I got over the cover for Ravaged? The good news is you don't have to wait until October for this one. It releases in early August, and you can preorder now.

New Werewolf Erotica on the Way!

A quick update to say I just signed a contract with Breathless Press for a new erotic werewolf novelette, currently titled "Not His Territory."

More details when it gets closer to release, but for now I'll say it's about a woman caught between her werewolf ex-husband and the werewolf investigator who's come to town to challenge him.

Breathless is publishing another werewolf story of mine, "The Arcadian Cure," in the forthcoming Ravaged anthology. I'm hoping to keep a good thing going, and am still thinking about lycanthropes. Perhaps more will be on the way.

Yowza! Cover Art for Ravaged

I'm going to have to go lie down for a while now that I've seen this cover art for Ravaged, a forthcoming anthology of werewolf erotica from Breathless Press that will contain my story, "The Arcadian Cure." I love when I see a cover that makes my heart pound! And I'm sure the stories inside will keep the blood flowing, too... ;)

Edit (5/5/12): Cover replaced w/ corrected version (author names corrected).