Jocelynn Drake's Blog: Announcements, page 12

Cover Reveal: Don't Miss the New Ward Security Book

Can you believe it? Rinda and I have another book we're ready to release!

This time, we're jumping back into the Ward Security world.

I will have to admit that I've had this story percolating in the back of my brain since we wrote Psycho Romeo . (Yep, it's been up there that long!) I love writing the bodyguard stories, but I also love writing the "fish out of water" stories.

And you really can't get more "fish out of water" than our poor Daniel.

Even if you've read all the books in the Ward Security series, you might not remember Daniel. But he did appear briefly in Sadistic Sherlock . He's Ward Security's lead accountant, but he's got more hidden talents. He was the one to really crack the code link to Dom and the threat hanging over his head. He's also pretty good at forensic accounting, but he's definitely not a bodyguard.

We'll be sharing more around Daniel and super spy Edward in the coming weeks. What you really want to get to is the cover and the book details!

Check out this cover!



Here's a quick description of the book:

Daniel Hendricks wants a vacation. Ward Security’s accountant and resident code breaker just needs a little R&R from the chaos and usual shenanigans of the office.

But what was supposed to be a sexy vacation hook-up explodes in his face when he’s mistaken for a rogue secret agent.

Now he’s on the run with CIA agent Edward Raines from Bermuda to Barcelona to Paris as they try to find the secrets the real rogue was attempting to sell before another foreign spy does.

The chemistry between them is off the charts, but how is Daniel supposed to trust a man who had originally set out to kill him?

Interested now?

The ebook will be out on Amazon and for Kindle Unlimited on Friday, May 24. We are hoping to have the print edition out at the same time.

To make sure that it's on your ereader as soon as possible, you can pre-order your copy now here .

Also, take the time now to sign up for our newsletter here so you won't miss any of our new books and updates.

New Fun for Exit Strategy

Who doesn't love Justin and his G Love?

We met them and their brand of insanity late last year in DEADLY LOVER.

Readers have been patiently waiting for me to get settled from the move, the release of FRACTURE, and the completion of the next Ward Security book, KILLER BOND before I can finally finish the second full-length novel in the Exit Strategy series.

But in the middle of all the chaos, I did finish a short novella for Justin and Gabriel to give you an update on the kind of things they've been up to.

LOVER CALLING is now available on Amazon and takes place shortly after DEADLY LOVER. Here's a quick description:

Is 4,000 miles too far to travel for a booty call?

If your answer is yes, then you’ve never met a man like Gabriel Prescott.

Justin hops a plane for London to spend a little quality time with Gabriel between jobs, and of course trouble finds them.

Between dodging bullets and time in the sheets, Gabriel and Justin try to figure out what kind of a future they could have together.

And I am happy to report that I have completed the rough draft of the second novel, VENGEFUL LOVER. I am aiming for the book to be released in early June.

Stay tuned for more release and pre-order details! You can also sign up for my newsletter here to keep up with all the exciting news and updates.

Lover Calling Is Out, But You Gotta Grab It Fast

I've got a bit of advice.

Don't move. Ever.

Okay. That really isn't realistic. Plus, my husband and I have picked up and moved several times. From Cincinnati to Madison, Wisconsin to South Florida... and now to Denver, Colorado.

The problem with moving is that it really messes with my writing schedule, slowing everything up. March was my first real month of digging in deep and getting some regular writing done. And I got a lot done.

You see, in the fall of 2018, I released the first book in the Exit Strategy series, DEADLY LOVER. And I've got to admit that I love Justin and Gabriel. Those smart asses are so much fun to play with. They are a little crazy and a lot disfunctional, but that's what makes it all fun. If you've not had the chance to read their book, you can grab it here. It's available in ebook, print, and audio.

I'll admit that I really thought I'd have their second book done by now. But the move and then other books slowed up my progress.

However, I have happy to announce that I did finish a short novella detailing a short adventure they had between books. LOVER CALLING is now available.

And as a thank you for your patience, I'm giving it away for free for two weeks. You have until Saturday, April 13 to pick it up for free here. After that, I'm moving it to Amazon and putting it for sale for $0.99.

Here' s a quick description:

Is 4,000 miles too far to travel for a booty call?

If your answer is yes, then you’ve never met a man like Gabriel Prescott.

Justin hops a plane for London to spend a little quality time with Gabriel between jobs, and of course trouble finds them.

Between dodging bullets and time in the sheets, Gabriel and Justin try to figure out what kind of a future they could have together.

I am currently aiming to have the second book out in the series in early June.

Be sure to grab your free copy now. And don't forget to sign up for our newsletter. This free story was announced there first. Don't miss out on any of our big news!

Fracture Is Out!

The long wait is finally over. It's time to get your hands on some more Jude and Snow!

We are happy to announce that Fracture , book 6 of the Unbreakable Bonds series, is now available in both ebook and print.

If you've not caught what this book is about, here is a quick description:

After three years, Snow and Jude’s relationship is still passionate and strong. They’re getting ready for a romantic vacation at home when Jude receives a horrifying call no one wants to receive. His youngest brother was found barely clinging to life. While Jude’s family is rallying around Jordan, Jude is determined to find out what happened to him.

Snow and Jude follow the clues, investigating a side of Jordan’s life none of them knew about…and is far darker than any would have believed possible. They get pulled deeper into the seedy side of life, while echoes from a past Snow thought he walked away from return to offer an unexpected insight into the cause of Jordan’s injuries.

But someone else has noticed their involvement and is furious, putting them both in danger. The risk is high but so is Jude’s determination to find the truth—though the knowledge could very well fracture his heart.

Trigger Warning: This book has a scene that some might find triggering, but the triggers are also spoilers to the plot, so they can be found at the front of the book.

If you're still relatively new to the Unbreakable Bonds universe, click here to see the full reading order of all our books.

It was a great adventure to head back into the Unbreakable Bonds world after the long break. We get the chance to see Lucas and Andrei settled in their new, married life as well as visit with the other main characters from the series.

And we have even more good news... we will soon be starting work on the second Rowe & Noah book! Stay tuned for more details on all our upcoming projects. Also, be sure to sign up for our newsletter so you don't miss any of our books!

The Ultimate Unbreakable Universe Timeline Reading Order

Wow! That headline sounds kind of epic.

I guess that means I need to make this an epic-type post.

Rinda and I have had several books come out recently and I thought I should post a new and improved... ultimate you might say... timeline reading order for all Unbreakable universe books.

Let's get to it!

The top question we get is: What’s the best reading order?

Well, there are technically two.
The Easy Reading Order
Shiver
Unbreakable Stories: Lucas

Shatter

Unbreakable Stories: Snow

Torch

Unbreakable Stories: Rowe

Devour

Unbreakable Stories: Ian

Psycho Romeo - Ward Security #1

Blaze

Dantes Unglued – Ward Security #2

Deadly Dorian - Ward Security #3

Jackson - Ward Security #3.5

Sadistic Sherlock - Ward Security #4

Something About Jace - Pineapple Grove #1

Drew & Mr. Grumpy - Pineapple Grove #1.5

Fracture

King of Romance - Ward Security #4.5

Killer Bond - Ward Security #5 (Oh yeah, thought I'd sneak that one out. More details in the back of Fracture)

Chronological Reading Order

But if you’re willing to do a little more switching around and blending of series, I’ve got another one that give you a more complete story without messing up the time line. It will take a tiny bit of work on your part, but I think you’ll enjoy the adventure more. Ready?

Shiver

Unbreakable Stories: Lucas

Shatter

Unbreakable Stories: Snow

Torch

“Piece of Pie” from Unbreakable Stories: Rowe

Devour

“Mistletoe” from Unbreakable Stories: Rowe

“Midnight Perp,” “’Start With the Buns,’ Said the Spider to the Fly”, Valentine’s Day Stories, and then “No Boyfriends Allowed” from Unbreakable Stories: Ian

“Haunted,” “Gotcha,” “Screw the Dragon,” and “The Color in Noah’s World” from Unbreakable Stories: Rowe

“A Night Off” and “Taking It Slow” from Unbreakable Stories: Ian

“There Goes the Security Deposit” from Unbreakable Stories: Rowe

“This Is Us” from Unbreakable Stories: Ian

Psycho Romeo  – Ward Security #1

“He’s Too Young” – a special short story released only on our website

Dantes Unglued – Ward Security #2

Blaze

Deadly Dorian – Ward Security #3

Jackson - Ward Security #3.5

Sadistic Sherlock - Ward Security #4

Something About Jace - Pineapple Grove #1

Drew & Mr. Grumpy - Pineapple Grove #1.5

Fracture

King of Romance - Ward Security #4.5

 

Killer Bond - Ward Security #5 (Oh yeah, thought I'd sneak that one out. More details in the back of Fracture)

Yes, the second version jumps around quite a bit, but the problem is that there is no time lapse between Torch and Devour, which means that Rowe’s short stories had to be set after the events of Devour and at the same time as when Ian’s short stories were occurring. And with the release of Ward Security, we have interweaving timelines.

Some people have asked about my Exit Strategy series since the first book was set in Cincinnati. Unfortunately, this series does not exist in the Unbreakable Universe. You're not going to see Rowe or Lucas or Geoffrey stroll in for a cameo appearance in that world. Justin and his G. Love get into plenty of trouble without help from the Master of Mayhem.

What the Unbreakable Bonds Series Means to Me

Four years have passed since four rough and questionable characters wandered through my brain, and I still love them as much now as in those early days.

When I started working on the series with Rinda, I knew I wanted something that offered adventure and danger, angst and heartbreak, redemption and hope.

I wanted to create a family that would live and die for each other.

The plan was for just 4 novels.

But when we finished the first book, the characters kept talking. They started telling us about normal days when there weren’t car chases and explosions. They started talking about first dates, secrets, truths, and tender moments.

This gave birth to the short story collections. These were the secret glimpses of the normal life they were trying to build together in between all the chaos.

Okay, we said. We’ll stop after everyone has their own book and short story collection…

But then someone had to get married.

When we started working on Blaze , it had been nearly a year since we’d written an Unbreakable Bonds book.  The amazing thing was that we slid right back into the characters as if there had been no break at all. We knew those men as well as we knew our own families.

For me, they’d become my family. Lucas tapped into my darker, controlling side, while Andrei holds whispers of so many friends I’ve had over the years. Snow is bits of my tortured and wounded youth. Rowe and Noah are my mischievous and insane brothers. And sweet Ian is another friend from childhood.

For Blaze , we knew that we couldn’t just have the guys walk down the aisle. They have never done anything the easy way.

But when we closed the book, we left Snow in rough shape. We knew we’d need to revisit the doctor. Make sure that we’d set him we’ve got him and Jude set on the road to happiness.

Of course, getting to that HEA means heading through some dark territory for both men. We couldn’t make things too easy for them in Fracture .

The Unbreakable Bonds has allowed me to help create something full of fun adventure, laughter, discovery, and love. It’s given readers hours of pleasure. And given me hours of pleasure in the writing.

When the day comes to write The End on the final book that will include a Unbreakable Bonds character, I will be very sad, but it will be nice to know that all the boys are happily settled in life and we all enjoyed a wild and crazy ride to get there.

What Are They Doing? A Quick Check In

We’re starting our third month of 2019 and I thought it was a good time for a check in. What in the world have I been up to?

As you may have heard, the husband and I packed up our house and moved from hot and sunny South Florida or cold and snowy Colorado. My body is still adjusting to the cold, the dry air, and the fact that I’ve moved from being below sea level to an altitude of more than 5,000 feet. So far, it’s been a lot of water and moisturizer.

Once spring hits, we’re looking forward to doing some exploring on the weekends. Lots of long hikes and mountains.

I’ve also left my day job… mostly. I’m doing a little freelance work because I apparently suck at quitting a job. But it’s fun. (Only because I have a sick idea of what fun is and love the financial industry, though I’ll complain about rebalancing my own 401k.)

And the rest of my day is dedicated to writing…

Well, sort of. I’m still trying to find a good balance to my day so I haven’t hit the high level of productivity that I was hoping for. But I’ll get it worked out soon.

So… what have I been working on?

First… FRACTURE , book 6 of the Unbreakable Bonds series.

Yes, it’s finally time to check in on Snow and Jude again! Are they still happy? Are they still hot and adorable together? Have Jocelynn and Rinda found a way to destroy their relationship?

Well… I guess you’ll just have to see.

Here is a quick description of their book:

After three years, Snow and Jude’s relationship is still passionate and strong. They’re getting ready for a romantic vacation at home when Jude receives a horrifying call no one wants to receive. His youngest brother was found barely clinging to life. While Jude’s family is rallying around Jordan, Jude is determined to find out what happened to him.

Snow and Jude follow the clues, investigating a side of Jordan’s life none of them knew about…and is far darker than any would have believed possible. They get pulled deeper into the seedy side of life, while echoes from a past Snow thought he walked away from return to offer an unexpected insight into the cause of Jordan’s injuries.

But someone else has noticed their involvement and is furious, putting them both in danger. The risk is high but so is Jude’s determination to find the truth—though the knowledge could very well fracture his heart.

Trigger Warning: This book has a scene that some might find triggering, but the triggers are also spoilers to the plot, so they can be found at the front of the book.

FRACTURE will be out on March 29. You can pre-order it now here.

In addition, I finished a new novella that I’m going to give away for free for a limited time!

Have you read my solo book, DEADLY LOVER from the Exit Strategy series?

In that series, you meet Justin Mallory and Gabriel Prescott, a pair of mercenaries who are forced to work together. They are just so much fun to write and Justin is really starting to fall for his G. Love, as he likes to call Gabriel.

Well, since it has taken me a bit longer to clear my schedule to work on the second book, I have written a quick novella called LOVER CALLING.

Is 4,000 miles too far to travel for a booty call?

If your answer is yes, then you’ve never met a man like Gabriel Prescott.

Justin hops a plane for London to spend a little quality time with Gabriel between jobs, and of course trouble finds them.

Between dodging bullets and time in the sheets, Gabriel and Justin try to figure out what kind of a future they could have together.

LOVER CALLING is with the editors right now and I promise to release it as soon as I get my hands on it again. It will be free for download for about two weeks and then I’ll be moving it to Amazon.

My hope is that book 2 of the Exit Strategy will be available later this spring. So, if you haven’t read DEADLY LOVER yet, now is a great time to grab it!

Next, Rinda and I are turning our attention back to the Ward Security series. We’ve cooked up some new mischief that I can’t wait to dig into.

Take a Break From Winter

I have to admit that after living in Colorado for three weeks, I'm still adjusting to the idea of cold and winter.



I didn't think living in South Florida for five years would make me forget what it means to dress for the cold, but I have. I'm still struggling to remember to layer clothes at all times regardless of whether I'm in my house or prepping to take the dog out for a walk.

But I'm sure I'll get this down soon. I was born and raised in a place that had winter and I can learn winter again.

Let's get back to South Florida for a moment. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who are so tired of snow and the cold. I've been lucky in Colorado that winter is still a sunny affair. In Cincinnati, where most of Unbreakable Bonds and Ward Security take place, winter is a gray and overcast affair. We would typically say goodbye to the sun in October and not really see it again until about March or April.

Not surprisingly, winter in South Florida is also a sunny affair. And if you've read Something About Jace from the Pineapple Grove series, you might not realize that Pineapple Grove in the book is actually based loosely on an area where I lived and worked for five years.

So let's escape the brutal winter cold and overcast skies for a little while and enjoy some South Florida sun while we walk around the real Pineapple Grove for a few minutes.

For this last walking tour before we moved, I dragged my husband along. I might have bribed him with Sunday brunch, but brunch in Delray Beach is a wonderful thing and it wasn't much of a sacrifice on my part.

The real Pineapple Grove is known as an Arts District. There are several art galleries around as well as lots of murals, which I'll show you in a bit. Pineapple Grove is tucked inside of a wonderful little beachside town called Delray Beach. It's got the trendy little shops and lovely hotels, but I fell in love with its amazing selection of restaurants. My husband and I ate very well while living near Delray Beach.

Delray Beach is also known for its influx of snowbirds. It's a seasonal town. During the summer (when the temperatures are unbearable), the area is a ghost town. But during the winter, people flock down from the northeast and Canada to enjoy the sun and warm temperatures. As a result, most of our festivals, fairs, and street parties happened during the winter. And these people love to eat and drink.

Pineapple Grove and Delray Beach are great places to wander because you never quite know what you're going to see.

One of my favorite things is the murals that you encounter around almost every corner. I love the mural that runs all around the Silverball Pinball Museum. It features a boardwalk style carnival with fireworks lighting up the sky. It's one of the biggest murals and definitely one of the most colorful

If you've read Something About Jace, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise to discover that the murals heavily influenced our story because they are so much a part of the area.

Oddly enough, one of my other favorites is the Space Pug. 

I passed this little one a number of days when I was walking from the parking garage to the dayjob office in Delray. It's just a cute, silly little mural, but it made me smile each time I passed it.

I hope that you enjoyed this walk through Pineapple Grove. And if you haven't tried Something About Jace , I hope these pictures have inspired you to give it a try.

Also, don't miss out on the FREE novella Drew & Mr. Grumpy that goes along with the Pineapple Grove series. The novella is free for only a limited time. Don't miss your chance to grab it up!

Did You Miss the Big Announcement?

Our monthly Unbreakable Updates newsletter went out yesterday and it had some pretty big news in it. 

First, of course, was the news that we have a new short story collection call King of Romance for the Ward security series.

The short story collection, along with 42 other short stories are available for FREE through February 15. After the 15th, many of these stories will be moving to Amazon to be sold.

If you want to grab your free copy now, you just have to click right here.

Also, here is a quick description of King of Romance:

The employees of Ward Security have big plans for Valentine’s Day and they’ve laid down a wager that one of them will claim the title of “King of Romance” by the end of the holiday.

But they will soon find that even the best laid plans can go terribly wrong.

Follow Sven, Quinn, Royce, and Dominic on their Valentine’s Day adventures. Are they worthy of the title of “King of Romance”?

Sounds like a lot of fun, right?

Don't miss your chance to pick it up for free. On February 16, it moves to Amazon.

But that wasn't the only thing that we announced in the newsletter. Nope. We finally revealed the title and description of our next book, which is the sixth full-length novel in the Unbreakable Bonds series.

FRACTURE

You may have heard that the next book centers around Snow and Jude. Here is a quick description of what's to come:

After three years, Snow and Jude’s relationship is still passionate and strong. They’re getting ready for a romantic vacation at home when Jude receives a horrifying call no one wants to receive. His youngest brother was found barely clinging to life. While Jude’s family is rallying around Jordan, Jude is determined to find out what happened to him.

Snow and Jude follow the clues, investigating a side of Jordan’s life none of them knew about…and is far darker than any would have believed possible. They get pulled deeper into the seedy side of life, while echoes from a past Snow thought he walked away from return to offer an unexpected insight into the cause of Jordan’s injuries.

But someone else has noticed their involvement and is furious, putting them both in danger. The risk is high but so is Jude’s determination to find the truth—though the knowledge could very well fracture his heart.

We are aiming for a release of March 29. Once we have a cover, we will be posting the pre-order. Stay tuned to social media and our blog for an announcement of when the pre-order is available.

If you've not read the Unbreakable Bonds series and have no idea who Snow and Jude are, then you're in luck. Now is the perfect time to get caught up. The Unbreakable Bonds series has 5 full-length novels and 4 short story/novelette collections. You can get the entire reading order here.

And don't worry. We'll be sending out a newsletter when FRACTURE is available.

You can sign up for our newsletter here.

If you are positive you have signed up for our newsletter, but haven't received it, please take a couple steps first.

Check your SPAM folder. The email might have been snatched up there.
If you submitted a gmail email, check the Promotions and Social tabs. Many newsletters get caught up there.

If you've signed up and you can't find our newsletter in any of those spots, leave a comment below. I'll help you get signed up.

Your Guide to Surviving Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day hasn't always gone well in the Drake household. In fact, my husband and I have had some rather spectacularly bad ones in the the past. I think it has made us both a little wary of the holiday.

That's why I had cooked up my own Valentine's Day Survival Guide.

How to Get Out of Valentine's Day Alive

Step One: Set Up Your Barricade From the Outside World

If you are single, this is a good time to reach out to friends and tell them you have a highly contagious illness that requires lots of sleep and quiet in order to recover properly. If you do this over the phone, make sure to include a lot of wet coughing and sniffles to make it sound convincing.

If you are dating or married, pull your partner close and convince them that barricaded in your home is the only way to safely spend the holiday if you both want to survive. You may need to promise things like great movie binges, junk food, video games, and/or sex. It's okay.

The sacrifices you make now will secure your Valentine's Day.

Step Two: Get Supplies

Go to the grocery now and get the goods. Yes, this is a holiday where you are allowed to stock up on chocolate, junk food, and other things that taste great but aren't good for you.

If you are worried about that lack of healthy food, be sure to pick up some chocolate covered fruit. The fruit counteracts all the chocolate calories. Trust me. (Don't trust me. I'm not a doctor or a dietitian. I obviously don't know what I'm talking about.)

Step Three: Download the Books

This is the most critical step. It will likely be the most time consuming, but it will be worth it in the end. You need to prep your e-reader now. The best way to spend Valentine's Day is stretched out under a warm blanket reading lots of good books. 

And you're in luck, because there is a killer short story giveaway going on right now!

The MM Valentine's Day Short Story Giveaway features more than 40 free short stories from some of your favorite authors. What's more, this is a great opportunity to discover some authors you may have never tried before!

Rinda and I have included a short story collection called King of Romance . Here is a quick description of the collection:

The employees of Ward Security have big plans for Valentine’s Day and they’ve laid down a wager that one of them will claim the title of “King of Romance” by the end of the holiday.

But they will soon find that even the best laid plans can go terribly wrong.

Follow Sven, Quinn, Royce, and Dominic on their Valentine’s Day adventures. Are they worthy of the title of “King of Romance”?

Don't miss out on all the fun! The giveaway is from February 8 - 15. After the 15th, King of Romance will be sold on Amazon along with many of the other stories. Grab it for free now!

And as a bonus, did you know that the Unbreakable Bonds boys also have some Valentine's Day stories?

We've tucked all those stories away in the collection Unbreakable Stories: Ian .

Check out how each of the couples spent their first Valentine's Day together.

And while you're downloading all your books, be sure to put your ereader on the charger. Get the battery up to 100% before the holiday arrives.

Step Four: Relax

If you've completed the other steps, now is the time to kick back in your comfy clothes; snuggle up in a nest of blankets, food, and maybe even alcoholic beverages; and start reading all those great stories you've downloaded.

For one day, let the rest of the world slip away as you sink into love and adventure and high jinks with some of your favorite characters.

Happy reading!