Edward Hoornaert's Blog, page 5

You’re terrible at matchmaking #mfrwhooks

I’ve mentioned before that book three in the Passion Island trilogy has been hard for me to write. It took several 12 to 14 hour days, but I met my deadline and sent the %$#!* MS to the editor yesterday. My spirits fee so much lighter.

I’m continuing today with another snippet from my brand new release, The Seven-Foot Cupid — book one in the Passion Island trilogy. Last week, the seven-foot-tall title character burst in on Ember and Tyler in an old cabin located in a large lava tube. The first thing he says is are you ready yet to mate with Tyler Estrella?”

“There’s no way I’m hopping into bed with you just because some lunatic said I should.”

“I understand,” Tyler said. “I don’t want to have sex with you, either.”

That was the second time he’d rejected her as a woman. It stung, which made no sense. After all, she was glad he felt that way, and she’d just rejected her, but still… “And you’re the last man I’d ever sleep with.”

“See, we agree. No way we’ll ever make love.”

In the silence that followed, Booker heaved a sigh as long as he was tall. “I’ve made a mess of this, haven’t I?”

“Looks like,” Tyler agreed in a lighthearted tone. “Explain to me why you think a couple of strangers should hop into bed together?”

Another sigh from Booker. His voice betrayed waning confidence. “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but…you’re compatible.”

Tyler shook his head. “You don’t know either of us.”

“Oh, don’t encourage the madman.” Ember went out the door, though not far. She wanted a clear path to escape, if necessary, but she also wanted to hear everything they said. Folding her arms over her chest, she leaned against the doorjamb.

If she hadn’t lost her cricket, she could ask Rayna and Faraj, the other two members of her team, to join her. Neither of them was as big as Tyler, let alone Booker, but together they’d outnumber these two lunatics.

No, be fair. One lunatic and one reasonably nice guy she didn’t trust., Ember would have to ensure nobody made like a caveman, bonking her on the head and dragging her around by the hair.

Of course, they were men and they were in a cave, so they were cavemen. Her hair was too short for dragging, though.

“Men,” she muttered.

In her thirty-six, nearly thirty-seven years, she’d had a few relationships. She’d even married one of them for a five-year contract that had fallen apart after two. None of those men was The One. This cave didn’t have any possibilities, either.

That wasn’t quite fair. Tyler wasn’t as bad as Booker.

As though he’d heard her thinking of him, he spoke up from inside the room. “Booker, you’d best give up matchmaking. You’re terrible at it.”

“Amen to that,” Ember muttered.

The big man’s shoulders slumped.

Be sure to visit the hooks by other fine writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

The Seven Foot Cupid

Book One in the Passion Island Trilogy

Ember Dayle is a tough lady who prides herself on handling anything her newly colonized planet can throw at her, so after an injury, she’s determined to prove herself again. She gets her chance when ordered to explore a mysterious cave on a wilderness mountain. Until that’s done, the last thing she needs is the distraction of a man.

Tyler, an explorer from her town’s fierce rival, is sent to explore the same cave. Like Ember, he’s been in an accident . . . but he was the only survivor. When he meets her, he’s drawn not only to her beauty and toughness, but by her ability to deal openly with her accident.

Booker is a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret group that hopes to make the colonists stronger, healthier, and smarter by matching people with compatible genes. His first assignment — Ember and Tyler. His strategy — lock them in an abandoned cabin together.

He doesn’t realize he’s locked them in with the fiercest, most intelligent native beast ever discovered. Can love help them survive?

The Seven-Foot Cupid is available for only 99 cets, so get your copy todayAmazon | Canada | UK | Australia Apple iBooks Kobo Books Nook (B&N) Smashwords Scribd

Effing Feline shows off his cousin’s voice #wewriwa

I, Effing Feline, told you last week I got a letter from my cousin Lee. Unfortunately, he isn’t here yet.

No, he’s not back behind bars. Sheesh, how suspicious you people are!

He has a job that’ll delay him a little while. I’ll tell you about it after this message from my sponsor, Pandora Uncaged. In this snippet, we meet the hero of the piece.

A shaft of light from the open bedroom door woke up Aidan Forester. He blinked and buried his face in the pillow. His mind and body complained in stereo that it couldn’t possibly be morning yet.

Visitor, Aidan,” a grouchy soprano complained.

“What time is it?”

“Time to get dressed,” Maylee Sigridsdottir answered. “Your visitor insists he has to talk to you urgently. Like right now.”

“Visitor? Who?”

And a few more:

“Big guy, seven feet tall, funny accent, but the kind of voice you don’t disobey. Scanning his ident brought up an official-looking badge and new orders for you. So get up, up, up!” She pulled the blanket off him.

Effing Feline here again. Here’s Lee at work. Isn’t he great?

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

Pandora Uncaged

Book Two in the Passion Island Trilogy — A friends-to-lovers future romance

Available April 5 at all major e-book vendors

Pandora Dayle is her family’s disgraced black sheep. Ten years after running away, she’s rebuilt her self-respect at an isolated facility for saving animals native to the colony’s planet. Her redemption feels as fragile as a dream, but she’ll be okay if nothing traumatic happens.

But when the best friend from her innocent youth arrives, her insecurities mushroom.

Aidan used to be Pandora’s best friend. Since his teen years, he’s held heroic jobs—police officer and now Search and Rescue leader. He adored innocent young Pandora so much he compares every woman to her idealized memory, and finds them wanting.

But when he rediscovers the real thing, she’s not at all what he expected.

Booker, a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret organization, receives his second assignment: get Pandora and Aidan to mate. They’d been close friends, so his strategy is simple: He flies Aidan to her island and tells him to impregnate Pandora.

What could possibly go wrong?

Pandora Uncaged is available for pre-sale at these fine sites. Order yours today.

Amazon
Smashwords
Apple
Barnes and Noble
Kobo Books
Scribd

Are you ready to mate yet? #mfrwhooks

I’m continuing today with another snippet from my brand new release, The Seven-Foot Cupid — book one in the Passion Island trilogy.

Both Ember and Tyler are Encroachment Officers, or encros, though for different settlements on this colony world. They’re the tough people who handle the hard jobs like exploring, dealing with wild animals, and blazing trails through the wilderness.

Last week, the seven-foot-tall title character burst in on Ember and Tyler.

“Who are you?” she asked the tall man. “What are you doing here? Where’d you come from?”

The giant didn’t answer. He stopped a few feet away and rubbed his hands together in evident glee. “You two have met, I see, and are already hugging. Excellent, excellent. Is my job done?”

Ember and Tyler exchanged a confused glance.

“Job?” he asked.

“Hugging?” Ember asked. She took a step sideways to put space between her and him. “No, not at all.”

The giant raised his index finger as though to make a point. “But you’re blushing, aren’t you? You can’t hide things like that from me. In some ways, many of them inconsequential, I’m Perfect.”

Frowning, Ember stared at the conceited man. Anyone who proclaimed themselves perfect went down several notches in her estimation. She exchanged another glance with Estrella, who widened his eyes and shrugged.

“Who are you?” she asked. “Where did you come from?”

“Yeah,” Estrella added. “Your accent doesn’t sound like anyplace here on Passion Island.”

“My name’s Booker Markevious, and you’re right, I’m not from Passion Island. I ask again, folks. Is my job done?”

Ember frowned. Tyler looked as confused as she was, but the way he pursed his lips and rubbed the cleft in his chin with one finger hinted he was both curious and skeptical. “I suspect you don’t mean the predator.”

Booker blinked. “What predator?”

Ember said, “What job?”

“Ember Dayle,” Booker said as though to a young and not very bright child, “are you ready yet to mate with Tyler Estrella?”

Be sure to visit the hooks by other fine writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

The Seven Foot Cupid

Book One in the Passion Island Trilogy

Ember Dayle is a tough lady who prides herself on handling anything her newly colonized planet can throw at her, so after an injury, she’s determined to prove herself again. She gets her chance when ordered to explore a mysterious cave on a wilderness mountain. Until that’s done, the last thing she needs is the distraction of a man.

Tyler, an explorer from her town’s fierce rival, is sent to explore the same cave. Like Ember, he’s been in an accident . . . but he was the only survivor. When he meets her, he’s drawn not only to her beauty and toughness, but by her ability to deal openly with her accident.

Booker is a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret group that hopes to make the colonists stronger, healthier, and smarter by matching people with compatible genes. His first assignment — Ember and Tyler. His strategy — lock them in an abandoned cabin together.

He doesn’t realize he’s locked them in with the fiercest, most intelligent native beast ever discovered. Can love help them survive?

The Seven-Foot Cupid is now available, so get your copy todayAmazon | Canada | UK | Australia Apple iBooks Kobo Books Nook (B&N) Smashwords Scribd

Effing Feline snaps his fingers #wewriwa

I, Effing Feline, am excited! Why? Because I got a letter today from my cousin Lee. Do you remember him? Well, even if you don’t . . . he’s being released early for good behavior, and I’ve asked him to stay with me awhile. I haven’t heard back from him yet, but I’m crossing my fingers that he’ll come!

Last week, Pandora carried medicine as she entered the room where dangerous mobeave was kept, only to find that it seemed to be trying to kill itself. When she went into the cage and pulled its head out of the water it asked for food. That snippet ended with:  The sudden motion might startle the beast.

In the end, she fluttered her fingers to propel the fish through the water toward the mobeave. When the fish was close, it lunged at it so quickly Pandy shrieked and thrust herself up and across the pond. She tripped on the far bank, fell across the threshold, jerked her legs out of the cage, and slapped at the emergency closure at floor level.

Thank the stars for the foresight that had led her to install a lock down low. This used to be Harry’s cage, and since she went into see him on hands and knees, it’d seemed worthwhile to puzzle out how to install a second lock mechanism.

Sitting on the floor in cold, wet clothes, Pandora stared at the mobeave for a good ten minutes. It swam in lazy circles, ignoring her.

Why hadn’t it attacked?

Ember had impressed upon her how appalling the beast’s temper was. A dozen stunner bursts had been needed to quell it, though one would bring down a man. She’d shown Pandy pictures of a sturdy box it had punched its claws through as though the metal was mere tissue.

And a few more to finish the chapter:

Yet it had done nothing to her.

Why not?

She eventually rose on legs gone numb. She tossed handfuls of finger fish into the cage—a veritable feast. Then she left the room, with many backward glances.

Effing Feline here again. Some wise guy out there in internet land sent me a snarky message saying, and I quote: “Cats don’t have fingers, so  you can’t cross them. So there.”

I beg to differ! Ordinary cats don’t have fingers, but I am a very special cat. How do you think I manage to type my weekly blog post?

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

Pandora Uncaged

Book Two in the Passion Island Trilogy — A friends-to-lovers future romance

Available April 5 at all major e-book vendors

Pandora Dayle is her family’s disgraced black sheep. Ten years after running away, she’s rebuilt her self-respect at an isolated facility for saving animals native to the colony’s planet. Her redemption feels as fragile as a dream, but she’ll be okay if nothing traumatic happens.

But when the best friend from her innocent youth arrives, her insecurities mushroom.

Aidan used to be Pandora’s best friend. Since his teen years, he’s held heroic jobs—police officer and now Search and Rescue leader. He adored innocent young Pandora so much he compares every woman to her idealized memory, and finds them wanting.

But when he rediscovers the real thing, she’s not at all what he expected.

Booker, a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret organization, receives his second assignment: get Pandora and Aidan to mate. They’d been close friends, so his strategy is simple: He flies Aidan to her island and tells him to impregnate Pandora.

What could possibly go wrong?

Pandora Uncaged is available for pre-sale at these fine sites. Order yours today.AmazonSmashwordsAppleBarnes and NobleKobo BooksScribd

She preferred Tyler’s dark hair and gentle manner #mfrwhooks

I’m continuing today with another snippet from my brand new release, The Seven-Foot Cupid — book one in the Passion Island trilogy.

Both Ember and Tyler are Encroachment Officers, or encros, though for different settlements on this colony world. They’re the tough people who handle the hard jobs like exploring, dealing with wild animals, and blazing trails through the wilderness.

Last week, the seven-foot-tall title character burst in on Ember and Tyler.

Those powerful arms… She’d briefly lain atop him when she fell on him, but she’d been too distracted to pay attention. His words made her wish she could remember the sensation. She thought she’d liked it, but it’d be good to know for sure.

“I don’t need help.” She stood straighter and clenched her fists.

“Have it your way.”

The newcomer was well built, handsome, and tall. He was half a foot taller even than Estrella—close to seven feet tall.

She felt like a midget. A female midget, because, like Tyler, he made her aware of her femininity. Being surrounded by two bulging barrels of testosterone sent vibrations through her core. The newcomer had the chiseled face of a warrior angel. His hair was long and golden, tied back in a stallion tail. She swiped at her hair with one hand and straightened her blouse with the other. Then wished she hadn’t, because the man had noticed. He smiled.

“There are as many people down here as the proverbial New York spaceport,” Tyler muttered. He glared at the newcomer.

She agreed with the sentiment, but his tender male ego would probably be wounded to learn she would’ve been glad to be rid of them both.

To be fair, Estrella was every bit as intriguing as the new guy. She preferred Tyler’s dark hair and gentle manner compared to the newcomer’s Greek god aloofness. But Tyler had witnessed her fall and emotional vulnerability. She didn’t like that.

This book is now live! A few reviews are in, and I’m waiting for more.

Be sure to visit the hooks by other fine writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

The Seven Foot Cupid

Book One in the Passion Island Trilogy

Ember Dayle is a tough lady who prides herself on handling anything her newly colonized planet can throw at her, so after an injury, she’s determined to prove herself again. She gets her chance when ordered to explore a mysterious cave on a wilderness mountain. Until that’s done, the last thing she needs is the distraction of a man.

Tyler, an explorer from her town’s fierce rival, is sent to explore the same cave. Like Ember, he’s been in an accident . . . but he was the only survivor. When he meets her, he’s drawn not only to her beauty and toughness, but by her ability to deal openly with her accident.

Booker is a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret group that hopes to make the colonists stronger, healthier, and smarter by matching people with compatible genes. His first assignment — Ember and Tyler. His strategy — lock them in an abandoned cabin together.

He doesn’t realize he’s locked them in with the fiercest, most intelligent native beast ever discovered. Can love help them survive?

The Seven-Foot Cupid is now available, so get your copy todayAmazon | Canada | UK | Australia Apple iBooks Kobo Books Nook (B&N) Smashwords Scribd

Effing Feline can’t get rid of his housemate #wewriwa

I, Effing Feline, have a housemate of sorts — my pet human’s pet, Twiggles the dog. I’ve recently learned why that stupid dog (yes, I know that’s redundant) and I don’t get along. It’s because she had a chip on her shoulder. Really and truly, folks. I’ll tell you more about it, after this message from my sponsor, Pandora Uncaged.

Last week, Pandora carried medicine as she entered the room where dangerous mobeave was kept, only to find that it seemed to be trying to kill itself. She went into the cage and pulled its head out of the water. That snippet ended with: The beast opened its beady eyes. Then its mouth.

Pandy froze. Those razor-sharp buck teeth could chomp right through metal. Human flesh would be even easier.

The mobeave stared at her. She stared at it. Its fur felt silky…a dumb observation when staring death in the eyes.

Death’s eyes blinked. Then it stretched its mouth wide enough to take her arm up to the elbow. Pandy swallowed. Moving even that much felt like the most reckless thing she’d ever done.

. . . and a few more

“Ffffffd pliss pnnntorrr ffffd.” It closed its mouth.

“Food.” The word came out in a squeak barely audible over the thudding of her heart. “Of course, food.”

Without taking her gaze off Moby’s face, she carefully felt around in the pond until she touched a finger fish. No way would she risk her hand by putting it near the mobeave’s mouth, and throwing the fish was no good, either. The sudden motion might startle the beast.

Effing Feline here again. The worst thing about that chip is that this means I can’t get rid of Twiggles!

It’s a registered microchip to help people find Twiggles’ owner if she runs away. What a horrible waste of a microchip, right? If the dog wants to run away — and Twiggles doesn’t; she’s happy in her slavery — then I say, let her go!

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

A reminder — book 1 in this trilogy, The Seven-Foot Cupid, will be available tomorrow, May 8.

Pandora Uncaged

Book Two in the Passion Island Trilogy — A friends-to-lovers future romance

Available April 5 at all major e-book vendors

Pandora Dayle is her family’s disgraced black sheep. Ten years after running away, she’s rebuilt her self-respect at an isolated facility for saving animals native to the colony’s planet. Her redemption feels as fragile as a dream, but she’ll be okay if nothing traumatic happens.

But when the best friend from her innocent youth arrives, her insecurities mushroom.

Aidan used to be Pandora’s best friend. Since his teen years, he’s held heroic jobs—police officer and now Search and Rescue leader. He adored innocent young Pandora so much he compares every woman to her idealized memory, and finds them wanting.

But when he rediscovers the real thing, she’s not at all what he expected.

Booker, a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret organization, receives his second assignment: get Pandora and Aidan to mate. They’d been close friends, so his strategy is simple: He flies Aidan to her island and tells him to impregnate Pandora.

What could possibly go wrong?

I’ll take care of you #mfrwhooks

I’m continuing today with another snippet from my upcoming book (available now for presale!), The Seven-Foot Cupid — book one in the Passion Island trilogy.

Both Ember and Tyler are Encroachment Officers, or encros, though for different settlements on this colony world. They’re the tough people who handle the hard jobs like exploring, dealing with wild animals, and blazing trails through the wilderness.

Today we meet the seven-foot-tall title character.

But just then a man stepped into the doorway, filling it from sill to top rail.

Tyler shot to his feet, ready for battle. There shouldn’t have been a single soul for miles around, yet it was as busy as Earth. He put a protective arm around Ember.

The newcomer’s voice, deep and masculine, did nothing to soothe Tyler’s taut nerves.

“Well, well,” the voice said. “This looks promising. Very promising, indeed!”

Ember jerked toward the voice too quickly, which made her head spin. The impossibility of an intruder revived the terror she’d felt while falling. It filled her chest and made it hard to breathe. She grabbed Tyler’s arm with both hands and hugged it against her body. Surprisingly, it was every bit as reassuring as bracing herself against her dad’s arm while learning to skate. Dad was a strong man, with firm biceps, triceps, and every other arm muscle. This Estrella fellow must be strong, too. She was overly aware of his masculinity, which made her aware she was female. Too aware.

But this was not a good time for that.

Banishing all softness, she let go and faced the newcomer on her own two feet, braced firmly apart. As far as she could see, the man was alone.

She glanced at Tyler. He acknowledged the glance with a tiny shrug.

“Don’t worry,” he whispered for her ears only. “He’s probably a friend, and if he isn’t, I’ll take care of you.”

I’ll be getting book two (starring Ember’s sister Pandora Dayle) ready for presale within the next week or two, because I want to include a buy link at the end of the manuscript.

Book three . . . I don’t know about book three. It’s the problem child of this family. I guess that’s appropriate, seeing that its heroine, Teegan Dayle, is estranged from her sisters.

Be sure to visit the hooks by other fine writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

The Seven Foot Cupid

Book One in the Passion Island Trilogy

Ember Dayle is a tough lady who prides herself on handling anything her newly colonized planet can throw at her, so after an injury, she’s determined to prove herself again. She gets her chance when ordered to explore a mysterious cave on a wilderness mountain. Until that’s done, the last thing she needs is the distraction of a man.

Tyler, an explorer from her town’s fierce rival, is sent to explore the same cave. Like Ember, he’s been in an accident . . . but he was the only survivor. When he meets her, he’s drawn not only to her beauty and toughness, but by her ability to deal openly with her accident.

Booker is a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret group that hopes to make the colonists stronger, healthier, and smarter by matching people with compatible genes. His first assignment — Ember and Tyler. His strategy — lock them in an abandoned cabin together.

He doesn’t realize he’s locked them in with the fiercest, most intelligent native beast ever discovered. Can love help them survive?

The Seven-Foot Cupid is now available for pre-order!Amazon | Canada | UK | Australia Apple iBooks Kobo Books Nook (B&N) Smashwords

Effing Feline wonders #wewriwa

I, Effing Feline, wonder:

Why a book cover is so blinkin’ important to your writers.Where the sky goes to when it goes night night.And why humans aren’t smart enough to sleep fifteen hours a day.And how dogs can be so stupid as to fawn all over mere humans.And lastly — and most importantly — if you’ve petted your cat today.

Continuing with a snippet from Ed’s upcoming SFR (science fiction romance to you mystery writers), Pandora Uncaged. Last week, Pandora carries medicine as she entered the room where mysterious mobeave was kept. We continue on from there.

But she chopped her self-congratulations short. The finger fish floated uneaten in the pond, which was unheard of . . . and Moby’s head was still submerged.

“Oh, no. No no, no no no.” She pounded on the cage. “Are you alive? Moby, wake up!”

It didn’t move a muscle.

Her heart galloped; she hyperventilated. To her surprise, the unpleasant sensations didn’t keep her from acting. She slapped her hand on the palm plate.

(And a few more for good luck. Don’t worry, they’re short.)

The door didn’t open. It didn’t open!

She tore off her gloves and tried again.

Success.

She’d never been in the mobeave’s cage — too dangerous — but now she splashed across the thigh-deep pool and lifted its head out of the water. “Please don’t die, please. Ember’ll never trust me again and I wouldn’t –”

The beast opened its beady eyes.

Then its mouth.

Effing Feline here again. Ed insists I tell you about the new cover and release date for Pandora Uncaged. I don’t know why any of you would care, but a cat’s gotta do what a cat’s gotta do.

The cover is below. Duh.The release date is April 5, 2021

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

Pandora Uncaged

Book Two in the Passion Island Trilogy — A friends-to-lovers future romance

Available April 5 at all major e-book vendors

Pandora Dayle is her family’s disgraced black sheep. Ten years after running away, she’s rebuilt her self-respect at an isolated facility for saving animals native to the colony’s planet. Her redemption feels as fragile as a dream, but she’ll be okay if nothing traumatic happens.

But when the best friend from her innocent youth arrives, her insecurities mushroom.

Aidan used to be Pandora’s best friend. Since his teen years, he’s held heroic jobs—police officer and now Search and Rescue leader. He adored innocent young Pandora so much he compares every woman to her idealized memory, and finds them wanting.

But when he rediscovers the real thing, she’s not at all what he expected.

Booker, a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret organization, receives his second assignment: get Pandora and Aidan to mate. They’d been close friends, so his strategy is simple: He flies Aidan to her island and tells him to impregnate Pandora.

What could possibly go wrong?

Keep going and I’ll bite your finger off #mfrwhooks

I’m continuing today with another snippet from my upcoming book (available now for presale!), The Seven-Foot Cupid — book one in the Passion Island trilogy.

Both Ember and Tyler are Encroachment Officers, or encros, though for different settlements on this colony world. They’re the tough people who handle the hard jobs like exploring, dealing with wild animals, and blazing trails through the wilderness.

Last week, Ember told him about the accident that damaged her face. Five plastic surgeries later, she no long looked quite like herself, but there are no scars . . . .on the outside.

“Yeah.” He touched the bridge of her nose. She was brave enough to let him without flinching. “Yeah.”

“You know how it is,” she said, acknowledging that somewhere in his past were emotions similar to hers. Emotions another encro could empathize with. Back on Earth, this kind of silent communication might’ve passed between battle-scarred soldiers. On Addoray, the soldiers were encros.

Keeping his caress as light as a chatterbeak’s tail feather, he moved his fingertip slowly down, toward her lips.

“Keep going,” she said, “and I’ll bite your finger off.”

He withdrew his hand. She just might do it.

But despite the threat, what she’d just allowed had been almost as intimate as sex. More intimate. By touching her trauma, he felt as though he’d touched her soul. He turned his gaze toward the blank grey wall on the far side of the room. Her sleeve brushed his as she also looked away.

He shouldn’t have been embarrassed by such a moment, but he was. Neither of them spoke for several minutes. The silence weighed on his chest, forcing him to breathe faster, deeper.

Tyler gathered his courage to speak. He’d just talk. Maybe apologize. Maybe even get around to telling her of the lingering guilt from his accident. He wasn’t sure what he’d say, but he had to say something.

He turned to her.

I’ll be getting book two (starring Ember’s sister Pandora Dayle) ready for presale within the next week or two, because I want to include a buy link at the end of the manuscript.

Book three . . . I don’t know about book three. It’s the problem child of this family. I guess that’s appropriate, seeing that its heroine, Teegan Dayle, is estranged from her sisters.

Be sure to visit the hooks by other fine writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

The Seven Foot Cupid

Book One in the Passion Island Trilogy

Ember Dayle is a tough lady who prides herself on handling anything her newly colonized planet can throw at her, so after an injury, she’s determined to prove herself again. She gets her chance when ordered to explore a mysterious cave on a wilderness mountain. Until that’s done, the last thing she needs is the distraction of a man.

Tyler, an explorer from her town’s fierce rival, is sent to explore the same cave. Like Ember, he’s been in an accident . . . but he was the only survivor. When he meets her, he’s drawn not only to her beauty and toughness, but by her ability to deal openly with her accident.

Booker is a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret group that hopes to make the colonists stronger, healthier, and smarter by matching people with compatible genes. His first assignment — Ember and Tyler. His strategy — lock them in an abandoned cabin together.

He doesn’t realize he’s locked them in with the fiercest, most intelligent native beast ever discovered. Can love help them survive?

The Seven-Foot Cupid is now available for pre-order!Amazon | Canada | UK | Australia Apple iBooks Kobo Books Nook (B&N) Smashwords

Effing Feline pre-orders salmon #wewriwa

I, Effing Feline, really wonder about humans sometimes. Take Ed, my pet human. (Please!) He’s been muttering a lot lately about pre-odors. What the heck is a pre-odor? Either something smells or it doesn’t.

In Pandora Uncaged, book two in the Passion Island trilogy, Pandora Dayle is the acting director of Quak, a veterinary-slash-research facility on a new colony planet. Here we learn about the most important (for the story, at least) animal.

Ember, Pandy’s big sister, had discovered this creature high up the mountain, hence the name mountain beaver, shortened to mobeave. It was ill, so Ember had dropped it off at Quak for some TLC — and she’d sheepishly suggested its bleating cry of ffffd meant it was begging for food.

Pandora believed it. In the month since the mobeave’s arrival, it’d learned to say her name, sort of: Pnnntorrr. To clinch the argument, it now said pliss for please. She couldn’t wait for Ember’s return to show off Moby’s new tricks.

Of course, talking was no mere trick. A dangerous predator smart enough to speak? Moby might be one of the most important discoveries of mankind’s eighty-year history on this planet, yet Ember had entrusted her, the screw-up of the Dayle family, with the secret of its existence and health while the authorities decided what to do about it. The honor and the responsibility both delighted and terrified her.

At the moment, delight won out. “You’ve come a long way back, girl,” she said to herself with a satisfied laugh.

Effing Feline here again. Ed, that nasty man, just pulled my tail to get my attention. It’s pre-orders, he says, not pre-odors.

I’m all in favor of pre-ordering as much salmon as he can afford, so help a cat out, eh? Be sure to pre-order his upcoming SFR, The Seven-Foot Cupid, book one in the Passion Island trilogy.

Yum, salmon!

The Seven-Foot Cupid is now available for pre-order!Amazon | Canada | UK | AustraliaApple iBooks Kobo Books Nook (B&N) Smashwords

The Seven-Foot Cupid

Ember Dayle prides herself on handling anything her newly colonized planet can throw at her. After an injury, she’s determined to prove herself again. She gets her chance when ordered to explore a mysterious cave on a wilderness mountain. Until that’s done, the last thing she needs is the distraction of a man.

Tyler, an explorer from her town’s fierce rival, is sent to explore the same cave. Like Ember, he’s been in an accident . . . but he was the only survivor. When he meets Ember, he’s drawn not only to her beauty and toughness, but by her ability to deal openly with her accident.

Booker is a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret group hoping to make the colonists healthier and smarter by helping people with strong genes fall in love. His first assignment: Ember and Tyler. His strategy: lock them in an abandoned cabin together. With nothing else to pass the time, maybe they’ll find love.

He doesn’t realize he’s locked them in with the fiercest, most intelligent native beast ever discovered. Can love help them survive?