Sheritta Bitikofer's Blog, page 13

Behind the Mask – My First Visit to Nashville

I love book signing events, I really do. Not just for the opportunity to meet other authors and readers that I would have otherwise never met before, but because it’s an excuse for me to pack up the car and get away for the weekend with my hubby. For my first event of 2018, we went to Nashville Tennessee.

[image error]The morning didn’t get off to a fantastic start. I woke up late and Jared and I snapped at one another while trying to get the luggage loaded into the back seat. We apologized later after we both snagged a cup of coffee from a local café and were on the road headed north. Half of the drive, we listened to Irish/Celtic folksongs (because I’m writing a historical novel set in Ireland) and the other half was spent enjoying an audiobook of Sense and Sensibility. I’m so lucky to have found a husband that enjoys the classics as much as I do.

Traffic was not amusing. We came into the Nashville area right in the middle of rush hour and needless to say, my nerves were shot by the time we got to the hotel. After an hour of deliberating over dinner, we decided to go out and celebrate the completion of one of my novellas, The Native (which will be available for preorder shortly). When Jared saw there was a sushi place in the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center where the book signing event would be held, the choice over where to eat was easily made.

The hotel is phenomenal! If you ever have the extra cash, I highly recommend staying there. This place is like a mall that you can sleep in. With numerous retail stores and restaurants to choose from, as well as some spectacular gardens, there’s plenty to do when you’re not out on the town.

 

We took sometime walking around the resort to scout out our best path to get from the parking lot to the ballroom where we would be set up the following day, but after that, we went and had some fun in the other part of the resort. Dinner at Wasabi was excellent, though the quality of the food was comparable to our hometown sushi joint that a few of our friends work at. The experience of the restaurant was well worth it. We were seat right by one of the ponds with spitting fountains and koi fish. It was dark at the time, but we got to see the koi the next day. They are huge! 

After dinner, we took a walk through the garden conservatory and got lost down the many little paths. Waterfalls, gazebos, fountains, and gorgeous foliage of all kinds, made us forget we were in a hotel at all. There are no words to describe how romantic and tranquil it truly was. All the frustrations from earlier that day were forgotten and it was a lovely way to start fresh.

The next day, we arrived at the hotel in good time, but just barely. The trek from the parking lot to the ballroom wasn’t as expected. We came across a few extra obstacles like escalators and 3-4 steps that were pretty difficult to traverse with a hand truck loaded down with books and table settings. By the time we got to the room, I was dripping with sweat. I hadn’t done any Zumba the previous week, so that was my workout. Not to mention, I was expecting cooler weather so I wore a neat scarf that I got for Christmas. Bad decision. I was extremely warm and couldn’t do much about it because the scarf was part of my outfit. It was a good thing my makeup held up well. All I had to do was blot off the sweat and I was new again.

After a quick photo session with the photographer, I got to finally meet one of my narrators! For those following my adventures with Audible, you may have heard me drop the name of Katherine Billings. Because she lives so close to Tennessee, she was able to come and sit with me at my table for the day. For once, she got to listen to me talk! She is such an amazing woman and talented voice actress and I was so lucky to have found her for my Loup-Garou Series.

The signing event went extremely well, despite the rocky start to the morning. I made connections with some authors and even got to meet some fans of mine that showed up for the signing!

After the signing, Jared and I packed up and found a MUCH better route through the hotel to get back to our car. Luckily, we dropped off a good portion of our merchandise so the lugging back to the car wasn’t so hard.

[image error]Now, this event wasn’t over. There was a masquerade ball at the resort later that evening and we had purchased tickets to go, along with Katherine and her husband. Let me tell you the time I had with this. The dress I planned to wear was a bridesmaids dress from about three or four years ago. I thought it still fit. I didn’t think I had grown that much. I should have tried on the dress before we ever left Florida… Well, the dress didn’t fit. We couldn’t get it to zip up and I didn’t bring a backup outfit to wear. This was supposed to be a formal deal and Jared brought his wedding tux to wear. The only options I could come up with were that I’d come in jeans and a nice blouse, or we don’t go at all. Jared, the ever optimistic, said we could find a skirt at one of the shops in the resort. If you have never seen me in person, I’ll let you know I have a unique shape. Trim [image error]waist, sway bag, lots of junk in the trunk. It makes shopping for clothes both interesting and frustrating. I told him the likelihood of finding something I could fit into was unlikely, but we went anyway.

Y’all, we did find a skirt and it was stunning! The only one left from a country-western clothing store where we nabbed up some cufflinks for Jared, it fit beautifully and matched both my blouse and my skirt! I was SHOCKED! And it was on clearance! Way more expensive than I normally go for, but it was too perfect and we needed to get to the party.

I still felt underdressed, but dancing with my husband like we did when we were in high school was well worth the embarrassment. We did the waltz a few times and the salsa once. I even got the chance to join in on a couple of line dances! Although I wished I could have danced more, I still had a great time. Funny enough, one of the line dances, the one for Copperhead Road, was completely new to me, but because I had done research for this cowboy romance I was writing, I knew the steps. I joined in and didn’t have any trouble. It was a satisfying feeling that my tendency to over-research things finally paid off.

I got a nasty blister at the end of the evening from dancing in my heels all night, but I got so many compliments. One lady came up and said that every girl deserved a man that looks at her the way my husband looks at me. I really hit the jackpot.

The next morning, we had breakfast with Katherine and her husband, and spent about three hours talking at the Cascade Café in the resort. After we parted ways, Jared and I took one last look around the resort and left that part of Nashville.

Our trip wasn’t over yet. Because I’m a history nut, especially anything related to the Civil War, we took a quick detour to Belmont Mansion. Absolutely breathtaking architectural details and I really enjoyed hearing about the mansion’s entrepreneur mistress.

We drove all through the evening and night to get back home, listening to the final [image error]chapters of Sense and Sensibility, and then diverting to some Edgar Allen Poe stories. I was glad to come home to my fur-babies and recoup from the weekend.

This month, we’ll be going to Biloxi Mississippi for another signing event, but thankfully we are close enough that we can drive there and not need to get a hotel. I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to Nashville, but I can assure you that I won’t go back during rush hour traffic.

The Pirate is Live!

Sorry for the delay, y’all. The day job has me doing backflips lately, but I wanted to pop on and give you the news that my newest novella in the Legacy Series, The Pirate, is now LIVE on Amazon! Go check it out!

On Amazon

[image error]Caribbean, 1717

James Lent, better known as the Devil Dog of the Caribbean, is one of the most fearsome pirates known to stalk the sea. Only his quartermaster knows his darkest secret that he’s not just a brave captain, but a werewolf. Things begin to get complicated when he holds the daughter of the governor of Kingston for ransom, this cold and ruthless pirate’s heart begins to soften. They don’t get better when he needs to outrun an infamous pirate hunter, Bart Croxen. Torn between freedom and love, the Devil Dog must decide his fate before someone else does.

Grace Norrie longs for freedom and an escape from the confining world of corsets, lace, and etiquette. When a mysterious man arrives to her eighteenth birthday party under the pretense of being a gentleman and promises adventure if she’ll let him take her away, her world is flipped upside down. Her heart is set ablaze, and continues to burn even when she finds out that this man she’s fallen in love with is the scourge of the seas, The Devil Dog. Now, her mind wildly beats against her heart, unsure of what she truly wants and trying to decide what is rightfully hers. Happiness or safety.

 

 

Sneak Peek into The Pirate

Here’s a portion of Chapter 1 from my newest paranormal historical romance, The Pirate.

Governor’s Mansion, Kingston Jamaica, 1717

Grace lost track of how many men she had danced with. Five, six perhaps? They all blurred together in a mass of boldly colored coats and dark wigs, covered in a thick smog of cologne and bad breath. Through the mass of moving bodies as they danced another slow, boring reel, she only knew one thing. She wanted to be anywhere else but there.

The party was for her, but no matter how much she begged her father and mother to leave her be, they insisted that she needed to celebrate her birthday in the proper fashion. What they didn’t know, was that she knew all along this had nothing to do with her birthday.

Grace was of marrying age and she couldn’t stay under her father’s roof for much longer. The governor’s mansion in Kingston served as a finer home than the crowded streets of London, but it was her father’s hope that her future husband would take even better care of her.

The greater question was if she could even find a man whom she could tolerate – and who would tolerate her. So far, all of the potential suitors her father had thrown her way proved to be nothing but useless dandies with no sense of humor and their noses had taken permanent residence high in the air. None of them were appealing in the least.

This ball was just another ploy to get her to pick a man and Grace wouldn’t waste her precious time hoping for much. The elegant dresses, the powdered wigs, polished shoes, and feathered hats served as reminders of everything she hated about being the governor’s daughter and part of the upper-class society of Kingston.

Things were so much easier when they weren’t so wealthy and important. She could run around and beat up the boys who called her names, all without fear of breaking some cardinal socialite sin. Grace rued the day when her father found favor in the king’s court and he was appointed the governor of the new port city in Jamaica. The only enjoyable part of the transition might have been the long journey across the Atlantic. As soon as she stepped foot onto the docks, her entire life changed for the worse. Now, she could only gaze out over an endless sea of corsets, lace, satin, and dainty things that she thought were silly.

The reel ended. She curtsied to the man, whose name she had already forgotten, and turned to walk back toward the wall where men and women congregated in their segregated groups to gossip and talk politics. Grace didn’t belong here and for the millionth time, she tugged at the rigid bodice, willing it to settle comfortably over her frame.

“Well?” a faint voice asked from behind her. “What do you think of Monsieur Chastain?”

Grace turned to meet her only friend, a petite girl a year or so younger than her. The daughter of a noted cobbler in Kingston, Lydia was the first person Grace invited to her party. She made this gathering bearable.

Grace let out a sigh. “Was that his name?” she questioned with a roll of her eyes. “He’s no different than the man I first danced with.”

Lydia’s blonde brows furrowed. “You mean Mr. Rochester? Surely Monsieur Chastain was more handsome and agreeable than Mr. Rochester. That man looks as if he has a hot iron up his – “

“They are all disagreeable to my eyes,” Grace interrupted, though she would have loved to see the faces of her father’s wealthy merchant friends in reaction to Lydia’s colorful metaphor.

Lydia’s gaze flickered upward for a moment before she reached up to pinch a bit of Grace’s bright red hair that must have slipped out of place. She quickly swatted her friend’s hand away. “Oh, leave it,” she whined. “I’ve been waiting for this tower to fall down all evening. Mother’s servants were fussing with it for hours.”

Lydia shot her a look. “If I were you, I wouldn’t complain so much. You are incredibly lucky to have such opportunities. I’d do anything short of piracy to have what you have.”

Grace let her gaze wander across the ballroom as dancers lined up for another set. “If only you were a bit taller, then we could dye your hair and switch places.”

“I’m sure I can have my father fit me with a pair of tall shoes.”

The girls giggled, knowing they could never get away with such a plan. Even if Grace and Lydia could somehow exchange lives, just for a day, it wouldn’t satisfy her. Even the life of a cobbler’s daughter wouldn’t suit Grace. Her heart longed for the open air, freedom, and things a woman should never want. It was scandalous to think that she could break free from her stays and go where she willed, without husband or family to tell her what she could or couldn’t do. Yet, Grace dreamed of it anyway.

The two people in her life who wanted to crush that dream were far too busy in their own circles to even notice that she was sitting out a dance for the first time all evening. Her feet, aching and throbbing, needed a rest after executing the complicated steps that had been drilled into her head.

As the small threesome band tuned their instruments in the balcony that overlooked the ballroom, Grace’s eyes fell upon a man who was just entering the hall. He neither wore a wig, nor an obnoxious hat like the others. Instead, his thick, slightly wavy ebony hair was tied behind him with a plain black ribbon, much like she had seen on the young soldiers and sailors. His coat and everything beneath was moderate in terms of style, but nothing about the man himself could ever be considered average.

His broad shoulders and thick chest told her that he must have been a laborer of some kind, but he carried himself like a dignitary. He held his chin up, his stare intense and presence commanding. He held his hands behind his back and only gave the slightest of bows when addressing the men who greeted him. He neither spoke, nor made conversation as he slowly ambled across the ballroom. There was a confidence in his stride that captured her attention. He walked as if he owned the mansion. Perhaps he was a captain or lieutenant in the army. He had the looks of a great leader.

His face was tanned, as if he had spent years in the hot, unforgiving sun but it was a compliment to his handsome features rather than a detriment. His eyes, above all, an arresting shade that was a strange mix of brown and green, made Grace’s attention linger a little longer than she should have.

When the stranger met her gaze, he came to a full stop. Bodies moved between them, but his focus never wavered. Grace felt her heart beat faster within her chest the longer their eyes were fixed upon one another and the room seemed as if it would tilt out from under her feet at any moment.

A few seconds ticked by like hours, and then he smiled to her. There wasn’t a more charming smile in all of the Caribbean. No, in all the world. Even if Grace met every man who ever lived, they could never give her such a blessing as this stranger did with a simple smile.

For once in her life, she felt as if she would faint. Grace always thought those women who fainted at the slightest inconvenience were nonsensical.

Lydia grabbed hold of her arm. “Are you all right?” she asked.

There wasn’t an accurate reply to such a question. She wasn’t sure whether she was floating on a cloud, or on her way to falling to a merciless fate at the hands of this stranger who was now walking toward her.

Grace broke eye contact with the man long enough to give Lydia an errand to fetch her a glass of brandy. The blonde, still oblivious to what could be the matter with her friend, hurried away and left Grace alone to receive the stranger.

He stopped in front of her and the world slowed to a halt. She could have easily extended her hand and touched the rough fabric of his black coat to make sure he was real, and not some phantom sent to make her world spin off kilter.

“You’ll have to forgive me,” he said, his voice so deep and mesmerizing that all other noises in the room were mute to her. “I can’t recall what would be appropriate here. Do I introduce myself first, or should you?”

It took a moment for Grace to fully register that this was no fantasy, and he really was speaking to her. This man, of lower class than her, judging by the utter lack of refinery in his attire, was addressing her and neither of her parents or close associate was there to do the formal thing and introduce them.

“Does it matter?” she asked, wondering if her words were loud enough for him to hear. She certainly couldn’t hear herself. The stranger had stolen her voice with just one look.

He must have understood her because his smile widened and he took a step closer. “I suppose not.” The man bowed at the waist, a little deeper than she had seen him do before. “My name is Edward Corbet.”

Grace’s heart skittered. This was one of the men her father had spoken of, but this was not what she had been expecting. According to her father, Edward Corbet was the epitome of nobility in London. He was wealthier than the governor, that was for sure, but this man before her didn’t dress like other men of his class. A man of his stature would have never forgotten the rules of introduction either. Could there be another Edward Corbet?

After a pause, she pushed aside the thought and curtsied for the stranger who had unwittingly wooed her without ever speaking a word. “Grace Norrie. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Corbet.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” he replied.

The world slowly came back into focus and the lighthearted cords of the violin in the balcony reminded Grace exactly where she was. Her eyes darted to the spot where her father had been moments ago and she was grateful to find he was still talking with the other men he had invited to the ball.

“My father mentioned you,” she said, feeling as if she needed to fill the silence between them. “He said you sailed all the way from England to be here.”

Edward nodded, his eyes dancing with delight. “I did, and you were certainly worth the journey.”

Grace’s cheeks felt warm and she wondered if he could see her blush through the powder that had been applied to her face before the party. “I should tell you that flattery will do you no good, Mr. Corbet.”

He took a daring step closer and she could almost feel his breath on her face. “Then tell me what will get me within your good graces and I will surely do it.”

The challenge in his gaze sparked a fire within her, where a want for adventure had once been. Perhaps, despite his prominent reputation and high class, Edward Corbet could be that adventure for her.

She flashed him a simpering smile and jerked her chin toward the dance floor where the others were still assembling for the next set. “Dance with me.”

The list of rules they had broken within such a short time was growing longer and longer. No woman was to ask a man to dance. What right did she have to demand or request his consideration? It was his honor to dance with her, not the other way around.

Yet, Edward didn’t seem to care for the rules either. He nodded his consent and they walked side by side to join the other guests as they took places across from their partners.

When the band struck up the first tunes, Grace forgot all about her aching feet. She spun with Edward, their arms intertwining as they stepped close and pulled apart again in time with the music. His touch was like wildfire across her skin, warm and enticing. She longed for each moment they drew nearer, and felt her heart squeeze each time they were separated in the dance.

The sentiment seemed to be mutual in Edward and each time she came to face him, she could see the smoldering, ravenous look in his eyes. Though each step was carefully placed, Grace could feel her body tremble with a need for him that she never imagined she could feel.

“You dance well,” he said when they came to circle one another, their hands firmly clasped as if a hurricane were ready to blow them apart again.

“As do you,” she replied breathlessly.

They stepped away and weaved through the other dancers until they came together again. “Something tells me that you aren’t fond of it, though.”

Grace smiled. “And what makes you think that?” He was completely right, but she wasn’t about to admit so. Dancing with him was still more enjoyable than dancing with the other men there that night. They entwined their arms and she let out a slow, airy breath as his hand brushed against the rigid fabric of her bodice. Even through the layers of clothes, his touch was exhilarating.

Edward leaned in, much closer than any man should have, until his lips nearly grazed the outside of her ear. “Your heart is miles away, isn’t it? Away from this house, away from this town and everyone you know.”

Grace swallowed hard and tried to catch her breath, though he was stealing it from her very chest. “So, what if it was?”

They broke away and came to stand in their respective rows. His absence was keenly felt, though his eyes roamed over her like a forbidden caress. Now, Grace couldn’t tell if her face was flushed from embarrassment or the exertion of the dance.

He wasn’t able to answer her question until they rejoined in the middle again. “I could help you,” he promised. “I can take you there, where you long to go.”

Was he serious? Could he take her away from this place? Would he, if she asked? One look into his eyes, rimmed in a dark golden hue that encircled the rich hazel, she knew he wasn’t lying. How could he know her most secret longing to escape? How much did he know about the black nights spent lying awake and wishing that she were someone else? Could he really change all of that for her?

Whatever feelings were betrayed through her own sapphire gaze, he must have known what she would say next.

“Take me,” she whispered.

But when they stepped away, the dance was cut short. On the other side of the hall, she heard her father raise his voice in anger toward one of their servants.

“What are you talking about?” he demanded, drawing the attention of half the assembly. Even the band’s melody came to an awkward, out of tune stop.

Grace was too far away to hear what their head servant, Mr. Stevens, was saying. Yet, from his pinched and troubled expression, it couldn’t have been good. She turned to tell Mr. Corbet that she would be right back after attending to her father, but he was gone. A quick search through the crowd left her frantic. It was as if Edward had vanished like the phantom she had suspected him to be.

“Gone?” her father bellowed, summoning her back from her own crisis. She weaved her way through the guests to come to his side just as her mother did.

“What’s wrong, Mr. Norrie?” her mother asked, probably more troubled by the fact that he was causing a scene at their daughter’s birthday party.

The governor, his mouth set in a vicious scowl, did his best to control his temper. “We’ve been robbed,” he grumbled to his wife. “Mr. Stevens found our private bedroom doors open. Your jewelry is gone.”

Grace watched as the color drained from her mother’s face, but the woman didn’t gasp or shriek as she might have expected. Instead, she calmly nodded in understanding. “And the money boxes?”

Her father didn’t have to confirm it. He only looked to the ceiling and then grabbed Mr. Stevens by the arm to pull him aside, away from the party guests who were watching the commotion. Grace, totally unconcerned about the money or jewels that were stolen, rushed to her mother’s side and took her cold hands.

“Do you want me to fetch your smelling salts?” she asked, knowing that her mother was given to fainting spells at the slightest trauma.

Mrs. Norrie gripped Grace’s hand and shook her head. “No, I’ll be fine… Who was that man you were dancing with? I didn’t recognize him.”

Grace looked around the room one more time, searching for Edward in vain. “That was Edward Corbet, mother. Father spoke about him, remember?”

Her mother donned a look of puzzlement. “Mr. Corbet of London? That wasn’t Mr. Corbet,” she said. “He looked nothing like the man. Besides, the Mr. Corbet I met would never have been seen at a formal party like this without his wig.”

Grace’s lips parted in confusion. “If that wasn’t Mr. Corbet, then who was he?”

Her mother had no answer for her, and Grace was sure that no one else would either. If they did know the man, he would have been stopped several times before coming to address her.

Even if the stranger she danced with wasn’t Edward Corbet, there was no denying that he had awakened something inside Grace and it would not be contained. He had been completely right when he said her heart was far away from Kingston and Jamaica. Neither was it in England. It was hidden in that unnamable place between the unknown and undiscovered, waiting for her to find and reclaim it.

She was without husband, without any means of supporting herself, but Grace knew she could stay under her father’s roof no longer. A plan began to form, growing and maturing so quickly like that raging fire the stranger had started in her soul. And it would only consume her if she stayed locked away in this world of etiquette and impractical rules.

Grace would make her escape. Perhaps not tonight while her father continued to fume about his stolen property, but soon. Very soon.

The Newest Legacy Novella!

I’ll be completely honest with y’all, this novella dang near gave me a heart attack. I love history and pirates, but I don’t think I’ve ever done this much research for a novella – EVER! You all know I do my best to drop my characters into a completely believable and historically accurate setting, and I have done just that with this new addition to the Legacy Series, The Pirate! Releasing February 20th! Preorder HERE on Amazon!

[image error]Caribbean, 1717

James Lent, better known as the Devil Dog of the Caribbean, is one of the most fearsome pirates known to stalk the sea. Only his quartermaster knows his darkest secret that he’s not just a brave captain, but a werewolf. Things begin to get complicated when he holds the daughter of the governor of Kingston for ransom, this cold and ruthless pirate’s heart begins to soften. They don’t get better when he needs to outrun an infamous pirate hunter, Bart Croxen. Torn between freedom and love, the Devil Dog must decide his fate before someone else does.

Grace Norrie longs for freedom and an escape from the confining world of corsets, lace, and etiquette. When a mysterious man arrives to her eighteenth birthday party under the pretense of being a gentleman and promises adventure if she’ll let him take her away, her world is flipped upside down. Her heart is set ablaze, and continues to burn even when she finds out that this man she’s fallen in love with is the scourge of the seas, The Devil Dog. Now, her mind wildly beats against her heart, unsure of what she truly wants and trying to decide what is rightfully hers. Happiness or safety.

Set during the Golden Age of Piracy, I thought I was finally in my element. The previous novellas were a blast to write and to research for, but pirates are something that I have quite an extensive knowledge about. When the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie came out, I was hooked! I adored the concept of men who operated outside the laws of society, free and able to do as they pleased. Now, the life of a pirate is far from glamorous. There’s disease, starvation, storms, pirate hunters, fatal injuries, battles, and all sorts of stuff that can seriously shorten your life expectancy when you turn to “living on the account”. But I loved it all the same. I remember dressing my stuffed animals up in pirate outfits and building pirate ships out of cardboard boxes for them to “sail” in. Every time I went to the bookstore, I’d beg my parents to get me a book about pirates. They did, and those books came in handy when I set out to write this novella.

As with all my books, I got the crazy notion of “What if he was a werewolf?” With infamous figures as Black Beard, Bart Roberts, Calico Jack, and Captain Morgan, there was plenty of inspiration to pull from when creating my character, The Devil Dog. Tying his story into the Legacy Series was easy enough, and throwing in a bit of romantic adventure was thrilling as an author. There are so many possibilities with this period in history, and it’s bursting with information and records about the people and places I featured in the story. I even learned a thing or two about sailing, and I now know way more pirate lingo than any one person should.

For lovers of werewolves, pirates, and history in general, I know you’re going to absolutely love this installation of the Legacy Series!

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Here is my interview with Sheritta Bitikofer

Interview from Miss Fiona! Check it out!

authorsinterviews

Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

 

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

My name is Sheritta Bitikofer and I’m just old enough to be dangerous

Going Wide… Again

So, I’ve been publishing exclusively with Kindle and Amazon for a while now and I think it’s about time I give going “wide” a try. This means that select books will be available on Barnes & Noble Nook, Kobo, iBooks, and various others. While I’m still waiting on some titles to get off Kindle Unlimited, a few more have already been launched on these different platforms! Check them out!

[image error]Silver Screen

On Amazon

Everywhere Else

Audible

Being the makeup artist for a big-name movie star is a dream come true for Josie Carter. A zealous fan of movies from Hollywood’s Golden Age, she’s come a long way from her small town roots in Arkansas to the remake of The Wolfman being shot in Scotland. She’d pushed aside her own passion for acting after a tragedy many years ago. Now she uses her talents to make stars shine on the silver screen. Not that her newest client needs much help in looking gorgeous.

Rodney Bator has been named Sexist Man Alive for three years in a row. Not bad for a werewolf who’s more than two hundred years old and got his start on the stage before silent movies were even being made. For all those years he’s tried to prove his kind doesn’t have to hide in the shadows, but can live fearlessly among humans. But old-world superstitions persist and pressure from his family and the world’s alphas is mounting. Maybe it’s time to step out of the limelight and settle down. Rodney knows just who he wants to settle down with. Can he convince Josie to take a chance on love or will she yell “cut” on his hopes when she learns his secret?

 

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Passions

Amazon

Everywhere Else

His world was dark until she brought the light…

Chloe Kaspin has two dreams. Find a quiet place to recover from an abusive ex-boyfriend, and to make a living as a writer. The first dream is fulfilled when she inherits her beloved aunt’s cabin in the Georgia mountains. Now the second dream is up to her. Then she finds mysterious notes critiquing her work. Has a dangerous stranger managed to invade her refuge? Or is her cabin as haunted as the townsfolk say it is?

Gavin Caras immigrated from England to Georgia in 1733. While pursuing his dream of being a writer, his entire family is wiped out by a mysterious infection. Only Gavin survives, not only alone, but with a hunger that can only be satisfied by blood. For generations, he’s managed to hide in the basement of the cabin he built. But now his cabin is occupied by a woman who shares at least one of his passions: the world of the written word. Late one night, he finally reveals himself to her, not a ghost, but a man driven by an unholy hunger, a passion he would die to end if he could.

The autumn winds may be chilly but Gavin warms Chloe’s heart. Then children go missing in the nearby town. Has Gavin been lying to Chloe? She’s willing to help him find a way to end his blood-lust, but the cost may be too high. Chloe and Gavin can’t rewrite the past. Can they survive to write a new future together?

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The Decimus Trilogy

(Three Novellas in One Volume)

Amazon

Everywhere Else

Loyalty, redemption, and the power of love form the heart of Sheritta Bitikofer’s The Decimus Trilogy. Separated by more than a thousand years, two men connected by blood and an ancient gift—or curse—must come to terms with their pasts, their futures, and the wolf within them.

*The Beast of Verona, Amber Ashes, and Saving the Beast*

 

Behind the Mask Author Signing in Nashville

My first signing event of 2018 is coming up! I’m super excited! I can’t wait to meet my readers and connect with other authors. It’s gonna be a blast! If you’re in the Nashville area, stop by my table! Did I mention there’s a masquerade ball afterward? There is! I’m stoked! Gonna get a pretty dress and dance with my husband just like Katey dances with Logan in my Loup-Garou Series. I’ll have the series with me for the event and a raffle to win something special! To find out how to enter, come see me on February 24th!

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Facebook Event

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Dallas Fire and Rescue Kindle World

In addition to the release of Precedents this month, I’ve got another announcement to make!

So, you’ve heard me talk about Paige Tyler and her amazing SWAT paranormal suspense series, but did you know she also writes a lot of contemporary romance? One of them is her Dallas Fire & Rescue series. I’ve heard the first one and y’all, it’s HOT. No pun intended, since it’s about firefighters.

Anyway, there’s this thing called Kindle World. The way I figure it, it’s like a fan fiction system where other authors can write within the world built by another bestseller. In this case, Paige has opened up her Dallas Fire & Rescue universe to others authors to write in. As soon as she told me about it, I knew exactly which story I wanted to submit.

Beauty and the Blaze started off slow in the planning, but it soon blossomed into a heart touching novella about a young girl who has a special connection with an urban legend known as The Beast. Contrary to its title, The Beast was anything but vicious and evil. In fact, it helps people and it saved Brandy’s life when she was a little girl. Well, I’ll let the cover and blurb tell you the rest. This is definitely one of my hotter romances, but I still add my special flavor of paranormal to the mix to keep things interesting. If you’ve been wondering how I’d so writing something a little steamy, you’ll want to check this out!

[image error]Brandy was just eight years old when the urban legend, The Beast, saved her from drowning in the creek outside her hometown. It was the last time anyone had heard of the mythic, altruistic monster that some likened to a really big dog or wolf-like creature. It had a record of savings countless lives over the generations. As an adult, Brandy never forgot the kind deeds of the Beast. It had been fifteen years since the last sighting and she’s become quite the local expert on everything involving The Beast. Her little obsession has made her somewhat of an outcast in some social circles, so when a new face in town starts to pay her a little special attention, she latches onto it with both fists. Handsome and charming, she hopes that Hugh isn’t too good to be true.

Hugh never expected to come back to Morrisville, but the hectic city life of Dallas had proved too taxing on him and his inner wolf. He’s returned to his hometown, hoping to find the easy living he missed. But, how easy of a living can a firefighting werewolf really have? Thinking the worst of his problems will be cats getting stuck up in trees or the occasional car accident, Hugh’s looking forward to relaxing for a change. When he meets the feisty, red-haired librarian, though, the past decides to rear its ugly head and remind him why he left Morrisville in the first place. With a compassionate heart, can he leave well enough alone, or has the urban legend returned to take up his yoke again?

Intrigued? I thought so. Here’s the LINK where you can go ahead and get the ebook! And It’s a little up in the air at the moment, but if you’re on track to come visit me at a future book signing event, I may have some of these little print treasures to give away. *hint hint*

And I’m not the only one who has a new launch into this Kindle World. There are several other talented authors who have added their name to the list of contributors that you should totally check out!

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Precedents is LIVE!

The wait is finally over! It’s been a long journey for Katey and Logan (and me), but the finale to their story is live and available on Kindle and print! I’m so excited to share this next installment of the series with you. These characters, as real to me as my own family, have gone through hell over the last three books, but the trials are just beginning. In Precedents, loose ends are tied up, mysteries are solved, and the risks have never been higher for Katey and her pack. It’s my hope that you’ve fallen in love with Darren, Dustin, Ben, and all the other loups-garous of Crestucky. So many feels were poured into this novel and tears were certainly shed on my part. All right, enough about my own feels. Experience your own today! Go grab your copy of Precedents and leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads to tell me how you enjoyed it!

Go to Amazon NOW!

[image error]Katey never expected to marry so young. She also never expected to be pregnant, or the first female loup-garou—werewolf—to give birth in thousands of years. As the embodiment of a Spirit of Peace, Katey’s carrying more than just her precious babies. She’s also carrying the future of her race. Her husband is doing what he can to help, but he has his own troubles.

What does Logan Keith know about being a father? He’s never had a good example in his life. And babies cost a lot of money. Logan’s doing whatever it takes to support his family, even if his sometimes dangerous jobs ignite clashes with Katey.

Then Katey and Logan, along with their pack, are summoned to an ancient castle carved into the snowy mountains of Switzerland. The council is meeting for the first time since the great Arnathian civilization fell apart due to the feud between werewolves and vampires. Can these two races make peace after spending centuries at war with one another? Katey’s supposed to be a great figurehead for the proceedings, but what does she know about politics or negotiating peace? After an assassination attempt, one thing is clear. Someone is determined to unleash a great evil and make sure that Katey and her loup-garou family have no future at all.

Precedents Teasers

Here’s a little something else to get you excited for this new release! Have you preordered yet? You should! Follow THIS LINK to Amazon NOW!