Liza Street's Blog: not your grandma's romantic fiction, page 16
March 14, 2018
Dragon Shattered Giveaway, Coloring, and Teaser
Deep breaths, everyone. I just realized Dragon Shattered comes out in ONE WEEK and I’m kind of flipping out over here.
*takes a few deep breaths*
You know what makes me feel better when I’m frazzled? Slade. He’s one of the guys from Dragon Shattered, and this quote gets me every time.
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Now I feel better, phew!
Another calming thing is coloring pages! Keira Blackwood (my Dragon Shattered coauthor and all-around awesome person and friend) created some for you, which you can access here on her website.
Finally, Keira and I are giving away Dragon Shattered swag on our Facebook pages! Head over to give us a like (because we like being liked) and enter the giveaway! If you enter on both our pages, it doubles your chances to win!
Hope to see you there!
February 28, 2018
Excerpt from Dragon Shattered, a Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance
Dragon Shattered will be out on March 21st–that’s less than a month! I just cannot wait and have to share an extra little excerpt with you now!
This is from Taylor’s point of view, when he first meets one of the other guys he’ll be working with (uh, and sharing Ariana with…but that part comes later…).
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The elevator stopped on forty-six and I waited while the doors opened. They parted to reveal a giant dude heaving a couch. He looked like a poster boy for protein shakes and workout equipment. The first thing that hit me, before the leg of the couch, was his scent. Clouds and fire—he, too, was a dragon shifter.
“Hey, that couch isn’t going to fit in here,” I said.
“The hell it won’t,” he grunted.
“It’s probably too heavy for the elevator.”
He ignored me and inched the couch toward the door, holding the sliding doors back with one hand. The upholstery was harsh on the eyes. If I had to name the shade, I’d call it garbage green. And the stale scent of the thing told me the cushions were full of dust.
“You know what, I think I’ll get out here,” I said, but it was too late.
With a last grunt, he shoved the couch the rest of the way in, trapping me in place.
“Sorry,” he said, but he didn’t sound that apologetic. And then he stepped in after it.
Now we were really jammed in together.
The giant man sent me a sly grin. “Do you like men?”
“What? No,” I said. “I’m into women, sorry. Straight as an arrow.”
“Me, too,” he said, “but this would make a good meet cute on one of my mama’s old romance flicks.”
I couldn’t help my laugh. “Do you work here?”
“Not yet, but I hope to,” he said. “I’m interviewing for the partner position.”
I shook his hand. “Taylor Stonehall. I’m interviewing for the same one.”
He gave me a look before taking my hand in a shake. “Slade Rouland. Why don’t I hate you on sight?”
“No idea,” I said. Inside I was thinking that maybe, subconsciously, he could tell that I didn’t really want his job. But that couldn’t be it. How could he figure that one out from thirty seconds of conversation? “If you don’t work here—yet,” I said, “how come you’re dragging around a couch?”
“Maintenance guy told me I could snag it for our living room.”
“Reasonable enough,” I said.
The elevator dinged for the forty-eighth floor, and the doors opened. Slade stepped out and tugged on the couch. I pushed it from my end, then had to dive back for my duffel before the doors closed again. I shoved the duffel out in front of me, and Hafiz’s book of poetry tumbled out of the unzipped pocket.
“Hafiz?” Rouland asked.
“Yeah.”
“Isn’t that love poetry or some shit?”
“Yeah.” I stood up straight, waiting for the inevitable conclusions people drew.
He frowned. “What are you, Romeo?”
“Hardly.” I thought of the beautiful Mrs. Ariana West and how I had failed to charm her.
But maybe I’d work on that. I didn’t want the job, but I definitely wanted the woman.
We’ve got more Dragon Shattered to share with you as we lead up to the big release!
Keira’s blog–“All the Dragons–Cover Reveal“
Keira’s blog–“Just One Little Taste–Excerpt from Dragon Shattered“
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February 20, 2018
Dragon Shifters! Cover Reveal and Love List
This news has been burning a hole in my keyboard for too long, and finally I get to share!
Ready?
Keira Blackwood and I have joined forces to create a dragon shifter series!
Even better, this isn’t our typical paranormal romance fare. This is reverse harem. If you’re not familiar with the term, in this case it means our lovely heroine gets not one, but THREE heroes.
*dances*
Okay, so here are a few things I love about the Spellbound Souls books:
Working with Keira is a delight. She’s funny and we laugh a lot. She’s also an excellent brainstormer, and when one of us gets stuck on something, the other one can swoop in and help.
Scorching hot scenes with our leading lady and one or more men. There’s this scene in Dragon Shattered that Keira wrote, and I think I’ve read it twenty times now. And just wait until Book 2. I’m still blushing.
Ariana, our kickass heroine. She’s smart, successful, strong, and kind. I think we’ll all agree that she deserves to find love.
The hotties. Taylor, Slade, and Quentin all make my heart beat faster. They each bring a different meaning to “hero” while complementing each other and their new mate.
Dragon shifters! I’d always wanted to write them, and now I’m doing it and it’s everything I dreamed of. Grace, danger, strength. FLYING.
Suspense. There’s always a larger story with elements of danger, there are always secrets just beneath the surface, waiting to be revealed.
Love. It’s not all about the sexytimes. These shifters feel deeply for each other, and in the end, that brotherhood and romance is what holds the entire book together.
Dragon Shattered, the first book, will be out in March. 
February 14, 2018
February Romance Sales and Giveaways
Your one-stop shop for finding some new favorite authors!
Be My Valentine Giveaway (2/1 – 2/15)
Fall in Love with Romance (2/4 – 2/17)
Feverish February (2/8 – 2/21)
Fall in Love…Again and Again (2/12 – 2/23)
Steamy Thriller, Paranormal, and Sci-Fi Romance Giveaway (2/13 – 3/13)
Brazen Bookshelf Romance Sale (2/12 – 2/18)
Super Hot Shifter Romances for Valentine’s Day (2/14 – 2/28)
Hot & Steamy Reads (2/14 – 2/28)
Paranormal Romance Lovers Valentine’s Day Sale (2/14 – 2/15)
Love-Kissed Free & 99 Pennies (2/14)
January 31, 2018
Paranormal Romance Extravaganza
So many free books, you guys. I can’t stop browsing and I think my kindle might be full…
Here’s the link (or click the image above). Let me know if you find a new favorite!
January 24, 2018
Soundtracks for the Dark Pines Pride
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Honestly, I don’t listen to music when I write; it’s too distracting. But I do love finding songs that connect to the stories and characters, and I’ll often listen to them over and over for inspiration when I’m not sitting at my desk.
For fun, I put together a Dark Pines playlist on YouTube, which you can find here! Below is the list of songs that go with each book. Enjoy!
Wild Homecoming
Editors – “No Sound But the Wind”
Fiona Apple – “The First Taste”
Leagues – “Spotlight”
The Brothers Bright – “Blood on My Name”
Imagine Dragons – “Believer”
Wild Atonement
Dave Matthews Band – “Crash Into Me”
The Features – “How It Starts”
The Foo Fighters – “The Sky is a Neighborhood”
The B52’s – “Love Shack”
Muse – “Madness”
Wild Reunion
The Black Keys – “Lonely Boy”
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – “Done All Wrong”
Diana Krall – “Sway”
Steve Kahn – “Nomads”
Sarah McLaughlin – “Possession”
The Dark Pines Pride books are all available on Amazon now, and I recently bundled them together into one boxed set.
January 17, 2018
Character Profile: Hayley Jaynes
It’s easy to fall in love with characters, whether they’re my own creations, or characters I’ve read about in other books. Hayley Jaynes, from Wild Atonement, is one of my favorites. Her potty mouth and DGAF attitude hide her vulnerability over proving herself to her brothers.
[image error]image copyright DmitryPoch, purchased through DepositPhotos.com
Name: Hayley Ann Jaynes
Date of birth: February 21, 1996
Age: 21
Occupation: General Contractor
Hair: golden brown
Eyes: blue
Fun quirk: her creative swears (click here to get a pdf of Hayley’s Swears)
Excerpt:
Hayley rushed toward Summer and Jackson. She liked seeing her brother so happy, with his arm casually wrapped around Summer’s waist, his attention on her. And Summer looked back at him, a gooey expression on her face. Hayley squashed a feeling of envy. She wanted that. She wanted to be the focus of one man’s world, and she wanted to be accepted for who she was—bold, strong, and dirty-mouthed.
She had the insult “rubbercock” on the tip of her tongue, ready to unleash it cheerfully on her brother. But someone stepped right in her path.
“Hayley,” he said.
She looked up. She didn’t know this guy, but immediately she could smell that he was a shifter. A fellow mountain lion. She should’ve sniffed him out when she’d first walked into the bar, but envy over Jackson and Summer’s lovey bliss had distracted her.
The dude’s dark eyes were fathomless, and he wore a fake, disarming smile. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him. She sniffed again. He smelled like sawdust and raisins, and her nose itched.
If she’d been in lion form, her hair would have lifted and her back would’ve arched defensively. “Who the hell are you?” she asked.
“I’m Alec,” he said smoothly. “We met briefly, long ago. You probably don’t remember me. You hung up on me earlier, but we need to talk.”
Now she remembered him. Her parents had made that awful deal with the Spokane Pride, just before the war with the Clausen Pride. Alec had been there with his father, the Spokane alpha. Hayley had been bartered like a piece of meat in order to ensure the Spokane Pride’s help.
Hayley had fought it, until her dad took her aside and said, “There is no way you’ll ever have to go through with something you’re not comfortable with, okay? This is a formality only.”
It hadn’t mattered, because the Clausens won the war, and the last of the Jaynes family had been chased out of the Dark Pines territory.
But maybe it had mattered, at least a little bit. Because this nasty fuckbasket was here, claiming to be her fiancé.
“I don’t want to speak to you,” Hayley said.
He chuckled. “You made that pretty clear when you hung up on me a few hours ago. But we need to talk.”
“I’m already with someone,” she said, trying to shove past him. Hopefully, he wouldn’t sense the lie.
His hand closed around her upper arm, and she spun, ready to stomp on his instep. Before that could happen, a giant, burly biker dude stood up from the table nearest them. “This guy bothering you?” he asked.
Hayley looked from the biker to Alec. “I don’t know, Alec. Are you bothering me?”
He sized up the biker and shook his head. He dropped Hayley’s arm, glowering. “We’ll talk later.”
Hayley watched as Alec retreated to a corner of the bar. Shit, that had been close. There was nothing to say to him, but now she’d told him she was seeing someone. That would be the best possible solution to this shitstorm. He couldn’t marry her if she already had a mate.
She turned back to the bar, where she’d seen Jackson and Summer a second ago. But neither of them could help her out of her predicament. She needed…a boyfriend. And fast.
The guy standing next to Jackson—dark-haired, brown-eyed, with a set of monster muscles—would do the trick. He must be Jackson’s friend, Marius. She’d heard a little about him already, how he’d helped Dan Clausen scare Summer.
Striding up to him, she pretended that the butterflies in her stomach hadn’t grown talons and weren’t clawing their way up her throat. Instead, she shook her hair back and made eye contact with those chocolate brown eyes of his.
“Hello, Marius,” she said, turning her voice into a purr.
He gaped at her until she closed the distance between them and pressed the full length of her body against his. Wrapping her arms around his massive shoulders, she whispered, “Are you single?”
“What?” His voice was so quiet, she could barely hear him.
Somewhere behind her, Alec was watching this show. She had to be convincing, but she didn’t want to mess anything up if Marius already had a mate. “Are you single?”
“Uh…yeah. Yes.”
“Good.” She tilted her face up toward his and kissed him like she meant it. Her lips pressed against his in a spark of heat that surprised her, but she went with it, afraid to break contact. If Alec thought for a second that she was lying—and he probably did because shifters were so good at sensing dishonesty—then she’d have to convince him right now, with her actions. If she convinced him well enough, hopefully he’d go back to whatever rock he’d come from and leave Hayley alone.
Thoughts of Alec flew right out of her head as Marius took control of the kiss. His arms came around her waist, tightening her to him. He parted his lips and pressed harder, so she had no choice but to open to him. Not what she’d intended, but his tongue tentatively brushed the edge of her mouth and she couldn’t hold back a moan of need.
This was not at all what she’d expected.
Interested in getting your very own PDF of Hayley’s swears, for handy reference? Here you go–Hayley’s Swears!
January 10, 2018
5 Great “Best Self” Books
I used to think I hated January. It’s cold. Dark. Rather bleak. But the past couple of years, I’ve gotten through January by going gangbusters on the self-help or, as I like to call them, “best self” books. Below are five of my favorites. They keep me going so I can keep working on my hottie shifter novels!
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Deep Work, by Cal Newport
The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg
You Are a Badass, by Jen Sincero
Focus, by Daniel Goleman
In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan
Have you read any of these? Or maybe you have others to recommend?
December 13, 2017
On Writing a Paranormal Romance Serial Novella
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I wrote a serial novella for mailing list subscribers last year, The Rose King, and gave it away–a couple of chapters a month–until it ran its course. Then I put it up for sale. I plan on doing this again with a Dark Pines Pride bonus story (starting in January!!!) so I wanted to share my process here.
1) The idea has to sound fun from the start. When a Wild Homecoming reviewer mentioned wanting to see more of Becca, Summer’s best friend, I was immediately intrigued. Like, Becca is a widow, and although she’s happily single, maybe she could use a shifter hottie in her life, too.
2) While the idea is to give the story to readers as it’s ready, I have to write the whole thing all at once, usually in two to three weeks. Otherwise, it’s too hard to remember the tone and feeling of the story–especially character voices.
3) I revise the entire novella and make sure things are consistent. Do I call the hero by an old hero’s name? (That’s totally happened in this Dark Pines bonus story. I keep calling Nick, this new hero, “Jackson”–the hero from Wild Homecoming.) Are appearances consistent? Does she drop her phone down a well, only to have it in her hand five minutes later?
4) After my once-over, it’s not ready for readers yet! Showing it to people now would be like going to the store without any pants on. Freeing, yes, but…a bit overexposed. I’ll let the story sit for a couple or three weeks so I can come at the first chapters with fresh eyes.
5) I’ll go through the first couple of chapters and self-edit for things like grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Then I’ll put those chapters on a hidden page online and send the link out with my January newsletter!
So, that’s pretty much what I do to get it ready for the newsletter serialization! I’m really excited about sharing this story, though. Becca is awesome, and Nick–well, I’m still figuring Nick out.
Even though I can’t share much yet, an unedited snippet should be okay. Instead of going to the store without pants, it’s more like going without a bra. Probably nobody will really notice or pay attention, although I know something’s missing. So, below is the very beginning of the meet cute between Becca, the heroine, and Nick (NOT JACKSON), the hero. Head’s up, these characters swear, so if f-bombs offend you, stop here.
December 6, 2017
A New Shifter Romance – Wild Reunion
Out today is Wild Reunion, Will’s story in the Dark Pines Pride series!
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In the Dark Pines territory, love fights tooth and claw.
Eleanor McGowan is a piano teacher, hypochondriac, and proud fangirl of the Interstellar Love Connection graphic novel series. She’s also had her heart broken one too many times by her high school sweetheart, Will Jaynes. When he returns to Huntwood after being MIA for four years, she can’t decide whether to avoid him or kiss him or even better, kick his butt.
Mountain lion shifter Will Jaynes has been avoiding his family’s territory for one reason and one reason only, and that reason starts with an “E” and ends with a “leanor” and has beautiful hazel eyes and a tender heart. But four years ago, everything was ripped away from him after a pride war—his parents, his territory, and even Eleanor. When danger returns to the Dark Pines territory, Will must fight for his pride’s place or lose everything. And if he loses this time, he knows there’ll be no coming back.
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Wild Reunion is starting out at 99 cents and in Kindle Unlimited! You can find it on Amazon and AmazonSmile.
