Bonnie Vanak's Blog, page 6
August 28, 2016
New book available for pre-order
Shielded by the Cowboy Seal, my second Harlequin romantic suspense book, is now available for pre-order on Amazon. It will be released in February. Click here to check it out. In other writing news, I'm writing a short story that will be a Werewolves of Montana Mating Mini. It's about a cowboy werewolf who mounts a rescue mission to save the girl he's secretly crushed on, but hasn't dared to love in the open because she's Mitchell pack, and has five very protective older brothers and a father.
Aiden, the pack alpha, has invited him to join, but Jason is a lone wolf who harbors a dark secret, one that makes him avoid the friendly pack at the ranch next to his. To save Claire, he must expose this secret, or risk losing her forever.
I'll post more details as they become available!
Aiden, the pack alpha, has invited him to join, but Jason is a lone wolf who harbors a dark secret, one that makes him avoid the friendly pack at the ranch next to his. To save Claire, he must expose this secret, or risk losing her forever.
I'll post more details as they become available!
July 20, 2016
Navy Seal Seduction now in Walmart!
Navy Seal Seduction, my romantic suspense book from Harlequin, is now available in Walmart at a discounted price!
This is quite exciting for me as an author to see my book in a big box store. I haven't had a new release in Walmart in a few years, not since the chain stopped carrying the Nocturne line.
Here's a preview of the book:
Navy Seal Seduction is a reunion romance that takes place on a tropical island about to erupt into civil war…
With the island nation of St. Marc erupting in civil war, SEAL Jarrett Adler must rescue the woman he never got over—his alluring ex-wife, Lacey. Jarrett regrets failing her as a husband, and he hopes protecting her will offer a second chance to win her trust.
As charming and sexy as Jarrett still is, Lacey knows he won’t stick around. She’s found her niche in nonprofit work and longs to create a family of her own. But when death threats and bombs arrive at her door, she turns to the man who still holds her heart. Can Jarrett and Lacey navigate their way home—and back into each other’s arms?
EXCERPT FROM NAVY SEAL SEDUCTION
(Copyright 2016 by Bonnie Vanak)
A tall, muscled pirate in a clean white shirt and black trousers stood before her in the courtyard of Le Soleil Hotel. Scowling to hide her emotions, she stared, her heart racing as if she’d run a mile up and down the nearby mountain. Black hair cropped short, he wore a pressed white shirt, the cuffs rolled up to display tanned, muscled forearms. Smooth cheeks, strong jaw and a nose that had been broken at least once.
Rugged, tough and those eyes, green as the ocean water he navigated on a mission.
Those eyes had turned smoky and dark with passion as they’d made love, and cold as the Arctic the day she’d announced she’d hired a lawyer to initiate divorce proceedings. Whoa, he still had it. Hot, hot, hot, as the locals said. Bad boy to the extreme, who made her female parts say Why, hello there!
Her female parts needed to stay quiet. This time she’d listen to her broken heart and not her hormones, even though her heart jumped at the sight of him.
He had never been there for her before, and certainly wasn’t staying now.
Lacey managed to find her voice. “I hope this is a bad dream and I’ll wake up and find you gone.”
Her ex-husband pulled out a chair, turned it around and straddled it. “Well, darling, it seems your nightmare isn’t going away. Neither am I.”
She managed to conceal her trembling hands by wrapping her fingers tight around the beer bottle. Lacey took a deep drink, relishing the cool wash of liquid sliding down her throat. It reminded her of that time after they’d consumed several beers and then he’d kissed her and they had…
Not. Going. There.
“Go away, Jarrett. If you’re here on a mission, aren’t you supposed to be invisible in your invincibility?”
He did not smile. Flickering candlelight on the table revealed the sharp angles and planes of his lean face.
Jarrett looked all business.
“You’re my mission. I’m taking you out of here. I booked us on tomorrow’s early-morning flight.” He glanced around. “Before the elections and before this place blows to hell.”
Jarrett, trying to be funny, except his expression was dead serious. Had he heard about the mysterious vandalism plaguing her compound? It had been a few minor incidents she’d written off as a nuisance caused by locals who didn’t like how she helped women, until last week’s truck fire.
That fire had not been a nuisance. It had destroyed her best working vehicle.
She glanced around at the two other occupied tables and lowered her voice.
“Are you insane? I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“St. Marc is teetering on a coup and I’m taking you back to the States.”
She knew St. Marc intimately, shied away from the hot spots and knew how to handle herself. “Elections are in two days. I know about the violence and know how to avoid it. As soon as elections are over, things will cool down. Stop wasting your time.”
“You’re at risk of getting shot, kidnapped or both.”
“The media exaggerates about a few protests downtown. It’s not violent here.”
Jarrett turned his head as six men carrying sinister-looking guns trotted out onto the courtyard, racing off toward the hotel disco. His mouth curved in a knowing smile.
“The president is here with his friends. He likes the disco,” she snapped.
“Do all his friends carry assault rifles?”
“It’s the latest fashion craze. Goes well with the Guayabera shirts. We do like to accessorize here on St. Marc.”
The smile dropped, replaced with a dark stare. The Look. How many times had he aimed it at her in the past? The man had a stubborn streak bigger than a US Navy destroyer. Jarrett leaned forward. “This country is eroding into civil unrest, Lace, elections or no elections. You need to get out. How many State
Department warnings does it take before you’ll listen?”
Anger fisted in her stomach. “Those warnings are for the tourists who come here to do poverty tours or sun themselves on the beaches. Not for ex-pats like me or Paul. And who the hell are you to tell me what to do? We’re no longer married.”
She was twenty-nine, no longer that wide-eyed girl who’d fallen hard and fast for the handsome Navy sailor with a wicked smile, husky laugh and skilled hands.
Marlee’s Mangoes was her dream now, not a life of domestic bliss with a SEAL who was gone more than he’d been home.
Gone, too, when she needed him the most. Lacey clenched her beer bottle again and pushed away thoughts of the baby they’d lost. That was the past, and St. Marc was her future.
Jarrett Adler belonged to those ghosts she’d exorcised out of her life.
“Paul.” Jarrett’s gaze narrowed. “That simpering metrosexual who’s with you?”
Blinking, she struggled to leash her temper. “Paul Lawrence is the vice president of the board for Marlee’s Mangoes and my business partner.”
The realization hit her. “Where is he? Did you do something to him, Jarrett? We’re supposed to be meeting a very important donor.”
“The very important donor driving a late-model white Montero SUV? He was unavoidably detained in the parking lot. Your vice president went to help him.”
More interference. But this time he messed with her livelihood. “Damn, Jarrett, this is my life. You’re not part of it anymore, so go home and get out of here.”
“Not without you. Darling, I’m sticking to your side until I deliver you home.”
She studied him with a keen eye. “Get used to disappointment. I’m not leaving.”
Jarrett reached out, touched her hand. “Don’t argue with me, Lacey. We haven’t seen each other in a long time, and I’d rather spend what little time we have together catching up. Or engaged in more pleasurable activities.”
A shiver of awareness raced down her spine as he slowly stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. His smug smile dropped, replaced with a burning intensity that could melt steel. When Jarrett aimed that look at her, she’d wanted to do whatever he wanted. Usually it had involved getting naked in very inventive places.
“Our days of getting horizontal are over,” she warned, drawing away her hand.
He considered, and scratched the bristles on his dimpled chin. “Vertical’s always fun, too. Or we could try those swinging chairs down by the pool.”
This is quite exciting for me as an author to see my book in a big box store. I haven't had a new release in Walmart in a few years, not since the chain stopped carrying the Nocturne line.Here's a preview of the book:
Navy Seal Seduction is a reunion romance that takes place on a tropical island about to erupt into civil war…
With the island nation of St. Marc erupting in civil war, SEAL Jarrett Adler must rescue the woman he never got over—his alluring ex-wife, Lacey. Jarrett regrets failing her as a husband, and he hopes protecting her will offer a second chance to win her trust.
As charming and sexy as Jarrett still is, Lacey knows he won’t stick around. She’s found her niche in nonprofit work and longs to create a family of her own. But when death threats and bombs arrive at her door, she turns to the man who still holds her heart. Can Jarrett and Lacey navigate their way home—and back into each other’s arms?
EXCERPT FROM NAVY SEAL SEDUCTION
(Copyright 2016 by Bonnie Vanak)
A tall, muscled pirate in a clean white shirt and black trousers stood before her in the courtyard of Le Soleil Hotel. Scowling to hide her emotions, she stared, her heart racing as if she’d run a mile up and down the nearby mountain. Black hair cropped short, he wore a pressed white shirt, the cuffs rolled up to display tanned, muscled forearms. Smooth cheeks, strong jaw and a nose that had been broken at least once.
Rugged, tough and those eyes, green as the ocean water he navigated on a mission.
Those eyes had turned smoky and dark with passion as they’d made love, and cold as the Arctic the day she’d announced she’d hired a lawyer to initiate divorce proceedings. Whoa, he still had it. Hot, hot, hot, as the locals said. Bad boy to the extreme, who made her female parts say Why, hello there!
Her female parts needed to stay quiet. This time she’d listen to her broken heart and not her hormones, even though her heart jumped at the sight of him.
He had never been there for her before, and certainly wasn’t staying now.
Lacey managed to find her voice. “I hope this is a bad dream and I’ll wake up and find you gone.”
Her ex-husband pulled out a chair, turned it around and straddled it. “Well, darling, it seems your nightmare isn’t going away. Neither am I.”
She managed to conceal her trembling hands by wrapping her fingers tight around the beer bottle. Lacey took a deep drink, relishing the cool wash of liquid sliding down her throat. It reminded her of that time after they’d consumed several beers and then he’d kissed her and they had…
Not. Going. There.
“Go away, Jarrett. If you’re here on a mission, aren’t you supposed to be invisible in your invincibility?”
He did not smile. Flickering candlelight on the table revealed the sharp angles and planes of his lean face.
Jarrett looked all business.
“You’re my mission. I’m taking you out of here. I booked us on tomorrow’s early-morning flight.” He glanced around. “Before the elections and before this place blows to hell.”
Jarrett, trying to be funny, except his expression was dead serious. Had he heard about the mysterious vandalism plaguing her compound? It had been a few minor incidents she’d written off as a nuisance caused by locals who didn’t like how she helped women, until last week’s truck fire.
That fire had not been a nuisance. It had destroyed her best working vehicle.
She glanced around at the two other occupied tables and lowered her voice.
“Are you insane? I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“St. Marc is teetering on a coup and I’m taking you back to the States.”
She knew St. Marc intimately, shied away from the hot spots and knew how to handle herself. “Elections are in two days. I know about the violence and know how to avoid it. As soon as elections are over, things will cool down. Stop wasting your time.”
“You’re at risk of getting shot, kidnapped or both.”
“The media exaggerates about a few protests downtown. It’s not violent here.”
Jarrett turned his head as six men carrying sinister-looking guns trotted out onto the courtyard, racing off toward the hotel disco. His mouth curved in a knowing smile.
“The president is here with his friends. He likes the disco,” she snapped.
“Do all his friends carry assault rifles?”
“It’s the latest fashion craze. Goes well with the Guayabera shirts. We do like to accessorize here on St. Marc.”
The smile dropped, replaced with a dark stare. The Look. How many times had he aimed it at her in the past? The man had a stubborn streak bigger than a US Navy destroyer. Jarrett leaned forward. “This country is eroding into civil unrest, Lace, elections or no elections. You need to get out. How many State
Department warnings does it take before you’ll listen?”
Anger fisted in her stomach. “Those warnings are for the tourists who come here to do poverty tours or sun themselves on the beaches. Not for ex-pats like me or Paul. And who the hell are you to tell me what to do? We’re no longer married.”
She was twenty-nine, no longer that wide-eyed girl who’d fallen hard and fast for the handsome Navy sailor with a wicked smile, husky laugh and skilled hands.
Marlee’s Mangoes was her dream now, not a life of domestic bliss with a SEAL who was gone more than he’d been home.
Gone, too, when she needed him the most. Lacey clenched her beer bottle again and pushed away thoughts of the baby they’d lost. That was the past, and St. Marc was her future.
Jarrett Adler belonged to those ghosts she’d exorcised out of her life.
“Paul.” Jarrett’s gaze narrowed. “That simpering metrosexual who’s with you?”
Blinking, she struggled to leash her temper. “Paul Lawrence is the vice president of the board for Marlee’s Mangoes and my business partner.”
The realization hit her. “Where is he? Did you do something to him, Jarrett? We’re supposed to be meeting a very important donor.”
“The very important donor driving a late-model white Montero SUV? He was unavoidably detained in the parking lot. Your vice president went to help him.”
More interference. But this time he messed with her livelihood. “Damn, Jarrett, this is my life. You’re not part of it anymore, so go home and get out of here.”
“Not without you. Darling, I’m sticking to your side until I deliver you home.”
She studied him with a keen eye. “Get used to disappointment. I’m not leaving.”
Jarrett reached out, touched her hand. “Don’t argue with me, Lacey. We haven’t seen each other in a long time, and I’d rather spend what little time we have together catching up. Or engaged in more pleasurable activities.”
A shiver of awareness raced down her spine as he slowly stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. His smug smile dropped, replaced with a burning intensity that could melt steel. When Jarrett aimed that look at her, she’d wanted to do whatever he wanted. Usually it had involved getting naked in very inventive places.
“Our days of getting horizontal are over,” she warned, drawing away her hand.
He considered, and scratched the bristles on his dimpled chin. “Vertical’s always fun, too. Or we could try those swinging chairs down by the pool.”
July 15, 2016
Tweets from RWA and Michael Hauge's great workshop
I'm not at RWA 2016 (sob!) but I have followed Twitter closely. There's a great person who tweeted detailed notes from Michael Hauge's workshop. I retweeted all her notes and presented them below for those of you who are interested. The notes are very helpful when you are starting a new book, like me, or revamping a WIP.
And follow https://twitter.com/ArtWellPub on Twitter. Best conference workshop notes ever! Thank you!
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 18m18 minutes agoThe secondary characters should be introduced before the MC begins pursuing their goal. @michael_hauge #RWA161. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 21m21 minutes agoOnce the MC is living in their essence, they develop the strength to overcome the nemesis. @michael_hauge #RWA16
LikeMore2. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 25m25 minutes agoAt the end of the story, show the h/h not only living happily ever after, but leading transformed, courageous lives. @michael_hauge #RWA16
LikeMore3. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 31m31 minutes agoBefore the midpoint, the h/h connect at the essence level, but then retreat back into their essence. @michael_hauge#RWA16More4. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 33m33 minutes agoThe h/h come together because they connect at the level of their essence. Their conflict is at the identity level. @michael_hauge#RWA16
More5. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 35m35 minutes agoThe love interest must be the object of the MC's active pursuit. @michael_hauge #RWA16
LikeMore6. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 36m36 minutes agoAt the end of the story, the MC is forced to choose between the outer goal and the love interest. @michael_hauge#RWA16
LikeMore7. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 40m40 minutes agoIn a love story, the heroine should have a goal other than the love story at the beginning. @michael_hauge #RWA16
More8. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 41m41 minutes agoThe rival is often the nemesis in a love story. @michael_hauge #RWA16
LikeMore9. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 44m44 minutes agoThe nemesis character is the MC's opponent and must be stronger than the MC. The nemesis embodies the inner conflict. @michael_hauge#RWA16
LikeMore10. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 47m47 minutes agoA secondary reflection character might be an enabler who discourages the MC from achieving the goal. @michael_hauge#RWA16
LikeMore11. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 49m49 minutes agoThe reflection character may be a sidekick, a spouse, a mentor, a guardian, or a wise child. @michael_hauge #RWA1612. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 54m54 minutes agoThe reflection character is closest to the MC, helping her reach her outer goal and pushing her toward her essence. @michael_hauge#RWA16
More13. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 55m55 minutes agoSecondary characters may also have their own arc. Usually the nemesis doesn't. @michael_hauge #RWA161 retweet0 likesReplyRetweetede
More14. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 57m57 minutes agoThe secondary characters are defined by the outer conflict but illuminate the inner conflict. @michael_hauge #RWA161 retweet0 likesReply
Retweeted
More15. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 59m59 minutes agoWhen the MC initially starts pursuing the goal, they believe it will allow them to stay in their identity. @michael_hauge#RWA16Likeke
More16. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour ago"Story tells us how to live better." ~Will Smith @michael_hauge #RWA16ike
More17. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoThe character's choice is to be safe and stuck or to be fulfilled and terrified. @michael_hauge #RWA161 retweet0 likesReply
More18. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoThe only way the heroine can win the hero is through the death of her identity (and vice versa). @michael_hauge#RWA162 retweets3 likes
Replyetweeted
More20. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoThe character believes that their identity is who they truly are. That's why they can't let it go. @michael_hauge#RWA1621. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoIn the story, the MC can't achieve the goal without stripping off their armor and living in their essence. @michael_hauge#RWA16
ike
More22. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoThe character's essence is the true self beneath their identity - the person they have the potential to become. @michael_hauge#RWA16
LikeMore23. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoThe identity keeps the character safe, but it also keeps them stuck. @michael_hauge #RWA16
ike
More24. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoThe character's identity is the mask or false self she presents to the world to protect her from her fear. @michael_hauge#RWA161
More25. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoWhat the character fears is experiencing the wound again. @michael_hauge #RWA16
ike1
More26. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoFalse beliefs become so ingrained that the character ignores all evidence to the contrary. @michael_hauge #RWA16
More27. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoBeliefs that grow from wounds are never true but always logical. @michael_hauge #RWA162
More28. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoIdentify the MC's belief: the false understanding of the world that developed from the wound. @michael_hauge #RWA16
More29. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoIdentify your MC's wound: an unhealed source of continuing pain from before the action begins, usually adolescence. @michael_hauge#RWA161 retweet1 likeReply
Retweetedike
More30. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoEvery story has four basic elements: character, desire, conflict, and change. @michael_hauge #RWA161 retweet2 likesReply
Retweeted
More31. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoBy the end of the story, the main characters have changed, as have the other characters, story world, reader & author. @michael_hauge #RWA16
More32. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoOpen your story in the MC's ordinary world. Reveal two familiar characteristics and one unique one. @michael_hauge#RWA16
Like
More33. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoWhen the story opens, create empathy for the MC before you reveal their flaws. @michael_hauge #RWA16More34. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoThere are several ways to create empathy for the MC: 1. Show your MC experiencing an undeserved misfortune. @michael_hauge#RWA16
More35. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoYou can create empathy by 2) placing your MC in jeopardy or 3) making you MC likeable. @michael_hauge #RWA16
More36. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoYou can create empathy by 4) showing your MC's expertise or 5) making your MC funny. @michael_hauge #RWA16
More37. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoIn the setup, your MC should be stuck: in some state of inertia that stops her from living her authentic life. @michael_hauge#RWA16
More38. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoThe other journey, the inner journey, is one of transformation from living in fear to living in courage. @michael_hauge#RWA16
More39. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoAsk what your character's longing is. A longing is something they say they want but take no action to get. @michael_hauge#RWA16
More40. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoMost characters are so shut down they won't even admit that something is missing. This is the character's need. @michael_hauge#RWA16
More
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoThe hero or heroine in a story is not heroic in the beginning, but has the potential to become heroic. @michael_hauge#RWA16
More
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 19m19 minutes ago
By the end, the MC stops asking, what can I do to not be afraid, and starts asking, am I willing to be afraid.@
michael_hauge
#
RWA16
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 39m39 minutes agoOnce the MC is living in their essence, they develop the strength to overcome the nemesis.
@
michael_hauge
#
RWA16
And follow https://twitter.com/ArtWellPub on Twitter. Best conference workshop notes ever! Thank you!
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 18m18 minutes agoThe secondary characters should be introduced before the MC begins pursuing their goal. @michael_hauge #RWA161. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 21m21 minutes agoOnce the MC is living in their essence, they develop the strength to overcome the nemesis. @michael_hauge #RWA16
LikeMore2. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 25m25 minutes agoAt the end of the story, show the h/h not only living happily ever after, but leading transformed, courageous lives. @michael_hauge #RWA16
LikeMore3. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 31m31 minutes agoBefore the midpoint, the h/h connect at the essence level, but then retreat back into their essence. @michael_hauge#RWA16More4. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 33m33 minutes agoThe h/h come together because they connect at the level of their essence. Their conflict is at the identity level. @michael_hauge#RWA16
More5. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 35m35 minutes agoThe love interest must be the object of the MC's active pursuit. @michael_hauge #RWA16
LikeMore6. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 36m36 minutes agoAt the end of the story, the MC is forced to choose between the outer goal and the love interest. @michael_hauge#RWA16
LikeMore7. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 40m40 minutes agoIn a love story, the heroine should have a goal other than the love story at the beginning. @michael_hauge #RWA16
More8. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 41m41 minutes agoThe rival is often the nemesis in a love story. @michael_hauge #RWA16
LikeMore9. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 44m44 minutes agoThe nemesis character is the MC's opponent and must be stronger than the MC. The nemesis embodies the inner conflict. @michael_hauge#RWA16
LikeMore10. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 47m47 minutes agoA secondary reflection character might be an enabler who discourages the MC from achieving the goal. @michael_hauge#RWA16
LikeMore11. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 49m49 minutes agoThe reflection character may be a sidekick, a spouse, a mentor, a guardian, or a wise child. @michael_hauge #RWA1612. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 54m54 minutes agoThe reflection character is closest to the MC, helping her reach her outer goal and pushing her toward her essence. @michael_hauge#RWA16
More13. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 55m55 minutes agoSecondary characters may also have their own arc. Usually the nemesis doesn't. @michael_hauge #RWA161 retweet0 likesReplyRetweetede
More14. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 57m57 minutes agoThe secondary characters are defined by the outer conflict but illuminate the inner conflict. @michael_hauge #RWA161 retweet0 likesReply
Retweeted
More15. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 59m59 minutes agoWhen the MC initially starts pursuing the goal, they believe it will allow them to stay in their identity. @michael_hauge#RWA16Likeke
More16. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour ago"Story tells us how to live better." ~Will Smith @michael_hauge #RWA16ike
More17. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoThe character's choice is to be safe and stuck or to be fulfilled and terrified. @michael_hauge #RWA161 retweet0 likesReply
More18. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoThe only way the heroine can win the hero is through the death of her identity (and vice versa). @michael_hauge#RWA162 retweets3 likes
Replyetweeted
More20. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoThe character believes that their identity is who they truly are. That's why they can't let it go. @michael_hauge#RWA1621. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoIn the story, the MC can't achieve the goal without stripping off their armor and living in their essence. @michael_hauge#RWA16
ike
More22. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoThe character's essence is the true self beneath their identity - the person they have the potential to become. @michael_hauge#RWA16
LikeMore23. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoThe identity keeps the character safe, but it also keeps them stuck. @michael_hauge #RWA16
ike
More24. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoThe character's identity is the mask or false self she presents to the world to protect her from her fear. @michael_hauge#RWA161
More25. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoWhat the character fears is experiencing the wound again. @michael_hauge #RWA16
ike1
More26. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoFalse beliefs become so ingrained that the character ignores all evidence to the contrary. @michael_hauge #RWA16
More27. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoBeliefs that grow from wounds are never true but always logical. @michael_hauge #RWA162
More28. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoIdentify the MC's belief: the false understanding of the world that developed from the wound. @michael_hauge #RWA16
More29. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoIdentify your MC's wound: an unhealed source of continuing pain from before the action begins, usually adolescence. @michael_hauge#RWA161 retweet1 likeReply
Retweetedike
More30. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoEvery story has four basic elements: character, desire, conflict, and change. @michael_hauge #RWA161 retweet2 likesReply
Retweeted
More31. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoBy the end of the story, the main characters have changed, as have the other characters, story world, reader & author. @michael_hauge #RWA16
More32. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoOpen your story in the MC's ordinary world. Reveal two familiar characteristics and one unique one. @michael_hauge#RWA16
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More33. You RetweetedArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoWhen the story opens, create empathy for the MC before you reveal their flaws. @michael_hauge #RWA16More34. You Retweeted
ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoThere are several ways to create empathy for the MC: 1. Show your MC experiencing an undeserved misfortune. @michael_hauge#RWA16
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ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoYou can create empathy by 2) placing your MC in jeopardy or 3) making you MC likeable. @michael_hauge #RWA16
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ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoYou can create empathy by 4) showing your MC's expertise or 5) making your MC funny. @michael_hauge #RWA16
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ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoIn the setup, your MC should be stuck: in some state of inertia that stops her from living her authentic life. @michael_hauge#RWA16
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ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoThe other journey, the inner journey, is one of transformation from living in fear to living in courage. @michael_hauge#RWA16
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ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoAsk what your character's longing is. A longing is something they say they want but take no action to get. @michael_hauge#RWA16
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ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 1h1 hour agoMost characters are so shut down they won't even admit that something is missing. This is the character's need. @michael_hauge#RWA16
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ArtesianWellPublish @ArtWellPub 2h2 hours agoThe hero or heroine in a story is not heroic in the beginning, but has the potential to become heroic. @michael_hauge#RWA16
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By the end, the MC stops asking, what can I do to not be afraid, and starts asking, am I willing to be afraid.
ArtesianWellPublish
July 5, 2016
Navy Seal Seduction is now available! My first romantic s...
Navy Seal Seduction is now available! My first romantic suspense novel from Harlequin is now available in print and ebook. It’s the first in a triology of Navy Seal books about Project SOS.Click here to order on Amazon.
Books and Spoons gives Navy Seal Seduction four spoons!
“The story touches your heart with all the loss, sorrow, and pain of the past. It is humorous, with the witty dialog between Jarrett and Lacey, sweet when it comes to Lacey’s daughter, dangerous when the action picks up, and completely swoon worthy with new flame developing between Lacey and Jarrett. All around entertaining story.”
Navy Seal Seduction is a reunion romance that takes place on a tropical island about to erupt into civil war…
With the island nation of St. Marc erupting in civil war, SEAL Jarrett Adler must rescue the woman he never got over—his alluring ex-wife, Lacey. Jarrett regrets failing her as a husband, and he hopes protecting her will offer a second chance to win her trust.
As charming and sexy as Jarrett still is, Lacey knows he won’t stick around. She’s found her niche in nonprofit work and longs to create a family of her own. But when death threats and bombs arrive at her door, she turns to the man who still holds her heart. Can Jarrett and Lacey navigate their way home—and back into each other’s arms?
EXCERPT FROM NAVY SEAL SEDUCTION
(Copyright 2016 by Bonnie Vanak)
A tall, muscled pirate in a clean white shirt and black trousers stood before her in the courtyard of Le Soleil Hotel. Scowling to hide her emotions, she stared, her heart racing as if she’d run a mile up and down the nearby mountain. Black hair cropped short, he wore a pressed white shirt, the cuffs rolled up to display tanned, muscled forearms. Smooth cheeks, strong jaw and a nose that had been broken at least once.
Rugged, tough and those eyes, green as the ocean water he navigated on a mission.
Those eyes had turned smoky and dark with passion as they’d made love, and cold as the Arctic the day she’d announced she’d hired a lawyer to initiate divorce proceedings. Whoa, he still had it. Hot, hot, hot, as the locals said. Bad boy to the extreme, who made her female parts say Why, hello there!
Her female parts needed to stay quiet. This time she’d listen to her broken heart and not her hormones, even though her heart jumped at the sight of him.
He had never been there for her before, and certainly wasn’t staying now.
Lacey managed to find her voice. “I hope this is a bad dream and I’ll wake up and find you gone.”
Her ex-husband pulled out a chair, turned it around and straddled it. “Well, darling, it seems your nightmare isn’t going away. Neither am I.”
She managed to conceal her trembling hands by wrapping her fingers tight around the beer bottle. Lacey took a deep drink, relishing the cool wash of liquid sliding down her throat. It reminded her of that time after they’d consumed several beers and then he’d kissed her and they had…
Not. Going. There.
“Go away, Jarrett. If you’re here on a mission, aren’t you supposed to be invisible in your invincibility?”
He did not smile. Flickering candlelight on the table revealed the sharp angles and planes of his lean face.
Jarrett looked all business.
“You’re my mission. I’m taking you out of here. I booked us on tomorrow’s early-morning flight.” He glanced around. “Before the elections and before this place blows to hell.”
Jarrett, trying to be funny, except his expression was dead serious. Had he heard about the mysterious vandalism plaguing her compound? It had been a few minor incidents she’d written off as a nuisance caused by locals who didn’t like how she helped women, until last week’s truck fire.
That fire had not been a nuisance. It had destroyed her best working vehicle.
She glanced around at the two other occupied tables and lowered her voice.
“Are you insane? I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“St. Marc is teetering on a coup and I’m taking you back to the States.”
She knew St. Marc intimately, shied away from the hot spots and knew how to handle herself. “Elections are in two days. I know about the violence and know how to avoid it. As soon as elections are over, things will cool down. Stop wasting your time.”
“You’re at risk of getting shot, kidnapped or both.”
“The media exaggerates about a few protests downtown. It’s not violent here.”
Jarrett turned his head as six men carrying sinister-looking guns trotted out onto the courtyard, racing off toward the hotel disco. His mouth curved in a knowing smile.
“The president is here with his friends. He likes the disco,” she snapped.
“Do all his friends carry assault rifles?”
“It’s the latest fashion craze. Goes well with the Guayabera shirts. We do like to accessorize here on St. Marc.”
The smile dropped, replaced with a dark stare. The Look. How many times had he aimed it at her in the past? The man had a stubborn streak bigger than a US Navy destroyer. Jarrett leaned forward. “This country is eroding into civil unrest, Lace, elections or no elections. You need to get out. How many State
Department warnings does it take before you’ll listen?”
Anger fisted in her stomach. “Those warnings are for the tourists who come here to do poverty tours or sun themselves on the beaches. Not for ex-pats like me or Paul. And who the hell are you to tell me what to do? We’re no longer married.”
She was twenty-nine, no longer that wide-eyed girl who’d fallen hard and fast for the handsome Navy sailor with a wicked smile, husky laugh and skilled hands.
Marlee’s Mangoes was her dream now, not a life of domestic bliss with a SEAL who was gone more than he’d been home.
Gone, too, when she needed him the most. Lacey clenched her beer bottle again and pushed away thoughts of the baby they’d lost. That was the past, and St. Marc was her future.
Jarrett Adler belonged to those ghosts she’d exorcised out of her life.
“Paul.” Jarrett’s gaze narrowed. “That simpering metrosexual who’s with you?”
Blinking, she struggled to leash her temper. “Paul Lawrence is the vice president of the board for Marlee’s Mangoes and my business partner.”
The realization hit her. “Where is he? Did you do something to him, Jarrett? We’re supposed to be meeting a very important donor.”
“The very important donor driving a late-model white Montero SUV? He was unavoidably detained in the parking lot. Your vice president went to help him.”
More interference. But this time he messed with her livelihood. “Damn, Jarrett, this is my life. You’re not part of it anymore, so go home and get out of here.”
“Not without you. Darling, I’m sticking to your side until I deliver you home.”
She studied him with a keen eye. “Get used to disappointment. I’m not leaving.”
Jarrett reached out, touched her hand. “Don’t argue with me, Lacey. We haven’t seen each other in a long time, and I’d rather spend what little time we have together catching up. Or engaged in more pleasurable activities.”
A shiver of awareness raced down her spine as he slowly stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. His smug smile dropped, replaced with a burning intensity that could melt steel. When Jarrett aimed that look at her, she’d wanted to do whatever he wanted. Usually it had involved getting naked in very inventive places.
“Our days of getting horizontal are over,” she warned, drawing away her hand.
He considered, and scratched the bristles on his dimpled chin. “Vertical’s always fun, too. Or we could try those swinging chairs down by the pool.”
Click here to order on Amazon.
June 16, 2016
Sexy Navy Seals!
Navy Seal Seduction, my first romantic suspense book for Harlequin, is out July 1!
A navy SEAL takes on a death-defying assignment to save the one who got away…
With the island nation of St. Marc erupting in civil war, SEAL Jarrett Adler must rescue the woman he never got over—his alluring ex-wife, Lacey. Jarrett regrets failing her as a husband, and he hopes protecting her will offer a second chance to win her trust.
As charming and sexy as Jarrett still is, Lacey knows he won't stick around. She's found her niche in nonprofit work and longs to create a family of her own. But when death threats and bombs arrive at her door, she turns to the man who still holds her heart. Can Jarrett and Lacey navigate their way home—and back into each other's arms?
EXCERPT FROM NAVY SEAL SEDUCTION
(Copyright 2016 by Bonnie Vanak)
A tall, muscled pirate in a clean white shirt and black trousers stood before her in the courtyard of Le Soleil Hotel. Scowling to hide her emotions, she stared, her heart racing as if she'd run a mile up and down the nearby mountain. Black hair cropped short, he wore a pressed white shirt, the cuffs rolled up to display tanned, muscled forearms. Smooth cheeks, strong jaw and a nose that had been broken at least once.
Rugged, tough and those eyes, green as the ocean water he navigated on a mission.
Those eyes had turned smoky and dark with passion as they'd made love, and cold as the Arctic the day she'd announced she'd hired a lawyer to initiate divorce proceedings. Whoa, he still had it. Hot, hot, hot, as the locals said. Bad boy to the extreme, who made her female parts say Why, hello there!
Her female parts needed to stay quiet. This time she'd listen to her broken heart and not her hormones, even though her heart jumped at the sight of him.
He had never been there for her before, and certainly wasn't staying now.
Lacey managed to find her voice. "I hope this is a bad dream and I'll wake up and find you gone."
Her ex-husband pulled out a chair, turned it around and straddled it. "Well, darling, it seems your nightmare isn't going away. Neither am I."
She managed to conceal her trembling hands by wrapping her fingers tight around the beer bottle. Lacey took a deep drink, relishing the cool wash of liquid sliding down her throat. It reminded her of that time after they'd consumed several beers and then he'd kissed her and they had…
Not. Going. There.
"Go away, Jarrett. If you're here on a mission, aren't you supposed to be invisible in your invincibility?"
He did not smile. Flickering candlelight on the table revealed the sharp angles and planes of his lean face.
Jarrett looked all business.
"You're my mission. I'm taking you out of here. I booked us on tomorrow's early-morning flight." He glanced around. "Before the elections and before this place blows to hell."
Jarrett, trying to be funny, except his expression was dead serious. Had he heard about the mysterious vandalism plaguing her compound? It had been a few minor incidents she'd written off as a nuisance caused by locals who didn't like how she helped women, until last week's truck fire.
That fire had not been a nuisance. It had destroyed her best working vehicle.
She glanced around at the two other occupied tables and lowered her voice.
"Are you insane? I'm not going anywhere with you."
"St. Marc is teetering on a coup and I'm taking you back to the States."
She knew St. Marc intimately, shied away from the hot spots and knew how to handle herself. "Elections are in two days. I know about the violence and know how to avoid it. As soon as elections are over, things will cool down. Stop wasting your time."
"You're at risk of getting shot, kidnapped or both."
"The media exaggerates about a few protests downtown. It's not violent here."
Jarrett turned his head as six men carrying sinister-looking guns trotted out onto the courtyard, racing off toward the hotel disco. His mouth curved in a knowing smile.
"The president is here with his friends. He likes the disco," she snapped.
"Do all his friends carry assault rifles?"
"It's the latest fashion craze. Goes well with the Guayabera shirts. We do like to accessorize here on St. Marc."
The smile dropped, replaced with a dark stare. The Look. How many times had he aimed it at her in the past? The man had a stubborn streak bigger than a US Navy destroyer. Jarrett leaned forward. "This country is eroding into civil unrest, Lace, elections or no elections. You need to get out. How many State
Department warnings does it take before you'll listen?"
Anger fisted in her stomach. "Those warnings are for the tourists who come here to do poverty tours or sun themselves on the beaches. Not for ex-pats like me or Paul. And who the hell are you to tell me what to do? We're no longer married."
She was twenty-nine, no longer that wide-eyed girl who'd fallen hard and fast for the handsome Navy sailor with a wicked smile, husky laugh and skilled hands.
Marlee's Mangoes was her dream now, not a life of domestic bliss with a SEAL who was gone more than he'd been home.
Gone, too, when she needed him the most. Lacey clenched her beer bottle again and pushed away thoughts of the baby they'd lost. That was the past, and St. Marc was her future.
Jarrett Adler belonged to those ghosts she'd exorcised out of her life.
"Paul." Jarrett's gaze narrowed. "That simpering metrosexual who's with you?"
Blinking, she struggled to leash her temper. "Paul Lawrence is the vice president of the board for Marlee's Mangoes and my business partner."
The realization hit her. "Where is he? Did you do something to him, Jarrett? We're supposed to be meeting a very important donor."
"The very important donor driving a late-model white Montero SUV? He was unavoidably detained in the parking lot. Your vice president went to help him."
More interference. But this time he messed with her livelihood. "Damn, Jarrett, this is my life. You're not part of it anymore, so go home and get out of here."
"Not without you. Darling, I'm sticking to your side until I deliver you home."
She studied him with a keen eye. "Get used to disappointment. I'm not leaving."
Jarrett reached out, touched her hand. "Don't argue with me, Lacey. We haven't seen each other in a long time, and I'd rather spend what little time we have together catching up. Or engaged in more pleasurable activities."
A shiver of awareness raced down her spine as he slowly stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. His smug smile dropped, replaced with a burning intensity that could melt steel. When Jarrett aimed that look at her, she'd wanted to do whatever he wanted. Usually it had involved getting naked in very inventive places.
"Our days of getting horizontal are over," she warned, drawing away her hand.
He considered, and scratched the bristles on his dimpled chin. "Vertical's always fun, too. Or we could try those swinging chairs down by the pool."
Click here to pre-order on Amazon.
A navy SEAL takes on a death-defying assignment to save the one who got away…
With the island nation of St. Marc erupting in civil war, SEAL Jarrett Adler must rescue the woman he never got over—his alluring ex-wife, Lacey. Jarrett regrets failing her as a husband, and he hopes protecting her will offer a second chance to win her trust.
As charming and sexy as Jarrett still is, Lacey knows he won't stick around. She's found her niche in nonprofit work and longs to create a family of her own. But when death threats and bombs arrive at her door, she turns to the man who still holds her heart. Can Jarrett and Lacey navigate their way home—and back into each other's arms?
EXCERPT FROM NAVY SEAL SEDUCTION
(Copyright 2016 by Bonnie Vanak)
A tall, muscled pirate in a clean white shirt and black trousers stood before her in the courtyard of Le Soleil Hotel. Scowling to hide her emotions, she stared, her heart racing as if she'd run a mile up and down the nearby mountain. Black hair cropped short, he wore a pressed white shirt, the cuffs rolled up to display tanned, muscled forearms. Smooth cheeks, strong jaw and a nose that had been broken at least once.
Rugged, tough and those eyes, green as the ocean water he navigated on a mission.
Those eyes had turned smoky and dark with passion as they'd made love, and cold as the Arctic the day she'd announced she'd hired a lawyer to initiate divorce proceedings. Whoa, he still had it. Hot, hot, hot, as the locals said. Bad boy to the extreme, who made her female parts say Why, hello there!
Her female parts needed to stay quiet. This time she'd listen to her broken heart and not her hormones, even though her heart jumped at the sight of him.
He had never been there for her before, and certainly wasn't staying now.
Lacey managed to find her voice. "I hope this is a bad dream and I'll wake up and find you gone."
Her ex-husband pulled out a chair, turned it around and straddled it. "Well, darling, it seems your nightmare isn't going away. Neither am I."
She managed to conceal her trembling hands by wrapping her fingers tight around the beer bottle. Lacey took a deep drink, relishing the cool wash of liquid sliding down her throat. It reminded her of that time after they'd consumed several beers and then he'd kissed her and they had…
Not. Going. There.
"Go away, Jarrett. If you're here on a mission, aren't you supposed to be invisible in your invincibility?"
He did not smile. Flickering candlelight on the table revealed the sharp angles and planes of his lean face.
Jarrett looked all business.
"You're my mission. I'm taking you out of here. I booked us on tomorrow's early-morning flight." He glanced around. "Before the elections and before this place blows to hell."
Jarrett, trying to be funny, except his expression was dead serious. Had he heard about the mysterious vandalism plaguing her compound? It had been a few minor incidents she'd written off as a nuisance caused by locals who didn't like how she helped women, until last week's truck fire.
That fire had not been a nuisance. It had destroyed her best working vehicle.
She glanced around at the two other occupied tables and lowered her voice.
"Are you insane? I'm not going anywhere with you."
"St. Marc is teetering on a coup and I'm taking you back to the States."
She knew St. Marc intimately, shied away from the hot spots and knew how to handle herself. "Elections are in two days. I know about the violence and know how to avoid it. As soon as elections are over, things will cool down. Stop wasting your time."
"You're at risk of getting shot, kidnapped or both."
"The media exaggerates about a few protests downtown. It's not violent here."
Jarrett turned his head as six men carrying sinister-looking guns trotted out onto the courtyard, racing off toward the hotel disco. His mouth curved in a knowing smile.
"The president is here with his friends. He likes the disco," she snapped.
"Do all his friends carry assault rifles?"
"It's the latest fashion craze. Goes well with the Guayabera shirts. We do like to accessorize here on St. Marc."
The smile dropped, replaced with a dark stare. The Look. How many times had he aimed it at her in the past? The man had a stubborn streak bigger than a US Navy destroyer. Jarrett leaned forward. "This country is eroding into civil unrest, Lace, elections or no elections. You need to get out. How many State
Department warnings does it take before you'll listen?"
Anger fisted in her stomach. "Those warnings are for the tourists who come here to do poverty tours or sun themselves on the beaches. Not for ex-pats like me or Paul. And who the hell are you to tell me what to do? We're no longer married."
She was twenty-nine, no longer that wide-eyed girl who'd fallen hard and fast for the handsome Navy sailor with a wicked smile, husky laugh and skilled hands.
Marlee's Mangoes was her dream now, not a life of domestic bliss with a SEAL who was gone more than he'd been home.
Gone, too, when she needed him the most. Lacey clenched her beer bottle again and pushed away thoughts of the baby they'd lost. That was the past, and St. Marc was her future.
Jarrett Adler belonged to those ghosts she'd exorcised out of her life.
"Paul." Jarrett's gaze narrowed. "That simpering metrosexual who's with you?"
Blinking, she struggled to leash her temper. "Paul Lawrence is the vice president of the board for Marlee's Mangoes and my business partner."
The realization hit her. "Where is he? Did you do something to him, Jarrett? We're supposed to be meeting a very important donor."
"The very important donor driving a late-model white Montero SUV? He was unavoidably detained in the parking lot. Your vice president went to help him."
More interference. But this time he messed with her livelihood. "Damn, Jarrett, this is my life. You're not part of it anymore, so go home and get out of here."
"Not without you. Darling, I'm sticking to your side until I deliver you home."
She studied him with a keen eye. "Get used to disappointment. I'm not leaving."
Jarrett reached out, touched her hand. "Don't argue with me, Lacey. We haven't seen each other in a long time, and I'd rather spend what little time we have together catching up. Or engaged in more pleasurable activities."
A shiver of awareness raced down her spine as he slowly stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. His smug smile dropped, replaced with a burning intensity that could melt steel. When Jarrett aimed that look at her, she'd wanted to do whatever he wanted. Usually it had involved getting naked in very inventive places.
"Our days of getting horizontal are over," she warned, drawing away her hand.
He considered, and scratched the bristles on his dimpled chin. "Vertical's always fun, too. Or we could try those swinging chairs down by the pool."
Click here to pre-order on Amazon.
June 4, 2016
New dragon book!
The Mating Destiny is now available for purchase! Werewolves of Montana Book 7 is only $2.99 on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, Nook and Google!
In all his 150 years as dragon, sexy, handsome Crown Prince Alexander d’Mateo de Drakon Tremaine has been treated with privilege and respect. And then he met a half-blood who turned his world upside down and made him see life in a new light. Alex would do anything for Emma, even fight to the last drop of his royal blood to keep her safe. But they can never be more than friends, for Alex is destined to marry and mate with a princess from a rival clan to unite their two kingdoms.Half-blood dragon Emma Kantris is servant to Alex’s intended, and she knows his marriage will mean much-needed change for both dragon clans. Through his union with Princess Sabrina, Alex can finally eradicate the hated caste system that suppresses Emma and other half-bloods. Secretly, her heart longs for Alex, the dashing prince who has been a friend when all others deserted her, even though Emma has been warned to stay away. But when Emma is abducted by her enemies, it’s Alex who’s off to rescue her, and in doing so he may pay a price that could endanger them both…EXCERPT FROM THE MATING DESTINY
(Copyright © 2016 by Bonnie Vanak)She was dragon, and had fought every step of the way for what little she had. No parents to assist her, few friends within her own clan.Only Sabrina, bless her, who understood her thirst for knowledge and desire to improve her status through reading.But the damnable caste system in Clan Ciamoth could not be changed.Still, Alex was here, with her now. In a brothel, and he had purchased her body. Taking a break from the bracelet, for her wrist was chafed and hurt, she stared at Alex. Emma licked her lips, studying his very nice buttocks as he knelt on the seat cushion to wrap his hand and test the bars again.Khaki material stretched over the twin globes, cupping them tight. She wondered what it would feel like to cup his ass, to squeeze and knead that smooth skin as he lay atop her, and joined his muscled body to hers…Alex, nude in bed with her. Arousal filled her, the wicked thoughts that haunted her long, lonely nights. He was strictly off limits, especially now after the warning from her attackers, but a girl could still dream."Is it true what they say about male dragons?" Em tried to avoid looking at Alex's rather large, elegant hands and his long fingers.He turned from the iron bars. "What?""That if a dragon's middle claw, er, finger, is longer than his ring finger, it means he is, ah, endowed. At least an inch longer."Alex stared."You know." Em pointed to her crotch.He burst into laughter. "Em, that's a myth.""Oh." Heat suffused her chest and neck. She felt silly for bringing it up, but one of the girls in the basement had said it was true.Alex held up his right hand. The middle finger was considerably longer than his ring finger. "It's two inches, not one.""Oh. Ohhhh." Now the blush spread like wildfire across her face.A wicked grin touched his full, handsome face. "Would you like to see the evidence?""Um, that's okay." She rose off the bed and went to the table that held fruit and a pitcher of ice water to pour herself a glass. She drank deeply and set the glass down. It was getting hot in here. Too hot.He took his polo shirt and studied the black marks magick had left behind on the knit fabric. Powerful magick indeed. The darkest kind. He put the shirt back on."I'd offer to launder that for you, but I'm afraid I don't know where the washing machines are.""Em." Alex twisted the gold signet ring on his left pinkie. He always did that when thinking. Maybe the ring was hard-wired to his gray matter. "This is serious.""Don't I know it? I'm trapped here in a brothel, you bought me for the night and I don't even know if they have my favorite pasta here or cable. I'm kinda out of luck. Plus I lost my phone. I hate it when I lose my phone. How am I supposed to tweet now? I was so looking forward to posting on Instagram and Facebook that I'd been dragon-napped and I was at a brothel, forced to wear a harem outfit and learn to like grapes and cheap wine."Crossing the room, he enfolded her into his arms. "You're shaking."Like a leaf in the wind, but no need to tell him that. Even if she could disguise her fear with jokes, he could detect her scent. Dragons were excellent at sniffing out fear.It made prey all the easier to track down, and kill.She lifted her head and saw him staring down at her. "I'm not going to hurt you, Em," he said quietly."Or eat me?"The question was a hoarse whisper, though she'd intended it to be light and teasing. Alex's mouth quirked in a slight smile."Not for dinner."But she caught his racing pulse, his dilated eyes and heard the heavy beat of his heart. "Maybe for… dessert. With whipped cream and a cherry on top.""No need for a cherry. You did buy a virgin, you know."His beautiful blue-green eyes widened to dinner plates. "Em…"She cut in, not wanting to pursue that particular thread. "Alex, remember last year when you and I snuck into the Trolling & Strolling strip club because you left your wallet there after that bachelor party, and you saw the python in the stripper's dressing room and you realized how hungry you were… because the strip club offered only cheese and crackers and hard liquor…and you ate him?""Em…""And I had to grab your wallet and the manager saw us and shifted into a grizzly bear and threatened to bite your balls off? Remember how scared I was?""Em…""This is worse." She swallowed hard. "Much worse. I'm trying hard to pretend this is all a nightmare or a dream, because you are here and it's a dream to be with you, but I'm so scared I feel like my heart's jumping out of my chest."He smoothed back a tendril of hair from her cheek. "Em, I'm here. I will not let anything happen to you." Purchase on Amazon!
May 23, 2016
Summer Heat!
16 All New SCORCHING HOT Romances from NY Times, USA Today, and International Bestselling Authors!!!Don't Wait! Order NOW from: Amazon ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~
Amazon UK
~ Google Guaranteed to make your blood run hot. Passion, steamy nights, excitement, and suspense. Something to suit every reader's taste. Grab a cool drink (you'll need it!), find a hammock, and curl up for an unforgettable escape. 
1: Caridad Pineiro, Under the Boardwalk - A passionate night under the boardwalk brought them together, but can Chase and Natalie rekindle that lost love in just one night? 
2: Nina Bruhns, Fast and Flirty - The top-secret package STORM Corps transporter Kade Maddox is hired to deliver turns out to be way more trouble—and a whole lot sexier—than he ever anticipated.
3: Rebecca York, Outlaw Justice - Will a surprise reunion with her old lover save her life when she flees from a homicidal husband? 
4: Jennifer Lowery, The Fall (Book #2 ATCOM series) - The last thing ATCOM agent Brendan Devayne wants is to settle down, but Mia Lawrence makes him think twice…
5: Taylor Lee, Jared: (Book 1, The Justice Brothers Series) - The rookie cop learned the hard way that when tangling with the Justice Brothers, Justice—like Love-- isn’t always fair or easy.
6: Traci Hall, Festival by the Sea - Al Cooper’s too bad to be a cop and too good to be a crook; Darcy Smith can’t get enough.
7: Stephanie Queen, Beachcomber Heat - This summer’s heat wave on Martha’s Vineyard is breaking records, but so is the crime wave. The combination is causing a wave of red-hot dangerous desire between Dane and Shana.
8: Kathy Ivan, Sex, Lies and Apple Pies - A televised baking competition brings them together. But deceit, intrigue and revenge are on this menu. Can their love survive?
9: Jackie Ivie, The Hunted - LeeAnn’s got business in Miami. Bring on the sun. Sand. Sexy men to look at. The last thing she expects is to be someone’s target.
10: Michele Hauf, The Geek Gets The Girl - Mistaken for the IT geek? This sexy CEO is about to learn the intimate operations of his company—up close, and personal.
11: Rachelle Ayala, Bad Boys for Hire: Ken (Bad Boys for Hire Series, #2) - After Jolie Becker is left at the altar, her friends secretly hire a hunky beach bum to cheer her up.
12: Katy Walters, Sands of Seduction - Clary escaped to a place of sea and sand, a place of passion and seduction.
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May 4, 2016
Excerpt from The Mating Season
This is Tristan, the Silver Wizard's book.
In the centuries since he became immortal, Tristan, the Silver Wizard, has awaited the return of his long lost love. Nikita was his life and his heart, and when he died as mortal fighting for the freedom of Lupines and dragons, it was with her name on his lips. Now he has found her again, and Tristan is determined to claim her and fulfill his legacy – by impregnating her with his child. He will take her to his heavenly home in Tir Na-nog to show her the passion they once shared in another life. Before they can reach there, he must protect Nikita from his enemies, and he will fight with all his power to keep her safe from all harm.
The handsome, sensual wizard who saved her life from a lethal virus and swept her off her feet is no mere werewolf like herself. He is the Silver Wizard – the ruler of all werewolves, with the power to turn them into dust. Possessive and protective, he wants to recapture the love they had 900 years ago – a love Nikita cannot recall. All she knows are dreams of his passionate lovemaking and a burning desire for his touch. If she doesn’t accompany Tristan to Tir Na-nog, her mortal body will die, for the potion that saved her life will not last. But the journey ahead is filled with danger, and it will take all their courage and everything they shared in the past to endure the darkness that awaits them both…
ExcerptEXCERPT FROM THE MATING SEASON
(Copyright © 2016 by Bonnie Vanak)Chapter 1None of her fantasies had ever made her feel this alive, nor this free.A handsome man carried her in his strong arms, his sensual nature swirling about him like the most intoxicating aroma. He planned to remove her clothing, tumble her onto his soft, wide bed and ravish her. Her lover intended to keep her trapped in his bed, giving her such pleasure that she would cry out his name over and over as she clung to him and he made her his own.And when he was finished, she would be carrying his child, for his true purpose was to impregnate her with his much-desired heir."You are mine, Nikita. I will never let you go. I will make love to you until you scream with pleasure and your belly grows big with my child," he whispered.Nikita Blakemore opened her eyes on a dreamy sigh. And then she looked up to see her lover's smoldering gaze.He had not whispered those words in her imagination. He had spoken them aloud and this was reality. She was his captive and could not escape.Her trembling arms hooked around the neck of the powerful Silver Wizard, she closed her eyes again, wishing she were back inside her lonely basement apartment, with only girlish fantasies for company. Too weak and sick to escape his implacable grip, she could only hold on and plan a later escape.Her captor barely spoke since spiriting her away from the only home she had ever known. He watched her, quiet, assessing, as if she were prey and he was a wolf about to devour her whole.Nikita had feared him, ever since he'd laid claim to her. He'd done so after her twin Nia won the heart and the hand of Aiden, the Mitchell pack alpha back in Montana.She was now the property of wizard who had saved her from the parvolupus virus.With his dark, silver-tipped hair and his burning black eyes, the wizard looked dangerous. Nikita hid her emotions. They would not serve her well. She'd been dying until Tristan, the Silver Wizard, had poured a magick potion down her throat. Then he'd spirited her away. And she had feared the immortal wizard virtually since birth.All her 25 years of life, she'd been safeguarded and protected to keep Tristan from taking her.And despite all the safeguards, the secrets and her twin's determination that no one should know of her existence, here she was, captured in his secure embrace.Her head ached, her throat hurt and weakness gripped her limbs. She could not fight him. Not yet. First, she must regain her strength. How could she fight a wizard who could flick a finger and turn a werewolf into ash with a bolt of energy? An immortal wizard who was the guardian of shapeshifters and ruled over them? They said he could kill with one look, and slay a woman with pleasure with another.Deep inside, another fear tugged at her, a fear she did not understand. She could not trust this wizard or lose herself in his kisses and caresses because he had done something to her in the past.Something terrible.Tristan shifted her weight in his arms as they stood outside the entrance of the Sandy Dreams Grand Hotel on a Florida beach. All he had done was blink and they'd materialized here. The method of travel was efficient, but dizzying.Moonlight dappled the wet pavement and stars glittered overhead like a fistful of diamonds against velvet. In her lonely basement, for fun, she had surfed the internet and seen this hotel, fantasizing about staying here with a handsome lover who longed to become her mate.And now here she was, with a handsome wizard carrying her as if it were their wedding day. It was a dream hotel, but the man holding her was her worst nightmare.Tristan glanced down at her, his expression inscrutable. "We're spending the night here. You're too weak. You need rest."An ancient prophecy foretold that Tristan would take her away and then she would die. Lately, she'd experienced dreams that warned her they'd had a past life together. But in her dreams, the wizard didn't kill her. He made love to her with such passion that it left her limbs weak and her sex pulsing when she awoke. And she wept, not from passion, but from grief because the lover in her dreams always died a painful death.Prophecy or not, she was still ill. Tristan wasn't going to ravish her tonight. Or, it seemed, kill her. She didn't know which fate she feared more. He held her tightly, as if never wanting to release her.Tristan nodded and a uniformed man opened the door for them. Niki blinked at the brilliance. The hotel's Renaissance décor had appealed to her as she'd surfed the internet, needing a window on the world. Vaulted ceilings with elegant, gold-leaf trim edged reliefs that she knew were painstakingly hand-carved by artisans. Figures from Greek and Roman mythology pranced through the murals. Niki spotted an impish Cupid aiming his bow downward, as if to shoot at incoming guests.Cupid, stay your arrow. I have no need of love. I would appreciate a way to get out of this, so if you could loan me your wings and I can fly home, I'd be much obliged.She tried to avoid looking at her captor.But she could not avoid the stunned gaze of guests as Tristan carried her through the lobby, over the thick wool carpet with its intricate design, beneath the glow of elegant chandeliers designed to mimic 18th century lighting. He walked with her past the tastefully arranged groups of chairs and sofas, banked by polished wood tables adorned by sprays of white orchids. At last they arrived at the check-in desk. Lamps glowed softly upon the wood counter, giving the impression of an elegant living room in someone's grand private mansion.The starched uniformed clerk behind the counter looked no less shocked at their appearance than the guests.It must be the dress.Gone were the jeans and shirt she'd worn at the ranch when the Silver Wizard abducted her. Instead, with a wave of his hand, Tristan had covered her in a violet and silver velvet gown, with flowing sleeves adorned with silver embroidery, her long blond hair caught up in a silver snood. Niki caught sight of herself in a nearby mirror: it wasn't an average, every-day outfit.Loneliness gripped her. It was bad enough, being hidden away inside her basement apartment for more than two decades like a fungus, never venturing out unless she'd imitated Nia, her identical twin. And now, on her first appearance in society, she looked like an escapee from a medieval movie set.The mirror rippled, like a pebble tossed into a still pond. Suddenly she no longer saw the glittering hotel, the lights, and Tristan holding her in his secure, unyielding grip.She saw a blond woman, dressed in a long amethyst gown with silver thread embroidered on the bodice and sleeves, standing in a room facing a table. No longer did her body bear the ugly dark streaks caused by the parvolupus virus.A man in black, his long-legged stride filled with purpose, approached her from behind. The dark-haired man caught the woman in his arms and tore her gown off, leaving her nude. He bent the woman face-down upon the table, spread her long legs open. Nikita caught a glimpse of the female's wet, pink sex.The man loosened his breeches. Nikita saw his thick, long phallus and her own sex pulsed.Fisting a hand in her long hair, he drove into the woman with a harsh growl, and the woman shrieked, whether from pleasure or pain, Nikita could not tell. Over and over he plunged into the woman as she moaned, then he licked her spine and growled. Seizing the woman's plump hips, he threw back his head and howled, jerking and convulsing as the woman cried out, this time the cry one of undeniable pleasure.Nikita blinked and the mirror became an ordinary mirror once more. But the vision had been so incongruous with the elegant opulence of the hotel that a deep flush ignited her body. She felt wanton and shamed, as if the Skins, the word Others used to describe humans, had caught her viewing a porno flick.Sensual excitement twined with fear and dread. The man in the mirror had been fierce, nearly driven to a mating fever, the blood frenzy of Lupine males denied the touch of their mates for too long. More brutal than a mating rite, the fever was all consuming, and could last for days until both lay panting with exhaustion, and the female carried his young in her belly.She shivered, the sensual excitement fading. Was she destined to become nothing more than a brood mare to suit the wizard's purpose?The Silver Wizard glanced down at her, his full mouth curved in a knowing smile. She looked away. Was this a vision of the future? What did Tristan plan to do with her?
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The Mating Season, Werewolves of Montana Book 6, is here!
This is Tristan, the Silver Wizard's book.
In the centuries since he became immortal, Tristan, the Silver Wizard, has awaited the return of his long lost love. Nikita was his life and his heart, and when he died as mortal fighting for the freedom of Lupines and dragons, it was with her name on his lips. Now he has found her again, and Tristan is determined to claim her and fulfill his legacy – by impregnating her with his child. He will take her to his heavenly home in Tir Na-nog to show her the passion they once shared in another life. Before they can reach there, he must protect Nikita from his enemies, and he will fight with all his power to keep her safe from all harm.
The handsome, sensual wizard who saved her life from a lethal virus and swept her off her feet is no mere werewolf like herself. He is the Silver Wizard – the ruler of all werewolves, with the power to turn them into dust. Possessive and protective, he wants to recapture the love they had 900 years ago – a love Nikita cannot recall. All she knows are dreams of his passionate lovemaking and a burning desire for his touch. If she doesn’t accompany Tristan to Tir Na-nog, her mortal body will die, for the potion that saved her life will not last. But the journey ahead is filled with danger, and it will take all their courage and everything they shared in the past to endure the darkness that awaits them both…
Order now!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1oTeySh
iBooks/Apple: http://apple.co/24ceAIl
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1TBNgKY
NOOK: http://bit.ly/1SVs5H4
Google: http://bit.ly/1rHr2i8
April 12, 2016
The Mating Season available for pre-order!
The Mating Season, Werewolves of Montana Book 6, is now available for pre-order on Amazon!This is Tristan, the Silver Wizard's book.
In the centuries since he became immortal, Tristan, the Silver Wizard, has awaited the return of his long lost love. Nikita was his life and his heart, and when he died as mortal fighting for the freedom of Lupines and dragons, it was with her name on his lips. Now he has found her again, and Tristan is determined to claim her and fulfill his legacy – by impregnating her with his child. He will take her to his heavenly home in Tir Na-nog to show her the passion they once shared in another life. Before they can reach there, he must protect Nikita from his enemies, and he will fight with all his power to keep her safe from all harm.
The handsome, sensual wizard who saved her life from a lethal virus and swept her off her feet is no mere werewolf like herself. He is the Silver Wizard – the ruler of all werewolves, with the power to turn them into dust. Possessive and protective, he wants to recapture the love they had 900 years ago – a love Nikita cannot recall. All she knows are dreams of his passionate lovemaking and a burning desire for his touch. If she doesn’t accompany Tristan to Tir Na-nog, her mortal body will die, for the potion that saved her life will not last. But the journey ahead is filled with danger, and it will take all their courage and everything they shared in the past to endure the darkness that awaits them both…
Click here to pre-order on Amazon!
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