Nancy Gideon's Blog, page 25

WeWriWa: Terriot Princes are in The House! with a #Sale Too H.o.T. to Handle

To celebrate my mid-week birthday (a BIG one!), who better to be dancing at my party than the Princes in the House of Terriot! Never ones to miss a good time or a chance to strut their stuff, here they are, grooving and moving in PRINCE OF DREAMS , one of the four books included in my new HOUSE OF TERRIOT boxed set.

The Rolling Stones blasted from mega speakers tucked into industrial rafters. For such a cavernous space, only one group gathered at tables by the bar where four men in gorgeous grey suits were putting on a show. And what a show, dancing for them on the explicit edge of needing to accept money from the spectators! Her appreciative study stumbled then held fast because one of the movers and shakers was Christopher Terriot! 

His brothers shared the same brutally handsome looks and diamonds in the ears. A powerful air of danger swirled about them like an exotic cologne, but it had been more than that. With the unblinking intensity of their stares, the almost predatory body postures and unnatural stillness, a violent energy rippled from them like an approaching tsunami. She couldn’t shake the uncomfortable press closing in around her, one of suffocating threat. The diamonds, the flash, the suits, the eddies of danger. Her intuitive nature had urged her to run for her life . . . while she could.

Dark, dangerous, and delicious . . . and on SALE! My HOUSE OF TERRIOT foursome officially debuts on my birthday, May 27th but is now available for pre-order.


      Add to Goodreads TBR→
Still in the party mood and looking for something else to sink your teeth into? My dark vampire romance, MIDNIGHT CRUSADER , the final book in my Touched by Midnight series, is on SALE through the 31st for only $0.99!
Preview Book 9
      Add to Goodreads TBR→
Though there won’t be the usual parades or huge family picnics, remember to fly your flags tomorrow if you’re here in the U.S. to honor those who gave all for the freedoms we enjoy and can’t wait to return to after our restrictions are lifted. Until then . . . Stay Safe and Stay at Home! Me, weather permitting, I’ll be (wo)manning the grill!

Happy Writing, fellow Warriors!!


Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.
Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

WeWriWa: Cover Reveal and a Heck of a Deal!

Wow! Feast your eyes on this gorgeous cover! Going slightly stir crazy in quarantine while waiting for Beta reads on RISE BY MOONLIGHT , I decided to put together my first boxed set in anticipation of that final book in my By Moonlight dark shapeshifter series. Imagine all four hot and hunky Terriot brothers in one sexy $3.99 read! I’m hoping to have it up for preorder by our next visit.

While I’m proofing the HOUSE OF TERRIOT for release at the end of the month, I’ll whet your appetite for another bargain with this yummy S*A*L*E! MIDNIGHT CRUSADER , the final book in my Touched by Midnight vampire romance series is only $0.99 (!) through the end of the month! Here’s a tasty tease from that romance strong enough to survive the passage of centuries . . .

“Tell me what I must do.” 

“You need only survive, young sir. Survive to conquer the years, the centuries, however long it takes for you to seek out her tortured soul.” 

“However long it takes,” Gabriel affirmed, not truly understanding the magnitude of his pledge. 

“Then you will be transformed this very night so you might begin your search in an existence where time holds no meaning.” 

He never saw her physically move. 

One instant, she was staring at him with an almost hypnotic intensity, distracting him from the fact that the three of them were no longer alone in the room. Shadows shifted from within the unnatural stillness to become figures looming just out of the light. 

He heard Rolland’s briefly uttered warning and the rasp of his sword. But Gabriel had no time to react with alarm or instinct.

(Here’s the rest of the scene following our new guidelines) 
The crone was upon him, knocking him flat upon his back. His hands were gripped before they could find sword and dagger in his own defense. And then came the pain, swift and sharp, at his throat, at his wrists and elbows. He tried to cry out, but no sound of protest came neither to mouth nor eventually to mind. 

So, this was death, this slow, chill sinking into dark oblivion. 

He surrendered to the sapping weakness of body even as a part of him clung to the strength of his resolve. 

For Naomi.

Preview Book 9

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books | iBooksAdd to Goodreads TBR→
Like many of my Midnight books, MIDNIGHT CRUSADER was sparked by my experiences (no, not with vampires!). My first trip to Las Vegas was spent staying at the Excalibur where I got to romantically dine with my fingers while watching handsome knights joist. Now that’s entertainment! And the perfect setting for my lovelorn noble who damns himself in order to follow his love through time. If you’ve read the series, you’ll remember hotty Gabriel from MIDNIGHT MASQUERADE , a true knight in shining armor in search of his own happily-ever-after.

Pardon me while I return to my delicious shapeshifter brothers (after first visiting you!)

Hope you’re having a glorious Spring day!

Happy Writing, fellow Warriors!


Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.
Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

WeWriWa: Too H.O.T to Handle in the “House of Terriot”

Good things come in four, as in my four brothers from the House of Terriot . First introduced in PRINCE OF SHADOWS from my By Moonlight  series, I found the twelve princes of the House simply irresistible. So much so, I decided to give not only their rowdy king his own book, but four of his hunky siblings theirs as well in the House of Terriot four-book spin-off. So, while I’m incorporating Beta comments into my final edit of RISE BY MOONLIGHT , the last book in the By Moonlight series, here’s a scene from RbM after Charlotte encourages Max to ‘go play with his friends’ from the shapeshifter House of Terriot.

No surprise, they left little disturbed in their wake. Cleverly disguising their number by treading in one another’s footsteps, they moved fast and effortlessly through the tangled woods he’d run since childhood. 

Smart, never careless, dangerous opponents, useful friends.

Challenged by that knowledge, he followed at a brisk pace, spending more time studying the ground than his surroundings . . . just as they’d hoped, because somewhere along the path, the steps went from imprinted by many to just one, the slightly uneven impressions of a still recovering Cale.

So where were the others?

Just a whisper of air at his back had Max turning, coming nose-to-nose with Turow Terriot. Before he could react, Colin and Rico flanked him on either side, Kip dropping from an overhead branch to block him from continuing after their king. Their eyes gleamed in the deep morning shadows, their postures still, non-threatening, but forming an impassable barrier.

Had he just made a fatal mistake?

“Those who’ve found themselves in your position rarely live to tell it.”

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Has Max just come too close for comfort with that deadly choice?

Since I’m getting restless in my current isolation on this Mother’s Day in my birthday month not going to Ireland (pooh!), I’ve decided to give myself and my readers a gift to fill some of those empty hours by boxing the four brothers from different mothers H.o.T. books into a set. Just the distraction I needed, designing a strong, stunning cover worthy of these gorgeous guys with the brilliant help of my Virtual Assistant, Florence Price and my critique partner artist on speed dial, Patricia Lazarus of Lazarus Art. Be watching for a reveal and a date for pre-order in next week’s post.

Until then, Stay the Course, Stay Safe and thank your Mama!!


Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.
Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

IWSG: In The Zone . . . Getting There Is Half the Battle!

Happy May!! Our Insecure Writers Support Group question for this month is: Do you have any rituals that you use when you need help getting into the Zone?

My rituals have evolved over the decades I’ve been writing. The one constant through all these years is the unseen enemy (not children or the time clock) – FOCUS. In order to produce any tangible product, one must first put butt in chair. That chair has changed over the years from a picnic table in the yard while the kids played in the sandbox, bleachers and plastic seats while watching ballgames and bowling leagues, to lunch hours at the work computer, and now, my spacious home office. The setting and seating may change, but not my routine. It begins with the path of least resistance, when I’m least likely to be interrupted, which for the last twenty years has been from 4:30 am to time to get ready for work at 7:00 am. Since retiring, it’s 7:00 am to 10:30 am. Even on vacay, I’m up and at it while everyone else is sleeping.

Since I have ADD/OCD, I can’t function at full speed until at least two cups of java have hit the bloodstream, so my first half hour or so is comprised of mindless Social Media scrolling and the daily news topped off with breakfast. Then it’s time to get down to business. And woe be unto the unwise who think to interrupt me (except cats. They get a pass).

It’s a rare occasion when I sit down to a blank brain, having usually plotted out my next day’s journey while drifting off to sleep. I never had the luxury of waiting for inspiration during ‘work hours,’ so when that WIP pops up, I greet it with a plan: An outline sketch, Post It notes of conversation bites and story snippets, and loose pages of research. I may reread the preceding page to get up to speed but most often, I just start right in, getting it down until I run out of time or am satisfied I’ve finished what’s needed to for that day. Then I’m done.

Writing, for me, isn’t just that next chapter. It’s also the blogs and PR I’m committed to (especially with a new boxed set and the concluding book in my shapeshifter series coming out this spring/summer!). I wish I could claim to be SO organized that I have a day set aside each week to do all that extraneous writing (well, it’s always my PLAN, but it never works out that way!). I calendar my blog topics in advance so I can gather graphics and quotes ahead of time but like as not, it comes down to the last-minute scramble.

Does my BICHOK ritual always work? Most of the time. My OCD keeps things on a tight leash even when a Pandemic rears its ugly head. 

Butt in Chair. Hands on Keys. Every day.
Can’t wait to discover what keeps you focused and on task. It’s not too late for this old dog to learn some new tricks.

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.The awesome co-hosts for the May 6th posting of the IWSG will be Feather Stone, Beverly Stowe McClure, Mary Aalgaard, Kim Lajevardi, and Chemist Ken!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Twitter hashtag is #IWSG

WeWriWa: Surrender to a great $0.99 SALE! . . . MIDNIGHT SURRENDER

Since leaving you with breaths suspended after last week’s excerpt from my historical vampire romance, MIDNIGHT SURRENDER , I’ll get right to the conclusion of the scene in which my vampire hero rescues the usually capable heroine from a questionably random attack on a fog-filled street in turn-of-the century New York.

“Do not be afraid.” 

Yet when he spoke that soothing sentiment, two monstrous teeth were exposed: Sharp, animal-like fangs tinged with crimson. Cassie tried to scream, but the sound suffocated in her horror-constricted throat. 

“I will not harm you.” 

He reached out a slender hand, the gesture an offer of aid, not threat, cupping beneath her elbow just as the strength in her legs gave way. He held her up without effort. She was aware of her own fear, of how it fluttered about a heart gone mad, but was helpless to act upon it even as he placed his other hand gently against the tangled disarray of her blond hair, his touch cold, so cold it made her tremble. 

Then the shock of the situation overcame her, consciousness giving way before a numbing swoon. Just as she sank into its embrace, she felt his hand pass across her eyes and heard the low croon of his voice. 

“Remember nothing.”

Don’t forget to exhale!!
I had a blast writing the Touched by Midnight books, first for New York then completing them with a small press and having them reissued once again for another with all new covers. It’s hard to keep a good vampire down!
  
How do you like that original cover with it’s Barnabas Collins lookalike?

Here’s to the publishers (and readers) who had no problem having me bring my undead hero back several times within the course of the series as the characters and story arcs traveled from Regency England to the jungles of Peru and into genetic labs in modern Seattle. Along with the paranormal aspects, I got to include folklore, a serial killer, crime and corruption, and medical ethics all wrapped around the search for an enduring happily-ever-after. MIDNIGHT SURRENDER is one of my favorites, bringing back Louis along with his arch nemeses and new dangers galore set in the newspaper world that threatens to expose him and his secrets. Though part of a series, it can be easily read as a standalone but be warned, you might not be able to resist devouring all eight books once you get a taste.

From now until the 30th, MIDNIGHT SURRENDER is seductively priced at $0.99.

Preview Book 3
      Add to Goodreads TBR→
If you’re like me, and are trying to fill non-writing hours with something to keep the imagination fired up and inspired, I’ve got some binge-worthy suggestions in my latest post on Paranormal Romantics, So Many Shows and Nowhere to Go. Click on over for an entertaining browse through what’s available.

Here’s hoping for some sunny days ahead as we in Michigan are looking at an extension of the “Stay at Home” order. Still waiting for rain and snow to allow more use of our patio set and grill so we can be entertained by the wildlife in our backyard instead of at a mall or restaurant (I prefer the first option!).

Stay Safe, fellow Warriors and Write On!!

Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.
Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

WeWriWa: Sink Your Teeth into a Sale . . . MIDNIGHT SURRENDER

Don’t you just love it when old things are new again? Especially when they return on SALE for only $0.99!! I’m still hoping shoulder pads will come back into style so I can dust off the jackets in my second closet, but while I wait, I can celebrate the return of a favorite book from my first paranormal vampire trio. Here’s a tasty bite from MIDNIGHT SURRENDER that has our heroine in a dire situation. But does her rescue bring safety . . . or a deeper, darker peril?

Then, her attacker was gone, yanked back into the fog by an incredible force, a terrible wail coming from out of the mist, then silence. 

The other man lost all interest in her, pulling a knife, a long thin-bladed weapon he bandied before him with murderous intent as he whirled to face the gray-cloaked street. He took a cautious step off the curb, the mist sucking at him, veiling him partially as he gave a sudden shout and drove his knife forward with all his might at some target Cassie couldn’t see . . . then he, too, was lost in the swirl of evening haze. 

Cassie leaned back against the rails, breath rasping from her, panic and pain shaking her knees together. She’d dropped her papers and her slick-soled shoes slipped on the spill of them on the walk beneath her as, sobbing softly, she started to pull herself along the fence, afraid to take her eyes from the spot where her assailants had disappeared. 

She screamed hoarsely as one of them lurched into view, stumbling, reeling, his hands up at his neck where blood gleamed black in the faint reach of the closest street lamp. He made a gurgling sound and reached out for her with one wet hand, catching her sleeve, tugging as he began to fall. Frantically, she jerked back to free herself as he slid down silently into the low curtain of mist. 

Movement brought her frightened gaze up from the cloud that had swallowed him, causing her to shrink against the unyielding bars, small sounds of terror escaping her with each labored breath. 

A lone figure approached from out of the icy clouds, face familiar yet unlike any she’d seen before — pale as the wisps of mist with eyes like fiery coals.

MIDNIGHT SURRENDER was the third of a three-book paranormal romance series that follows a family of vampires fleeing an age-old enemy, and was a first trip to the ‘dark side’ for me back in the ‘90s at the request of my editor, who was eager to pounce on the new craze started by Anne Rice. As a historical author, I set the first book during the Regency era, the second after the French Revolution and the third, MIDNIGHT SURRENDER , in Turn-of-the-Century New York. Being a bit of a rebel, I did something rather unheard of in romance at the time by bringing my undead hero from Book 1, Louis Radman, back (so to speak) for a second chance at love.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Preview Book 3
      Add to Goodreads TBR→
Hunt or be hunted . . . A centuries-old obsession stalks a noble family fighting to hide their dark secret from an ever-changing world. Sink your teeth into Nancy Gideon's Touched by Midnight series.

A Reckless Quest . . .

A savage killer stalks the dark streets of turn-of-the-century New York. To keep her father’s newspaper afloat, publisher Cassie Alexander chases the story. But what she catches is a madman’s attention.

A Dark Deception . . .

When her reclusive neighbor Louis Radcliffe rescues her from an attack, Cassie finds her vow of independence shaken by the strong attraction between them. It’s an attraction Louis denies, even as the invalid grandmother he cares for pushes to bring them together—for reasons that will break both their hearts.

An Inevitable Sacrifice . . . .

Determined to hide his secrets from her, Louis soon becomes the cornerstone of Cassie’s investigation. He can’t allow her stubbornness to place her life—and his immortal soul—in danger. But as much as he tries to keep her safe in his arms, it soon becomes evident that Cassie’s become a target. And Louis has no choice but to find out if their love is strong enough to withstand the truth . . . .

“Gripping! Readers are pulled into a whirlwind while surrendering their souls!”— Gothic Journal

“Darkly sensual and suspenseful Midnight Surrender is nothing short of special! Lovers of vampire romances take notice!”— The Literary Times

“Gideon mesmerizes with this chilling tale. You’ll read it and read it again. Superb!”— Rendezvous

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Every hero deserves a second chance and so does a good book. After disappearing in an era prior to e-books, MIDNIGHT SURRENDER was reborn when small press, ImaJinn Books, returned the first three to print and contracted me (because of demand from readers!) for six more in the series. It’s hard to keep a good vampire hero down! Especially, when you can resurrect him at a great price!! If you love paranormal, or just want to take a taste, MIDNIGHT SURRENDER is on SALE for just $0.99 until April 30. I’ll be back with another teaser to nibble on next week.

I was just getting used to the Shelter in Place because of our sunny deck, then Michigan decided to revive winter, forcing us back indoors. My grandguy’s return home has left a big void to fill. Bright spots since then were enjoying a ZOOM chat with my critique partners (first time putting on makeup in three weeks!) and getting RISE BY MOONLIGHT out to Beta readers (finally!!). Until I get comments back for a final edit, it’s binge-watch time! I’m currently in the second season of “The Man in the High Castle” (Awesome!) with the return of “Bosch” in the wings. How are you coping with captivity?
Stay Safe, fellow Warriors, and Write On!!

Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.
Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

WeWriWa: Getting to Know You . . . HUNTER OF SHADOWS

Soooo, last week we met Nica Fraser who our hero, Detective Silas MacCreedy has more than an inking is not what she seems to be. After they have more than one not a chance meeting, he needs to discover just what she is . . . if he’s going to stay alive.

Nica stepped closer, movements deceivingly relaxed, until they were toe-to-toe as she placed her palm on his chest to feel heartbeats strong and steady then asked, “What have they told you?” 

“All sorts of interesting things,” was his soft reply as his stare remained unblinking. 

She stretched up to nuzzle his warm throat, to breathe in his scent and taste the heat of his skin with her lips. Rubbing her cheek against his, she whispered, “What sort of things, lover?” then glanced up to find his stropped steel gaze upon her. 

“Impossible things,” he replied, his hands settling lightly at her waist, “I never would have believed if you hadn’t left your fang prints behind.” 

“You know Shifter females can’t change shape,” she reasoned, her pulse pounding wildly. He knew – and she couldn’t let him leave this room with that knowledge or everything she worked for, every sacrifice she’d made would be for nothing. 

Primal self-preservation kicked in, and she backed away. 

“So,” Silas asked, watching her closely, “if you’re not one of our females, what does that make you?” 

“More dangerous than you could ever imagine.”

Okay, not exactly the answer he was hoping for . . . but it’ll turn out to be just the one he needs in order to fulfill his own quest in danger filled New Orleans. Being a shapeshifter and a stranger, he’ll need all the help he can get as the “By Moonlight” series expands in surprisingly different directions to include deadly new opponents . . . who are no strangers to our mysterious heroine.

Preview Book 5
      Add to Goodreads TBR→
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some fiction to carry me away. Things are getting a little too real in the world today. Sent my grandguy home on Thursday along with all his digitally turned in homework and the place is mighty quiet. Just in time for Spring to finally arrive.

Today’s goal is to suck up more Vitamin D if the rain stays away. Opening office and bedrooms windows (to be immediately filled with cats!) has done wonders for my productivity. Anything over 50-degrees is sunglasses and deck chair weather to me. The sun is coming up in my corner of the world. How ‘bout yours?

Stay safe and stay at home with a good book and a work in progress, fellow Warriors!

Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.
Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

IWSG: My World and Welcome to It!

Our April Insecure Writers Support Group question is: How are things in your world? Can anyone honestly answer, “Same ole same ole?” When the news of COVID-19 insidiously hijacked the news, the idea of a pandemic here in our hemisphere was like something out of a sci-fi movie. Scary and unbelievable at first, we all tried to carry on as if it was business as usual . . . until all those businesses began to close and the walls of our homes, likewise, began to close in around us. Here in Michigan, the voice of reason was our Governor. Calm, concise and compelling, she took hold of the panic and uncertainty and told it like it was going to be. Go home. Stay there! Yes, ma’am!

In our house, it’s pretty much business as usual, being retired, except for one thing, or should I say someone. While schools closed the week of the 16th, we opened our doors to invite my 12-year-old grandguy in for the duration (my D-i-L was working from home when also studying for exams toward a second degree and my son was on call). We’re going on our third week, which is great fun, except for homework. 7th grade math! Ewwww! I had to do homework in order to check HIS homework. Now, we have our system of class times interspersed with fun times and all is getting turned in. I think the most fun is his music class practice time. We’ve already requested new sheet music for drums and xylophone (the cats are NOT fans!).


Though knuckles are raw from handwashing and rainy weather has prevented walks, we’re hunkered down, supporting the local community with delivery service (gotta eat and they gotta get paid!) and ourselves with Netflix now that TV has gone mostly reruns. Not a bad deal!

Not to make light of the situation. The news is terrifying, especially in our state with the number rising so far so fast. We’re helpless but at the same time, not hopeless. So, all you all hang in there. I’ll be working on the last chapter of my second edit of RISE BY MOONLIGHT , the final book in my “By Moonlight” shapeshifter series, getting it ready to go out to Beta readers, working to pass 7th grade, and enjoying my grandguy’s synopsizing of the book I bought him to read for English, Broken Branch Falls: Beast World – Book One by Tara Tyler. Goblins, elves, high school bullies, what’s not for him to love?!

Stay safe out there and happy writing, fellow Warriors!!


The Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.The awesome co-hosts for the April 1st posting of the IWSG will be Diane Burton, JH Moncrieff, Anna @ Emaginette, Karen @ Reprobate Typewriter, Erika Beebe, and Lisa Buie-Collard!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Twitter hashtag is #IWSG

WeWriWa: The Life You Save Could be Your Own . . . Hunter of Shadows

After another week of hunkering down in the homestead, I’m eager to escape into flights of fiction with my Weekend Writing Warrior pals by revisiting another favorite couple from my “By Moonlight” series. Shapeshifter Detective Silas MacCreedy is the first new hero to step out with a book of his own in HUNTER OF SHADOWS and he quickly became one of my favorites. HoS is full of hidden agendas and unexpected twists, the first of which begins in the prologue when our hero interrupts what he believes is an attack upon a defenseless female who turns out to be anything but helpless! 

She was quick and impossibly strong. As they grappled, he realized to his amazement that even though he could have taken down the four males, despite all his training, he couldn’t seem to get the best of her - a skinny girl! - who was nobody’s victim despite what his first glance told him. 

The metallic flash of the badge at MacCreedy’s waist didn’t cause her to hesitate; it was the sight of the brand burned into his bared inner wrist as she wrenched his hand away from his gun that made her pause. 

She eased back with a small laugh, advising, “This is your lucky night cuz you get to live through it.” 

Who was this fierce, deadly female who killed with such deliberation then dispatched an unwarranted mercy? 

When she started to lift off him, MacCreedy gripped her arm in a staying gesture to demand, “Wait.” 

Surprised that he’d risk a return of that death sentence, she cocked her head as she studied his face, a slight, amused smile curving as she said, “As much as I’ve enjoyed the tussle, I’m in a hurry, hero, so the chitchat will have to wait,but I guess there’s enough time for a quick thank you, just to be polite.” 

She closed on him quickly. 

Braced for another attack, Silas was momentarily stunned by the sweetness of her assault as she took his mouth with hers, that unexpected deep-throated invasion engaging their tongues in a tangling flash of desire and cool mint before she pushed back to whisper, “Thanks for the rescue, even though it was bad timing.” 

And she was gone, leaving MacCreedy laid out on a slab of dirty stones between two bodies, with the taste of her on his breath and her heat burning in his blood.

Two outsiders on their own dangerous crusades unable to resist their attraction to one another. What could possibly go wrong? More on that next week . . . 

Preview Book 5
      Add to Goodreads TBR→

NANCY GIDEON RETURNS TO HER STEAMY NEW ORLEANS PRETERNATURAL WORLD WITH AN IRRESISTIBLE NEW SHAPE-SHIFTER ROMANCE.

The secrets he knows about her could get him killed.

Transferring to the New Orleans Police Department, Detective Silas MacCreedy has a hidden agenda: to secure his clan’s place once again in the Shifter hierarchy. What he didn’t count on was stumbling upon a sexy assassin who could shred his best intentions and lead him into a dangerous dance that threatens to engage his heart.

But the ones he doesn’t know . . .

Monica Fraser knows just how to make a man beg—for his life. But she has no clue how to fight her attraction to the fiercely intense detective who seems determined to get in her way, both professionally and intimately.

. . . could kill them both.

When emotional attachments to the past and an unexpected glimpse of a different future have her questioning her deadly purpose, Nica must discover the truth about her secret abilities in order to free herself from the forces that control her. But that freedom comes with a price—trusting those she’s been ordered to eliminate.

Still paging through edits of RISE BY MOONLIGHT in my office when not running a 7th grade classroom downstairs. Grandguy returned for another two weeks, which is hard on the icebox and brainpan but a total joy otherwise while Sheltering in Place. Scary stuff outside, so hope all of you are taking extra precautions!!

Happy Reading and Happy Spring (through the window), Fellow Warriors!


Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.
Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

WeWriWa: Worlds Apart . . . Seeker of Shadows

Nothing could be farther apart in my “By Moonlight” series than two pieces of a species whole – one controlling the icy, intellectual realm of the North and the other, beasts of labor huddled along the docks of Gulf. For a brief forbidden moment, those lines were crossed by a young scientist and her hulking bodyguard until their tryst was discovered and he was ripped from his love’s arm and left for dead in New Orleans without a memory. When Susanna Duchamp has the chance to reunite with her mate, their reunion is more agony than the ecstasy she’d imagined.

Susanna gave up on trying to work, her thoughts fragmented, emotions that were rarely tested were tied in a knot. 

Seven years ago, she’d done the right thing, the only thing she could to save them all. There’d been no other choice, no options, and if she hadn’t let him go, instead of pacing the floor in an agony of frustration, he’d be dead . . . but knowing that truth didn’t lessen her pain.

Tears burned in her eyes as she watched his restless movements, knowing he struggled against feelings he couldn’t understand. His desire for her wasn’t natural, not like the earthy affection he had for his female staff, yet it couldn’t be broken by distance or anger or the drink he finally reached for. Its power couldn’t be rejected or denied.

She had a family in the North, he had a life here. Their politics, their pursuits, their physiology, none were compatible. There was no hope for a future, no solution now, any more than there had been then. She’d been wrong to think so when she’d been young and giddy with passion, but now she had no excuse.

Can love conquer all, even when one side can’t remember the other and has no reason to trust her? SEEKER OF SHADOWS is all about finding a way back together from impossibly different sides – especially when there’s an indisputable middle ground binding them together.

Preview Book 6
      Add to Goodreads TBR→

NANCY GIDEON CONTINUES HER COMPELLING, SENSUAL NEW SERIES WITH A SEDUCTIVE TALE OF FORBIDDEN ALLEGIANCE AND REDISCOVERED LOVE.

His town.

Susanna Duchamps came to New Orleans to settle a debt and to temporarily escape the controlled constraints of her life among the Chosen. What she finds is an opportunity to make miraculous strides with her research into Shifter genetics . . . and an unexpected, but never forgotten, man from her complicated past.

Her rules.

Shifter club owner Jacques LaRoche is fiercely protective of his freedom. Stripped of his memories of a former life, he longs for the mate he lost . . . until the enticingly familiar presence of a mysterious stranger from the north ignites a primal, nearly uncontrollable need to release the untamed beast inside him.

Their last chance.

Susanna dares not tell Jacques it was she who sacrificed his past and her future years ago, to protect him and the secret she carried. But her arrival in New Orleans comes with consequences. When a bloody confrontation erupts between their enemy clans, will she betray her lover once again—or throw her own life on the line so they can finish what they started?

As central secondary characters in my “By Moonlight” series, Jacques and Susanna both play vital roles in the survival of their clans and their species and I’ve had great fun bringing them back for one last stand in RISE BY MOONLIGHT (Just completing the second edit!).

Right now, the world needs more heroes, and everyone has a chance to become one in conquering this latest villain, COVID-19. My household has been battened down this past week with the welcome addition of my grandguy, whose been testing my ancient knowledge as I supervise his remote 7th grade classroom assignments while son and D-i-L are working in a different city. This English Major finally discovered what a predicate is! 

I’ll be on the road taking him back home this weekend but hope to check in to see how everyone is holding down their personal forts. I have no skin on my knuckles from all that hand washing!

Stay safe out there and stay home with your antiseptic keyboards!

Happy Writing and Happy SPRING!!


Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.
Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.