Maddy Barone's Blog, page 39
September 9, 2013
Tuesday Teaser 9/10/13: Wolf’s Princess
Rose watched Sky’s perfectly manicured hands curl into fists at his sides, noting the angry red scratch that cut over the back of one with a tiny prick of guilt. A low growling sound raised her fascinated gaze to the muscle bunching along his jaw as he clenched it. He certainly was handsome when he was enraged.
Probably because they had an audience only a few yards away, his voice was soft. “What kind of idiot do you think I am?”
She shouldn’t say it. Really, she shouldn’t say it. “Is that a rhetorical question?” she asked in her sweetest tone. “Because I’d be happy to tell you.”
She shouldn’t have said it, but honestly, it was too good an opportunity to miss. She watched outrage grow on his face and hurried to apologize. “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have said that. Really. Um, what’s wrong? I mean, why are you upset?”
For a moment she thought he wouldn’t answer. “That damn cat of yours. He sheds on my desk chair. You put him on there on purpose.”
“No, I don’t. He just likes your office. It’s sunny and warm.”
“I’m going to kill him.”
Amusement swirled into protective fury. “You lay one finger on Ming and I’ll neuter you. What has he ever done to you?”
“Besides shred my hands, pee on my rug and yowl all night long? This!”
He turned and flipped the hem of his suit coat up to show her his rear end. It was a fine rear end, and Rose admired the way the tropical weight navy blue wool trousers fit until she noticed that the wool was liberally festooned with cream and grey cat hair. The little needle of guilt turned into a dagger, but she wouldn’t show it.
“You have a very nice ass,” she told him, “but do you need to show it off like that?”
He whirled back, eyes dark with fury. His hand clenched on her wrist with enough force to be almost painful. She glared pointedly at her wrist. He released her at once. Mollified, she said, “I really am sorry. He’s shedding a lot right now.”
“Keep him off my chair!”
“I said I was sorry. What do you want from me?”
Sky stepped so close she could feel his breath on her face. His scent flooded her nostrils in a knee-melting rush. “What do I want from you? Many things, most of which would make blush for a week, mate.”
September 3, 2013
Tuesday Teaser, 9/3/13: Wolf’s Princess
I’ve finished the rough draft of Wolf’s Oath and it’s with the beta readers right now. I will be working on Wolf’s Vengeance next, but of course Sky and Rose are demanding my attention. Here is a little snip of one of the turning points in the story. Sky has brought Rose to Omaha, but they’ve seen very little of each other.
Rose stared at Sky, not recognizing the impetuous boy whose wolf had claimed her in this slick, handsome stranger dressed in a city business suit. “I don’t know you,” she whispered. Loss and bewilderment made her eyes smart. “You dragged me away from home and brought me here so we could get to know each other, but it’s been a week and I’ve barely seen you, much less talked to you. I want to go home.”
He smoothed the lapel of his silk suit with that condescending expression she loathed. “The world doesn’t revolve around you, princess. I’m in the middle of some very delicate negotiations right now, and having to go and fetch you has put me seriously behind schedule. By next weekend I should have some time free for you.”
“Really.” Her lips felt stiff. “Next weekend? So generous of you to squeeze me into your schedule. You know what? Don’t bother. I’m going home. I repudiate your claim.”
Finally those cool, cobalt eyes sparked with honest emotion. “You want to see more of me? Fine. The only free time I have is at night. I’ll have Katelyn move your things to my room.”
August 29, 2013
Tuesday Teaser, 2 Days Late-Wolf’s Oath
Between the overtime at the day job and having two releases this week, It’s been a crazy! I totally missed doing my Tuesday Teaser. I thought about just skipping it this week, but I am THIS close to having the rough draft of Wolf’s Oath finished. So here is a snippet for you.
Ice gleamed smooth and slick on the moonlit road and stung the pads of his paws, but Des, trailed by Hawk on his right and Red Wing his left, didn’t stop running. Dawn was only a few hours away, and they could have stayed at the den, but they all wanted their mates. Heartsick, weary, and wounded, Des needed Connie like a starving man needed food. He needed to burrow his face into the warmth of her neck and release his grief into her keeping. He needed the touch of her hands on his body, her lips on his brow. Not for sex, but to fill the hole grief had torn in his heart.
They stopped in front of the gate at the Plane Women’s House and changed back to their man shapes. It would have been quicker to leap over the fence, but the guards from Kearney might have been alarmed and shot them. So they waited, naked in the wind, for the guard to open the gate for them.
Once inside, the three of them nodded at each other, eyes dark with the weary pain of grief, and parted to seek the solace their mates could give them. Hawk and Red Wing didn’t know which room their mates were in, so they used their noses to search out their scents. Des remembered very well which door led to Connie’s apartment. He turned the knob and ghosted through the empty communal area to the door that opened to her private room.
She was a tightly curled ball under the layers of bedding, only a few disheveled locks of pale hair showing on the pillow. He stood above her and inhaled her precious scent. It was laden with the saltiness of tears and faintly soured by fear. His hand trembled when he reached to touch her hair.
“Connie,” he whispered, his voice the merest thread of sound, perhaps too low for human ears to hear, but she woke with a start.
“Des?”
He took her searching hand in the dark and lifted it to his cheek, and then his lips.
“Yes, love.”
“Oh, God, you’re back!” She struggled to uncurl from the bedclothes and sit up. “Are you okay? Is everyone else okay?”
The grief, lifted momentarily by the sweet scent of her concern, sank back into his heart like a stone in a pond and stole his voice.
“Des?” she said again. Her groping hand brushed over the bullet hole in his shoulder. He jerked in a breath through his teeth. “Des! Are you hurt? Where’s that damned candle?”
He glanced around the room, dark to her human eyes, and found the candle on the ledge beside the door. He left her long enough to light it and carry it back to the small bedside table.
August 28, 2013
Wolf’s Glory Audiobook Available Now!
Artist Lyn Taylor tweaked the cover art for me. I adore the art she creates for my books! The audiobook was produced by Brick Shop Audio, and the narration was done by Clementine Cage. I love the way Clementine voices Glory! It is exactly spot on.
Head over to Audible or Amazon and listen to the sample. Isn’t that great?
From Amazon
From Audible
August 26, 2013
Ellie’s Wolf Available Now!
Yes, book 5 in my After the Crash series is available now!I present the newest addition to her hot, sexy series, After the Crash. In a post-apocalyptic world where women are rare commodities and sold to the highest bidder, one wolf is determined only he will have the woman who is his destined mate. Danger lurks around every corner and passion ignites the pages in Ellie’s Wolf, Book 5 of this sizzling series.
In a post-apocalyptic world where women are rare and valuable, Ellie Overdahl is a widow far from home at the mercy of strangers. Sold to be a prize in a Bride Fight, she manages to send word to her cousin Taye, begging for rescue.
For six years, Quill Wolfe has mourned the loss of the woman his wolf chose to be his mate. When word comes that Ellie is widowed and about to be forced into an unwanted marriage, he races to enter the Bride Fight. He has waited long enough to claim his mate, and no fighter is good enough to keep him from her.
But claiming Ellie is only the beginning. It’s not only the journey home that is dangerous and uncertain.
It’s available
From the Publisher, in any format you choose: http://www.lsbooks.com/ellies-wolf-p822.php
From Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Ellies-Wolf-After-Crash-ebook/dp/B00ES1OTJ0
From Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ellies-Wolf-After-Crash-ebook/dp/B00ES1OTJ0
From All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ellie039swolf-1271374-340.html
Coming soon to Kobo, Barnes & Noble, the iBookstore, Sony and more.
August 21, 2013
Impromptu Contest Winner!
Congrats, Toni!
Thank you to everyone who played, and thank you for the Facebook likes! This is fun!
August 20, 2013
Impromptu Contest!
If you haven’t “liked” my page, feel free to do so. I’ll do another giveaway when I hit 500 likes.
Yay! To celebrate, I’m offering one free download of any of my books, including the Audiobook of Sleeping With the Wolf* and an ARC of Ellie’s Wolf. Just leave a comment below before tomorrow night at 6pm central time and I’ll draw a name tomorrow night and announce the winner around 9pm. Good luck to everybody!
*Disclaimer: Must be an Audible.com member to receive the audiobook.
August 19, 2013
Tuesday Truth 8/20/13: Ellie’s Wolf up for Pre-Order
Here are a few benefits to pre-ordering the book at the publisher:
• It is $3.99 instead of $4.99. Hey, a dollar is a dollar. There are times when I spend pretty freely. Then there are times when I guard every dollar jealously. Depends on how far from payday I am
• You will be notified the instant it is available. Third party sites like Amazon and especially Barnes & Noble often lag behind with the release times.
• The book is available at the publisher in multiple formats. Whether you use a kindle, an iPad, nook, or whatever, you will find a format that works.
You can find out more about it HERE.
August 17, 2013
Ellie’s Wolf ARC Winners!
Random.org has spit out the names of the winners of the Advanced Reader’s Copies of Ellie’s Wolf. They are:
Margaret C., Jenny E., Anne S., and Julianne K.
Congrats! I have sent emails to all of you.
August 12, 2013
Tuesday Teaser 8/13/13: Wolf’s Oath
Here is a snip from Wolf’s Oath. Connie told Des that she finds him attractive, but she doesn’t know him well enough to sleep with him. They’ve spent the evening talking and she’s wavering in that decision. They are in his room at the den. It’s night, and without a wood burning stove in the room, it’s cold.
“Des, I’m cold.”
His brows puckered. “I’ve kept you up too late talking in this cold room. Scoot under the covers. I’ll tuck you in.”
She ran her gaze over his wide shoulders to his burnished brown skin stretching smoothly over taut pectoral muscles. His nipples were the color of dark rosewood. She wanted to lick them. “I’d be warmer if you were under the covers with me.”
He froze. “I don’t think I can. Not without touching you, and if I touch you I’ll want more.”
“That’s good. I want more too.”
Somehow he went even more still and spoke in a hushed voice. “If we start, I won’t be able to stop at a kiss.”
Now she knew another thing about him: he was principled. He’d promised to not take anything from her she did willingly give. “I don’t want you to stop. I want everything. You, kissing me. You, touching me everywhere. You, moving inside me.”
His nostrils flared when he inhaled deeply. “Don’t tease.”
“I’m not teasing.” She braced herself against the cold air in the room and ripped the T-shirt over her head. “Des, I’m cold,” she said again.
Her nipples furled into tight points, partly because of the cold air, but mostly because Des was staring at them. He murmured something she didn’t catch, maybe in Lakota, but she understood awe and greed well enough. Then she was flat on her back and he was under the covers lying over her.
