Kaje Harper's Blog - Posts Tagged "release"

Today I released the final wrap-up ―(hush, Simon, yes, actually final)― novella of the Hidden Wolves series - Unplanned Coda. Paul has a few rough moments in here, and Simon wanted the story, and their triumph of an HEA against those impossible odds they first faced in Unacceptable Risk, on the page.

You can find Unplanned Coda - Book 7 on almost all vendors. It's up on Google Play, but may not be live yet for you.

Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/m2l5R6
Amazon US link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09GW8HZ67

(If you have the original series, only books 6 and now 7 are new, but consider getting the FREE book 1 Unacceptable Risk, which had a polishing edit. And Book 2 - Unexpected Demands is on sale for .99 until Oct 31st, for those new to the series.) My werewolves should be read in order.

Unplanned Coda - Book 7 excerpt:

Paul knelt beside Lucas, who was stretched out on a mattress on the cabin floor with his eyes closed, blood soaking his ribs all down one side, seeping into his shorts. After a quick hand-gel cleaning, Paul reached to check the injury. Lucas rebuffed his touch with a snarl, intimidating despite being on Lucas’s human face.

“Let me.” Aaron bent over them. Lucas was decades older than Aaron, more muscular, and had an acid tongue when he chose, but one command of “hold still” from his Alpha, and he let them strip off his shorts, then lay motionless for Paul’s touch.

Two deep, raw holes in Lucas’s side and stomach trickled blood. On Lucas’s human skin, those two spots didn’t line up into any kind of straight path for a bullet. On his wolf… Paul kept stumbling across little things that brought home werewolf reality.

“Looks like the bullet went right through his abdomen in wolf form.” Paul dug a stethoscope out of his bag and listened to Lucas’s steady heartbeat. “He could be bleeding internally. Or have a punctured bowel.”

“What do you need to do?” Aaron set a hand on Lucas’s shoulder to keep him quiet.

“If he was a dog, I’d operate, go in and check things out. A bleeding spleen or leaky intestine could be a slow death sentence.”

Lucas grunted. “Fuck if I’m letting any fucking butcher chop me open.” At a growl from Simon in the doorway, he added, “Not even a decent vet.”
Aaron said, “You’ll do as you’re told.”

“I can shift again.” Lucas opened his eyes to look up at Aaron. “I’ve already done it once, so probably any bleeding is stopped. I’ll be fine.”

Paul wanted to argue, because “I’ll be fine” sounded like a form of Russian roulette, but he had far less experience with shifter healing than any of these men.

Aaron said, “All right. One more shift and then you eat. And stay wolf for a bit. Then if you do need surgery, Paul can borrow the local veterinary clinic facilities.”

When the wolves came out, Paul had figured his days as medical provider to werewolves were numbered. After all, they could now take full advantage of a human hospital. He’d planned to point that out to Aaron the next time someone was hurt, but somehow at this moment, with Aaron’s eyes on him, he said, “Yeah, I guess so.”

He stood and backed up as Aaron took Lucas’s hand in his, squeezing Lucas’s fingers, while a look that was almost intimate passed between them. If Paul hadn’t known how hung up Aaron was on Zach, he might’ve imagined something more there than Alpha and Third. But that closeness was just pack, like a family. Family the way it ought to be, not like what I grew up with. He pushed the bitter thought away and focused on watching Lucas’s breathing as the older werewolf settled down to shift.

Simon came up behind him and slung an arm across his chest, pulling Paul back against his sturdy, muscular body. “Pack,” he murmured in Paul’s ear. “It’s there for you too, you know. Even if something were to happen to me, you have family now.”

Paul didn’t question how Simon had read his thoughts, just let himself be held, and watched as a member of his family writhed and deformed, and reformed, in gray fur and narrow muzzle and long, panting tongue. Nice and pink. Good color. Breathing easily enough. Focusing on the veterinary side let him shove the personal back out of mind.

When Lucas was fully wolf, Aaron checked him out, demanding nods and headshakes to verbal questions, blocking Paul from approaching. Simon murmured, “Sometimes after a rough shift, we get lost in the wolf for a bit.”

His arm across Paul’s chest was an iron bar, until Aaron said, “Right, Lucas, Paul will check you over now. And you’ll do what he says for tonight. I’ll fetch you some food.”

As Aaron left, Paul knelt beside the hundred-and-seventy-pound werewolf on the mattress. A thorough exam got him a couple of muffled rumbles from Lucas, and the suggestion of a thermometer up his butt was rebuffed with a whip of heavy, plumed tail, but Lucas looked good, for now. Paul settled in the doorway to the bedroom, where he could see the sedated elderly lone wolf sleeping peacefully on the bed, despite his bound legs, and also monitor Lucas on the other side.
Lucas’s muzzle wavered, lowered to the mattress, and he took a slow, snoring breath.

Simon sat beside Paul on the lone wolf’s side, tucked a pillow under Paul’s ass that he wasn’t stubborn enough to reject, and slung an arm across his shoulders. “Never a dull moment, huh?”

“You could say that, yeah.” He let his tone sound acid, but when Simon’s face fell, he added more warmly, “But I wouldn’t have chosen to do vet med if I liked dull, right?” It wasn’t Simon’s fault some idiots had shot up the pack. It wasn’t even Aaron’s fault, as much as Paul liked to give his Alpha Majesty a hard time.

“We could back away from the pack a bit.”

Paul elbowed his mate gently and leaned against him. “Right after you got done telling me this was my family? Nah. What would I do with my time?”

Simon nuzzled his ear and breathed, “I might have some ideas.”

A wash of sweet affection went through Paul. How the hell did a bitter loner like me with no idea how to do relationships end up with a guy like Simon? Paul knew he was the difficult one, the one who pushed and picked at the love that lay between them, while Simon patiently gave way and mended and kept his faith. Paul tried to ease their mate bond wide open. I love you. Could Simon feel that? I don’t deserve you, but you mean everything.

Simon nipped at his ear, then kissed his temple and laid a cheek on his hair. Satisfaction echoed between them, and trust, and contentment, in a cycle that built from his heart to Simon’s and back again, sweet and warm.

The click of the door latch made Simon raise his head, but not with any feeling of urgency, and Paul realized he’d identified Aaron before the door opened. A sharp meow heralded the arrival of their two feline family members as well. Nimbus trotted over and jumped into Paul’s lap with the entitlement of a thoroughly spoiled cat, rubbing long, white hairs off on his chest. Fractal hovered at Aaron’s feet, winding around him so the Alpha had to dance to avoid tripping, the cat’s tabby face intent on the bowl of food in Aaron’s hands.

“Simon, control your cat,” Aaron snapped.

Simon snickered…

~~~~~

Aaron has the big picture in hand, or so he hopes. But back home, Paul's past is about to meet his future. Find out how that happens in Unplanned Coda - Book 7 .

I'm delighted to have Silas and Darien, Grim and Pip, and their adventures, back in readers' hands again with Beset by Demons (Necromancer 5) - now available on all ebook vendors.

Find a copy here: [ Universal Book Link ]

I hope people who have loved the guys will enjoy watching them journey to dark places to protect their world. Jasper is here, and Magda, and new friends, allies, and dangers.

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Readers who haven't met these two men and their familiars yet should start with book 1 which is FREE on all vendors - Marked by Death.
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excerpt: Beset by Demons - Necromancer 5
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An approaching clatter of canine toenails out in the hall heralded Darien’s favorite person in the world. Well, maybe after Silas. He allowed himself one fond look at his lover’s frowning face, then turned to the doorway. “Pip?”

His rat terrier familiar skidded on the floor, making the turn into the kitchen, and jumbled his words together. “GrimDarienSilas! It’s glowing a lot.”

Grim jumped off the table and stalked toward the pup. “Explain yourself. Clearly.”

“The map thing. In the basement. I went down to take a look— you said we should keep an eye on it— and it’s glowy.”

Silas shoved his chair back and jumped to his feet. Darien was left flat-footed as Silas and Grim both hurried out the doorway and down the hall with Pip scampering beside them, saying, “I’ll show you.”

“Map thing?” Jasper asked.

“Silas’s demon detector, I assume.” Darien knew he should be running after them, but his feet dragged like he was stuck in molasses. “His runework down in the cellar.”

“Oh, yes, of course.” Jasper turned to go, then glanced over his shoulder at Darien. “Are we going to follow them?”

Into the valley of death— He was being ridiculous, but he’d really hoped they were done with demons for a while, and could go back to Silas snacking on ghosts and Jasper crafting interesting spells. Apparently not. “Yes, of course. I’m coming.”

When they reached the bottom of the cellar stairs, Silas, Grim, and Pip were lined up on the edge of the shimmering map of chalk lines and symbols laid out on the floor. Darien could see two different locations on the map throbbing with a deep red glow, an ember sunk in darkness. “Those are demons, right?” he said, his voice echoing too loudly in that stone-walled space.

Silas glanced back at him, brows drawn down. “Yes.”

“Two of them.”

“I can count.” Silas sighed. “Sorry. On the plus side, they don’t feel all that strong.”

“On the minus side,” Grim said, “they weren’t there when I checked the map last night. And they’re in two different locations. Who’s out there calling demons like a two-for-one special? And why?”

“You don’t think that Seattle necromancer actually came after us, do you?” Darien ran a hand down his face. None of this made sense. “We’re not even done with breakfast.”

Before he could flush at that ridiculous statement, Silas barked a laugh and turned to nudge him lightly on the shoulder. “The essentials. Good man. We’ll eat and figure out what to do about this.” He pointed at the smaller spot of glowing darkness. “That’s a weaker trace, hopefully not more than a two-syllable demon. I could ask Worthington or Johanna Spry to take care of it.”

“Delegating,” Grim said, turning toward the stairs. “Will wonders never cease.”

“What?” Silas managed to sound hurt. “I know what delegating is.”

“But you never do it.” Grim bounded up the steps. “I agree with Darien, though. A nice bowl of cream and some bacon would go well, to help my thinking. Come along, necromancer, breakfast.”

“Butler to a cat,” Silas muttered. “Learn magic, they said. It’s so glamorous, they said.”

His unimpressed words let Darien breathe easier and even give Silas a hip bump as he walked past. “You can make me more bacon while you’re at it.”
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Read more of the story in "Beset by Demons"

Today is the release day for "Seeds of Love: A Romance Charity Anthology to Benefit Ukraine" - royalties go to United Help Ukraine, (a charitable organization dedicated to helping the Ukrainian people affected by Russia’s invasion), and I have a short story in it. This anthology includes mostly M/F stories, but just a few (I think 4) M/M. If you like M/F as well as M/M, and enjoy short love stories from contemporary to paranormal and more, check this one out. Get the book on Amazon and wherever ebooks are sold: https://books2read.com/u/bM7pEX

(If you're like me, might be good reading for waiting in lines and other short situations. Stories are 3-16K with an intended limit of 10K and no, the 16 isn't me.) :)

A lovely review of my story ( Out of the Blue - 10,700 words M/M single-father second chances) and Gabbi Grey's M/M on Rainbow Romance Reviews: https://rainbowgoldreviews.wordpress....

Stories are grouped by genre, and tagged additionally at the front of each (including if they are M/M); Authors are: Dakota Willink (Editor), Persephone Autumn, Lane Bellemore, Gabbi Black, Hannah Blake, M.L. Broome, Tiffany Carby, Tara Conrad, D.M. Davis, Liz Durano, L.J. Evans, Cyndi Faria, Willow Fox, Amber Garr, K.A. Graham, Miranda Grant, Gabbi Grey, Raisa Greywood, M.L. Guida, Kaje Harper, Heather G. Harris, Sophia Henry, Erica Himy, Shelly Hixson, Kelly Kelsey, Emery LeeAnn, Cassidy London, D.D. Lorenzo, Jenna Lynn, E.H. Lyon, J.S. Mercier, Lux Miller, Katherine Moore, Stella Moore, Vivian Murdoch, Yolanda Olson, Fei Marie Perez, Remy Reigns, Syd Ryan, Ramsey Savage, Barb Shuler, Pandora Snow, Brooke Summers, Vi Summer, L.C. Taylor, Amy Thorn, Mel Walker, Denise Wells.

Breaking Cover - Life Lessons Book 2 - has escaped from Audible review just in time to be a June release.

JF Harding does his usual amazing job of voicing the emotions and the action as closeted cop and single father Mac, and his teacher boyfriend Tony, have their lives permanently changed by murder that hits close to home.

Breaking Cover is on US Audible HERE.

Book 3 is already in production - look for the release of Home Work in July or August.

I'm so thrilled to have this series finally in audio and with such a talented narrator. I hope listeners will enjoy hearing this next episode in Mac and Tony's lives.

I'm thrilled to have Consumed by Fire - the sixth Necromancer book - out now on all vendors. I hope readers will enjoy this new adventure - Grim is sharp as ever, Darien faces moral questions, Silas faces demons, and Pip... is simply Pip. Join them for the fun and adventure, and two men in love.

I've posted a brief excerpt below (note, this series should be read in order- book 1 - Marked by Death - is FREE HERE on all vendors.)

[ Find Consumed by Fire wide on all vendors ]



excerpt:

Darien stood looking around a smoke-tarnished kitchen. Silas moved to his shoulder, eyeing the ceiling and walls. Despite the damage done by water and soot, Darien was right— this section of the house looked solid enough. Jasper and the other three sorcerers had followed Silas in, with Xsing cradled in Jasper’s arm. Pip and Grim came trotting back from deeper inside.

“We found the source of the damage,” Grim said. “Undoubtedly also the remains of a gate, and probably Morrison’s work room. I think it was once the parlor.”

“Any sign of demons?” Worthington asked.

“You’d know better than I would,” Grim told him. “Come on, this way. Watch where you walk.”

They followed Grim through the kitchen and out into a hallway where the reek of smoke hung thick on the air. Silas coughed and heard Tanner do the same. The far end of the hallway showed much more damage, with the ceiling cracked and half fallen. Drywall to their right had blown out of the framing.

Grim stopped and ducked through a hole in the stud wall. “This room here. You’ll want to come through this hole. The door end’s a mess.”

Darien eased through the gap quickly, Silas ducked under a blackened wire running between the studs to follow him, and Jasper joined them. As the others squeezed their way through, Silas turned on his heel to survey the room.

He immediately saw what Grim had noticed. One wall of the room was much cleaner than the rest, intact and free of holes but marked by a perfect blackened arch. The rest of the room was a shambles of overturned furniture, charred books, dented walls, scorch marks, and soot. It looked as if the end of a blast furnace had emptied out toward the front of the house and the whole room reeked of charcoal and sulfur.

Locke picked up a book from the floor. “Oh dear, that shouldn’t be lying around.” He opened the shopping bag he’d brought and put the scorched, leather-bound tome inside.

“We should check all the books—” Worthington began, then he stopped abruptly, head up as if sniffing the air.

In the same moment, Silas became aware of a chill running across his skin. “Ghosts,” he said. “More than one.”

A flicker of gold ran over Darien as he shielded strongly, then it vanished as he pulled his shields down to skin level. Pip jumped to Darien’s side, sniffing the air. “Where? How many? What can I do?”

Silas scanned the room with his Othersight. Slowly, one after another, wisps of ghosts filtered up through the floor, in through the walls, and out of the one standing bookcase. Silas counted seven. No, eight. Maybe more.

Worthington cleared his throat. “Are you seeing them too, Thornwood?”

“I detect at least eight.” He sent a tendril of power out, but they ducked away from him. None had a face or a shape or much humanity left.

“What the hells was Morrison doing here?”...

Discover the reasons for the destruction, the ghosts, and come along with Darien, Silas, Grim and Pip as they head for rural Canada and a new adventure in Consumed by Fire: Necromancer book 6

[ Find Consumed by Fire wide on all vendors ]

I'm delighted that Audible has released Home Work - Life Lessons book 3 with narration by JF Harding.

This book presents a challenge to a narrator, as Mac and Tony, and their small found-family, go through such a range of events, emotionally and physically. Harding knocked it out of the park, catching every nuance, making the words on the page come to life, and I can't wait for you all to hear it.

Not whispersync'd yet, but hopefully soon.

Audible US - https://www.audible.com/pd/Home-Work-Audiobook/B0BDBTPT7L
Amazon. com -https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BDC8BTP7/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?

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Alec - Single Dads of Gaynor Beach is now available on all vendors.
universal link: https://books2read.com/u/3JE9QA

Alec is coping with deep loss. Joe is looking for a welcoming place to raise his preteen son, Kevin. Lost dog Zelda is looking for a safe home. Kevin is looking for octopuses. Finding each other is a coming together of love, hurt-comfort, and family-building to a HEA.

Excerpt from ALEC:

Alec couldn’t resist getting to his feet and moving to Joe’s shoulder, following his gaze. The deep tide-pool was mossy and green in places, pebbled and brown in others. He recognized a couple of anemones and a sea star, but couldn’t see any octopus either.

“He can camouflage,” Kevin said with glee. “That’s why you don’t see him. Look where that little pile of shells is, then off to the right a couple of feet.”

“I’m not sure…” Joe muttered.

“Yes!” Alec realized. “Right there. He has one tentacle flipped over beside that bunch of mussels. See the row of suckers?”

“Ah!” Joe pointed. “Yeah, your eyes are sharper than mine. Very cool, Kev.”

“I’m doing a report on him for my biology segment. I want to take a good picture, but he’s always so hard to see in photos, and the water makes reflections.” Kevin pulled out his cell phone, holding it at arm’s length over the pool in a way that made Alec flinch. “You can only get to this pond at really low tide, which is why we had to come quick.” He blindly tapped the screen a dozen times at different angles. “Maybe I got him now.” He grinned as he pocketed the phone. “I call him Oscar the octopus.”

Alec couldn’t help smiling back. “That’s a great name.”

“There’s all kinds of good things in this pool, like anemones and warty cucumbers. I want to see a Spanish shawl sometime, but I haven’t. They’re a kind of nudibranch.” Kevin leaned farther over the water.

Alec laced his hands together to keep from grabbing at the kid. He’s fine. If he falls in, it’s maybe three feet deep. His dad’s right there. Looking at Joe helped. His big sturdy frame and strong hands were surely some kind of protection. Although no one can always keep their kid safe. Alec frantically shoved that thought back into the box it’d escaped from.

I’m having a good day. I saw an octopus. I’m talking to a kid and his dad like we’re all regular normal people. Kevin had said something to him.

“Sorry, missed that?”

“I said, do you like crabs? I think they’re cool, but Mom doesn’t like anything with more than four legs. That’s what she says.”

“I don’t discriminate based on legs.” Simple chance had Alec staring at Joe’s hairy calf below his board shorts as he said that. Coincidence meant Joe caught him looking. When he yanked his gaze up to Joe’s face, a dimple appeared in one stubbled cheek and that wide mouth twitched.

Chance. Coincidence. Right. Heat suffused Alec’s face but the flush felt almost welcome. He’d been cold for so long, even here in sunny California…

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Read Alec and Joe's story (with lots of help from Kevin) in Alec

Available wherever ebooks are sold: https://books2read.com/u/3JE9QA

Hey folks, I'm thrilled to have people meet Cam and Erik in Hidden Blade - The Road to Rocktoberfest 2022

This book is part of a shared world rockstar (or in my guys' cases, not-yet-star) romances. I'm looking forward to the whole series.

* social anxiety
* first time
* coming out
* bad limericks (Erik's lucky Cam still loves him.)

Amazon and KU: https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Blade-R...

** for those who only read wide, I'm sorry about the wait. Once the series is done in KU, I will take this one wide. Thank you for a commitment to wide publishing.

Audible has released Learning Curve - Life Lessons book 4 with another amazing performance by JF Harding (His average rating on Audible for book 3 - Home Work - is at 5.0) This book completes the series. (Although I don't rule out a short story or two to catch up with our guys in the future.)

Already whispersync'd at $7.47, and the novels are in KU.

I hope folks will enjoy listening to Mac and Tony work their way through challenges to their warm HEA.

Audible US: https://www.audible.com/pd/Learning-Curve-Audiobook/B0BMJVHLCB

I'm happy to see this collection - The Distant Hills and Other Stories - go out into the world. New love and old, hurt-comfort and humor, meet-cutes and second chances, young men, older ones (and a zombie raccoon) - stories from flash fic to 10K to entertain you, make you chuckle, or touch your heart.

Now on Amazon in ebook and Paperback and coming next week wide. (Sorry for the delay, wide-release folk. It will be out wide March 2nd, and is currently on preorder; there was a distribution glitch that delayed it a week.)

I'm grateful to the members of my Facebook group - Kaje's Conversation Corner - who read and loved the rough drafts, and whose encouragement to put together an easy-to-peruse collection of my favorites kept this project moving forward. I reread some of these last night, checking the released book, and I'm proud of these stories. Though written just for fun, there is some of my heart in all of these. I added the Life Lessons and Changes short stories that were not yet published to the book. I hope readers enjoy this collection.

* Amazon ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Distant-Hills-...
* Amazon paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW2GFQFC/
* Universal link : https://books2read.com/u/38Vgr7 (preorder until release March 2)