Nikki Jefford's Blog, page 3
June 28, 2019
Three Kings Cover Reveal 👑👑👑
Are you ready for the jaw-dropping, eye-popping, heart-stopping CONCLUSION to The Royal Conquest Saga?
Three Kings has gone through my fabulous developmental editor and is now with my copy editor. Aiming for an August release when all is said and done.
Check out the gorgeous final cover (featuring the saga's readers' favorite: Mel) designed by Najla Qamber.
Life will never be the same for Melarue Heiris.
Two Fae princes vie for her affection, and her sister doesn't like it one bit. But this isn't Aerith's story. Sure, Mel might have gotten herself into a pickle, but she's got everything under control … kinda. Not. Next thing she knows, she's being threatened with marriage, gowns, and--worst of all--a crown. Ah-hem, Mel likes pointy things at the end of a hilt in her hand, NOT on her head!
Meanwhile, very pregnant, and put out by her ongoing role at Dahlquist castle, Aerith is prepared to do whatever it takes to save her sister and leave Faerie for good. Liri has other ideas. Too bad the Fae-hole abandoned his kingdom. Aerith is in charge now, and if Liri doesn't return soon she'll crown a new king.
The final battle between the two Elmray families is about to begin.
Will the cost of winning be too great?
--- 🍓 🍰 🍒 ---
Are you new to the series?
Start with the prequel novella "Enemies & Lovers" which you can read by downloading a FREE sample of The Monster Ball Anthology. (It's the first story and will show up in its entirety in a sample or by clicking the "Look Inside" feature on Amazon.)
June 19, 2019
Mating Games in Audiobook
Narrated by Justine O. Keef
Amazon | Apple | Tantor | audiobooks.com | Google Play | downpour | scribd
Summer is heating up! Jordan spurns the match her father pushes her (or one of her sisters) to make with Raider. Easier said than done after she's paired up to patrol with the sexy, swaggering beast. 🌞🧡
I'm not typically the swooning type, but Raider had me gushing all over my keyboard. Lots of face fanning in the process. He's got the whole animal attraction thing going on strong. 😜😍
Book 3, BORN WILD, is releasing in audiobook next month.
June 17, 2019
Wolf Hollow in Audiobook
Narrated by Justine O. Keef
Amazon | Apple | Tantor | audiobooks.com | Google Play | downpour | scribd
Wolf Hollow is now available in audiobook! It's been awhile since I read book one so listening has been a fun way to revisit the pack. 🐺💚🎧 Book two is already available to pre-order and set to release June 18th, followed by book three next month.
Writing Update: I am working on Elsie's story, Moon Cursed (WHS #4), and plan to finish by the end of next month! I can't wait to welcome you back to the hollow. It's been far too long. I don't know about you, but I'm ready to run with the wolves again! 🤗😘
May 8, 2019
Sex Talks
I keep hearing from readers that the sex talks at the beginning of False Queen were a favorite. ;-)
Have you ever had to deliver (or receive) the birds and the bees talk? My family was awkward about that stuff and avoided the topic so I turned to Seventeen Magazine, YM, and Cosmopolitan when I was a young teen. I found historical romance to be extremely informative as well - especially to read aloud to my little brother and sister when I babysat. Yeah, heard a lot of "ews" back in the day. I was the older perv who was like, "yummy." 🤣
Below, you can read an excerpt of the sex talk Aerith has with Melarue after she crashes her vacation in the mortal world. If you haven't read Stolen Princess yet, you'll want to do so first to avoid spoilers. Enjoy! 😜
After ripping down the slopes, Devdan and I returned to the lodge in high spirits. We deposited our rented boards into tall lockers
and walked into the lobby where we spotted Aerith and Jhaeros playing a board
game at a table beside a roaring fire. No surprise.
Aerith had changed into black leggings and a bright multicolored striped fuzzy
sweater. Her blonde hair tumbled over her shoulders, covering her ears.
They didn’t notice me until I spoke. “Don’t tell me you brought your campaigne board
with you.”
Aerith kept hawk eyes on the board, not responding until she’d moved one of the white
pieces.
“I didn’t need to,” she said cheerfully. “Humans have an almost identical version
called chess. Isn’t that wonderful?” She picked up one of the smaller pieces
with a round top and held it up to me. “They call shrubs, pawns; mages,
bishops; archers, knights; and towers, rooks. Isn’t that interesting?”
“Yeah, fascinating,” I answered, not masking the boredom from my voice. “What do they
call kings and queens?”
“Those are the same.”
I folded my arms. “So, are we going swimming?”
Aerith looked over her shoulder at the darkened windows. “Oh, gosh. We lost track of
time. We can start up a new game tomorrow.”
“We can?” Jhaeros asked, his face falling. He still wore his hat, which wasn’t
uncommon with humans coming in from the mountain wearing winter gear.
Aerith stood and looped her arm around mine. “Jhaeros, why don’t you and Devdan have a
drink at the bar while Mel and I change into our suits?” She gave Jhaeros a
pointed stare.
His gaze went from Aerith to Devdan and seemed to lock there. “I could use a drink,”
Jhaeros said.
Devdan forced a smile. “Me too.”
“Great! Give us about twenty minutes.” Aerith yanked my arm, pulling me toward the
elevators. “What floor are you on? We’ll grab your suit, bring it to my room, and
change together.” Inside the elevator, I pressed the button to the third floor.
Aerith beamed. “We’re on the third floor, too. How perfect!”
As soon as the doors closed, I turned to Aerith, hands on my hips. “Tell me Jhaeros isn’t about to give Devdan some kind of lecture.”
Aerith squinted at me. “Mel, whatever do you mean?”
“A birds-and-the-bees talk, as humans call it.” When Aerith continued to stare at
me in confusion, I spelled it out. “S-E-X.”
She leaned back and snorted. “Can you imagine Jhaeros speaking to Devdan about
sex?”
“Then what are they doing together?” I hadn’t missed the secretive look Aerith
flashed Jhaeros.
“Having a drink while I have a sex talk with you.”
I lifted my hands and covered my face. “Ugh.”
Luckily, the elevator doors opened and I was able to rush free of the metal box into the
corridor. Aerith kept pace, following me inside my room. The bed was freshly
made, and everything was put away nicely thanks to the lodge’s friendly
housekeeping staff.
While I fished through my suitcase on the floor, Aerith spoke at my back.
“I realize that you and Devdan are, in all likelihood, having sex.”
I groaned, which didn’t deter Aerith.
“I want to make sure you’re taking precautions.”
“Yep. Got it covered.” Like literally. Humans had these handy little things called
condoms. I really didn’t want to explain them to my sister. I pushed aside several
sweaters and a pair of pajamas before reaching my two-piece bathing suit. The
top had a pineapple pattern that covered my entire chest and part of my torso
where it met with a pair of bright aquamarine boy shorts.
“I never thought I’d get pregnant, so I didn’t bother with tinctures—and now look
at me.”
“Oh my sky, Aerith!” I swung around, bathing suit gripped against my middle. “We’re
taking precautions every time!”
“Have there been a lot of times?” She cocked her head to one side and stared into my
eyes, unblinking.
I squeezed my eyes closed. “Can we not talk about this?”
“Sure. I just want to make sure he’s treating you well.”
I reopened my eyes. “He is. Devdan’s a complete gentleman, but not the boring
kind. He treats me with respect and doesn’t do anything I don’t want to do.”
Aerith nodded. “I’m glad to hear that. I mean, I packed my bow and arrows just in
case.”
“Aerith!”
She laughed. “Just kidding. Let’s go to my room and get changed before Jhaeros
finishes his drink and walks in on us.”
“Arrrrrrg. I’m putting the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door and bolting it until after
we’ve changed.”
Aerith’s room was at the other end of the hall. Unlike my room, the sheets were bunched
up and rumpled. Ew! I did not want to think about Jhaeros on top of my sister,
which naturally, led my mind in that very direction. “Oh, oh. Aerith.” His lusty, pretentious voice echoed inside my
head. “Oh.” Nooooo! Marshmallows with cocoa. I mean cocoa with
marshmallows.
“Mel? What are marshmallows?”
Had I said that out loud?
“They are these squishy white sugar puffs,” I answered. “You’d love them.” Yes, let’s talk about marshmallows.
“You eat them?” Aerith asked.
I nodded vigorously. “Soft, chewy sweetness.”
Aerith rubbed her lips together. “I need to try these.”
“Yes,
you do, but let’s take a swim first.” I needed to cool off before I combusted from this mortifying conversation.
I went into the bathroom to change. Elves weren’t typically modest, but I’d never
been into group nudity, especially in the bedroom Jhaeros shared with my
sister. I changed into my suit and put an oversized T-shirt over it. When I
returned to the bedroom, Aerith stood in a pink string bikini with ruffles
along the edges. Her belly had a soft swell, and her breasts had gotten bigger
and were jostling to free themselves from her top.
I was about to ask whether she had a T-shirt or cover-up for the trip down to the
pool when a firm knock sounded at the door.
“That must be Jhaeros,” Aerith said cheerfully as she swept by me.
I heard the click of the deadbolt before she opened the door—followed by a male
gasp.
“Oh. Sweet. Berries,” Jhaeros murmured.
More like melons.
I snatched a towel from the bathroom and hurried over, afraid Devdan was in the
hallway gaping at Aerith as well. But Jhaeros was alone, wide-eyed with his jaw
hanging open.
I pulled the door open wider and glowered at Jhaeros. “Hey, Jhaer. Humans have
these things called cameras. Why don’t you take a picture? It will last
longer.”
Aerith
chuckled. “Well, we did buy a photo frame in the gift shop earlier, but I want us all to be in the picture.”
I threw the towel at Aerith, hoping she’d catch it and cover up, before pushing past
Jhaeros into the hallway.
“I’ll see you at the pool.”
Jhaeros and Aerith didn’t answer. Judging by the heated look they shared, they weren’t leaving their room anytime soon.
***
Join Aerith and Mel for more sexy times and adventures in False Queen. #OhBehave
May 5, 2019
Penned Con 2019 Pre-Orders
Wow! This is by far the earliest I've put up a pre-order form but I'm hearing from readers wanting to begin book budgeting for the event. Good planning! 📚
When: September 12 - 14, 2019
Where: St. Louis
Find out more about Penned Con. Join the Facebook Penned Con Fan Page.
Place your pre-orders HERE by July 31.
This event is such a blast! I can't wait to return for this year's 80's theme.
April 22, 2019
On The Set of Wolf Hollow 😜
For Earth Day, I wanted to share some scene location scouting I did for Wolf Hollow at the beginning of the year. My family was out for a hike at beautiful Obstruction Pass State Park on Orcas Island.
After following a hidden side trail, I felt like I'd stepped directly into the hollow. It looked like the perfect place for the communal gatherings (the glade) and the den.
I could picture one of the shifters hiding behind that big network of roots and earth on the upended tree in the photo below. (Listening in or waiting to pounce!)
As I mentioned in last week's newsletter, once Three Kings (the final Royal Conquest book) is finished, I will be clawing my way back to the pack!
Happy Earth Day! Take a walk in the woods if you can. Run free! Don't ever let life kill your spirit. Our time here is precious and there are hidden wonders all around us. 🌲🐺 🌔
April 15, 2019
And then there were three...
At the beginning of the year, I planned to be well into writing Elsie's story in Moon Cursed, Wolf Hollow Shifters #4.
What's really happening: I'm working on Three Kings, Royal Conquest Saga #3 (final book)! 👑👑👑
Thank you for your patience, wolf pack. 🐺💋
What was supposed to be a fun follow-up to my novella (Enemies & Lovers) in The Monster Ball Anthology turned into a friggin' S A G A ! !
It's so awesome, though. This world brings heaps of laughter to my lips and energy to my writing. It's like a concentrated shot of sweetberry juice that's got me all wired.
After I finish, Wolf Hollow Shifters is next. 🥰 😘
👉 And FYI, if you have not experienced the Royal Conquest "roller coaster of fun" (as readers are calling it), you can begin the saga FREE by downloading a sample of The Monster Ball Anthology on Amazon. My RCS novella, Enemies & Lovers, is the first story in the anthology and appears in its entirety in your free sample.😁
April 6, 2019
Next Up: 3 Kings
What's up with Royal Conquest? Well, I thought it was going to be a duology . . . right up until my first writing deadline on False Queen. My content editor granted an extension and it wasn't until I nearly gave myself an honest to sky stroke meeting the extended deadline, that I realized there was going to be a third book (Three Kings). 👑👑👑
I had the first chapter and a half written before hitting a brick wall. (Wish I could portal through that sucker!) So I gave myself a "breather" and worked on rewriting a romantic comedy I wrote last spring and had set aside.
But I've been feeling anxious because of how False Queen left off and my content editor only has ONE SINGLE opening this summer to work on the book.
I opened the Three Kings Word doc yesterday, reread what I'd started. Laughed. LOVED it . . . and still felt myself staring at a stone wall. (What the freak berries?!) This morning, Mel took matters into her own hands, seeing as I've become pretty much useless for weeks (re: months). Hey, I'm just the creator here. Whatever.
Anyway, she did something that totally surprised me and her companion who warned her: “This is a terrible idea."
To which, she naturally thought: "Oh, goodie. My favorite kind." 😜
This series (this saga!) has been such a wild ride, one I'm experiencing the way you do as a reader -- not knowing what's coming next. It's been a bit nuts, but nuts are better than pits, and I can now say I'm breaking through that wall to tackle the final book, Three Kings. I'm giddy with anticipation and can't wait for you to complete the journey with me, Mel, Aerith, Hensley, and the Elmray clan. It's going to be F-U-N fun! 🥰
In the meantime, reviews fuel my energy. I'm just sayin'. If you love it. If you're excited, want more, etc., etc., etc., your Amazon reviews mean the worlds (plural) to me and help new readers discover the series. 🤗 😘 Thank you for being the opposite of a pit head! (A berry head???) 🤔 💛
February 28, 2019
Bonus Recipes On All Pre-Orders of False Queen
Treat yo self: Amazon US | Amazon Universal | Goodreads
Aerith and Jhaeros return March 26th in FALSE QUEEN. You will never guess what happens next!
Readers said that book one made them hungry with all the goodies Aerith baked so I've included six of my favorite Royal Conquest bakes and one thirst quencher. These will be included at the end of False Queen ONLY on pre-orders. Price goes up a dollar after release day.
Bonus Recipes:
Sweetberry Jewel Cookies Aerith's Acorn and Squirrel Sugar Cookies Hello, Pumpkin Cookies Aerith's Celebration Cupcakes Mel's Let's Kick Butt Balls Market Day Sugared Buns Lavender Faerie Lemonade
Save a buck and make it sweet. Pre-order before the book goes sugar free!
Amazon US | Amazon Universal | Goodreads
December 6, 2018
Mel's Holiday Newsletter Goes Out Next Week - Don't Miss Out!
Hanging out with Mel in the mortal realms has been such a blast. She would like to tell you what she's been up to, along with a special holiday message via my newsletter.
Now, if you don't know what I'm talking about, Mel is short for "Melarue." She's a spitfire elf from Pinemist, youngest sister to Aerith "Heiris" Elmray from "Enemies & Lovers" in The Monster Ball Anthology and the follow-up novel, Stolen Princess, which released last month.
They're both a ton of fun with outrageous twists, royal intrigue, kissing, dancing, more kissing, and other "stuff" that Mel really isn't interested in discussing right now, or ever, no matter how much big sis pries.
Stay tuned for False Queen in March. In the meantime, don't miss out on Mel's tidings when you sign up by December 13. (Newsletter goes out Dec. 15.)
