N.R. Walker's Blog, page 13
June 23, 2019
June 16, 2019
Good Morning Monday ~ Title and Cover Reveal!!
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I’m very excited to show off my cover and blurb for my next book! I’ve been sitting on this cover for months so I’m suuuuuper excited to be able to finally share it with everyone. The cover is from James at Go On Write, and I just love it.
ARE YOU READY??
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O M F G is right!
This book, titled SIR, should be out late July (around the 25th?) but I’ll confirm that when I know for sure. I do have a blurb, but I’m still tweaking it, so the one that gets published could change from this one, but here it is…
Blurb:
Founded over four hundred years ago, Sanctus Infinitus Redemptio is a private and very elite society where dominance and submission are revered. Steeped in tradition and excellence, every Dominant and every submissive, and their pairing, is selected with great care.
When Hunter Vargo is brought into the Sanctus, his need for strict dominance sees him paired with the wrong Master. But only a short time later, mistreated and his trust broken, he’s recalled, his collar removed. The Grand Master knows it will take a special kind of Dominant to restore the sub’s faith and trust.
Sig Bruckner’s world is perfect. He has a great job, he has high standing within the Sanctus, and he has Levin, the very best submissive. When he’s asked to take on a second sub, a submissive with issues and a rule not to touch him, Sig’s world is turned upside down.
When his Dominance, his patience, and self-control are tested, and when Sig’s relationship with both subs is pushed past his limits, everything begins to unravel. Yet Sig knows every good Dom learns from their subs, and he’s no exception. He might not be able to fix everything on his own, but perhaps the three of them together can.
Sig Bruckner is about to learn who’s really in control.
SIR is a BDSM-light story, MMM and/or D/s/s. I’m a little hesitant to call it BDSM… It technically *is* but the Sanctus has different laws and rules so it’s not a traditional BDSM lifestyle (obviously safe, sane, and consensual still applies). Sig calls himself a ‘soft Dom’ and he’s not really into the S&M side of things, more into the ‘restraint and fuck’ side of it all LOL, along with sensation-play, and he gets off on the pleasure of his subs.
Anywhoooo, there it is. I did say it wasn’t like anything I’ve done before… LOL But Sig, Levin, and Hunter, are wonderfully wonderful, and I’ll be sharing more about them in the coming weeks!
WIP Update:
My current project is at 43K words. I had a weird week last week. We had visitors and we were dog-sitting a rottweiler, and my kids had five days off school, so not much got done by the way of words. But I think I know what I’m doing with it now, and I need a HUGE word count this week. I HAVE to get the first draft finished in the next two weeks, and at this point that’s not looking likely.
So send up some good vibes into the universe. For me to get this done, and for whoever else might need them.
Much love! Until next week…
June 2, 2019
Good Morning Monday ~ How The Hell Is It June?
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I can’t believe it’s bloody June already. I just don’t know where the time goes… The good news is it’s finally winter, which I love. I think Autumn is my all time fave season but I do love winter. Not a huge fan of super cold mornings, but I love wearing jeans and sweaters and scarves and boots. Mind you, this is an Australian winter. You can keep that “northern hemisphere 10 feet of snow” kind of winters all to yourself LOL
It’s been a quiet week on the authorly front. I’ve been plugging away at my WIP, ever so slowly, because having to stop and double check research slows everything down. It’s currently at 27K words and originally I was thinking it was going to be a trilogy of shorter novellas, but as I progress, that’s becoming less and less likely. It looks like it will be one novel. That’s not a deliberate doing on my behalf. I had planned to have each of the three novellas with one case, and one bigger case overarching all three novellas, but apparently, my main character decided the bigger case was more important and it’s been the sole focus from the first scene. Considering I have no idea what I’m doing, I have to assume he does LOL
I still don’t have a title for this book, or even a cover idea. Normally I have all those details sorted long before now, but this whole book has been on its head from the beginning so I’m now just going with the flow. My inability to plan or outline any book has come back to bite me in the tush, considering it’s a murder mystery. Wanna know the real kicker? I don’t even know who the killer is yet…
Yep. And I’m the author…
Good times.
Anywhoooo, in other news, I have added another two books that were on my ‘maybe, one day’ list to my ‘to be written’ list. I have titles and cover ideas for those LOL So they will more than likely happen later this year or early next year.
I have two very different characters who each want their book written next, but I feel like my current book is going to take me forever to finish. I’m giving myself the month of June to finish it. If it’s still a hot mess in 30 days, I just may very well throw it out the window. LOL The next two should be light and fluffy and some tooth decaying sweetness that I’m known for. I’m sure we’ll all need it after the murder mystery with death and bodies and general horribleness. 
May 26, 2019
Good Morning Monday! What a Release Week!
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The release of The Hate You Drink has far exceeded my expectations of how this book would be received. I was wary of how such an angsty book, dealing with real and horrible things, would be received after a comedy like Upside Down. But people are loving it!! It went to #1 on release day, and as of yesterday (Sunday), it was #1 in seven countries (US, UK, AUS, CA, FR, IT, Germany) and #2 in Brazil and #7 in Japan.
And I have to say folks, that’s just freaking crazy!!
And it just proves something that I’ve been saying for years… I really do have the best readers!!
For those who might have missed it, you can find The Hate You Drink at this Universal Link
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And in Audio news, Clarity of Lines is OUT NOW!! Nick Russo does a SUPERB job narrating Tom and Cooper’s story. I couldn’t have chosen a better voice to bring their books to life.
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BUY LINKS:
Okay folks, that’s it for this week. I’ve sent my next book to my editor, and I need to immerse myself in my Work in Progress and get some words down. It’s a little (or a lot) out of my comfort zone so I’m second guessing every word… Ugh. I just need to get out of my own head and write ALL the words!!
Until next week!!
May 22, 2019
The Hate You Drink is OUT NOW!!!
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THE HATE YOU DRINK
is
★★★ O U T N O W ★★★
May 19, 2019
Good Morning Monday ~ The Hate You Drink Excerpt!
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It’s release week for The Hate You Drink!! I’m super excited for the world to meet Erik and Monroe! I’ve had some ARC reviews come in and it’s been overwhelmingly positive, which is wonderful and a huge relief. LOL
It’s hard to know how books will be received, especially those that deal with real life issues like addiction. It’s an angsty read, which is a 180 change in direction after Upside Down. But those who have been following me for a while will know, I don’t actually get much choice about the stories my characters want written. LOL
Given release day is almost here, I thought I’d share an excerpt…
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Excerpt:
I didn’t need to see the photographs of the wrecked car or the glass and metal strewn across the gutter. I didn’t need the reminder of how close it had been this time. I closed the newspaper, folded it in half, and slid it across the counter and let out an exhausted sigh. I didn’t want to meet Jeffrey’s disappointed gaze. I knew that look. I’d seen it more times than I could count. Jeffrey Kwon, a distinguished Korean-Australian man with short greying hair and a kind face, had been a close friend of Monroe’s parents as well as their trusted lawyer for thirty years, and Jeffrey assumed the same role for Monroe when his parents died. He was no-nonsense and astute, but he had a heart of gold and everyone knew Monroe would be lost without him. Well, everyone but Monroe.
“Where is he?”
“Still asleep,” I replied. I walked over to the nearest couch and all but fell into it, my head in my hands.
“You haven’t been to bed yet?”
I was too tired to even scoff. “Nope. It was after three by the time we left the police station. And then I had to get him into bed.” I didn’t tell him that I’d sat on the end of Monroe’s bed when he’d passed out, trying to calm my anxiety. How many nights had I got a phone call from him, drunk, needing help or a lift, to pick him up from a bar or the police station? A quick glance at my phone told me it was just after eight. The morning sun was up and glaring angrily over the Pacific like it could feel my mood. I scrubbed my hand over my face, feeling the minutes of sleep I’d missed. “How he didn’t hurt himself or someone else, I’ll never know.”
“It’s only a matter of time before he does.” Jeffrey’s tone was as sharp as his suit, whereas I felt like Monroe’s crumpled wreck that had been winched onto the tow truck last night.
I nodded, because he was right. We all knew he was right. Everyone, that was, but Monroe.
“I’ll have the insurance forms sent over this afternoon,” Jeffrey said. He rarely let his emotions show, but I could tell he was angry and disappointed. He was probably a dozen different emotions right now. What he wasn’t was surprised. This was far from the first time.
“Thanks, Jeffrey. He does appreciate it.”
He gave a nod and walked toward the grand foyer, but he stopped before he got to the door. “Does he? Does he appreciate all you do for him?”
I didn’t answer. Even if I knew what to say, I couldn’t get the words out. But Jeffrey didn’t wait for a reply. The soft click of the front door was loud in the silence.
My heart was a weighted lump in my chest. My ribs felt too tight like I couldn’t breathe properly. Like I hadn’t been able to breathe properly in years. The space of Monroe’s house was vast—tiled floors, high ceilings, glass walls overlooking the ocean, no expense spared—yet the vast emptiness was overwhelming. A mansion worth several million dollars, on every elite real-estate list in Australia, was a hollow void of loneliness and grief, much like the man who owned it. Who was, at that very moment, passed out drunk in his bed.
The heaviness of the last twelve hours settled over me, and I slumped down on the couch, pulled a cushion under my head, and closed my eyes.
* * *
“Hey, sleeping beauty, wake up.”
I startled and shot up. Disoriented at first, until I remembered I was on Monroe’s couch. He was standing at the end of the sofa with his arms full of brown paper bags, and then I could smell something.
“I was starving,” he said. “And Uber Eats is a gift from the gods. Shuffle up.”
I slid up the couch a little and he parked himself next to me, shoved the bags and a pizza box onto the coffee table, then pulled it toward us. “I didn’t know what you felt like, so I got that wood-fired pizza you like and some curry and—”
“What time is it?” I asked. Usually the view out the window was a good indication of the time, but it had come over cloudy. Summer storms usually rolled in around four.
“Half two.”
“Shit. I didn’t mean to sleep that long. I was supposed to go into the office today.”
Monroe shrugged like he did to most responsibility. “Here, get this into ya.” He opened the pizza box and turned it to face me.
I took a bite and moaned. It was so good. “How long you been up?”
“An hour or so.”
His black hair was damp and he smelled of salt water. “I didn’t hear you swim.” Which was surprising considering the living room opened up into the pool area.
“Stealth mode,” he said with a grin, his blue eyes sparkling. “Nah. You were dead to the world.”
I didn’t bother explaining that I didn’t get to sleep till after eight. I studied his face; there was a small scratch on his forehead and marks on his hands, probably from the glass or air bag. “How you feeling?”
“Good.”
And that was his problem. He always woke up feeling fine. Maybe if he’d ever suffered just one hangover in his life, he might think twice about drinking so much.
“Your picture’s in the paper,” I said. “And photos of the car.”
He grimaced for half a second before he took another forkful of curry. “You see Jeffrey?”
I nodded. “He was here before eight this morning. He brought the paper with him.”
Monroe stirred his curry, frowning. “Was he mad?”
“Yep. Said he’ll have the insurance papers sent around for the car.” I took a bite of pizza and swallowed it. “Wanna tell me what happened last night?”
He sighed. “Not really. I had one too many. You know how it is.”
“One?”
“Okay, a few.”
“And you drove.”
“I was fine.”
“Your blood alcohol level was high range.”
He frowned again, this time stabbing a piece of curried beef. “I was fine. I didn’t feel drunk at all.”
I knew there was no point in arguing with him, so I tried a different approach. “You could have hurt yourself, Monroe,” I said gently. “Or someone else. You’re lucky it was a pole you hit and not a pedestrian or a car full of kids.”
“Yeah, it was stupid, I know. I won’t do it again.”
“Well, no, you can’t. Because now you don’t have a car or a licence.”
He pointed his fork at me. “That is true. Well, there’s the old Discovery in the garage,” he said. “Haven’t driven that in a while.”
“Old? It’s two years old,” I said. “And you’re not driving it anywhere. You get caught driving unlicensed now and the judge will likely throw the book at you to prove a point. Not to mention that unlicensed means uninsured.”
“Where’s your sense of adventure?” he asked, giving me that sly grin that usually got him out of all kinds of trouble.
“My sense of adventure is keeping you out of jail.”
He chuckled and nudged me with his shoulder. “Always looking out for me,” he said. “Thanks, by the way, for coming to get me last night.”
“I should have left you there,” I said, nudging him back. “In a cell with two guys named Warthog and Donk.”
He laughed. “Sounds like a dream I had once. It didn’t end badly, let’s just say that much.”
I snorted, unable to stay mad at him. And that was my problem. I could never stay mad at him.
He put his curry down and took a slice of pizza, biting into it. “Mmm, this is good too. Hey, we should go out tonight. There’s a summer blues night on at the Wharf.”
I shook my head, but he was, like always, relentless and charming and so fucking cute, and I could never say no to him. Which was another one of my problems.
“Come on, it’ll be fun. It’s summer. We’ll have a swim, laze about for the afternoon, have a nap, then we can go out later. Who knows, you might even find some random to take home.”
I forced a smile, like I always did. “Unlikely.”
“Dunno why,” he said, oblivious. “You don’t look half bad,” he said with a smirk and a nudge. “If a young Robert Redford is your thing and you have more money than God. And fuck knows guys throw themselves at you.”
“More money than God?”
“Shut up, you know you do.” He pushed the pizza box away. “You know what your problem is, Erik?”
Actually, I did. But I played along. “Nope, tell me what my problem is.”
“You’re too picky.”
I snorted. “Is that right?”
“Yep. So tonight, when a guy looks twice at you, take him into the bathrooms.”
“Not really my style, but thanks.”
He laughed and stood up, then walked toward the pool. The glass doors were all pushed back, transforming the inside living area into a huge outdoor living area. He peeled off his shirt and stopped to face me. He looked even better in the sunlight. “Are you gonna lecture me about swimming after eating?”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Then get your arse into the pool with me. It’s too nice a day and life is too damn short.” He tossed his shirt and dived into the pool.
And there were both our problems laid bare. His was that he shirked off all responsibility, drank far too much, and lived like every day was his last, which in his case, with his drinking problem and reckless nature, it very well could be.
My problem was that I couldn’t stay mad at him and I couldn’t say no to him.
Oh, that, and I was absolutely head over heels in love with him. Had been since we were eighteen years old. I was so in love with him, I’d let him treat me like a doormat if it just meant he’d keep me around. It was a sickness.
He had his addiction, and he was mine.
His addiction to alcohol was killing him.
And watching him slowly spiral out of control, being so close to him but so far away, was killing me.
Addiction, in all its forms, fucking sucked.
The paperback will be available the same day, or a day after, depending on how distribution pans out from Ingram. The gorgeous cover by Cover Me Darling is soooooo pretty!!
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WIP UPDATE:
My current WIP is at a very slow 11,000 words. There is a lot of research that makes it slow, and my self-doubt makes it even slower. Buuuuut, onward I will press. I’m still confident this will be a trilogy of novellas but that’s something only time will tell. I can tell you the main character’s names are August and Jacob. August is a grumpy detective, Jacob is a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, but very competent and intelligent, senior constable. It’s set in Australia, and I’m actually enjoying writing it, despite my hesitation and reluctance to write a mystery/crime story.
Some days I wish my brain would just cut me a break. LOL
Okay folks, that’s it for this week. I’ll be back with buy-links for The Hate You Drink on release day!
Until then…
May 12, 2019
Good Morning Monday! For The Love of Audio!
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It’s been a busy week in world of audio! Elements of Retrofit AND Blind Faith are out now, and I’m so excited to FINALLY be getting my backlist organised for audio. Blind Faith was first released in 2012, so it’s been a long time coming, and my Thomas Elkin series was 2013. Audios are rather expensive to produce and I have a LOT of books, so planning which books and when hasn’t been easy.
But I’m so freaking happy how these turned out.
Nick Russo narrated Elements of Retrofit and he is the perfect Thomas and Cooper. The job he’s done on these two guys is perfection. And it can’t have been easy… Tom and Cooper grace a lot of people’s ‘favourite couples’ lists and readers have LOVED these characters for a long time. That makes for some pretty big shoes to fill, but he far exceeded my expectations. When he sent me the first few chapters for my opinion/proof, my reply to him was something like ‘OMG don’t change a thing!’ 
May 5, 2019
Good Morning Monday! Exciting Announcement for RARE2020 Edinburgh!
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I’m super excited to announce that I’ll be attending RARE2020 in Edinburgh next year! The dates are June 26-27th which THANKFULLY coincides with my kids’ two-week school holidays so we could even consider it (my daughter will be in her final year and these holidays are just before the midyear exams). I need to plan the whole trip, but at the moment it looks like I’ll be taking my kids because a trip to Europe from Australia is the trip of a lifetime, right? 
April 28, 2019
Good Morning Monday! Whoa, What a Week!
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Boy, it’s been a crazy week. I’ve been busy, mostly off all social media, and I’ve cranked out serious daily word counts, I’ve done some edits, and I’ve been trying to get some signed books out in the post. But I can say now that my WIP is done!
Yay!! I thought it was done on Saturday at 55K words, but when I was re-reading through the hellamess of a first draft, I realised something was missing. Like an entire chapter or two. LOL We needed to see them bond and grow more. Their emotional connection felt rushed and stupid because I hadn’t shown, on-page, enough of how they were together.
So I wrote 5K yesterday and now I’m so much happier with it. 
April 21, 2019
Good Morning Monday! Cover Reveal Day!
Happy Easter Monday! And the Easter bunny decided to drop off some treats for you all! Not chocolate, unfortunately, but how about a cover and a blurb for my next release?
This gorgeous cover was made by Cover Me Darling and I’m just a teeny tiny little bit (a lot) in love with it! Okay, so here it is…
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And the blurb!
Blurb:
Erik Keston, son of the Keston Real Estate empire, knows what it takes to be successful. Despite his inherent wealth, he holds his own. He works hard, he’s grounded, he’s brilliant. He’s also secretly in love with his best friend.
Monroe Wellman lost his parents three years ago and never grieved, never recovered. Inheriting the family company and wealth means nothing, and his spiral of self-destruction is widespread and spectacular. Dubbed Sydney’s bad boy, he spends more days drunk than sober, and the only person who’s stuck by him through it all is his best mate.
But when Monroe hits rock bottom, Erik gives him an ultimatum, and his entire world comes to a grinding halt. But it’s when the haze is lifted that Monroe can truly see what he’s been searching for was never in the bottom of a bottle. It’s been by his side all along.
An 80,000-word friends to lovers story about fighting the demons within, and trusting in the love that takes its place.
“Because when all you drink is hate, that’s all there is inside you.”
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Release date: Late May. And it will be exclusive to Amazon, and on Kindle Unlimited 
And a super quick WIP update:
Currently at 36K words. It’s super sexy, a little BDSM/kink-ish, and not really like anything I’ve ever written before. I’m thinking it should only be 50K all said and done, and I’m finalising the title and cover as we speak. I’m hoping for a July release date but that’s subject to a lot of things.
That’s it for this week guys. Oh, and if you want to be super jealous, I’ll be seeing The End Game at 8am on Wednesday 24th. I’m a huge Marvel fan and I can NOT explain how excited I am for this!!
Until next week!
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