Skye MacKinnon's Blog, page 8

The Between Rebels trilogy is now complete

It's time to return to space! Chosen By Them is the final book in the Between Rebels trilogy. More aliens, more space pirates, and even a nine-brained space octopus!

It's been quite sad to finish this series as it's been such a blast writing these books. Wren started off as quite a normal, unremarkable woman, but by the end of this book, she has transformed completely. I'd planned to write a much steamier story, but after all that happened to Wren, I couldn't force her to act faster than she wanted to. I always prefer to let my characters decide the story and the pacing rather than force it on them (I know that sounds totally crazy).

Anyway, enjoy Chosen By Them! And if you're new to the series, start with Stolen By Them.

New release: Guarded by Them

I never expected to be stranded on an asteroid with four aliens.

It's a miracle we survived, but just because we're still alive after the crash doesn't mean it will stay that way.
One of the Athions almost killed me. I don't trust him and I don't think I ever will. The other Athion seems nice, but every time I look at him, I'm reminded of what his kind did to me. And the two Trads... well, things are confusing. I think I like them. A lot. But I'm not supposed to fall in love with the enemy.
It would have been easier to have died in the crash. But now I'm determined to survive, no matter the cost.

The second book in the Between Rebels trilogy, a sci-fi reverse harem set in the Planet Athion shared world.

The third and final book in this trilogy, Chosen by Them, is now available to preorder!

read now

A Hidden Castle

When I first moved to Helensburgh, I explored a lot of the local area and thought I'd discovered most interesting places around. Turns out I was wrong.

Today I went on a rather unique hike from Cardross (only two train stops from Helensburgh) around the Kilmahew Estate. To be honest, I'd never even heard of that place, but hey, a hidden castle ruin in the woods? A magical waterfall? A peaceful glen? Sign me up!
Even better: there's an audio guide you can download in advance of the walk, together with a route description. I'm used to having to do my own research about whatever ruins I stumble across, so this is a complete luxury.

I started off at the train station and made my way up some roads until I reached open fields. It had been zero degrees overnight and a lot of the puddles were frozen over (one of the best sounds in the world is the cracking of a frozen puddle).
The first ruin I saw wasn't the castle, but the remains of a lodge part of the Kilmahew Estate. The estate covers around 140 acres and its name is derived from the Gaelic word cille, monk, and Mahew, a sixth century monk who came to Scotland from Ireland to spread Christianity.
On I go following a narrow and muddy path along a ravine, the gurgling sound of a small stream accompanying me until I reach the castle. If I hadn't known where to look, I would have never found it. Perfectly camouflaged by the surrounding colourful autumn trees, it blends into the landscape.
The castle's history is a little peculiar. Originally a 16th-century five-storey tower house, it was remodelled in the 18th century, adding details like large gothic windows. There's also a very pretty arch that looks like it should have led to another building but never did (can you be in love with an arch? If so, I am!). The theory is that the owners planned to convert the tower house into a country house or large villa, but never completed their work.

I stayed at the castle for a while, soaking in the atmosphere. I've always loved ruins, especially abandoned ones. As much as I like big, well looked-after castles like the ones in Edinburgh or Stirling, this felt a little more...magical.

The audio guide said that a barn owl nists on top of the castle, but sadly it didn't fly down to say hello.
Gothic window from the outside... ...and the inside When it got a little too cold, I continued on along a very overgrown path (cue me kneeling on the ground to duck beneath some fallen trees, getting my brand new walking trousers muddy) to a waterfall called Spottie's Linn. According to local legend, a will-o’-the-wisp lives here, a woodland sprite who likes to tempt unwary travellers off the beaten track. Sadly, Spottie was in no mood to talk so I continued on without temptation.
Next up was more water, this time a little lake, Swan Pond, with an artificial island in the middle. It was part of the estate's pleasure gardens. The pond was frozen over completely and the sound of ice gently cracking under the midday sun filled the air. Yes, I'm feeling poetic.
The next stop was one I intend to return to next summer: a rhododendron tunnel. I've seen some of those before, but never one as long. I can't imagine how beautiful it must look when the rhododendron is in bloom - one for next year's to-do list.
Normally, the route would have led me to St Peter's Seminary, another ruin, yet one that's a lot younger than the castle. After the Second World War, the Catholic Archodiocese bought the estate and with it, the mansion house. They transformed it into a seminary to train priests, remodelling the building completely. Sadly, the architects didn't take into account the Scottish weather and the seminary closed in 1980, the building leaking all over the place. Since then, it's decayed quickly and is now a modern ruin. It's still being used occasionally for peculiar things such as a rave and an art installation, but sadly, I never got to see it because the entire area is fenced off for building works.
No pictures of St Peter's, so here are some sheep instead Since I still had a couple of hours of daylight left (I should get up this early more often), I returned to Cardross and took a bus to the Ardardan Estate (I would have walked had there been a pavement along the busy main road leading there). It's a farm, complete with a farm shop, cafe and garden nursery, perched at the top of a peninsula that I can see from my living room window.

With the sun gone, I decided it wasn't the right time to walk around the peninsula and went into the warm and cosy tea room for some afternoon tea (amazing!) instead. And then filled my backpack with cheese and other goodies from the farm shop.

All in all, a lovely winter's walk with lots of nature and history. Now, with my brain refreshed and my stomach happy, it's time to write some magical stories...maybe about a sprite who kidnapped an author?
More information
The walk on Discovering Britain (includes audio guide)
Kilmahew Castle on Canmore
Ardardan Estate (afternoon tea!)

Advent is about to get a whole lot hotter

Ho! Ho! Hot! The first-ever reverse harem advent calendar is here!

I've got together with other authors to put together twenty-four first chapters from bestselling reverse harem novels, perfect to fill up that reading list for the holidays. Get a taste of books you haven't discovered yet and be inspired to re-read the ones you know already.

Plus, exclusive behind the scenes insights about your favourite authors. How do they come up with ideas? How do they spend the festive period? You'll get answers to those questions, as well as fun titbits about pets, unruly characters and the craft of writing.
Make yourself a hot drink, cuddle up on the sofa and get ready to open your first door... it's about to get hot.

The ebook is free, but if you prefer a paperback (I certainly do) to physically open one chapter a day, all proceeds from sales go to the charity Doctors Without Borders.
get the free ebook Paperback retailers

Are you ready to be abducted by aliens?

There are good aliens and bad aliens.
The ones you want to be abducted by and the ones you'd run from until your feet bleed.
Unfortunately, not everything is black and white... and not all good aliens are benevolent.

I'm so excited to announce my latest series, Between Rebels, a sci-fi romance trilogy featuring hunky aliens, danger and despair, and a strong female lead who's allowed to be vulnerable from time to time. The series begins with Stolen By Them, which releases on the 9th November.

Between Rebels is part of the Planet Athion universe, a shared world that four other authors write about. Here the aliens are sexy, the humans are hot, and there's plenty of action for everyone. All trilogies can be read on their own, but it can be fun to read them all in order (starting with Their Invasion by Marissa Farrar).

To celebrate the release of Stolen By Them, I take a look at some of my favourite Planet Athion books. Many of the existing trilogies are complete, so prepare for many hours curled up on the sofa with steamy stories of aliens, space and true love.
Join the Planet Athion Facebook Group Lily Harlem: Equinox
After escaping a fate worse than death, Uma Nixon knows she's one lucky woman.

She also knows Earth is no longer a safe place to be.

Not wanting to fall into the same trap twice, she uses her skills to secure a job aboard Equinox as it travels between Earth and Planet Athion.

Some might say it's a grinding job. A long journey in hyperspace as a cognitive traveler isn't for everyone. But throw four sexy guys into the mix - human and alien - a cheeky parrot, and a whole lot of flirting and desire, things soon get interesting out there in the abyss.

When jealousy, curious quirks of evolution, and danger rears its head, Uma wonders if she'll be able to handle the heat and the excitement. And if she can't...there's nowhere to run. Angel Lawson: Pioneers
Mercy Ladd is a woman with a mission.

To help the pioneers women from earth as they acclimate to Athion after their home has been invaded by a dangerous enemy.

Mercy knew her life would change with this adventure, but she never expected how much. As she acclimates to her new life on Athion; three hardened, handsome soldiers do everything they can to protect her; body, mind and soul.

Can they also protect her heart? Marissa Farrar: The Tradrych Strain
Sent in a worldwide asteroid strike, an alien race sneaked onto Earth to steal women away to repopulate their own planet.

I, Tara Chase, am one of those women. I believed my lover to be a gorgeous human man, only to be shown the most terrible of truths...
He’s anything but.
Now I’m on his planet of Tradrych, and after a three month stint in cryostasis, I’ve woken to find myself a prisoner on the verge of birthing his child.

My time is close now, but I won’t give up without a fight.

Debbie Cassidy: Survivor's Heart
Ever since I was betrayed and taken from my home planet, ever since they pumped me with poison and abandoned me on this asteroid to fight or die, I’ve been surviving.
But I’m not alone.
There are others with me, alien to me, just as I am to them. Separated into Houses we fight as a team on the blood-soaked sands while the elite watch.
Each day is about survival until him.
An outsider, he brings death, but he might also be our salvation.
There can be no us and them. There can be no prejudice. There can only be the team, because together we are stronger.

Step into Hell with this new box set

My friend/co-author/soulmate Bea Paige and I have put our Infernal Descent trilogy into one pretty box set. Now you can read all three books in one go without having to waste time on finding the sequels. And even better, it's cheaper than buying the books individually.
What are you waiting for...

Read the complete Infernal Descent trilogy in one volume for the very first time. Hell just got a whole lot hotter...

The devil has taken Ciera's sister. To save her, she has to travel through all nine circles of his domain, filled with demons, monsters and sinners.

Luckily, she's not alone.
Accompanied by a fallen angel, a werewolf and a hellhound, she ventures further into the lands of the dead than any human ever before. But there's a reason the living are not supposed to be in Hell, and with every circle, there are more enemies to overcome.

With the devil out to stop them, Ciera and her men need to hurry before it's too late for both her and her little sister...

An action packed fantasy adventure based on Dante's Inferno, but with a kickass heroine instead of a lovesick old poet, and a reverse harem romance that'll make you swoon.
get the book

Coming soon: Their Hybrid

[image error] She was born to serve. Pity she doesn’t want to.

DX-4, also known as Dex, is a hybrid: not quite human, not quite machine. She spends her days running errands for her three masters, until one day she ends up in a bit of a pickle.
Meaning she could be killed for what she did.
Her masters try everything they can to help her, but will it be enough? And is her heart human enough to return their love?

A steampunk reverse harem novella set in a dystopian world, featuring a strong heroine and her loving, protective men.
Previously published in anthologies as 'Kiss my Corset' and 'Kiss my Snowflake'.
pre-order

My bears have a new look

After long deliberation, I've decided to give my Claiming Her Bears series a makeover: new covers, new titles, a completely new style. Read more about this series' cover evolution on my Patreon page.

I'm in the process of updating the covers and titles everywhere and hopefully they'll show at all retailers soon.

Rescued by Bears is currently free, so this is the perfect time to start the series and dive into a post-apocalyptic Scotland full of hunky bear shifters and ancient mythology.
Start the series

New pre-order: Norsemen Academy

Hot Vikings, bearded Vikings, yummy Vikings! My Norsemen Academy is now available to pre-order and will be released on Saturday the 13th July.

Lainie never expected to be admitted to the prestigious Time Travel Academy.
She never expected to study runes, ancient languages and meet real life Vikings.
And she certainly didn't expect to fall for her teacher... and a Viking... and a mysterious archivist.
When a forbidden jump in time goes wrong, Lainie will have to draw on everything she's learned to make her way back into the present - and into the arms of her men.

A full-length steamy reverse harem full of action, intrigue and hot Vikings, set in both past and present. Includes resources to learn basic runes and Old Norse!

Norsemen Academy has been released as a serial previously and this omnibus combines all the episodes plus a bonus scene. If you've read the serial already, you can read the bonus scene here.
pre-order

Polish your claws, Meow is now available to devour!

If you like cats, you're in for a treat. If you don't - let yourself be purrsuaded!

The day has finally come, Meow is ready to pounce onto your bookshelves and ereaders. It's been a long time coming and I can't wait to hear what you think!

Meow is a purr-fectly hilarious urban fantasy full of cats, body parts and sassy assassins. That's right, Kat isn't just a kick-arse assassin, but also a cat shifter with a catnip addiction (pssst nobody knows about it) and some very sharp claws. If you're in the mood for action, suspense and a gritty world full of crime, but also want a lot of fun and cat puns, this is the book for you.

The second book Scratch is up for preorder now!