Lola Taylor's Blog, page 2

Bonus Scene: “Why is the dog purple?” (Blood Moon Rising)

In a recent survey of my newsletter subscribers, you guys told me you wanted to know what happened after “happily ever after.” Here’s a short flash fiction of one couple from my Blood Moon Rising series. Enjoy.

2017 Reader Survey Results

Last newsletter, I conducted a brief survey to see how I could better serve my readers. They say writers don’t have bosses, but in my opinion that’s simply not true. Readers are our bosses, in a way. If we make them unhappy, they won’t come back.

The survey consisted of three questions. Thank you to everyone who participated, and for all your kind comments. It makes this writer very happy. =)

Here are the results.

Question 1: What would readers like to see in my monthly newsletters? Most said excerpts/sneak peeks of upcoming releases, giveaways, short stories/flash fiction, or what I’m reading for fun now. I’m backing away from my release-a-short-story-a-month schedule in favor of writing longer works, since you guys like longer stories. (See last question.) Readers said they want to know what comes after happily ever after. Pregnancy, what their lives are like, etc.

Question 2: What are your favorite paranormal creatures to read about? I’m focusing on writing paranormal romances right now and wanted to know which creatures I could branch out into to prevent burn out. Everyone loves werewolves, with vampires and shapeshifters (tiger shifters, bear shifters, dragon shifters, etc.) coming in second place. Witches came in fourth, and angels came in fifth. Vampires are a personal favorite of mine (the first series I ever wrote, under a different pen name, was about vampires), as are witches. Don’t know when I’ll get to it, but I have a cool series in mind about witches. I’d like to expand upon my “witch mafia” idea. Think The Godfather meets The Craft. I’ve honestly never been a big fan of angels/demons storylines. If you have one in the book, you typically have the other. The only exception to that rule is Larissa Ione’s fabulous Demonica series, but I think I’m just in love with the way she writes. I did come up with an idea about lost souls/damned souls trying to redeem themselves after an eternity of sin. Think more past lives, karma, that sort of thing. So I might go in that direction. Someday. =) The Fey are another favorite of mine, and I have a cool trilogy in mind featuring them. We’ll see when I get to them. I might write that trilogy after finishing this next werewolves series just to take a break from wolves. I love ’em, but it’s good for my creative side to recharge with a totally different world and different creatures.

Question 3: How long do you like your books? Mostly everyone likes longer works (something over 100 pages). Most prefer novels. Something not too long, but not too short either. I feel like I do better when I write longer works, so that’s going to be my main focus. With the exception of Forever, which will be a long novella, I’m going to stick to novels. If the story goes longer, fine. Shorter, fine. I loosely outline my books and tend to play it by ear when I write. I like to let the stories breathe and try to give them as much room as they need to grow and be told properly. Part of the process I’ve developed over the years. =)

I’m sure I’ll have another survey next year as my newsletter base grows. I like to keep up with what everyone likes. Thanks for taking my survey. If you didn’t get in on it this year, there’ll be more. I hope you stick around when I release them. =)

Cover Reveal: Mercenary Moon (Book 1, Blackbriar Creek Wolves)

With Blood Moon Rising wrapping up soon, it’s time for me to focus on a brand new series. Yay! This one will be grittier than BMR–and hotter. It’s also going to take place in an imaginary small town called Blackbriar Creek, in my home state of Tennessee. And yes, there are badass werewolves who give a different definition to the term “pack.” Think MC (motorcycle club) meets hot paranormal romance, and you’ll get a feel for this new series. The boys are a rowdier bunch, with some pretty dark pasts. You won’t find any saints in this pack, though you’ll find plenty of sinners looking to redeem themselves… for the most part.

Blood Moon Rising paperbacks are finally here!

The wait is over! Still waiting on links to sync with the ebooks at online retailers, but that should happen soon. Right now, Amazon or Createspace are the best places to order. =)

A little FAQ…

Why can’t I find your books in bookstores?

Most bookstores don’t stock indies like myself unless people specifically request the book. So if you’d like your local bookstore to order, please ask them to!

Can I find your books in libraries?

Again, most libraries don’t order indies. Similar to bookstores, a lot of libraries will order books if people request them. It’s all about supply and demand.

That being said, I would LOVE to be found in a bookstore or library. If you happen to order one of my paperbacks or come across one in a store, PLEASE send me a picture! Or post it on my Facebook page. I’d love to see it, since being available in bookstores and libraries in physical format is one of my writer dreams!

Thanks for your support!

Happy New Years! Resolutions and Letting Go

First off, Happy New Years! I rang in the new year watching the fleur-di-lis drop in New Orleans, LA on ABC, at home with my pooches, listening to a gazillion fireworks go off around the city. (Earlier that night, I’d started watching The Walking Dead from episode 1 because I couldn’t remember what happened until Season 2, when I dropped off, and it’s a show I’ve been meaning to get back into.)

I’ve been giving a lot of consideration to what I’d like to accomplish this year. The thing I love most about New Years is that it’s a time to start over, with a fresh slate. As I said in my other blog post, 2016 was a year of transformation for my Lola Taylor pen name (new covers, new editing, new proofreading, new website, new formatting, etc.). Now that I’ve laid a solid foundation, I aim to make 2017 a year of growth.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

I’ll cut straight to the chase and list mine.

PERSONAL

Lose my vanity weight (10 pounds) and get toned.
Eat healthier.
Exercise half an hour daily, minimum.
Make time to relax and recharge on my days off (to prevent burn-out).
Fix up our front and back yards (the back yard, particularly, is a disaster, thanks to two huge dogs).
Have date night with hubby once a week.
Visit my family in another state more often.
Keep a better budget.

CAREER

I have goals for my night job, too, but we’ll skip that here and talk about my writing career goals.

Write 1 million words by the end of the year (roughly 3k a day).
Be more active at marketing.
Learn more about running a small business.
Join RWA and start going to local chapter meetings.
Join more online writers forums and network and learn and grow.
Read, read, read. Challenge is to read at least 40 works of fiction by the end of the year.
Let go of self-inhibiting doubts and fears.
Get uncomfortable.

LETTING GO AND GETTING UNCOMFORTABLE

This is really what it all boils down to. Success, that is. I’m the type of person who would be perfectly content to sit in her comfort zone where it is safe. If you never venture into the unknown, you can’t fail, you can’t get hurt, you can’t humiliate or embarrass yourself.

But you’ll also stagnate. The key to growth is to let go of your doubts and fears and to embrace the unknown. In other words, you have to get uncomfortable if you’re going to change. And that’s what growth is. To grow means you don’t stay the same. You become something more, a stronger, better version of yourself.

When I reach the end of 2017 and I look back at today, I want to say, “Wow, I’ve come a long way.” Not “I wish I would have done more.” I’d rather try, try, try, knowing I’ve done my absolute best and being proud of my failures (and successes) than to live with the regret of knowing I failed myself by being too chickenshit to try. Because life is hard. It’s not getting any easier. To succeed at anything–whether that be learning to cook better, losing weight, quitting smoking, or growing a business–you’re going to have to try things you’ve never tried before.

Success means getting uncomfortable, of letting go of your “I can’t do its” and “It’s too hard” and any other number of excuses our fragile egos try to cook up. It means keeping the end goal in sight, believing in yourself, and acting in the face of fear. It means silencing doubt and having the courage to fail. Because if you’re not willing to fail, then you’ll never succeed.

I have a keychain I bought off Etsy that brings me great joy and serves as a daily reminder of why I keep at this. It has a Winston Churchill quote (love his pearls of wisdom): “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”

I’m going to embrace that this year. I’m going to think and get outside the box, try things I’ve never tried before.

I’m going to get uncomfortable. And, hopefully, by the end of 2017, I’ll be damn proud of what I’ve accomplished.

***

What are some of your New Year’s resolutions? Share in the comments or shout out at my Facebook page.

What’s coming in 2017

Three years ago, I started my Blood Moon Rising werewolf romance series. I didn’t think it would take me three years to finish it, but it did and that’s okay because I’m really proud of this series. The last book, Forever, will be coming out soon (aiming for February). It’s not even part of the main series, not really. It’s more of a parallel storyline, taking place at the same time as Book 2, Protector. Different characters, different villains. Same scorching romance and a whole heap of drama. Oh, and hot, sexy werewolves, because who doesn’t love them?

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM FOREVER

The thing I like about the Blood Moon Rising series is that we get to find out what happens after “happily for now.” I get to develop the relationships more, we get to dig deeper into the characters and their drama. And there will be loads of drama. Stories live off it. Mine especially live off of drama, hot romance, and a slice of danger. =D

***WARNING: Skip this section if you don’t want spoilers for Lust! You can pick it up for free, by the way. Find out how.***

The Whiteclaw Pack has had a rough go of it. The story picks up exactly where it left off, and our happy couple immediately starts having problems. Breanna’s trying to figure out if she made a mistake in bringing Shadow, the former bounty hunter who killed her father, back to her pack. And her pack isn’t exactly welcoming her home with open arms, either. She still has a long way to go in proving her Alpha-chops to her pack after they suffered attack after attack by Strider in the last book.

Shadow is totally out of his element, which is fun to write about. He’s this big, tough hunk of werewolf Alpha who’s a total badass and really has no interest in ruling. But he’s doing this Alpha thing because he cares about Breanna and really wants to make their relationship work. He’s kind of committed now that he’s mated to her. There’s no magical version of a divorce in this world once you’ve sealed the matebond.

Both of them are going to be tested in their resolve and their commitment to each other. He’s going to be tempted to go back to his old bounty hunting ways because that’s what’s comfortable and familiar to him. She’s going to question if mating him, her father’s killer, was the wisest move, politically speaking.

And then there’s our villain, who is gonna be hell-bent on getting our girl, Breanna. Is he paranormal? Yes… and probably not what you think he’s going to be. While I was writing, I thought I was going in one direction and my mind did a total 180 on me. And I was like… “Huh, that’s really cool. We’ll keep it.” So expect some twists. Then again, if you read my prose, you were probably already expecting those.

Free Holiday Story: “Mates and Mistletoe”

Happy Holidays!  Normally short stories are shared only with my newsletter subscribers for free. But since this is the season of giving, I wanted to share this standalone story with all of you. =) Enjoy, and hope you have a happy and safe holiday season! — xoxo Lola

***You do not have to have read the Blood Moon Rising series to enjoy this story. It stands completely on its own, with different characters.***

“Mates and Mistletoe”

A Blood Moon Rising story

By

Lola Taylor

When Blake reluctantly agrees to go to a pack Christmas party, the last thing on his mind is finding his mate. But fate—and possibly Santa—has other plans…

***

Blake observed the party with a look of supreme distaste. Crescent Manor had been decked out in blue and white twinkle lights, silver garland, and sparkly tinsel. Just looking at it made his eyes hurt. Not to mention the smell. Oh, God, if he ever had to smell pine, cinnamon, or pumpkin spice whatever-the-hell-it-was-called again, it would be too soon. Being a werewolf royally sucked sometimes, mainly the enhanced sense of smell. And this place—his damn home for the past fifteen years—was doing nothing but reminding him why he hated the holidays.

Everybody here seemed to have found a date or had brought their mates. All but him.

It wasn’t his fault he couldn’t find a mate. Hell, he’d tried dating. And rutting. That part he especially enjoyed. But the Mating Mark, the mystical symbol that designated his soul mate, had yet to appear on anyone. Which was supremely frustrating.

Damn, did the universe hate him that much? He was thirty-five, for shit’s sake. And he was beginning to wonder if, maybe, he was destined to be alone for the rest of his life.

His best friend and fellow Moonstruck Pack member, Ryan, walked up to him, interrupting his scowling. Ryan had gotten a little more into the Christmas spirit, wearing a red button down and black slacks. Blake, on the other hand, had gone with a Metallica T-shirt that should have been thrown away ten years ago, a pair of rugged jeans, and his shit-kickers. Like hell he was dressing up for a party he didn’t want to attend in the first place. These people had been lucky he’d shown up to this damn circus. If it were up to him, he would’ve stayed up in his room, reading. Yeah, yeah, despite appearances and general “don’t give a shit” demeanor, he loved a good Brandon Sanderson novel.

Ryan surveyed him with a knowing twinkle in his eye and nudged him. “Someone piss in your champagne?”

“This ain’t champagne. I hate that bubbly shit. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a Guinness. Poured it in this fancy glass so Alara doesn’t yell at me.” Alara, the queen of the Moonstruck Pack and one of the newest additions to their ever-expanding family, was the only reason he’d deigned to show up to this shit show. One, because she was a hell of a leader and business woman. In the past few months since she’d been here, she’d increased profits from the pack’s real estate business by fifty percent. Blake, loving the shit out of math and money, could appreciate that. Especially since he was the pack’s accountant.

Two, he downright respected Alara. Not only was she smart, level-headed, and beautiful, she was into epic fantasy. After her mate, Nik, convinced her to binge-watch the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy and all six seasons of Game of Thrones, she was hooked to the genre. Knowing he was a big fan himself, she’d asked to borrow his wide collection of fantasy books. He’d happily obliged, and the two of them had become fast friends.

Friends or not, however, this was downright torture. But it wouldn’t be right, for political or friendships’ sakes, for him not to attend. Alara was one of the few people he considered a true friend. Plus, he was the pack’s accountant, and he loved his job. He wasn’t about to spit in their faces by not spending Christmas Eve in hell, er, at a party.

Ryan was quiet a moment. “You’ve been holding that wall up all night. Gonna come talk to some of us?”

“Nah. People seem too busy sharing pup pictures and dancing with their mates.”

Ryan tried not to look ashamed. He’d found his own mate, Stephanie, about a month back. Blake had been both thrilled for his bud and disgruntled their bachelor evenings were coming to an end.

Blake rolled his eyes, giving Ryan a dry smile. “You don’t have to hide your happiness—or your mate—from me, man. I’m glad you found Steph.”

Ryan’s shoulders seemed to relax, and he looked out at the dancing crowd. They were in the parlor. The furniture had been pushed aside to make room for a dance floor. A gorgeous brunette danced with a group of friends. Her face lit up when she saw Ryan, and she smiled and waved.

A stupid-happy grin, one that Blake couldn’t help feeling jealous of, lit up Ryan’s face as he waved back.

He and Blake made small talk after that, with Blake checking the clock every couple of minutes. God, had time stopped? Shit, he loved his best friend, but he couldn’t take much more of this. Every second here reminded him of how alone he felt, and exacerbated his fear that he would never find someone to share his life with.

After a conversation about hockey, another of Blake’s true loves, Blake said, “Hey, man, I’m gonna grab another beer and get some air. Care to join?”

A slow song started, and people went for their dates or mates. Stephanie started to approach. “Nah, man. I owe Steph a dance. Promised her before we came down. I’ll catch up with you later for that beer.”

“Holding you to that.” He said “hello” to Stephanie before slipping from the room.

After snagging another beer from the kitchen, he let himself outside, onto the back patio. Nobody was out there. One, because it was freaking freezing, even for a werewolf. Their body temperatures ran hotter than that of a normal human, but cold was cold. And the air was practically subzero.

His breath fogged as he looked up at the stars, at the open sky, full moon, and silvery tips of trees in the forest surrounding the property. This place was beautiful. Always had been, even when it had sometimes felt like a prison during Malachite’s reign.

Blake shivered, banishing thoughts about that psychopath to the recesses of his mind. After filing those bloody, dark memories away in the archive of “Shit He’d Rather Not Think About,” he took another swig of his beer about the same time a husky voice said, “Taking a break from the glitter festival, too?”

Blake nearly choked on his beer as he struggled to swallow and inhale at the same time. Whirling, he could barely make out the curvy figure standing in the shadows. Then she stepped into a pool of moonlight, and he forgot how to breathe.

Holy hell.

She was gorgeous, like something from a dream. With curves that would make Marilyn Monroe jealous and long, satiny blond hair that tumbled over her shoulders in waves, she looked like a siren come to steal him away into the night. Her dress was black, shimmery, and skin-tight, clinging to her like a second skin. Her four-inch crimson pumps made her nearly as tall as his six foot five.

A wave of desire made his skin hot, and an assortment of lustful thoughts filled his mind.

Down boy.

Clearing his throat, he shifted his weight and angled his body in such a way he hoped it would mask any obvious signs of his growing desire.

Could it be a mating fever, the time when all a werewolf could think about was sex? Possibly. Then again, sex was usually at the back of his thoughts, especially since he hadn’t had any in the past two months. Work had simply kept him too busy.

But now, in the presence of this dream girl, he found he couldn’t stop thinking about how soft her skin would feel or what her full, cherry-red lips would taste like.

As if sensing what he was thinking, she slowly smiled, and his heart skipped a beat.

***

Amy couldn’t take her eyes off him from the moment he’d walked outside. To say he was sexy would be like saying a tomato was red—it was stating the obvious. But this went beyond looks. The way he carried himself, the swagger, the dark wave of his black hair that curled just below his ears, the light stubble along his tanned flesh… He was eye candy. A man content in his own skin. And if there was one thing that turned her on, it was confidence.

Not wanting to feel like a total creeper, she said, “Taking a break from the glitter festival, too?”

The ensuing coughing and wheezing had her nearly smacking her palm against her forehead in embarrassment. Way to go, Amy. Make the perfect, hot stranger have a heart attack before you’ve even learned his name.

Cheeks heating, she waited for him to say something, but he never did. He looked kind of dumbstruck. He stared at her, jaw slacked, eyes wide, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing.

Unable to stand the awkward silence any longer, she said, “So, you, uh, visiting, too?”

He finally snapped out of it and shook his head. “No,” he said, in a voice dark as night that sent shivers tingling up her arms. “I live here.”

She blinked. “Lucky,” she sang, glancing back at the huge house. “I think I could fit my entire apartment inside the foyer alone.”

“You a lone wolf?”

“Nah, I belong to the Sage Pack.” Sage was a tiny town about twenty minutes south of Moonstruck, Arkansas. “I work as a tracker for the Department of Paranormal Investigation over in Little Rock. I track down the bad guys who don’t want to be found.”

“The DPI, huh? That must be a nice gig.”

“Not as nice as whatever you do for a living.” She pointed to his watch with a sly smile. “I recognize a Rolex when I see one.”

“It’s a knock-off, but it still didn’t come cheap.”

She quirked a brow in question.

“I’m an accountant,” he elaborated, rubbing a hand down the back of his neck, as if it made him uncomfortable to talk about himself. “I work for our pack.”

Smart and hot. Consider her inner wolf interested. It could just be her mating fever playing with her hormones, but either way, he was an attractive guy in more ways than one. “Now there’s a nice gig.”

“I enjoy it,” he admitted, his eyes alight with excitement. “I’m good with numbers.”

I’d love to find out what other things you’re good at.

She let the flirty quip remain locked inside her head, offering her hand instead. “Amy. Nice to meet you.”

He hesitated a second before reaching for her hand. “Blake.”

The second their hands clasped, bright blue light burst from the back of her hand. Her breath caught, neither of them moving until the light faded and there shimmered an indigo marking of a crescent moon.

She blinked, staring in wonder. Her gaze shifted from mark to man and back again. “You marked me.”

That dumbstruck look was back. He looked torn between elation and terror.

All she could think was I’ve found my mate, I’ve found my mate, I’ve found my mate!

Joy and anxiety bubbled together in her gut as they awkwardly let their hands drop. Another beat of silence passed, both of them stealing glances at the each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking.

Not one to beat around the bush, Amy said, “So it appears we’re—”

“Yeah,” Blake said roughly, still staring at her hand.

The hand now bearing the mark that she was his and vice versa.

Her throat started to close up. He doesn’t want me. He looks kind of upset.

For as long as she could remember, she’d dreamed of this day. Of finding the one she was meant to spend the rest of her life with. Like a fairy tale, almost.

Only this wasn’t fantasy, not exactly. This was reality. Real life hardly ever worked out the way you thought it would. It wasn’t storybook perfect.

“I’ll, um,” she struggled to say, stepping toward the door. “I’ll just—”

“Wait.” He clasped her wrist, halting her. “You wanna talk? Go get some champagne or something? Talk, maybe get to know each other? Shit.” He ran the other hand down his face. “I’m not good at this.”

“Good at what?”

“This romance stuff. I’m no prince. I don’t know if I can make you happy, or if I’ll even be a good mate.”

Her eyes softened. Gently, she laid her hand against his cheek. “Hey, I’m not asking you to be perfect. God knows I’m not.” She smiled. “And I’ll take you up on that drink offer, though champagne makes me gag.”

He raised both brows. “What do you like? Wine?”

“Nah. Got any Corona?”

He smiled then, and it was her turn to be dumbstruck. She couldn’t wait to get inside and talk to him.

“Shall we?” she said, starting to tug him inside.

He pulled her back to him, holding her in his arms. “There’s mistletoe,” he said softly.

She looked up, back at him. By the time she spoke, her head was already angling to meet his. “So there is,” she murmured, closing her eyes and surrendering to the kiss.

His lips were warm, and his breath smelled like peppermint. He must have snuck a mint in when she wasn’t looking. Which meant he’d been planning to kiss her.

Her toes curled as she leaned into him, nipping at his bottom lip.

He growled in response, pushing her back up against the side of the house. He deepened the kiss, caressing her tongue with his own. Her thoughts were turning to mush, and she felt her self-control beginning to slip away. The chill in the air faded away as her blood began to hum with electricity and a tantalizing heat she yearned to stoke. But she couldn’t very well do him on the porch. She had more decency than that. Though, if he kept this up with his tongue, she might very well reconsider her opinions on public nudity.

Reluctantly, she broke the kiss. They stared at each other, breathing hard.

“Wow,” she murmured, licking her lips. “That was…”

“Incredible,” he said, brushing a few blond strands from her face. “You’re incredible.”

She beamed up at him, thoughtful for a moment. “You know, I wasn’t going to come tonight, but something in my gut insisted. Now I know why.”

“I’m glad you decided to come.” He held out his arm for her. “There’s a parlor down the hall with a fireplace. We could snag a few snacks and drinks, get the fire going, and talk undisturbed.”

Talking was the last thing on her mind after that, but she said, “Sure. Sounds like a date.”

And, she thought as they walked inside, this was the best Christmas present she could have asked for.

THE END

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Chapter 1 of Forever: a Blood Moon Rising Werewolf Romance novella

Coming early 2017! This is the only chapter of this work I’ll share on my website. If you want more preview chapters in January, please sign up for my newsletter. It’s free, and you get the chance to win gift cards and free books every month!

Synopsis

A DARKNESS THAT HAS SOUGHT HER TOUCH FOR TEN YEARS…

Alpha Female Breanna Whiteclaw and her pack are finally safe—or are they?

When a handsome stranger shows up at her mating celebration, she thinks he’s simply another visiting alpha, come to pay his respects. Only, no one seems able to see him except for her….

AN ALPHA WHO WILL DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT HIS MATE…

Ex-bounty hunter Marcus (formerly known as Shadow, scourge of the Underworld) is scared to death. Not only is he falling for Breanna fast, he’s suddenly terrified of losing her, having never been this close to anyone before.

So you can imagine his concern when she confesses a beautiful stranger is stalking her—concern not just about the stalking part, though that’s pretty bad, but the beautiful part as well.

AN OBSESSION THAT WON’T DIE…

Breanna begins to dream of the stranger. Or are they dreams at all? As surreal fantasy becomes terrifying reality, Breanna learns there’s more to her dark prince than appears. He’s hiding something, not only about his origins but his motives.

He wants a lot more than Breanna’s love—he wants her soul.

And he’s not afraid to kill to get it.

The final book in the Blood Moon Rising series.

 

***WARNING*** This excerpt is explicit! I wouldn’t read it on  your work computer! Also, it’s unedited. It’ll be cleaned up before publication. Enjoy!

2016 Holiday Giveaway! Win a Kindle Ereader + all of my books!

Cozy up to the fire with your new Kindle and some steamy paranormal romance by yours truly.

Click on the image to enter.

 

 

Giveaway Alert! Win a copy of Protector and Betrayal, Books 2 and 3 of my Blood Moon Rising Werewolf Romance Series.

Hello!

To celebrate the new edition of my Blood Moon Rising series, I’m hosting a giveaway. Fever, book 1, is currently free. (If you haven’t downloaded it yet, you totally should. Who wouldn’t want that hotness on their Kindle/phone/iPad?) I’ll be giving away Books 2 and 3. Enter below!

Free read! Click the cover to learn more.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway