Sheri Velarde's Blog, page 3

Tuesday Teaser: Music and Awakening Cover Reveal

I am happy to share with you the cover for my next release, the steamy shifter short Music and Awakening! It will be out September 15th and is already available for preorder for only .99 cents!  More teases coming soon!
link: https://amzn.com/B01KIZQ22Q

47 - 16: Short Fiction and Poetry Inspired by David Bowie Now Out!

I am thrilled to announce that a wonderful anthology that I am part of is now out and available on Kindle. Coming soon in print! My story Stardust Corporation is a departure for me and I am extremely proud of it. You can grab your copy here now:
https://amzn.com/B01KQNQ5Q8

Presenting the highly anticipated second volume of the best selling 47 - 16: Short Fiction and Poetry Inspired by David Bowie!

All proceeds from the sale of this book in print and digital are being donated to Cancer Research and Cancer Care.

Available for a limited time only! Do not miss out on this amazing collection from some of the most talented writers in fiction, poetry, and non - fiction currently working!

Comfort in Familiar Places

It has been a very trying week for me on numerous levels, none worse than my health. I have not been able to work much, only managing to blog a little and market my free book a tiny bit. Writing has been almost out of the question. Yet I needed something to do with myself. So this week I decided to take a break and take some comfort in something familiar that would make me feel better. This week that meant watch True Blood from the beginning, I am already half way through. (Confession I stopped watching the last season when they killed Alcide, so I do indeed need to finish it this time around.) I have also been reading the books in the Southern Vampire series. I am still only on book one as I have even had a hard time reading this week too. But it has been nice to retreat into something that makes me relax, makes me feel happy. No pressure to leave a review for the books I am reading. I have been trying to give myself a break too on the working front. This week has been about trying to heal and get better. After a doctor visit yesterday I am feeling a little better, still mending, but hopefully on my way to being productive again.

So when you need a break, need some comfort, what do you read? What do you watch? Any favorite book or tv series that just let you forget your troubles even for a little bit?

Pulling Back from the Publishing World

This past week I have decided to pull back from the publishing industry and writing for the time being. I will still be writing, but I am not going to keep up the crazy pace that I have had for the past two years. Of course I still have several re-releases and completed manuscripts to get out there, so I will still be publishing. I am however going to be very picky who I work with. Lately I have really been seeing the ugly and negative side of the publishing industry, at least the indie publishing industry. Lots of authors are backstabbing and users, not all of course as I do know several sweet and supportive indie authors and I will continue to support them as much as I can. Even in some writer's guilds there are people who are so negative and mean-spirited that I am walking away from at least one, losing the money I paid but I cannot let others dictate my writing, my life, or listen to meanness for meanness sake. That goes for small publishers too who are negative towards their authors or whom don't pay their authors on time. This is a business and professionalism is all I ask for, not pettiness. Sadly I see more of the later lately.

Over on my facebook page I have cut many authors from my "friends" list as they only contact me when they need something from me, want my help, and never return it when I have a release. I have also had to deal with a lot of opinionated people in the publishing industry that think just because we work in the same field that they can comment on my own life. Some authors have posted their personal political ideals on my page. No that is not okay. A pa/marketing person tried to talk about how I take care of my dogs just because they wear harnesses during the day. Hello, it is the law where I live to have my dogs on leashes when I take the out. It's not cruel. Hell I just paid hundreds of dollars to keep my dog healthy last week, so this lady can just step off. Same person also posted nastiness on my page, which I have no time for. I could go on and on. Some people in this industry are just too pushy with their opinions in others lives. No one is perfect, so I think they should focus on themselves.

Another reason for pulling back is just the sad fact that fewer and fewer people are reading now days. This summer's book sales have been downright depressing after a pretty good spring. I simply need to go out and find a part time day job to make up for the lack of books sales. It's reality and I am okay with it, especially at this time in my career. First I think I will be happier getting out of the house and interacting with people some. Second, all the stuff I mentioned above.

I can never walk away from writing and publishing all together. It is part of my blood, but I can slow down, lessen the stress on myself, and be very careful who I work with. Right now the health and happiness of myself and my family is what I am going to concentrate on most.

Looted: Free Until Friday

Ever wanted to try my steamy Gods Behaving Badly series? Now is your chance, Looted is FREE until Friday! Get to know my sexy and misbehaving gods from the very beginning!
http://smarturl.it/c1rs3m

47-16 Volume 2: A David Bowie Inspired Anthology

I am so happy to announce that a great anthology that I am part of, 47-16 Volume 2, is now available for preorder! This is a collection of stories and poems inspired by the late and great David Bowie, with all proceeds going to cancer research and charities. Order your copy now over on Amazon! https://amzn.com/B01KQNQ5Q8

I'm Back...

Sorry that I disappeared for a little while. My little dog Eowyn had surgery last week on Wednesday and there were a few complications. It naturally made me a mess and then I spent the rest of the week/weekend watching her and making sure she is on the mend. I am happy to report that all is well. She is healing well and back to her old self already! Which means I am getting back to work this week. Lot's of writing, comic and art stuff coming up this week!

Teaser Tuesday: Looted

Yesterday I released Between Love and War: Gods Behaving Badly Book Four. So today I thought I would tease the very beginning of the series, the short that started it all: Looted! The goddess of love may not be worshiped like in the old days, but she has learned a few tricks to survive and then some! Only .99 cents and free on Kindle Unlimited!
smarturl.it/c1rs3m
Sophia smiled at the man across the bar. He had been checking her out for well over an hour, yet as planned she had pretended not to notice. She liked to play with her marks before she cleaned them out, it was half the fun. This one looked like he would provide quite a bit of entertainment. Joseph Lansing, a very powerful international lawyer, handsome and in shape, in his mid-forties and responsible for helping many millionaires and billionaires launder money and transport looted goods across international lines. All of this had made him very rich and put him on her radar. It was time to teach him a little lesson about respect and the law.
She got up and moved to the empty seat beside him. “Can I buy you a drink?” She smiled widely, knowing this man was now putty in her hands. No man, or woman for that matter, had ever resisted her charms once she turned them on.
Lansing smiled even wider. “You know, this place is rather stuffy and noisy, why don’t we go to my place for a night cap? I have a bar better stocked than this.” He got up and offered his hand hopefully.
Maybe she turned it on high, but what the hell, this sped things up, Sophia thought to herself before shrugging and saying out loud. “But whatever shall we do to amuse ourselves all alone?” She just couldn’t resist being the tease even when her prey was already in the bag. She batted her big blue eyes at him and gave off waves of innocence that men were suckers for.
“Oh, I am sure we can think of something, two intelligent and attractive people such as ourselves, don’t you think?” He actually winked at her. Ugh, she only enhanced humans’ romantic personalities when she used her powers, so this guy really was that cheesy. It was amazing how decent looks and money could get even idiot scumbags laid. Guys like this were the reason she never felt bad for fleecing them for all they were worth and all that they had stolen.

It's Release Day for Between Love and War!

My naughty gods are back! This time Ares is after his one true love, Mania!

Madness and war, how can love come from either? Yet Mania and Ares are the only ones who can tame the other. Enter their tumultuous love life in Between Love and War: Gods Behaving Badly Book Four! Only .99 cents and free on Kindle Unlimited!
https://amzn.com/B01JFSS1NK

And catch up with the first three books in the series!
Looted: Gods Behaving Badly Book One smarturl.it/c1rs3m
Lost Souls: Gods Behaving Badly Book Two smarturl.it/puu78m
Stealing Hearts: Gods Behaving Badly Book Three smarturl.it/tl3f7k
All .99 cents and free on Kindle Unlimited!
Sighing with relief that she hadn’t slammed the door in his face, he offered her a coffee. “I know it’s early for you, but I just couldn’t wait any longer. I spent the whole night kicking myself for the way I behaved yesterday. I was so emotional and confused I even called my sister for advice. I never call anyone for advice, let alone the goddess of love.”
“What advice did Aphrodite have?” Maia asked curiously, a slight smile playing on her face.
“To stop acting like an ass and to come and talk to you,” he admitted.
Maia actually laughed. “I always did like her. Come sit down. I really wanted to talk to you after I saw you standing outside, but you ran so fast. I tried going to your hotel as well, but they said you were no longer staying there. Your phone had been disconnected. How did you managed to disappear entirely so quickly? I was afraid I’d never see you again or get to explain what you saw.”
“And what did I see?” Ronan held his breath as he waited for an answer.
“Not something to warrant such a strong reaction, though I suppose if you had been the one who had seemingly blown me off and then I found you in the arms of another woman I would have reacted badly as well.” She took a break to sip some coffee and nibble on her croissant. Her lips were making it hard for Ronan to concentrate. All he wanted to do was capture them with his own. “My friend and business partner lost his father the other day. I spent the day before yesterday taking care of things so that he wouldn’t have to. You saw me comforting him when you stopped by. There was nothing romantic about that hug. I swear.”
“So there’s still hope for me?” Ronan asked, leaning forward, close enough to kiss her, but not daring to just yet.
“There will always be hope for you when it comes to me, Ronan. I’ve always loved you…”
He didn’t need to hear any more. He leaned in and captured her lips, kissing her like he wished he had at her opening. He knew he shouldn’t push her, that he should pull away and give Maia the space his sister advised, but the magic, love, and lust swirling around as he kissed her wouldn’t let him. He had been searching for this ever since the fall and he had lost his one true love. Now that he had her again he didn’t know if he could ever let her go. The good news was that Maia wasn’t fighting or trying to pull back. Instead she leaned into the kiss, moaning softly. That was all the encouragement that he needed. He grabbed Maia and pulled her closer, lifting her easily and settling her on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck, never breaking their kiss.

Welcome Author V.L. Locey!!

Today I am thrilled to have author V. L. Locey here on the blog! Let's take a look at her latest steamy hockey romance!
Buy Links:
Amazon- http://tinyurl.com/zt8vncq
Smashwords- https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/646762
B&N- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tape-to-tape-v-l-locey/1124036811?ean=2940153103211
Kobo- https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/tape-to-tape-the-venom-series-3
 
Blurb:
Venom defensive coach Dot "The Shadow" West has made a nice life for herself. She's found a new position on an up-and-coming women's professional hockey team, her daughter is thriving, she gets along well with her fellow coaches and her players admire and respect her. She's proud to have accomplished so much by herself. Everything is running smoothly in her life with no help from anyone, thank you very much.
 
Sadly, there's one annoying glitch in Dot's new life, and it's in the form of good-looking Theo Grier, former Wildcat goalie and co-host of a controversial sports talk radio show based in Philadelphia, home of the Venom. When Dot loses her cool and calls in to spar with Theo on the air her structured and solitary existence takes a sudden unexpected turn. Before she can hip check the smug fool out of her life she somehow ends up working with him on a new talk radio sports program.
 
Can she defend her heart against the unwanted feelings Theo is stirring up? Or will she continue to guard herself, and her past decisions, against the offensive moves being made by the ex-goalie? The only man to ignite her passions - and ire - in years?
 
 
Excerpt:
 
"Security lets you down here?" I asked.
"I'm an old 'Cat. They love me down here," he informed me. I walked past him and began to pull on a mitten. "I thought maybe we could grab a cup of coffee and discuss the show next Monday." That made me pause for a scant moment but just for a moment. I kept walking and dressing. Theo caught up to me with ease. His legs were as long as a thoroughbred's. "Did you hear me?"
"Yes, I heard you. I then chose to ignore you." I wrapped a red and black scarf around my neck, nodded at Eddie the security guard stationed by the staff/players entrance, and then stepped out into a freezing cold Philadelphia night.
"You plan on treating me this coldly forever?" Theo asked as I slid past him. If he thought holding the door open for me would chill me out, he was sorely mistaken.
"Probably," I said with my eyes locked on my blue Honda Pilot. "My grandmother always said that the best way to deal with a wart was to freeze it."
"Ouch," Theo chuckled while keeping up with my pace easily. Each breath out clouded in front of my face. "I hope I'm just a finger wart and not an anal wart."
"Oh, you're an anal wart. One of the biggest ones that I have ever had the misfortune to encounter," I parried as my Honda got closer and closer. Theo jumped ahead of me to bar my path. I gave him a lethal glare. He smiled and held out his hand. I eyed it warily as if it were an asp ready to strike.
"Coach West, I think we need to start over," Theo said as his hand hung in the cold air. I raised my eyes from his big hand to his face. Then I gave him a strong "Please spare me" look. The man didn't have the sense to stop trying to be sexy. A gust right off an iceberg howled around the Houseman, lifting Theo's white scarf high into the air behind him. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Coach West. I'm Theo Grier, ex-goalie and world's largest walking anal wart."
I snorted and glanced up at the LED parking lot light wobbling overhead.
"Could that have been a smile I saw on 'The Shadow's' face?" Theo asked. I rolled my eyes then shook my head.
"It was a tiny sneeze."
"Right, a sneeze," he said with just a hint of skepticism. "Maybe you should shake my hand so you can get out of this nasty cold weather. A hot cup of coffee at the Black Boar Bar & Grill might be just what you need to help thaw out, Coach West."
"For your information, Mr. Grier, I do not need to thaw out. I'm quite comfortable, toasty warm, hot even," I replied keeping my arms crossed over my chest.
"Yes, that you are," Theo said in a vibrating voice that had dropped just a smidgeon. There was something about his voice, the way he held himself, and that damned large hand of his still waiting for mine that made me feel a trifle too warm inside my coat.
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Grier." I pushed around him.
"How about honesty then," he said and then planted his massive self in front of me once again.
"You're persistent, I'll give you that," I sighed.
"When I see something I want, I go after it."
"And you want me?" I asked.
"Yeah, I want you to shake my hand and join me for coffee," he countered smoothly. I studied his face then with a huff extended my hand, all toasty warm in my mitten, to him. His fingers curled around mine, making my hand glow like a red coal in a fire pit. We shook slowly, one could have said sensuously, but handshakes with mittens blocking the skin-to-skin can't be sensual, can they?
 
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a flock of assorted domestic fowl, and two Jersey steers.
When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand. She can also be found online on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and GoodReads.
 
Author Links:
Website: http://vlloceyauthor.com/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/pages/VL-Locey/124405447678452
Twitter- https://twitter.com/vllocey
Pinterest-http://www.pinterest.com/vllocey/
Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5807700.V_L_Locey
My blog- http://thoughtsfromayodelinggoatherder.blogspot.com/
tsú - https://www.tsu.co/vllocey
 
Gone Writing Publishing Backlist Books and Upcoming Releases
Pink Pucks & Power Plays (Book One of the To Love a Wildcat Series)
A Most Unlikely Countess (Book Two of the To Love a Wildcat Series)
O Captain! My Captain! (Book Three of the To Love a Wildcat Series)
Reality Check (Book Four of the To Love a Wildcat Series)
Language of Love (Book Five of the To Love a Wildcat Series)
Final Shifts (Book Six of the To Love a Wildcat Series)
Clean Sweep (Book One of the Venom Series)
Twirly Girl (Book Two of the Venom Series)
Tape to Tape (Book Three of the Venom Series)
 
Coming Nov. 16…Roster Addition (a To Love a Wildcat hockey romance novella)
 
Torquere Press Backlist and Upcoming Releases
Two Guys Walk Into an Apocalypse (Part of the He Loves Me For My Brainssss anthology)
Two Guys Walk Into an Apocalypse 2: It Came From Birmingham
Two Guys Walk Into an Apocalypse 3: He's a Lumberjack and He`s Undead
Love of the Hunter
Goaltender`s Penalty
All I Want for Christmas - A Toms & Tabbies Tale
Early to Rise - A Toms & Tabbies Tale
 Every Sunday at One (Part of the 2013 Charity Sip Anthology)
 Night of the Jackal
An Erie Halloween
An Erie Operetta
An Erie Garden Party
Back to the Garden (Also part of the Mythologically Torqued Anthology)
 
Ellora`s Cave Backlist and Upcoming Releases
Bound, Boarded and Bagged
Two Man Advantage
Game Misconduct
Full Strength
Shutdown Pair
Long Change
 
Independent Releases
Coming October 5, 2016…On Broadway (part of the Changing on the Fly M/M hockey romance charity novella)
Coming Dec. 20, 2016…Holly & Hockey Boots (a gay erotic holiday hockey romance)