R.L. Merrill's Blog, page 3
October 10, 2022
Hit the pavement with Road Trip for 99 cents!
I spent last week at the Happiest Place on Earth with my family to celebrate a whole bunch of things, including being alive and having each other. As my kids are leaving the nest, it was an especially fun trip for us. While there I thought I would share a bit of magic with readers by putting my book Road Trip on sale for 99 pennies.
This book features a bi heroine who is older than the young off-duty cop she rescues from a near-death experience at a roadside rest area. The two of them embark upon a journey together full of rock 'n' roll, new love, and self-exploration. One of the places they land is "Pacific Playland," which is a stand-in for that other park. I hope you will pick it up and give it a read. It's part of a shared world set in my home, the East Bay, but it is a standalone read with an HEA to give y'all some hope.
Enjoy!
This book features a bi heroine who is older than the young off-duty cop she rescues from a near-death experience at a roadside rest area. The two of them embark upon a journey together full of rock 'n' roll, new love, and self-exploration. One of the places they land is "Pacific Playland," which is a stand-in for that other park. I hope you will pick it up and give it a read. It's part of a shared world set in my home, the East Bay, but it is a standalone read with an HEA to give y'all some hope.
Enjoy!
October 5, 2022
Clarity is here!
I have a story in this cool new new flash fiction anthology "Clarity" releasing today - 120 three-hundred-word stories (including one from yours truly) for just $4.99:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BF5GKLRH
Universal Buy Link: https://www.otherworldsink.com/book/c...
Clarity (noun)
Four definitions to inspire writers around the world and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell:
1) Coherent and intelligible
2) Transparent or pure
3) Attaining certainty about something
4) Easy to see or hear
Clarity features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BF5GKLRH
Universal Buy Link: https://www.otherworldsink.com/book/c...
Clarity (noun)
Four definitions to inspire writers around the world and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell:
1) Coherent and intelligible
2) Transparent or pure
3) Attaining certainty about something
4) Easy to see or hear
Clarity features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.
September 30, 2022
Sapphic Romance Bonanza!
Good morning! I didn't want to end September without sharing this goodie with you. As you may have figured out, I love to write HEAs for everyone. I've written M/F, M/M, and F/F stories, bisexual characters, demisexual pairings...I've writtemn a paranormal polyamory tale...I love love in all of its guises. So, a bunch of us women-loving-women authors put together this boon of excerpts featuring meet-cutes between our female-presenting characters. There is so much to check out, including the meet-cute from my novella Pinups and Puppies. I hope you'll download this free collection and find some new-to-you authors!
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/dh6lsxwdo7
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/dh6lsxwdo7
September 13, 2022
A New Take on Vampire Lore
Sundowners released today and I wanted to share with my Goodreads pals a little bit about my inspiration for the story.
A. I love Vampires of all kinds, but I always said if I was going to write them, I'd try to think of something different to say. You be the judge if that was a good thing or not haha.
B. It's set in Santa Cruz. I love Santa Cruz. It's been one of my favorite hangouts since I was a little kid. When Lost Boys came out, I watched the film over and over pointing out, "I've been there! Oh, that's over by that one place. What? That railroad trestle scene is unrealistic, you can't get to it from where they were." etc etc. I loved poking fun at the town's link to the movie, the reality of "murder capital of the world" and it's proximity to Silicon Valley made it perfect for the plot of the story.
C. This was my pandemic guilty pleasure project. I started it, put it down, then when I had a ton of other things due, I pulled it out and finished it!
D. When I finished writing Connection, I realized there was a clear connection (har har) between the new story, so there you have it. Read the Gifted series (Healer and Connection) as a companion series or on their own.
E. The love story compelled me to keep writing. Roman and Creed are fire together, and it wasn't long before I realized that their story would not be over in one book. I hope you'll stick with me as I work on book two and potentially three, throwing all the obstacles in their way before they finally get a forever HEA.
And here's a playlist... https://music.youtube.com/playlist?li...
Thanks for reading! You can find Sundowners at all of your retailers!
It's weird, but very much the
A. I love Vampires of all kinds, but I always said if I was going to write them, I'd try to think of something different to say. You be the judge if that was a good thing or not haha.
B. It's set in Santa Cruz. I love Santa Cruz. It's been one of my favorite hangouts since I was a little kid. When Lost Boys came out, I watched the film over and over pointing out, "I've been there! Oh, that's over by that one place. What? That railroad trestle scene is unrealistic, you can't get to it from where they were." etc etc. I loved poking fun at the town's link to the movie, the reality of "murder capital of the world" and it's proximity to Silicon Valley made it perfect for the plot of the story.
C. This was my pandemic guilty pleasure project. I started it, put it down, then when I had a ton of other things due, I pulled it out and finished it!
D. When I finished writing Connection, I realized there was a clear connection (har har) between the new story, so there you have it. Read the Gifted series (Healer and Connection) as a companion series or on their own.
E. The love story compelled me to keep writing. Roman and Creed are fire together, and it wasn't long before I realized that their story would not be over in one book. I hope you'll stick with me as I work on book two and potentially three, throwing all the obstacles in their way before they finally get a forever HEA.
And here's a playlist... https://music.youtube.com/playlist?li...
Thanks for reading! You can find Sundowners at all of your retailers!
It's weird, but very much the
June 14, 2022
Vote for The Absolution of Jonah Bane
Greetings! The next installment of The Banes of Lake's Crossing is coming July 1! I'd love it if you could take a moment and mark it to read AND, if you are so inclined, please vote to add it to this list!
Absolution is a historical paranormal romance featuring a poly relationship. Here's the blurb:
In 1860, four brothers on a mission from God tunneled beneath the surface in Nevada territory, looking to find the next Comstock Lode. Legend has it they went down into the Earth as honorable Christian men but returned as something more sinister, their good intentions abandoned. There they became possessed and altered by an evil force, and their hold on the residents of what was known then as Lake’s Crossing allowed them to gain unfathomable wealth and power.
Youngest brother Jonah ran from that evil and has been in exile under an alias for nearly 70 years. He spends his existence as Jimmy Manwaring, playing piano nightly to the rough-and-tumble saloon crowd in Fort Bragg, California, with the final words of his beloved deceased wife constantly on his mind.
“When hope comes, you must protect them.”
An act of violence thrusts barmaid Hope Johnson, her unborn twins, and her lover, Bonnie, into his world, and he swears to protect them, but not even one with the power of Sight could predict the series of events that threaten their safety. Will Jonah receive the absolution he seeks, or will his new family suffer for the sins of the Bane brothers?
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...
Absolution is a historical paranormal romance featuring a poly relationship. Here's the blurb:
In 1860, four brothers on a mission from God tunneled beneath the surface in Nevada territory, looking to find the next Comstock Lode. Legend has it they went down into the Earth as honorable Christian men but returned as something more sinister, their good intentions abandoned. There they became possessed and altered by an evil force, and their hold on the residents of what was known then as Lake’s Crossing allowed them to gain unfathomable wealth and power.
Youngest brother Jonah ran from that evil and has been in exile under an alias for nearly 70 years. He spends his existence as Jimmy Manwaring, playing piano nightly to the rough-and-tumble saloon crowd in Fort Bragg, California, with the final words of his beloved deceased wife constantly on his mind.
“When hope comes, you must protect them.”
An act of violence thrusts barmaid Hope Johnson, her unborn twins, and her lover, Bonnie, into his world, and he swears to protect them, but not even one with the power of Sight could predict the series of events that threaten their safety. Will Jonah receive the absolution he seeks, or will his new family suffer for the sins of the Bane brothers?
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...
May 6, 2022
Bay Area Book Festival This Weekend
Greetings! If you're in the Bay Area, please consider coming down to Berkeley for books and friends! I will be there with Bay Area Queer Writers Association in Booth 23 (right next to the Horror Writer's Association!) and I'd love to meet you! Hours are 11-5 Saturday and Sunday! I'll be in our booth from 11-2 both days.
April 2, 2022
BookLife ⚡️Review
Here's what Publisher's Weekly's BookLife had to say about Connection:
Merrill continues her Gifted series (after Healer) of paranormal romance thrillers with former Army Ranger captain Jack Howe using his extraordinary gifts to help rescue a kidnapped woman. Jack officially works as an art teacher at Havenhart Academy in Arkansas, a school for kids impacted by tragic circumstances, but he is more than just an art teacher—he also excels at using psychic abilities to heal others. When Cassidy Mackenzie, a charter pilot and best friend to Havenhart’s school counselor Delaney, is abducted by Gerald Rains, leader of a powerful religious cult, Jack volunteers to rescue her. Jack has his own history with Rains, and as he reconnects with a former Ranger buddy to save Cassidy, he knows nothing will get in his way.
Jack’s a compelling character, and his vividly described psychic sight is the underlying current powering much of the narrative. He stumbles onto Cassidy’s abduction through his clairvoyance, in the process discovering Gerald is still alive–despite Jack believing he was dead after his team previously prevented Gerald from kidnapping his own daughter, Joanna, who happens to attend Havenhart. Jack’s psychic Connection with Cassidy is his strongest yet, leading him to risk everything for her recovery. Merrill’s focus on her characters’ paranormal abilities creates a unique attachment between them as well as glimpses of their inner workings, and Jack’s narrative is both authentic and insightful—particularly when he delves into his past psychic experience with his father’s death by suicide.
Merrill’s view and development of The Maker’s Plan Community is disturbingly real and reminiscent of famous cults in history. The community resides in the vast and almost undetectable swamplands of the Florida Everglades, which lends credibility to the isolation and indoctrination of its members. An ever-present element of suspense reinforces the story’s rapid pace, and Merrill delivers a riveting conclusion that will entice readers with the possibility of future installments.
I hope you'll love Connection as much as I love the characters and the world of Havenhart Academy and beyond. Wouldn't it be great if it were real?R.L. MerrillConnection: Gifted #2
Merrill continues her Gifted series (after Healer) of paranormal romance thrillers with former Army Ranger captain Jack Howe using his extraordinary gifts to help rescue a kidnapped woman. Jack officially works as an art teacher at Havenhart Academy in Arkansas, a school for kids impacted by tragic circumstances, but he is more than just an art teacher—he also excels at using psychic abilities to heal others. When Cassidy Mackenzie, a charter pilot and best friend to Havenhart’s school counselor Delaney, is abducted by Gerald Rains, leader of a powerful religious cult, Jack volunteers to rescue her. Jack has his own history with Rains, and as he reconnects with a former Ranger buddy to save Cassidy, he knows nothing will get in his way.
Jack’s a compelling character, and his vividly described psychic sight is the underlying current powering much of the narrative. He stumbles onto Cassidy’s abduction through his clairvoyance, in the process discovering Gerald is still alive–despite Jack believing he was dead after his team previously prevented Gerald from kidnapping his own daughter, Joanna, who happens to attend Havenhart. Jack’s psychic Connection with Cassidy is his strongest yet, leading him to risk everything for her recovery. Merrill’s focus on her characters’ paranormal abilities creates a unique attachment between them as well as glimpses of their inner workings, and Jack’s narrative is both authentic and insightful—particularly when he delves into his past psychic experience with his father’s death by suicide.
Merrill’s view and development of The Maker’s Plan Community is disturbingly real and reminiscent of famous cults in history. The community resides in the vast and almost undetectable swamplands of the Florida Everglades, which lends credibility to the isolation and indoctrination of its members. An ever-present element of suspense reinforces the story’s rapid pace, and Merrill delivers a riveting conclusion that will entice readers with the possibility of future installments.
I hope you'll love Connection as much as I love the characters and the world of Havenhart Academy and beyond. Wouldn't it be great if it were real?R.L. MerrillConnection: Gifted #2
April 1, 2022
OMG this review from BookLife
An Editor's pick! I'm so excited and grateful for the BookLife review staff!
Merrill continues her Gifted series (after Healer) of paranormal romance thrillers with former Army Ranger captain Jack Howe using his extraordinary gifts to help rescue a kidnapped woman. Jack officially works as an art teacher at Havenhart Academy in Arkansas, a school for kids impacted by tragic circumstances, but he is more than just an art teacher—he also excels at using psychic abilities to heal others. When Cassidy Mackenzie, a charter pilot and best friend to Havenhart’s school counselor Delaney, is abducted by Gerald Rains, leader of a powerful religious cult, Jack volunteers to rescue her. Jack has his own history with Rains, and as he reconnects with a former Ranger buddy to save Cassidy, he knows nothing will get in his way.
Jack’s a compelling character, and his vividly described psychic sight is the underlying current powering much of the narrative. He stumbles onto Cassidy’s abduction through his clairvoyance, in the process discovering Gerald is still alive–despite Jack believing he was dead after his team previously prevented Gerald from kidnapping his own daughter, Joanna, who happens to attend Havenhart. Jack’s psychic Connection with Cassidy is his strongest yet, leading him to risk everything for her recovery. Merrill’s focus on her characters’ paranormal abilities creates a unique attachment between them as well as glimpses of their inner workings, and Jack’s narrative is both authentic and insightful—particularly when he delves into his past psychic experience with his father’s death by suicide.
Merrill’s view and development of The Maker’s Plan Community is disturbingly real and reminiscent of famous cults in history. The community resides in the vast and almost undetectable swamplands of the Florida Everglades, which lends credibility to the isolation and indoctrination of its members. An ever-present element of suspense reinforces the story’s rapid pace, and Merrill delivers a riveting conclusion that will entice readers with the possibility of future installments.
Takeaway: A former Army Ranger with intense psychic abilities relies sets out to rescue a woman abducted by a religious cult.
Great for fans of: Gregg Olsen’s The Hive, Matt Miksa’s Don’t Get Close.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Connection is out 4/5 and you can preorder now!
Merrill continues her Gifted series (after Healer) of paranormal romance thrillers with former Army Ranger captain Jack Howe using his extraordinary gifts to help rescue a kidnapped woman. Jack officially works as an art teacher at Havenhart Academy in Arkansas, a school for kids impacted by tragic circumstances, but he is more than just an art teacher—he also excels at using psychic abilities to heal others. When Cassidy Mackenzie, a charter pilot and best friend to Havenhart’s school counselor Delaney, is abducted by Gerald Rains, leader of a powerful religious cult, Jack volunteers to rescue her. Jack has his own history with Rains, and as he reconnects with a former Ranger buddy to save Cassidy, he knows nothing will get in his way.
Jack’s a compelling character, and his vividly described psychic sight is the underlying current powering much of the narrative. He stumbles onto Cassidy’s abduction through his clairvoyance, in the process discovering Gerald is still alive–despite Jack believing he was dead after his team previously prevented Gerald from kidnapping his own daughter, Joanna, who happens to attend Havenhart. Jack’s psychic Connection with Cassidy is his strongest yet, leading him to risk everything for her recovery. Merrill’s focus on her characters’ paranormal abilities creates a unique attachment between them as well as glimpses of their inner workings, and Jack’s narrative is both authentic and insightful—particularly when he delves into his past psychic experience with his father’s death by suicide.
Merrill’s view and development of The Maker’s Plan Community is disturbingly real and reminiscent of famous cults in history. The community resides in the vast and almost undetectable swamplands of the Florida Everglades, which lends credibility to the isolation and indoctrination of its members. An ever-present element of suspense reinforces the story’s rapid pace, and Merrill delivers a riveting conclusion that will entice readers with the possibility of future installments.
Takeaway: A former Army Ranger with intense psychic abilities relies sets out to rescue a woman abducted by a religious cult.
Great for fans of: Gregg Olsen’s The Hive, Matt Miksa’s Don’t Get Close.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Connection is out 4/5 and you can preorder now!
March 18, 2022
Do You Have An Affinity for Cemeteries?
Do you have a special relationship with cemeteries? Have you had an interesting experience? Do you like to visit them and wonder? Author Loren Rhoads has collected essays from some awesome writers talking about experiences with cemeteries. I'm honored to be a part of Death's Garden Revisited! Join us on this journey. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
March 15, 2022
Healer Giveaway!
You can join this giveaway now through April 1 and win one of 100 copies! Just in time for book two to come out April 5!
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
