Get to know Claire Gem today on #RB4U @gemwriter #Romance

Welcome to Romance Books 4 Us, a place for all romance and all genres. We’re very happy to have you here with us today. First, tell us a little bit about yourself…

Please tell us a little about yourself...

I’m a late blooming writer, you might say. I just turned sixty and didn’t publish my first book until 2015. A native New Yorker, I’ve lived in five of the United States and presently reside in Massachusetts with my husband of almost 40 years. Together we have three children and one grandson, the light of our lives. I live the happily ever after, so it’s easy for me to write about it.

What or who initially inspired you to become a writer?

My seventh grade English teacher, Miss Prather. She called me up to her desk waving one of my creative essays in her hand. “You have a special ability to write, young lady. Don’t waste it.” Too bad it only took me another forty years to take her up on that advice.

What kind of research do you do for a novel and how extensive do you get?

I’m an obsessive researcher—in fact, it’s what I do for a living until I can write full time. I’ve worked in pathology for over 35 years. So details mean a LOT to me. I may spend between one month and three researching for a new book idea before I actually write a word. Then, I always have my search engine open as I write to double check any facts I lay down in my story. Nothing annoys me more than when I’m reading a book where the author obviously didn’t bother to get the details right. I’ve abandoned more than one because of it.

When do you write?  Early morning? During the day sometime or all day?  After the kids go to bed?

I do my best writing (my best everything, actually) early in the morning. I write for an hour before leaving for work, and on Saturdays I haul my laptop down to my local library to write for a couple of hours. I find a change of scenery, and the quiet of library, helps stir my creative juices.

Do you have a special place you like to do your writing? Such as an office, a spare room, the dining room table, your couch?

I have a wonderful office where I write most of the time. My husband bought me a massive desk with hutch when I decided to get serious about my writing career. I also have two aquariums in my office with freshwater angelfish—I find the bubbling of the filters provide a soothing backdrop.

As a reader, what types of genres do you enjoy? And do you think they influence the genre/genres you write in?

My favorite genre is romantic suspense, but more like what I write: the more supernatural elements, particularly ghosts. And yes, I definitely know this influences what I write—when I ran out of books to enjoy in this genre, I started writing them.

What is your favorite method of writing...as in laptop, desktop, iPad or the old-fashioned pencil and paper?  And do you plot out your story or go with the flow of your muse?

Keyboard, all the way. I have a desktop Mac Pro and a laptop, also a Macbook. And no, I don’t pre-plot: I’m a confirmed pantser. I start with a premise—a story concept—create my characters, then start typing and let them tell me their story.

More about Claire:

Strong Women, Starting Over

   ~Redefining Romance~

Claire is a multi-published, award winning author of five titles in the genres of contemporary romance, supernatural suspense, and women’s fiction. She also writes Author Resource guide books and presents seminars on writing craft and marketing.

Her supernatural suspense, Hearts Unloched, won the 2016 New York Book Festival, and was a finalist in the 2017 RONE Awards. Also in 2017, her women’s fiction, The Phoenix Syndrome, was a finalist in the National Reader's Choice Awards, and her contemporary romance, A Taming Season, was a Literary Award of Merit finalist in the HOLT Medallion Awards. Her latest release, Spirits of the Heart, was a finalist in the 2017 "I Heart Indie Awards."

Creating cross-genre fiction she calls "supernatural suspense," Claire loves exploring the paranormal and the unexplained, and holds a certificate in Parapsychology from the Rhine Research Center of Duke University.

A New York native, Claire has lived in five of the United States and held a variety of jobs, from waitress to bridal designer to research technician—but loves being an author best. She and her happily-ever-after hero, her husband of 39 years, now live in central Massachusetts.

Claire is available for seminars & media interviews & loves to travel for book promotional events.

Where can our readers find you? 

Email: gem.writer@yahoo.com

Twitter: @gemwriter

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/clairegem.author

Website/blog: http://www.clairegem.com, http://www.clairegem.wordpress.com, http://www.hauntedpathways.wordpress.com.

Amazon author page: http://www.emotionalcontemporaryromance.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8284235.Claire_Gem

Is there an upcoming or current release you would like to share with us today and where can we find it?

My latest release, Spirits of the Heart, is the second in what I call my Haunted Voices Series. These are linked by genre only, and can be read in any order. This novel was a finalist in the 2017 “I Heart Indie Awards.”

An addiction counselor & a security guard struggle to free two, lost spirits trapped inside an abandoned mental asylum.

Laura Horton returns from college to move in with an old friend & start her career. But her homecoming is jarring. Her friend’s moved out, leaving Laura alone with the gorgeous but intimidating ex-boyfriend—in a house that snugs up to an ancient graveyard.

Officer Miller Stanford is a man with a shattered past. His alcoholic dad destroyed their family, a weakness Miller is terrified will consume him too. The last thing he needs is a sexy, blonde addiction counselor watching his every move. When he begins to see specters in the dark, he starts questioning his own stability.

But Laura sees her too—a pathetic child-spirit searching for her father. Can they unravel the mysteries of Talcott Hall without jeopardizing their love—and lives—in the process?

Buy Link:                   http://amzn.to/2sjTCKx

Trailer:                       https://youtu.be/YUa2RALSEm8

Saving #StoringYourWork by Janice Seagraves

My rough drawing of a saved icon

I was going to post about not doing my anual goals for the New Year, but as I seached for an old manuscript from two to three years ago, I decided to post about saving or storing your work.

I usually really good at saving or storing my work, but for some reason this one manuscript didn't get saved. I'll have to rewrite it from scratch. Which means more work for me, but in the long run it might work out all right since I was going to turn the 50K manuscript into a 20K short story.   

I have an external harddrive, which I fully recongmend. But my story wasn't saved there either.

I also seached my Dropbox. Wasn't there either.

I also checked my Microsoft cloud. Nothing but the manuscripts I've been working on.

I had to download my entire Mozy storage to see what was in there and it took forever to download.

Here's a list of online storage here.

But, whatever you use, but consistant. Save your data.

Here's an excerpt from a story I didn't lose:

I'm so excited about our new anthology, it has my story Cowgirl Up which follows my earlier story Follow Your Cowboy Heart in the Roping the Cowboy: 7 Romances on the Range. 

Follow Your Cowboy Heart was about Maxwell Dréville, and you get to meet his family, including his sister Gwen. Cowgirl Up is Gwen's story about how she met her man.  This story is actually from an much, much earlier never before published manuscript that I wrote ages ago. I love Gwen and her family. This is a story from my heart. 

Enjoy.

Arthur Castel is a bored, handsome, charming playboy and college student who has dated many women in his social circle, but none of them keeps his attention for long. Enter Gwen Dréville, a spunky hard-working country girl, whom Arthur sets his sights on seducing. Gwen has a secret— she’s a powerful empath. Her ability has a dark side. When someone makes her angry she can find their worst fear and make them relive it. But, as a virgin, she doesn’t know if she possesses the family curse to sexually bond with whomever she sleeps with for the very first time.

Excerpt: (first date)

Author and Gwen took their drinks and number plaque to a nearby table. 

Gwen glanced at Arthur with a twinkle in her eye. “Air hockey?” 

“I thought you’d never ask.” He pulled out his wallet. “I’ve got to warn you, I’m quite good at it.” 

“So am I. Feed the machine already.” She took off her new jacket and tied her T-shirt in a knot to keep it out of the way, but it accented her hourglass figure. 

Arthur tore his gaze away long enough to feed the coin machine, then slipped a token into the air hockey table. I’m glad she suggested playing a game. Most of the women I date would have complained they might break a nail. 

They got it going pretty good for a while. Gwen won the first round. During the next one, Arthur used his longer arms to his advantageadvantage and won a point. 

“Okay, Gwen, if I win this time, you’ll have to give me something.” 

“Like what?” 

“A kiss.” He winked. 

“What do I get if I win?” 

“Twenty bucks,” he said. 

She arched an eyebrow. “Does that mean my kisses are worth twenty bucks?” 

“I don’t know—I haven’t kissed you yet. Your kisses might be worthless,” he told her with a teasing grin. 

The animation in her face disappeared. “Put a token in the machine, smarty pants.” 

The game went on for a long time. Their pizza finally arrived, but neither still scored a point on the other. 

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you didn’t want a kiss.” He slammed his paddle into the puck. 

“Maybe I’m afraid you’ll have bad breath after eating the pizza.” She darted forward to counter his move. 

Arthur bounced the puck off both sides, but she managed to hit the puck back. 

“What if I kiss you before we eat the pizza?” He tried the move again. Is she tiring? 

“In front of all these people?” she asked, countering his play. 

“What people? There’s hardly anyone in here. What kind of kiss do you think I’m going to—uh—give you?” He executed a move that won him the air hockey championship on campus. 

She knocked the puck back. “Don’t know, what is a twenty-dollar kiss like?” 

Damn, she’s good. “You’re trying to distract me.” 

“You don’t know me, so I’ll tell you.” She punctuated each thing she said with a hit on the puck. “I don’t cheat. I don’t lie. And I mean everything…I…say.” Then she madesome fancy maneuver his eyes couldn’t follow and scored the winning point. Gwen’s bangs fell over the side of her lovely face and her ponytail lay across one shoulder. Sweat glisten on her skin. Her breasts heaved with exertion while her smile twisted to one side. 

She’s sexier right now in that old paint splattered T-shirt, without any makeup than Katrina or any other woman in my friend group. “I guess you really don’t want a kiss after all?” 

“Maybe, or I really need the twenty for gas,” she countered. “Come on let’s eat before the pizza gets cold.”

___________________________________________

https://www.amazon.com/Simply-Irresistible-Romance-Books-Collection-ebook/dp/B078KQRC6X/

More Writing & A New Book - #LynnCrain #Back2Writing #MysticRealms #ProtectorsoftheEarth

How’s everyone doing this month?

I have a lot of wonderful things to report as I’m slowly getting back into the writer’s life. It’s been hard coming back from my husband’s illness. I had thought I’d be able to snap to it right away but it wasn’t so easy. Though his last chemo session was in August 2017, it wasn’t until his November 2017 CAT scan that they declared him cancer free.

Great, I had thought…I’ll just get right back to writing…and it will be all good. Now, don’t get me wrong. I did have a few things I had done last year but most of them were shorter works and things that I’d worked on with another group. But most of them weren’t with any of the series that I’ve been doing or working on some new pieces I’d planned to be working on.

Yet, even with this backslide, I feel that I have been somewhat productive and I have been very busy. First, I’ve been taking some college classes that I feel will be positive fodder for any writing I do, second, I applied for a Masters Degree in Creative Writing school that had always been one of my top picks and is local, and last, I’ve been doing some more anthologies.

Why anthologies most of you might ask? I’ve been doing them recently because it seems the easiest way to get back into writing. Short content is something I’ve always done if I can’t do longer pieces. Now the story that is coming out in April isn’t new content for sure BUT it makes me go through the motions as if were. And that’s a good thing. I had to add more words to it, get it edited and get a cover done. Once that’s all complete, I have to format it and submit where it will go through proofing and all the other pre-publication things necessary. I’m so happy that I’m finally getting my Protectors of the Earth underway and my first story will be appearing in the Mystic Realms anthology.

This anthology has twenty-one amazing authors and twenty-one amazing stories. And my Protector story is one of them. Once the anthology period is over, I will be releasing it as a single and the first story in that series.  But right now, this is all about the anthology and it’s amazing stories. It is currently on pre-order and I’d love you all to get it at this amazing price.

Anthology Blurb:

What goes bump in the night? What causes you a fright?

While the answers for each may vary, I promise that these stories will not leave you wary.
From vampires and demons to shifters and creatures that you’d never suspect, this set will leave you breathless in the best possible ways.

So, don’t be afraid. Come, step inside our realm. Allow the mysticism of romance in many shapes and forms fall over you like a veil of sweet, soothing, spine tingling comfort.

We promise… you won’t be sorry.

Avenging Aingeal – Urban Fantasy - Lynn Crain

Story Tagline:

Bound by vengeance, she is humanity’s one hope…

Blurb:

Aingeal Cochran is on a mission to save humanity from itself when suddenly she’s staring head-on at her forgotten past. Lukas Everhard must bring her up to speed regarding the real enemy before allowing himself to love her completely. In learning about her past and mission, Aingeal realizes the best is yet to be and she will do anything to protect those she loves. For Lukas, Aingeal is the mission.

Excerpt:

Arching an eyebrow, I stared at him. No one in this facility could begin to hold a candle to me and I knew it. Worse, they knew it. “Whatever gave you the idea any one could kick my butt? Cause I know you can’t.” I sat there and listened to his buddies all crack up as Jonathan’s ears turned red. Now this was something I could really get into.

“Ever heard of Lukas Everhard?” The flash of puppy-like adoration almost made me lose it right then.

“You’re joking right? Everhard?” I couldn’t contain myself any longer and laughed so hard tears flowed from my eyes.  That would be the day.

“You’re just a bitch who won’t know what hit her.” His face took on a hard edge and if I hadn’t been so bored, I might have backed away.

“And you’re just an ass who will.” The orb bobbed in my hand as I stood, dangerously close to being thrown when something huge grabbed my wrist.

“You know the rules here. No fighting in the mess hall.”  The object didn’t remove itself from my body.

I whirled furious, jerking my arm away, energy in both hands now and was stopped short by the man who stood before me. I was not a small woman, yet this man dwarfed me.  Slowly, my gaze moved from his chest to his wide shoulders to his face and stopped there. Ice blue eyes stared at me without one bit of emotion attached to the look. He’s one cold cookie. I blinked rapidly almost as if I had been hit in the gut. This man was not going to take my crap in any way, shape or form. While I might be able to fool Darien somewhat as I had learned since I had arrived, I would never be able to fool this one.

Then there was the fact I felt more aware of him sexually than I had been with anyone else. Ever. There was a charisma about him which made me want to throw myself into his arms and beg to be taken.  And it was more than his physical appearance because if truth be told, this man looked good…the best I had ever seen…again a rarity for me to note. It was as if he were palpable under my hands even though we weren’t touching. My crotch tightened once more and I shook my head to clear my errant thoughts.

“Told you.” A snide voice commented somewhere off to my left.

I turned to look at my accuser, electricity leaping to my hand yet again. Some days I couldn’t control it at all. This could be a problem.

Stepping in front of me, the big man’s forefinger jabbed my chest in a hard push. “You. Me. In the sparring room immediately.”

I watched as he walked out the door, all predatory-like and with more purpose than I had seen anyone in this place have since my arrival. I eyed everyone else and realized it wouldn’t matter what I said, they were going to see if their man could best me. Sighing, I also knew I had brought this on myself. Vowing to make his fall gentle, I shook my head and followed him down the main corridor, wondering if I should even bother to introduce myself. I ran up to walk next to him and before I could even start, I was cut off by his raised hand. 

“Don’t bother. I know who you are.” He kept his eyes straight forward.

Frowning, I watched him for a minute. “Yeah, but I don’t know who you are, now do I?”

He stopped in front of the sparring room door. “And that should make a difference how?” Shoving it open, he waved a hand. “Ladies first.”

“As if I’d fall for that one,” I muttered more to myself than anyone.

Scowling at me, he shook his head. “Look one of us has to go in first. The door isn’t big enough for us to go side by side.”

“Fine,” I said through clenched teeth. This would end bad, I could feel it in my bones.

You can get my Avenging Aingeal and all the other wonderful stories in the Mystic Realms anthology by pre-ordering your copy today at one of the sites listed below.

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

Kobo

Last but not least, in celebration of this wonderful anthology, we’re doing a Rafflecopter  with all the authors giving away one of their amazing stories for you to have a chance to win. The best part is that there are 21 prizes and 21 chances to win. To find out more about that contest, just go to my blog and follow the instructions.

And I'm slowly starting to plan and work on the longer pieces like I've envisioned so many times last year, when it was all I could do to keep my head above water. It was a hard time but I do think I'm a better person for it and think that my writing process and writing itself has improved. 

I do hope that all of you will check out this fantastic anthology and order your copy today. And how about those covers? I’d love to hear your comments!

Thanks for dropping by and see you soon!

Lynn

HAPPY NATIONAL TORTILLA CHIP DAY

Today, February 24, is National Tortilla Chip Day, a day to celebrate the crunchy snack loved by millions across the nation. Who doesn’t love tortilla chips?

The tortilla chip is most commonly served with salsa, chile con queso, guacamole, cheese dips or other dips. In my novella, Love by Chance ,Book 2 in the Gambling on Love Trilogy, my characters Laney and Chance share tortilla chips, salsa, guac, and wine during a life-changing New Year’s Eve. Trust me, we’d all like a New Year’s Eve like theirs.

I thought I’d do a little research into the history of the beloved chips. Corn tortillas are made from corn, vegetable oil, salt, and water. They can be made with white, blue, or red corn.

Like most people, I always figured tortilla chips were Mexican. Not so. The chips, typically made from corn tortillas that have been cut into wedges and then fried, were first mass-produced in Los Angeles in the late 1940’s. The story is that the triangle-shaped chips were made by Rebecca Webb Carranza as a way to use the misshapen tortillas that were rejected from the automated tortilla manufacturing machine she and her husband used at their Los Angeles deli and tortilla factory. (Wikipedia)

Carranza realized that once the discarded tortillas were cut into triangle shapes and fried, they became a popular snack. She then sold them for a dime a bag at the El Zarape Tortilla Factory. (Wikipedia)

Tortilla chips are often complimentary appetizers in Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurants in the U.S. and elsewhere. Their popularity outside of California saw a steady rise in the late 1970s when they began to compete with corn chips, the dipping chip of choice during the first three quarters of the 20th century. I remember when Fritos corn chips were popular in the 1960’s. I’d never heard of tortilla chips let alone tortillas. The first time I tasted tortilla chips, they were so exotic, as was all Tex-Mex and Mexican food. Now I love the chips and I love Mexican food. I even make a Mexican meal once a week. The United States is one of the main markets for tortilla chips. (Wikipedia)

Another popular dish made with tortilla chips is nachos. The dish was first created around 1943 by Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya. Nachos are tortilla chips served with melted or shredded cheese and often additional toppings are added, such as meat, salsa, refried beans, tomatoes, diced onion, lettuce, olives, jalapenos, guacamole and sour cream. Yum! Love nachos! (Wikipedia)

HOW TO OBSERVE

Enjoy some tortilla chips with your favorite dip. Accompany that with sangria, beer, or wine. Use #NationalTortillaChipDay to post on social media.

And you can buy Love by Chance and read about how tortilla chips brought Laney and Chance together.

Universal link for Love by Chance(Gambling on Love Book 2):

https://www.books2read.com/u/mqpRe9

Universal link for Wedded in Vegas (Gambling on Love Book 1): 

https://books2read.com/u/bpWd5J

Universal link for A Very Vegas Christmas (Gambling on Love Book 3):

https://books2read.com/u/mgrvPv

Universal link for The Gambling on Love Trilogy:

https://books2read.com/u/bwWRye

Visit me at www.caramarsi.com to read about all my books.

Getting to know @KayelleAllen today at @RomanceBooks4Us #Romance #RB4U

Welcome Kayelle to Romance Books 4 Us, a place for all romance and all genres. We’re very happy to have you here with us today. 

Do you ever mimic family members or people you know when you choose characters?

 I'm sure my family thinks I do. There are aspects of people I know in all my stories. No one writes in a vacuum. I file off serial numbers so the event or person isn't recognizable, but now and then my husband will do something and from the expression on my face, he knows what's happening next. He'll say, "This is going in a book, isn't it?" Yep!

When do you write?  Early morning? During the day sometime or all day?  After the kids go to bed?

 I'm an empty nester and retired. No kids or grandkids underfoot. I start shortly after I wake up and work until about six in the evening. After that, it's hubby time or me time. Sometimes we are both more interested in things online than in TV or talk. In those cases, we each hit the PC again. Generally, I work all day, either marketing, handling things for the Romance Lives Forever blog, my own website or Marketing for Romance Writers. I stay busy. My assistant, Lisa Lowe, does a lot of the nitty gritty things for me, but we interact every day.

Is there any other genre that you would love to try writing?  If so, what is it?

 I've always wanted to write a time travel. Someday I'll come up with a suitable paradox and do it.

Do you have a special place you like to do your writing? Such as an office, a spare room, the dining room table, your couch?

 I have a basement office that's the size of a small living room. It has a couch, chair, and my desk. A wall with goodies I've collected or have been given over the years. It's cozy. My little private getaway.

As a reader, what types of genres do you enjoy? And do you think they influence the genre/genres you write in?

 I like science fiction, Regency Romance, suspense, and thrillers. An odd mix, but it keeps my mind engaged. Everything in life affects what a writer does. I don't think there's any way to avoid it. If you can, what kind of writer are you? I think writers need to be knee deep in the world and yet able to get away and write, then jump back in. Life is what gives us ideas and energizes us. Speaking as an introvert who gets strength from "alone time" that's just as true for me.

What is your favorite method of writing...as in laptop, desktop, iPad or the old-fashioned pencil and paper?  And do you plot out your story or go with the flow of your muse?

 I use a desktop computer with two monitors. I get a lot done. I'm a guru with MS Word. I can make it bake brownies. I've been using it since the late eighties. As to whether I plot or go with the flow... I have always been a plotter who lets the characters and story change things.

When you need a break or some time off from the trials of being a writer, what can you be found doing?

 I like movies and I enjoy science fiction conventions like OutlantaCon. It's science fiction, gaming, cosplay, films, and writing with a queer bent. It has a unique dealer's room. The entire convention is geared around inclusion and acceptance and is one of the most welcoming events I attend each year. I wouldn't miss it. It's in the middle of May in Atlanta. You should all come! I'm doing one-on-one critiques this year and panels with my personal story editor, Patricia S Cook. In fact, come to hear her. She's a wonderful editor and writer. www.outlantacon.org

Share your favorites:

Favorite color – hot pink

Favorite dessert/snack – chocolate

Favorite Season – all of them

Favorite sad song – Ancient One by Really Slow Motion

Favorite Romantic movie –

Favorite Actor – Lee Pace / Tom Hiddleston

Favorite Actress – Gal Gadot

Favorite way to relax – read

Where can our readers find you? 

Email: author@kayelleallen.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/kayelleallen

Facebook: http://facebook.com/kayelleallen.author

Website/blog: https://kayelleallen.com

Amazon author page: http://amazon.com/author/kayelleallen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/710889.Kayelle_Allen

Is there an upcoming or current release you would like to share with us today and where can we find it?

Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire

This book is science fiction with romantic elements, humor, angst, well-deserved revenge, and a ginormous panther "kitty."

There's a link to a free bonus book right on the title page of this book. You can click it by opening the book on Amazon and peeking inside. You're welcome to go grab it!
---

When the immortal Pietas is marooned on a barren world with no food and few survival tools, he knows it could be worse. He could be alone. But that's the problem. He's not.

Half a million of his people sleep in cryostasis, trapped inside their pods and it's up to Pietas to free them. He can't release one at a time. It's all or nothing. He's facing over five hundred thousand hungry, thirsty, homeless immortals who will call on him for rescue and he has no way to answer.

It's not all bad. The beautiful telepathic warrior he's loved for lifetimes is at his side. He's bonded with a sentient panther. He hates humans but the one dumped on this planet with him has become a trusted friend.

Before Pietas can build shelter, figure out how to grow food, or set up a government, he must take back command from a ruthless enemy he's fought for centuries. His brutal, merciless father.

Immortals may heal, but a wound of the heart lasts forever...

Amazon and in print. Free on Kindle Unlimited

http://amzn.to/2ABIcCI

Starting a New Name

With winter almost over, it seems to be finally settling in SoCal. Until today I'll admit it freely...I've been wearing shorts and tank tops. and I know most of you will laugh at the fact that we consider a day with a 58 degree high frigid...but we are weather wimps. Right now the wind is howling outside my windows, I'm wearing sweats and thinking hot cocoa. My husband, who moved here seventeen years ago from Vermont says I wouldn't survive a winter there...I wonder why he thinks that. :) All I can say is I have tremendous respect for my author friends and readers who brave real cold winters, drive to work on icy streets, and shovel driveways and walkways day after day. I hope spring comes soon and warms you all up again.

My exciting news this year, is that in additional to my regular Kateness, I am also writing as half of Lorelei M. Hart for some MM  romance. I've written a few MM stories and always enjoyed it but writing in a team has allowed me the freedom to be one of the guys while my writing partner (in a few cases we have one more author writing with us so partners) writes her own. I'm used to conveying more than one POV, but it's a lot of fun and a challenge to react to the other authors' characters. It's new for me, but such a pleasure. We each have our own skills and our own voice to bring to the stories. So far, readers are being so kind! I want to share a bit of  The Dragons and Their Unicorn Omega

Theo

By the time we shifted and leaped into the wind, I’d nearly told him I’d changed my mind. Ryder and I couldn’t get naked without wanting to indulge our desires for one another no matter how recently we’d sated ourselves. And our quickie in the office didn’t begin to qualify as that anyway. But we’d have fun later. And a different kind of fun now.

We shifted fast, standing about twenty feet apart because we’d learned that any closer could result in tangled wings. Which could lead to pierced sails, resulting in no flight for a week or more and very unhappy dragons. The magnificent creations of skin and sinew, cartilage and scales capable of carrying us up into the sky were also delicate.

And hurt or angry dragons possessed a lot of ways of expressing their unhappiness.

But thanks to years of practice, we managed the shift with no mayhem, no damage to either form, and for a moment, I gazed across the clearing in front of our cabin at the incredible beast that was my mate.

I wonder what our third looks like? Not red…

Ryder’s reply was accompanied by a flicker of flame. No, I’m sure he’s not red. Maybe multi-hued like you.

Or teal like you. Despite our love for one another, that empty spot was always there, like the gap where a tooth had been pulled. Do you think we’ll ever find him?

Ryder crouched and pushed off on his clawed feet, wings spreading as he cleared the treetops. Of course. He could be out there somewhere, tonight, looking for us, too. Come on!

I copied his moves, just behind him as always. My Ryder, my hero, my partner in life. His wings dropped and rose, moving great quantities of air with each swoop, crossing the face of the ivory full moon, revealed by clouds parting, as I flapped up to join him. I didn’t really think we’d find our third anytime soon.

We headed back toward Haven, gliding down the mountainside past the waterfall where we’d taken a picnic just the week before.

Between our two businesses we didn’t manage much off time, so the afternoon spent sunning ourselves, swimming, and allowing our dragons out for a bit of basking made us all happy.

I held my wings high and straight and rode the updraft, not ready to descend into the valley again, circling the falls and remembering that special day.

The water was icy cold, but the rocks surrounding the pool at the base were warmed by the sun and after paddling around, we’d dropped onto them. Ryder’s wet body gleamed, and I lay on my back and drew him to sit on me, admiring the droplets in his hair, catching the light. With the sun behind him, casting his face in shadow he seemed mysterious, like a sprite from the falls come to seduce me. He bent close, bringing his lips to mine in a kiss that began sweet and warm and quickly turned hard and demanding. 

If you've already found Lorelei you can catch with Pierce and Rhone from Christmas with His Omega in a free story Here

Have a great rest of the week! 

Get to know Author Valerie Ullmer today on @RomanceBooks4Us #RB4U @valerieullmer

Welcome to Romance Books 4 Us, a place for all romance and all genres. We’re very happy to have you here with us today. First, tell us a little bit about yourself…

Please tell us a little about yourself...I live in Denver, Colorado and have been a writer since 2010, but I self-published my first book in 2016.  I have a very supportive husband who allows me to stay at home and do what I love.  But when he’s not at home to spitball ideas with, I bounce ideas off of my black lab mix, Maddie, as she stares as me as though I’m stupid with eyebrow raises and deep sighs.  She doesn’t really help with my story ideas, but she makes me laugh.

What or who initially inspired you to become a writer?  Every book I’ve ever read inspired me.  I devoured books as soon as I truly started reading novels, around my senior year in high school, and I haven’t stopped.  Each novel, each word, has inspired me.

Do real life events find their way into your stories?  Not particularly.  I mainly put in phrases that I or someone I know might use, or a particular personality quirk that I like, but no true events have become part of my stories.

Do you find yourself going back to the same inspiration for each story or is it always something different?  It’s always something different.  There are so many people and events that influence my inspiration that they are never the same.

When do you write?  Early morning? During the day sometime or all day?  After the kids go to bed?  My husband and I don’t have kids, and since my husband works all day, I write when I feel like it during the day.  I have to say that I’m most productive early in the morning.  By afternoon, I’m flagging and my brain screeches to a halt.  I do love to read at night though, it helps me relax.

Is there any other genre that you would love to try writing?  If so, what is it?  I’m curious about writing mysteries, but I don’t think I would be able to plot such a twisty-turny story that would capture readers attentions, but you never know.  It could be in my future.  I never thought I would write gay romance, but I find that I’m loving it.

Do you have a special place you like to do your writing? Such as an office, a spare room, the dining room table, your couch?  I have to write at my desk in the living room with the TV off and music playing softly in the background.  If I move to my couch, I find myself surfing the net, which I get lost in and forget what I’m doing.  So the desk or nothing.

As a reader, what types of genres do you enjoy? And do you think they influence the genre/genres you write in?  I read mostly romance, but lately, I’ve only been reading M/M or gay romance.  I find that the situations are completely new for me and I love most of the ones I’ve read.

What is your favorite method of writing...as in laptop, desktop, iPad or the old-fashioned pencil and paper?  And do you plot out your story or go with the flow of your muse?  My favorite is with pen and paper.  I outline my entire story, plot points and everything, before I type it into Scrivener.  Since most of my story is fleshed out with my outline, it makes my story easier to write when I get to my computer.

Share your favorites:

Favorite color –It changes between blue and green, depending on my mood

Favorite dessert/snack –cupcakes

Favorite Season –Fall

Favorite sad song –Fix You by Coldplay

Favorite Romantic movie –When Harry Met Sally…

Favorite Actor –Robert Downey, Jr.

Favorite Actress –Jessica Chastain

Favorite way to relax –Reading

What is your ideal romantic vacation?  Exploring anywhere with history as long as my husband is with me.

Where can our readers find you

Email:  valerie@valerieullmer.com

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/valerieullmer

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/valerieullmer.author

Website/blog:  http://www.valerieullmer.com

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/Valerie-Ullmer/e/B01FSWMI9A

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15293708.Valerie_Ullmer

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/valerie-ullmer

Is there an upcoming or current release you would like to share with us today and where can we find it?

My story, Fall for You, a New Adult M/M Romance, is featured in the All You Need is Love Romance Collection.

Ethan Sutton had come to the stunning revelation that he’d fallen in love with his best friend, Sebastian Young.  Although friends since childhood, Ethan vowed to keep his feelings for Sebastian under wraps and live the rest of his life with this one secret between them rather than risk a lifelong connection and never see him again.  But when they move into their own apartment at the start of their third year of college, can Ethan keep his feelings from showing when they live so close together?

Sebastian Young had an epiphany about Ethan at the end of last year and arranged for the shared apartment he’d found over the summer to be closer to Ethan and see if a relationship could develop between them.  But as they settle into their lives in a new place with such close quarters, ex-girlfriends, nosy downstairs neighbors, and Sebastian’s own doubts, their relationship could be in jeopardy before it even begins.


Can two best friends admit their feelings and fall in love?

Buy Links:   

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078PZR8HY

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/all-you-need-is-love-27

iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/all-you-need-is-love/id1330261438?mt=11

B&N:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/all-you-need-is-love/id1330261438?mt=11