Blessed or cursed with a connection to the souls of others, Sloan Jordan can see the best in people…and the worst. With nothing more than a glance at a photograph, she can judge the living from the dead and the good souls from the evil ones. For twenty-seven years, she’s kept her ability a secret, but eleven young women have been murdered in the mountains of North Carolina, and Sloan may be the only hope of finding their killer.
She has just agreed to help Detective Nathan McNamara with the case, when a stranger–who is as alluring as he is terrifying–shows up at her doorstep with a dark past and another puzzling mystery: she can’t see his soul at all.
Now Sloan is on the hunt for a deadly psychopath with two irresistible men. One of them would die for her, and the other would kill to keep her safe.
Uncaged Review: This book caught me right away – within the first chapter, and that doesn’t happen too often. I liked the concept of this world that is beginning to build with this book. Sloan can see if a soul is evil or good just by seeing them or even seeing a picture. She can also tell if the person is alive or dead from a photo. She also seems to be able to think about a person or say their name aloud, and the person seems to show up. She’s never told anyone about her abilities except her best friend, Adrienne. When Detective Nathan comes along, she slips up and she finally gives in and tells him. To her surprise, he doesn’t act like she’s a nut job.
When attending a festival, she sees someone she can’t read, and that’s never happened to her in her life. When she finally finds him, they both find that they have many of the same abilities, only his tend to be on the darker side.
I enjoyed the characters, and I didn’t mind the love triangle that really isn’t there, but I have my ideas on what/who both Warren and Sloan are – but I guess we will find out. The three of them, Sloan, Nathan and Warren are hunting a serial killer and some of it is a bit predictable, but it was a good ride getting there. I don’t know that I will continue with the series or not, time will tell – but I’d probably be more encouraged to if it was under Kindle Unlimited. Reviewed by Cyrene
Uncaged: Welcome to Uncaged! Your latest releases have been a Highlander time travel series with a co-writer, Cecelia Mecca. How did this partnership come about? Can you tell readers more about the series?
It’s so great to be here! Thank you so much for having me! So, the Scottish time travel series, Highlanders Through Time, came about when Cecelia Mecca approached me about working together at the NINC conference. I was excited to work with her because I love her writing, and we share a similar fan base. I’d had an idea some time ago about writing a time travel series, and Cecelia had written one before, so after telling her my idea, we decided to go for time travel, but we came up with a new idea in case I wanted to use my other one in the future. This series revolves around four modern day billionaire bad boy brothers who are tossed back in time to Medieval Scotland! Say that ten times really fast! Anyway, Cecelia and I both share a love for Scotland, and I was pretty steeped in Highland history, so the book delves into the political drama surrounding the death of the Scottish king Alexander. We started asking a bunch of ‘what if’ questions and built are plot from there. What if the king’s death was not an accident but a conspiracy? What if the king of England was involved? What if there was a witness to the plot? What if time travel was possible? There are four books, and each book focuses on one of the brother’s journeys back through time. The overarching plot though is a quest to find their mother who disappeared five years earlier from modern day New Orleans where they live. Since the day she disappeared their father has been claiming that she was a time traveler who was snatched back to her time, but everyone thought he was crazy. Turns out, he was not so crazy after all. When the father falls critically ill, the brothers go to his home, and discover an ancient chant and a time travelling cross and the journey begins! They set out to try to time travel and bring their mom back to try to help their dad come out of the coma he’s in.
Here is the blurb for book one, Sinful Scot, which is out now!
In a time he doesn’t belong, in an alliance she shouldn’t have made, they’ll fall dangerously, hopelessly in love.
New Orleans, 2020. Billionaire Rhys McCaim doesn’t believe for one second that his missing mother is a time traveler. Still, his father insists that she didn’t leave them willingly but was pulled through time to her true home in medieval Scotland. But when he and his three brothers test out an ancient time-traveling spell to appease their dying father and Rhys is catapulted to thirteenth-century Scotland, he can’t exactly deny it anymore. Suddenly he’s a Highlander in a land on the verge of war. He needs to get back to his time before all hell breaks loose, but first he must find his mother. Luckily, fate drops the perfect guide in his path. She’s brilliant, beautiful and bold, and he’s drawn to her in a way he’s never been drawn to anyone or anything before. But he can’t afford to be distracted from his mission or lower his carefully constructed guard.
Scotland, 1286. Maggie Irvine is betrothed to a vicious man who cares only of wealth and power. Marrying him will restore her family’s reputation, however, saving her siblings from lives of misery. She has resigned herself to her fate, but when a mysterious, handsome stranger magically appears before her out of thin air, her plan—and the stranger’s life—are in jeopardy. And the only way to save him is to risk everything. As she comes to learn the shocking truth of what he hides, Maggie discovers what happens when duty collides with desire and long-abandoned dreams rise to the surface.
Bound by secrets and lies, Maggie and Rhys are entangled in the brewing battle for the Scottish throne. With his knowledge of the future, Rhys possesses the powerful ability to alter history. Yet, to do so successfully, he must let Maggie past the defenses he’s spent a lifetime building. Now, an alliance that began in desperation becomes a need that will leave them both torn between what they should do and what love demands.
Uncaged: What are you working on next that you can tell us about?
I just turned in the first draft of Seductive Scot, which is book 3 in the time travel series. After I take a much needed week vacation, I’m going to be delving into a new historical series that combines Scottish heroes and heroines with the Regency period. I started my career in the Regency period, but I hopped over to the Medieval period three years ago to write my Medieval Scottish books. Fifteen books later, I think I’m ready to shake things up again. It’s really important to me to write what I’m feeling passionate about and not to try to force something just because it’s selling well. Medieval books have been very good to me, but I’m feeling the Regency period again, so I’m going to take a leap of faith and go for it.
Read the rest of the interview in the issue below
Julie Johnstone is a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author. Scottish historical romance, Scottish historical time travel romance, and Regency historical romance featuring highlanders, aristocrats and modern-day billionaire bad boys are her love, and she enjoys creating both with a hefty dose of twists, plenty of heartstring tugs, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Her books have been dubbed “fabulously entertaining and engaging,” making readers cry, laugh, and swoon. Johnstone lives in Alabama with her very own lowlander husband, her two children – the heir and the spare, her snobby cat, and her perpetually happy dog.
In her spare time she enjoys way too much coffee balanced by super hot yoga, reading, and traveling.
In a time he doesn’t belong, in an alliance she shouldn’t have made, they’ll fall dangerously, hopelessly in love.
New Orleans, 2020. Billionaire Rhys McCaim doesn’t believe for one second that his missing mother is a time traveler.
Still, his father insists that she didn’t leave them willingly but was pulled through time to her true home in medieval Scotland. But when he and his three brothers test out an ancient time-traveling spell to appease their dying father and Rhys is catapulted to thirteenth-century Scotland, he can’t exactly deny it anymore. Suddenly he’s a Highlander in a land on the verge of war. He needs to get back to his time before all hell breaks loose, but first he must find his mother. Luckily, fate drops the perfect guide in his path. She’s brilliant, beautiful and bold, and he’s drawn to her in a way he’s never been drawn to anyone or anything before. But he can’t afford to be distracted from his mission or lower his carefully constructed guard.
Scotland, 1286. Maggie Irvine is betrothed to a vicious man who cares only of wealth and power. Marrying him will restore her family’s reputation, however, saving her siblings from lives of misery. She has resigned herself to her fate, but when a mysterious, handsome stranger magically appears before her out of thin air, her plan—and the stranger’s life—are in jeopardy. And the only way to save him is to risk everything. As she comes to learn the shocking truth of what he hides, Maggie discovers what happens when duty collides with desire and long-abandoned dreams rise to the surface.
Bound by secrets and lies, Maggie and Rhys are entangled in the brewing battle for the Scottish throne. With his knowledge of the future, Rhys possesses the powerful ability to alter history. Yet, to do so successfully, he must let Maggie past the defenses he’s spent a lifetime building. Now, an alliance that began in desperation becomes a need that will leave them both torn between what they should do and what love demands.
Excerpt
Chapter One
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep. ~ Robert Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”
The Present 2020 New Orleans, Louisiana
“Don’t tell me you’re gay,” asked the too perfectly put-together blonde standing before Rhys, her eyebrows arched in a question mark. “That would be a shame,” she continued, grinning at him. “All the best-looking men seem to be.”
The bass guitarist strummed more chords from the stage of the Dungeon, and the notes vibrated into Rhys McCaim’s chest, rumbled through his veins, and pounded into his head. Normally, he’d be starting to feel loose by now, unwinding from a long week of running his family’s billion-dollar shipping company and all the responsibility that came with it. But not tonight. Not when Reikart was with him.
He didn’t need to turn his head to see his younger brother’s glare. He could feel it burning a hole in his temple. Rhys was here for the music and Reikart for the women, which was why Rhys rarely frequented this underground club—or any club, really—with his brother. Reikart tilted his head none too discreetly at the raven-haired woman standing beside the blonde. The two friends were a package deal apparently, and Reikart wanted to open his part of the package.
“You’re really not going to dance with me?” the blonde said, managing a perfect pout while sharing a quick what-the-hell look with her friend. Rhys circled his shoulders, trying to loosen the knots that had formed during the board meeting earlier that day. He mentally cursed his brother for asking to tag along tonight, and he cursed himself, too, for relenting. All three of his brothers were grown men, but as the eldest, Rhys felt responsible for them, as if he had to be the stand-in parent after their mom had disappeared five years before and their dad had slid into insanity. “I just don’t dance. Sorry.” He shrugged.
Her pout grew more pronounced. “We don’t have to dance, if you know what I mean.” She offered a coy smile.
He knew exactly what she meant, but he didn’t do that, either, or at least he hadn’t in the last year. Hell, he could be a priest with his celibate lifestyle if he had any desire to, which he didn’t. “I appreciate the offer, but I have a girlfriend.”
“Just my luck,” the blonde said, raising her hand to his chest and slipping one long, pointy nail between the buttoned material. She gently raked the sharp end along his skin. “I spot the hottest guy here, and he just so happens to be the last honorable man alive.” With that, she withdrew her hand, flipped her hair over her shoulder, and motioned to her friend. “Come on, Ally.”
Emily Lange is a fourth-generation farmer with fields to seed, machinery to fix, grain to sell, and a lot to prove to a community who doubts her abilities. But in the heart of the Canadian prairies, family always comes first. Her aging uncle, whose dementia is worsening, needs constant supervision and Emily is forced to hire a caregiver to see to his needs during spring seeding.
Max Fraser, a nurse-practitioner, has his future mapped out. He’s set to begin his new position with the Apex Medical Center and settle into his new life, which hopefully includes finding the woman of his dreams and beginning a family. That is, until he meets Emily and she convinces him to take a detour, move to the farm, and care for her uncle.
The lines of their temporary business arrangement begin to blur as their attraction grows. But neither of them are prepared to abandon their dreams. Not even for each other.
Uncaged Review: Two dreams become one. A realistic and beautiful look at a family of farmers and the love and loyalty to each other. Emily is taking over the family farm, but it’s tough when she also has her older uncle with dementia to keep watch over. Emily hires her best friend’s brother Max, who is a nurse with a dream of his own. If you don’t know anything of a farming life, you will learn a lot in this book, of the struggles, the hard work, and the unique intelligence of a farmer’s life. It will also show you a realistic look of the progression of dementia, and the family that is devoted to each other. And if that’s not enough we find a love story.
Emily is outgoing and outspoken and Max is a bit more reserved, watching how the two navigate their growing attraction to each other, specially knowing Max will only be around for the planting and then he will move on to his new position. I went into this book with a bit of trepidation – as so many contemporary romances seem the same to me, but this one is a wonderful surprise and is highly recommended. Reviewed by Cyrene
Cocky vampires, mythical swords, steady Glocks and ghost hordes. Welcome to my world.
The vampires just woke up from a 1000-year slumber. Before nap-time they buried their fortunes around the world. Now they want their hidden treasures back.
It’s my job to get to the relics first.
My partner Rebel and I need to track down and dig up hundreds of ancient items, and fast. They’re worth, well, whatever comes after quadrillions. Most of them also happen to pack nasty supernatural powers.
Our latest target is a sword with the power to destroy the world. We just have to get past the grumpy blood suckers, the biting ghost hordes and a particularly nasty wizard.
But who am I kidding? Sneaking around won’t work. Not when it comes to vampires. There’s really only one way this can end.
On the edge of a blade.
Uncaged Review: This is the first book in an established series, and it’s a pretty good start. I was on the fence for a while during the book, it had a lot of action, a lot of snark and some good characters – but it took some time to grow on me. What I really like, is the author takes mythical relics and figures and intertwines them throughout the book. I still have a lot of questions about Kane and his group – but I’m thinking it will come through in future installments.
This a non-stop action book and by the mid-point, it’s hard to put down. I like the strange group of characters and the original storyline. If you are a fan of urban fantasy, don’t give up on this book – keep going – it’s well worth the read. Reviewed by Cyrene
After a thousand years as enemies, their paths will cross again.
Hunter Wallace’s luck just went from bad to worse. Case in point? The immortal god she’s managed to avoid for centuries just became her only hope of survival.
Destined to a life of endless conflict, Tyr could never forget the fierce Scottish princess he left behind. But a thousand years hasn’t dimmed her hatred for him, and when she shows up on his doorstep, he discovers that flame still burns bright.
With her home reduced to ashes and a heart haunted by the past, Hunter’s only chance at revenge is to join forces with the immortal god whose life has been forever intertwined with hers. In a world rocked by war, Hunter must discover why Tyr’s greatest treachery was also his greatest gift.
Uncaged Review: In the fourth book in this series, we finally find out the back story of Tyr, and his very long history with Hunter. When Tyr saved Hunter’s life with an old spell, he put a piece of dark power inside of her unintentionally. Hunter has hated him for a thousand years. But what happens when the two are thrown together in this massive war against evil. When the Orubus finally attacks, Hunter throws herself between the evil and Tyr to save his life, knowing that she was forfeiting her own. But one more deal….
If you are an urban fantasy fan, or a romance fan, you will enjoy this series with the Norse gods fighting the evil. The edge-of-your-seat action and the all or nothing love between these warriors will win you over. I don’t recommend reading out of order because of the main story arc and the recurring characters. Reviewed by Cyrene
Sydney Barrows makes a living out of digging up the dead. When the world crashes down around her, she goes from digging up the dead to worrying about becoming one of them. But a strange thing happens to a witch who hides her powers.
They find their way back.
Locked away in a stone fortress, a band of immortal gods are the only beings capable of saving humanity. When Sydney and Mir’s paths collide, the sexy God of Wisdom awakens her powers in ways she didn’t dream possible. Together, they race against time to uncover the secret of Sydney’s past before it destroys everything she loves.
Uncaged Review: In the 3rd book of this series, we read about Mir and Sydney. Again, I still don’t recommend anyone read this series out of order. Even though each book centers around a specific couple, the overall story arc continues and keeping everything straight really does mean you should read them in order, you won’t be sorry.
The main arc is ramping up, and even though the title of this book gives away a spoiler on it’s own, just like Return of the King title gave away a part of the Lord of the Rings. But it’s a wild ride, and the action and tension is ramping with each book. There are some good revelations in this book, and a lot of answers – but there are always more questions, but the author keeps baiting the readers and giving us enough to stay afloat. The chemistry between Mir and Syd is spot on, and the god is going to have his hands full with this one. The plot thickens, and I went straight to book four. Reviewed by Cyrene
Uncaged: You are releasing the 2nd book in the Emmett Hardy Mystery series, called Butcherville. Can you tell readers more about this series? How many books are you planning for the series?
The Hardy series is set primarily in the fictional small rural town of Burr, Oklahoma, located in the also fictional Tilghman County in the western part of the state. The first book in the series, Where the Hurt Is, is placed in 1965. The events in the second book occur about a year-and-a-half later; the action moves a couple of miles north to an even smaller town, Butcherville, which is the title of the book.
Emmett Hardy is Burr’s chief of police. He’s Oklahoman to the core, a Burr native who feels a strong attachment to his hometown, but is also a bit of a misfit. His mother, an accomplished pianist, passed down to him her love of jazz and literature, which—in a place where football and country & western are kings—make Emmett a kind of an oddball. One thing he does have in common with the local male population is his fondness for strong drink, which becomes an issue over time.
The ‘60s were a time of cultural and political transition everywhere in the U.S., and the kinds of crimes Emmett confronts reflect those changes.
I’ve planned the first three books as a kind of narrative arc lasting from 1965 through 1967, but I intend to take Emmett at least into the ‘70s and beyond.
Uncaged: You are also a professional musician along with being an author. How do the two professions help/hinder each other?
The only hindrance is that when I’m doing one, I can’t do the other. I also teach music. It’s very structured; there are specific hours every day when that’s what I do. The rest of my time (outside of spending time with my family, which is my number one priority), I split between writing and making music. Maybe if I only did one or the other, I’d write more books or make more records. On the other hand, doing both is a great hedge against burn-out. If I get tired of doing one, I do the other. It’s a net positive, overall. The varied experiences feed my creativity.
Uncaged: What are you working on next that you can tell us about?
I’m about fifty pages into the third book in the series. The working title is A Very Bad Thing, but I expect that to change. It picks up where Butcherville leaves off by resolving—or maybe I should say addressing—an issue that’s left hanging at the end of that book. I can’t tell you what that is, but you’ll know after you read Butcherville.
The third book features many of the same characters from the first two, although some of their circumstances have changed, not least Emmett’s. It deals with a cold case—a very cold case—and how its effects are felt many years later. Hardy family secrets play a significant role. I don’t see it as an ending, but it will tie up some things, and hopefully provide insight on what made Emmett into the kind of man he is.
Read the rest of the interview in the issue below
Chris Kelsey was born in Maine and raised in Oklahoma, the son of a jazz saxophonist and school librarian. He was educated in public schools, received his Bachelor Degree in Music Education from the University of Central Oklahoma and his Masters in Music from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. He moved to New York City in his mid 20s and embarked on a career in jazz. He’s played in many of the city’s top jazz venues and performed at major jazz festivals. He’s recorded approximately 20 albums as a leader, including 2013’s Chris Kelsey and What I Say: The Electric Miles Project, which won an Independent Music Award for Best Tribute Album.
Kelsey began his writing career as a music critic, working for most of the major jazz publications in the US, including Jazz Times, Jazziz, Cadence, The All Music Guide, and many other magazines and Web sites. His first novel, Where the Hurt Is, was published in 2018 by Black Rose Writing and won that year’s Pencraft Award for Best Fiction Book. His second novel, Butcherville, was published in January, 2020 by Black Rose Writing.
Kelsey currently lives in Dutchess County, NY, with his wife Lisa. In addition to writing and playing music, he’s Director of Instrumental Music at the Trinity-Pawling School.
Butcherville Chris Kelsey Historical Thriller/Crime
The residents of tiny Butcherville, Oklahoma love their God-given freedoms so much, they refuse to hire their own police force. When they need a cop, they just call Emmett Hardy, police chief of Burr, the closest neighboring town.
Whether it’s to break up a fight, dissuade an angry good ol’ boy from hunting rabbits with an M-16, or eject an unruly patron from Butcherville’s combination strip joint/bookstore, Emmett’s always glad to oblige … that is, until a local business owner’s lust for money and power results in a deadly shootout and multiple kidnappings. Suddenly, Emmett’s good intentions are fraught with dangerous consequences. Besieged by friend and foe alike, and sabotaged by a fondness for drink that’s starting to affect his work, Emmett is the last man standing between a community of honest people trying to do their best with what little they have, and an evil that threatens not only their jobs and homes, but their very lives.
Excerpt
Prologue
If I had to cite one quality that defines where I live (that would be Burr, Oklahoma, population 1,276—down from 1,280 after we sent two father & son pairs of miscreants to the state penitentiary in McAlester last year), it would be the natural inclination of my fellow citizens to do the direct opposite of anything a person in authority says, regardless of whether or not it’s in their best interests. President Lyndon Baines Johnson himself could drop a hint to one of our farmers that it would be a good idea to water his crops. More likely than not, the farmer’d flip LBJ the bird and piss all over his own soybeans or sorghum or whatever it is he grows just to be contrary. He might even invite over the neighbors and let them join in. Anyone who pretends to understand anything about us Oklahomans knows we can be mulish and self-reliant, sometimes ridiculously so. Nobody—and I mean nobody—tells an Okie what to do.
I reckon to an outsider, our nature might seem a little hypocritical, since, after all, if our ancestors hadn’t been willing to accept a government handout (or two or three), the state we know as Oklahoma might instead be called Sequoyah, and a majority of its citizens would comprise descendants of men named Geronimo and Standing Bear and Black Kettle.
That wouldn’t do at all.
Nah, this wonderful land of black gold and waving wheat and championship football teams was gifted to us on the cheap by the boys in Washington D.C. on behalf of the much-tread-upon and lied-to American Indian, and it cannot be convincingly argued otherwise.
Indeed, our representatives’ generosity didn’t end with the gift of pilfered real estate.
Back in the Dirty ‘30s, a good number of farmers swallowed their pride and accepted a share of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal money, or what was left of it after the sitting governor got his cut. I don’t mean to suggest they weren’t right to take the cash. It hardly rained a drop for almost a decade and the wind didn’t stop blowing just because the ground was parched and turned to dust. Most of what few crops managed to poke through got eaten by grasshoppers and jackrabbits. Nah, those fellas accepted help because they had no choice. They had mouths to feed.
Lord Percival Bretagne is used to playing games. He survived being a spy for a decade using his wits alone. But that was just life and death, now he’s playing for the most important prize of all—love.
He’ll Stop at Nothing . . .
Ten years after his family gave him up for dead, British spy Lord Percival Bretagne is back home, but his mission is far from over. Playing the aristocrat in London gambling dens and at country house parties is just a cover for Percy’s real quest. He’s hunting the man who stole everything from him—his family, his marriage, even his identity. And this time nothing, and no one, will stand in his way.
She’ll Risk it All . . .
But one night with Isabel Galante changes everything. She’s willing to gamble a woman’s most intimate prize in order to save her imprisoned father, but she didn’t expect a devilishly handsome opponent with a dangerously attractive wicked streak. Isabel would do anything for her family, including betraying Percy, but she has no idea that she’s stumbled into the middle of a decade-long quest for revenge.
Who Will Win in the Game Called Love?
Percy has been betrayed before, and now the man who destroyed his life is using Isabel to strike again. With the fate of the government and his new life in the balance, he’ll have to keep Isabel seductively, scandalously close. They begin a passionate game of truth and lies, deception and dalliance, uncovering the heart of who they really are and realizing that winning might mean losing what matters the most—each other.
Uncaged Review: This is a well written suspenseful regency romance, and the main characters sizzle together. The chemistry is spot on. I wasn’t sure when I started this book that I would like the characters as much as I did. Lord Percival has been a spy and is looking to trap Montfort, the man that left him for dead. And Isabel, is trying to free her father from prison by doing Montfort’s bidding.
This well managed plot keeps you guessing as to which way it’s heading, but the reader will see the two fall in love long before they admit it themselves. Even though this book is part of series, it’s a standalone and complete story and it’s all rounded off with a bit of humor and a bit of sexy heat. Reviewed by Cyrene
Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about Arresting Mason? Is this planned on being a part of a series?
I originally wrote this book for a bad boy anthology call, but by the time I was done, I had exceeded the max word count and still wanted to add more scenes. So I forgot all about the anthology and kept revising this story until I was finally happy with it. It’s now book one in the Arresting Onyx series.
For how I came up with the plot, I must thank my subconscious since I dreamed about it. For days after, I kept thinking about the hero, the heroine, and her brother, and the characters wouldn’t leave me in peace until I wrote out a rough plotline. Though I changed quite a bit as I put the dream down on paper (or rather computer), the main premise remained the same.
Uncaged: You’ve also written in a few other genres including western romance and time travel. What inspires you to write in the different genres?
I love writing in subgenres that I enjoy reading. Most of my story ideas and plots come from my dreams, and those dreams are pretty wild and imaginative, taking place in various settings and time periods. In order to gear up for writing something a little different from my norm, which is romantic suspense, I read any book I can get my hands on that is in the subgenre I’m planning to write.
Uncaged: What are you working on now that you can tell us about?
The second installment in the Arresting Onyx series should hopefully be out in late 2020. Arresting Jeremiah follows hardnosed parole officer Jim Borden and his obsession Calista Barlow as they stick their noses where they don’t belong and fall deep into the trouble with the criminal organization known as Onyx.
I’m currently revising book three, Arresting Benjamin, which should hopefully be released in 2021 or later. This sexy, dirty-talking romantic suspense series spans five books with a standalone HEA for each rough-and-tumble hero and their spunky heroines. The first book, Arresting Mason, is already published.
Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why?
Jane Austen. I would love to know her thoughts about feminism (how things have and have not changed from her time) and the differences between writing styles and grammar from her time and now.
I definitely admire her. A woman writing and becoming a published author back in the early 1800s was scandalous and almost unheard of.
Read the rest of the interview in the issue below
Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through The Wild Rose Press and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.
Amber lives in North Carolina with her husband and four demanding cats.
Once you’re in a prison gang, you’re in it for life. That’s what Mason Harding thought until the boss accepted his resignation. After the State releases him on parole, a sexy divorcée behind the wheel of a car almost ends his life quicker than a shank. His chance encounter with Mia Eddison results in a night of passion, but her brother—his parole officer—catches them together and doesn’t approve.
Mia falls hard for the cocky ex-con, but not because of his chiseled body. She vows to break through his walls and discover his secrets, but never expects those secrets to threaten her life. When members of an organized crime ring kidnap Mia to force Mason’s return to the gang, he goes up against an old friend to save the woman he loves. Will his sacrifice be enough or will everything fall apart in a blaze of gunfire?
Excerpt
Mia scowled at her brother as he headed up the stairwell, and she used her body to block his entrance into her home.
Jim didn’t seem to notice her tense body language and pushed her aside to enter. “Good morning.” He hugged her with one arm and frowned at the hardwoods. “There’s something sticky on the floor.” He scraped his shoes over it a few times and headed toward the kitchen. “What’s for breakfast?” “Why are you here?” Mia shut the door, grabbed the towel she’d left on the sofa, and used it to cover the evidence of her desire on the floor. The last thing she needed was for her brother to realize what that sticky substance was. Her gaze darted toward the telephone and answering machine combo in the living room and back to Jim as he picked up the pancake mix. The U-shaped kitchen occupied one half of the loft’s airy floor plan, and she could see into the kitchen through a gap between the upper and lower cabinets. “You know to call first. I don’t have any messages on the machine, and I doubt you called my cell phone.”
“I’m in the neighborhood to see a parolee for an unexpected visit—well, unexpected for him—but I thought I’d stop by to see you first.” Jim sat the box aside and opened the fridge door. “You have any more blueberry muffins?”
“No, you cleaned me out the last time you showed up unannounced.” She crossed her arms and glanced at the closed bedroom door. “Jim, you need to leave.” She’d rather shave her legs without aloe-infused shaving cream or live a whole month without a hairdryer than introduce her parole officer brother to her parolee—boyfriend, perhaps?—the day after the best sex of her life. Talk about awkward.
“What’s the rush? I haven’t seen you in a few days.” He grabbed an apple from the bowl on the counter and rubbed it on his polo shirt to shine the fruit before he sank his teeth in. “Why are you so uppity?”
“I’m in a bathrobe, Jim, and you’re irritating the crap out of me. I have plans today and need to get going.”
“I bought you that robe for Christmas last year. It’s nice to know you use it.” He glanced at the food on the marble countertop. “Looks to me like you were about to fix breakfast. Pancakes are fine since you’re out of muffins.”
He’s known as the Duke of Daring…but is he brave enough to take on one feisty spinster?
The Duke of Darlington is on a mission. He needs to protect his secret gaming hell from a group of debutantes who’ve stumbled upon his covert business. The problem… Miss Minerva Chase is not the average lady. From the moment his compatriots assign Daring to keep watch over the fiery redhead, she begins stirring trouble. Not only is her tongue sharper than any sword he’s faced but her lips are achingly soft while she tosses barb after barb in his direction. He’d like to throttle her, or kiss her, or perhaps protect the very spirit that drives him mad.
Minnie knows a pompous, arrogant, infuriating man when she meets one and she will not be intimidated. So what if he’s a duke with a secret? She won’t bend, not even when she realizes that he pushes her away because he’s been hurt before; a hurt she’s experienced herself. And she will not give in to his will, even when his kiss lights her body to flame. But when he needs her help… well, that’s a little more difficult for a girl to refuse.
The problem is that once she’s seen his softer side, she’s in jeopardy of succumbing to the Duke of Daring. When it comes to love, is she brave enough to give away her heart?
Uncaged Review: When I first started this book, I was absolutely positive that I wasn’t going to like Minnie at all. Too brash and too outspoken – I thought she was a bit too cynical and too easy to throw insults without the knowledge of the person she was going after – in this case Tag. But she did redeem herself very early on in the book, and she has easily jumped up on my list of characters that I’ve enjoyed.
When five ladies discover the men’s gaming hell, in order to keep their secret – each man who is part of the business is entrusted to watch over one of the ladies. Tag, The Duke of Daring has the daunting job of watching over Minerva, or Minnie. Sparks fly between the two the moment they meet, and it’s a great time watching it all come together. This is a shorter book, and easy to read in a day and I was hooked on finding out how everything was going to play out. I’m not going to give spoilers, but the book is a fun read and a new favorite from this author. Reviewed by Cyrene
Julie Johnstone is a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author. Scottish historical romance, Scottish historical time travel romance, and Regency historical romance featuring highlanders, aristocrats and modern-day billionaire bad boys are her love, and she enjoys creating both with a hefty dose of twists, plenty of heartstring tugs, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Chris Kelsey was born in Maine and raised in Oklahoma, the son of a jazz saxophonist and school librarian. He was educated in public schools, received his Bachelor Degree in Music Education from the University of Central Oklahoma and his Masters in Music from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. He moved to New York City in his mid 20s and embarked on a career in jazz. He’s played in many of the city’s top jazz venues and performed at major jazz festivals. He’s recorded approximately 20 albums as a leader, including 2013’s Chris Kelsey and What I Say: The Electric Miles Project, which won an Independent Music Award for Best Tribute Album.
Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through The Wild Rose Press and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.