Tiger Shifters! A guest post by Julia Talbot

Hey, y'all!

It's the wife! Julia Talbot, guest blogging about tiger shifters today!

Sean Michael and I wrote some hilarious tiger fics a long time ago, and when Torquere was us and a royalty paying press, we put them out in a bunch of anthologies called Shifting.

Malik and Rishi are tiger shifters who meet Lynn, a British valet lost in the wilds of alternate reality historical India, and they decide to keep him. That's In the Hearts of Tigers. Then in Tiger Tales, we did the prequel, where Malik and Rishi meet. I love these guys so much. Rishi has this sweet innocence about him where Malik is world weary. Lynn is so scared but so kind, and they make my heart happy.

Now, if y'all know me, you know I am not one to warn anyone about my fic. I try to understand trigger warnings, but I just don't. Some folks have thought it worth mentioning that these tigers are maneaters on occasion. It wasn't darkfic back when we wrote it, but the world has changed in 10 years. So, be warned.

Grins. Okay, here's the deets!

Amazon link!

All Romance Ebooks link!

And here's the new cover!

Look for this one on All Romance and Amazon (and Nook) today or tomorrow.

XXOO

Julia

A Bear and a Wolf Walk into a Bar- A Julia Talbot Guest Post

Well, okay, in this case a wolf owns the bar and a bear works there as a bartender.

Hey, ya’ll! BA is letting me take over today. I’m here to love on my story, Blue Moon Bar, which I just rereleased as a standalone. It came out originally as part of the Bar None anthology, but I’ve always loved it enough to make it a series, so I’ll be doing more novelettes in the series.

I love that length. I know readers are leery of the 10-20K story, but I adore it. So expect to see Seamus and Hugh to feature in other shifter’s love stories.

Now, Hugh, wolf shifter, and Seamus, bear shifter, are the stars here. Hugh is grumpy and needs to get laid. Seamus wants to know why Hugh keeps chewing him out. Add in a poacher who wants to add a werebear to his collection, and hoo boy! Fast adventure.

Bears make me happy. Not kidding. I love to watch them move, love to ponder what they might be thinking, and Seamus is a great example of that. He’s got a very bear sensibility to his thoughts. He’s not afraid of hard work, but he’s happy to nap. He has this enormous strength, but he can be gentle and sweet. He hates being caged. Loves sensual games.

I adore him.

Hugh is such a wolf. Prey driven. Alpha. Practical. Playful deep down.

Can you tell I like them both?

You can find them at ARE and at Amazon

Hope you check them out and love them!

XXOO

Julia (aka The Wife)

Frosty Fiction, Day 20: Wend, Canyon and Riana

“Canyon?” Riana came to him, long white hair like a cloud around her, face like a little worried thundercloud. “The women say that I have to make the Pack a Christmas. I’ve never done a Christmas for anyone. I don’t know how.”

“Oh.” Canyon bit back a grin. “I guess not. I can help with that.”

“Okay. You tell me and I will make it.” His fierce, frowning girl, working so hard to be the alpha female, to make things right. He adored her.

“Well, first we need Wend. He’s the domestic one, yeah?”

She nodded, arms wrapped around herself as she turned, heading back toward their home, tension written in every line of her body.

“Hey.” He snagged her, pulling her back against his chest. “Guess what?”

“What?” It meant so much, that she never even tensed, just cuddled in.

“Christmas can be easy. You just need a lot of love in your heart.”

“I have a lot of love in my mates. I want you to be pleased.”

Wend appeared out of the shadows. coming to them like he’d been called. “Is something wrong?”

Canyon chuckled. “Not at all, sweet boy. Let’s go in, make hot chocolate, and plan our holiday.”

“I’d love that.” His sweet mate beamed, coming to nuzzle and nibble their lady until she eased, smiled, nodded.

“It will be okay?” she asked.

“It will be perfect.” No matter what.

Canyon would bite anyone who said different.

 

***

Riana, Wend and Canyon are from Opening the Cage. :D

Comment for a chance to win a backlist ebook, y'all.

Much love,

BA

What She Wants and Ink Out Today!

Calleigh and Adrian have always had an open marriage. Adrian being on the road all the time has made it easy for them to have separate lives, but neither of them acted on their agreement to see other people until Adrian met fellow Aussie and force of nature, Packer Stevens.

Now Packer and Adrian are always together, and Calleigh is left at home, missing her man. When Calleigh decides she’s not going to let Adrian go without a fight, she comes up with what she thinks is the perfect plan. She hits the spa, and the gym, and sets out to find her inner buckle bunny, intent on getting her bullrider back, and maybe on impressing Packer a little, too. She heads out on the road, ready to fight for her husband.

What Calleigh doesn’t understand is that her plan will be wildly successful, and also the hardest thing she’s ever done in her life. Packer is more than willing to play, but he’s as complicated as Calleigh is emotional. As much as he loves Calleigh and Packer, and the sexy games they play, Adrian has to try  to set things right, but can he find a way to give Calleigh what she wants, and make everyone else happy at the same time?

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=97&products_id=3758

Tattooed men are sexy, right? That’s the premise of the eight tales in the Ink anthology.

Victoria Sloane opens with The Frayed Line, the story of Dan, who daydreams about the black line on Jonah’s back until he finds out what’s underneath the ink. Sinner's Star by Elizabeth Brooks is the story of ex-con Dope, who discovers his best friend Rat isn't dead after all, but Rat has a new tattoo, a .45, and a grudge against Dope!

Katherine Halle brings us Kelly, who fantasizes about licking Dwayne's tattoos, and just might get his chance in Come Fly With Me. In Dragon by D.K. Jernigan, bartender Travis is haunted by a sexy man with a magnificent dragon tattoo. Now Travis just has to find him. Mychael Black's Detective Kris Winters is also looking for a man with a very special tattoo in Secrets.

In Pounding Skin by Emily Moreton, Mal's tattoo should confirm his commitment to the army. To his shock, it has far more impact on his life. In Simple Instructions by Zoe Trope & Brendan Adkins, Finn accepts an internship at a large law firm, and loves his position at the hands of Robert, a demanding, tattooed lawyer. Finally, in BA Tortuga’s Tramp Stamp, what's a vamp to do when he has a tattoo he can't get rid of? Read the Ink anthology to find out!

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76&products_id=3757

Six Sentence Sunday -- Mating Call

She knew what they were, knew they couldn’t mate with someone for life who wasn’t one of them.

He smacked Shaw’s shoulder, just a little too hard. “It’ll be cool. We’ll be stupid in love and wanting to make puppies.”

Right?

Right.

 

This snippet is from the first book in my newest paranormal menage series, Mating Call, just released from Ellora's Cave :D .

 

Want to play along? It’s fun and easy

1. pick a project – a current WIP, contracted work or even something readers can buy if you’re published

2. pick six sentences

3. post ‘em on your blog or website on SundayThis snippet is from Adam's story, Tag Team, that I'm currently plugging away at. The boys are currently in a pervy position, in fact. :D Want to play along? It’s fun and easy 1. pick a project – a current WIP, contracted work or even something readers can buy if you’re published 2. pick six sentences 3. post ‘em on your blog or website on Sunday

Flash Fiction featuring Mating Call

NEXT WEEK!

*grins*

To help celebrate the turkey day season, I've written a flash fic featuring Steph/Jordan/Shaw. :D Totally safe for work.

http://batortugaflashfiction.blogspot.com/2012/11/mating-call-thanksgiving.html

Much love, y'all.

BA

Mating Call (coming November 23 from Ellora's Cave) Playlist

So, Mating Call is coming! I'm *so* excited and I can't wait for y'all to meet Steph, Jordan and Shaw. Yes, that means m/m/f. It also means werewolves. Witches. Boulder, Colorado. Biting. Fun stuff.

I just put the playlist for this book (hopefully this series, the second book is in my editor's hot little hands) up at http://baswritingplaylists.blogspot.com/2012/11/mating-call-playlist.html

:D

Much love, y'all!

BA

Werewolves, Julia, Laughing and Having a Ball

Look!

Moon Shine is out today. :D

Julia and I had so much fun co-writing the Cereus stories that we got to brainstorming and, suddenly, we had a ridge runner turned werewolf that was in desperate need of another growly man to nibble on.

I had an absolute ball writing this one, but I'll admit straight up, I'm dying to write the sequel, Absinthe. I won't spoil anything, but once y'all read it, you'll know of what a speak. 

*grins*

Here's the official-type blurb: 

Jenson expects all sorts of trouble being a moonshine runner, but he never thinks it will come from a werewolf bite. He’s dealing with all that while getting his next shipment ready, and he thinks he’s doing all right until David shows up.

Confused, scared, and hot as hell, David is just the kind of trouble Jenson doesn’t need, and everything he wants. Can he help David figure out who bit them both, and keep his life on track at the same time?

And here's an excerpt for you:

***

He smelled trouble about a half second before something landed on his back -- someone heavy and solid and hot. "Where is he?"

Jenson didn't stop to think. He just whirled, his arm pushing up under his attacker and sending the guy flying. Then he headed for his shotgun, which sat at the edge of the clearing. He was always careful not to mix gunpowder and sour mash.

His legs were taken out from under him, a lean, hawk-faced man with skin like leather staring down at him. "I don't want to hurt you. Where is he?"

"I don't want you to hurt me either." He kicked out with his right leg, sweeping the man off his feet.

The man landed with a hard thud, the solid little guy taking it well and rolling right up. It was impressive, and it told Jenson a lot. Like that the guy was not just a human.

"Please. You smell like him. Where can I find him? He did something to me."

"What do you mean I smell like him? Him who?" Jenson ducked to one side when the guy rushed him again.

"The man. The man that bit me!"

Fuck a doodle. It couldn't be. Could it? "Blond? Lean? Pretty?"

The dude nodded, heavy braid swinging. "I just need to find out what the fuck he did to me."

Huffing out a breath, Jenson caught up with the whole situation. Then he went to sniff the guy a bit, moving as close as he could. Damn it all. "Bit you, did he?"

"Yes! Where is he? What did he give me?" Those near-black eyes were snapping, the fading sun reflected in them.

"It's called lycanthropy, man. You're a werewolf."

"Nonsense." The man snorted. "I'm not hungry all the time. The Wendigo are starving, constantly. Everyone knows that."

Well, okay then. He guessed that showed him. "Cool. You're not an ethnically specific breed. Go you."

"What?" He got the look -- the Jesus, you're an insane hillbilly aren't you look. Which, okay, there was a still. Woods. Shotgun.

But he didn't have on overalls and he had all his teeth, goddamn it. He wasn't in Arkansas, either. His last name wasn't Hatfield or McCoy. He knew what the hell he was talking about. "You know, werewolf. Full moon. Grr."

"No way. I can't be a hunting guide if I'm eating people. Where the fuck is he?"

"I. Don't. Know." That should be clear enough, right? Jenson turned on his heel. He was done with this shit.

"You smell like him! Why the fuck are you hiding him?"

Jenson ducked the next rush, whirling around and whacking the idiot in the chest.

"I'm not! He bit me more than a year ago. I can't possibly smell like him."

"His trail led right here. Direct from Unicoi."

Huh. All the way up by the Cherokee forest. Bizarre. There was no way that asshole was here, not without Jenson scenting him on the wind. Right?

"You don't know where he is." The thin lips twisted. "Sorry for bothering you. My mistake." Then the man headed out, right back toward the trees.

Jenson was going to let him go. Was determined not to get involved. He had no wounded animal protective response. Which left him wondering why he turned around and went after the guy. "Wait. Maybe we can help each other."

"Do you know where he is? I have to see him. Stop this."

"I don't know, no. But if his trail led here, he's been hunting my happy ass. I can help you find him." He had no idea if it was true. Jenson just wasn't letting this guy get away so easy.

"I have to. Something's wrong with me." No shit on that. The guy's wolf was crawling under the surface, just waiting for the moon.

"I can help you with that, too." He could. He'd done his moons, and he'd done more when he changed unexpectedly the first time someone tried to take his still down after he'd been bit.

Those dark eyes pierced him. "How? I keep dreaming shit."

"I know. I been there. I've been like this longer."

"I'm going to kill him. He bit me."

Jenson wasn't sure it worked that way. What if, when and if you could kill the wolf who made you, you wiped out his whole progeny or whatever you called it?

No way was Jenson ready to die.

He growled a little, surprised as hell when the man rumbled back. Oh, he didn't think so. Jenson swelled up like a big frog, knowing he could look damned huge when he let his wolf play a little. He advanced, hoping to hell the other guy backed down.

There was moment where he thought the guy would, then the dark eyes flashed gold and their chests slapped together.

Oh. Hello. Whatever he might smell like, the other guy's scent was all male, hot and musky and just his type. Down, boy.

***

 *grins*

Can't wait to see what y'all think of it!

Here's your buy link, and it's available on Amazon and ARe as well. :D

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_85&products_id=3716

Much love, y'all!

BA

IT'S OUT! Just Like Cats and Dogs (m/m, paranormal)

Just Like Cats and Dogs

203 pages / 50000 words
ISBN: 978-1-61040-560-7

If there’s one thing Sam knows for sure it’s that you can never go home again. As a feline shifter who grew up in a family of wolves, he’s used to being a freak. He stays in the city and tries to get his family to visit him, but when a loved one passes away, Sam has to go back to the New Mexico desert for a last goodbye.

Gus only comes back to the pack at gathering time, once in a blue moon. He’s usually a wanderer, but he’s with the pack when Sam comes home. Gus and Sam have never gotten along, but this time around Gus is surprised by the attraction he feels for this new, slinky version of his high school nemesis.

Sam and Gus may not be able to resist each other, but finding time to be together and overcome their differences might be too much for them, especially when danger lurks just around the corner, and all around the world. Can cats and dogs live to learn together, or are Gus and Sam destined to fail?

Review

Jane Davitt, author of Hourglass, writes: 'Just Like Cats and Dogs' is a fascinating look at racial tension and prejudice as expressed through the interactions of two types of shifters; panthers and wolves. I've read many shifter stories but this one really made me think about the political implications if we did have shifters around us living hidden lives but organized and structured ones too.

Sam, who shifts into cat form and was, quite literally, raised by wolves has never fit in. Openly gay, he lives in the city, working as a dancer and choreographer. On the death of his father, he returns home and clashes immediately with a childhood enemy from the pack, Gus. As adults, the two of them have more in common than they realize and the tenderness that Gus shows toward the bereaved and vulnerable Sam really comes through. There are some wonderful scenes with the men in their animal forms that really rang true.

Gus is content, more or less. He mines gems, travels, gets on with his family. Sam doesn't fit in anywhere and as the story unfolds we see how precarious his life is because his own kind, the cats, see him as tainted by the wolves, and to the pack he grew up with, he's the enemy, barely tolerated. The lines are drawn; the city is run by the cats, the wolves like the countryside. 'West Side Story' is referenced in the book and this story does have 'Romeo and Juliet' overtones, the classic forbidden love story taken to a whole new level.

The love between the two men unfolds beautifully, their doubts and reservations, their primal antagonism, swept away by a stronger force. As we see a new order evolve around them, as if they're the focal point for change, the reader's left optimistic that things can get better.

Definitely a story that stays with the reader, thought-provoking and compelling.

Sample

Gus watched his mom and brother packing up casseroles and soup bones and all manner of shit to take over to Mona's. Jesus, he couldn't believe that Pop Finn was dead. The man was a fucking fixture in their neck of the woods, and everyone loved the guy, even if they disagreed with him.

"Are you coming, Gus?" His mom pushed her crazy red hair behind one ear. She was that way as a wolf, too, with a deep, reddish coat and one floppy ear. Pete was just the same way, and it used to pissed Gus off, when they were kids, that he looked like Dad, all shaggy and brown and shit.

"I'm not sure, Mom." He smiled wryly. "I didn't always get on with all the Finns."

"You don't say." Her lips twisted in a half grin. "It's been fifteen years. You're coming."

"Yeah." He shook his head. This wasn't about his issues. Pop Finn had been a good man, a solid man. Hell, that family had adopted every fucking stray that came across their land for the last forty years, up to and including a bunch of rowdy pups who just needed a place to blow off steam. He wasn't sure turkey casserole was an adequate expression of how they all felt, but he guessed it would do. He helped his mom carry everything out to the truck, getting it packed so it wouldn't slide around and spill.

"I'll take my truck, too, in case one of us needs to stay or something." Right, because baby brother Pete had a serious hard on for Lizzie -- the second to the youngest of Finn girls.

"Asshole." He grinned when Pete flipped him off. Gus did love fucking with people when he was home.

"You two behave or I'll beat you both." Mom hopped into the truck. "Get your ass in here, son."

Gus climbed into the driver's seat, bumping off toward the Finn's place.

"I want you to be nice to that boy while we're there."

"What boy?" All of the Finn kids were too old to be boys and girls.

"Augustus..."

"What?" He grinned. "Oh, you mean the pussy."

"Augustus Fieri, I will beat your heinie!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be good." He would. Unless pussy boy was an ass. In which case he'd kick the lanky little fuck into next week. Yeah, the beating sounded like a good plan. He grinned, which made his mom pop him on the arm. "Ow!"

"Stop it. You have evil in your eyes. That poor boy was Pete's best friend, even if he was different."

"You know, I want to know why everyone assumes it was my fault we didn't get along." It was offensive. Really.

She just looked at him. A lot. With her eyes.

Okay, so he'd bitten Sam. Chased him. Growled. Treed the little fuck once. They'd been boys. Boys did that. Just like Sam had scratched his leg so bad once that he'd had to get stitches. Had shredded Gus' favorite jacket in high school.

And that didn't even count the time someone who'd never been caught had put Nair in his conditioner.

God, he didn't want to do this. He hated funerals and gatherings for funerals and planning shit like that. He could be in a tourmaline mine somewhere...

"Thank you for coming out with me. I can't believe Michael died during the gathering."

"Yeah." Gus rolled his eyes. The gathering. It made it sound like a movie. They all got together during the harvest moon, once a year. It wasn't sinister or anything; it was a damned family reunion kind of thing.

"Do you... You and Petey, you'd be okay without me, right?"

"Don't even think it, Mom." He wasn't going to ponder it too hard.

"It's going to happen sometime, son."

"I know, Mom, but I could just as easily get smooshed in a cave-in." He shrugged. "We'd survive, but I won't lie and say it would be easy."

She vocalized softly, petting his arm. "Well, I hope not. You ought to miss me a little."

"Stop it." Gus couldn't help but growl some. It had been him and Petey and Mom against the world for a long time. He'd miss her like a lost limb.

"I think we should go to Burger King after we pay our respects."

"I think that's a great idea." Meat. Ketchup. Yum. He even liked fried potatoes.

"Me, too. Pete will be busy sniffing after that pretty little girl, so we can duck out." Mom winked at him.

"There you go." He patted her leg, knowing she needed contact as much as he did. "I'd miss the hell out of you, Mom."

She nodded, sighed softly. "Poor Mona."

"She has all those kids, huh?" What, eighteen? Lord.

"Yeah. Sam sends money home to her, so do Gray and Helena."

"She'll make it." She had to. The greater pack really wouldn't know what to do without Mona Finn.

They pulled into the drive, the place filled with trucks and cars and SUVs. Everyone had turned out. Gus felt a little queasy, but Petey was right there in front of them, and he came to help their mom out of the truck. "I'll be along in a minute, okay?"

"Sure, honey. I'll be inside with Mona."

He walked around the side of the house, needing some air, something. He turned the corner and ran smack dab into someone, the two of them crashing together.

"Shit!" He stumbled, but instinctively tried to catch whoever it was. Gus knew he was big. He could do some damage. "Sorry."

"No problem." The voice was soft, slinky, pure sex somehow, making his hair stand up on end.

He stepped back to look at the man, because it was definitely a male, and his eyes widened. "Pussy boy?"

One black eyebrow arched impossibly over a bottle green eye, then he was flying, back hitting the ground before his fucking chin started hurting from the kick it had received.

Shiny black boots appeared by his head, only for a second. "Indeed."

Then they were gone.

Holy fuck. Gus sure didn't know where Sam Finn had learned to kick like that, but damn. That was something.

Kinda hot, too.

Somehow the whole funeral thing had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.