Uncaged Book Reviews by Cyrene

ISSUE 37 | AUGUST 2019

note from the editor

o you believe it’s August already? Wow, summer is flying by! The hay finally got cut and stacked in the barn, the newest equine member of our family, Tsunami, is gaining weight and fitting in just perfectly with the ladies. Tsunami came from a neglect situation and was in pretty poor shape last January when he was rescued. Today, we have him gaining weight and on an exercise program to help build back his muscle. Our vegetable garden is thriving, and soon we will have to go into preserving mode with canning and freezing. The Raven Awards are going strong, the Semi-Finals finishing up and we will go right into the Finals. As I said in a previous post, the winners and runner-ups will be announced in a live Facebook Event. Watch the Facebook page for Uncaged for those announcements. More features will be coming online as soon as the Raven Awards end. Uncaged will be hosting Multi-Author large giveaways with very reasonable buy-in fees, another way to grow an audience. Feature authors are full through November 2019 and I am accepting feature author submissions for December, and the criteria is that it’s a Seasonal month, meaning the book should be holiday or

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I n J u ly , t h is w il l b E m a il me to e a new ad s reserv e your pace. s lo t .

winter themed. The magazine has a new monthly section for authors and their pets! Each month, the Featured Authors will be highlighted with their furry pals in a section separate from their feature slot. There are two Facebook groups to join now. One is the Uncaged Book Club Reviews. In this group, I’ll list books available to review. Readers can claim 2 books at a time, and once they link their review - they can claim more. This is separate from the magazine. Join HERE if you’d like to get some free reads! The second group is Uncaged Promotions. This is a group where you can share your promotions and get in on newsletter swaps with other authors. Join HERE. Have a great summer and enjoy the August issue of Uncaged Book Reviews!

X cyrene

contents 10 20

Rhonda Frankhouser western romance

Angela Archer

historical romance

Kat Caulberg

Belle Ami

Morgan James

FangFreakinTastic

romantic suspense

Stacy Hoff

Camille Faye

Jaycee Jarvis

Kendall Grey mythology/fantasy

catchup

time travel historical

Rayanne Haines Rayanne returns to Uncaged with her latest release in The Guardian Series, Air Born.

shortstory

59 byIdaKaren Janowsky upcomingconventions

Find a convention near you and meet your favorite authors.

contemporary romance

paranormal romance

promospecials 78 2019 Promotion Special 77 Uncaged Pre-made Covers

paranormal romance

authors and their pets

Issue 37 | August 2019

Uncaged’s Feature Authors introduce you to their devoted writing buddies, and the devotion goes both ways.

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Note from the Editor Contributors|Swaps Uncaged Reviews Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews Myra’s Horror Blog Reviews Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews

Issue 37 | August 2019 |

Contributors | Advertising Swaps

Follow Uncaged on Facebook

Paranormal loverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rejoice. Uncaged review contributors.

A blog for horror fans. Uncaged review contributors.

A little bit of everything. Uncaged review contributors.

Help for authors and businesses.

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like your banner here, please email me at UncagedBooks@gmail.com Issue 36 | July 2019 |

upcomingconventions

Indie Bookfest August 1-4, Orlando, Florida https://indiebookconvention.com/

Book Bonanza August 9 & 10 Grapevine, TX https://bookbonanza19.com/

Myths & Legends August 9 -11, Denver, CO https://www.malcondenver.org/

Hampton Roads August 24, Hampton, VA https://hampton-roads-indie-author-book-festival-2019-103250.square.site/ 6| uncagedbooks.com |

Bubonicon 51 August 23-25, Albuquerque, NM http://bubonicon.com/

Dragon Con August 29-Sept. 2 Atlanta, GA http://www.dragoncon.org/

AJC Decatur Book Festival August 30 - Sept. 1 , Decatur, Georgia http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/

Penned Con Sept. 12-14, St. Louis, MO https://pennedcon.com/

feature authors

western | historical | time travel historical

Rhonda Frankhouser

Angela Archer

Kat Caulberg

RHON D A FR A N K HO U S ER

Uncaged welcomes Rhonda Frankhouser Uncaged: First of all, it’s nice to have you back in Uncaged! You are getting ready to release the third book in the Ruby’s Ranch series, Legacy of Ruby’s Ranch. Can you let readers know more about the series? How does the third book fit in with the series? Thank you so much. It’s an honor to be featured in Uncaged. The Ruby’s Ranch series follows a line of matriarchs from the Dust Bowl days to present day. Each woman has a special connection to the family legacy and something to prove at Ruby’s Ranch.

fter fourteen years in hospice care management in central California, Rhonda Frankhouser now writes full time from her lovely northeast Georgia home.

Rhonda’s award-winning Ruby’s Ranch Series, earned a finalist honor in the Uncaged Raven Awards; a second runner up in the InD’Tale Magazine RONE awards and a Books and Benches, Reviewers Top Pic ~ Books of Distinction award. Her follow up Shadowing Souls Series and Let Yourself Believe Series, have captured the attention of both romance and mainstream readers alike. Rhonda is a happily married stepmom to three beautiful daughters; two adorable pugs and a lazy Labrador named Dutch.

Stay Connected

rhondafrankhouserbooks.com

Book 1 - Return to Ruby’s Ranch, tells Ruby Lattrell’s story as she inherits the family ranch from her crazy grandmother. Book 2 - Escape from Ruby’s Ranch, goes back a generation to explain Katherine Lattrell’s mysterious disappearance. Book 3 - Legacy of Ruby’s Ranch, goes back yet another generation, to the beginning with Rube Gautier, the original matriarch of Ruby’s Ranch. It was her vision and determination that started it all. Readers will finally understand what motivates this impetuous woman to do the things she does in the first two books in the series. Uncaged: Will this be the end of the Ruby’s Ranch series, or are you planning more? There is definitely a Book 4 in the works. Revenge at Ruby’s Ranch is planned for a 2020 release. It will bring together all the matriarchs and answer the final questions to their mystical journey. There’s been rumblings of offshoot stories around a few of the more intriguing secondary characters that have appeared in the Ruby’s Ranch series, but nothing solid has been planned. Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that

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you can tell us about? I haven’t decided if I’ll go ahead and complete the Ruby’s Ranch series OR if I’ll get back to my much beloved, Shadowing Souls Series. Book 1 of that series, Health Nut Cafe, has a cast of my favorite characters who’ve been begging to talk again. I’ve missed working with them. Uncaged: The last time we talked to you, you were just moving to Georgia from California. Now that you’ve been there a bit, how are you liking the move? What has been your favorite part of your new home? I LOVE GEORGIA!!! There’ll always be a part of my heart in California, but mercy, y’all, Georgia is gorgeous. Full of history and culture and amazing food. I never get used to the green - everywhere. So, to your question, we love our new state, and our new home. When I sit on my front porch and listen to the roaring thunder and the rain pounding against the roof, I have to pinch myself. My favorite part of my new home is exploring. This past weekend we made our first ever trip to sea turtle rescue on Jekyll Island, then swung by Savannah for southern style lunch of grits and shrimp, then did a drive by of Augusta National on our way home. Pretty amazing! Gives me lots of new story ideas.

Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why? May sound a bit cliche, but Virginia Woolf has always been interesting. I’d love to sit with her and maybe chat up Anais Nin, Henry Miller, Anne Rice and Stephen King, to keep things interesting. I’d probably have nightmares afterwards, but it’d be worth it. Uncaged: Which character has been the easiest for you to write? Which has been the hardest? In the Ruby’s Ranch series, the easiest character to write was Ruby Lattrell, the matriarch in Book 1. As the granddaughter of an eccentric trailblazer and the daughter of a missing mother, her motivation for answers and closure intrigued me. Helping her discover what happened was an incredible, enlightening journey for me as a new writer. The hardest character to write was Rube Gautier in

Issue 37 | August 2019 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR |

“

The scent and texture of the paper, plus the sound of the pages fluttering, that’s what it’s all about.

Book 3. She’s a very complicated woman, especially since the first two books portrayed her as anything but sympathetic. I hope the reader understands her more after they read where her fears originate. I hope they love and admire her as much as I do after experiencing what she goes through to fulfill her destiny. Uncaged: What has been the most surprising thing a character has done that you didn’t expect when you started? I love that you’ve asked this question this way because my characters always dictate their journey. If I try to ‘tell’ them what to do, my creativity goes numb. To actually answer your question, I’d have to say,a character reappearing out of thin air was pretty shocking. I’d written her off, so to speak, then poof, she’s back and I have to figure out how to explain it in a plausible way. She made my life interesting for a few weeks for sure. Uncaged: What do you do to prevent a writer’s block? Do you have a writing quirk? I’m not sure I get actual writer’s block as much as writer’s procrastination. If I sit with my hands over the keyboard, I’ll write. It may not be the next great American novel, but something will come. My problem is putting aside the day to days, the gardening, the laundry, the fun, to find the keyboard. My quirk, STOP and SIT DOWN in a chair that’s hard to get out of, and go for it. Most of the time, that works. Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? I most definitely prefer physical books. The scent and texture of the paper, plus the sound of the pages fluttering, that’s what it’s all about. I

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| RHONDA FRANKHOUSER |

have given away more books than most country libraries will ever hold. Now - that said, if I need to edit or read for long periods of time, I appreciate an ebook for sure. Being able to enlarge the font is a game changer for tired eyes. Audio books rock for road trips. Listening makes me feel like I’m accomplishing a lot more than simply driving from A to Z. Driving is great learning time.

are invested in my life’s work. They believe in me, my talent and the strange way I fashion my story’s. To the compassionate, intuitive, brilliant folks who read my work, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart, for helping make my dreams come true. I’d love to hear from each and every one.

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? When I started writing, I swore to myself it was only to quiet the little people inside my head and not for notoriety, but who was I kidding. I LOVE my readers! I LOVE positive reviews. They remind me that others Issue 37 | August 2019 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR |

Enjoy an excerpt from L E G A CY O F R U B Y ’ S R A NC H Legacy of Ruby’s Ranch Rhonda Frankhouser Western Romance

The moment her grandmother presses an ancient amulet into her palm, Rube Gautier’s life changes. Chosen to lead a mystical life in the service of her village, she’s expected to marry within the community and confer with the spirits to lead her people, but all she really wants is a normal life, on a ranch of her own far away from Oklahoma, with a man of her choosing. When she lays eyes on Mac, hope for a different future begins to blossom. World War II hero, Mackenzie Adams finds more than he bargained for at a local livestock auction. When he catches sight of the fiery redhead commanding a crowd of roughneck ranchers, his heart pounds faster than it had when he’d stormed Omaha beach. He’d never seen so much passion and so much angst in such a beautiful package. Unfortunately, she’s bound to another life. Sparks fly between Rube and Mac even as danger lurks around them. The spirits insist Rube must fulfill her destiny, and they will do what they must to see it done, even if it means taking those Rube loves away from her. Is Rube and Mac’s love enough to fight a legacy that has stood the test of time, or will Rube lose everything and everyone she loves most? Excerpt 14 | UncagedBooks.com

Twilight whinnied when Rube rushed into the barn and clattered loudly through the gate. A dozen other Appaloosa mares poked curious snouts over their stall railings to get a peek at the commotion. “How’s my girl?” With her arms wrapped around the mare’s broad neck, Rube let her tears flow. The reality of Papa’s harsh words settled on her heart. She’d never have her own life. Duty was all there was. The intuitive horse pressed against her mistress. Rube clung to her, soaking up the mare’s unconditional love and loyalty, and considered saddling up and disappearing into the mountains. Quiet footsteps fell behind them. “Excuse me, miss. I don’t mean to interrupt,” a familiar voice said from outside the stall. Rube whipped around, the motion loosening her tight bun so her long, auburn waves cascaded around her shoulders. “What the hell? What’re you doing in here?” She quickly wiped the dampness from her eyes. “Oh Lord, I’m so sorry. I thought you saw me when you ran by.” The tall, young rancher from earlier stood, again with his hat in hand and apology written on his handsome face. When he started to move closer, Twilight stepped between them, and bobbed her head in warning. No doubt sensing Rube’s uneasiness. “Well, I’ll be damned. Got yourself a guardian angel, I see.” He presented his hand for Twilight to sniff. “I promise, I mean no harm.” After a few gentle words, the saucy mare pushed her ear into his hand for a scratch. “Wow, I’m impressed.” “She’s beautiful. And probably pretty damn fast?” he said, admiring the mare’s well-proportioned stature and her perfect muscle tone.

| RHONDA FRANKHOUSER | “Fastest on the ranch,” she answered, twisting her long hair back into a bun. His hands were on Twilight, but his attention was trained on Rube. His energy tingled against her skin wherever he gazed. “You should leave it down,” he said in a low, Southern drawl. The rasp in his voice was haunting. When their eyes finally met, sensual sparks lit her consciousness. The heat of a blush warmed her face as she recalled his smell, his touch, the way she’d craved him in her dream. Was she still asleep? Or was she being granted one final wish before duty took over her life.

Issue 37 | August 2019 |

CATC H UP

THIS MONTH WE C AT C H U P W I T H R AYA NN E H A I N E S A N D H E R L AT E S T I N THE GUARDIAN SERIES

Rayanne Haines stops by with her latest release, Air Born. Uncaged: Your latest release, Air Born is part of The Guardian series, can you tell readers more about the series? Thank you so much for inviting me for a catch-up interview. The Guardians is a Paranormal Romance companion series that follows a band of immortals as they fight to keep the balance between good and evil in check while navigating the tricky waters of family secrets, new and old friendships, love and lust. Each book centers on a specific couple and their journey while all the players work through an underlying mystery. So far, our Guardians have been working to stop a madman as he hunts for a female vessel prophesized to unite the Vampire race as Queen. Uncaged: How many books are you planning for this series? I was picked up for a four-book deal on this series but I certainly see it lasting longer. I’m currently writing book four, Blood Born but I have so many characters with voices and stories that want to be told! Uncaged: The first book in this series, Fire Born, won the 2018 Raven Award for Favorite Paranormal Romance. How much does it mean to win an award voted on by fans? It Honestly meant everything for me! Especially because Fire Born was my debut PNR book. It is so hard to know if people are engaging with your book and the characters you write. I love these characters and knowing people (who aren’t my mom and sister :)) do too means everything. It makes me want to keep writing!

| RAYANNE HAINES | and two would be suitors. I like to keep things a little quirky so expect A Vamp king trying to get off blood, a slightly diabolical Elemental and a how to book for new immortals thrown in there.

Enjoy an excerpt from Air Born Air Born Rayanne Haines Fantasy Romance When working with your immortal enemy is part of the job description . . . things can get a little rough. Quinn Taleisin hates secrets, and shadows, and subterfuge. Which is why she still can’t believe she agreed to become a member of the Guardians, an elite force of immortals tasked with keeping the balance between good and evil in the world. Sounds great, except, to be a guardian you must agree to live in secrecy. A wind Elemental, being caged in by secrecy is worse than death for someone like her. She can’t imagine a worse fate—until she’s asked to work with Lachon Findel, the man she holds responsible for her mother’s death and her father’s insanity. Lachon is the oldest living elemental in the world. Known as Lachon the Law, he’s an earth element; a man who sees the world in black and white, right and wrong. So maybe once, briefly, a hundred years ago she thought he was a good guy. She knew better now. No way would she fall for his savior of the world shtick. When the dangers of the past catch up with them, will Quinn realize the only way either of them will make it out alive is if she can put the ghosts of the past behind her and finally trust the flesh and blood man in front of her. Excerpt “Like what you see?”

Uncaged: What is coming up next that you can tell us about?

Heat flushed her cheeks. She cleared her throat. “So what. You’re muscled and tattooed. Get over yourself.”

In Book four we finally find and dispatch the big bad our Guardians have been searching for and we find out who The Vessel is! Blood Born is her story as she navigates the complex world of immortality, prophecy

Her teeth chattered. A massive shiver bowed her back. Sitting in the damn mud wasn’t helping. No way would she ask him to warm her. His sodden khakis hung low over his hips. She wrapped her arms around herself. Nope. Not on your life. Issue 37 | August 2019 |

A wave of concern slashed across his face. “You’re hella stubborn you know that? And you’re freezing.” With a shake of his head he walked back to her side, lifted her—despite a weak protest—and wrapped her in a bear hug. She’d really have to start remembering how to breathe. Arms like tree trunks enclosed her like a soft sigh. As she settled in, the fire tattoo on his chest began to heat. Sweet warmth flowed over them. “This works better if you take your shirt off,” he said. Quinn squeezed her eyes shut as his voice rolled like a heat wave. “I’m not taking my shirt off, creep.”

When he began to unzip his pants, Quinn jumped to her feet. “Don’t you dare,” she squeaked. A loose smirk curved his lips. “I refuse to freeze because you’re a prude.” “I am not a prude. It’s called dislike.” She flicked her fingers. “As in me, dislikes you. Hence I have no desire to see you naked.” “Hence?” His laughter reeked of condescension. If I bash his head in with a rock in the woods and noone hears, does it really count?

He chuckled. “Suit yourself.”

She arched a single brow. “Yes, hence. It’s called having a vocabulary.”

As she warmed, the muscles in her back loosened. She rested her cheek against his chest—only a little—and exhaled. “What happened?”

His hands froze mid-air, before, with a sinister smile, he finished unzipping, and pushed soaked khakis over tight hips.

He grunted. “Three deer raced in front of the car as we hit the bridge. I swerved too late.”

The little breath blizzard popped out her mouth again. Gulping in a fresh breath, she offered him the finger before regally walking away to disrobe in privacy. Fresh laughter followed her through the trees. Heat flooded her cheeks.

The muscle under her cheek twitched. “Our phones and all our gear, are laying at the bottom of that river somewhere downstream.” If you asked her to admit it out loud, Quinn would deny, deny, deny, but she loathed the idea of pulling away from his heat. Still, her behavior bordered on pathetic at this point. With a final shudder, she stepped back and looked at their situation with fresh eyes. Here, the sun winked over the river. Evergreen trees created a lush canopy. Soft moss sunk beneath her feet. The smells of pine and earth hung thick in the air. The current had carried them downstream, the bridge they careened over now far off in the distance. Quinn inhaled, raised her face to the sun. She’d alwaysfelt strongest in the woods. The Rocky Mountains held a special place in her heart. Called to a wild part of her she so seldom allowed access. “So, what now?” “Now we dry out. Later we walk.” “How long until the sun sets?” He squinted at the sun. “We have some time. We’ll dry faster if we take our clothes off.” He headed for a tree with branches stretched to the sun, shirt still bunched in his fist. The shirt landed with a wet thud as he flung it over a branch. Next came shoes, one by one, ripped off his feet with an annoyed grip.

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Yes, she felt like a muddy bag of fish sticks. No, there was no way she’d undress in front of Lachon the Law and his stupidly muscled chest.

Award Winning Paranormal Romance Author, Rayanne Haines lives on the Canadian prairies with the man of her dreams, two young men, and an obsessive compulsive english bulldog named Bella. Rayanne loves to write about kick-ass women and the alpha men who love them.

rayannehaines.com

A N G E L A A R C HER

Uncaged welcomes Angela Archer Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about the series, The Wildflower Women Collection? Each story in The Wildflower Women Collection follows a strong woman in the adventure of her life. She stands against social norms, fearing nothing as she not only fights for her own happy ending, but does so while also carving her own path in history. Some of the stories are based on real women while others are based on an idea.

uthor of Sweet and Spicy Romance from Yesteryear

Welcome to my little corner of the internet! So who am I? Well, it’s quite simple actually. I’m a history-lovin’ author who writes in her fuzzy pants and loves her horses! My stories have a pinch of sweetness, a dash of spice, and a dollop of history. Sound interesting? Then slip into your petticoats and curl up on the couch while I transport you to the past! I live on a ranch with my husband, two daughters, and many farm animals. When I’m not writing, I spend my days from dawn to dusk as a stay at home, homeschooling mom. I also work in my garden and take care of my many farm animals, as well as I love to bake and cook from scratch. While I don’t show horses anymore, I still love to trail ride my paint horse, Honky, as well as I, enjoy teaching my daughters how to ride their horses, Sunburst and Cowboy.

Stay Connected

angelachristinaarcher.com

A funny story about the collection and name was how it came to be. On my last trip across the country (I drive from Oklahoma to Nevada to visit family twice a year), I was listening to a podcast when I had this light bulb moment. A few weeks prior to this a friend of mine had mentioned to me that I really should focus more on the fact that these stories are about strong women than just that they are a little sweet and a little spicy romances. While listening to the podcast, the thought just hit me. She was right. While the stories are both sweet and sensual, that wasn’t what made them what they are. The women were, and especially the ones I’ve based off real women. I knew right then and there they needed to be a collection and I needed to shift my focus. The only problem was I

didn’t have a name.

The Wildflower Women Collection.

And then it happened.

Uncaged: You released the third book in the series this year, Through the Eyes of a Captive. How many books are you planning for this series? Can they be read as standalones?

I was driving through Kingman, Arizona, and I had just exited I40 onto the 93 to go up to Las Vegas. It was the last stop for 102 miles and I asked my kids if they had to go to the bathroom. They both said no, but just as we were passing the last gas station, my youngest screams out that she had to go. I pull over and rush them inside to the last available stall, where sitting on the ground is a can of air freshener—the scent was called Wildflower. When I looked at the can, it just fit. I knew it had to be

Yes, they are all standalones, and they always will be. I’ve been asked several times for sequels, but I just haven’t been able to sit down and focus on a continuation story for any of the couples. If there is a time when I do, then I will pull that particular story out of the collection. As for how many are planned, that’s actually undecided at this point, probably somewhere in the dozens. Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about? I actually have two exciting projects in the works at this time. One is a new story I’m working on that is set aboard the Titanic. I have always loved, loved, LOVED the Titanic and devour any research I can find on how they built the boat, the maiden voyage, and not only the sinking, but also the aftermath and recovery. I love also diving into the real life stories of not only the passengers, but of the crew like the maids and the firemen that helped keep Issue 37 | August 2019 | 21

| FEATURE AUTHOR |

her afloat for an hour longer than she should have and kept the electricity on so they could continue to lower the lifeboats into the water. I have no idea why it’s taken me eight novels to finally write a story about it, but I suppose it was because I didn’t have a story until now. I hope that people enjoy reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed researching and writing it. The second project is also exciting and I can’t wait to share it. I’m getting my rights back on the first of the three novels I published through a publisher. It is my first novel, titled, The Woman on the Painted Horse. In the last six years that it’s been out of my hands, I’ve not only grown as a writer, but I’ve had new ideas come to me on how to deepen the plot. I’ve been spending time each week, revising and rewriting it and I can’t wait to publish the second (and improved) edition with a new cover. The novel 22 | UncagedBooks.com

will also be the fourth (or fifth if I publish the Titanic novel first) in the Wildflower Women Collection. Uncaged: On your website, you state that you are in the process of turning your series into audiobooks. What is that process like? What do you look for in a narrator? Frustrating. Lol. At least for me it has been. I think it’s actually more my fault than any one else’s as I might be being a little too picky about the narrators. I blame my OCD. Or at least the part of me that has gotten so attached to these women I have created that I have this overwhelming need to find that perfect voice. Thankfully, I’m not on any kind of a timeline for the audiobooks so I can wait. We shall see how they plan out in the next few months. Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you

| ANGELA ARCHER | love to sit and have lunch with and why?

helped. She jumped off the page from the first word and didn’t stop until the last.

This question is kind of a tough one. I have so many that I’m fond of. Right now, I would probably have to say Diana Gabaldon. It’s more than just my love for Outlander that makes me pick her, though. I love her writing style and her writing voice. The detail she gives and just the depth in her stories. I can only hope one day to have her gift and her imagination.

As for the hardest . . . that would probably fall to Tahatan (the hero in Through the Eyes of a Captive). From the start he was guarded, even with me. He was stoic and shy and kind of closed off. It took me awhile to peel back his layers enough to really get into the heart of his deepness. I’m kind of glad he made me work for him, though.

Uncaged: Which character has been the easiest for you to write? Which has been the hardest? I would have to say the easiest would probably have to be Ava (the heroine in A Road Paved in Copper). Anyone who knows my dad knows he likes to tell stories. One afternoon while visiting my parents, he started telling me this story about the woman who founded a small town that sits between Tonopah and Hawthorne called Mina. Her name was Ferminia Sarras and she was sort of the inspiration of my story. Known as “Nevada’s Copper Queen” Fermina’s mining claims attracted a lot attention and she became a regional celebrity who paved the way for women miners in the early 1900s. I think the best part of her life story is her travels San Francisco. She spent her whole life not only mining, but also traveling back and forth from the desert to the city. Once she would gather large sums of money, she would ride to the city and blow her fortune on fancy hotels, fine dining, and hoards of younger men. As soon the money was gone, she would say, “I guess I better get back to the desert.” She’d return to her mines, don her overalls, and take to the hills again. Having such a strong person to base my character off of

Uncaged: What has been the most surprising thing a character has done that you didn’t expect when you started? It was actually a big surprise that in Through the Eyes of a Captive the hero and heroine didn’t like each other for a long time. It was hard to write them together. Then one day, and I’m still not sure why, it was like a switch flipped and suddenly the only time they didn’t play nice with me was when I separated them for a couple of plot twists. Uncaged: What do you do to prevent a writer’s block? Do you have a writing quirk? Ah, yes, writer’s block. Gotta love it. Unfortunately, I have yet to figure out a way to prevent it. However, I have found one thing that helps me get past it—riding my horses. As for quirks, the only really big one I have is that during the first several draft stages, I write my stories where each chapter is it’s own separate document. They don’t get combined until I’m ready to read it as a whole one last time before it goes off to an editor. I have no idea how this habit started, it just did. And I’ve stuck with it. Uncaged: Do you prefer eBooks, audiobooks or physical books? I’m actually a physical book person. There is something about the smell of a book and turning the pages that just warms my heart. I just love them. However, with all that said, I do have to admit that I read more from my phone or my Kindle than from a paperback or hardcover. The reason is that it’s just Issue 37 | August 2019 | 23

| FEATURE AUTHOR | easier for me. I don’t get much time to read and what I do get is right before bed, which it’s just easier to grab my phone read a chapter or two and then lights out. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? If people wish to stalk me, they can find me on all social media platforms. Where I am the most, though, is my website, www.angelachristinaarcher. com or in my reader group https://www.facebook. com/groups/211015272742042 or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authoracarcher

Enjoy an excerpt from Through the Eyes of a Captive Through the Eyes of a Captive Angela Christina Archer Historical Romance “It is observed that in any great endeavor, it is not enough for a person to depend solely on himself.” ~ Lakota Proverb Several men have claimed responsibility for killing Custer, but what if it wasn’t a man? What if it was a woman? They called it a terrible glory and the last great battle for the American West. While the battle of the Little Bighorn was the last stand by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer against the Lakota tribes, to Lily Sinclair it was the last stand between her old life and her new beginning. 24 | UncagedBooks.com

After her in-laws squander away the family fortune, Lily and her husband, Alfred, head out west to the mountains of Montana, the only land available to poor people and far away from the debts haunting them. When a band of Cherokee warriors attacks their wagon train along the way, they kill her husband and take her captive, selling her to a Lakota tribe for the price of several horses. Widowed Lakota warrior Tahatan has vowed never to take another bride after his wife’s death. However, he soon finds himself forced in a marriage with the outspoken, yellow-haired Yankee who challenges every thought in his head. With Custer’s sights set on the hidden gold in the depths of the Black Hills, the Colonel begins his warpath on the tribe villages. Can Lily overcome the demons of her past and defend Tahatan and his people? Or will she betray them all for the actions against her dead husband, killing someone she never believed she would in the process? Through the Eyes of a Captive is the third beautifully written and compelling historical romance by Angela Christina Archer. If you love sweet and sensual romance with strong heroines who carve their own path in the history books, then you will love The Wildflower Women Collection. Unlock this amazing story as well as the others in the collection today. Excerpt With his words, the crowd all shuffled from the tipi, leaving us alone. A few glanced over their shoulders, bidding us farewell for the night, while the rest just walked away. Even Iyanke left and she squeezed my hand before scurrying off into the darkness. The sudden silence beat through my deep breaths as Tahatan stared off into some distant, distracting thought for a moment. “What the hell just happened?” Although I meant to whisper my question to myself, my voice rang with

| ANGELA ARCHER | more volume than I had planned. Tahatan cast me a sideways glance without moving his head. “You do not have to worry any longer,” he said.

“Why would I not? You are wíŋyaŋ mitȟáwa.” “What does that mean?” “It means my wife.”

“He will not ever try that again. It is over and done with.”

“But I am your wife not by your own accord.”

I glanced down at my hands, my fingers fidgeted with one another. “I’m sorry.”

“You are still a woman and you are still my wife. It is still my job to provide for you and to protect you.”

“For what?” “For causing such discord. I didn’t mean for it to happen. I never wished for it either.” “You did not cause what happened. It was his choice to confront me.” He meandered over to the fire and fetched another log, throwing it onto the burnt ones in order to reignite the dying flames. “He knew I would defend my wife and not share her. He also knew I would beat him. He is the foolish one.” “Then why did he do it?” “Pride or recklessness, one of the two. Knowing Otaktay, it was foolishness that drove his actions and nothing more.”

“He could have stabbed you.” Tahatan snorted a laugh and jerked his head. “Did . . . did you just laugh?” I asked. “I don’t see how any of this is funny.” He shifted his weight toward me, tossing the knife into the air before catching it and spinning it between his fingers. “I knew he would fail. As did everyone else who watched us.” Before I could say another word, he moved toward me, pausing as he passed. He leaned in, his face inches from mine. “Something else for you to learn about me. I never lose a fight.”

“I suppose I should thank you.” My gaze dropped to the ground and I chewed on the side of my cheek. “Thank you for not allowing him to take me.” His eyes met mine. As he nodded, he cocked his head to the side. “Why do you look at me that way?” “What way?” “So full of surprise.” While a lie rested on the tip of my tongue, I chose honesty instead. “I suppose I’m confused as to why you hold concern over my welfare when you don’t want me. Why go to all the trouble?” Issue 37 | August 2019 |

or as long as she can remember, Kat Caulberg has been obsessed with history and the paranormal. Somewhat to the dismay of her parents, her interests led her into both museums and graveyards as a child, a trend which has continued into her adulthood. This has influenced her reading tastes and her writing, whether it be a good ghost story, thrilling tales of time-travel, or devouring endless volumes of ancient warfare.

She signed a contract with Soul Mate Publishing in 2018 for her first novel, Three Star Island, a time-travel story set in 1721. She enjoys writing strong, quirky heroines, and has a weakness for cheeky heroes who have as much compassion as they have flaws. Kat currently lives in North Carolina with her Englishman and a few cats.

Sta y Conne c t e d

K AT C A U L B ER G

katcaulbergwrites.com Uncaged welcomes Kat Caulberg Uncaged: Your debut novel, Three Star Island is a time-travel historical romance. Can you tell readers more about the book? Three Star Island is set off the Carolina coast in 1721. Former historian and accidental time-traveler Penny Saunders has become a pariah to the townsfolk of Three Star Island. When a mysterious and potentially dangerous stranger washes up on her shores, Penny quickly realizes he’s a pirate. The governor has rescinded his pirates’ pardon, the locals are growing supicious of Penny’s new guest, and she can’t keep her secrets hidden forever. Uncaged: On your website, it says you have a passion for history and paranormal. Will you also be writing in the paranormal genre in the future? Would you combine historical and paranormal? I am definitely going to be writing in the paranormal genre. I’ve loved it since I was a child. To combine it with something historical would be a dream come true. I’ve got a few ideas that have been

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brewing for some time, in fact, that I’d love to put on paper. Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about? Speaking of the paranormal... I’ve just finished a manuscript is set in modern East Anglia, England, and it’s steeped in both the paranormal and traditional folklore. It’s got ghosts, fae, a shapeshifter, and a spectral hellhound. And of course, plenty of romance. I had a lot of fun doing research for it. Uncaged: If there is one thing you’d like readers to take away from your book, what would it be? Fear can be a powerful opponent, keeping us from everything from speaking up for ourselves to allowing love into our heart. We can overcome it if we put our minds to it and be strong enough to let the support systems around us like friends help us along the way. Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with, and why? Ray Bradbury. He’s been the most influential writer in my life. His writing voice was beautiful, his world-building was amazing, and he put out some of the best advice for authors I’ve ever read. Uncaged: Which character has been the easiest for you to write? Which has been the hardest?

The hero, William, was probably the easiest. I love writing men, especially sassy, charming ones. I wouldn’t say that any of them were particularly difficult for me, although the main character, Penny, forced me to take myself into emotional places I hadn’t been in since my younger years. She’s so lonely, so rejected by society, and has such thick walls set in place, that it called up a lot of difficult memories for me. Uncaged: What has been the most surprising thing a character has done that you didn’t expect when you started? It’s going to sound like a joke, but the donkey, Francisco, took a heck of a lot bigger role in Three Star Island, that I ever expected. I’m trying to find a way to work him into the sequel. Uncaged: What do you do to prevent a writer’s block? Do you have a writing quirk? For writer’s block, I try to be aware of my internal voice that’s telling me it’s time to take a break. I firmly believe that an author needs and should take breaks occasionally just to recharge the batteries. It’s vital to emotional and writing health! As for writing quirks: I have to write in absolute silence. I love brainstorming ideas with people, but it’s very difficult, almost impossible, for me to get past my shyness of talking about what I’m working on with anyone, includIssue 37 | August 2019 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | ing my husband. Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks, or physical books? For novels, I prefer ebooks. I like the idea of being able to carry multiple novels on my phone with me anywhere I want, and I feel like I’m saving a tree when I do. My research books and non-fiction books, however, I want and need to have physically in my hands when at all possible. They’re what you’ll see on my shelves. I haven’t tried audiobooks! Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? I’m extremely grateful to anyone who buys and likes my book, of course! They’re who make all of it worth it. And if any of my readers would like to chat, I’m on Twitter most days. @Kat_C_Writes, or they can drop me a line at KatCaulbergWrites@ protonmail.com.

Enjoy an excerpt from Three Star Island Three Star Island Kat Caulberg Time Travel Historical Stepping through a time portal into 1716, historian Penny Saunders didn’t expect to get stranded in the past. Five years later, now a pariah to the townsfolk of Three Star Island, she endures solitude and ridicule until a hurricane tosses a dangerous castaway onto her shores. William Payne’s history precedes him. Pirate, outlaw, and ruthless captain, he’s a monster among men . . . or so it seems. Desperately seeking redemption for his blood-soaked past, he upends Penny’s world by showing her a passion she’s never experienced. But time is closing in on them; the governor of the Carolinas has rescinded his pirates’ pardon, the locals are growing suspicious of Penny’s new houseguest, and she can’t keep her secrets from William forever. When everything falls apart, she must use both wits and weapons against lawmen and pirates alike to save the one man who would tear down the world for her. Excerpt Penelope stood in the crater the time portal had sliced into the tree line. Sheared-off branches sprouted new growth overhead, and grass choked the scorched ground, concealing most of the sand that had been fused into glass globules by the rift. Frowning, she dislodged one of the spheres with the tip of her shoe and kicked it into the dunes. This gate hadn’t opened in months.

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Two days prior, a hurricane had ravaged Three Star. Alone on the southern tip of the island, Penny had ridden out the storm in her farmhouse while gales ripped up centuries-old live oaks by their roots and tossed debris through the walls of her outbuildings. She’d seen a time gate’s flicker in the immediate aftermath half a mile from where she now stood on the beach, but there had been no reason to dash out into the dwindling rain in hopes of reaching it before it shut. None of them would let her go home again. Grasping her skirts in one hand, she made her way through the oat grass to ascertain what the storm had offered her in compensation. The summer of 1721 had been a blistering one, providing scarcely any rain to offset the heat. With few thunderstorms of much note, ships in the area had enjoyed a season of calm, returning to port with full holds and happy sailors, and Penny’s larder suffered for it. Without wreckage to pick through, she’d survived on meager rations from her garden and the bones of a sloop that ran aground on the shoals to the south. Yesterday threw one more long, hard bout of rain at the island, keeping her inside until dusk. Now, with the sun a few hours into the sky, she hurried to collect her share of the shattered remains of dead men’s fortunes. This time, she was determined it wouldn’t bother her. She tucked a short strand of hair behind her ear, knuckled her glasses higher, and proceeded to the shore.

| KAT CAULBERG | over a figure lying in the surf. Her stomach dropped. The waves had disgorged a body. Straightening, she fidgeted with her apron strings. The tide was rising. Soon, the ocean would reclaim the life it had taken, leaving no trace of the drowned man behind. Here, he was alone and unknown. Somewhere else, however, he would be an empty seat at a hearth, a bed half-filled, a promise unkept. Like her, he could never go home again. Penelope sighed. Unable to bury him, she could at least bear witness to his return to the sea. Keeping close to the water, she trudged toward him. She stopped when his arm moved. It was a tiny motion she could’ve mistaken for a trick of the wind, his sleeve toyed with by the breeze, yet when his fist clenched the sand, she was certain. He was alive. “Son of a . . .”

The sea mirrored the heavens, flat and tranquil. Whitecaps lapped the sand, pulling back to reveal a stripe of broken shells stretching as far as she could see. Currents funneled past the rock barrier jutting out into the water, and a smattering of planks and splintered crates gathered on the sand bars the rising tide would soon submerge. Penny stooped to dip her fingers into a mountain of sea foam. Lacework-white and delicate, it dissolved at her touch. A flicker of movement caught her eye. Slanting toward the beach on a downdraft, a laughing gull shrieked its peculiar, broken cry and swooped Issue 37 | August 2019 |

feature authors

romantic suspense | contemporary

Belle Ami

Morgan James

Stacy Hoff

elle Ami is a #1 Bestselling author of romantic suspense, romantic thrillers and international mystery with a time-travel twist. Her first novel was a finalist for a major book award and launched her dynamic writing career. Belle is a 2018 RONE Award finalist in the romantic suspense category for her novel ESCAPE (Tip of the Spear Series Book 1). The second book VENGEANCE has been highly lauded. RANSOM is the third book in the Tip of the Spear Series. Belle is also a Readers Favorite Book Award Finalist for her time Travel Romance THE GIRL WHO KNEW DA VINCI. (Book 1 Out of Time Series). Book 2 THE GIRL WHO LOVED CARAVAGGIO was published on June 1, 2019. When Belle isn’t working on her next book, she’s most likely in the kitchen whipping up something delicious for her family to enjoy. In addition to enjoying gourmet cook, Belle is also an accomplished pianist, skier, and world traveler. She lives in Calabasas, CA with her wonderful husband and two kids. She also lives with Cindy Crawford and Giorgio Armani, who just happen to be a horse and a chihuahua.

Stay Con n e c te d

b e ll e a m Please welcome Belle Ami Uncaged: Your latest release, The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio is the second book in the suspense series, Out of Time Thriller Series. Can you tell readers more about the series? The Out of Time series is a time-travel thriller series starring a brilliant/art-historian. Angela Renatus (Renatus means “born again”) is a psychic who—through dreams, visions, and timetravel—investigates stolen or missing paintings with her fiancé, art detective Alex Caine, an ex-Navy Seal.

belleamiauthor.com

It all begins in the first book, The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci. Angela is haunted by dreams and visions of a past life that are stealing her sanity. When she meets Alex, he convinces her to leave her job at the Getty Museum where she’s being harassed by the director.

They embark on a journey to find an unknown Leonardo da Vinci painting. They are pitted against the greedy, misogynist, director of the Getty Museum, Alberto Scordato, who’s also after the painting and will do anything to find the priceless masterpiece. Angela and Alex have no idea that the wedding portrait they seek is a painting Leonardo da Vinci painted of them in their past life when they lived as Giuliano Medici and Fioretta Gorini. But this is only the first discovery of multiple lifetimes in which they’ve lived and loved. Each past life ended in a devastating tragedy for the lovers. Both Angela and Alex are determined to not let that happen again.

Uncaged: How many books are you planning for this series, or is it open ended? I am so excited to have created a series that I believe can go on forever. There are enough true-life art mysteries out there for inspiration, and enough compelling great artists to keep me busy for the rest of my life. I love research and I’m a bit of a sleuth myself, so this is like sugar on my tongue, a very sweet endeavor. Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about? I’m nearly finished with the third book, titled The Girl Who Adored Rembrandt. In this book Angela and Alex are hunting a Rembrandt family portrait that is stolen by a Mexican drug cartel. This book is multifaceted and has several stories going on at

In book two, The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio, Angela and Alex are enlisted by the director of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence to solve one of the most famous art heists of all time, Caravaggio’s Nativity. The Nativity was stolen purportedly by the Mafia on a rainy night in 1969 from a church in Sicily. To this day the Nativity has never been found. Traveling the length and breadth of Italy, Sicily, and Malta they track Caravaggio’s last years when he was on the run for murdering a man in a duel. Dreams and visions lead Angela and Alex to trace the path of the tortured artist as he flees Rome and spends the rest of his life trying to avoid capture and gain a pardon from the pope. During those seven years, with a bounty on his head, he paints some of the most spellbinding paintings and altarpieces in art history. Secrets and danger abound as Angela and Alex try to find the painting that has eluded the authorities for over fifty years. Issue 37 | August 2019 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | the same time, and new and exciting characters that implored me to write about them. Who knew Rembrandt—a giant of the Baroque period—had so many secrets in his closet? I’m working on a new time-travel series set in present day and during World War II. The book features two heroines. Leah Manheim, who served in the French resistance and survived Auschwitz. While helping a British Marine commando escape from France, Leah falls in love with him but loses him. The implications from this leads to a mystery that goes beyond their lifetimes. Rose, Leah’s granddaughter, is the other heroine. She’s a librarian at the David Berg Rare Book Library at the Center for Jewish History in New York. After her grandmother passes away, she must embark on a mission that Leah tells her about in a journal. A mission to stop the son of a Nazi war criminal who is using his vast fortune to foment anti-Semitic hate around the world and plotting to ultimately deny the existence of the Holocaust. We live in a world of instant gratification and remembering the lessons of history isn’t necessarily high priority. It’s heavy and dark, but unfortunately Holocaust denialism is spreading around the world and the impact can be dangerous for society. But the book is also a spellbinding love story. Uncaged: What are some of the benefits of signing up for your newsletter? My newsletter is full of giveaways, fun events, contests, my reviews about books—I’m an avid reader and love to share my book picks—and spotlights on history. It’s concise, beautiful, and informative. Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why? Too many to choose from. And I would want to have lunch with artists as well. Since I’m a gourmet cook maybe I should throw a dinner party? I can make frutti de mare (my personal favorite) for 36 | UncagedBooks.com

Leonardo da Vinci, tapas for Papa Hemingway (a remembrance of his time in Spain. And let’s not forget an aged bottle of Macallan scotch, since we know he liked his booze). Since I’m cooking anyway, I might as well make moules in garlic and white wine for Victor Hugo, and a cazuela de mariscos, a Columbian seafood stew, for Gabriel Garcia Marquez. To finish this dazzling dinner soiree, I think I’ll throw some political heat into the room with Ayn Rand, then we can start the meal with blini and caviar and of course champagne. Between all of us we should be able to solve the problems of the world. Would you like to come? There’s room at the table. Uncaged: Which character has been the easiest for you to write? Which has been the hardest? Alex is easy to write about. He’s my dream guy. Strong, passionate, loving, smart, and loyal, and a bit goofy. I’m totally in love with him. As far as difficult goes, I’m having a little trouble with my drug cartel overlord. He’s a damaged man, not just psychologically but physically scarred. He’s bad, yet I’ve made him a tad sympathetic, so the reader understands where his evil comes from. It’s hard to make someone like him palatable to readers. Pure evil exists, but usually people are more complicated than that. It’s a fine line between love and hate, good and evil, and sometimes the two intertwine. In the case of El Cucuy, he is a dangerous, unpredictable, bad guy, but… Uncaged: What has been the most surprising thing a character has done that you didn’t expect when you started? I never expected to find the heart and soul of Caravaggio. He holds one of the worst reputations of any artist in history. Madman, murderer, belligerent, and callous brute. But my research led me to delve deep into the heart of the man and discover a series of misfortunes, misunderstandings, bad luck, and biographies that much maligned him. Much of what was written was founded on jealousy of his immense talent. There is no artist of his time that equals him, and fate was very unkind to him as was history. He was nearly forgotten after his death, but his art was so profound, so brilliant, that it re-

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In truth I prefer the tactile feel of books. My garage and storage facility can attest to that.

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | surfaced and inspired many of the artists that came after him. Martin Scorsese credits Caravaggio with being the inspiration for his cinematic style, and I would add he’s the inspiration for studio photography as we know it today. He was the first artist to light his subjects so as to create shadows and light, enhancing the drama of the portrait. It really is quite remarkable considering candlelight would have been the only means available at the time. Light and shadow, chiaroscuro, was Caravaggio’s passion, and he was the ultimate master of that painterly style.

I invite you, wonderful readers, to discover and learn about the lives of some of the most iconic artists of all time. The Out of Time series is an exciting thriller series filled with memorable characters and history, and, of course, love.

Enjoy an excerpt from The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio Belle Ami Romantic Suspense

Uncaged: What do you do to prevent a writer’s block? Do you have a writing quirk? My mantra is, I don’t get writer’s block. I refuse. Occasionally, the words aren’t as sharp though. My routine is to reread and edit the last few chapters before I begin writing. I might even start from the beginning and reread the whole book (I find lots of things to fix, which makes the final edits easier), and then bingo! — the ideas and words come. I just push through those periods by continuing to write. Even if it’s not my best it doesn’t matter so long as I write. It’s a routine where I go back and polish until I’m satisfied with the result. I guess you could call that a quirk. Uncaged: Do you prefer eBooks, audiobooks or physical books? In truth I prefer the tactile feel of books. My garage and storage facility can attest to that. I have hundreds upon hundreds of hard cover books that I can’t bring myself to part with. Since there is no more room for actual books, I now do most of my reading on Kindle. I do love being able to look things up instantly while reading. Ebooks have changed the world. Although, I also enjoy audiobooks, but I think the way my brain works I’m happier as a reader. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? 38 | UncagedBooks.com

Art historian Angela Renatus knows she’s different. She can see into the past—into the lives of the greatest artists of all time—but are her visions a gift or a curse? Angela and her fiancé, Alex Caine—a former Navy Seal turned private detective—recover precious works of art for private collectors, museums, and galleries. Enlisted by the Uffizi Gallery in Florence Angela and Alex investigate what is considered one of the greatest art heists in history—the theft of Caravaggio’s “Nativity”. But the deeper they delve into Caravaggio’s life, the more Angela realizes that her visions about the tortured artist go far beyond the missing masterpiece. A web of secrets and lies entangles Angela and Alex on a twisted and treacherous journey into Caravaggio’s very own heart of darkness…and the truth could propel the couple to a point of no return. Excerpt Rome, Italy

| BELLE AMI | 28 May, 1606 Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio sat up and glanced out the window. “Merda!” He overslept. He was late. He didn’t need a timepiece to know what hour of the day it was. The light streaming in through the open window had turned the walls a shade of ochre—evening was approaching. He leapt out of bed pulling the sheet with him. “Painter, are you stealing my covers?” “No, why?” Caravaggio smiled over his shoulder at the beautiful woman in bed. Fillide Melandroni lay on her side, her long red curls tousled around her. Naked and still rosy from their lovemaking, she was the most beautiful woman in Rome. He bounded back to bed and nibbled her shoulder. She was delicious. His lips wandered down the length of her body to her full culo, the most perfect rump he’d ever seen. Unable to resist, he growled, pinching her ass before he delivered a sensuous love bite. “It is a sin to cover such a gift. Maybe I should paint you just like this, goddess, with your glorious culo preserved for all eternity. Botticelli had Simonetta Vespucci for his Venus, and you, Fillide, are mine.” She swatted him away. “Stop it! Sei Pazzo! You’ve painted me enough. I have something else in mind. Painting isn’t your only talent, il mio maestro.” He flipped her over to face him and claimed her lips. Her fingers feathered through his hair and she kissed him back. Then he felt her hand drop to his groin. He groaned, watching her luminous hazel eyes flame with desire. “Do you want more, amore mio?” She fluttered her lashes at him. “Show me what kind of stallone you are.” His shaft hardened at the thought of her riding him like a stallion and for a moment he considered another go ‘round. But his friends were waiting and there were serious matters to attend to, matters that took

precedence over the pleasures of the bedroom. “Later, Fillide.” Her lush lips rounded into a pout. “You promised me you would ignore Ranuccio.” “I said I would, but it is unlikely I can,” he said, rolling out of bed. “Ranuccio has profited off you enough, Fillide, and he’s threatened to stop you from modeling for me. He’s insulted my honor and this I cannot bear.” “Your honor? Fanculo, your honor. Men,” she hissed. “Do you think honor matters when you are dead? Forget him, painter. Per favore, my second sight tells me nothing good will come of this.” “Don’t start with your intuitions of the future. How can a prostitute understand a man’s honor is everything?” “Testa di cazzo!” Jumping out of bed, she grabbed a pewter tankard and hurled it at his head. He ducked just in time and it thumped against the wall. Regretting his words, he spread his hands wide, pleading, “Perdonami Madonna. I would not hurt you for the world.” She ran at him with fists raised, but he caught her wrists and held her in check. She writhed like a demon possessed, smoldering with rage. Not knowing what else to do, he pulled her against his chest and smothered her protests with a ferocious kiss. The goddess melted in his arms, appeased. For a moment his only thought was taking her back to bed and loving her. Reminding himself that his friends were waiting he broke the kiss. “I have to go Fillide. Onorio and Paulo are waiting.” “Please, do not go. I have a bad feeling.” She buried her face in his neck and wrapped her arms around him as if she could stop him from leaving. Issue 37 | August 2019 |

He gently broke free of her and pushed her away. “There is nothing more to say about it.” “Humph.” She grabbed the sheet off the floor and wrapped it around herself. “Caravaggio, don’t think when he stabs you that you can come running to me to tend your wounds.” She stomped back to bed. “You can bleed in the street for all I care.” He picked his clothes up off the floor and began to dress. As he hopped on one foot pulling his tights on, a cold wind whisked by him, sending a shiver skittering down his spine. Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do… Perhaps Fillide was right. Maybe he should put aside his vengeance… And then he remembered the stronzo’s threats to Lena and Fillide. He shook his head and continued to dress. As he fastened his doublet, he heard a tearing sound. The once fine, black-velvet fabric was frayed and worn. It was a habit of his to wear out his clothes until they became so threadbare, they fell apart. He growled, annoyed at the prospect of having to buy new clothes. He hated taking time away from his work. But perhaps it is a sign a new beginning is in order. He strapped his scabbard and sword around his waist and turned to bid farewell to Fillide, but she’d turned her back to him. He sighed, shaking his head. No matter how many women he painted and bedded, he would never completely understand the mysteries of the female sex.

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organ James is the author of contemporary and romantic suspense novels. As a young girl, she devoured books such as Goosebumps and Shivers, as well as R.L. Stein’s Fear Street Series. When she picked up her first romance in high school, she fell in love. Her books blend nail-biting suspense with strong women and hunky alphamales for a perfect happily ever after. She met her own husband when he crashed a friend’s wedding (Just kidding. Kind of...) and they’ve been together ever since. They currently live in Ohio with their two kids. Fun fact: Morgan loves a good fixer upper! She and her husband renovate homes in their spare time, and you’ll see details pop up in her books from time to time!

MOR G A N J A ME S S t ay C onnec t ed

AuthorMorganJames.com Welcome Morgan James Uncaged: You write romantic suspense, can you tell us about your latest novel, Death Us Do Part? When the body of a second young woman is found in the local marina, Detective Nick DeSalvo recognizes what appears to be the work of a budding serial killer. Called away from the scene to investigate a theft at a local business, he meets the gorgeous owner, Savannah Edwards, who takes an instant dislike to the detective. A chance encounter brings Savannah into the killer’s path, and Nick is determined to keep her safe—even as she continues to push him away at every turn. The chemistry between them is too strong to ignore, though, and Savannah finds herself falling for the brash, brawny alpha male. When the killer gets too close for comfort, all of Nick’s skills as a detective will be tested in order to keep her safe. Uncaged: If your book was being adapted to the big screen, who would you picture in the roles of your characters? That’s a hard one! Nick is cocky and brash, completely sure of himself. With his dark, brooding looks, I can picture Brian Hallisay (American Sniper) or Jensen Ackles (Super-

natural). As for Savannah, she’s the wholesome, girlnext-door type. I could see Kristen Bell (Frozen) or Brooklyn Decker (Just Go With It) in her role. Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about? Right now, I’m preparing to release The Devil You Know, a story about a young woman trying to move on with her life after watching her best friend die at the hand of their captor. In an attempt to leave her tumultuous past behind, Victoria Carr changes her identity and moves away. Ten years have passed, but now the killer is back. Faced with the betrayal of the two people closest to her, Victoria must decide who to trust, and who’s really telling the truth. Uncaged: If there is one thing you’d like readers to take away from your books, what would it be? I’m a hopeless romantic (naturally) so I just want to say love is out there! Keep your heart and mind open and you’ll find the partner of your dreams. Many of my main characters are strong, independent women that clash with gorgeous alpha males. Ultimately, they find that they’re better together when they’re working as a team, and I find this to be true in real life. With a good man (or woman) beside you, you have the power to do anything! Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why? Linda Howard. She’s the reason I fell in love with romantic suspense. I picked up my first Howard novel probably fifteen years ago on a whim, and I’m so glad

I did. I love the way she crafts her stories and I’ve re-read many of them several times. I pull so much inspiration from her books, and I hope to follow in her footsteps. Also, Meghan March. She is an incredible writer of contemporary romance and I anxiously await each new book/series. She’s truly an amazing storyteller and entertainer! She’s one of those writers that I hope to model myself after by creating characters that jump off the page and resonate with readers. I will forever have a crush on Con Leahy from Beneath This Ink! Uncaged: Which character has been the easiest for you to write? Which has been the hardest? The easiest character for me to write was probably Eve (from my first novel Escape). I initially was working on a completely different story when Eve and Michael’s story came to mind. I jotted down a couple scenes and all of a sudden, the words just flowed right out and I had a complete book! Looking back, there’s a lot of “me” in Eve. We like a lot of the same things, and our personalities are very similar. I didn’t even realize it until a friend read Issue 37 | August 2019 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | Escape and pointed it out. I guess it’s like they say—you write what you know! Nick DeSalvo (Death Do Us Part) was one of my harder characters to write, mostly because he never wanted to behave. He’s confident almost to the point of cockiness, and it was kind of hard for me to find that line between love and hate for him and Savannah. Uncaged: What has been the most surprising thing a character has done that you didn’t expect when you started? I don’t want to give anything away, but Tiffany (Escape) was never supposed to amount to anything. Initially, she was supposed to be the stereotypical blonde bimbo, but she definitely makes a comeback toward the end! Uncaged: What do you do to prevent a writer’s block? Do you have a writing quirk? Personally, I’m a big fan of freewriting. I jot down whatever comes to mind, good or bad, plotting different outcomes to see what feels right. And sometimes, what I end up with is completely different than what I started with! I take breaks occasionally, too, to regroup and refocus. If I can’t give it 100%, I take a step back and work on something new for a bit so I can come back with a fresh perspective and get my creative juices flowing again. Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, 44 | UncagedBooks.com

audiobooks or physical books? I love physical books, but ebooks make life so much easier—I can switch from my iPad to my phone and back without having to worry about losing my place— or worse, forgetting my book somewhere and having to wait to finish! Despite writing as much as possible, I’m still an avid reader, and I literally read every second I can spare between work and kids. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? First and foremost—thank you so, so much! None of this would be possible without an amazing support group, and readers are at the very top of my list! You guys are the reason I do what I do, and I’ll endeavor to never take that for granted. Catch up with me and my craziness on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. I always love to hear from you!

Enjoy an excerpt from Death Do Us Part Death Do Us Part Morgan James Romantic Suspense When the body of a second young woman is found in the local marina, Detective Nick DeSalvo recognizes what appears to be the work of a budding serial killer. Called away from the scene to investigate a theft at a local business, he meets the gorgeous owner, who takes an instant dislike to the brash, brawny detective. Savannah Edwards has it all: she’s smart, beautiful, and the owner of a successful gymnastics facility. She unwittingly crosses paths with the killer, and he sets his sights on the young blonde. Unable to get Savannah off his mind, Nick attempts to intervene when she begins to receive anonymous gifts and phone calls. Still distrustful of Nick and the feelings he instills in her, she pushes him away. After a third woman is kidnapped from her very own complex, however, he refuses to stand by any longer. Nick and Savannah must set aside their differences— and address the intense chemistry between them— before she becomes the next pawn in the killer’s evil machinations. Excerpt Nick hopped in the car and headed toward a quiet part of town. He parked in front of the small deli and climbed out, quickly surveying his surroundings. A white Jetta across the street caught his eye. He couldn’t quite read the plate from here, but he couldn’t kick the feeling brewing in his gut. Tons of young women drove white Jettas just like that.

| MORGAN JAMES | He jangled his keys for a moment. What the hell. Wouldn’t hurt to check, right? He’d just made the decision to head that direction when the door to the coffee shop swung open. The sight of Savannah stepping onto the sidewalk, her bright yellow tank top glowing like a beacon, stopped him in his tracks. Her beauty arrested him, and she looked like a ray of sunshine in his otherwise dreary day. He’d barely taken a step forward when movement from behind her caught his eye. He watched the events unfold in slow motion as a kid in a hooded sweatshirt came up behind Savannah, too close for comfort. The teen snagged her purse then took off running down the sidewalk. Nick already had the phone to his ear, giving dispatch their location when Savannah threw him for a loop. She took off at a dead run after the kid, coffee still in hand. “Are you kiddin’ me?” Of course she would chase down the young thief. Quickly scanning for oncoming traffic, Nick cut a diagonal path across the street, trailing Savannah as she chased the kid down the block. Suddenly, the coffee flew out of her hand and hit the thief with amazing accuracy in the middle of his back. The kid stumbled and hit the ground, probably in shock. Nick let out a startled laugh at the unexpected tactic and slowed to a walk. Until she jumped on the kid. Jesus. Nick rolled his eyes. He jogged ahead and had almost reached them when a cruiser pulled up to the corner and two patrolmen jumped out. Nick caught Bauer’s attention and waved him off. He could hear Savannah’s insults before he reached the pair, her tiny body perched atop the kid, arms swinging like Mike Tyson. He would have smiled at the sight if he wasn’t so furious with her. Clearly, the other guys thought it was hilarious because neither could contain their grin. With a shake of his head, he wrapped one arm around Savannah’s waist and lifted her off the young man, who cowered in fear. Or maybe it was shame for being jumped by a hundred-and-tenpound woman. Nick couldn’t decide which was worse. Issue 37 | August 2019 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | “Let go of me!” She flailed her arms and legs around, trying to get him to loosen his grip. No way that would happen. “Come on, Scrappy.” He directed his next words to the patrolmen who stood just feet away, watching the situation unfold with identical expressions of incredulity and amusement. “She’s mine, guys. I’ve got her.” She had momentarily stopped squirming at the sound of his voice but now resumed full force. Her bright pink Nikes were a blur as they cut through the air, and he wrapped a second arm around her to block an errant arm that kept swinging dangerously close to his face. Nick strode into a narrow alley between two buildings. He dropped Savannah to her feet and grabbed her wrists before she could make good on her attempt to clock him. “What are you doing?” he ground out, glaring down at her. She had the gall to look affronted and tried unsuccessfully to pull her hands from his grasp. “He stole my purse!” “So, you thought it was a good idea to chase him down and start whaling on him?” Savannah narrowed her eyes at him and realizing that she couldn’t free herself, shoved against him instead. “Well, someone had to do something.” “I was doing something about it. I was crossing the street to come see you when he grabbed your bag and took off. It was all under control.” He loosened his grip and she pulled away from him, her back pressed up against the brick building behind her. “Well, how was I supposed to know that?” she cried out in exasperation, throwing her hands in the air. “Next time, leave this to the cops. Nothing in that purse is worth your life.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Seriously, they could have arrested you for assaulting him, regardless of the fact that he stole your purse. Maybe I should have let them,” he muttered to himself. Clearly, he hadn’t been quiet enough, because her green gaze bored into him like a laser beam. “You’re like a bad habit that I just can’t get rid of. 46 | UncagedBooks.com

I never asked for your help, you … caveman!” The insult took him by surprise and he almost laughed. Instead, he advanced toward her, eyes locked on hers. Her confidence faded as she warily watched him approach. “A caveman, huh? Is that how you see me?” “I… Oh!” Savannah let out a small gasp of surprise as his mouth descended on hers, hard and demanding. His hands slid down her back and over her bottom, exploring the sensual curves of her body before pulling her flush against him. He cupped her bottom, lifting her to his chest, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. Leaning into her, he pressed her against the brick wall and wrapped a hand over the back of her head to protect her from the rough surface. He held her in place, angling his head for better access, his tongue penetrating the seam of her lips. Her mouth parted and he delved inside, tongue tangling with hers. Her arms slid around his shoulders and she sifted her fingers through his hair in silent encouragement. Lost in the feel of Savannah’s lithe body wound around his, he’d completely forgotten they were in public, just a few feet from his fellow officers. He reluctantly gentled the kiss, sipping at her lips, and he gradually loosened his hold to let her slide down his body until she was on her feet again. Savannah blinked up at him owlishly from beneath thick, dark lashes, and her tongue darted out to sweep over her kiss-swollen lips. His gaze dropped to her mouth, a primal satisfaction filling him at her response. She wanted him just as much as he needed her. He grinned down at her, breaking the spell. “How’s that for a caveman?” Moss-colored eyes that just seconds ago had been glazed over with desire immediately filled with anger. “You’re such a jerk.” She placed her hands on his chest to push him away, and he reluctantly loosened his hold. “I want you, Savannah. Next time, I’m not stopping with just a kiss.” “There won’t be a next time.” She slid out of his grasp and stomped toward the sidewalk. He chuckled. “That’s what you think.” She turned on her heel, hands on her hips, verdant

| MORGAN JAMES | eyes on fire. “Do you have any idea how arrogant you sound?” “Just stating facts, princess. “You think pretty highly of yourself, don’t you?” “Admit it, you loved that kiss,” he challenged. One insouciant eyebrow lifted in his direction. “Whatever you think.” “I think you loved it.” She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off. “In fact, I know you did. You just didn’t want to like it.” She shook her head and he stepped close, tucking a finger below her chin and lifting her gaze to his. “You can lie to me, baby, but don’t lie to yourself. You know you want me.” She stood stubbornly silent for several seconds and his gaze raked over her body, swiftly drinking her in from head to toe. Fire simmered low in his belly. “You’re just prolonging the inevitable, you know.” His hands skimmed down her back, settling low on her hips as he eased her into his embrace. His arousal strained against the material of his pants, and he guided her to him, pressing her body close. “See what you do to me?” She shuddered in his arms but didn’t pull away, and victory surged through him. He dropped his temple close to hers, lips grazing her ear as he spoke. “Say it, Savannah. Tell me you want me.” Her forehead dropped to his chest and her fingers curled into the material of his shirt. “I … I can’t.” He repressed a sigh. The woman had been sending mixed signals since the moment he’d laid eyes on her. She seemed determined to fight the attraction between them, and it was about time she owned up to it. Maybe she just needed a little shove to make her see what she was missing out on. Cradling her head in his hands, he tipped her face up to his. He feathered tiny kisses over her jaw before pulling back to look at her, eyes glued to her lips. Her chin tipped up, eyes fluttering closed, and he barely bit back a grin. “God knows I want you, princess, but right now, we both need to get back to work.” He patted her butt and stepped past her. “Wh-what?” she sputtered from behind him. He smiled but kept walking toward the patrolmen, who now had the kid in cuffs. He looked eighteen at most,

and an expression of fear crossed his face when he peered over Nick’s shoulder. At the sight of Savannah, he practically jumped into the back of the cruiser. “Nice job, guys. That was a heck of a response time.” He smiled at the officers. Savannah grabbed Nick’s hand and yanked him to a stop. “Are you kidding me right now?” “Nope.” He turned toward her and made a show of looking at his watch. “Better get a move on.” He gazed down into her stunned face and fought the urge to kiss her again. The tiniest thread of guilt slithered through him as he took in her flushed cheeks, her expression a mixture of anger and embarrassment. He wanted nothing more than to pull her back to him, soothe her ruffled feathers, but they didn’t have time for that. He’d have to make it up to her later. Savannah pulled herself up straight and squared her shoulders, eyes shooting fire. “You … you…” “Caveman?” he supplied, a wolfish grin splitting his face. Her mouth dropped open for a moment before slamming shut. “I can’t stand you. Stay away from me!” She whirled away from him and stomped toward her car. “Hey, princess, you forget something?” She turned and propped her hands on her hips. “What now?” He took the purse that Bauer held out to him and offered it to Savannah. She glared at him and strode forward, grabbing the strap. He held on a second longer, keeping her tethered to him. “I’ll see you later, sweetheart.” “Like hell.” She wrenched the purse from his grasp then spun on a heel and stormed off. He watched her as her long stride ate up the sidewalk, eager to put distance between them. Bauer cleared his throat, breaking him from his reverie. “So. That’s yours, huh?” Nick grinned at her retreating form. “Yep.” Bauer laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Lucky you.”

Issue 37 | August 2019 |

BELLE AMI & Giorgio Armani the Chihuahua

Belle Ami is my pseudonym as an author, and Giorgio Armani may be named after a fashion icon, but Italian he is not. I’m sure you’re all losing it for the leading man in my life, but photos can be deceiving as we all know. This is a photo of Giorgio when he was a younger man, a stud in fact. He’s quite a bit older now, but then again, so am I. He’s lost a few teeth and his smile is now crooked. Where he once was a lightning bolt running circles around me, he now moves at a decidedly slower pace. But I could not adore and love him more than I do now. He’s my friend (sometimes a pain in the ass), writing partner, and constant companion and I wouldn’t trade him in for a newer model ever. Some relationships are meant to be, wouldn’t you say? Thank you, Giorgio, for the joy you’ve brought me. Thank you, Cyrene, for letting me share him with you and Uncaged Books!

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RHONDA FRANKHOUSER & Dutch, Ruby & Geddy

Frankhouser Furbabies A day without dog in your lap and a fur covered shirt, is a day without sunshine. Growing up on a farm instilled many things. Grow your own vegetables because they taste so much better and four-legged friends help keep the therapist away. I’m blessed now with an enormous, thunder-fearing rescue lab named Dutch and two adorable pug sisters, Ruby and Geddy. They’ve become essential members of my writing team. When I’m feeling down, they remind me I am loved unconditionally and revered above all others. There is no better gift than that.

A U T H O RS A N D T H E I R P E TS Pets and companions come in many shapes and sizes. From furry to feathered to hairy and scaley - there is a place for all of them. Authors have a special relationship with their pets - whether they remind them to get up and take a break or they inspire their writing. Meet the critters that share their love and devotion to Uncaged Feature Authors.

ANGELA ARCHER & Figore My parents bought Figore when I was fifteen years old. He was only four years old, and while I wasn’t a beginner rider, I wasn’t really ready for a green horse either. Don’t get me wrong, he was trained, but he wasn’t fully trained. We learned a lot together and my mom used to say we fought like a married couple. He was far from the super trained horses that all my friends had and were winning ribbons on. He was work and he made me earn every ribbon and every trophy whether it was first place or sixth place. He ran away with me, dumped me, and challenged me to the point where I would leave horse shows in tears. When he was bad, he was bad, but yet, when

he was good . . . he was stunning. He wowed the judges and we were unstoppable. In the end, looking back on it now, I think that was the best thing for me. You see, at just fifteen, I learned a valuable lesson—never give up. While those around me had it easier, while those around me didn’t struggle, I had to work for it all. It would have been easy to get caught up in feeling jealous or to question why I couldn’t have it like all the other riders. I didn’t though. All I thought about was working my butt off to get it done, to get it right. He gave me tenacity and he gave me grit. He made me persistent. He made me tough. He made me the type that never gives up. He passed away in 1999 and I still miss him every day. Issue 37 | August 2019 |

KAT CAULBERG & Carrot This is Carrot, aka Carroty Custard, aka Krotz. She insists on being with me any time I’m up in my writing room. Mostly she sits by my feet, but of course, she likes to hog the writing desk, too.

the neighborhood. During my writing time, Buddy snoozes at my feet, so he is the perfect pet for this writer.

RAYANNE HAINES & Bella Luna

CAMILLE FAYE & Buddy Buddy (the wonder dog) joined our family in October 2016 when he was approximately five years old. We don’t know his exact age or breed because he was a rescue, but we do know that he is part miniature poodle. He enjoys naps, playing ball, belly rubs, sitting on laps, carrots and popcorn, and long walks in 52 | UncagedBooks.com

The one line about my dog - Bella Luna is a 9 1/2 year old English Bulldog with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She loves to snuggle, take long walks on the beach and prefers cool days in front of a fire place over the heat. She is my long-time writing companion and reminds me when it’s time to get up, stretch and take writing breaks.

s t ac y hoff

tacy Hoff is a contemporary romance author, as well as an attorney. She has practiced law for over two decades, primarily handling contracts. Romance novels have always been her secret passion. She writes her romantic stories until the wee hours of the night. Stacy lives in New England with her husband and two sons.

Stay Co n n e c te d

stacyhoff.com Uncaged welcomes Stacy Hoff

Uncaged: Your latest book is called Mad for You in Ma more about the series and what inspired it?

Each book in the Building Love series is connected via ful (and meddling) families, and the journey towards lov

The series was definitely inspired by my travels (I suffe Love in Vegas (Building Love #1) after a trip toâ&#x20AC;Ś well, ing Love #2) was inspired by a trip to Puerto Rico. Both nightlife. A trip to Spain inspired Mad for You in Madri drid. The Royal Palace in particular made my jaw drop

adrid, which is part of a series. Can you tell readers

the characters, the hotel construction industry, powerve.

er from a severe case of wanderlust). I wrote Betting on , you guessed it! Hotter Than The Caribbean (Buildh places have hot climates, hot people, and a very hot id (Building Love #3). Everything “wowed” me Ma(I’m pretty sure my lower lip scraped against the impe-

rial carpets). Fun fact: I’ve published seven novels and have not been to every location I’ve written about. For instance, I don’t have the guts to visit America’s most remote (and dangerous) national park, Gates of the Arctic. Instead, I did a lot of research to write Desire in the Arctic (Desire #2). Regardless of where I go in real life, I ultimately sit down in my home-office to write. Novels, both writing and reading, are armchair adventures. My goal is to have fans travel along with me. Uncaged: If your book was being adapted to the big screen, who would you picture in the roles of your characters? For the role of Daniel Vega (the hero), I’m picking another Daniel, which is Daniel Craig. Daniel Craig’s calm, quiet, confidence would be a perfect fit. (Besides that, any movie with Daniel Craig is unbeatable, in my humble opinion.) For Lori, I think Emma Stone would be a great fit. Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about? I have a contemporary romantic comedy I’m working on. I’d love to tout it, but it’s a bit too early in the process. Uncaged: If there is one thing you’d like readers to take away from your books, what would it be? That it’s important to be true to yourself. I personally struggle with this. After all, it isn’t easy being an incognito romance writer by night. Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why? The Bronte sisters would definitely be my dining buddies. I read their books as a teenager and just knew I had to become a writer. Issue 37 | August 2019 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | Uncaged: Which character has been the easiest for you to write? Which has been the hardest?

Uncaged: What do you do to prevent a writer’s block? Do you have a writing quirk?

For this book, all the characters came together pretty easily. For me, romantic comedies seem to write themselves. Out of all of the characters, however, the easiest one to write was my heroine, Lori. She is a lot like myself when I was in my twenties, struggling to find her own voice and independence.

Shoving myself in front of the computer, whether I want to write or not, is the surest way for me to build up my word-count. I’m not sure I have a particular “quirk,” although some people may think that writing “pantserstyle” is quirky enough.

Uncaged: What has been the most surprising thing a character has done that you didn’t expect when you started? I am a “pantser,” not a plotter, so everything my characters do surprises me! That said, the situation that put Lori and Daniel into a fake engagement had me laughing while I typed up my draft.

Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Physical books. I’m old-fashioned that way. I do read ebooks, given the ease of delivery and the fact I don’t have to carry. I haven’t tried audiobooks yet. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? The first thing I would say to my fans is, “thank you!” The second thing is that I’d love for them to follow me on social media, especially Twitter. I tweet about new releases from lots of great authors, and give publishing news to help readers who want to try writing their own romance novel.

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Enjoy an excerpt from Mad for You in Madrid Mad for You in Madrid Stacy Hoff Contemporary Romance Lori Cayne is in a tricky situation. Her public relations job has sent her to Spain for a project that is way over her head. Her task is to convince American tourists to stay at a Madrid hotel. Unfortunately, Lori knows little about public relations and even less about the hotel industry. Dealing with the client, however, will be the real challenge. Hotel magnate Daniel Vega is rich, ubersexy, and the one-night stand that wasn’t. That’s because Lori had inadvertently stood him up before things got a chance to really heat up. Now Daniel wants nothing to do with her, personally or professionally. Daniel Vega is none-too-pleased to learn that Lori will be handling his new hotel’s publicity campaign. Her flaky ways will be hell on his business, and on him. Yet shutting her out is hard to do when the woman is full of surprises and an even fuller heart. Her good nature makes her willing to do anything for anybody. When Daniel’s brother, Elias, asks Lori to be his fake-fiancée at an important event, Daniel is not surprised when Lori agrees. What he is surprised by is the pang of jealousy. Maybe Lori isn’t the only one with personal issues to work out. After all, if Daniel is truly the success he thinks he is, how can off-beat, business greenhorn Lori Cayne emotionally bring him to his knees? When news of the fake engagement creates a scandal, both Lori’s company and Daniel’s world-wide enterprise may be damaged beyond repair. The damage done to their hearts, however, may be a whole lot worse.

Excerpt Daniel’s head cocked to one side. “Is that your family’s business? A restaurant?” “Oh, no,” Lori answered. “My family runs a public relations firm. When I was in college, I always worked elsewhere during summer breaks. To, well, you know . . .” “Escape?” “Yeah.” He smiled sympathetically. “I understand. I worked in my family’s business for many years.” “It’s never easy, is it? How do you handle it?” “I don’t. My solution was to leave and start my own company. Worked like a charm.” “You made a good decision. Cheers.” She tapped her glass against his. “Here’s to survival. And to liquid courage.” “Salud.” “How exactly did you tell your family you were leaving? I’d love inspiration.” “Simple. I told them I was going off on my own. Not a bit of drama ensued.” She felt a sharp sting from biting her lip. “That’s awesome. I don’t think I’d have such an easy time.” He laughed. “I’m lying, of course. Extricating myself was quite the ordeal.” Lori burst out laughing. “Should I doubt everything you say? Is your name even Daniel?” “I would never kid about something as important as my name.” Issue 37 | August 2019 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | “I see.” She grinned back at him. “A man who knows his own identity and isn’t afraid to flaunt it.” Heat rushed up to her cheeks. Was she flirting? Definitely. How the hell was she pulling it off? What’s in this drink anyway? A secret concoction of hormones and mojo? Maybe this was typical of how introductions could be—when she wasn’t under her mother’s ever-hovering shadow. Lori fought off the memory of the last time she’d met an attractive man. Her mother had unexpectedly brought a potential new client around to her cubicle. Lori had been so nervous when she shook his hand, she knocked an entire cup of lukewarm coffee all over her white summer suit. The man’s beige blazer wasn’t neglected either. Horrified, she went to clean up the mess. Grabbing a napkin off the desk, she dabbed at his jacket. Unfortunately, she’s grabbed the napkin she had used for her doughnut. The man’s beige blazer shined from fresh grease. Twin stains of shame. “What the hell?” she had shouted, in full panic mode. Her mother had frowned. “Maybe if you didn’t constantly eat at your desk, these things wouldn’t happen.” “How is drinking coffee eating?” Lori protested. “Has coffee morphed into a solid somehow?” Her mother’s eyes traveled to the stale, damp, jelly doughnut swimming on her desk next to the overturned coffee cup. Powdered sugar particles lay victim everywhere. Lori had quickly shut her mouth. Her mother and the gorgeous man walked away. His expression, like the condition of his sports coat, grim. Mom’s agitation radiated throughout the firm for the rest of the day. When her mother revealed Lori’s mishap cost the firm the business, Lori’s expression darkened, too. The result, every time her mother brought in a potential new client, Lori did her best to duck out of the office. 58 | UncagedBooks.com

Of course, hiding was nothing new. On the first day of kindergarten, Mom ran up to Lori’s new classmates, introducing Lori as if Lori were mute. The surprised children stared at them both until embarrassment truly rendered Lori dumb. No wonder she dreaded introductions like death. Weirdly, the introduction to Daniel was so easy, and so enticing, Lori fell right into it. Answering his amicable greeting had been easier than opening her eyes to a beautiful bright morning. Luckily, there had been no time to dwell on his too-handsome, ultra-sexy exterior. Given her introverted nature, the successful meeting with Daniel was an anomaly. Could an anomaly turn into an opportunity? She glanced around the ballroom in search of her mother.

hort tory

Ida

Karen Janowsky

| SHORT STORY |

Ida by Karen Janowsky When Ida was small, she and her best friend Jane spent the summer dramatizing every imaginable way to fall in love and die. They stabbed themselves in the armpits with dull branches, which they’d snapped off the neighbor’s dogwood tree. “I’ll never love again!” they’d wail, and crumble in heartbroken heaps to the green, evenly-mowed bluegrass. They’d drink poisoned Kool-Aid from Ida’s mother’s plastic wine glasses. “Oh! Oh, my darling, why? Why?” Jane would cry out as she fell and retched into the azaleas. “Because I love another, you stupid fool!” Ida would sneer back. Ida lived in a small neighborhood full of Dutch Colonial and Cape Cod houses, all of which had neat, green hedges and small flower gardens in their green patches of lawn. The neighborhood was in a suburb of a reasonably prosperous city. Her parents were kind, and really, nothing bad ever happened to her. Jane lived in an equally nice house, three driveways from Ida. Every weekday at two forty-five, Jane rode her red banana-seat bike to Ida’s house. They brought a box of Fruit Loops into the den and flopped onto the rust-colored shag carpet. At three o’clock, they turned on “General Hospital” and watched Luke and Laura’s tempestuous relationship unfold. Then they re-enacted the day’s tribulations in the backyard. Ida and Jane played other games as well. Sometimes, they draped bedsheets over the swing set in Ida’s back yard, and took turns pretending that they were starving refugees. Jane would suck in her stomach and whimper, “But please, Miss, I’m soooo hungry.” She would lie belly-down on the slide and attempt an escape. Ida would shove her father’s black umbrella towards Jane’s oncoming face and say “You are my prisoner and you must starve. Now back into your cell, pitiful thing.” Ida usually liked being the guard rather than the prisoner. She could make her friend stay all afternoon until suppertime, under threat of impalement. Everything changed at Ida’s eighth birthday party, 60 | UncagedBooks.com

when she received the doll. The doll was, ironically, a gift from Jane. It was approximately life-sized, with the same light hair and pale eyes as Ida. Its body was stiff and plastic. She was dressed smartly in a plaid jumper, lace-trimmed anklets, and black Mary-Jane flats. Conversely, Ida usually wore t-shirts with pictures of Pepsi bottles on them, and bell-bottom jeans with rainbow-colored rickrack sewn to the hems. The doll’s straight, honey-blonde hair hung to her waist. Ida’s hair was often pulled into straw-colored pigtails, which pulled tightly at her scalp. Ida’s eyes were paler than the doll’s. When Ida laid the doll on her back, it was a prettier, better-dressed corpse-version of herself. Ida was enthralled and named her “Ida.” She took Ida everywhere for the rest of the summer. Jane’s mother took all three girls to the Dairy Queen for soft-serve vanilla with chocolate jimmies. Doll-Ida was a messier eater than Ida. Ida made Jane help comb the black candies out of the doll’s hair afterward. Jane got angry about that because, she said, “you shouldn’t have been smooshing your food into her stupid face anyway.” They went to the beach together, once. Since Doll-Ida didn’t have a proper swimsuit, she went au naturel. It was a bold decision, and one that neither of the girls were permitted to imitate. Doll-Ida’s skin glistened, and when the two human girls touched her arm, the plastic sank at the pressure. “Poor Ida,” Jane and Ida agreed, and pressed their fingers into the doll’s thighs, creating matching indentations. Doll-Ida even participated in the girls’ games of pretend. She acted the perfect, indifferent lover. She wasn’t better than the two friends at pretending to die, but she did play dead much more believably. Furthermore, Doll-Ida never tried to escape her prison cell. Once, while pretending to starve, Jane threatened to tear Doll-Ida apart and eat her fingers. Ida was mortified and began to cry even though she knew Jane wasn’t serious. After all, they’d just had sandwiches prior to going outside. Nevertheless, she would never let Jane kill Doll-Ida. Ida and Ida were a clique. Eventually, Jane gave up on their games and left the twins, live and corpse-like, to one another. For a few weeks, Ida and Ida sat sullenly on the front stoop of Ida’s house, waiting for Jane to change her

| KAREN JANOWSKY | mind. Occasionally, a flash of red bike would whoosh past. Jane did not seem to notice Ida’s house anymore. After a month or two, Ida was fine with the arrangement. Although Jane was better, more creative company, Ida was an otherwise perfect companion. When Ida to returned home from school, they would watch soap operas. Then, they’d go outside and reenact the scenes. Sometimes Ida responded to Ida’s histrionics with an intolerable degree of callousness. When Ida stared unresponsively at Ida’s drama, Ida would form her fingers into a pistol and say, “You’ve deceived me for the last time.” Then, bang! Ida would fall to the ground, her glassy blue eyes closed off from the glassy blue sky. Afterwards, Ida would feel remorseful and rush to the doll’s side. “Oh, my love, what have I done?” she’d sob, and kiss the smooth, cool forehead, nose, and mouth. “Come back to me, my dearest one!” She’d coo into a molded ear. She always did. Ida would sit her up, and the eyes would pop open, uncomprehending and reflective, ready to move on. Other times, Ida was snooty and condescending in her silence for no particular reason, regardless of their activities. Ida would put on a t-shirt that Ida didn’t like, or perhaps her breath smelled like sauerkraut from a family cookout, of which Doll-Ida had not been permitted to attend. Then Ida would hold Ida by the shoulders at arm’s-length and implore, “I’ll do better next time, my precious one, my only friend. Please forgive me.” Then she would embrace her tightly and know all was indeed forgiven. Above all, Ida knew that Ida loved her. Ida was not a positive presence in Ida’s life for very long. There was a terrible accident one November afternoon, wherein the doll was tied up in yarn, a captive, waiting for Ida to rescue her from oncoming traffic. There was the throaty whoosh of a sports car and a terrible, light crunching noise. By the time Ida got to her, black tread marks streaked across the blue plaid. The red fabric of the doll’s shirt reminded Ida of blood, as if the tires had shredded her friend’s heart. Sharp plastic pierced the jumper like bone shards. “Poor baby,” Ida, sighed. The corners of her mouth turned up. Ida knew that Ida wouldn’t really leave her forever.

Death is not a permanent state. After a sad goodbye (and much childish soul-searching, for having put her love into such a dangerous situation), Ida was laid to rest in the trash. That night, Invisible Ida came into being. Ida and her imaginary friend were inseparable from that moment. It was love at second sight. At recess, they raced each other across the blacktop, or took turns pushing each other on the swings. Sometimes Jane or the other kids would call Ida “freak,” or “spaz,” and then no one would play with either Ida. This made them both feel left out. They were never invited to play four-square. On the school bus, it was hard to find an empty seat for two. Ida would hoist herself onto the bottom step from the curb, then turn and extend her hand to Ida. Visible Ida scanned the narrow aisle between the green, duct-taped seats. “Nut-case: now entering!” someone would yell, and everyone with a seat to themselves thrust their legs out or slapped their book bags onto what spaces were available. Oftentimes, Ida sat at the very edge of a seat that someone had begrudged to her, right on the seam. She had to brace herself by pressing her feet into the slippery floor, with Ida bumping along on her lap. For a little while, Ida had another friend. A new girl, who had freckles, rust-colored hair, and thick, red glasses, invited Ida to sit with her on the bus and play with her at recess. Her name was Alice. Alice lived in a different neighborhood, so she could always save Ida a seat on the way to school. They both enjoyed discussing “One Life to Live,” and shared the seesaw on the school playground. Invisible Ida was skeptical of her, though. Alice never quite acknowledged Invisible Ida as a person. Soon enough, Ida voiced her frustration to Ida. Not understanding why the two wouldn’t get along, Ida disengaged from all conversation on the bus. She hoped her two friends would speak if she remained silent. The plan backfired. Alice turned away from them and stared out the window every day instead. “You can’t just ignore people,” Ida told Alice, “It isn’t right.” Inevitably, Alice found other people to sit with on the bus and played kickball with the other children after lunch. Time passed. Ida still had Ida. They ran hand in hand into piles of autumn leaves. They plopped backwards Issue 36 | July 2019 |

| SHORT STORY | into the snow and made twin snow angels (Invisible Ida’s were always barely noticeable). They even slept in the same bed. Well after bedtime, they would face each other, cross-legged, and stare each other down to see who would fall over unconscious first. They hid under the covers and told each other stories of villainous heroes and ill-fated lovers. They each knew one another’s darkest secrets. Invisible Ida had a crush on a boy in Ida’s class. Ida never felt threatened by this, because she knew that their bond was lasting and real. They never needed anyone but each other. Before she fell asleep, Ida would whisper, “I’m so glad you found me. I love you.” She’d feel the warmth of her own breath on the pillow and took it as reciprocation of affection. All lovers are doomed. A year or so later, on an early spring morning, Ida awoke to find that Ida had run off in the night. Ida was inconsolable. She sulked every day and keened every night for three solid weeks. Sleep was out of the question. Her mother patted Ida’s back and stroked her hair at bedtime, assuring Ida that her friend was probably back home, living with her own, invisible family. Her father took her out in the wood-paneled station wagon one evening, slowly circling the neighborhood in search of his daughter’s lost friend. The car idled between every house, and slowly rolled down unpaved side-streets. Ida strained to see past the dashboard, scanning for signs. It got dark outside. She squinted into the headlights, onto the empty road. She and her father returned empty-handed. Ida was distraught. “It’s a phase,” Ida heard her parents explain to each other. The best thing was to let her get through it with tough love. It was well past the time for Ida to grow up. They agreed to stop acknowledging Invisible Ida’s existence. Ida was never quite the same after this last, catastrophic loss. She started dressing in jumpers, only wore Mary-Jane style shoes, and combed her hair so that it hung in straight, severe lines down her back. Over the years, as she grew up, she built a narrow room in her brain where she stood alone. Its walls were dull, metallic silver. She couldn’t see her reflection, but she knew she was there. She could stand in the empty space and yell, “Ida!” from the tops of her lungs, and her echo would reward her by filling her whole body with an affirmative, “Ida!” From that 62 | UncagedBooks.com

place, she was content to watch everyone cross her path, and then depart from her life. “Bye-bye, doll,” she’d think, when people introduced themselves. Contrary to what one would imagine, she was popular among the boys by the time she made it into high school. They would take her to the empty lot where the Caldor Department Store used to be. The boys would park their parents’ enormous Buicks and Oldsmobiles by the decrepit loading doors, across from the skinny pine trees and broken crates that demarcated the woods. Ida laid herself down on the cold, vinyl bench seats, closed her eyes, and stayed very still. When she sat up, her eyes opened. Down and closed; up and open. She let them fold her up like a doll, all empty eyes and lifeless joints. One date at a time, boys pressed their thumbs into her thighs, and she imagined sun-softened, plastic skin. When each boy brought her home, she waved as he drove off and thought, “goodbye Ida, goodbye.” Ida, as you may well have surmised, didn’t exactly flourish in life.

The End © Copyright Karen Janowsky Published with permission. Karen@bluelotusyogafordepression.com

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paranormal romance

Camille Faye

Jaycee Jarvis

C A MI L L E FAYE

Please welcome Camille Faye

Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about your Voodoo Butterfly Series? In the series, my main character, Sophie Nouveau, unexpectedly inherits a New Orleans voodoo shop. Only problem? She knows nothing about voodoo or her family’s secret power. The women in Sophie’s family are Mind Changers, specialized priestesses who have the magical ability to change evil people good. Throughout the series, Sophie learns to harness that inner power. I cover different types of creatures than in typical paranormal books, drawing on New Orleans and Cajun culture, lore, and flair. These creatures include the rougarou, skinwalkers, angels, bokors, loa, and jinn.

amille Faye lives in Missouri, loves on her family, and writes while her kiddos are in school. Her writing is inspired by her experiences growing up in a haunted house and her travels to 28 countries and counting!

Uncaged: The third book in the series, Flight, released this year. How many books are you planning for the series?

“Like” her Author Camille Faye page on Facebook where you can give your feedback for upcoming books. And visit www. camillefaye.com to sign up for her newsletter, download book discussion questions, and get the latest on Camille’s writing.

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Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about? Currently, I am revising Book 4 in The Voodoo Butterfly Series. In this installment, Sophie will tangle with a skinwalker, which is a Native American shape shifter and all-around nasty creature. There will be a wedding, three major characters die, and a huge battle scene ensues in the middle of New Orleans, so I’ve whipped up quite a lot of obstacles and conflict for Sophie. Book 4 will be released in early 2020. Uncaged: You say that you grew up in a haunted house. What were some of the things that happened to have you believe that? Is this what inspired your writing toward the paranormal?

Lights would flicker on and off by themselves, the piano keys would play randomly, and objects would move around. When I was a teen, I would just toss my bedroom throw pillows on the floor so I could go to sleep (like any messy teen would do). In the morning, the throw pillows would be lined up perfectly beside my bed and the decorative plates, which were displayed on the wall above my bed, would be centered on each of the pillows. The scariest thing that happened was I woke up to something—like a fingertip--tapping me on the head. I was so scared I wouldn’t even open my eyes, so I just started mentally praying and, after about twenty minutes, I fell back asleep. It tapped me on the head the whole time, though! All of these haunting experiences make me curious about what happens after we die and what causes strange occurrences in our physical realm. I do not believe that everyone is telling the truth about hauntings and some people “fake it” to make money. However, there are many people who have had true experiences and don’t want anything out of it. We can’t discredit the sheer number of these experiences just because we don’t have the technology or knowledge to understand them yet.

Uncaged: Which character has been the easiest for you to write? Which has been the hardest? The evil characters are very fun to write because I love a charismatic villain (Hannibal Lecter, for example). My villain is based on the real serial killer from New Orleans, Madame LaLaurie. It’s morbidly fascinating to do research about her and female serial killers like her (EX: Elizabeth Bathory, etc.). Apparently I am not the only one who researches this murder-y stuff because true crime podcasts, like My Favorite Murder, are “killing it” (I couldn’t help myself).

Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why? I envision myself being writing buddies with Stephenie Meyer and J.K. Rowling. I really do! They have gotten younger (and older) readers excited about reading actual books, even during the age of Internet and video games. That is INCREDIBLE. And I am so proud of the fact that they are women writers, smashing sales records and lighting up bestsellers lists for years at a time. Would love to be around that successful creative energy and harness that for myself. Issue 37 | August 2019 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | The hardest character to write? Sophie has been emotionally hard for me to write, because I put so much heart and soul into her. I try to make all of my characters multi-dimensional, so I dig into their desires, fears, etc. I love that Ghandi quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Sophie represents my vision of how a world can change for the better. That’s a complicated and challenging vision to put on the page within one character. Uncaged: What has been the most surprising thing a character has done that you didn’t expect when you started? Taj, one of Sophie’s love interests, unexpectedly leaves the country amidst confusing reasons and shady details. That happens in book 2, so Sophie up and goes after Taj (book 3) in order to demand answers. Before this series, Sophie would have never left the comfort of her home yet she flies halfway around the world, experiences culture shock, and has to figure out what’s been plaguing Taj (be it natural or supernatural).

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Uncaged: What do you do to prevent a writer’s block? Do you have a writing quirk? I am a notorious notetaker. I keep them digitally (in my phone or computer) and physically with notebooks in my car, bedside table, kitchen, and office. Every time I sit down to work, I always have those ideas to go from. When I pass away, my kids are going to be like, “Mom has waaaayyyy too many pieces of paper with names of paranormal creatures and imaginary conversations.” Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Physical books. 100%! I just love the feel of a book in my hand. I will use audiobooks or ebooks if I go for a run or am traveling, just for ease of use in those situations. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? I am so appreciative to the fans who connect with me via Facebook and email. Their excitement for my work truly fuels my writing. I would write anyway, because it’s my passion, but their words are the icing on my paranormal cake. For those who would like to connect...

Enjoy an excerpt from Flight Flight Camille Faye Paranormal Romance Sophie Nouveau ventures to faraway Malaysia to seek answers about why her true love, Taj, broke up with her and returned to his homeland. When she gets there, she realizes something has been haunting Taj’s kid brother. But is it mental illness or black magic? While Sophie’s a world away, a customer claims she is poisoned by a potion from Seraphina’s House of Voodoo. As a result, the FDA shuts down Sophie’s shop pending an investigation into the incident. So she rushes back to New Orleans only to realize a traitor is at the root of all this bad mojo. That person, who’s in cahoots with Dr. Bones, wants to usurp the title of Voodoo Queen from the Papillon family line forever. Excerpt After the preparation service for my voodoo baptism, Poppy went with Abel for the night because she didn’t have to be abstinent. She’d been sleeping at his place every night since I’d gotten back from Malaysia. My guess was to have a break from me and this FDA debacle and lawsuit. We still weren’t on the best of terms but we were uniting in this hurry-upand-wait legal situation. The upside to her being gone most nights for the past two weeks was that I could talk with Taj for hours without her eavesdropping. Driving back to the apartment, I reflected on how those phone calls were renewing our relationship. It felt like we were building a stronger foundation, with more transparency and more trust, plus Taj and I were flirting with and

| CAMILLE FAYE | teasing each other again. The strained feeling was lessening each day, and we were re-establishing the playfulness that was a huge part of who we were as a couple. He was his old self again. The Taj that I’d grown to love with his easy conversation and down-to-earth demeanor. We’d already decided that our first dinner date, when he got back home, was Eat Y’all: A Cajun Kitchen. Then we started formulating a New Orleans to-do list 2.0 for when he returned. So far we had: jazz on Frenchman Street, a Saints football game, and a tour of the Garden District. Plus I always wanted to go on an airboat tour, so we added that, too. I pulled into a public parking lot a block from the apartment, a smile on my lips and my head in the clouds. When I hit the button on the key fob, my headlights blinked with a beep. Before slipping my phone into my pocket, I noted the time was 8:32 and decided to call Taj as soon as I got inside. But then a guy with a wolf mask stepped from the shadows of an alcove, brandishing a gun. He raised a finger to his lips, telling me to be quiet. I turned to sprint, my muscles taut as guitar strings. Two more masked men stepped from the shadows, blocking my path. Do a mind change! I screamed in my head. One of The Wolves grabbed me by my upper arm, pinching the skin so hard that I cried out. Damn, he’s wearing gloves. I could feel the leather on my skin. Glancing at all three, I noticed gloves, long sleeves, masks . . . everything covered. How am I supposed to work my spell? I struggled to free myself, but my captor was too strong, doped up with some of Bones’ black magic. The man with the gun led us through some gates under an archway which opened into a bakery’s courtyard entrance. The sign in the window said Closed and night was falling, so no one would see Issue 37 | August 2019 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | us back here. My heart hammering in my chest, I wiggled my arm to get the man to loosen his grip. I have to get free. Where could I run? Where could I hide? “That hurts!” I gritted my teeth. In the courtyard, five more men wearing wooden wolf masks lined up behind us, blocking the only exit to the street, which was through the arch we had just walked under. My breath came in short bursts. My head spun. I twisted this way and that, trying to figure out how to escape. I lifted my knee high, then brought my heel down on the instep of my captor’s foot. He howled in pain. I reached in my purse, scrambling for a sachet of mind changing powder. I heard several clicks of guns being cocked. “Don’t,” said a voice I would never forget. “Bones.” I clenched my teeth. Dr. Bones stayed in the shadows under the archway and said, “I hear your shop is in trouble, Mind Changer.”

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j AY C EE J A R V I S

ennifer started telling herself stories as a little girl when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Pretty soon, her head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Even as an adult, she thinks about the characters and stories at night before she falls asleep or walking the dog. Eventually, she started writing them down. Her favorite stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome, strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily ever after. In the real world, she’s the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men she knows. When she’s not writing, she loves to laugh with her family and friends, is a pro at finding whatever her kids lost in plain sight, and spends way too much time closing doors that should never have been left open in the first place. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate. She writes contemporary romance, some of which are mainstream and some of which involve Jewish characters. She’s published with The Wild Rose Press and all her books are available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and The Wild Rose Press.

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Uncaged welcomes Jaycee Jarvis Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about The Hand of Destin Series? The Hands of Destin series follows a group of magically gifted misfits as they battle corruption in the tropical market town of Trimble and find love along the way. The Hands are people who are bonded with large feline familiars and have a calling to serve their fellow citizens. Uncaged: How many books are you planning for this series? Can they be read as standalones? The series will be four books long, though there is some potential for spin off books or stories. They are definitely standalones, as each book focuses on a different couple in this group of friends. Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about? Secret Courtship, book 3 in the series, is currently in edits. No release date yet, but look for it in 2020. Uncaged: If there is one thing youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like readers to take away from your books, what would it be? The value of friendship, and the magic of enduring love in all its forms. Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why? Mary Jo Putney is one of my all time favorite authors. It would be a real joy to sit and talk shop with her. Uncaged: Which character has been the easiest for you to write? Which has been the hardest? Ulric, who is loud and blunt and bold, is really easy and fun to write, though digging into him as a primary character did have some challenges, as I had to explore what was going on under the surface a little Issue 37 | August 2019 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | more. Jasper, the hero in Deadly Courtship, was probably the hardest to write. He is a sweet, gooey cinnamon roll of a hero, and I had to be careful to not make him entirely mushy. Uncaged: What has been the most surprising thing a character has done that you didn’t expect when you started? Violet, the antagonist in Taxing Courtship, surprised me by stepping into that roll. I originally wrote her into the story as a minor character, but she made it clear that she was much more than just an annoying cousin pretty quickly. Uncaged: What do you do to prevent a writer’s block? Do you have a writing quirk? If I’m feeling really blocked or unmotivated, I look for a change of scenery. I’ll go to a coffee shop, or take my laptop to the library. Usually the change of pace is enough to get my creativity flowing again. Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? While I still enjoy the feel of a physical book in my hands, I’ve become a complete ebook junky. I love holding an entire library in my hands. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? I am so appreciative of everyone who has read and enjoyed my books. I love interacting with readers in a variety of places. To learn more about my life, and my quirky sense of humor, follow me on twitter (@jayceejarvis) or Facebook. To see what I’m reading and my own taste in books, follow me on Goodreads or BookBub

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| JAYCEE JARVIS |

Enjoy an excerpt from Deadly Courtship Deadly Courtship Jaycee Jarvis Paranormal Romance In a world rife with elemental magic can a bard with a knack for predicting the future help a warrior face her painful past? Han-Triguard Magdelena turned her back on her heritage and her family in order to pursue life as a Hand, honor bound to serve as a Protector in the tropical market town of Trimble. She never regrets putting duty first, until a string of brutal murders changes everything. Her former lover, the attractive musician Jasper, stands accused. Madi knows the gentle empath could never kill anyone, but her word alone is not enough to protect him. Even worse, one of the other victims is a member of her old clan, for whom justice is entirely out of reach. As Madi begins to question the demands of her work, Jasper asks her to give safe haven to his brother’s orphans. With the children, Jasper has the family he’s always wanted, a dream Madi has never shared. Living in close quarters, their attraction combusts while Madi is beset by unwanted tenderness for the children. When a new threat looms, Madi vows to protect their future, make peace with her past and maybe find a love worth fighting for. If only she can stop the killer in time… Excerpt “Uncle Jas! Uncle Jas!” Jas spun around, shocked to see Tamera and NaIssue 37 | August 2019 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | than, Bernard’s two children, barreling toward him. How did they get to town? The hike from Ridgefarm took the better part of a day. They must have left in the middle of the night to be here so early. Jas had expected his sister Ingrid to set out as soon as she got word of their brother’s death. He hadn’t expected her to drag Bernard’s young children with her. Ingrid entered the courtyard and greeted her son Dominic and some of the other people gathered without so much as a glance at Jas or the distressed orphans. Hand in hand, the children drew to a halt before him and the unlit pyre. “Um, the air mystic has arrived. I, uh, need to speak with them.” Ophelia hurried away. Part of Jas longed to follow her. Instead he faced his brother’s orphans squarely. They deserved answers only he could give. Their emotions writhed and wriggled like a litter of frightened pups, jumping at Jas and causing his own stomach to twist with sorrow and confusion. He choked back an answering whimper, discarding the notion of strengthening his water defenses to keep their emotions at bay. It was fitting he share their grief. “Where’s Papa?” Tamera cried. Jas squatted down to look his five-year-old niece in the eye. He gestured at the wall. “Over there. Waiting for a proper burning.” “It’s true, then?” Nathan asked, his eyes too wise and shadowed for an eight-year-old. “He’s dead?” Jas nodded solemnly. “Liar.” Tamera wrenched away from her brother and dashed across the tile floor. “Wake up, Papa.” Jas stumbled after her. The girl managed to reach the shrouded corpse before he caught her. He scooped her up and gasped as the contact made his heart pound with a terror not his own. “No, no, no,” Tamera wailed. With a flailing arm she snagged the end of the gray shroud and latched on to it. Despite the anguish flooding his heart, Jas held the girl close and pulled her away from the alcove. As he staggered away, her clenched fist dragged the perfumed lin76 | UncagedBooks.com

en from her father’s body. The girl’s wail changed to a horrified shriek. Jas fought the urge to gag as the smell of the corpse, never pleasant, rose from the uncovered body in a putrid wave. “Tamera, let go.” Nathan darted forward to grab the shroud. “You mustn’t disturb the dead.” Tamera clutched the cloth and kicked at her brother. Nathan danced around to avoid his sister’s feet. Jas tightened his grip on his thrashing niece and tried to move them all away from the bloody corpse. The boy ducked in front of Jasper, pulling the shroud around his legs. Jas stumbled and cursed while Tamera screamed. Frustrated, Jas threw the girl over his shoulder. He grabbed Nathan by the arm before they were all ensnared in the cloth. “What kind of shenanigans are you up to, Jasper?” With a contemptuous sniff, his older sister Ingrid whisked Tamera out of his arms.

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welcomes

Kendall Grey

Enjoy an excerpt from Runed Runed Kendall Grey Mythology/Fantasy All’s fair in reincarnation and war You’ve heard the stories of Norse gods. Thor. Odin. Ragnarok. I’m here to tell you they’re all true. I know because I was there. My name is Loki.

whale warrior, indie freedom fighter, and vodka martini aficionado, Kendall Grey is calm like an F-bomb*. She writes about fierce women and the men who love them. Her aliases include Kendall Day (FALLING FOR MR. SLATER) and Seven Slade (COMING OUT). Kendall lives off a dirt road near Atlanta, Georgia, with three mischievous Demonlings, a dashing geek in cyber armor, a long-haired miniature Dachshund that thinks she’s a cat, and an Aussie shepherd mix whose ice-blue eyes will steal your heart and hold it for ransom.

A thousand years ago, give or take a century or two, I walked the Nine Realms with my brothers, spreading mischief and leaving behind a trail of broken hearts wherever I roamed. I built an unforgettable brand as the trickster god, the father of the Midgard Serpent, Fenrir the wolf, and even Hel herself. In my exploits, I may have accidentally on purpose triggered a bit of unpleasantness that led to the end of the world, but apparently, it wasn’t the end of me. Recently, the shield of ice that froze me in an arctic cage melted (thanks, global warming), and I clawed my way to the surface of a new world. With a fresh lease on life and a rocking-hot body, I just need one thing: the rune that grants me immortality. Oh, and a bra would be nice. These boobs really know how to get in the way of a good hustle. Book 1 in the Asgard Awakening urban fantasy comedy series. Excerpt

*Detonation manual not included.

There is a forever of nothing. Until there is a hint of something.

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A whisper. Like the gentle dusting of snow tickled by a light

| KENDALL GREY | wind, sliding along a plane of ice as far as the eye can see. Wake, Trickster. I can’t place the voice, but it strums a chord that resonates at my core. Wake … it says, softer, yet more compelling than the first time. So, I wake. In a frozen tomb. Freezing. I see a butterfly through the pane of ice pinning me in place. No, not a butterfly. Bigger. Faster. With the brilliant iridescence of a shifting aurora. I am cold. The cold bites into my skin and gnaws straight down to bone, buries itself within, carving away marrow, crystallizing into permanent residency. It’s the kind of cold that only shows its face in deep winter when the primary source of light is dancing, surreal colors— eerie greens and blues and purples with the occasional saucy red thrown in to tart things up—splashed across the endless night sky. This kind of cold dresses Mother Earth’s green and brown skin in a sparkling, pristine gown of purest white. It’s terrifying. It’s beautiful. And it’s bad news for testicles. You can literally freeze your balls off in this shite. Ball-freezing cold. That’s what I’m talking about. Bracing myself for the possible death of my nads, which I cannot feel, I stare wistfully past the clear, hard membrane separating me from the arctic air I sure could use a breath of. If I were out there, I’d pack up my bits like eggs in a puffin burrow and sit on

them until the frost broke and spring floods came. For what is a man without his clackers? No man. More like wo-man. Damn, it’s cold. I look around, but I can only move my eyes. The rest of me is frozen solid. Why the Hel am I buried in ice? Before the whisper, the last thing I remember is sweating profusely against an influx of poison and fire and death and mayhem that had descended on my person. It was almost like something bad happened. Like the cold had been smitten by something far worse than itself, and frozen testicles were highly preferred to the alternative of toasty nuts simmering over the local lava field. I scan my memory for details, but everything’s fuzzy. I vaguely recall the realm-splitting baritone blast of Heimdall’s Gjallarhorn rousing me and the other Æsir to battle. The ground shaking with a violent earthquake. The swelling sea. The chaos. Gods, how I love the chaos. I’m getting a woody just thinking about it. Well, assuming there’s any wood left to be pitched down there. Must find out. In the interest of testicle preservation, I wiggle. A loud snap! answers. My glacial tomb groans a colossal protest. Wriggle, push, shove. CRACK! Success! I free my head from the ice and snag a breath of fresh, cool air. I gulp in and blow out. I close my eyes for a moment while my lungs retrain themselves. More snapshots of memory coalesce … An eerie green sky frothing with rainbow ribbons of energy serves as the backdrop to the battlefield in my mind’s eye. Ichor thrums through my veins. The fire, the murderous entropy in the sky magniIssue 37 | August 2019 |

| FANG-FREAKIN-TASTIC FEATURE AUTHOR | fies the raging anarchy within me. There’s a snake. A really big one. Ah yes, how could I forget? That’s my son Jormundgandr, the Midgard Serpent, whose body spans the girth of the world. He and Thor are having a wee wrestling match. Their jerks and splashes obliterate entire coastlines and drown civilizations. And Fenrir, my wolfling child, has a go at Uncle Odin. His intelligent canine eyes and flaring nostrils blaze like hellfire. Acidic saliva streams from sharp, blackened fangs to sizzle holes the size of small villages in the earth. That’s my boy! Such delightful children. Under the dim rays of sun that barely brush the horizon, shiny golden armor stained with blood gleams, the contrasting red defiling the surrounding pure snow. Swords drenched in gore swing left and right, up and down. Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer, flies hither and thither. My daughter Hel’s grin spans her two faces—one side virginal white, the other black as pitch—as she gathers souls like the sky gathers storm clouds in spring. Fire, venom, blood, death. What fun! This is the ultimate fight. The one I’ve spent my entire life waiting for. The one that ends the world and everyone in it. By Thor’s scraggly red pubic hair, this was Ragnarok! Which means it wasn’t just a party. It was the party. A party so epic, so all-consuming, so knockdown-drag-out-drunken-orgy-of-violence-anddismemberment awesome, no one woke up from it the next morning. Fenrir wasn’t playing fetch with Odin. He was eating him. 82 | UncagedBooks.com

Jormundgandr hadn’t been yawning after waking from a long slumber. He was defending his prized globe baby with venomous aplomb against Thor. Hel hadn’t been toying with gods and frost giants like a set of adorable dolls in her fun house. She’d been welcoming the freshly dead to her underground realm beneath Yggdrasil, the world tree. I chuckle to myself and shake my head. Those crazy kids. This papa couldn’t be prouder. Sure, the little tykes might’ve epically failed, but it’s about the journey, not the destination, right? Also, my kids are what you might call … problem children. Irrelevant now, as they’re all dead. But, wait. If they’re dead, then I must’ve died too. No, that couldn’t be. If I were dead, I wouldn’t be lying under a snow drift with my balls so far up my arse that I can’t feel them anymore. And why am I feeling anything at all? I’m the god Loki, son of Farbauti and Laufey, Blood Brother to Odin, Burden of Sigyn’s Arms, Breaker of Worlds, Scar-Lipped Trickster. We gods can sense the temperature, acknowledge its extremes, but it’s not like we suffer ill effects from it. As deities, we don’t mind searing flames or boneshattering cold. Those things come with the territory. And gods can’t die—not permanently. So, I’m not dead. By that logic, the others aren’t dead, either. But the subatomic, immortal hum that normally shuttles among us on a permanent loop, connecting one god to another, is silent. I feel no one. I am well and truly confused. If the kids are toast and I was buried under an ice sheet, someone must’ve taken me out of commission, at least for a short while. I’m sure Odin would’ve

| KENDALL GREY | liked to have done it after the little stunt I pulled with his son Baldur, but the Allfather was devoured whole by Fenrir. So, probably not him. And Thor was too busy staving off poisonous waterfalls dripping from my other son’s fangs into his stupid ruddy face to fight me. Mark him off the list. I’ll bet it was Heimdall. That golden-eyed guardian of the Rainbow Bridge is a real arsehole. He’s had it in for me ever since I stole Freya’s necklace at Odin’s behest. Ah, that gig was such fun. I transformed into a seal, and then Heimdall did too, and we got into a pinniped boxing match, and he yanked Freya’s jewels out of my flippers, and bragged to all the Æsir about how he totally kicked my arse when he did not kick my arse, not one flipping flippery bit.

The clamor grows louder. When I see what’s causing it, my stomach lurches. There’s a monster coming at me. It’s huge. Bigger than twenty men. It’s the shape of a box, the color of blood and sea, and has wheels under it. The behemoth growls like thunder. Fearing Thor made it out of Ragnarok alive after all, I check the sky for his mighty hammer Mjolnir or slashes of lightning. I find neither. The terrifying abomination barrels toward me, its arse farting a gray stream of noxious gas. Its white eyes are more chilling than the spike of ice betwixt my butt cheeks.

Seal flippers are super slippery.

I panic. My body held fast by this frozen prison, I can’t flee, so I call upon the sacred rune cuffed around my wrist that lends me my immortal power to whisk me away.

I slipped.

Laguz! I mentally shout.

Also, Heimdall has eyes everywhere, and that shite is just unfair.

I remain as frozen as the vault of ice strangling me. Gritting my teeth, I push with all my might at the heavy white slab. Why won’t it move? I have the strength of a giant. Hel, I was born to frost-giant parents. Shattering a lousy clump of ice should be effortless, yet here I am.

Moving on … I, Loki, am here and participating. Not dead. Alive, though freezing my jewels off. And— What’s that? The ground beneath me vibrates. I punch my head the rest of the way through the snow and turn it toward a rumble from the north. The bellow is so guttural and deep, it sounds like the quaking of the world tree. Maybe it’s a dragon. Or an army of marauders. Or a frost giant belching after a hearty draught of ale. I fear it’s something bigger than all of the above. Badder. Meaner.

And the hissing monster rambles onward, intent on my head. Another shove. An arm free! Allfather, if you’re listening from the halls of Valhalla, grant me this one wish. Help me find a way out of this mess, and I’ll … I’ll … I don’t know what. Because it’s too late.

I swallow hard. I need shelter, but I’m stuck in a vast white wasteland of snow and ice with no Valhalla in sight. I squint against the descending sun— Sun? Last thing I remember, there was no sun. It must be spring or summer now. Issue 37 | August 2019 |

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AMY’S BOOKSHELF

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Uncaged Reviews Chasing the Cheetah Bella Shaw Shifter Romance

The mate call only comes once in a shifter’s life, if ever. Will Sarai be able to overcome her past in order to answer? Cheetah shapeshifter Sarai Hartell just wants to escape the aftermath of an abusive relationship by letting her claws out in the heart of Africa. But while abroad, the trip is soon cut short by her own questionable actions. When Sarai’s home is set on fire- with her inside- fate may have finally come to back to bite her.

Uncaged Review: What a fantastic novella, a little on the longer side of novellas at around 120 pages, but this book is a fast moving story, that ensnare readers within the first few pages. What I really liked about this story is that the author keeps her shifters in character very well. Even when in human form, the shifters have a deep connection to their inner beast and are truly two halves of a whole, they are not mainly human with the ability to shift, they are both beast and human, equally. Since this is a shorter book, I won’t get into the plot here, but both main characters and the supporting cast are easy to like, and I’m looking forward to reading more in this series. Reviewed by Cyrene

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The Hitman’s Mistake Sally Brandle Romantic Suspense After Miranda Whitley stops crooked cops from assassinating a prominent Seattle judge, she’s next on the hit list, and her survival depends on the buff FBI Agent she’s had one awkward encounter with. But can she find him in time?

Uncaged Review: After Miranda witnesses her friend and judge’s attempted murder, she has to disappear as her life is in danger. Miranda barely gets out of town in time, and goes to a dude ranch in Montana to hide out. When out for a trail ride with the guests, she falls behind and is shot at – they’ve already found her. A FBI agent she had met before, saves her and slowly she opens up to him. This is a nicely paced suspense, with enough danger to keep you turning the pages with a sweet, clean romance that builds slowly. Secondary characters are well thought out, including my favorite, the mule, Red. He’s a hero in this book and Ms. Brandle can bring him over to my farm any day. Reviewed by Cyrene

Playing Jasper Ginger Ring Mafia Romance

Ginger Storm J.P. Rice Urban Fantasy

I love to play the game.

A monster lurks inside me. I can barely control the beast.

Love them and leave them. Then I met my match, Jackie Smith, and everything changed.

Uncaged Review: This is a book I was truly looking forward to reading, especially after meeting Jasper in Destroying Dominic. Jasper is a smooth ladies man, love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. But don’t be fooled by his great looks – he’s just as dangerous as the rest of them, maybe even more so. Enter Jackie, an ex-reporter looking to find the people that killed her parents, so as you read, you never know if she’s just setting up the family – at times you think she is – or if the family is using her. Nothing goes on in Roman’s town that he doesn’t know about, I learned that fast in these books, so I doubt Jackie is as secretive as she thinks or as innocent. But Jasper is smitten, and the book is romantic and dangerous at the same time. There several twists that happen that I didn’t expect – and the mafia part of the book is back and deadly, even more so than in the last book. How do you reconcile loving characters that part of a mob? Even though it’s dangerous, these guys and ladies have hearts of gold, and nothing is safer than being in the “family.”

I was born without innate magical ability. One fateful day, the Morrigan showed me how to steal pure and black magic through blood rituals. Now that I’m filled with deadly magic, I struggle to deal with the darkness.

Uncaged Review: This is a good urban fantasy, but it took me awhile to get really invested in it. I didn’t connect with Junipher right away – but she’s a strong lead and this is a beginning to a series that I believe will get better and better. There is a lot going on, so you need to stay alert. What I thought was pretty cool is that all the pantheons are represented in this series. Celtic, Greek and Norse Gods are in attendance. Although I’m not a huge fan of first person narratives, the author does a pretty good job with this one, and I never felt I was missing a whole lot. I think this is a book that readers need to push past the beginning and keep going, it does pick up speed and become a good page turner. Reviewed by Cyrene

And as I personally live very close to the city in which this book is based in, there have always been talks and rumors about the mafia in this area. So even though this is fiction, it’s not out of the scope of realism for the real world. The author also integrates real life places, such as a historic winery that is close by. A highly recommended series.Reviewed by Cyrene

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Uncaged Reviews Wylde S.C. Mitchell SciFi Forced to undergo experimental procedures that grafted wolf DNA into his own and then given super healing powers, Jonathan Wylde wants nothing to do with civilization, preferring instead to run with his wolf pack. A reluctant member of the Xi Force super team, he keeps to himself unless his talents are needed. Uncaged Review: Third book in the XI Force series but can be read as a standalone. I was hoping this character got his own book. As I found him interesting before when he was briefly mentioned in a previous book. Without spoiling a lot of the story, Wylde is half human with wolf DNA who also has superpowers. Just like a comic or superhero movie. Minding his own business and trying to live his life off the grid. He gets caught up in a whole lot of trouble when some old friends turn up. I really like the author’s use of comics and such in this book and the mention of the superheroes. I’m hoping this won’t be the end of this series or I will be very sad. Reviewed by Jennifer

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Oracle Carissa Andrews Fantasy Even the most powerful psychic in the world has her blind spots. For the past two-thousand and some odd years, Diana Hawthorne has always been able to see the past, present, and future with near perfect accuracy. Her only blind spot has been herself. The first twenty years of her existence is a complete blank and she doesn’t know why. Uncaged Review: This book grabbed a hold of me right away – it’s original, suspenseful and fun. Diana is immortal and can see the past, present and future. She has never met a person that she couldn’t “read” until a private investigator comes along looking for her help. For some reason, Diana finds Blake as her blind spot. This book clicks along well, and the supporting cast is just as fun, the characters all interact very well with some great laugh out loud moments. The author does a great job bringing unique voices to each character. When Diana and Blake try to break up a child trafficking ring which will lead them to Italy – and Diana and Blake may find out more than they ever thought. The only part that I thought was too perfect was the ending and how everything snapped into place so easily. But it’s easy to root for these characters and I’m looking forward to the next book. Reviewed by Cyrene

The Lost and the Chosen Ivy Asher

Beneath Deception A.L. Long

Paranormal Romance

Romantic Suspense

My name is Vinna, and I’ve been keeping a lot of secrets. You would too if you’d experienced some of the weird shit I have: redeyed monsters chasing me, markings on my body appearing out of nowhere, a strange power that crackles colorfully over my skin from time to time, and don’t get me started on the weapons I can conjure up almost out of nowhere.

Uncaged Review: This book is touted as a reverse harem, so I was wondering what I was getting myself into, but I was pleasantly surprised. The series could be leading up to being a “more sexy” series, but it’s not overwhelming at all – but you can start to see the build up in this book with the Chosen. I was hooked. From Vinna to the boys, it’s a good supporting cast – and each character definitely has their own voice – so it’s hard to decide which you like better. The action is non-stop, it does end at a minor cliffhanger – nothing heartwrenching, but there are already three books out in the series. The world building is excellent. The mystery of Vinna and the answers are surprising – specially the reveal at the end – but also left a lot of questions which I look forward to reading. Reviewed by Cyrene

everything.

Everyone has a story and for Xavier London, he preferred to keep his hidden. As ruthless as he was, he still had morals and those morals included betraying the one man who saved his life. He never thought that meeting one woman could change

Uncaged Review: In this book, we have the ultimate playboy Xavier – whom I didn’t really like at all. The way he treated women was stereotypical bad boy, love ‘em and leave ‘em, lucky if he remembers their name. He somewhat redeems himself in this book after he meets Tessa, who is being brutalized and abused by a powerful man who is also Xavier’s “boss.” There was a lot of twists and turns, and the chemistry between Xavier and Tessa was the glue that held this together. There was a bit of a disconnect for me with the book, as there seemed to be too many things that weren’t explained, or left me with even more questions. There were also some lost opportunities with the abuse of Tessa that wasn’t all that realistic. But at the end of the book, I did enjoy the story and would definitely recommend this book to romantic suspense lovers.

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Uncaged Reviews Witch’s Reign

Charming Marjani

They think her an underdog against impossible odds… And she will fight tooth and nail to prove them wrong.

THE DARKTIME ISN’T OVER…

Shannon Mayer Urban Fantasy

The Witch’s Reign…a land of eternal, unnatural winter ruled by the Ice Witch. In turn she is guarded by three supernatural creatures who wander her lands hunting for unwary souls, killing any who cross their paths. Uncaged Review: This is a really good start to a series, with some twists and turns that you won’t see coming with Zamira – or with Maks, her human partner she’s been saddled with. Nothing is as it seems, so be ready for a lot of one liners that will keep you smiling, and enough action to keep you furiously tapping the next page on your Kindle to see what happens next. And after the dragons come into the storyline, you wonder if it’s going to be another lie that is piled on top of Zam. I’m not going to blow smoke and tell everyone that I loved the book. I liked it and think it’s a good start, but I’m not head over heels in love with the series…. yet. But I’ve always liked Mayer’s writing style in the past, so I’m willing to give myself time and let the series brew a bit longer and see where it takes me.

Reviewed by Cyrene

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Rebecca Rivard Paranormal/Shifter Romance

He’s rich, sexy--and part-fae. But she’s a shifter assassin on a mission. She can’t let herself be charmed… Marjani is the strong, silent second-in-command to her alpha brother. She’s seen too much death, lived through too much darkness. Now her cat threatens to take over, leaving her a cougar in a human body. But before it does, she undertakes one last mission to Iceland. Uncaged Review: One of my favorite shifter books this year so far. This is a series book, and this book is the 5th book in the series, and I had no trouble getting used to this world that the author built considering I hadn’t read any of the other books in the series. The pack believes that the pack alpha’s sister, Marjani is close to going feral and that her cat is beginning to dominate. But Adric believes his sister can make it back from the darkness, and when a message comes from that Corban from a different pack wants to challenge Adric in Iceland, Marjani goes instead, as his second. When she meets Fane, a half fae, the whole plan changes and Jani and Fane won’t be able to deny the attraction. So many feels this book delivers, from anger, to sadness and pity, to laughter and fun. And I may have needed a tissue at the end. Reviewed by Cyrene

Beyond Dead

Jordaina Sydney Robinson Paranormal Cozy Mystery

Dead, snarky heroine? Check. Dead, sarcastic BFF? Check. Murdered ghost stuffed in a locker? Check. Death is not what Bridget Sway expected. Not at all.

Uncaged Review: This book is off the wall, and not like anything I’ve read before. It took me awhile to really get into the book, it seemed a bit slow in the beginning, but it really does pick up speed and will have you laughing out loud as Bridget tries to solve a mystery that they are trying to pin on her – different ghosts are ending up dead dead in her locker – so she’s breaking all kinds of rules and her guardian Oz has his hands full keeping her out of trouble. But Bridget and her fun sidekick and dead BFF, Sabrina have a mystery to solve and to clear Bridget’s name and it turns into a lot of fun getting there and watching Bridget navigate her new life as a dead person. And you can kill a ghost so that they are dead dead. Who knew? Reviewed by Cyrene

Desert Blood

Anna Lowe Paranormal/Shifter Romance She’s on the run...into the arms of forbidden love. Heather Luth knows nothing about the paranormal world until one awful night changes everything. Now she’s on the run — straight into the arms of forbidden love. Her mind knows better than to fall for a werewolf’s sunny smile and mesmerizing voice, but her heart — and destiny — have other ideas.

Uncaged Review: This is the 2nd book in this series, and I think I liked it even better than the first one. Anna Lowe is an author that I can count on consistently for a good read. This book is a quicker read and even though it’s forbidden for Cody to fall in love with a human, resisting Heather is not going to happen for him. But the danger ramps up when a serial killer is on the loose and now seems to be targeting Heather. Great read, and I’m looking forward to the next one. Get out the tissue boxes for a couple great moments that will steal your heart. Reviewed by Cyrene

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Uncaged Reviews Stella of Akrotiri: Origins

Linda Rae Sande Historical Fantasy Romance Immortality can be a lonely existence, especially when the world is about to implode. For over six hundred years, Darius of Agremon has fought wars on behalf of those who needed his skills in combat. As a lechagos on Strongili, he spends his days commanding the Minoan coastguardsmen against pirates and marauders. His nights are spent alone, for despite having had wives in the past, he has watched them all grow old and die, childless, as he continues to live. Uncaged Review: The second book in this series takes us backwards to how Stella and Darius met. Darius meets Stella when she is a child, but senses her as an Immortal – and is charmed by the young girl who climbs olive trees. Now this book is a bit of a slower burn and this is a pattern I’ve found consistent with this author – before I even know what’s happened, a couple hours have passed and I’ve been sucked into the story. There is no better way to capture a reader, and Ms. Sande has a special knack of doing that with her stories. I enjoyed this story and gives us a better background on these characters and I really hope the author will revisit this world in the near future. Reviewed by

Cyrene

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Air Born

Rayanne Haines Fantasy Romance

Quinn Taleisin hates secrets, and shadows, and subterfuge. Which is why she still can’t believe she agreed to become a member of the Guardians, an elite force of immortals tasked with keeping the balance between good and evil in the world. Uncaged Review: I’m running out of good words about this series and this author. I wanted a book about Lachon from the first time I met him, and bringing in Quinn just sweetened the deal for me. I knew that I was going to want to dig into Lachon – and so many questions about him and his actions that we learned in past books, we finally get the answers. And a few of the answers may surprise the reader. You could get away with reading this as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the first two books in the series first – so the reader will learn about this world and the established relationships, and more about our two main characters here. Two people that can’t stand each other are thrown together and the secrets are going to come out. They will need to get over their prejudices and trust each other to live through the danger they are facing. Keep writing Ms. Haines, I’m already having withdrawal symptoms. Reviewed by Cyrene

One Night with a Viking

Mariah Stone Historical Time Travel Romance

She’s settling for second best. He’ll take what he wants. Can a cautious modern woman find true love with a raging alpha Viking?

Uncaged Review: A short read that moves within the Called by a Viking series, and it’s OK. I think the jargon wasn’t really up to standards of what I’ve read so much of, but both characters were easy to like, although I think this could have easily been drawn out and been more enjoyable as a full fledged novel. But it was a quick, entertaining read that did introduce me to this author, and I’d definitely pick up another from her in the future. Reviewed by Cyrene

Lover’s Howl

Steffan & Woolf Paranormal All Xander wanted was a quiet evening in New Orleans with his blood donor date, and maybe a pleasant secondhand buzz from all the alcohol and MDMA floating around in the unsuspecting woman’s bloodstream.

Uncaged Review: This is a shorter prequel story that introduces you to the Circle of Blood series. This is a good introduction to a few of the characters, and it’s easy to like Xander who blunders his way into a werewolf incident. Along with his roommate Tre, and the voodoo priestess, Madame Francine, it gives a nice jumping off point by introducing all the characters. Although the book was short, I smiled a lot at the back and forth between Xander and Madame Francine, who knows how to keep him in line. I am planning on continuing reading the series and I hope to see this group back in a full length book. Reviewed by Cyrene

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Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews Runed Kendall Grey Mythology/Fantasy

Z: A Love Story D.E. McCluskey Horror Comedy

All’s fair in reincarnation and war

When Horror and Romance collide, the world will never be the same again.

You’ve heard the stories of Norse gods. Thor. Odin. Ragnarok. I’m here to tell you they’re all true. I know because I was there. My name is Loki.

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: What a great story! Runed was everything I hoped it would be. Funny, exciting and one of a kind. It’s not every day that you read a book about Loki, the trickster god being trapped in a woman’s body. I’ll admit, I was a little bit leery at first. My feelings quickly changed as the story developed into something that could only come from the mind of Kendall Grey. I like that she kept things, to a reasonable degree, along the truth of the mythologies. Obviously, there was creativity at play here, but that’s what one comes to expect from fiction writers. The mythologies are still recognizable and familiar despite being different. Loki’s relationship with Huginn had me DYING I was laughing so hard. I haven’t read anything this funny in a long time and I am extremely excited to read the next book when it comes out.

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Kevin is your normal, everyday kind of guy. An office worker in a multistory tower block in downtown London, he feels like his existence is being swallowed up by the monster metropolis where he lives and works. Ignored, lonely, and lovelorn, he’s desperate for a life, a reason to go on.

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: Z: A Love Story is a different kind of zombie book. It’s a love story, but not so much that if you aren’t a fan of romance it makes you not want to read it. It’s not what I normally think of when I think of romance. First off, while it is a bit of a love story, it’s told from the guy’s perspective. I don’t read much romance, but I can say I don’t think I’ve ever read one told in this way, so that was cool. I liked how instead of there being a bunch of crap about someone playing head games with the person they are interested in or a love triangle, it was just a guy who had a crush on a girl, and neither was batshit crazy or a stalker. Second, I really enjoyed how they told the love story parallel to the story of the zombie outbreak. It showed how things could really get out of hand faster than you would expect. It also shows how when we are focused on something important to us, the world around us could be falling to pieces and we might not notice as quickly as we should.

This is an enjoyable book that moves at a brisk pace without being so fast things are missed. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Fighter Claire C. Riley Romantic Suspense FIGHTER is a hot-headed alphamale who won’t take no for an answer Could prey and predator ever be anything more? Fighter… The club was my family, my blood, my entire world. They were the only thing I cared about…until her. Until Penny. I was a soldier for the Devil’s Highwaymen, and Penny was a job gone wrong. An order from my president: take the girl and keep her hidden until it was time to give her back. Only as the days went on, I wasn’t sure I wanted to give the fiery little brunette back.

me feel extremely conflicted about the way he treated Penny and the way she responded. I did struggle to get through parts of the book but I’m glad I did as the later parts of the book justified, or at least explained, her responses to some of the things she dealt with. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so conflicted about not only a character, but what was going on lol. The life of a motorcycle club member isn’t always peaches and cream, but really who would believe it was? I can’t speak for anyone else, but when I was growing up, I remember hearing stories of violence and danger when it came to “bikers”. Fighter lives up to that stereotype. He has to do something he doesn’t necessarily want to for his club and it doesn’t paint him in the best light. If you are looking for a great Motorcycle Club romance book, check into this series. Action packed and full of steamy moments, each book will leave you satisfied but still wanting more.

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: Fighter is the kind of book where you want to punch the main character as much as you want to take him in a back room and have your way with him. This book is full of suspense as you aren’t sure what he’s going to do next or how. Is he going to be a good guy? Is he a bad guy? Just what in the motorcycle club romance is going on here? This was a great book. It really was, but I had the hardest time figuring out how I felt about it, especially since romance isn’t really my thing. Fighter made

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Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews Day by Day Armagedon J.L. Bourne Horror My life as a grim reaper has weighed heavily on the lonely side here in West Virginia, but things are looking up. I’m finally dating Jax, the man of my dreams, and I have high hopes for a happily-ever-after. Unfortunately, he and I are about the only two that are excited about our burgeoning romance. Our families have been feuding for decades and none of them are very happy that Jax and I are getting serious. The harder I try to keep my private life private, the more they pry. Even the dead are rising from the grave to put in their two cents, and there doesn’t seem to be anything I can do to stop this family drama. One thing is certain, somebody is about to get reaped.

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: This series really has me laughing. Brux does a great job of creating a world in which shifters and all manner of supernatural creatures coexist, albeit somewhat difficultly. Poppy is a great character and I love her sense of humor. She seems to find herself in the most irritating of situations. Jax seems like a decent guy. Both of them have nosy and overbearing families, which, I think, many people can relate to. I do love how loyal Poppy and Jax are to each other, but I do worry they are moving too quickly in their relationship. Dearly Departed is a really short read, which I’m not a fan of because I always wish I had more of the story. So, the only negative thing I can say is that I wish it had been longer. I can’t wait to see

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what happens next. If you haven’t started this series, it’s not too late to get started with Reapercussions. I definitely recommend it if you enjoy books with a sense of humor and some lovey times.

Silent Death Ron Ripley YA/Horror/Occult For Subject B, death is only one scream away… As war veteran Marcus Holt and the others struggle to escape Worthe’s haunted village, they find themselves stalked by a new enemy. A paranoid psychotic, this demented soul hears voices in her head and is convinced that people are talking about her. Armed with her hatchet, she is determined to murder everyone in the village to silence them all. No matter how far they run, this maniacal spirit is always one step behind them, listening for the slightest sound…

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: Silent Death is the 8th book in Ron Ripley’s Haunted Village Series. At a point in one of the earlier books, I had considered giving up the series. I was starting to lose interest, and fast. I’m glad I chose to stick with it. This series has gotten better in the last 2 books than I think it was in the entire first half.

The ghost in this book is awful. She seems as though she was definitely the type of person that’s just “born broken”. To some degree, she’s a typical teenager. But under her typical teen mask, she’s quite the happy little psychopath. She’s brutal and forward. So when I said she was awful, I mean she’s a great ghost for Worthe’s project and as a ghost who is supposed to be terrifying, she fits the bill perfectly. I love this series. It has such a variety of ghosts you never know what kind you will get in each book. The suspense of waiting to find out how everything is going to turn out is frustrating as all hell, but I think it will be worth it in the end. If you haven’t started this series, you definitely should.

I’ve become quite attached to Marcus, Alex, Joyce, and now Timmy. I want nothing more than for them to be victorious over their captors and live happily ever after. Of course, Ripley can’t make things that easy for me. They continue to struggle and I still have no idea who will come out alive at the end of each book, if anyone. Worthe is definitely going further and further downhill. It’s somewhat satisfying, seeing him become more and more unstable with each book. He’s a horrible person.

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Myra’s Horror Blog Reviews

Extinction Evolution Nicholas Sansbury Smith Horror Central Command is gone, the military is fractured, and the surviving members of Team Ghost, led by Master Sergeant Reed Beckham, have been pushed to the breaking point. Betrayed by the country they swore to defend and surrounded by enemies on all sides, Team Ghost has one mission left: protect Dr. Kate Lovato and Dr. Pat Ellis while they develop a weapon to defeat the Variants once and for all. Myra’s Review: Beckham and his friends at Plum Island know things are escalating with the Variants, for they are evolving at an alarming rate. Plus the adaptations are very dangerous, including growing gills for water environments and camouflage for their surroundings. Kate worries the Kryptonite may not work on all the mutations developing among the Variants. To put their survival even at more risk, they receive video evidence that the creatures are breeding. Therefore, a team led by Sergeant Garcia is sent to observe the infected. Garcia is shocked when he sees the offspring; armor-plated monstrosities. The team goes into the underground tunnels of NY and that’s where the Sarge is nabbed by two traitors; Army collaborators working for the Variants. 98 | UncagedBooks.com

While this seems impossible, Garcia is dragged in front of a gigantic beast called the White King by the traitors. The king is capable of limited speech and mental abilities. Garcia is given the choice of joining the other two deserters or be torn apart, trading his life in exchange for helping find human survivors. The Sergeant goes along with them until he can escape topside. Different teams are sent into the tunnels to try and capture a baby Variant so the Kryptonite can be tested on it. After the teams are slaughtered, Fritz is charged with heading a team. Beckham is angry, one of his friends is being sent out, but not with their team. While headquarters watches on video feed, Fritz’s team is torn apart too, but no one is sure if Fritz is alive, since they didn’t see him killed. Beckham and his team go against orders to mount a rescue attempt; Garcia and his men join them. Though not finding Fritz, they do manage to grab a juvenile Variant. Unbeknownst to Beckham, Fritz escaped with Apollo, and they are on their way to Plum Island. Fritz had spotted and listened to plans of a group of collaborators. They were piloting boats to the island, loaded with Variants. The infected attack the base, and kidnap humans, including Kate. Beckham is too far away to help, and of course beside himself with worry. Once he arrives at the island, it is an easy decision – they’re going after the survivors and bringing them back alive. There is lots of fighting and new horrors in this book. The Variants are disgusting and terrible scenes of them attacking and eating humans is described. The teams were amazing against the Variants, showing honor and warrior skills that few possess.

Cordyceps Keith Taylor Dystopian/Horror The United States has fallen. Millions have died, and millions more have fled in terror to the refugee-swamped central states. A month after the zombie infection struck the east is a dead zone, populated only by the infected and those dumb or crazy enough to stay behind and fight. Myra’s Review: After Bishop and Tom are taken to the military camp, they are secured in a metal cabin. At first it seemed great; they were safe from the infected and though the meals were bland, at least they had food. But Tom quickly determined they were prisoners. They weren’t allowed outside the cabin, and what was up with the daily blood tests? Vee (Victoria) and Warren are soldiers at the camp and don’t like it when they observe the survivors being used as test subjects. The doctors are trying to come up with a cure. The two defect, and then set up explosives to blow the security keeping the people locked up in the cabins. Unfortunately, all those escaping out the doors are infected, except Tom and Bishop. The friends leave with Vee and Warren, who explain what was happening at camp. After the top government leaders were killed, Lassiter, a far right wing religious nut was put in charge. He ordered the search for a vaccine, only it wasn’t his true objective. Lassiter orders the deployment of pilots to drop the vaccine over many cities and states. The pilots are unwittingly delivering humans up for more massacres as each exposed person turns into a zombie. Lassiter’s goal is to wipe the slate clean of the many Godless people, leaving him in charge of those left. Whelan, the director of the CIA, helped Lassiter carry out his mission – Operation Crop Dust. But when he discovers the leader’s true purpose, he knows Lassiter is insane. He plans an execution of the President, and it was a good one. I’ll leave the pleasure of Lassiter’s demise to the reader.

Meanwhile, Tom, Bishop, Vee and Warren are headed to Columbus, rumored to be a safe haven. Unexpectedly, Vee is kidnapped while the men sleep. Roy belongs to a community with a good set up, but due to his laziness, he was kicked out. Hoping to get back in their good graces, Roy brought the attractive woman to the community. She was a fighter and he didn’t escape injury, mostly to his genitals. When Vee is taken to meet the Chief of the community, she finds him charming and handsome. But that quickly evaporates when he orders Roy placed in the courtyard below, surrounded by zombies. While she dislikes Roy, she is not inhumane and is disgusted by the display as the man is ripped apart. In the meantime, her friends are hot on her trail, and manage to slip inside the main building unseen. Vee is escaping through an air vent and surprises Tom when she drops from above. When they are discovered, it is a gun fueled breakout. A dangerous walk across a board to the adjacent building seems to offer the safest way out. Bishop is last, and as he hesitates, he is shot. Tom is shocked to see who gunned down his friend; Sergeant Lawrence, the soldier who killed his girlfriend Kate in Book 1. Vee tells Tom the man is the Chief. Detailed information was given about the disease and how it was developed. I found it interesting and a believable explanation for the existence of zombies. The story is full of intrigue and several disgusting characters, but also the heroes who do care for their fellow man. I preferred this book to the first one, which I felt had some misinformation about the military. Although there were bad soldiers in this story, there were also good ones. A solid read.

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Myra’s Horror Blog Reviews Necrophobia 2 Jack Hamlyn Horror Necrophobia Book 2 Nightmare, New York. From Manhattan to the Bronx, Queens to Brooklyn, a hellzone of the walking dead, crazed survivalists, and deranged cults. One man will stand against them. One man will fight them street to street. He’ll do anything to find his friends and his son. There’s no pit he won’t crawl through. No enemy he will not face. And God help anyone who gets in his way. Myra’s Review: At the end of Book 1, Steve pledged to start taking the cities back from the undead. Unfortunately, this brilliant desire is put on hold as the group struggles to survive. Steve, Tuck, Riley and Sabelia head to the White Plains National Guard Armory, hoping for supplies, especially ammo. They were out of luck since it had already been cleaned out, and they only found zombies to fight. Except there was one horrifying discovery – soldiers strung upside down and drained of blood. Steve thought it looked ritualistic, but at the back of his mind he couldn’t help but think “vampire”. Shortly after they return to their camp, the survivors are attacked by the undead and ARM, a savage militia group. Steve scouts outside the tower and finds the fence had been cut by ARM, allowing the infected into the compound. Being overrun, the friends seek to escape in the tunnel beneath the camp. After intense fighting with the zombies and a few causalities of the group, the survivors head to Yonkers. There’s an armory located in the Bronx. Steve had served there and hoped the bunker beneath had been left untouched. Thankfully, they did find a stash of 100 | UncagedBooks.com

ammunition and grenades. As they leave, they are attacked by ARM and Steve is separated from his friends. Steve goes through horrific situations as he searches for the others; including climbing over hundreds of piled up undead bodies, to fighting zombies who seem to get worse with each new encounter. Suddenly, he is knocked out by men he thinks are ARM militia, but when he awakens he discovers they are an offshoot of the Army. Not the Army Steve knew though. The leader meets out violent punishment to those who break the rules; medieval actions including torture. Seeking to fit in, Steve goes along with their insanity, but at the first opportunity he escapes. Confiscating one of the Army units helicopters, he heads toward Yonkers to search for his friends. If they are not at that location he knows they will travel to the Catskills. A thoroughly enjoyable read, filled with savage characters that make you wish for the heroes to take them out – which they do. Lots of action against militia and the undead. Never a dull moment. A recommended read for zombie fans and those following Jack Hamlyn.

Tales from the Storm C.R. Langille Horror Anthology

The ending is a mystery. An enjoyable short read. It had the “feel” of a Lovecraft tale.

The storm rages on, leaving death and destruction in its path. With the chaos comes strange tidings and wicked ordeals. From C.R. Langille, author of the Dark Tyrant Series comes a collection of weird and horrifying stories spanning all across history: the Spanish Conquest; the Old West; present day; and even a desolate, apocalyptic future. Haunted hotel rooms, mysterious, mind-bending spots, infernal cargo, and misplaced wishes abound in this collection.

Myra’s Review: This story is set in our world in an apocalyptic future. People live in a pioneer type fashion; such as using horses and use make-shift wagons. One of the main characters drives a “wagon” made of an old Ford pick-up bed, pulled by two plow horses. The people are superstitious. They are reluctant to enter buildings, because the shadows inside may hide unknown dangers. They shudder at rumors of large creatures living in the Dead Lake; a stinky, salty lake. The tale opens with three men going to guard “the spot”. The spot is located in the center of a brick wall, and the people living in the area are concerned with it getting bigger. In fact, the watchers measure it every two hours. What the spot is - was not explained, but I wondered if it were a portal to another dimension. It has hallucinatory effects on those nearby. As the story progresses, there is the discussion of infection. It is not clear if those infected turn violent or simply die. But the people check each other’s eyes for signs of infection after they exit a building or have been around the spot.

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Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews Brimstone Tamara Thorne Horror

generations.

The Brimstone Grand Hotel, owned by reclusive former movie star, Delilah Devine, looms high on Hospital Hill, harboring long-buried family secrets that whisper of unimaginable horrors. Horrors that will echo down through

Amy’s Review: Scarily Horror-fying Ever since I first read a Thorne book, I was hooked by this author’s writing, and the terrifying stories that come from the pen. Brimstone is no different. I really enjoyed the story, and it was a real page turner. So many times my heart almost beat out of my chest. It’s one of those books you can’t pull yourself away from. This story hits all the horror marks, secrets, haunting pasts, bed sweating-screaming nightmares, and lingering evil. The characters, both good and evil have a deep dimension, and fit in well. Thorne writes well, and she writes horror impeccably. I look forward to reading more by this author.

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Career Criminal D. Henderson Urban Fiction Returning from San Quentin during the height of the Crack epidemic Pretty Boy felt like a foreigner in a strange land. The community he once loved and called home was nothing more than the wasted ruins of a forsaken neighborhood. Crack heads and dealers ruled the night, committing crimes so chilling it made gang brutality seem like child’s play. Amy’s Review: Gritty and Raw Henderson pens an interestingly powerful story in Career Criminal. This is the first book that I’ve read by this author, and I definitely see a well-written story. This story itself revolves around “Pretty Boy” and how he wants to go in another direction, other than going back to prison. It’s a powerful and gritty story, and it brings the reader in, not wanting to let go. Drugs, gangs and just being caught up in a life that is too familiar, and maybe too familiar to escape. A definite page-turner, and a highly recommended read. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Consequences JW Robitaille Mystery/Suspense When a young girl attempts suicide as a result of a sexting incident, Detectives Cory Marin, Janelle Ramos, and Makena Neal investigate. When the trail leads to a group of star athletes, no one wants the story told, not school officials and not the students themselves. But Cory, Janelle, and Mac, each for her own reasons, cannot walk away from the powerlessness experienced by the girls. When a student disappears, Cory and her team race to figure out who is responsible before it’s too late. What unfolds is an escalating web of consequences that no one could have anticipated. Amy’s Review: Cory Marin is back! Robitaille pens a grand fourth story in Consequences. Cory Marin is back and ready to take on the next case. It’s an exciting time for Cory, but it is also a bit intense and scary. The book is best read is the others are read before it, though the author writes each one as a stand alone. I really enjoyed this book, and found the case to be interesting, as it seemed there may or may not be a crime committed. Of course Robitaille writes a great story, and is very talented at putting the characters with the mystery of the cases with great intensity and unpredictability. I really enjoyed this story. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Death at Dusk Joshua Robertson Dark Fantasy The princess must die—that’s Brenn Dardrogan’s objective when he, his Dusk Legion partner, and a few expendable sellswords break into the castle at Cavell. But the righteous Crimson Sun’s sudden interference forces the Dusk Legion’s group to chase them through the dangerous dark forest of the Dyndaer. As allegiances among the assassins are called into question and the veracity of their quest becomes doubtful, Brenn must try to strategize the completion of their task without becoming the catalyst to a greater war. Amy’s Review: Incredible storytelling This is the first book I’ve read of Robertson’s, but he just found a new fan. I know there are stories ahead of this one in the Thrice Nine Legends Saga, and I look forward to going back to reading some (or all) of those when I get the time. Death at Dusk was very well-written, and Robinson has a great storytelling ability. This story had me at the beginning, and I continued to turn those pages. (Yes, I got the paperback copy). The story was filled with intrigue, survival and enough darkness to enjoy the light, when there is one. I like Robinson’s writing style, and his means of engagement for the reader. The characters had a lot of depth, and it didn’t matter which side they were on, they all blended and connected in this fantastical world. Indeed, “Life was Chaos.” I look forward to reading more of Robertson’s work.

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Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews Pass It On Chandra Sparks Splond Women’s Fiction In the third book of the Grown Zone series, it’s been a long time since Reese Williams can remember things being good. After getting pregnant her senior year of high school, Reese abandoned her dreams of going to college in order to take care of her baby. Now, years later, she’s starting to wonder if life has more to offer. Amy’s Review: Wonderful story. This author puts together a great story. It was a story filled with hope and dreams. The author definitely writes well. I see that this is the third of a series, and though I didn’t read the first two (and I probably will later), this story wasn’t dependent on the others. Reese is a very strong woman, put in a life-changing situation. Her dreams may feel out of reach, but she puts in the effort to do something about it. Reese was indeed a very likeable character, with a lot of depth, and dimension. I’m honored to have followed along on her journey. I look forward to reading more by this author.

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Reborn Ella Clarke Fantasy Guardian angels were created to protect the human race, but Kendi was never one to simply bow down to authority. Where’s the fun in that? He enjoys being the Guardian gone rogue until he learns that rebellion comes with a price. In Reborn, Kendi begins his journey of reconciliation, hoping to find redemption for his past. He is challenged by a beautiful young woman who shatters every preconceived notion that he has had about the human race but can he learn to love or will it be Amy’s Review: Intriguing story Clarke writes a really intriguing and interesting story in Reborn. The book may fit within the YA readership, but I enjoyed getting to know Kendi, and his family. It showed to me that family is what you make of it, even if it was just to blend in with the humans around them. I found humor and a sense of realism, and this book kept me reading and turning the pages, from beginning to end. The story was told from Kendi’s point of view, and it gave a great sense into his mind set. The book had many action elements as well as intrigue and hope. And Kendi, for wishing he could blend in, definitely did not, and the journey was more than just survival, but being human for such angelic beings. I enjoyed the storytelling and writing style of this author. A captivating story. I look forward to reading more by this author.

The Scorpion John A. Autero Technothriller/Suspense * TOP SECRET * ************** EYES ONLY – Readers intrigued by stories of government conspiracies and the opportunity of opening their eyes to the true reasons behind publicly know historical events. (MJCIA195?PH/topsecret) An old, gray aluminum box is found stashed away on the back of a shelf in a deceased man’s basement. The man’s nephew recalls a story that his uncle told him as a small child that he thinks somehow is connected with the mysterious box Amy’s Review: Grand Thriller Autero pens a thrilling story in The Scorpion: Metamorphosis of Smoke. This is the second book of Autero’s that I’ve read, and I enjoyed it as much as I did the first one. The beginning gives the definition of Metamorphosis, which is not just about telling the reader what it means, but how it links to what is in the story. And so it began, and I enjoyed every page. I liked how each chapter started, with time and place, as it fit the story and plot. The characters were very well-developed, and the conspiracies and cover-ups, and ideas of “The Scorpion” are intriguing, interesting, and believable. I really liked Jack, and how things revolve around him, even when he is trying to lose himself. ““You really want to do that? You think I’m walking around in public without my sidearm?” Jack jerked his head back to glare at him. “We gonna have a shootout right here at the Hardware Hank?” I look forward to reading more by this author.

Verses, Versus, Empire 2 Abdiel Le Roy Leadership/20th Cent. History/Poetry How Obama Made Trump Possible! Confused? You should be! Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2009 before going on to kill record numbers in drone strikes and oversee unprecedented levels of deportation and whistleblower prosecution. Amy’s Review: Another collection of epic proportions I’ve read pretty much all of Leroy’s work, and this one, book II of the Versus Versus Empire collection, I read out of order, but it doesn’t matter. Leroy definitely has skills and talents to write as he does. His words paint a remarkable picture of The Obama Era, and his thoughts flow like the poetry it is. As one who remembers important events during this era of Obama’s Presidency, read each word of every line, and then, I stopped. Just for a moment and stared at the title of the next one, “Binned Laden.” I read those words, repeatedly for several moments, and it took me back. The ideas and thoughts that Leroy shares with his interpretation of the presidents (there are two other volumes), is impeccably insightful. Leroy is indeed a prolific poet. “Jubilant crowds greeted the tidings that Obama had Osama killed abroad, then forthwith hied he to Ground Zero’s site to lay a wreath and reap his rank reward.”

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