Uncaged Book Reviews by Cyrene

ISSUE 54 | JANUARY 2021

2021

*Made by request for eligible ads

note fro m the editor J

anuary 2021 - we have finally kicked 2020 to the curb. For many people, 2020 was a year that tested our resolve, from the pandemic, economic fall, racial justice and the inhumanity of many politicians. From the pandemic alone, we’ve seen food lines around the country and around the world get longer and longer as people struggle to feed their families. We’ve seen businesses shutter their doors for good and employees losing their jobs and not being able to find another. Now, with 2020 in the rearview mirror and new vaccines making their way across the world, will there be enough people vaccinated in the early months of 2021 for the world to return to some semblance of normal? Personally, I think the world has changed permanently, some good, some bad. Here at home, I am still staying the course. Only going to stores when necessary and using curbside pickup when I can. The horses have been a great distraction this past year, and I think will continue to. I did end up throwing my shoulder out on New Year’s Day, but I am working through it as best I can. Uncaged Book Reviews readership is still up dramatically. New readers are finding the magazine and discovering new authors. Uncaged will continue to bring the best possible content as usual. We will be continuing with the “Buy 2, Get 1” promotion we’ve been running. It really does help from a marketing standpoint, to have an advertisment run three months in a row - to repeat in the readers mind. You don’t just see a commercial on TV one time and remember it, right? So we will continue to try and provide the best bang for your buck and get the most eyes we can on your work. Uncaged is supported through advertisements, but the prices will not increase in 2021.

You may now fill out a form on the Requested Reviews Page on the website for your book to be on list for a review. I cannot guarantee a review date for the book, but it will remain on the lists. The tables on the Review page will be revamped in the coming weeks. If you’d like to be a Feature Author, you can also fill out a form on the Reviews/Feature Info Page to request a Feature in 2021. Put in your top 3 choices and this is normally first come/first serve, but I do move around months to keep a good selection of genres in each issue. Soon I will also put up forms for Catch Up Features - these are for past feature authors that have a new book releasing, and we can do a shorter feature, and also a Short Story Submission form. Any author submitting an approved short story receives a full page ad in the same issue. The new forms for Catch Up and Short Story Submissions will be added very soon. Enjoy the January 2021 issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.

Happy New Year X cyrene

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contents featureauthors Anna Lowe 12 fantasy romance 22

Beth Linton

Chris Humphreys

40 54 60

paranormal romance

historical fantasy

Regan Walker

historical fiction

Brenda Jernigan

historical romance

Mary Gillgannon historical romance

C.H. Admirand

Kelly Brakenhoff

Kristy McCaffrey

104

Joe Siple

historical romance

mystery

romantic suspense

contemporary

Issue 54 | January 2021

FangFreakinTastic 114

M.S. Murray paranormal romance

authors and their pets

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

promotion special

03 2020 Uncaged Special Promo specialgallery Lowe shows us one way she 14 Anna researches for her books by traveling to locations in this gallery

COVER IMAGE ©TOM HILL & PNG IMAGE ©TWETTY

4 7 120 124 128

Note from the Editor Contributors|Partnerships Uncaged Reviews FangFreakinTastic Reviews Amy’s Bookshelf Review

Uncaged on Instagram

Issue 54 | January 2021 |

Contributors | Partnerships

Follow Uncaged on Facebook

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

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A little bit of everything. Uncaged review contributors.

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like your banner here, please email me at UncagedBooks@gmail.com Issue 54 | January 2021 |

upcomingconventions Starting in October, Uncaged will start listing conventions for 2021 since so many have been cancelled or modified for 2020. Uncaged will watch for any cancelations or modifications for the 2021 season.

Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference April 10, 2021 Clark, NJ http://www.libertystatesfictionwriters.com/conference/

Coastal Magic Convention - VIRTUAL February 18-21, 2021 https://coastalmagicconvention.com/

Book Lovers Con April 8-11, 2021 Orlando, FL https://www.bookloverscon.com/

Interracial Romance Author’s Expo April 22 -24, 2021 Daytona Beach, FL https://www.irauthorsexpo.com/

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BookCon TBA, New York City, NY https://www.bookcon.com/Home/

Lori Foster’s Reader & Author Get Together (RAGT) June 2–5, 2021; West Chester, OH http://readerauthorgettogether.com/

oas & Tiaras Afternoon Tea B June 12, 2021; Allen, TX https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boas-tiaras-afternoontea-with-kristan-higgins-tickets-81400355655

feature authors

Anna Lowe

Beth Linton

fantasy | paranormal

Chris Humphreys

SA Today and Amazon best selling author Anna Lowe loves putting the “hero” back into heroine and letting location ignite a passionate romance. She loves dogs, sports, and travel – and letting those inspire her fiction. If she’s not hunched over her laptop, working on her latest story, you’ll find her hiking in the mountains or biking country roads. Either way, the day will end with a chunk of dark chocolate and a good read.

Stay Connected

annalowebooks.com

anna l owe 12 | UncagedBooks.com

Uncaged welcomes Anna Lowe Uncaged: Welcome to Uncaged! I’m loving the Fire Maidens series, and you have said it will be a total of nine books. Can you tell readers more about this series? Yes! My new Fire Maidens series of steamy paranormal romance is set in Europe. That’s because I recently wrapped up both my Aloha Shifters series (“Aloha Shifters: Jewels of the Heart” and “Aloha Shifters: Pearls of Desire”) which are set in Hawaii. Those characters and stories were so fun to write! But for a change of pace, I wanted to set my next series in another area of the world I knew readers would enjoy as much as I would: Europe! The premise? Danger lurks over Europe, where a ruthless dragon clan plots to seize power in the grandest, most glamorous cities. The guardians of old have summoned a new generation of shifter heroes to protect the castles, cathedrals, and cobblestoned streets of their ancestral homes — and to seek out the last of the Fire Maidens, women coveted by the dark lords for their royal blood. Those women are absolutely off-limits to the young warriors tasked with protecting them. But destiny, of course, has other ideas… This new series satisfies all of my personal requirements for a great PNR series: stunning locations, a variety of hot shifter heroes (dragons, lions, wolf shifters, & more), relatable heroines on the cusp of an exciting new

life, sizzling romance, and a heavy dose of suspense. Uncaged: One of the ways you make your destinations so believable in Fire Maidens, is you actually live in Europe, and you go to the different places for research. Can you tell us more about that? Do the different cities inspire more content for the books?

back-to-nature hiking experience. But after a week on that stunning island, I knew I’d have to send some dragons swooping over those misty mountains. That’s the great thing about fiction - whatever your imagination serves up, you can do!

I love living in Europe for many reasons, and one is how easy travel is. I can visit Rome one weekend and head off to Venice on another! I also knew readers would enjoy reliving their own travels or visiting new places for the first time through my books, so I started with some of Europe’s grandest, beat-known cities. Hence, Book 1 is Fire Maidens: Paris, Book 2 is Fire Maidens: London, and Book 3 is Fire Maidens: Rome. Usually, I set a story in a place I know, plot out the basic story, and then travel there again as a refresher. On those trips, I scout specific locations, soak in local atmosphere, and gather new inspiration. For example, I traveled to London with Book 2 in my Fire Maidens series in mind. As I strolled around, paying attention to details, I found countless lion statues and references. Those inspired an entire subplot about conflicting shifter factions that added a fascinating new dimension to that book. On that trip, I also discovered all the houseboats in Regent’s Canal, and those inspired my heroine’s unique home. Similarly, I did a “refresher” trip to Venice before writing Book 7 and gathered so much inspiration for the story - from meals the characters eat (spaghetti vongole - yum!), the jobs they work (in this case, protecting the ecosystems of the lagoon), to off-the-beaten track locations for pivotal scenes. I won’t reveal all now, but I can tell you that an abandoned fortress forms the backdrop for a sizzling love scene and the climactic battle takes place near a historic church with its tall bell tower. It’s also happened that I’ve travelled without intending to write about that place, but it ends up inspiring a story anyway! That’s what happened with Fire Maidens: Portugal (Book 4 of the series). My family and I went to the island of Madeira for a trip intended purely as a

If you’re curious for more, check out all the bonus extras I post on my website, including a “making of” for each of my books, where you can read more about the funny little experiences and places that turned into major plot points for each of my books. PLEASE SEE PAGES 14-15 FOR A STUNNING GALLERY OF PLACES ANNA LOWE HAS TAKEN PICTURES OF FOR RESEARCH OF HER BOOKS ALONG WITH A GREAT VIDEO GIVING US MORE INFORMATION ON HER TRIP TO VENICE. Uncaged: Now that there may be an end in sight to the pandemic, what are you looking forward to doing that you haven’t been able to do when it’s finally over? I can’t wait to travel again - but my first trip will be to visit family in the US. I miss them so much! After that, Greece and Norway are high on my list. Why such opposites? Well, no matter how many times you’ve been to Greece, there are always more islands to explore. Plus, Book 8 of Fire Maidens series is set there! I’m mostly interested in Norway Issue 54 | January 2021 |

In this gallery, see the real places that inspired the books! Anna Lowe takes us to London and Venice. Please check out her website for more!

London Market

London Houseboat

London Picadilly

London Lion

London Notting Hill

Venice - Restaurant

Venice - Lion Venice - Dinner CLICK TO PLAY

| FEATURE AUTHOR | for the wilderness and to possibly see the Northern Lights. I’m not currently planning to set a story there, but you never know! Uncaged: Do you edit out anything substantial in your novels in the editing process? Do you make that extra content available in any way to readers if you do? I’m a plotter, so I usually avoid writing scenes that don’t make it into the final cut. However, I do invest lots of time into crafting bonus scenes for my fans. Those aren’t rejected scenes - they’re totally new, carefully plotted vignettes that allow me and readers spend a little more time with the heroes and heroines we’ve grown to love. That way, you get a glimpse of each couple’s happily-ever-after. Some of these bonus epilogues are sultry and steamy, while others have a hint of danger, and still others are whimsical - like the delightful bonus scene to “Fire Maidens: Scotland” with its frolicking unicorns. I write a bonus scene for every single book, which means I have dozens now - all free to newsletter subscribers! If you’re interested, go to my author website (annalowebooks.com) and click on “free” to subscribe - you’ll also receive two free audiobooks! Uncaged: What was the first book that made you laugh and/or cry? I can’t remember which was the first, but I have to admit to laughing at lots of my own jokes - notably, the cute hero/heroine dynamic in Fire Maidens: London. Liam, the hero, openly admits he’s a lion shifter, but Gemma, the heroine, thinks he’s crazy. So that makes for some really funny moments along the way. I cry too, but mostly happy tears. The first book I wrote with a truly tear-jerking scene was “Desert Heart” in my Twin Moon series. That’s still one of my all-time favorites, along with “Salvation” in my Blue Moon Saloon series. But I like balancing that out with enough humor to keep the story upbeat. After all, fiction is something that helps us escape 16 | UncagedBooks.com

the real world. Don’t you agree? Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working? I love the outdoors -- hiking, biking, and hopefully new this winter - snowshoeing! I’m also an avid quilter. Another favorite is baking with my kids or settling down with them for a movie night - we all snuggle under a big blanket on the couch and enjoy a quiet evening in. Uncaged: How many hours a day do you write? On average, how long does it take to write a full novel? I write anywhere from thirty minutes to six hours a day, depending on family considerations. My sweet spot is about two to four hours a day -- long enough to get into a story, but not so long that I get worn out. However, writing is just one part of an independent author’s day. There are always lots of business tasks to tend to, and those can sometimes take as long as (or longer) as writing. If I really put my head down and write, I can finish a book in three to five weeks. But I usually prefer to balance that out with family time and a little time for myself, so two to three months is my usual pace nowadays. My kids are growing up so fast, and I know if I blink, I’ll miss it, so that’s too precious to compromise on. I hope my readers understand! Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now? I love physical books, but nothing beats the practicality (and affordability) of ebooks. I also enjoy audio in shorter batches, especially while cooking, driving, or doing chores. I’m not good at sitting still, so listening to audio in parallel to other things is perfect for me! Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? To fans, I say thank you so much your lovely reviews, comments, and emails! Thanks for believing in me, and thanks for exploring my story worlds. Readers/listen-

ers new to my work should check out my website and newsletter for free books, audiobooks, and great deals, or they can follow me on Facebook to see what I’m up to from day to day!

Enjoy an excerpt from Fire Maidens: London Fire Maidens: London Anna Lowe Fantasy Romance A lionhearted hero confronts scheming shifter factions & the woman of his dreams. “Rebel with a cause” Gemma Archer flees Boston one step ahead of a creepy stalker. Now she’s in London, trying to build a new normal — and absolutely, positively not getting involved with any men. That is, until an irresistible stranger prowls into her life. Liam is a sweet, sexy modern-day knight who sparks her sizzling desires. The problem? He’s as loony as some of her relatives. Dragons? Lion shifters? Werewolves? The poor man really seems to believe the tales he spins. Liam Bennett is fresh out of the military and doing his best to adjust to civilian life. But fitting in was never his forte as a shifter of mixed blood. He’s part lion — a member of London’s most noble family — and part rogue, with “undesirable” dragon blood. When the Guardians of London hire him to help maintain law and order, Liam jumps at the chance to prove himself. Soon, he discovers nothing is as it seems — not among his allies, enemies, or even his own family. The only thing he can be sure of is the danger Gemma is in. A deadly foe has stalked Gemma for thousands of miles, and Liam has no choice but to spirit away his destined mate to his ancestral dragon home — the remote castle in Wales he’s been avoiding for years. But hiding out is not enough. Can Liam and Gemma

| ANNA LOWE | survive cunning enemies and the deceptions of the past? Excerpt Liam stood on guard all afternoon, watching every passerby on Notting Hill for any hint of danger. All in all, it was like some of the guard posts he’d been assigned in the military, without the sandbags and mortars. Plus, there was a huge bonus because Gemma would peek out the shop window from time to time, making his soul sing. We belong together, his inner lion sighed. True, but he would have to convince Gemma of that, and she thought he was insane. Eventually, not long after six, the bell over the map shop door jingled, and Gemma exited, calling goodbye to her boss. Then she stopped, put her hands on her hips, and looked straight at Liam. Her expression wavered between I can’t believe you’re still here and It’s so nice to see you, and Liam was glad too. Then she spun on her heel and headed resolutely down the road. The twisted bun she wore her long, blackish-brown hair in that day bounced as she strode along. He hurried over and fell into step beside her. “Did you have a good day?” She threw him an exasperated look. “Yes. No dragons.” He gave his chest a little pat. “See? It pays to have a bodyguard.” She hid the smile and whatever flirty comeback she’d had on the tip of her tongue. “How exactly are you going to protect me against dragons? Are you a knight or something?” He laughed. “No. Just a lion.” Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | Her step hitched, but she covered it up. “I see. A lion.” Boy, she really did think he was crazy. But that was all right. Even liberating, in a way, not having to be constantly on guard against letting the truth slip. “A lion shifter, actually. We can change back and forth.” “I see. Your whole family?” He decided not to go into details, like the fact that his father had been a dragon shifter. “Most of us, anyway.” “Aha. And how exactly would a lion protect me? Dragons can breathe fire, right?” That was exactly the question he’d been mulling over all afternoon. “The trick will be to keep them on neutral territory where they can’t shift into dragon form. They wouldn’t want to be seen.” “Oh no. They definitely wouldn’t want to be seen,” she said in that indulgent tone. He motioned around. “Open streets, the Underground — that should be all right. We’ll have to be careful of wide-open spaces, though.” She shot him a piteous look, then glanced away again. “Military training helps too,” he added. “You know, in case it comes to hand-to-hand combat.” It was a joke, but Gemma looked dead serious. “You were in the British Army?” “No, the French Foreign Legion.” Her jaw swung open — the usual reaction he got. “Really?” He nodded. “I was rebelling. You know — not 18 | UncagedBooks.com

wanting to conform to what the family wants for you.” Funny how some things don’t change, he almost added. “Where did you serve?” “Oh, you know…” He motioned around, summing up thousands of miles and ten years with a wave of his hand. “Mali. Burkina Faso. The Middle East.” He fingered the scar on his abdomen, then brightened. “We also had some joint training operations in Martinique.” Her expression oozed sorrow, and he could just about read her mind. Gemma probably thought he was suffering from a bizarre case of PTSD in which he transformed human enemies into dragons, lions, and wolves. He changed the subject. “What about you?” She shook her head. “I decided against joining the Foreign Legion.” For a moment, he stared, then burst out laughing. “You got me there.” She smiled one of those starburst smiles that warmed him from the inside. “No military. I did fence, though.” She swiped a wrist expertly, and he pictured a sword flashing. “That might come in handy.” “What? Against dragons — or strange men who follow me around?” He chuckled. “Touché, fair lady. Touché.”

beth l inton

eth Linton is the author of The Guardians’ Trust series - paranormal fantasy romance novels that feature passion, adventure, and shapeshifters. She wrote her first novel aged eight on her mother’s old typewriter. The (very badly written) novel is now lost in an attic but the dream of being a writer and having a book cover remained. As the years passed, she devoured books hungrily. With the everyday demands of motherhood, work and daily life, she discovered the pleasure a good romance can bring… and, even better, the escape and passion a great paranormal/fantasy romance offers – and so turned her hand to writing them. Beth Linton lives in North Wales, UK. Beth is often found with her laptop on her lap absorbed with her characters as her son happily plays Lego, her jungle of houseplants grows and wild birds visit her bird feeders as her husband weeds the vegetable patch. Beth was recently featured in Chester University’s Author’s Corner, 2020.

Stay Connected

bethlinton.co.uk 22 | UncagedBooks.com

Uncaged welcomes Beth Linton Uncaged: Welcome to Uncaged! Your latest book, Meri, is the third book in your series, The Guardians’ Trust. Can you tell readers more about this series and the doppleganger inspiration? How many books are you planning on for this series? First of all, thank you for having me at Uncaged and for the opportunity to share my romance series with your readers. The Guardians’ Trust books are a contemporary fantasy/paranormal romance series. The premise of the series is that some women (and men) are born identical - one in the human world, one in the tropical jungle of the Other Realm. It is their fate to change places, their exchange playing a part in defeating the self-proclaimed king who rules the Other Realm.

The women of the series are strong and clever: leaders, professionals, warriors (for Greenpeace and the army!) and they are all brave, fighting for what they want – no passive, simpering heroines!

also. Each book tells a complete story but works to further the plot of the series as a whole. While the first three books are out, the next two stories will be released in the New Year.

The human Doubles cross into an Amazonian world, join the Resistance in their fight against a misogynistic dictator, and make an arranged marriage with the man Mother Nature birthed as her mate – a fate that is akin to stepping back in time… no iPads or indoor plumbing. The women in the Other Realm cross to join the human world and marry members of the Guardians’ Trust, a wealthy family group who guard the gateway between the two worlds.

Uncaged: Your series has deep connections to Chester and North Wales, near where you live. Do you visit the locations for more detail and inspiration?

Of course, the men are strong and attractive, brave and protective – but on equal terms, valuing the women in their lives as partners and lovers. They value strength, they aren’t intimidated by it. The idea of Doubles, identical people born to swap places, came from reading about different cultures’ traditions, myths, and legends. My series incorporates Welsh history and Celtic beliefs, but I also draw on folklore from a range of countries. There are seventeen books in The Guardians’ Trust series and I’m planning a prequel series of six novels,

Yes, I do! I live in North Wales, one of six Celtic nations, not far from the English boarder and The Guardians’ Trust series is set in a similar location – about an hour from the (now) English city of Chester. I’ve visited Conway and Beaumaris castles as part of my research into the Welsh rebellion of 1400 (the prequel I’m planning is a historical fantasy romance series), but many of the locations I include in The Guardians’ Trust are places that are part of my everyday life, places that I love and know well: The hall lived in by the Guardians is based loosely on Erddig (a National Trust property not that far from Chester) where my family and I go walking often. The heroine from book one of the series is a vet at Chester Zoo. We’re members of the zoo and visit frequently. Meri, in book three, is a doctor at my local hospital and some of my villain’s victims

Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | are students at the University of Chester (where I attended). Likewise, Siana visits Chester city center in book two. The famous Eastgate Clock is mentioned, as is the charity Santa Run. My family take part in this run every year! Uncaged: Now that there may be an end in sight to the pandemic, what are you looking forward to doing that you haven’t been able to do when it’s finally over? Meet up with friends and family. I can’t wait to be able to give my parents a hug and I’m looking forward to being able to sit inside a friend’s house for a coffee. With the weather so cold, spending time with people is harder than it was in the summer so when we can meet indoors again that will feel like a real luxury. Uncaged: Do you edit out anything substantial in your novels in the editing process? Do you make that extra content available in any way to readers if you do? This question really got me thinking... I often don’t edit out a significant scene, it’s more a case of plot being refined and drafted over time, but sometimes I remove chunks of a scene written from a character’s point of view. For example: I might write an argument from the hero’s perspective but cut that out because I want the reader to experience the argument from the heroine’s perspective. I’ve been trying to think about free bonus material I could give to my newsletter readers – maybe this is it! Uncaged: What was the first book that made you laugh and/or cry? Laughing out loud moments? Bridget Jones’ Diary. I read this on holiday one year and it was just hilarious, mainly because there were so many universal truths in it for women! On the other side of the scale is LaVyrle Spencer’s Morning Glory. This novel made me sob. And I mean loud, inelegant, heaving sobs. An incred24 | UncagedBooks.com

ibly moving romance story that threatened to break my heart. Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working? I love to grow things. I grow vegetables in the summer and I planted a section of cottage garden flowers this year in lockdown. I also love houseplants. I save the seeds from oranges and lemons and grow them into little trees – it’s surprisingly easy. It’s a good job my husband likes plants because he may come home to a jungle one day! I also like to catch up with friends – I love the theatre – and enjoy family outings with my husband and son. Nothing fancy. I like the outdoors and a picnic. Uncaged: How many hours a day do you write? On average, how long does it take to write a full novel? This should be a straightforward question but any working mother reading this will know that, as a mum, your time is rarely your own. I write everyday but the time might vary from twenty minutes to several hours depending on what’s going on around me. I’ve become inventive: I write in the car while I wait for a sports lesson to finish (I can’t go in and watch because of covid) and I take my laptop everywhere. I’ve become an expert at being able to stop midsentence to avert a Lego disaster and then resume where I left off, whether that’s two minutes or two hours later. My favorite time to write is in the morning. I get up early to sit with my laptop and two essential coffees – precious me time when I’m not interrupted. As for how long it takes to write a novel, again my answer isn’t going to be very helpful! I don’t always write in a chronological order. For me writing is like completing a mental tapestry. There are threads in my mind that need to be woven into a picture. As I weave, the picture develops but sometimes the process takes me from weaving book four to book nine because a thread connects them.

Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now? If you’d asked me a few years ago I would have said paperbacks, but now I read almost everything on my Kindle, it’s just so convenient (especially in a pandemic). I also like audiobooks and at the moment I’ve buddied up with my son to listen to Jessica Townsend’s YA Nevermoor series. It’s great so far! Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? 2020 has been a strangely awful year and the pandemic has reinforced to me how important reading (and writing) is for mental health. Keats and the Romantics wrote about escaping the bleakness of the Industrial Revolution through the power of the imagination. They were definitely onto something… perhaps the same

| BETH LINTON | is true now? Stories offer escape and distraction. And romance, in particular, offers comfort. I need comfort. If my stories can offer you even a sliver of the joy they have brought me this year then I’ll be happy - but if I’m not your cup of tea, there are loads of great romance authors out there, so reach for a book. Stay safe and happy reading. If you’re a reader or a writer I’d love to hear from you. I’ll always write back. Let me know if you have any good romance recommendations!

Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR |

Enjoy an excerpt from Meri Meri Beth Linton Paranormal Romance Some women are born identical - one in the human world, one in the jungle of the Other Realm. It is their fate to change places. Book three of The Guardians’ Trust series tells Meri’s story…

IN LUST WITH HER HUSBAND When Dr Meri Stevens discovers she’s destined to take her medical skills across the gateway to aid the Resistance, her ordered life is thrown into chaos. She trades the hospital for a jungle, a war, and a husband she craves. Struggling to cope with the changes in her life, can Meri accept love and fulfil her destiny? ANIMAL PASSION Handsome and good-spirited, Cadell uses humor to conceal his desire for a family. Named for Meri, he throws heart and soul into the match and as the Resistance fight for survival, Cadell fights for his future… and soon two wolves join their war. Excerpt Hands behind her head, Meri glared up at her bedroom ceiling as tentative morning light reached in through the windows. After Maddox’s announcement last night, she’d listened with growing unease as he’d spun her the most preposterous story she had ever heard: Doubles, a gateway, and an Other Realm fighting for its life against an evil tyrant. When Maddox had confessed to being six 26 | UncagedBooks.com

hundred nineteen years old, she’d had serious doubts about his sanity. She’d taken a long drink of the wine he’d given her and then looked to Marc and Cole for sense. She’d found none. Instead, they’d eyed her worriedly, looked at her as though she might break … and she’d known: they believed this fairy tale Maddox was selling. Her best friend and the family she had adopted as her own were deluded. They thought—no believed— that she was one of these Doubles, that she needed to make this Exchange in two days’ time and step through some freezing waterfall to live in a war zone and marry a stranger! The Trust was a cult! Well, she wasn’t buying into their weird religion. Last night, the sky had been snow-laden, the carpet of white increasingly thick by the time she’d left the kitchen. Too dark and too dangerous to drive, she’d taken refuge in her room. Across the dim bedroom, she eyed the chair she’d wedged under her door handle. As soon as it was safe, she’d load up her car and head out. Cocooned in her bed, she rolled to stare out of the window. She’d left the curtains open, and outside, she could see thickly falling white. It was still snowing. White flakes coming down in windy blusters that rattled the small diamond panes of ancient glass. What if she couldn’t leave? The Guardians’ Trust was an expanse of forest and hills. The hall sat at the heart of that land, the forest surrounding it. With weather as bad as it was, they were likely to be snowed in. Meri watched the snow fall and clung to her anger, but beneath it, there was hurt: hurt at Marc’s betrayal, hurt that the family she loved had been ripped away. She could only assume the rest of the family were as entrenched as Marc and Cole were in Maddox’s madness because surely Pryce would have had him committed long ago if not. Closing her eyes, she sighed as sadness closed in as the snowstorm roiled outside. Beneath her lids, images of her dream rose to comfort her: a dense jungle, its canopy vibrant with life, the scent of spice and heat wafting on the hot wind. Mountains of yellowed rock

| BETH LINTON | and terracotta cliffs curving dramatically. And a man. Meri smiled softly as she remembered the man in her dream… He was handsome: his face with strong masculine lines, his hair a dirty blond, and his eyes had shone amber fire. Meri shivered, but this time not from unease. He’d looked at her as though she were his world, as though she had his heart and he craved her. She’d called his name in her sleep, the sound waking her from her dream… Cadell. It was a name she didn’t know. But it had suited him. Meri’s eyes popped open, her memories scattering, when a quiet knock sounded on her bedroom door. She glanced at the clock. Eight in the morning. Marc? The knock sounded again, hesitant, soft. “Meri?” It was Siana, Pryce’s wife. They’d married that May. “Meri, can I come in?” Meri considered this. New to the Trust, Siana was probably the most likely to have a memory of sanity and if she was snowed in, she’d need an ally. She scrambled from her bed and went to remove the chair. After freeing the handle, she pulled open the door. Ignoring Siana’s startled look, she checked the corridor. They were alone. With a swift yank, Meri pulled her inside. Siana seemed bemused, then concerned, when Meri wedged the door closed again. “What are you doing? You can’t seriously think you are at risk here. You’re part of the family. No one is going to hurt you.” Meri grunted but didn’t shift the chair. Instead, she eyed Siana thoughtfully. When she’d first met her, Siana had been a quiet, almost shy woman. She’d grown in confidence since her marriage. Meri just hoped that confidence was due to her obvious happiness with Pryce and not down to the discovery of a strange new religion, Maddox as its head. “Tell me, Siana, why are you here?” Siana settled on the end of the bed, her dressing gown fastened tightly around her. Meri frowned. A memory of the dressing gown Maddox carried last night rising.

“I came to see if you were all right. Pryce told me Maddox spoke to you last night and that you were upset.” “Upset?” Meri eyed the other woman closely. She seemed normal and balanced. “Siana, I was angry. Hurt that all this has been going on beneath the surface and I had no idea.” Siana visibly deflated. “No one meant to keep any of this from you. They were going to tell you…” “I don’t mean I’m hurt that I wasn’t told the story,” Meri corrected. “I mean I’m hurt that the family I love is a cult! You can’t seriously believe…” she trailed off when Siana’s oval face remained all calm, her chocolate eyes steady. “My God! You believe it too!” Meri felt like shaking her. “But how can you swallow this preposterous story? You are an intelligent woman, Siana, an outsider who married into this family. You can’t seriously believe—” “In the Other Realm?” Siana finished for her. “Meri, I’m sure our story does sound crazy to you. The notion of another realm located through the gateway on this land sounds ridiculous, yet I can assure you it isn’t. The Guardians’ Trust are descended from an ancient group who have always held this land. They have protected the gateway for generations, for centuries. Several hundred years ago, the Exchange came to pass. Women from this world swapped places with their identical Doubles from the Other Realm. This exchange of women leached the infection from Affinity that had been growing. It was an attempt to prevent the birth of an evil man named Griffin Fionn.” Siana took a deep breath. “It might sound fanciful to you, but I can assure you it is not.” Meri paced across the bedroom, feeling caged. This was ridiculous! “But another world, Siana? Doubles? You can’t seriously believe…” Siana lifted her chin. “I am a Double, Meri. I am from this Other Realm. I came here to marry Pryce. My Double is a woman called Dr. Ana Jones. She was a vet at Chester Zoo. She left in the spring to take my place and I came here.” Meri froze. This was so much worse than she’d Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | thought. “Oh, Siana,” she said. “I can get you help. You haven’t been here that long. There are experts who can treat Stockholm syndrome and…” Siana shook her head. “My land is very different to this world. The gateway is high on a mountain above the terracotta cliffs that form the palace Griffin stole from his family. The gateway’s pool leads to a breathtaking view of our realm: a canopy of jungle that stretches to the horizon.” Siana smiled. “The Resistance live on the highest mountain peak made from yellow stone. The jungle is still thick, even at such altitude, and the air is hot and spiced.” Meri’s jaw slackened in shock as Siana described her dream so precisely. “How did you…? Maddox didn’t describe the Other Realm to me last night. What you describe, I saw in my dream.” “You dreamed of my world?” Siana asked eagerly. “What else did you see?” “Trees laden with fruit, caves that people clearly lived in while children played outside. The scent of flowers mixed with spice on the wind,” Meri added faintly. Siana clapped her hands. “The Resistance. The place you describe is the Retreat, where I lived for the last five years of my life there.” Meri sank down onto the bed, suddenly feeling dizzy. It could not be—yet her dream had been the most vivid of her life, so real. Her cheeks heated. Siana seemed to notice. “Did you dream of any people—of a man?” “Cadell,” Meri said faintly. “I dreamed of a man named Cadell.” “Cadell?” Siana laughed, clearly delighted. “He is a good man, a member of the Macfione House. He will make you a fine husband.”

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chris hu m phreys

hris (C.C.) Humphreys has played Hamlet in Calgary, a gladiator in Tunisia, and a dead immortal in Highlander; he’s waltzed in London’s West End, conned the landlord of the Rovers Return in Coronation Street, commanded a starfleet in Andromeda, and voiced Salem the cat in the original Sabrina. He has published 20 novels including The French Executioner, The Jack Absolute Trilogy; Vlad – The Last Confession; A Place Called Armageddon; and Shakespeare’s Rebel. His novel Plague won the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel in Canada in 2015. He is now also writing epic fantasy with the Immortals’ Blood Trilogy, for Gollancz; the first book, Smoke in the Glass, was published in 2019 and Book Two: The Coming of the Dark in 2020. The epic conclusion, The Wars of Gods and Men, will be published in 2021. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. He wears a unicorn signet ring and always wondered why. The Hunt of the Unicorn begins to answer that question.

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authorchrishumphreys.com

32 | UncagedBooks.com

Uncaged Welcomes Chris Humphreys Uncaged: Welcome to Uncaged! You just released the third book in The Tapestry Trilogy. Can you tell readers more about this series? Sure! I had written a YA fantasy trilogy for Knopf in New York called The Runestone Saga and my editor asked, ‘what next?’. To be honest I’d been lured into fantasy, away from what I had been writing - historical fiction – just because I’d had a good idea. I sat at my desk trying to find another and fiddling with the ring on my finger. Finally I looked at it and thought, “Why, since the age of 18, have I worn a unicorn on my hand? What does that symbol mean?” So I started researching – and the first things that came up were that a unicorn was unconquerable – except by a maiden. That it could cure sickness and dissolve poisons with a touch of its horn (where are the unicorns now when we need them?) and that they were depicted in the amazing Unicorn Tapestries in New York City. I suddenly had the beginning of a story which I then teased into the first book, The Hunt of the Unicorn and the world of Goloth, Land of the Fabulous Beast. Thought it was a stand alone. But a few years later, Elayne and her unicorn Moonspill kinda nagged at me to write more. And I started thinking about dragons. Hence the second book, The Hunt of the Dragon and the return to Goloth. Finally I knew that I couldn’t leave it there. What if there were dragons sleeping all over our world, waiting for the passing of man so they could wake up and take over? What if they had an ability to shape-shift, as some of the Asian dragons do? Look like human long enough to… kill them! Serial killer shapes-shifting dragons? Oh yes! So The Hunt of the Shapeshifters was born. Uncaged: You also write as C.C. Humphreys. Do you use the different spellings to differentiate between genres that you write in? I do. I started out as an historical fiction writer and still return to it. I love both genres – and I always hope that people will read both because they like the Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | way I tell a story. Uncaged: You are also an actor, so if your books were chosen to go to film, and you could choose the cast and the director, who would you want to act in the main roles? Who would you like to direct? Good question! My style of writing is very filmic so… These books? I would like some unknown but super talented young actor to play Elayne. Moonspill would have to be animated but his voice? I do a lot of voice work so I would love to do it, but if we need a name… Benedict Cumberbatch (Voice of Smaug in The Hobbit, of course). To direct? I really like the quirkiness of the British director, Ben Wheatley (Rebecca). Be nice to see the movie not straight blockbuster but as different as the books are. (Mind you, I’d take straight blockbuster too) Uncaged: Now that there may be an end in sight to the pandemic, what are you looking forward to doing that you haven’t been able to do when it’s finally over? Obvious answer: travel. I live on a small island in the Pacific Northwest which is gorgeous and peaceful… but I am a Londoner. I do miss a big city vibe. And going to the theatre, and movies and concerts – I really miss live entertainment Uncaged: Do you edit out anything substantial in your novels in the editing process? Do you make that extra content available in any way to readers if you do? It varies. I’ve found that as I have gotten more experienced – The Hunt of the Shapeshifters is my 20th novel – my first drafts have got progressively cleaner i.e. I pretty much get into them what I want. I quite often expand in the editing process. But things do get cut, yes. I haven’t made the ‘outttakes’ available yet. Do you think I should? Uncaged answer: YES! 34 | UncagedBooks.com

Uncaged: What was the first book that made you laugh and/or cry? As a child (in California, lived there till I was 7 before moving to London), I loved what used to be called comics but are now properly called graphic novels. I was obsessed by one: ‘White Fang’, Jack London’s amazing story of a wolf cub. That made me cry. Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working? I run through the forests where I live. I am a pretty good cook, so enjoy that. A good book, or a good movie. I have the Criterion Channel for classic movies so have been educating myself. Uncaged: How many hours a day do you write? On average, how long does it take to write a full novel? It really depends on the stage of the process. First drafts I like to write from my first cup of coffee around 730AM to lunch about noon. Second drafts and editing I can go all day. In fact, I need to be driven out of my hut with hounds! I have written 20 novels in 20 years so… Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now? I do like the scent, heft and feel of a real book. Though strangely I am making quite a lot of my living as an audiobook narrator these days. It feels like acting and writing combined. Right now? I am reading WW2 history, specifically on the Norwegian Resistance. My mum was a spy in it! I am going to write a novel set in that world. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? I write across several genres because I love them all – so I would encourage people to pick up ‘The Tapestry Trilogy’ even if they don’t usually read fantasy. I hope that people will get into the way I tell stories – big on character, wild adventures and always some humor –

and read me whatever the genre. And stay safe- what better time to stay in with your loved ones and a good book?

Enjoy an excerpt from The Hunt of the Unicorn The Hunt of the Unicorn Chris Humphreys Historical Fantasy The Unicorn Tapestries in New York are a medieval masterpiece—and a mystery. No one knows who wove them, who for, or when. Elayne knows . . . kinda. At least, she’s been told by her father that their ancestor wove them. Not only that, he left a doorway in the tapestries which opens onto Goloth, the Land of the Fabulous Beasts. She doesn’t believe any of it—until, on a class trip to the museum, she is summoned through the tapestries by Moonspill. A real, live unicorn. Moonspill and her weaver-ancestor had made a pact: that if either of them were desperate, they (or their descendants) would come to the other’s aid. Moonspill’s mate is about to be slaughtered in the arena by a tyrant king. He needs a maiden to tame him so he can enter the world of man and free her. Elayne knows nothing about taming—she barely passed calculus! But through some extreme adventures in that magical land she realizes something: if human myths are true in Goloth, why not the one where a unicorn can cure all poisons—including the cancer in her father’s blood? Attacked by a griffin, befriended by a talking snake, pursued by a lecherous king, Elayne must somehow find the skills and the courage she needs to save the two beings she loves most in either world: her father and her unicorn. Excerpt

| CHRIS HUMPHREYS | Elayne was taking no chances. She looked away from one horror . . . to another. To a creature with two heads, one roaring, one . . . bleating! A lion’s head on a lion’s body . . . but with a goat’s head coming out of the same neck. And its tail wasn’t a tail at all but a snake, its head writhing up, craning around. “What the hell is that?” Chimera. “It looks like some freaky Frankenstein experiment!” she gibbered, stole another glance, wished she hadn’t— because right behind this Chimera rose another. Now six heads were roaring, bleating, hissing. The other creatures began to call too—both manticores singing in terrible, beautiful harmony. Both cockatrices crowing through their rooster beaks. In a moment. You have waited this long. She realized Moonspill wasn’t talking to her when the six Chimera heads all snapped their jaws shut, the manticores stopped singing, the cockatrices fell silent. “You . . . you understand them?” she said out loud. Yes. We each can understand the other. At last, Moonspill halted. He craned his neck around, one eye looking at her. Do you desire to understand them too? “No thanks!” Elayne felt there had been quite enough weirdness without being able to converse with something that wanted her for lunch. “But, if I did, um . . . how?” Moonspill gave a short cry. She wondered if he meant her to imitate him, the way Ms. Colbert did at school with French. But then she saw movement and realized that he’d called someone. Something. Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | It came slithering down the slope. When it reached the pool’s edge, the straight line became a circle, which spun toward them. It looked like a very large Hula-Hoop—until it stopped beside them. She could see it properly now, how it was much thicker than any hoop and made of . . . scales, in a blue-green diamond pattern. For a moment, it kept its circular shape until, at the bulge in its middle, a set of jaws opened. It was a two-headed snake. Twelve feet long at least from head to . . . head, both of which now rose, stretching to where her ankle rested on Moonspill’s flank. Four yellow eyes gazed up. She jerked her foot out of the way, fast. A sound came from each of the heads, neither rattle nor hiss, closer to the sound the unicorn made when he called, only much, much softer. Moonspill responded with almost a whimper in his throat. And then the weirdness reached a new height . . . because one of the snake heads started talking. In English. Kinda. “In sooth, Moonspill? The fair maid doth speak the tongue of the sea-girt isle? Marry, ’tis an age since any would converse with us in those harmonious tones. Prithee, damsel. Enchant us with a word!” Yellow eyes stared. “Eh?” Elayne managed. “ ’Tis a letter, not a word.” It was the other head that spoke. “Match it with another and make of it a brace, I pray you.” She looked at the four eyes, at the two tongues flicking between scaly lips. Licked her own. “Um, sorry, guys. But . . . what?” “Zounds!”—the first snake’s head shook as it turned to stare at its twin—“but the language is much marred since the time of the bards, is’t not?” “Marry, ’tis,” replied the other. “Yet if she would but speak on, we’ll have the knack of it in a trice, I fancy.” 36 | UncagedBooks.com

The first turned back. “Aye, prithee, do, and let us hear of it.” “Um . . . M-M-Moonspill?” Elayne began. His words came. It is the amphisbaena. The teacher of languages. If you speak, they will listen and learn. But if you would learn from them, then let Amphis and Baena bring you the gift of tongues. They will learn yours too, which is their great desire. Elayne swallowed. “Um, OK?” she replied, nervous but intrigued. One head dropped to the ground, while the first—she had no idea who was who—slid up Moonspill’s leg and circled around her. The other followed . . . and she had to stop herself from screaming, because each snake opened its jaws and pressed its mouth to her ears, taking them all in—which was bad enough, until something flickered there. “Eww!” she bleated, like one of the Chimera’s heads. “Does the gift of tongues have to be so . . . literal? Can’t they— O-oh!” It was as if tuning forks had been struck, one high, one low, instantly blending into one . . . which faded but did not vanish, providing a base for two more notes. While those still hung in the ear, more came. Single notes, sliding together, forming waves of sound that flowed through her ears, into her head, flooding her whole body. Elayne’s eyes snapped shut. She swayed. “Ugh” was the most complete sound she could make. The hum grew, as if a choir were doing the humming, in total harmony. There were no words. Yet it felt to her that it was all words. Every word, every thing, captured, held in sound. It shifted. And then she was no longer listening to the waves, she was the waves, one part of the harmony. Words did come now, yet spoken by thousands of voices, hundreds of thousands, so many that words

| CHRIS HUMPHREYS | themselves were indistinguishable—and yet she heard every one. They weren’t in languages. They were language itself. It was overwhelming—and wonderful! She didn’t think she’d ever been so . . . in tune with the world and everything in it. Even if that world was Goloth, and totally weird, this feeling was . . . “Ohhh!” She opened her eyes. She was on the ground, with no memory of how she got there. One of the heads hovered above her, yellow eyes fixed on hers. Moonspill stood, long neck bent down so he could look at her. There were so many words in her head, in so many tongues, that Elayne found it hard to settle on any. Finally, she blurted, “That was amazing!” One snake’s head spoke. “Forsooth, ’twas a pleasure to bring, and to take, such delight.”

to my memories?” “Uh-uh.” Both heads shook; one spoke. “Only, like, when they relate to language. You talked like that because your friends did, and then you grew out of it and, you know, cleaned up your slang.” The eyes narrowed in ecstasy. “Slang! Sweet!” “Stop!” she yelped, putting her hands over her ears. “You guys are freaking me out!” One head turned to the other. “Zounds! ’Tis a strange use of the word!” “Whatever! She wants us outta here.” The one nodded its head. “Got it. Gone. Catch you later, girlfriend!”

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The other head rose beside it, eyes gleaming as it spoke. “Awesome, huh?” Elayne stared at him. It took a moment. “ ‘Awesome’?” “Totally!” he replied. “Language. It’s, like”—if something without shoulders could shrug, it did then— “way cool.” She was stunned . . . and then outraged. She sat up. “I do not talk like that!” “Do too!” “Do not!” “Nay, Baena, she doth not,” interrupted the other snake— obviously Amphis. “Mayhap, for a time when she was in the grade of the six. Before Lederer’s daughter spoke slander of her parentage and she left the Sisterhood.” Elayne’s jaw dropped. Jayme Lederer had totally dissed her family in sixth grade. “You . . . you listened Issue 54 | January 2021 |

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historical | historical romance

Regan Walker

Brenda Jernigan

Mary Gillgannon

regan wa l k er

egan Walker is an award-winning author of Regency, Georgian and Medieval novels. She has six times been nominated for the Reward of Novel Excellence (RONE) award. Her novels The Red Wolf’s Prize and King’s Knight won Best Historical Novel in the medieval category. The Refuge: An Inspirational Novel of Scotland won the Gold Medal in the Illumination Awards. To Tame the Wind won the International Book Award for Romance Fiction and Best Historical Romance in the San Diego Book Awards. A Fierce Wind won a medal in the President’s Book Awards of The Florida Authors & Publishers Association. Most recently, Rogue’s Holiday won the 2020 Kindle Book Award. A lawyer turned writer, Regan’s years of serving clients in private practice and several stints in high levels of government have given her a feel for the demands of the “Crown”. Hence her novels often feature a demanding sovereign who taps his subjects for special assignments. Each of her stories features history, adventure and love. She lives in San Diego with her dog “Cody”, a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon.

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ReganWalkerAuthor.com reganromancereview.blogspot.com 40 | UncagedBooks.com

Welcome to Regan Walker Uncaged: Welcome to Uncaged! Your latest book, Summer Warrior, even though it is still a historical, it’s a bit different from what you’ve written in the past. Can you tell readers more about this book? How many books will be in this series? This book and the new series of which it is a part are unique in several ways. While there will be love stories in each one, there is more history than my other novels. For one thing, the main characters are historical figures. It’s the story of Clan Donald— my own clan. It’s set in the Western Isles and the Highlands of Scotland beginning with Somerled, the Norse-Gael who forged the Kingdom of the Isles in the 12th century and won the heart of a Norse princess. That is Summer Warrior. Each book will be set in a different century as the clan moves forward in time. Bound by Honor, book 2, which I’m writing now, begins in the 13th century. It’s the story of the friendship between Angus Og MacDonald, Lord of the Isles, and Robert the Bruce, King of Scots. Interestingly, both married Irish lasses, So the series, which begins in the 12th century may finish in the 19th. I’m not sure how many books will be, perhaps 5 or 6. The research for these stories is immense—hundreds of hours for each. I have a library of over 40 books just for this series and that’s in addition to my online research and review of academic papers and original sources. Uncaged: One of the unique things about your writing is that you integrate real historical facts and weave your story around it. Is this something that you started out doing deliberately when you began or did it just evolve with your writing? As I wrote my first novel, Racing with the Wind, book 1 in the Agents of the Crown series of Regency romances, I encountered some interesting history and some interesting historical figures. I thought to myself, why not include them? And that began what has been an ongoing practice, more Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | deliberate as time went on. One of my readers once remarked to me that the inn in To Tame the Wind was a real inn and still operates today. I told her that every inn and alehouse in my books is (or was) a real place of business. Why make it up when I can do the research to find the real ones? At one point, for Against the Wind, I began an email relationship with a historian in the midlands of England so I could find out the name of the public houses (inns and pubs) in a small village in 1817. It makes my stories more authentic and my readers tell me they love it. Uncaged: Now that there may be an end in sight to the pandemic, what are you looking forward to doing that you haven’t been able to do when it’s finally over? Dining out with friends and traveling. Since the fall of 2019, I have had a trip planned to the Western Isles of Scotland. It’s two weeks on a small boat with 12 passengers to take place in April 2021. I’m hoping I can get the vaccine so Scotland will let me in. It will be research in part for my new Clan Donald series. All the book research in the world does not make up for being able to see the wildlife, experience the sunsets and smell the air. And since the MacDonalds were men of the sea, I need to experience their lands as they did. My undergraduate degree is in Field Biology, so each of my stories has wildlife of the era. For The Refuge, I asked a historical ornithologist in Scotland to read it to see if I got the birds right. He did and said I did, which pleased me greatly since the book is set in the 11th century. In 2014, author Kaki Warner and I went to the Scottish Highlands together for just such a purpose. You can see the pics from the trip on Pinterest here: https://www.pinterest.com/reganwalker123/ regans-trip-to-the-scottish-highlands-september-2-/. I used that onsite research for my novel The Refuge which, under the title Rebel Warrior, is integrated 42 | UncagedBooks.com

Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | into the Medieval Warriors series.

Rarely. When I write it’s like a movie in my head so it flows. Also, I edit as I write so my final “draft” is nearly final. My editor might suggest I add a scene or two and I’m always happy to do that. But I rarely delete scenes.

tea in the gardens for her friends to which my heroine was invited. And my heroine stepped out of the carriage and I was hit with a question: what kind of livery was the footman wearing? It took me that afternoon to find it: the opposite of what the king’s servants wore. His were blue trimmed in red; hers were red trimmed in blue. Some days, if I’m on a roll, I can write for several hours, especially once I’m about half way through the book, but other days I don’t write at all. Each of my books is a unique creation so they take time. And then life gets in the way, too. At most, I can produce 2 novels a year. I’m not intense about it.

Uncaged: What was the first book that made you laugh and/or cry?

Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

I was very busy as a lawyer (I still practice a bit from time to time) and did not discover historical romance novels until 2009. I think one of the first that brought out emotion in me was On a Highland Shore by Kathleen Givens. I loved all her stories. And Virginia Henley, who gave me a quote for the cover of my first novels, is also one of my favorites. She, too, loves the history. (“Research is my passion; writing is Hell” is one of my favorite quotes by her.) On my blog, Historical Romance Review, which I began before I was a published author, there is a list of my favorite authors.

I read both ebooks and paperbacks. I usually take at least one paperback with me on a plane so there’s no electronic issue. But for long trips, my Kindle is necessary. And in dim light, the Kindle is best. Right now I’m reading The Shadow of the Lynx by Victoria Holt in paper. I do not limit myself to those novels written recently. I will go out of my way to get a used paperback if it’s a book I want to read that is no longer in print. Alas, some of the best authors are no longer writing or have passed on.

Uncaged: Do you edit out anything substantial in your novels in the editing process? Do you make that extra content available in any way to readers if you do?

Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working? Not surprisingly, I like to watch period historical series on TV via Amazon or Netflix. (I make excellent popcorn, too!) And I still read historical novels each night and review them for my blog. Oh and I love to walk the seashore each morning with my dog—year round. Uncaged: How many hours a day do you write? On average, how long does it take to write a full novel? That is a tough one. I research every day. Even as I write, things come up. I remember writing a scene set at Versailles where Marie Antoinette was having 44 | UncagedBooks.com

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? I love my readers. They inspire me to work hard to “get it right”. I love to hear from them, too. I send out newsletters but usually only 3 a year. (You can sign up for them on my website: www.ReganWalkerAuthor.com.) I’m active on Facebook and that is where I interact with most of my readers.

Enjoy an excerpt from Summer Warrior Summer Warrior Regan Walker Historical Norse Fiction Somerled’s parentage was noble, of the Kings of Dublin, the royal house of Argyll and the great Ard Ri, the High Kings of Ireland. But when the Norse invaded Argyll and the Isles, his family’s fortunes fell with those of his people. All hope seemed lost, when he rose from the mists of Morvern to rally the Gaels, the Scots and the Irish. Sweeping across Argyll and the Isles like a fast-moving storm, brilliant in strategy and fearless in battle, Somerled began retaking his ancestral lands, driving away the invaders and freeing the people from the Norse stranglehold. In doing so, he would win the title Somerle Mor, Somerled the Mighty, Lord of Argyll, Kintyre and Lorne and, eventually, Lord of the Isles. This is the unforgettable saga of his path to victory that forged the Kingdom of the Isles and won him the heart of a Norse king’s daughter. Excerpt The Village of Drimnin, Morvern, Argyll, late summer 1136 A.D. SOMERLED SMELLED THE SMOKE before he reached the village. A small community nestled around a crescent bay on the western shore of Morvern, everyone who lived in Drimnin was related either by blood or marriage. The villagers made a good life raising cattle and reaping the bounty of the sea. Somerled had passed this way only once, and then he had approached from the Sound of Mull in his galley. He remembered the villagers’ humble but generous hospitality.

| REGAN WALKER | Today, he and his men had traveled on foot along the coast, wending their way through the pine woods in search of the Norse rumored to be raiding the shores of Morvern, hoping to catch them before they could strike. His ships were still too few to take them on the water. He stepped out of the trees, lush with ferns at their base, his hand on his sword hilt, prepared to fight. A ghastly sight met his gaze, sickening his stomach. Too late. Bodies were sprawled upon the grass between the shore and the woods, struck down while trying to flee. Dreadful wounds revealed some had fallen to axes. Acrid smoke rose from the cottages still burning, the flames leaping from the dry thatched roofs. He could see no longships pulled up on shore but the raiders could not have been long gone. Aghast at what he saw, he was suddenly aware there were no birds to be heard, save the hooded crows pecking at the blood-soaked bodies. “See if any live,” he said to Domnall and started forward. “Aye,” said his cousin and swung his arm in silent command, pointing to the fallen. The men hastened to obey. Both old and young had been killed by the merciless Norse. Seeing the women who had been violated, Somerled ground his teeth. Their tunics had been ripped from their bruised bodies before they were killed. “Cover them,” he said to one of his men. “Cover them all with whatever you can.” The men closest to him hurried to accomplish the task. He walked through the village, assessing the carnage. The doors of the burning cottages stood open. Goods, taken in haste, had been discarded like so much rubbish. So, too, had the Norse raiders considered the lives of the people. He knew they would see judgment in the next life but SoIssue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | merled wanted justice in this life. He did not hate the Norse. How could he when his mother was one of them? But these were lesser men, ruthless pirates, some ostracized from their own people to prey on others. When his men returned with reports that none lived, Somerled faced the woods and in Gaelic said in a gentle voice, “If you live, come to us or make a sound. We will help you.” Two boys staggered out of the woods, their fearful expressions and tear-stained cheeks bearing witness to what they had seen. From the look of them, they were brothers, close in age, both with dark brown hair and wide eyes. To them, Somerled’s sun-gilded fair hair would mark him more Norse than Gael. Kneeling before them, he said, “I am Somerled, a man of Argyll, and these are my men. You will be safe with us.” When he saw relief on their faces, he said, “We will return to bury the dead but now we must go in haste to exact vengeance on those who did this. Do you come with us?” The boys shared a glance and the older one nodded. “We will come.” Somerled gave them into the care of a MacInnes man who stepped forward and offered to raise the boys with his own children. As they started to go, the older one said, “They took our sister and another girl.” It was clear from the boy’s haunted eyes he had an idea of the girls’ fate. Likely he had already witnessed the rape of the village women, including his own mother. Somerled’s eyes narrowed as his heart hardened within his chest. “We will see them avenged.” A short way down the coast, one of Somerled’s men scouting ahead had spotted dragonships offshore. They approached the top of the rise and Somerled signaled his men to stay low. A field of yellow 46 | UncagedBooks.com

wildflowers bloomed where he crouched behind a boulder, observing the Norse longships. He counted five, three just pulling up at the water’s edge, their sails doused, their dragon-carved stems boding ill for the people who lived farther down the coast. Counting shields, he saw they numbered nearly three hundred. The sea was calm, as if nature herself was unaware a massacre had just taken place to the north. Somerled’s heart burned within him, a furnace of rage. He wanted the waters to roar, to cry for vengeance on the heathen dogs. Behind him were the forests in which he had hunted. Gathered around him was his group of one hundred men, MacInneses from Morvern, archers from Argyll and Irish mercenaries from Antrim, who had heard of his plan to retake Argyll and joined the cause. They were stout-hearted men yet still too few to take on so many Norsemen clad in mail and conical helms and armed with swords, axes and spears. The Highlanders and Islesmen wore tunics of linen or wool over tight-fitting trews or hosen, their tunics secured at their waists with a belt. On their feet were soft leather boots. Around their shoulders, some wore woolen cloaks. A few, like Somerled and his brother, also wore leather armor. None wore mail. It was expensive and rare in these parts. All carried weapons but not all had a steel sword at their waist. No matter the odds against them, Somerled wanted those ships and he wanted justice for the lives cut short at Drimnin.

BETH LINTON & John & Alan

REGAN WALKER & Cody

This is John and Alan, our two (female!) gerbils. They are much loved and enjoy an adventure in a cardboard maze my son and I made for them.

CHRIS HUMPHREYS & Dickon & Quince

Fun idea! My writing buddies are my cat, Dickon, and my corgi, Quince. Dickon is 16 now, and very chill, as you can see by the photo – and has made it into two of my books in a different ways. Quince is still young, and too easily distracted by chasing things – but he’ll find himself in my fiction one day!

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I’m so glad you asked!! I have a wonderful 3-yearold Wirehaired Pointing Griffon named Cody. I did research to find this breed and I would never have another. They have wonderful temperaments, are very smart as they are raised for hunting, shed very little, don’t make me sneeze, and are cute as well. Each morning Cody and I walk the beach at Del Mar, California together. He has many doggie friends there (and I have people friends there, too!).

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.

MARY GILLGANNON & Benjamin

We own three cats and a dog, or maybe I should say they own us! One of the very first things I do in the morning is feed them. The dog will eat anything, but the cats all like different things and change their preferences from day to day. Oh, they are spoiled! My office is on the second floor with lots of windows and is easily the favorite room in the house for all our pets. My darling tuxedo cat Benjamin spends the most time up there, sitting on my desk and looking out the window. Or, he will talk to me in his low, throaty mew, asking me to pet him or give him more treats. My animals are great company and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think my writing would flow nearly as well without them.

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C.H. ADMIRAND & Jameson & Reilly

I’d love to include a pic of our two rescue dogs, Jameson and Reilly! Jamie was adopted 9 years ago from a high-kill shelter in Georgia. Reilly was adopted 7 years ago from Kentucky. We spoil them terribly. Jamie is part Black Lab and part American Pitt Bull – my hubby always called him his “black velvet dog.” Reilly is a German Shepherd mix – and my hubby always called him “the hairy one.” The funny thing is, they are the same age as our grandsons! Jack is 9 and Hank is 7.

JOE SIPLE & Scout Scout is my 6 yearold Mastiff mix who is gentle, cuddly, and one of my very best friends in the world. Her tongue may be a little too big for her mouth, but I love her anyway.

KELLY BRAKENHOFF & Duke

Our German Wirehair Pointer, Duke, is a fouryear-old hunting dog. He’s great at finding birds and swimming, but not so great at retrieving. He wants to be friends with every Amazon and UPS driver who stops on our street. Usually you can find him watching the neighborhood from his window seat perch or sprawled out in a chair napping.

KRISTY MCCAFFREY & Marley My family currently has two senior dogs. Lily, age 13, who we’ve had since she was a puppy, and Marley (age unknown since he was a rescue). Marley has his own Instagram account, which is run by me and my

youngest daughter: @marley_therescue and learn more about his rescue and story. 50 | UncagedBooks.com

B renda K . jernigan

renda Jernigan is a bestselling author. Her books have been nominated for many awards - Book Seller’s Best Award, The Maggie Award, and The Holt Medallion Award. Publishers Weekly said, “Brenda Jernigan writes Romance, Adventure and Magic.” She grew up living the life of a tomboy – climbing trees, playing ball, and excluding starryeyed romance from her daily repertoire. Brenda discovered the love of books while taking her son to Story Hour at the local library -- she was hooked. She set an ambitious goal and began work on her first novel. She continued to write six more novels in rapid succession. She figured having the same birthday as Ernest Hemingway couldn’t hurt. She is a member of RWA, NINC, PAN, PASIC, and Outreach International Romance Writers where she was President. Her books have been printed in several languages and her last book “Southern Seduction” written under the name of Alexandria Scott was printed in Russian. If you have read and enjoyed the book, please leave a review on the vendor’s webpage. Nothing sells books more than word of mouth. Thank you in advance for reading my books.

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Uncaged welcomes Brenda K. Jernigan Uncaged: Welcome to Uncaged! Your newest book, The Devil’s Laird will release on January 21. Can you tell readers more about the book? Roderick, Warlord of Kirkurd is driven by revenge and guilt. When his holding was attacked, his wife ravished and slain, and his son lost, the goodness within Roderick died. Now he is known as the Devil’s Laird. Revenge will be his. However, once he rescues Lady Siena Bertram, Roderick changes. Can he put the past behind him and love again? Only time will tell. Uncaged: You also write western historical romances and contemporary romance. What inspired you to write in the romance genre? Because that is what I read. I love to be taken away to another time and place and away from the news. The westerns came from growing up with westerns on TV. Those were some of the best programs and I used to beg to stay up and watch them. Then England and Scotland come from my love of the countries. I’m sure I was English in another life. :) Uncaged: Is there any one thing that happens that will spark the imagination for a new book? For example, a place, a conversation, an event…etc. I play the ‘what if game.’ If I do this what will happen? Sometimes I will start with a sentence…. “She didn’t mean to shoot the man.” And then the rest of the time I question what I’m doing and driving myself nuts. But this seems to be my writing pattern and it usually works out in the end. Uncaged: Now that there may be an end in sight to the pandemic, what are you looking forward to doing that you haven’t been able to do when it’s finally over? It will be nice not to wear a mask, making alcohol pads for cleaning your hands, and I miss going to Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR |

restaurants. I don’t like hearing about all the deaths on TV. I feel so sorry for everyone who has lost someone, and some people have lost both their parents. Uncaged: What was the first book that made you laugh and/or cry? The first book to make me laugh is THE LION’S LADY by Julie Garwood, the first book to make me cry SOMETHING WONDERFUL by Judith McNaught. Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working? I don’t relax according to my chiropractor. But when I’m not working, I like movies. And the 56 | UncagedBooks.com

series on Netflix – “The Crown” and “Virgin River” are really good. Uncaged: How many hours a day do you write? On average, how long does it take to write a full novel? This is one of my problems - I don’t sit behind a computer for long periods like I used to. Life just passes you by when you do that, and it is another reason that I quit writing for New York. I’d rather take my time and put out a good book instead of putting out many. Of course, this book took 4 years, so I really need to improve that pace. :) It is funny while you are writing the books it is so hard and then once you are finished, you look back and think – why did that take me so long?

Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now? I prefer physical books. I’m really old-fashioned there, but I like holding a book and dogearing the pages. Right now, I’m reading my own book CHRISTMAS IN CAMELOT. I read CHRISTMAS IN CAMELOT this time of year because it is a feel-good book that makes you happy. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? If I can take you away from your everyday life and make you smile by the time you finish one of my books, then I feel like I’ve done my job.

Enjoy an excerpt from The Devil’s Laird The Devil’s Laird Brenda Jernigan Historical Romance The White Witch As Lady Siena stands on a platform waiting to die, she realizes that she has been doomed from the day she was born. She doesn’t believe she is worth anything, much less love. Her own people believe she is cursed. Siena’s only true blessing is the gift of sight. The Devil’s Laird Roderick, Warlord of Kirkurd, is driven by revenge and guilt. When his holding was attacked, his wife ravished and slain, and his son missing, the goodness within Roderick died. He is now known as the Devil’s Laird. The Meeting . . .

| BRENDA K. JERNIGAN | Roderick saves Siena from the hangman’s noose and takes her back to his castle. Siena sees a lonely, haunted man who needs her. But no matter how hard she tries, she cannot completely break down the barrier Roderick has constructed around his heart, nor shake the curse of bad luck that his people believe she carries. Only the Holy Grail can prove if she is good or evil. When Siena sacrifices herself to free Roderick’s son, Roderick realizes that he has lost his chance to love again. Now he will move heaven and earth to find her before it is too late. Excerpt The woman squirmed and struck him several times until he wrapped his arms tighter around her, pinning her arms against her sides. His patience had worn thin. “Och, get still or I swear, lass, I’ll toss ye on the ground myself.” Roderick realized that the woman had no idea who he was, so he took a calming breath. “I’ll no hurt ye, lass. I’m not one of yer brother’s men. Stop fightin’ me.” Roderick saw uncertainty in one wild, blue eye as the other was swollen. “I’m the one who pulled ye from the hangman’s noose.” Patience wasn’t something he possessed in great quantities and this slip of a girl was trying his patience greatly. “For Christ’s sake, lass. If I had wanted to harm ye, I’d have left ye to dangle from the end of a rope,” he said, frustrated. “And I’m beginnin’ to doubt the mercy I’ve shown ye.” This woman was going to be more trouble than she was worth, he’d wager. “I’ll loosen my grip if ye will hold still.” He glared down at her and in a stern voice said, “I’ll have yer promise now.” Agatha rode up beside them and laid a weathered Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | hand gently on Siena’s arm. “Milady, he is helping us. It will be all right.” “He is blue! He’s the devil.”

nize any of them. Of course, it was hard to get past their blue painted faces. They would scare the hell out of anyone.

“Nay. He has on warpaint and that is the reason he is blue, milady,” Agatha explained. At long last the girl relaxed at the sight of her maid, then croaked, “Some water, please.” “In a minute,” Roderick told her. Warily, Siena watched the warrior who held her, wondering how she’d gotten in this position when she should have been dangling at the end of a rope. She remembered seeing a man on a black horse coming through the crowd just before the stool had been shoved out from beneath her feet. She thought it had been the Devil come to claim her, then she recalled her breath leaving her body, and she shuddered at the memory. By the grace of God, she’d been spared. Yet she felt her neck and found it tender to the touch. Apparently, this man had saved her. Now that everything was over, she felt his strong arms around her, and found it comforting. She had no idea why she should feel this way when men had always been trouble in her past. The intimidating warrior was huge, and his dark eyes were penetrating. She couldn’t help feeling as though he was trying to see deep inside her when he looked at her, but at the moment he wasn’t paying her any attention. “Water,” she rasped again. Her throat was so parched it felt like it was on fire. At last, the man nodded and nudged his mount over to a clearing in the middle of oak trees. The dead leaves on the ground would provide a good cushion for their tired bodies when they slept. The sun was lowering, giving a dusky glow the clearing. Only then did Siena notice that there were five other men with them, and they were dismounting too. Who were these strangers? And why had this man saved her? Thankfully, she didn’t recog58 | UncagedBooks.com

DON’T MISS THESE TITLES:

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m ary gi l l gannon

ary Gillgannon began writing historical romance soon after she discovered the genre. She loves how these stories allow her to portray the excitement and high stakes of past eras, yet focus on relationships and create a happy ending. She’s written nineteen novels, including romances set in the dark age, medieval and Regency time periods, time travel and historical fantasy. Her books have been translated into Russian, Chinese, Dutch and German. She’s worked at the local public library for over twenty-fire years and acquires adult fiction as part of her job.

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marygillgannon.com Uncaged welcomes Mary Gillgannon Uncaged: Welcome to Uncaged! Your newest book, Lord of Secrets will release in January and is the 2nd book in a series, Lords of the Borders. Can you tell readers more about this series? The lands along the border between Wales and England are known as the Welsh Marches, and the territory was in bitter dispute in the medieval era. When William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066, he sought to take over the whole island, including Wales. The Welsh fought valiantly to preserve their freedom and way of life, even as the barons William brought with him

built castles and encroached deeper and deeper into Welsh territory. The Welsh struggle against the English (as the Norman overlords came to be called, even though they came from France and spoke French) went on for several hundred years. The Welsh tactics of attack, raid and retreat frustrated and infuriated the knights who sought to guard English settlements, and a bitter distrust and animosity grew up between the two races. But love will find a way, even between peoples who are supposed to be enemies. My new series Lords of the Borders is about proud English knights who arrive in Wales to conquer and end up losing their hearts to bold, daring Welshwomen. Uncaged: What comes first, the plot or the characters? Where do you get inspiration for your stories? For me, the characters always come first. I have a basic idea of who they are, what motivates them and what they look like. Then I put the hero and heroine together and see what happens. I call it “writing into the mist” because it is an almost completely intuitive process. I may have some vague notion of the general story, but almost all the plot points and scenes just sort of happen. It’s a crazy and terribly inefficient way to write, but it’s the only method that really works for me. If I try to plot books ahead of time, my characters rebel and refuse to follow the plot. Or, they may refuse to do anything and just remain ideas on the page with no life to them. Uncaged: Now that there may be an end in sight to the pandemic, what are you looking forward to doing that you haven’t been able to do when it’s finally over? I long to travel and to spend time with family. My first grandchild was born last summer, and we got to travel to California meet him as a newborn, but since then we’ve had to content ourselves with pictures. My husband and I also usually take several trips a year, including a spring break trip to a Issue 54 | January 2021 |

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

I love to travel, to see new places, new landscapes and environments.

~Mary Gillgannon

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | warm destination. And we usually get together with family several times a year for holidays and other events. And I am yearning to make a trip to England and Wales for research. But it is hard to say when that will happen. Uncaged: Do you edit out anything substantial in your novels in the editing process? Do you make that extra content available in any way to readers if you do? I always save outtakes and then never use them. For the most part, they are scenes where the plot was going in a different direction than the final book ends up going, so they wouldn’t be very meaningful for readers. Uncaged: What was the first book that made you laugh and/or cry? I’m certain it was some story where an animal died and broke my heart. I was obsessed with animals as a child and read dozens of books about dogs, cats and horses. I also remember reading a series of books about beavers. To this day, I cry every time an animal dies on a show or in a book. Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working? I love to travel, to see new places, new landscapes and environments. I’m also a gardener, which is really a challenge in Wyoming where I live. We struggle with drought and hail, blizzards in midMay some years and freezing temperatures in early September in others. Since I like to grow flowers from my Midwestern childhood (roses, zinnias, morning glories), that means in especially arid summers, I have to water nearly every day. I also dabble in genealogy research on my family and my husband’s family. I enjoy learning about the history and the personal stories of people in the past. Uncaged: How many hours a day do you write? On average, how long does it take to write a full novel? 64 | UncagedBooks.com

I try to write almost every day. I sometimes only get in an hour or so before I have to go to work. (I work in a public library in my day job.) I usually manage to write about ten to fifteen hours a week. Not very much writing time, but it’s all I can squeeze into my life. Despite not being a morning person, my most productive writing is done right after I get up. Between my less than efficient writing process and lack of time, it takes me at least six months to write a book. Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now? I prefer physical books; there really is nothing like them. The comforting weight in your hands, the tactile experience and the ease of reading printed words instead of pixels. But I do read ebooks when I travel, because it saves a lot of weight in your suitcase. I have

| MARY GILLGANNON | never gotten into audiobooks. They seem to make me sleepy, which is not good when you are driving and/or trying to do things around the house. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? Writing historical romance can be a tricky balance. On one hand, I try to make my characters and their world realistic. But to make it work as a romance, you often have to gloss over the grittier aspects of living in the past. I try to be true to the basic facts and details of the time my characters live in, because I find history fascinating. But also want to offer my readers a story that is satisfying, uplifting and an escape from the stresses and traumas of our own time period.

Enjoy an excerpt from Lord of Secrets Lord of Secrets Mary Gillgannon Medieval Historical Romance Releases Jan. 19 William Fitzhugh is proud to be named lord of Higham Castle on the Welsh border. But defending and managing the castle and the lands surrounding it is a huge responsibility. He needs a wife to aid him, but the only woman who interests him is the local healer, Rhosyn, a mysterious Welshwoman who wants nothing to do with him. Rhosyn fled the traumatic events of her life in Wales to begin a new life at Higham. She hopes to earn the trust of the local people and become accepted in the community, and she fears the new lord of Higham will ruin her plans. William is entranced by the lovely young healer and admires her knowledge and dedication. But she remains wary and elusive. He worries she is a spy and connected to the recent raid and the attack on the village. As the passion between them builds, so does the weight of the secrets keeping them apart. Secrets that have the power to sever the fragile bond between them and destroy all they care about. Excerpt There he was, doing it again, smiling at her. It made it almost impossible for her to dislike him. She looked down and saw the pile of garlic bulbs and felt amazed. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d actually cut up the plants, harvesting them as she would have. She met his Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | gaze. “You should probably tell the cook I dug up and prepared the garlic. Otherwise he will think he can ask you to gather seasoning plants any time he wishes.” His smiled broadened. “I’m certain I would lose face with everyone at the castle if they knew what I’ve been doing. Indeed, even for me to carry the basket of garlic into the keep would look odd. I wonder if you would come with me and carry it. I promise you will be treated with courtesy and deference. After all, you know there will be times you have to go to the castle to aid someone who is ill. ’Twould be easier if you were familiar with the place beforehand.” He was certainly persistent. She weighed giving in to him. Her fear of going to the castle had mostly to do with her fear of the lord who ruled it. But that was this man, and he had shown her consideration and respect. He also appeared willing to do things most men would consider beneath them. But despite his coaxing, a part of her dreaded the thought of entering the keep. ’Twould bring back such dark, evil memories. And what if this man’s friendliness and courtesy were all pretense? Once they were in his domain, Fitzhugh might turn into another sort of person. She recalled of the way he had arrived in the village, clad in heavy mail, riding on his huge warhorse, blood red banner flying. Lord Fitzhugh was that man as well. She studied him, trying to decide. He did not look so fierce now. He wore no mail and his masculine features were softened with a smile meant to coax her to do his will. He did carry a sword. But he likely never left the castle without such protection. She met his gaze, searching his blue, blue eyes for deception and deviousness. If it was there, she could not see it. “Very well. I will take the garlic to the castle for you. If you will accompany me.” He nodded, but then his smile suddenly faded. 66 | UncagedBooks.com

“As much as I would like it, I’m concerned for your reputation if you enter the castle at my side. You don’t want anyone to think you are my leman.” Nay, she did not want people to think that. ’Twould probably set all the unmarried women of the village against her. “I will send someone to accompany you there. No one will question your right to come to the castle. You will come as a healer, a woman worthy of respect and deference. No one needs to know you have garlic in your basket, rather than healing herbs.” How could she resist this man’s request? Even her mother had never been treated with such deference. She nodded in agreement. “I will leave you now. I’ll go back to the castle and send someone to fetch you. And I ask you to please consider my request that you accompany me on the journey to Wales… that is, Cymru, when I go there to buy goods.” After he left, Rhosyn stared after him. He had called her country by its true name. That bespoke a consideration and thoughtfulness she’d never expected to see displayed by any of his people, let alone one who was a lord. William Fitzhugh was unlike any man she had ever met.

feature authors

historical romance | mystery

C.H. Admirand

Kelly Brakenhoff

istorical & Contemporary Romance “Warm…Charming…Fun…”

C.H. was born in Aiken, South Carolina, but her parents moved back to northern New Jersey where she grew up, which if you’ve met her would explain a lot. She believes in fate, destiny, and love at first sight. After all, she’s still married to the man she 70 | UncagedBooks.com

fell in love with at first sight when she was seventeen. They have three grown children—one son-in-law, two grandsons, two rescue dogs, and two rescue grand-cats. Her characters rarely follow the synopsis she outlines for them…but C.H. has learned to listen to her characters! Her heroes always have a few of her husband’s best qualities: his honesty, his integrity, his compassion for those in need, and his killer broad shoulders. C.H. writes about the things she loves

C.H. ADMIRAND most: Family, her Irish and English Ancestry, Baking and Gardening. Take a trip back in time to Regency England for her new series: The Lords of Vice, coming in 2021 from Dragonblade Publishing! Venture back to the Old West with her bestselling Irish Western Series. Fast-forward to the present, stopping at the Circle G Ranch in Pleasure, Texas, before finally landing in Apple Grove, Ohio–Small Town USA–for a slice of Peggy McCormack’s Buttermilk Pie! C.H. loves to hear from readers!

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chadmirand.com Uncaged welcomes C.H. Admirand Uncaged: Welcome to Uncaged! Your newest book, Mending the Duke’s Pride will release on January 20 and is part of a new series. Can you tell us more about the book and the series that is planned? Thanks so much, I’m delighted to be here to chat about my January release, Mending the Duke’s Pride. It’s the first book in my new four-book series for Dragonblade Publishing. When asked to propose a Regency Historical series to Dragonblade, I thought of the seven deadly sins aka vices. Pride, Greed, Wrath, Envy, Lust, Gluttony and Sloth. I picked the vices I thought would work tied into a plot that would involve an unlikely heroine who would ultimately help my heroes find redemption

from their vices. I always use family names in my books and decided it was high time to feature the English side of my family as all of my other series feature my Irish roots. My grandfather’s middle name was his mother’s maiden name Lippincott. Perfect, now I had to decide who would be the heroes in this series. The first two books feature brothers, Jared and Edward Lippincott…Jared, aka, The Duke of Wyndmere, and his brother Edward, Earl Lippincott. The last two books feature their distant cousins Viscount Chattsworth and Baron Summerfield, who are first cousins. All four men share the distinct and quite strong Lippincott genes: brilliant blue eyes, dark chestnut hair, imposing height and broad shoulders…I’ve always been a sucker for a handsome man with broad shoulders. The Lords of Vice Series: Pride, Lust, Envy and Greed…vices that could lead a gentleman down the road to ruin. Unless he meets his saving grace in the form of a bespeckled bluestocking, an innocent debutante, a poor relation, or painfully shy heiress. Book One: Mending the Duke’s Pride ~ a bespeckled bluestocking… The newly minted Duke of Wyndmere, Jared Malcolm Lippincott, never expected (or wanted) to become the duke. The second son of the Fourth Duke of Wyndmere, he preferred spending his time at Wyndmere Hall, his family’s estate in the Lake District. He’d rather spend his time with his father’s steward and tenant farmers working with his hands than being forced to spend time in London. Most days, he could be found lending his strong back and willing hands rethatching a roof, plowing a field, or rebuilding a stone wall. But the untimely death of his father, and then the scandalous death of his older brother Oliver, the Fifth Duke of Wyndmere, force him to don the mantle of duke, leaving his former way of life behind. Jared is willing to do anything to resurrect the family name and restore the family fortune. Jared succeeds in refilling the family coffers, but Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | now must deal with the heavier task of restoring the family name and former reputation during his father’s time as the duke. But will restoring the family name mend his pride? He is a babe in arms compared to those who would seek to feed off yet another scandal involving his family. With the help of his younger brother, who is quite accustomed to the vagaries of the ton, the new duke repairs to London and assumes his new role. The duke has more to contend with than learning to navigate the treacherous waters of the ton, when an unknown enemy surfaces willing stop at nothing to ruin him. Lady Persephone Farnsworth does not wish to marry and cleverly dons the guise of a bespeckled bluestocking to discourage offers of marriage. Fate has other plans the night she bumps into the new Duke of Wyndmere, falling backward into his arms. Breathless, she is held captive by his brilliant blue gaze (albeit a bit fuzzy when looking through borrowed spectacles). Nothing prepares Persephone for the way he asks permission before straightening her spectacles for her. His touch deft, his eyes filled with an emotion she has yet to discover, have her wondering if she’d been too hasty in her decision never to marry. Because of her brief interaction with the new duke, Persephone is now in his enemy’s crosshairs. Jared is determined to protect her at all costs, feeling responsible for putting her in his enemy’s sights and for the recent slanderous on dit circulating the ton. Restoring the family name is now second to protecting Persephone. A marriage of convenience binds them together, but will love triumph in this sweet tale of love and second chances? Book Two: Avoiding the Earl’s Lust ~ an innocent debutante… I have to say that while my characters normally scoff at my synopses, they outright ignored it altogether while I was writing this book. Edward, Earl Lippincott (younger brother to the Duke of Wyndmere) is cut from the same cloth as his oldest 72 | UncagedBooks.com

and unlamented brother the Fifth Duke of Wyndmere. He agrees to mend his ways after giving his word to his brother to avoid the stews and gaming hells until their sister has received an offer of marriage. He too vows to restore the family’s good name, but finds himself distracted by their sister’s lovely friend, a diminutive blonde beauty by the name of Lady Aurelia Coddington. Lady Aurelia is enthralled by the earl and secretly delighted when he dances with her at his sister’s ball. Everyone—including the earl’s sister— warns her away from the earl because of his reputation and penchant for luring debutantes astray! She longs to accept his social invitations, but her uncle insists she decline. Will she follow her heart or listen to her head in this sweet tale of love and redemption? Book Three: Tempering the Viscount’s Envy ~ a poor relation… I’m currently writing book three. Viscount William Chattsworth, distant cousin to the Duke of Wyndmere, sees his chance to restore what his father gambled away—the family inheritance. He sees a chance to enter society using the distant, but familial connection with the duke in order to marry an heiress, and secure his fortune and place in society without having to work as hard to gain it as it has been rumored the duke had. Lady Calliope Harrington’s quiet beauty is oft overlooked as is her station in life—that of a poor relation. Without a dowry, she has little hope of securing a marriage, but she is not without influential friends. Lady Phoebe Lippincott and Lady Aurelia Coddington are her very good friends who include her in visits to Wyndmere Hall. During her most recent visit to Wyndmere Hall, ill-timed circumstances have Lady Calliope landing in Viscount Chattsworth’s arms in full view of the duke and the duke’s butler and housekeeper, leaving the duke no choice but to demand the viscount marry Calliope. Will this unlikely couple open their hearts and work together to banish the envy plaguing the viscount in the sweet tale of finding happiness and the promise of love? Book Four: Redirecting the Baron’s Greed ~a pain-

fully shy heiress… This is the final book in this series. Baron Marcus Summerfield, distant cousin to the Duke of Wyndmere and first cousins to Viscount William Chattsworth wants to follow in his cousin the viscount’s footsteps. He seeks the Duke of Wyndmere’s assistance in entering society and marrying an heiress, but when offered the opportunity to stay at the duke’s London town house, he blunders badly when he invites a few of his dissolute friends to live in the town house with him. The duke is not pleased and demands the baron attend him at Wyndmere Hall where he calls the baron to the carpet for his misdeeds. Lady Phoebe Lippincott is smitten the moment she sees Baron Summerfield. Living at Wyndmere Hall while recovering from the trauma she endured when the duke’s enemy breaks into their town house during the middle of her first ball—slashing her brother Edward and holding her at knifepoint. Though her brothers have tried to shelter her from anything that would possibly force

| C.H. ADMIRAND | her to spiral back into the nightmare she relives in the black of night, the Duke of Wyndmere cannot keep her from following her heart. When he sends the baron on his way in disgrace, she finds a bit of her former plucky determination and follows the baron. A disastrous accident occurs, but Summerfield rescues the injured Lady Phoebe, bringing her home and earning the duke’s eternal gratitude and the heart of Lady Phoebe. Will the baron leave his greed behind in this sweet tale of the power of love and build a life with the brave woman who holds his heart? Uncaged: Are there any type of scenes that are difficult for you to write, (i.e. sex scenes, emotional scenes, death scenes, etc)? It depends on the book and what is happening to my characters, physically and emotionally. There are some characters that I’ve been living with for years, as in my Historical Irish Western series; they are

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | family and emotional scenes can sometimes be very difficult to write. I’ve created contemporary series that includes descendants of the characters in my first book, which is also the first book in my Historical Irish Western Series: The Marshal’s Destiny. For me family is the glue and always will be no matter if your loves ones are still with you on Earth or watching over you from Heaven. Uncaged: Now that there may be an end in sight to the pandemic, what are you looking forward to doing that you haven’t been able to do when it’s finally over? I’m looking forward to hugging our two grandsons again. The zoom visits have kept me sane, but there’s nothing like a real hug. Before January, I’d been babysitting them every day since our oldest grandson was born 9 years ago. We’d been social distancing since January, but for a completely different reason. My husband of 41 years was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on January 21st. After his surgery and chemo, he had no immune system, so we were extremely conscious of keeping him in a protected bubble away from family and friends. He bravely fought the good fight, but lost his battle with cancer on November 18th at 7:35pm. A few weeks before he succumbed to the victorious cancer, he told me he wanted me to finish writing the rest of the books in my series for Dragonblade and to do even more promotion for my books. I’m moving forward doing all I can to honor his request. Thank goodness, our sons still live with me for the time being. Family is the glue that keeps me whole. Uncaged Followup: I am so sorry to hear, and 74 | UncagedBooks.com

wish you peace in this new year. Uncaged: Do you edit out anything substantial in your novels in the editing process? Do you make that extra content available in any way to readers if you do? I haven’t in The Lords of Vice series. In the past, I have had to cut chapters at a former editor’s request and even had to add elements into my other series that I hadn’t planned on. But did what they asked. There was one chapter in particular that I made available on my website for a few years. When I received the rights back for my contemporary sweet small town trilogy, I decided it would be the perfect opening to the anthology I have had on the back burner, waiting to be completed. Uncaged: What was the first book that made you laugh and/or cry? Books have a powerful impact on our lives. I remember crying buckets when Scarlett O’Hara’s mother died in Gone with the Wind. I was staying with my grandparents for a few weeks at their shore house and asked them if I could go home. I needed to see my mom. They were worried and wondered why I wanted to leave until I explained what book I was reading. Grandma immediately understood. Since then, I’ve read books that have scared the ever-living-you-know-what out of me—or had me putting the book down when a child was murdered. Since experiencing those emotions, I made the decision to read what I love, Romance books with the all-important HEA (happily ever after.) Reading Romances make me smile and lightens my heart. Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working? I love to bake and make jams and jellies, which Mom taught me all those years ago in her happy yellow kitchen. Our kitchen has always been my favorite room in the house. It’s the heart of our home. I love to play in the dirt (some may call it gardening <g>) with our grandsons and the puppies (who aren’t actually puppies anymore, Jameson is 9 and Reilly is 7!) I read every night. Since January, I don’t sleep much, but that’s what my Kindle is for—seriously love the built-in reading

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light. Uncaged: How many hours a day do you write? On average, how long does it take to write a full novel? It depends on where I am deadline-wise. Just starting a book, I write anywhere from two to five hours a day. As crunch-time approaches, I will spend eight hours straight writing. Then I try to stand up and realize how many body parts are cramped from the intensity of being so involved in the story. I usually only stop for quick breaks after drinking way too much Barry’s Irish Breakfast tea. When my life is normal—okay that hasn’t actually happened in quite a while, but back then I would write a book in four months, but now I’ve been writing a book in two to three months, using the Bookin-a-Week technique I learned years ago as a member of NJRW (New Jersey Romance Writers.) Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

I enjoy reading e-books, especially at night. My Kindle is lightweight and easy to hold. If I start to fall asleep and drop it on my face (don’t laugh because I have done this on more than one occasion) it doesn’t hurt as much as one of my favorite Nora Roberts’ hardcovers does. Boy that’ll wake you up in a hurry! I don’t read in the tub anymore after dropping a paperback in the water. It took a long time to carefully dry that book out. It’s never been the same. <sigh> I love holding a physical book in my hand, and if I’m reading during the day, a special treat to myself, I enjoy reading hardcovers and paperbacks. I’ve actually never listened to an audiobook while driving, something highly recommended from a few of my friends. True story, one of my author friends, Tara Nina, and I were driving to a writer’s meeting, and I was listening to her describe the plot for her current wip (work-in-progress) when I suddenly slowed down and pulled off the road…we looked at one another and started laughing because neither one of us knew where we were! It’s too dangerous for me not to be paying attention Issue 54 | January 2021 | 75

| FEATURE AUTHOR | while I’m driving. If I want to read, my go-to formats are physical books or e-books. <g> Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? I’m so grateful for my readers who enjoy reading about love-at-first-sight, and the oft times rocky road to get to the HEA (happily-ever-after.) I have enjoyed meeting many of you over the years at the Romantic Times Book Convention, Book Lovers Con, Lora Leigh’s RAW, and Lori Fosters RAGT. I enjoy answering emails from readers and swapping recipes and chatting about kids, grandkids, puppies, and gardening.

Wyndmere, has restored the family fortune. Will his plans to restore the family name mend his pride? An unknown enemy from the past will stop at nothing to ruin him. Lady Persephone does not wish to marry, cleverly donning the guise of a bespectacled bluestocking to discourage offers of marriage. Fate has other plans the night she falls into the duke’s arms, captivated by the sparkle in his brilliant blue eyes. Society is all agog speculating if the two are more than just strangers. Restoring the family name is not as important as protecting Lady Persephone, who is now in his enemy’s crosshairs. A marriage of convenience binds the duke and his lady together, but duty is soon overshadowed by desire. Will love triumph in this sweet tale of love and second chances? Excerpt Chapter 2:

Enjoy an excerpt from Mending the Duke’s Pride Mending the Duke’s Pride C.H. Admirand Historical Romance/ Victorian Releases Jan. 20 Pride, Lust, Envy and Greed… vices that could lead a gentleman down the road to ruin. Unless he meets his saving grace in the form of a bespectacled bluestocking… Jared Malcolm Lippincott, the Sixth Duke of 76 | UncagedBooks.com

The newly-minted Duke of Wyndmere entered the ballroom and a hush descended, followed by whispers, glances, and the inevitable toadying. “That’s him!” Lady Phyllida whispered behind her fan. “The new duke.” Lady Persephone stifled a groan, knowing it would put her beyond the pale if she uttered such an unladylike sound while out in society. “Do tell, Phyllida.” She couldn’t be less interested. Phyllida’s fan picked up speed, as the tall stately figure dressed in unrelieved black paused to speak with Lord and Lady Hollister. Persephone tried to ignore her friend’s tittering, but the fan was perilously close to smacking her on the cheek. “Calm yourself,” she cautioned. “He’s so handsome.” Persephone eased back a half-step and stared at him. “He’s tall.” Studying the man all of society was in an uproar about, especially matchmaking mammas with

| C.H. ADMIRAND | an eye on a title, she whispered, “He has an arrogant prideful manner. See the way he speaks to those around him as if they were lesser mortals?” Phyllida lowered her fan and softly sighed, “My dear, he is a duke, after all, and bound to cause a stir after what that wastrel—his older brother—did.” Persephone adjusted her borrowed spectacles so she could peer over them without getting dizzy. The cut of the duke’s coat and lack of lace at his collar and cuffs met with her approval, although, she’d never admit it to one of her closest friends. Turning toward her friend, she kept her voice low, saying, “Time will tell if he is cut from the same cloth as the last Duke of Wyndmere.” Her friend’s gaze met hers. “Do I detect a note of interest?” A frown marred Lady Persephone’s brow. “Not in the slightest.” Phyllida’s soft smile alerted Persephone to the fact her friend was jesting with her. Her question confirmed it. “You wouldn’t want to land a duke?” “If I were in the market for a husband of consequence and considerable fortune, I might be persuaded. However, I have not changed my mind on the subject of marriage.” Phyllida’s green eyes gave away her thoughts. “You’d prefer to spend your life alone? Childless? Living off the kindness of others?” Persephone struggled to contain the urge to laugh at her friend’s dramatics. “You know I prefer solitary endeavors, have a half-dozen cousins living in Sussex, and a substantial dowry my mother has promised I can use to support living in the country.” “I keep hoping you’ll change your mind,” her friend confided. “Oh, look,” she said as she glanced to the far side of the ballroom. “There’s Cressida. Oh dear, she looks positively awful in that gown!” Phyllida noted. Persephone could not contain her delighted laughter. “And I thought I’d win the prize for the most hideous ballgown this evening.” Phyllida smiled, but suppressed her laughter in order to say, “Darling, Cressida’s gown is merely hideous while yours is simply horrifying.” She used her fan to hide their conversation. “Amazingly similar in color

to the contents of a cow’s stomach.” Persephone nearly choked holding back her snort of laughter. She finally managed, “Do tell, when was the last time you had opportunity to observe such?” Phyllida swept the fan from in front of their faces and swatted at her friend. A sharply indrawn breath just behind them caught their attention. A glance over her shoulder confirmed Persephone’s worst fear. “Mamma, I didn’t see you there.” “Phyllida,” Lady Farnsworth’s low voice did not attract undue attention, but Persephone felt her mother’s embarrassment keenly. “Not her fault, Mamma.” Persephone moved to stand in front of her friend to deflect her mother’s censure. “You know I said something to cause her to act in such a manner. Completely my fault.” Her mother raised one eyebrow in silent reply. Not good. “Are those spectacles?” The odd expression on her mother’s face—half-horror, half-incredulity had her taking a step back. She nearly trod on Phyllida, who moved out of the way to avoid getting her slippered toes squashed. Persephone’s squeak of surprise had all heads turning in their direction as she teetered back into a warm solid form. Strong hands banded around her upper arms, steadying her. She drew in a breath—sandalwood—her father preferred sandalwood. Before she could set the memory aside, a deep voice sounded close to her ear. “Are you injured?” She spun around, and all thought but one flew out of her brainbox—my mother is going to marry me off to the highest bidder for this. “I…uh…” Persephone couldn’t put two words together with such a worry spinning through her, twisting her up, threatening to drop her to her knees. She couldn’t possibly marry when not one of the gentlemen who’d offered for her hand could say her name properly. And further— “Your Grace,” her mother said quietly. “Please accept my apologies for my daughter’s errant behavior.” His eyes never left Persephone’s as he gave the Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | briefest of nods, accepting her mother’s apology. “Of course. If you’re certain you have come to no harm, Lady—” “Persephone,” her mother supplied. “Lady Persephone.” “Ah,” he said, “Lady Persephone.” He pronounced it correctly. No other gentleman had since she’d made her bow to society four years earlier. One would think studying the Classics and having a knowledge of Greece, at least one of them would have. She tilted her head to better see the expression on his face. Quizzical. Amused…perhaps a combination of both. “If I may?” he asked, pointing to her face. Baffled and not understanding in the slightest, she glanced past his shoulder at her mother whose face was rapidly turning crimson. Whatever it was that caused that reaction did not bode well. She’d best agree with the duke—besides who would ever argue with such a lofty personage? She nodded her head. The Duke of Wyndmere used the tip of his finger to straighten her glasses so they were no longer askew. He bowed to Persephone, her mother, and Lady Phyllida and spun on his heel, retracing his steps back across the ballroom. Mortified, unable to speak—let alone move, Persephone watched as he bade goodnight to their hosts, Lord and Lady Hollister and their very eligible daughter, Cressida. A wisp of sound swept through the room, gaining in volume as it whirled and swirled around those in attendance. The Duke of Wyndmere had singled out the worst-dressed, most ill-mannered antidote at the ball—Lady Persephone Farnsworth. Ignoring the Season’s Incomparables, and Lord and Lady Hollister’s own daughter who was not without some redeeming qualities…with the exception of her choice of gown this evening, the Sixth Duke of Wyndmere had left the ball. *** “Are you mad?” Earl Lippincott reached his brother’s side as he strode down the long hallway 78 | UncagedBooks.com

to the front of the Hollisters’ town house. The duke met his brother’s gaze. “In what way?” “You cannot simply reach out and touch a lady’s person!” his brother ground out. “We’re not in the country now…and you’re not the second son of a duke any longer. You are the duke!” Jared held in the urge to chuckle. It was difficult, because he had actually enjoyed himself in the last quarter-hour at the blasted ball. Meeting Lady Persephone had been a welcome diversion. “Correction, Brother,” he murmured, signaling his coachman. “I touched the corner of a lady’s spectacles. They were in danger of falling off her face after she backed into me.” When his brother started pacing next to the open carriage door, Jared asked, “Are you coming home with me, or have you found a bit of diversion that will not land you in suds and leave our family’s reputation in question?” His brother stopped pacing in front of the carriage. “Good God, Jared,” he said. “You’ve managed to do that all on your own.” “What are you talking about?” he demanded. “I never touched the chit.” “Yet here you are leaving the ball, while gossip escalates as to your intentions singling out the lady in question. Leaving those to wonder whether or not you are already acquainted.” “The dark-haired female in the bile-colored gown?” Jared asked. “You’re joking.” His brother reached out to keep the duke from climbing into the carriage. “I had no idea how inept you truly were going about in society.” Jared’s stomach twisted at the supposition his younger brother may be correct. “Bloody hell, I told you I needed your help.” “Yet you did not wait for me to enter the ball with you and introduce you to all and sundry.” Jared squared his shoulders, assuming a battle stance his brother would well know. “I am the Sixth Duke of Wyndmere—I do not need…” “Jared,” Edward stared, waiting for him to calm himself. If he were to become accustomed to all his new role entailed, he had to rely on the wisdom of others. His

| C.H. ADMIRAND | younger brother may be in dire jeopardy of following in their oldest brother’s footsteps—becoming a wastrel with a tendency toward being a spendthrift—but he knew how to navigate society. “What can I do? I’ve already paid my addresses to our hosts.” “Leave it to me,” Edward reassured him. “I will go back inside, speak to Lord Hollister and let him know you had urgent business prior to the ball requiring your further attention.” “Bloody hell!” “Jared.” Edward’s warning tone was not lost on him. “Very well. How can you mend the other problem I’ve inadvertently caused this evening?” “I’ll simply remind Lord and Lady Hollister you’re becoming acquainted with all your new duties entail and had a momentary lapse in judgment and deportment. Seeing a lady in distress reminded you of our younger sister, Lady Phoebe. You would have lent your assistance no matter who had been in danger of falling on their face had not you righted the lady’s spectacles so she could see.” Jared chuckled. “That, dear brother, is a barrowful of sh—” “Not another word, Duke.” Edward put his hands in the middle of Jared’s back and pushed him toward the carriage. The footman still stood at attention, holding the door open. The duke inclined his head, acknowledging the footman’s service, and climbed aboard. Edward grabbed hold of the door before the footman could close it. “Oh, and Jared,” he said in a low voice. “Try to keep out of trouble the rest of tonight.” “I planned to go to Father’s club—” His brother shook his head at him. “Urgent business—wanted at home. Solicitors are waiting for your arrival.” “Bloody difficult business this becoming a duke.” Shutting the door and waving the coachman on, his brother replied, “You have no idea.”

later, more whispers swept group by group until those in attendance were all in the know. The duke had urgent business he’d set aside in order to honor the Hollisters with his presence. Choosing their ball to make his first official appearance as the Sixth Duke of Wyndmere, although fraught with inconsistencies and questionable behavior, was quite a coup. *** From where she stood watching the ripples of excitement, rumors and innuendo, Persephone wondered how she’d ever be able to convince her mother she truly was sorry. Mayhap if she promised never to don the guise of a nearsighted bluestocking again, her mother would let her retire to the country tonight. A tear slipped past Persephone’s guard as her mother’s words echoed through her aching head. “Your father would be severely disappointed in you. In the morning, I shall go over the list of gentlemen who have offered for your hand—and been denied for whatever ridiculous reason you came up with at the time. You have had your lark, Daughter, now you will do as I say.” Nothing she said had convinced her mother otherwise. Tomorrow, she would have to put away her spectacles and odious-colored gowns. Madame Beaudoine would begin creating a new wardrobe for her on the morrow. “Lord help me.”

*** Earl Lippincott was seen reentering the ballroom seeking out Lord and Lady Hollister. A few moments Issue 54 | January 2021 |

K E LLY BRAKENHOFF

ELLY BRAKENHOFF is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. Her first novel, DEATH BY DISSERTATION, kicked off the Cassandra Sato Mystery Series, followed by DEAD WEEK, DEAD OF WINTER BREAK, and the short story, DEAD END. NEVER MIND and FARTS MAKE NOISE, her children’s picture books featuring Duke the Deaf Dog and illustrated by her sister, Theresa Murray, have quickly become popular with children, parents, and educators for promoting inclusive conversations about children with differences. The mother of four young adults and a German Wirehair Pointer, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home.

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kellybrakenhoff.com Uncaged welcomes Kelly Brakenhoff Uncaged: Welcome to Uncaged! Your latest release – the third book in the Cassandra Sato Mystery series released in November – called Dead of Winter Break. Can you tell readers more about this series? How many books are you planning for the series, or is it open ended? Thank you for having me today! 82 | UncagedBooks.com

Dead of Winter Break takes place between the fall and spring semesters when most of the campus is closed for the holidays. Cassandra Sato, the smart, witty Morton College administrator, has traded in her designer heels for furry boots and she’s buried under her first Nebraska blizzard. Housebreaking her new dog isn’t going according to plan; neither is pinch hitting as dorm supervisor over the holidays while everyone else enjoys family time or vacation. Her boss is dead, and the police are calling it a burglary gone wrong. When the killer comes after her, it’s going to take more than Andy Summers, the campus security director with a not-so-secret crush on her, to keep her out of deep trouble. Once again, the entire college squad is in action, including Meg, Cinda, and Professor Bryant, shoveling through knee-deep suspects, wisecracking their way through this fast-paced, holiday themed whodunit. Cassandra’s first Christmas in Nebraska could be her last unless her friends help unravel the mystery and housebreak her dog. New ideas for these characters and series come to me in dreams or random moments when I have to hurry and write notes before I forget. I have basic outlines for three more books, plus short stories or novellas that I give to my newsletter subscribers. Uncaged: You also write a children’s book series, Duke the Deaf Dog ASL Series. Can you tell us what inspired you to write this series? What do you want your young readers to take away from these books? For thirty years, I’ve worked as an American Sign Language Interpreter, and members of the Deaf Community are dear to my heart. In writing, the mysteries came first but soon after the first one published, I knew I wanted to give back to the people who have impacted my life so deeply. More than 90% of children who are born deaf or hard of hearing have parents who can hear. I’ve done the research and there are very few picture books for young children with deaf or hard of hearIssue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | ing characters. In Never Mind, children and parents alike learn how it feels to be left out because you communicate differently than others. No one of any age likes to be brushed aside with a “never mind.” In Farts Make Noise, Duke learns that some noises are loud, some are quiet, and some noises are not polite! Each book includes ASL signs and extra material about Deaf Culture as a teaching aid for teachers, parents, and caregivers. I wanted to write a children’s book series that deaf children could feel connected to, because I believe every child can love reading if they find a story they enjoy. Together with my deaf friends who contribute their real stories to every book, our hope is to expose a generation of kids to how it feels growing up deaf. And maybe it will spark their interest in learning ASL to communicate with their classmates

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and future co-workers, so no one is left out. Combining my passion for the Deaf Community and ASL with my lifelong love of writing and reading has been a dream come true. Uncaged: Now that there may be an end in sight to the pandemic, what are you looking forward to doing that you haven’t been able to do when it’s finally over? TRAVEL! I’ve been stuck in my neighborhood for weeks and months at a time. As an extrovert, this is not my normal way of life. My best writing ideas come when I’m people watching in a crowded plaza, eating new foods, visiting historical places, or eavesdropping on strangers in a coffee shop. I sure hope we can all get back to going out into the world more soon. Uncaged: Do you edit out anything substantial in your novels in the editing process? Do you make that extra content available in any way to readers if you do?

I’m a lean first drafter. Which means usually I begin with the plot skeleton and a bunch of scenes containing mostly dialogue. In subsequent drafts I add in descriptions, context, and layer in the humor and heart that add depth to the stories. Occasionally, I cut entire chapters or scenes, but I always save them. There’s one brilliant idea I’ve cut from the last two books because it didn’t fit within the final plots. I might have to write a special short story just for that idea because it’s wonderfully creepy. Subscribers to my email newsletter list get a short story prequel for free, and I give them first chance to read more short stories as they become available next year. Uncaged: What was the first book that made you laugh and/or cry? This is a great question. I’m a lifelong Erma Bombeck fan. Her weekly column was in my local newspaper growing up. I remember reading If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What am I Doing in the Pits? I was probably twelve and knew nothing about being a funny middle-aged housewife, but Erma had a way of making everyday situations hilarious and poignant at the same time. I still have a few tattered columns I cut out in high school. When I became a mother, I re-read some of her books and understood them in a whole new light. My favorite columns are I’ve Always Loved You Best Because, and If I Had My Life to Live Over. For many years at the end of my emails, the signature reads, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’.” Her words inspired me to finally finish my first novel. Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working? I like to run 5K and 10K races. Although if you saw me run, it’s hard to call it racing. I usually choose events where I get a

| KELLY BRAKENHOFF | free beer at the finish line celebration. Getting away from the computer is a great way to sort through plotlines and ideas with the added bonus that I can eat the occasional piece of chocolate cake without guilt. I may have miscalculated the proportion of running to cake during the pandemic because my waistline expanded to fit my stretchy yoga pants. Getting back into shape when you’re over 50 is not pretty. I highly recommend more running than cake and hope to get that ratio right in 2021. Uncaged: How many hours a day do you write? On average, how long does it take to write a full novel? For the first time this spring I kept track of my daily word counts. It took me a little over two months to write the book and revise it enough to send to my editor. During the academic year I interpret at our local university, and I don’t write every day. I’m more of a binge writer where I knock out the first draft in a month or six weeks. Then I slow down to do revising. After three books, I’m always learning tips from other writers about how to work smarter and faster. One thing I’ve had to let go during 2020 is the guilt I felt from missing a day or week of writing on my works in progress. Writing blog posts and learning about marketing and advertising has taken a lot of my attention this year. I hope it’s an investment in doing everything a little better next year. Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now? I love loading books onto my Kindle, but nothing beats the smell of a new paperback or hardcover book. I’d guess I read about half eBooks, and half print books. I used to listen to more audiobooks. But now that I’m mostly working from home, I have no commute or down time to listen. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? Introverting is hard. I’m built to interact with real people, whether that’s through my newsletters, postIssue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | ing quirky mystery memes on my Facebook page, in Cozy Mystery Facebook groups, or on Instagram where I post photos of food, my dog, and cute grandkids. Join my newsletter group or follow me on social media and TALK TO ME, please! I’ve learned a lot from chatting with readers. Especially during these times of isolation and struggle, I feel like we could all use another fun friend.

Enjoy an excerpt from Dead of Winter Break Dead of Winter Break Kelly Brakenhoff Mystery Dead of Winter Break (A Cassandra Sato Mystery #3) It’s beginning to look a lot like murder . . . And Cassandra is knee deep in . . . Suspects. Her boss is dead, and the police are calling it burglary gone wrong. But when the killer comes after her, it’s going to take more than a pair of furry boots to keep the smart, witty Morton College administrator, Cassandra Sato, out of the deep. . . Snow. Her first Christmas in Nebraska could be her last unless her friends help unravel the mystery and housebreak her dog. Buy now for a fast-paced, holiday themed whodunit. Excerpt Chapter One December in Nebraska was best left to poets droning on about the dubious merits of frosty icicles and face-freezing temperatures. Inside the stuffy 86 | UncagedBooks.com

Performing Arts Center, Cassandra Sato felt sweat rivulets slide down her back under her academic regalia. Easing the light blue velvet sash a few inches away from her throat, she crossed her ankles and inhaled deeply to slow her heartbeat. Moments earlier, while the Fall Commencement speaker—an economist who had graduated in the 1950s—launched the concluding salvo in his uninspiring remarks, Cassandra had glanced across the stage at Board of Directors Chairman Alan Hershey, Master of Ceremonies and owner of an age-defying head of hair that never fell out of place. Hershey had raised two fingers of his right hand and dipped his chin in a subtle greeting to someone in the audience. Cassandra had followed his gaze to the parents and guests in the lower level seating that curved behind the Morton College graduates. The center’s Gothic interior resembled an old European chapel. Except instead of a central altar, a stage was flanked by two levels of box seats. Decorative carvings on the pillars and ceiling continued the impression of an old, stately theatre. She smiled at the families wearing their finest clothes, pride in their new graduates obvious as they snapped photos of every aspect of the auspicious day. She loved commencements. Poignant endings and eager degree candidates brimming with promise for the future made her heart swell. Cassandra had met a small number of parents in her four-plus months as Vice President for Student Affairs. As her eyes slid down a row about halfway up the section where Hershey had nodded, she hadn’t expected to recognize any of the faces. Which was why her heart had lurched so suddenly. With narrowed eyes, she confirmed the tall, thin, gray-haired man with the unruly eyebrows was indeed her former boss. Why was Dr. Gary Nielson sitting in the commencement audience instead of floating in a fishing trawler off the Florida coast wearing the goofy

| KELLY BRAKENHOFF | hat he’d posed in for the postcard Cassandra had received less than two weeks ago? She racked her brain for a good reason why Nielson would end his sunny retirement trip so abruptly and return to wintry Carson, Nebraska. The skin on his face was several shades darker than the pale complexions he and his wife had sported in early November upon departing to begin their new life. His unexpected exit had thrown Cassandra’s office into a bit of chaos while the administrative departments divided up his duties and the board of directors hired an interim president. That had not worked out as anyone had hoped. Now they were back to a vacancy, with Chairman Hershey making important decisions while pursuing a suitable replacement. Just minutes before spotting Nielson, Cassandra had daydreamed of the time when she would become president of a university and it would be her duty— no, her deepest pleasure—to impart her own wisdom while standing before a crowd of beaming graduates and well-wishers. The rest of the ceremony had passed in a distracted rush of excited motion and frustration while Cassandra waited to corner Chairman Hershey. The ending bars of Pomp and Circumstance echoed in the main hall while the stage party and graduates marched out to the lobby. Unzipping her black outer gown, Cassandra left her floppy velvet tam in place so she wouldn’t mess up her hair. “Mr. Hershey, a moment— “ “Dr. Sato!” Hershey was only a few inches taller than her in heeled knee-high boots. “Glad I caught you before the reception. Dr. Nielson has changed his mind and will be reinstated as president for the spring term, giving us ample time to search for a permanent replacement.”

had changed his mind. Who does that? Disappointment pinched a nerve in her temple. “Reinstated? He just left in November—” “You well know the past two months have been controversial,” Hershey nodded. “Donors have complained. Parents have encouraged their children to transfer. Dr. Nielson was kind enough to oblige us on short notice.” One student’s death, another violently attacked, campus protests, and media controversy had made for an exhausting first semester. All Cassandra wanted for the next four weeks of Winter Break was to watch mindless TV, wash every surface of her house, and write a telecommunications grant proposal. Nielson’s reappearance seemed too coincidental. “But sir, — “ Hershey’s hair-sprayed head leaned closer to her ear. “Personally, I wish you had the age and experience to apply for the president’s job,” he said. Parents and audience members streamed into the lobby to meet up with their graduates. “Although I feel obligated to mention that it’s doubtful you’ll be seriously considered for the job here, no matter how mature or experienced you become. You, um . . . well, you don’t fit the Morton presidential mold . . .” Without a trace of malice in his voice or expression, Hershey had just dismissed her aspirations as easily as one casts off a pair of shoes because she wasn’t the right style or color. Cassandra squinted and squeezed the heavy cardboard program in her hand until it bent in half. How dare he? Cassandra’s face reddened and she’d just opened her mouth to reply when she felt a strong hand grip her elbow and an arm settle on her waist. She was steered away from Hershey and hustled off to the alcove leading to the women’s bathroom.

Six weeks of retirement under his belt and Nielson Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | Cassandra yanked her arm away. Shaking out her poufy green striped velvet sleeves, she directed the indignation she’d felt towards Hershey at her friend Meg O’Brien instead. “Why are you pushing me?” Meg held both her palms up in mock surrender, flipped her wavy red hair over one shoulder, and glared back at Cassandra using a stink eye so authentically Hawaiian that Mama Sato would have been proud. “Is that how you thank me, wahine?” Meg’s index finger came up between them and hovered just inches from Cassandra’s chin. “I saved you from making a scene in front of all those people.” If Meg ever used that look on her ten-year-old son, Tony, he’d probably turn to ash. Cassandra batted Meg’s finger away. Her face was inches from Meg’s, and she stage whispered, “I wasn’t making a scene! That patriarchal good ol’ boy just assured me I’d never get the president’s job here.” “I overheard that part,” said Meg. Cassandra backed away from her best friend and opened the bathroom door. They stepped around the corner into the lounge and huddled together on a chaise, out of range of others using the restroom stalls and sinks. “Does he think I’m too female or too Asian to fit the Morton presidential mold?” Meg had worked at the commencement in her role as Morton’s ASL Interpreter Coordinator. A cantaloupe-sized baby bump protruded from her black sweater dress. Black tights and black boots made her outfit funeral-ready, but that was her standard uniform for stage events. “Mr. Country Club Helmet Head wasn’t trying to piss you off. He thought he was giving you friendly advice. Hershey likes you, Cass, although he’s oblivious to how backward he sounds. Didn’t you tell me after the fiasco with Dr. Winters that you won’t 88 | UncagedBooks.com

be applying for the vacant president’s job?” The ladies lounge door banged open and Cinda Weller zeroed in on Cassandra and Meg in the corner. “I’m not wearing your ridiculously heavy outfit, but I’m still dying in this overheated mausoleum.” Cinda fanned herself with a souvenir program while her bouncy, blonde hair wilted into frizz. Morton’s Counseling and Career Services Director was practically defined by her dry humor and oddball Southern sayings. Several years younger than Cassandra and the mom of two young sons, she’d quickly become Cassandra’s friend. Cassandra adjusted her robes. “I love the costumes only slightly more than I love commencements. I only get to wear mine twice per year.” At the same time Cassandra and Cinda said, “It’s old school.” One of them meant it as a compliment, the other did not. Cinda wore navy slacks with a Morton blue blazer and minimal makeup. She shook her head. “Did you notice that line of students who marched down the wrong aisle and had to double back around to their seats?” Meg shrugged. “Dr. Bryant was their line leader, but don’t blame us for the mix-up. We did our jobs. That whole scuffle with the air horn was distracting.” Dr. Shannon Bryant was the Deaf Studies professor who Cassandra had recently gotten to know a little better. Meg worked with him often. Pointing towards the bathroom stalls, Meg said, “Mommy bladder.” Cassandra had heard air horns several times throughout the program in disregard for signs at the entrance listing commencement etiquette do’s and don’ts. An announcement had been repeated during the ceremony requesting that the audience refrain from unruly behavior and everyone had complied. Except for one. Finally, Bob Gregory, the Business Office Director, had beelined over to a well-dressed woman and her disheveled friend in the left seating

| KELLY BRAKENHOFF | area and told them to leave. The young woman had tossed her dark, tightly waved waist-length hair and loudly protested. “We’re cheering for our friends! We aren’t hurting anyone. Don’t be so uptight!” After his stern beckoning gesture, they’d shuffled over the legs of ten people to exit the row.

Cassandra said, “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll take care of it from here.”

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There’s at least one smartass in every audience. By the time she and her companion had crawled their way to the aisle, the eyeballs of most males in the vicinity were fixed on the young woman’s long legs, short skirt, and pretty face. She repeated apologies to each person she stepped around. “Excuse me. Thanks. Hey, how are you? Good to see you. Hi, Professor.” The guy with her was dressed in jeans and a wrinkly t-shirt under a black leather jacket. He stood quietly in the aisle waiting for her until Gregory ushered them both out. Some people had noticed the disruption, but the incident took only half a minute and the ceremony had continued smoothly. As soon as Cassandra returned to the lobby, Bob Gregory appeared by her side. “Those air horn people were removed by campus security.” His nose wrinkled in distaste. “I tried to calm the young lady down and was willing to let her stay for the post-commencement luncheon if she agreed to relinquish the offending device, but she refused.” The way Gregory said lady made it clear he did not consider her worthy of the title. “Apparently her mother is some diplomatic la-ti-da and she threatened to complain about her treatment today. Frankly, she was quite disrespectful.” His large stomach heaved upwards with his breath and his lower lip formed into a small pout. “Most of these young folks are nowadays. Disrespectful.” He nodded to himself as though Cassandra’s opinion was unnecessary for the conversation. It was all she could do not to roll her eyes and tell him, okay, Boomer. Issue 54 | January 2021 |

feature authors

romantic suspense | contemporary

Kristy McCaffrey

Joe Siple

k risty Mccaffrey K

risty McCaffrey writes contemporary adventure stories packed with smoldering romance and spine-tingling suspense, as well as award-winning historical western romances brimming with grit and emotion. Her work is filled with compelling heroes, determined heroines, and her trademark mysticism. Life is a wondrous endeavor, and she strives to bring that sense of awe and joy into the tales she weaves, along with in-depth research into settings and time periods. Kristy holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering, but writing has been her passion since she was very young. Her four children are nearly grown and gone, so she and her husband frequently pursue their love of travel to far-off places like the Orkney Islands or Macchu Picchu. But mostly, she works 12-hour days and enjoys at-home date nights with her sweetheart, which usually include Will Ferrell movies and sci-fi flicks. Kristy believes life should be lived with curiosity, compassion, and gratitude, and one should never be far from the enthusiasm of a dog. She also likes sleeping-in, eating Mexican food, and doing yoga at home in her pajamas. An Arizona native, she resides in the desert north of Phoenix. Sign up for Kristy’s newsletter at http://kmccaffrey. com/subscribe/ to receive her latest book news as well as subscriber-only content.

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Welcome to Kristy McCaffrey Uncaged: Welcome to Uncaged! Your newest book in a romantic suspense series called The Pathway Series, is called Ancient Winds. Do you have a release date for this book? Can you tell readers more about the series? I’m so happy to be here! As I’m writing this (midDecember), I don’t have a definite release date for Ancient Winds, but by the time you all are reading this I should. So please check my website for current info. My hope is to have it out by the end of January. The Pathway Series combines romantic suspense with high adventure. The first book, DEEP BLUE, is about Dr. Grace Mann’s obsession with great white sharks. She’s headed to Guadalupe Island in Mexico to freedive with the sharks, and Alec Galloway is hired to film a documentary about her. The second book, COLD HORIZON, features Alec’s brother, Tyler, who has gathered a small team to climb K2, the second highest mountain in the world. Lindsey Coulson has come to find peace after her sister’s death, also a mountain climber, and she and Ty will fight to get to the summit while also dealing with the romantic sparks flying between them. The newest book, ANCIENT WINDS, stars Alec and Ty’s sister, Brynn, an archaeologist who specializes in cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia. However, this story takes place in the Bolivian jungle when Brynn gets mixed up with a mercenary physicist, Dr. Tristan Magee, and his search for a stolen artifact. These books feature intriguing locales, intelligent and spunky heroines, and sexy heroes to fall in love with. I hope everyone will check them out. Uncaged: You also write historical western romance with your Wings of the West series. Is that a completed series or are you planning on adding to it in the future? For the longest time, it WAS a completed series (with 5 books published), but this year I decided to continue it, and have already written a first draft of a new novel, starring a daughter from the second Issue 54 | January 2021 |

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

I also miss going out to dinner and seeing a movie. I hope the theaters will survive.

| FEATURE AUTHOR | generation. I hope to have at least two published next year. Stay tuned! Uncaged: Now that there may be an end in sight to the pandemic, what are you looking forward to doing that you haven’t been able to do when it’s finally over? The biggest thing I miss is travel. My husband and I enjoy taking trips (both for business and leisure) and have been to places such as Costa Rica, Thailand, and the British Virgin Islands. But I also miss going out to dinner and seeing a movie. I hope the theaters will survive. Uncaged: Do you edit out anything substantial in your novels in the editing process? Do you make that extra content available in any way to readers if you do? I do edit out quite a bit in my first revision pass. I keep all the old files, but they’re usually such a mess that I would never want anyone to see them. However, I do have an alternate first chapter for ANCIENT WINDS that I absolutely loved when I wrote it, but for various reasons I had to scrap it. So I’m thinking of posting it on my website in case readers would like to see it. Uncaged: What was the first book that made you laugh and/or cry? I read a lot of sci-fi/fantasy when I was in high school, and as far as laughs go, I would say Piers Anthony’s Xanth series. Which book made me cry? The novelization of “The Empire Strikes Back.” I was a huge Star Wars geek when I was younger. That book had two bombshells in it that rocked me (remember I was only 13 years old) – Luke’s parentage and Han Solo ending up in carbonite. The second one really had me sobbing. (I should add that I read the book prior to the movie releasing.) Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working? 96 | UncagedBooks.com

During the pandemic, my husband and I have been walking a lot. We also watch a lot of shows together (our current favorites are Star Trek: Discovery and The Mandalorian – we also enjoyed Raised By Wolves and Away – these are all sci-fi so you can see that my geekiness is still present). Uncaged: How many hours a day do you write? On average, how long does it take to write a full novel? I write about two hours a day. For my Pathway series, those books took me a year to write. I do a lot of research, which takes time, but I also do a lot of rewriting. I’ve tried to streamline this with more outlining, but it just doesn’t work for me. My brain and subconscious like to take their time connecting the dots. I won’t lie – it drives me batty most days. Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now? I read both ebooks and physical books. I’ve never been an audiobook person, which is probably why I haven’t put any of my books into audio yet. (Note to self: I need to do this.) Currently I’m reading The Once and Future Witches by Alix Harrow, Concrete Evidence by Rachel Grant, In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren, Rescued by the Ranger by Dixie Lee Brown, Rubicon by G.S. Jennsen, and The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab. I know, that’s a lot. Each night, I read a few chapters from each. If one gets good, I’ll focus on that, but I love to read and there’s so much great stuff out there that I’m impatient to get to them all. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? My hope is to give readers a great story with a sizzling romance, and I love it when they let me know they’ve loved my books. There’s no greater feeling. The best place to follow me is BookBub or Amazon, but you can find all my info at my website too. If you want to chat, I’m on Facebook nearly every day.

Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR |

Enjoy an excerpt from Ancient Winds Ancient Winds Kristy McCaffrey Romantic Suspense Releases Jan. 2021 In the jungle, there are no barriers …

Brynn Galloway doesn’t know it, but her academic career in archaeology is about to become a laughingstock. When a rare Sumerian artifact surfaces, her presence is requested in Bolivia, but nothing is as it seems. Soon, she’s entangled in a desperate hunt not only for a valuable antiquity but also for answers to humanity that might stretch across time. And by her side is a sexy mercenary physicist with a maddening belief in space aliens. Dr. Tristan Magee is in a bad mood. When his latest acquisition—an unusual and as yet untranslated Sumerian cuneiform tablet—is stolen right out from under him and spirited away to the Bolivian jungle, he’ll do whatever it takes to get it back. Unfortunately, that includes partnering with a female archaeologist who proves to be the kind of distraction that brought down civilizations. Excerpt Tristan Magee is trying to get Dimar Castanos to take him into the jungle when Brynn Galloway finds them. Tristan made his way back to Yumani, passing donkeys and sheep along the way as he entered the small village with houses dotted along the countryside. A few hours later, Dimar had managed to elude him at the Hostel where they were both staying, 98 | UncagedBooks.com

but Tristan easily tracked him down at one of the local restaurants with a spectacular view of Lake Titicaca. As Tristan took a seat, Dimar grimaced. “Dining alone?” “Just keeping an eye on my guests,” Dimar replied, indicating the people sitting at the other tables with a wave of his hand. “Thanks for saving me a seat.” Tristan ordered a local beer and a plate of fresh trout. “Have you given any thought to my offer?” “Offer?” Dimar grunted. “I know it’s an order. But sí, I will take you. In two days. Because you owe me that money.” Tristan gave a salute with his beer bottle and took a drink. “Excuse me,” a female voice interrupted from behind Tristan. “Are you Dimar Castanos?” A glance over his shoulder confirmed that it was the woman he’d helped earlier at the Fountain of the Incas. “Who’s asking?” Dimar said. “You’ve found him,” Tristan spoke at the same time. The woman’s gaze settled on Tristan. Instead of the earlier polite friendliness, her eyes flashed with a glint of wariness. “We meet again.” But she didn’t dwell on their brief acquaintance and instead shifted her focus back to Dimar. “I’ve been looking for you. You’ve been incredibly difficult to locate.” She stepped from behind Tristan’s chair and held out a hand. “I’m Brynn Galloway. I’m a friend of Irene Caridad’s, and she told me you would help me.” Brynn Galloway? Why did that name sound familiar? Dimar shook her hand. “Pleased to meet you,” he said, his reply nothing more than a monotone. While Dimar could prove elusive to track down, he was never elu-

| KRISTY MCCAFFREY | sive with his displeasure. Apparently, he’d not only been avoiding Tristan but also California Girl with the ball cap from her brother. “You should join us,” Tristan offered, grabbing an extra chair from a nearby table. He couldn’t deny that seeing Dimar squirm gave him joy, but randomly meeting this woman who was also looking for Irene was nothing short of the universe showering him with synchronicity.

fireworks when she touched him. After a simple handshake, she tucked herself back into her space. Get your head straight, man. She’s just a woman. While the restaurant ran a generator, it was only for the kitchen. With the candlelight and the full moon highlighting the shimmering waters of Lake Titicaca, the ambiance was downright romantic.

“Thank you,” she replied, her response business-like. “If it’s not too much trouble.” She sat while saying the last bit, clearly staying whether it was a bother or not.

“You Americans are bullies,” Dimar cut in, ruining the mood.

Apparently, Irene was drawing others into her antiquities side-hustle, and Tristan couldn’t wait to hear Ms. Galloway’s side of the story. Because, goddammit, he’d protect his own interests at all costs.

“First him”—Dimar thrust a finger at Tristan— “now you. I’m on vacation.”

But when Brynn Galloway cast a look his way, the flickering candlelight caressing her cheeks and illuminating eyes that made him think of a calculating jaguar, a jolt of awareness caught him by surprise. His brief encounter with her had showed her to be confident, intelligent, and possessing a dry wit—nectar to his libido to be certain. But he wasn’t looking for a quick lay. Been there, done that. Nor did he have time for emotional entanglements. Chasing antiquities on the black market the past few years had effectively hardened him about every aspect of living. People were greedy, selfish, self-serving. End of story.

“A working vacation.” Dimar uttered the syllables with precision. “Isn’t that what you Americans do all the time? So you can write off all your expenses?”

At the moment, he had room in his life for only one thing, and that was retrieving what Irene Caridad had so brazenly stolen from him.

“Don’t worry, he’s not as dumb as he sounds,” Tristan said.

If Brynn Galloway could facilitate that in any way, he’d use it. He extended his hand and said, “No trouble at all. I’m Tristan Magee.” A vague disappointment filled him when there was no violin serenade or explosions of

“I beg your pardon?” Ms. Galloway replied.

“No you’re not,” Tristan rebutted.

“Well, anyway,” Ms. Galloway said. “Irene said that she was unable to wait for me in La Paz and that you would take me to her.” “Who told you that?” Dimar demanded. Ms. Galloway’s forehead wrinkled into a lovely look of consternation.

“Are you sure?” she murmured, flashing Tristan a look of amusement, before returning her attention to Dimar with a sigh. “As I just said, Dr. Caridad told me. In an email.” Tristan chuckled. “Looks like you’ve got more customers than you can handle, Dimar.” Issue 54 | January 2021 |

| FEATURE AUTHOR | The look she cast Tristan’s way no longer held amusement but instead held a glint of annoyance. “Who are you again?” she asked. “A friend of Dimar’s.” “You are no friend of mine, Dr. Magee,” Dimar said with a beady glare. Tristan could all but hear Ms. Galloway’s brain clicking away as she contemplated her table mates. He asked, in as light a tone as he could muster, “Do you know where Dr. Caridad is?” She shook her head. “If I did, why would I have come all the way out to Isla del Sol, which is beautiful by the way but is costing me an extra two days of travel, to interrogate you monkeys?” “Bully,” Dimar muttered. “I’m not a bully,” Ms. Galloway replied, clearly exasperated. “I had hoped to have this resolved as soon as I landed in La Paz, and frankly Mr. Castanos, your lack of response has been nothing short of rude and aggravating.” Tristan drained the last of his beer. “She’s got your number, Dimar.” “Fine,” the Bolivian said. “You can come with us. Dr. Magee here is already paying for my services, so I won’t charge you.” He gloated triumphantly from across the table. Ms. Galloway gave Tristan an assessing look. “You’re looking for Irene as well? And how do you know her?” “That’s not important. You’re welcome to join us”—he nodded toward Dimar—“if you like.” “Into the jungle?” Ms. Galloway’s innocent question confirmed Tristan’s suspicion that Irene had gone off grid. The question was, why? The only answer he could 100 | UncagedBooks.com

come up with was she planned to sell his artifact, but it baffled him as to why she would disappear into the Bolivian jungle to do it. “The one and only,” Tristan replied, then he remembered how he knew of Brynn Galloway. It was also clear why she was here, whether she copped to it or not. “I’ll bet you’re an archaeologist,” he said, knowing full well she was. “Why don’t you let me buy you dinner? And we can chat.”

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joe sip l e

oe Siple’s debut novel, The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride, is an Amazon bestseller in several countries, was named “2018 Book of the Year” by the Maxy Awards, and has been translated into several languages, including Korean and Russian. The sequel, The Final Wish of Mr. Murray McBride, will be released January 21 by Black Rose Writing. Siple lives in Colorado with his wife and two daughters.

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joesiple.com Uncaged welcomes Joe Siple Uncaged: Welcome to Uncaged! Your newest book will release on January 21, called The Final Wish of Mr. Murray McBride. This is a sequel to The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride – can you tell readers more about these books? Most people think the Mr. Murray McBride series is all about wishes, and in a way that’s true. The structure of both books is that a child facing difficulty meets an older person who decides to help make a list of wishes come true. But really the books are about the ways close relationships are formed and how giving your time and energy for the benefit of others is one of the most rewarding things we can do with our lives. The books started because I’ve always been intrigued by how similar most people are, at their core, yet people of all kinds--young and old, black and white, religious and atheist--seem so different on the surface. I

like to use writing to explore relationships where the characters find a way to get beyond their superficial differences, to the closeness we all crave. Uncaged: Where do you find the inspiration for your writing? I’ve always enjoyed writing, but halfway through the first draft of the first Murray McBride book, my dad died unexpectedly. He and I were very close and the story became, as much as anything, a form of therapy. It was a difficult time for me, but through it I came to realize the power a story can wield. I became a different kind of writer. It was no longer enough to craft a well-written story with all the elements of a successful novel. Now, I strive to give my readers an emotional experience. The idea that I might accomplish that is my inspiration. I’m definitely not the best writer around, but I’ve stumbled upon a way to make readers feel something—if they’re open to the experience. Not all readers are. Some want a good murder mystery, or a sci-fi thriller, or a beautifully crafted literary masterpiece. And that’s great. But for those looking for an emotional experience, I like to think my stories can provide that. Uncaged: Now that there may be an end in sight to the pandemic, what are you looking forward to doing that you haven’t been able to do when it’s finally over? Watching live music. I love music. I’m one of those people who can’t go to a concert without buying a CD or two from the merchandise counter in back. It doesn’t matter if it’s a world-renowned superstar or a guy playing his first dive bar. I can’t wait to get back to that. Uncaged: Do you edit out anything substantial in your novels in the editing process? Do you make that extra content available in any way to readers if you do? I’ve become very good at cutting. I’ll cut entire sub-plots, entire characters, sometimes even huge Issue 54 | January 2021 |

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | chunks of my main plot. I think that willingness to cut things out gives me the freedom to write my first draft. If I thought everything I wrote would be in the final book, I’d be too scared to write anything. It would have to be perfect, and if there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s that my first drafts are anything but perfect. But I’ve never considered the idea that anyone might want to read the things I’ve cut. If they do, they should get in touch with me, because I have a LOT of it. But it’s not very good, and most of it would be unrecognizable compared to the final book. Uncaged: What was the first book that made you laugh and/or cry? The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud, by Ben Sherwood. It was required reading for a writers’ conference I attended in Madison, Wisconsin in 2004. It’s still my favorite book ever. If you haven’t read it, you should. Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working? I’m a meditator. I make sure to meditate for about 20 minutes every day and have for several years. It has provided enormous benefits to my life. Other than that, I listen to music (see above) and I spend as much time as I can with my wife and two daughters. My girls are 13 and 15 as I write this, so they’ll be gone before I know it. I’m trying to enjoy every moment I have with them. And, of course, I read. Uncaged: How many hours a day do you write? On average, how long does it take to write a full novel? I’ve always thought I should be one of those writers that sits down and forces himself to write a certain amount every day. Unfortunately, that’s not how I work. I go in streaks. When I’m in the middle of something I’m excited about, I’ll physically be at my computer writing words for about three hours a day and finish around 2,000-4,000 106 | UncagedBooks.com

| JOE SIPLE | words, depending on how things go. But I think an enormous amount of the writing process happens away from the computer. I assign my subconscious to think through a problem, or walk my dog with an audio recorder and come up with ideas, or bore my wife with my latest brainstorms. When I’m in the middle of something, my entire day is “writing.” But then I can go three weeks without writing a word. Sometimes I just need a break, and I’ve found that allowing myself that freedom helps my creativity. Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now? I’m old school. I’ve never read an ebook and never listened to a novel on audiobook. Something about the physical book in my hands is special to me. It makes my carry-on bags much heavier than they need to be when I travel, but it’s worth it. I’m always reading something. Usually three books at once: a novel, a non-fiction book, and something on the writing craft. Right now I’m in the middle of “Taking Flight” by Adrian R. Magnuson, “A Short History of Nearly Everything” by Bill Bryson, and “Writing Twenty-First Century Fiction” by Donald Maass. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? To fans—to anyone who has read any of my books and enjoyed them—I’d like to express my gratitude, but I have no idea how to do it. You’d think, as a writer, I’d be able to find the words, but I just can’t. It’s impossible to articulate how it makes me feel every time I see a review by someone who has connected with one of my stories. It’s one of the greatest joys of my life. And to those who have read my books and not liked them—and they’re out there too, although I’ve been lucky enough for it to be a relatively small number—I’d like to express my gratitude to you, too. I thank you for your honesty. Negative reviews give credibility to the positive ones. No book in the history of books has been universally loved. That’s part of the beauty of it. Issue 54 | January 2021 |

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Enjoy an excerpt from The Final Wish of Mr. Murray McBride The Final Wish of Mr. Murray McBride Joe Siple Contemporary Releases Jan. 21 Jason Cashman has reached the goal he spent the last twenty years seeking, but instead of feeling content, he feels empty. When he meets Alexandra Lopez, a ten-year-old America-loving girl facing deportation, he is inspired by his old friend, Murray McBride, to give her five wishes before she must leave. They set out to check off as many wishes as possible, but when Jason’s transplanted heart begins to fail, he must choose between his obligations to the past and his hope for a future. Excerpt “So, about these wishes.” “Yes?” “How many do I get?” “I don’t know. There aren’t really any rules about it.” “How many did you have?” “I had five.” “Why five?” “I guess it seemed like a reasonable number. More 108 | UncagedBooks.com

than just one or two, but not so many they couldn’t all come true. I actually didn’t think much about it when I made my list. I was pretty young. How many do you want?” “That depends. Did all five of your wishes come true?” The question brings back so many memories. Mindy Applegate’s perfume. The feeling of standing up to a bully. The ivy of Wrigley Field. The man who became my stepfather. And just the other day, the real magic of making Tiegan’s wish come true. “They did,” I say. “Then I should do five, too.” “It’s a deal,” I say. “Any thoughts on what you want them to be?” “I already know four.” “Really?” “Yep. Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet.” I try to figure out what she’s talking about. How could hot dogs be a wish? Then I realize I’ve heard those words strung together before, although I can’t place where. I try to step back and see Alexandra anew. It only takes a moment for it to hit me. Always wearing red, white, and blue. Reading about the Founding Fathers. Her desire to become an American. When I look at her that way, the lyrics of an old commercial suddenly come back to me. As American as baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet. “I like it,” I say. “But I’m not sure how to make those things into wishes. So how about this? How about we come up with five things typical American kids do, and try to do them before your deportation hearing?” She’s quiet for a moment. “Yeah,” she says. “While I still have the chance.” Part of me wants to contradict her, to say she’ll be fine and that she’ll end up being able to stay. There’s no reason to rush her five things because the hearing will

| JOE SIPLE | go her way, she’ll continue to get the medical care she needs, and everything will be okay. But I’ve lived this before. I’ve had my own “while I still have the chance.” I know unexpected things can happen—some good, some bad. So I know better than to make a promise I might not be able to keep. She needs to know that I understand. That I won’t sugarcoat. So I say, “Yeah. While you still have the chance.” She runs back into her house and returns a minute later with a pen and a notepad. She sits next to me and after a few moments leans back onto her elbows and looks up toward the sun. “Water parks,” she says. “Excuse me?” “Water parks. Absolutely full of American kids,” she says. “On a hot summer day.” “It’s September, though. Water parks are closed until next summer.” She gives me that sideways glance again. “You’re not very good at this, are you? How did your wishes ever come true?” I chuckle. It’s a reasonable question. “Well, I had help.” “So, can I keep water park, or not?” She holds her pen over the pad of paper. I have no idea how to get her to a water park when none of them are open, but still, I say, “Sure” and she writes it down. Her penmanship is a hundred times better than mine was at her age, I notice. “Okay. Number two. I want to sing the National Anthem at a baseball game. I prefer football, but for some reason they call baseball the Great American Pastime, even though it’s boring.” Remembering Murray and his love of baseball—and

how good to me the Cubs were—I almost argue about the entertainment value of baseball. But in the end, I decide it’s probably a losing battle. Chalk it up to kids these days and their short attention spans. “You’re telling me lots of American kids sing the National Anthem at baseball games?” I ask. “No, only the most American ones get to. Sometimes it’s a cute kid with an amazing voice or a pop star. Sometimes it’s a whole class from an elementary school. I guess I’ll shoot for the first one, since my school doesn’t even have a choir. And I’m not going to be a pop star because I’m going to be a scientist and stop climate change.” I chuckle. Not because her goal isn’t possible; based on the little I know about Alexandra, I’m betting she’ll be able to accomplish just about anything she puts her mind to. The certainty of childhood makes me chuckle, and I realize I miss it. “So you have an amazing voice?” I ask, back to the wishes. She shrugs as she writes it down. “I don’t know. Sounds pretty good to me when I sing One Direction songs in the shower. What else should I do?” I don’t know how to answer. Was I this ridiculous when Murray helped me with my wishes? It doesn’t take more than a quick rehashing of some of the things on my list—Hit a home run in a Major League Baseball stadium? Be a Superhero?— to realize Alexandra’s list is looking like a piece of cake compared to mine. Of course, I’m no Murray McBride. “Oh! I know,” she says. “This is the best one so far. It might be the very most American thing I can possibly think of.” “Wow. Okay, what is it?” “I want to vote.” Issue 54 | January 2021 |

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | “Vote?” “You know, it’s kind of weird how you repeat everything I say as a question. I happen to know for a fact that I don’t have an accent, so I know you can understand me.” It’s true. She speaks perfect English. But it’s the words, not the accent, that keep throwing me. “You know you have to be eighteen to vote, right? How old are you?” “Eleven and a quarter. And you never said the wishes had to be easy.” “Okay, fine,” I say. “So what do we have so far?” “Ah, let’s see.” She consults her notepad and taps the bottom of her pen against her lips. “One: Go to a water park. Two: Sing the national anthem at a baseball game. Three: Vote.” “Okay,” I say, bracing myself. “Two more. Do you have more ideas, or should we think about it for a while?” I’m hoping that if she takes some time. maybe she’ll come up with more thoughtout answers. “Well, I feel like I should say ‘shoot a gun,’ but I really don’t want to do that at all. Guns terrify me.” “That’s understandable,” I say. “Maybe I could eat hamburgers every day for a month. From McDonalds.” “Gross,” I say. “Really?” “Well, I don’t want to. I prefer chicken nuggets. But hamburgers are more American.” “I’m not sure you should go the food route,” I say. “There has to be something healthier to wish for, doesn’t there?” “Well, I think American kids should all visit 110 | UncagedBooks.com

Washington D.C. at some point,” she says, kind of offhandedly. “That’s America’s capital, if you didn’t know.” I chuckle at the memory of explaining baseball to Murray—a man who had spent a large chunk of his life playing the game professionally. “I know all about Washington D.C., believe it or not.” “Great. Then that’s number four. I’ve never been out of Lemon Grove, so that’s going to be super-exciting.” I find it hard to believe she’s never left this small town, but what do I know? It’s not like I’ve spent a lot of time with undocumented immigrants in the past. Maybe staying near home is a way of staying safe. I’m sure her diabetes is a factor, too. “Now for the last one,” she says. “Since it’s last, it has to be the biggest, most ginormous one. “Agreed.” I mean what I say, but I’m also a bit apprehensive about what “the biggest, most ginormous” wish will be, considering the difficulty of several of her first four. Not to mention, fifth and final wishes have a history of being nearly impossible. The combination of mine and Tiegan’s took me twenty years to accomplish. “Do you already know what it is?” “Kind of,” she says. She squints at the sky, deep in thought. “My dad tells me all the time, over and over and over, that America is the greatest place in the entire world because we help people who need it. Because we’re the richest country in the whole world and instead of keeping it all and being selfish, we give more money than any other country to help poor people around the world. I want to do that. I want to be a real American and help poor people in the village in Guatemala where I was born.” A tsunami of thoughts bombard my mind. I know another girl whose biggest wish was to help others. I’ve

| JOE SIPLE | spent the last two decades trying to make that wish come true for her. But I’ve recognized that Alexandra is very different from Tiegan. Beneath the lighthearted, happygo-lucky veneer, she has a layer of seriousness that Tiegan didn’t, because she was never forced into it. Tiegan might have developed that more serious side of her personality if she’d been given the chance, but she never got that chance. I force my thoughts back to Alexandra. I’m tempted to challenge her assessment of American generosity. The way I see it, our country could do a lot more for people in need. But rather than quibble about total dollar amounts versus percentage of GDP, I decide to adopt her view. “I like that one,” I say. “Any idea how?”

remember how I was with Murray to realize this is just karma coming back to me. So I sit on the steps in front of Alexandra’s house and rack my brain for ways to make her wishes come true. I startle at the feeling of Alexandra’s head on my shoulder. I’m about to scoot well out of reach when I see the little contented smile on her face. “Thanks, Mr. Cashman,” she says. “You’re the best person in the whole entire wide world.” I pat her shoulder three times, awkwardly, thinking of Murray the whole time. But as uncomfortable as I feel, her smile convinces me to stay right where I am, enjoying the feeling coming from Tiegan’s heart.

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“Nope. None. That’s what you’re here for, isn’t it?” “I thought I was here mostly for moral support. But I guess I can try to help with some of the details.” “Great!” she says. “Here. Memorize this.” She hands me the paper. A corner bends in the breeze, so I flick it straight and read what she has written. My Five Wishes 1. Go to a waterpark (So American!) 2. Sing the National Anthem (Star-Spangled Banner) before a baseball game. 3. Vote 4. Visit Washington D.C. and see the monuments. 5. Help poor people in El Remate. “I like it,” I say. “It’s a good list. And I have some experience with lists of wishes.” This makes her smile as she takes the list back. “Let me know when we can do the water park,” she says. “We only have a week until the hearing.” No pressure or anything. Of course, all I have to do is Issue 54 | January 2021 |

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M.S. Murray

ey I’m Michelle and I write under the penname M.S. Murray.

I’ve been writing full time for roughly 7 years and absolutely love creating new worlds for readers to dive into. My books are mainly paranormal romance but I don’t like to pen myself into a corner. I love reading most genres so don’t be surprised if in the future you see books from me in the urban fantasy or sci-fi categories. I live, and grew up in the West of Scotland in a wee village called Dundonald. We have a castle which is awesome and a lot of history here. Lots of inspiration for my books. I’m also married and have two teens, a dog called Ollie and a cat named Ruby.

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M.S. M U R R AY Enjoy an excerpt from: Cassie: Black Sand Cassie: Black Sand M.S. Murray Paranormal Romance All I’ve ever wanted was a boring life. I’ve grown up with the things that go bump in the night, I’ve witnessed the unexplainable, and I’ve had my fill of excitement for a lifetime. It sounds crazy but being an accountant or something mundane and regular was my dream... until it wasn’t. Now I’m neck deep in everything I tried so hard not to be. They killed my parents and took my sister Jess, I don’t know who ‘they’ are yet, but I’ll find out, and when I do, they’ll wish I’d stuck to my boring life plan. There’s nothing I won’t do for Jess. I’d even seek the

| M.S. MURRAY | help of Gabriel, Vampire Lord of Florida. Three words perfectly describe Gabriel: Handsome Deadly Expressionless He’s not the type of monster anyone would seek out for help, but he’s my only hope if I ever want to see my little sister again. Excerpt Chapter 1 Sweet Home Alabama blasts through the car stereo as I drive unhurriedly towards my parent’s mansion. I nod my head, wiggle my shoulders and tap my fingers on the steering wheel to the beat. I may not live in Alabama, but the song matches today’s mood. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I am adulting. I’m ready to turn the page and begin the next chapter that is my life. The golden rays of spring filter through the open windows of my car and bathe my pale skin in much-needed vitamin D. I need the sun like a heart needs to beat. Adjusting my Ray Ban’s back up my nose, I admire the lush garden surrounding me on all sides. Tall wisteria trees of every color line the gravel drive. And beyond, precisely manicured grass broken by blooming flower beds, benches, wooden arches, and narrow cobblestone pathways. My mother takes great pride in caring for the football field-sized garden. I think she’s crazy. She spends all year planting new seeds, nurturing them into bloom, only to watch as they wither and die a few months later. She may be a little sadistic. It’s not the hobby itself that makes me think she has a screw loose, it’s that she’s one of the toughest Hunter’s I know and yet she has a soft spot for fauna. I’ve witnessed her beheading a Demon with a tiny ax one day and watched her cooing to a pot of tulips the next. Gotta love her though. Everyone has to have a pinch of crazy in their lives to keep the balance. I can’t talk. I buy bananas with every intention of eating them, only to let them steadily perish in the kitchen fruit bowl. Maybe sadism runs in the family. That thought makes my grin widen. I’ve had a permanent smile on my face all day. I graduated from college this morning earning me a degree in accountancy. Not the most glamorous of subjects to spent years studying, but one I know, with absolute certainty, doesn’t come with an early mortality rate. According to the Council, I’m wasting my talent as an assassin. According to my dad, they can go fuck themselves. The life of a Hunter

just isn’t for me. I was done with magic, I wanted normal for a change. Not after the accident anyway. A few weeks after I graduated from high school, I got hurt and ended up in a coma for five years. No one knows how or what happened. The only thing I can remember is a flash, so blindingly white it blocked out everything in its path. That wall of light haunts me to this day. When I’m lying in bed and my room is nothing but an endless void of black, it’s there taunting me. The night it happened, I was at home alone. The Council had called an emergency meeting forcing my parents to attend. When they got back they found me lying prone on the hallway floor. They rushed me to the hospital, but there was nothing physically wrong with me, no visible injuries or internal damage that the doctors could find, I was simply asleep. My mum often jokes I was sleeping beauty awaiting her one true love to awaken her with a kiss. I call bullshit. If anyone was saving me, it was myself. I didn’t want some creep trying to kiss me while I was unconscious. It may seem romantic in fairytales, but in real life, that’s sexual assault. After a few weeks, they had me moved back to the house where the downstairs guest room was set up with the same medical equipment they had at the hospital. They had hired private nurses to care for me. Men and women who either lived our way of life or knew about it. Then out of the blue, I woke up, sore from lying prone for years and extremely confused. My thoughts were all over the place and I couldn’t concentrate. A thick suffocating fog had clouded my brain for weeks afterward. I spent hours studying the woman in the mirror, trying to reconcile a connection between eighteen-year-old me and twenty-three-year-old me. The woman staring back at me was so much older. Her hair was longer almost touching her thighs, and her face sharper in the cheekbones and nose. I’d lost myself somewhere in those five years and I didn’t know how to find my way back. Five years don’t seem that long until they’re gone. The world continued to revolve around me as I lay prone on a bed lost in a sea of sleep. Issue 54 | January 2021 |

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | That wasn’t the worst of it. For months after, and I admit even now, I’m plagued with the lingering feeling like something vital is missing within me. That I’ve forgotten something important. The absence of that thing is a deep hollow at the very core of my heart and soul. The song on the radio changes to a somber acoustic melody I haven’t heard before, yet feel to my depths. And for the first time today my smile slips, and I’m blinded once more as the horror of the light slides inside to own me once more.

mansion, I find out why. In a blinding flash, the house explodes. In the space of a few seconds, both of my eardrums burst from the deafening boom and a wave of intense heat burns the right side of my face and body. I slam on the breaks but it’s too late. Suddenly I’m airborne, weightless.

Most people fear the dark, but not me. I know what lurks there, poised in the murky twilight. But shrouded beyond the never-ending expanse of light, shadowing my every step remains unseen. Just out of my grasp. I tighten my hands on the steering wheel reflexively as a sliver of apprehension makes its way down my spine, lifting the tiny hairs on the back of my neck. Something’s not right. Danger approaches. All sounds fall into the background until all I can hear is my blood rushing around my body. A black Lincoln sedan with blacked-out windows drives slowly towards me, coming in the direction of the main house.

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I press my lips together as my heart rate picks up. It’s the Council. They can’t have been here long. I was no more than thirty minutes unloading my boxes into the guest house at the rear of the property. I’ll be living there for the next few years until I’ve saved enough to buy a place of my own. As they get closer my stomach twists and I’m certain it’s not because the past had eclipsed my thoughts moments ago. I force my fingers to relax their grip on the wheel and roll my shoulders. Since waking up my mistrust towards the Council has quadrupled. I’d never been their biggest fan to start with. But now I wouldn’t trust them with a paper bag. I’ve told no one about my feelings towards them. My dad is vying for a seat on their board. He’d been working towards it for the last few years, or so I’m told. As our cars pass the air around me becomes electrified. I desperately want to push my foot on the accelerator and get away from them as quickly as I can. I watch in my rearview mirror as the car gets to the end of the drive and turns onto the road. The sensation of wrongness doesn’t leave and as I round the fountain that sits directly in front of the 116 | UncagedBooks.com

Everything around me blurs into one endless loop of colors.

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Uncaged Reviews Fire Maidens: Portugal Anna Lowe Fantasy Romance

A jaded warrior who doesn’t want to get involved + an irresistible she-dragon on the run. For centuries, the Guardians of Lisbon have kept shifter forces in check — dragons, vampires, and witches. Now, with their powers dwindling, they’re too busy to respond to a lone woman’s cry for help. Novice dragon, Laura Sampao, always knew her family descended from dragon shifters, but that power — or curse — hadn’t manifested itself in generations. She thought it would never happen to her. Wrong.

Uncaged Review: I was completely looking forward to reading Marco’s story, and knew he was going to need a strong woman to test him and break down the walls he’s built – and the author truly delivered with Laura. When vampires start hunting her, Marco is there to save her. As Marco agrees to help her learn how to be a dragon, and to train her, his walls start cracking. Laura is a strong heroine, and proves herself. The Guardians of Lisbon are old and set in their ways, and it will be hard to get them to help. What I loved about this book, is that the characters spent a lot of time as dragons, and the descriptions of their flights and battles in the air are breathtaking. This is a series that continues to entertain and I’m looking forward to Finn’s story in Ireland. Reviewed by Cyrene

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Storm Michelle Mankin Rock Star Romance

He wants her, but he can’t have her. She wants him even though she doesn’t know who he really is. Storm Hardy left Ocean Beach to pursue a career in the music industry. Lotus Irving stayed behind, her world rocked by one terrible tragedy after another. What if all your best memories are behind you? What if you lost the one friend who understood you better than anyone else? What if your greatest wish is to recreate the past instead of imagining a brighter future?

Uncaged Review: If you ever get the urge to read a Rock Star romance, or it’s a genre you enjoy, then give this author a try. This book spins off of the Second Chance rock star series that featured the band members from Dirt Dogs, and those characters do play a supporting role although this book is easily read without having to read that series, although it’s definitely a good series. This author has a way of writing an emotional, kick you in the gut book that pulls out all of the feels and will shatter your heart and slowly glue the pieces back together. The characters are people you’d want to hang with and each have their own issues to deal with, and together they stay strong. Storm breaks Lotus’ heart when he leaves his battered home life when she is 13 yrs old and he’s 15. Her whole world was Storm, he was her best friend and the only friend she truly had. Fast forward 9 years, and Lotus has a hit AND miss relationship with Storm’s older brother Sage, who is in the band OB Hardy. When Journey shows up, Lotus can’t get past her strong feelings for him, although she just met him…or did she? This book isn’t for the weak, if you don’t like strong language and hot sex scenes, then you won’t enjoy this one. But if you are OK with it, you’re in for a pretty good read. Reviewed by Cyrene

Lady Guinevere and the Rogue with a Brogue Julie Johnstone Historical Regency Five years ago he humiliated her. Five years ago she betrayed him. And when fate forces them together once more, they’ll discover what burns hottervengeance or desire. Lady Guinevere Darlington has spent the last five years trying to forget the beautiful rogue who stole her heart and then crushed it under his shiny black hessian. Humiliated by the blighter with the unforgettable brogue and left to weather the wagging tongues of the ton alone, she started a secret society that delivers justice to ill-intentioned rakes, and she managed to avoid having to wed—until now. But while her time is up, her determination is not. If she must take a husband, she’ll do so on her own terms.

Uncaged Review: Asher is back in town, and a new Duke, with his estranged father giving the title of Duke and most of his wealth to Asher, although there is one stipulation. He needs to marry one of 3 women that his father listed. And one of them happens to be Lady Guinevere, the woman he thought was the love of his life until she was seen kissing another man, five years ago. Lady Guinevere has tried to forget him, and helps form the secret club with other women that rescues women from known rakes and rogues. There are many misunderstandings, and many truths that will come out in this book and it’s a worthy start to a new series. The characters are original and heartwarming and easy to like, even Lord Kilgore (actually one of my favorites). This is a steamy and fun regency with an original plot that was completely enjoyable and pushed me right to book two in this series. Reviewed by Cyrene

Lady Lilias and the Devil in Plaid Julie Johnstone Historical Regency Free-spirited Lilias Honeyfield has a secret. She’s certain the rich and powerful Duke of Greybourne is meant to be hers. He just needs to reappear in her life and stop denying his love for her before she’s forced to wed another. Though it’s been seven years, she has never forgotten the beautiful but tormented man hiding behind the mask of moody boy, nor does she believe she imagined the searing passion between them. But the day Nash Steele finally reappears in Town, the rogue destroys her hope by claiming he never returned her affection. Uncaged Review: Lilias and Nash, along with Owen, all met as kids and all became inseparable. Even though Nash loved Lilias, he never believed he was good enough for her and carried the guilt of his brother with him. To stay near her, he taught the younger, inept boy, Owen – how to swim, ride and fish. Those summers were some of the best years of their lives and the first 20% of the book gives you the background of these three friends. Nash disappears after Owen has a riding accident, taking on more guilt that he needs to and going by what Owen wishes, since Owen is also in love with Lilias and doesn’t feel he has a chance with her with Nash around. Fast forward seven years, and things are looking dire for Lilias and her family. Broke, and creditors harassing them, will Lilias agree to marry to help her family, even though her heart has always belonged to Nash? When Nash returns, he vows to stay away from Lilias, but when Lilias is in danger, he’ll risk his own life to save her, even though it almost kills him to be near. With the ladies in their mission against rogues, Lilias may take one chance too many. This is another great addition to this series, and the characters from book one are back in strong supporting roles. This one will make you want to reach into the pages and hug the characters. This is a fun and steamy regency, and the next book that comes out in February, is about one of my favorite characters in these books, Lord Kilgore. Can’t wait.

Reviewed by Cyrene

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Uncaged Reviews The Cowboy Takes a Bride Kristi Rose ContemporaryWestern Romance To keep his ranch he’ll need a wife. To escape her father she’ll need a protector. Love will only complicate their marriage of convenience.

She’s on the run… A tyrannical father. A life she hates and doesn’t control. Freedom for socialite Meredith Hanover is not a luxury she has. When given an opportunity to become a modern-day mail-order bride to a rancher in rural Wyoming, she realizes this might be her only opportunity at a fresh start. Uncaged Review: This is a nice read – Meredith needs to get away from her jerk of a father and his cronies and gets the opportunity to become a mail-order bride from a professional matchmaker. She’s paired with Jace, who will lose his ranch if he doesn’t get married. Perfect arrangement for both, right? Well… Not everything is easy, and the author does a beautiful job describing Wyoming and makes everyone who loves nature want to move there and the premise of this book is fun. When the two start to have real feelings for each other, the reader can get even more invested. I do know the ranch life personally, and it’s not a lifestyle that a city socialite would take to very easily, so that part was a bit fantastical that Meredith seems to do, but it was also great to see two people with their own issues work through and find each other. Reviewed by Cyrene

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Call of the Wolves Adam Dark & Matthew Thrush Urban Fantasy A dead body. A forbidden attraction. An impending war. Magic enforcement agent Alyssa Crawford is called to a murder scene involving a dead shifter in hopes her fire magic can help solve the case. Instead, she finds herself dragged back into dealing with the same shifter pack she hoped never to encounter again. Uncaged Review: There is some good and some “what just happened” moments in this starter to a new series. I liked the originality since this genre’s market is quite flooded, this one does have a nice base to start out. I liked Alyssa – and her job as a forensic expert with her fire magic, able to track spells. When a shifter ends up dead, and other bodies start piling up, Alyssa is going to have to talk to the alpha of a local strong pack, one that has a strong history for her. When she gets to the pack, she finds out that the alpha is missing and his son, Marcus, whom Alyssa had a young romance with, is whom she’ll have to work with. I liked the book, it kept me interested and the plot moved along nicely. Considering it’s written by 2 authors, it felt like a cohesive story. My main objection was how this book ended. It was just done. There was nothing to lead up to the book ending, it was just over. I’m not sure what the authors were thinking – but this could have easily rated higher from me, except for this very bad miss step. Reviewed by Cyrene

How to Kiss an Undead Bride Hailey Edwards Urban Fantasy

The Epilogues: Part I Groom? Check. Dress? Check. Cake? Check. More cake? Double Check. Even more cake? Triple check. (Seriously, who left Lethe alone with Grier’s credit card?) Anything that can go wrong has, but all the deposits have been paid, and the menus are set. Mostly. There’s always room for more cake, right? All that’s left is for Grier and Linus to exchange vows and set off on their honeymoon. Their happily ever after awaits, so close they can taste it. No. Wait. That’s probably just more cake. Frosting gets everywhere. Anyway, there’s also murder, arson, and general mayhem. This is what happens when two potentates marry. Just cross your fingers they survive exchanging vows, and that the knot they tie doesn’t turn into a noose.

Uncaged Review: This series has been one of my very favorites, and these epilogues are just the right icing on the cake. But don’t think that these are just short novellas, the author does a great job giving us a complete plot inside the wedding planning. And did you really expect a wedding between Grier and Linus to go without a hitch? What fun would that be? This is the first of three epilogues, and Grier and Linus are finally getting married. There is romance (clean), plus laugh out loud moments, a suspense with danger and action. The author giving us these epilogues is truly a gift, and I’m looking forward to the second one when they actually try to take a honeymoon. Reviewed by Cyrene

Watcher Untethered JL Madore

Paranormal Romance/Occult Duty. Honor. His brothers. That’s all he has. Wounded in battle, Zander wakes in a daemon feeding ground, bound to a human female. The origins of the restraints are unknown and the woman, a risk for Otherworld exposure. In the midst of the violence of his world, and with relationships punishable by death, Austin tempts a part of him he fought to lock down his entire, miserable existence.

Uncaged Review: There is a lot of comparison to the Black Dagger Brotherhood in this series, and yes, I can see the similarities – but they are not the same stories. People could have said the same about the Midnight Breed series also. I can say, if you liked the BDB or the Midnight Breed series, you may like this one too. In my copy, I didn’t see a lot of grammar issues, so it seems the book has been edited since those reviews in 2018. I really enjoyed this band of brothers, in this group we have the Nephilim, and even the Archangels show up at times. This group of men are a blast. Be aware, the author does not shy away from danger, gore and the horror of protecting the human race from demonkind – and it is an erotic tale with some hard hitting sex scenes. If you are a person that is easily offended by language and cussing, this isn’t the book for you. But if you like a unit of warriors that kick ass and love even harder, then this may be a good book to grab onto. The nice thing is that this is an eight book series, and all are out now. I’ll definitely be moving on to the next one. Reviewed by Cyrene

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Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews The Diner M.S. Murray Fantasy Romance Anthology Step into The Diner, and enter into a world where nothing is as it seems. Enjoy a hot mug of coffee or a chat with a ghost. Step through the Tapestry and portal to The Diner, where food is served with a side of supernatural. A place hidden from human sight, where you’ll discover witches with familiar’s, elven warriors and even Doris. Step through the Tapestry and portal to The Club. Where the drinks are unusual, the vampires brood and danger lurks in dark corners. Step into The club and become mesmerized by mermaids. Step into The Diner if you dare.

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: This is a great group of stories. One thing I generally dislike about anthologies is that each story is too short for me to really connect to the characters and to the world that the author has built. Each of the stories in this book is the perfect length for me. It gave me a better understanding of the world as a whole. Each book is set in the same world but with different characters from that world. The very first story is a doozy. It grabbed me by the fangs and didn’t let go. I’m not normally one for romance, but the way it was done in this story was great. There was a heat between the characters that I could appreciate. The romance isn’t lovey dovey kissy face romance. The story itself and the romance aspect is an added bonus. The main female character is hilarious. She has a sense of humor similar to my own so that made it even better. I really hope the author writes more

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about these characters and their families. I, and I can’t stress this enough, REALLY need to know about more of her grandmother’s adventures. I’m considering pestering the author until she writes those stories. I’ll let you know how it goes. While the first story is the one that really resonated with me, the other stories were really good too. I like the way the authors were able to come together to create the world they take place in. The with each story touching on a different aspect of the paranormal world, the one constant is The Diner. It’s like a paranormal hub. I’d like to know more about Doris, so I’m hoping the organizer of this anthology puts out more versions because I can see this becoming one of my favorite anthology type series.

Dragged Kendall Grey New Adult Fantasy Friends can be such a drag Hello again. It’s me, your favorite reincarnated Norse trickster god, Loki. I still have boobs. I’m also suffering from a health issue that has a 99.43% chance of permanently ending me (assuming the Norns don’t get to me first). And I can’t find my immortality rune. And the runes I did recover are playing fisticuffs with each other. And I’ve been cursed with an inability to lie. One by one, my new friends are turning out to be old foes. Oh, and did I mention I accidentally on purpose destroyed Odin’s gazillion-dollar business investment, and now he’s sharpening his spear for me too?

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: This is probably my favorite book in the series so far. Highly entertaining and full of surprises, Dragged kept me on my toes from start to finish. Loki and friends are still on their adventure to find the rest of Loki’s runes before she runs out of time. They find themselves wrapped up in a Drag competition, and it’s just one thing after another. And by “drag” I don’t mean racing. Each of Loki’s friends, and their underlying former selves, develops their own drag characters and is well on their way to finding the lost runes while providing more entertainment than I thought possible.

spoke to me. The lights, the music, the dancing, the queens personalities that shined through even brighter than the sequins on their dresses were mesmerizing. I can’t say I ever left a show feeling less than great. They were hilarious off stage as well as on. They were personalities that I just couldn’t find in the real world and I loved every minute of their company. That’s not to say they were all people I’d want to be around. Just like in reality, there are some people who are just catty bitches. There was backstabbing and gossip. There were egos bigger than the wigs they wore on stage. But for those brief moments where they were performing, I could overlook those faults and enjoy the show. The reason for this long paragraph is because the author did an awesome job of capturing more than just the glamor and glitz of the stage, but also the underlying divaness of some of the ladies. She brought back some great memories as well as reminded me of some of the queens I didn’t care for and now I’m left wondering how some of the queens from my past have fared in the years since. I absolutely loved this book. I can’t think of a single thing to complain about. Yes, there are choices Loki makes that I don’t agree with, but that’s normal. There are situations where I am not a fan of how it’s going, but that just shows how true to life a story like this can be, even if it’s a fantasy. I’m going to be bummed when this series is over, but I’m hoping Grey will find a way to write some spin offs because I don’t know how long I can go without reading more about Loki and company.

When I was younger and actually left the house, I used to love going to drag shows. There was just something about the energy of the shows that just

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Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews Midlife Bounty Hunter Shannon Mayer Women’s Fantasy Fiction When divorce comes your way, don’t let the ex get you down. Get ready for a whole new laugh-outloud adventure. Because life is just beginning . . . as a midlife bounty hunter of the supernatural! One day I’m married, living in Seattle, and magic isn’t real. The next, I’m divorced and living in the guest room of my ex’s hotter- than-sin cousin’s place in Savannah . . . and talking to an animated skeleton named Robert. might just kill each other.

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: This was a fun series from start to finish. I don’t read a lot of women’s fiction, and this is probably the first series I read that the main character was closer to my own age than not, but I enjoyed every minute. Breena is 41 and recently divorced. She’s been through what she thought was hell but that’s nothing compared to what this series puts her through once she moves home to Savannah. Her character is engaging and relatable. The fact that she’s closer to my age and shows her life experience is nice to see. It definitely gives a level of realism to her character that I’ve rarely seen before. Her sense of humor is much like my own. My only real complaint is her use of the word “duck” instead of it’s preferable (at least to me) counterpart that starts with an F. I think my favorite character in this series is Robert. He’s a skeleton. As Breena’s abilities show them-

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selves more and more with each book, the more we learn about the other characters as well. I would liked to have learned more about Robert’s past, but that’s just myself. I liked the variety of paranormal beings in this series. Demons, witches, skeletons, fae, werewolves, and all sorts of others, but I won’t mention them because I don’t want to spoil the surprises. There’s a shapeshifting spider named Jinx. Which, I assure you, entertained me a great deal due to having an overweight cat named Jinx that reminded me quite a bit of the spider. I wasn’t excited about the idea of a shapeshifting spider that scares the hell out of people to start with, but she really grew on me. The dynamics between the main character and all of the other characters is quite entertaining. I enjoyed the way this series was written. It keeps your attention and drags you along, dropping bits and pieces of info here and there. It dangles the proverbial carrot in front of you while giving you what you need at that moment. It was funny and fairly fast paced. In all honesty, I blew through this series faster than I have any in a long time. I just had to know where she was going and what surprise was on the next page. I’m glad I waited to read it until there were several books out, but now I’m bummed that I still have to wait for the next. This series is good for anyone who likes a strong and realistic female lead who has the life experience under her belt to make the choices that often make sense throughout the story. There’s not the typical bumbling and stumbling that comes with younger characters, and that’s something I can definitely appreciate to.

Never Dead M.L. Bullock

Ghost Fiction/Paranormal “Why does the ghost have his head in the oven?” I groaned at the sight of Joey’s bony ass sticking out of the appliance. He hadn’t even opened the door. Ex-burlesque dancer and aspiring author Tamara Garvey just had her world turned upside down. Her best friend died and leaves her as guardian to a teenager. Now, not only is Tamara struggling with her new role but she is also charged with caring for the family home, the Ridaught Plantation known by the locals as the Dead House.

characters, but still important to the story. There are hints given about something else going on with them but we aren’t ever given the rest of the details. That could have replaced some of the uninteresting filler and really given the story more to love. I really liked Tamara’s character, but again, I think we could have used a bit more backstory. Yes, we are told she was Chloe’s moms bff, a burlesque dancer, a paranormal investigator and now a writer. But it would have helped to have more of those details. It could have made her more realistic and relatable. I really did enjoy this series, despite my complaints. I read the series quite quickly and enjoyed it, but I also wish there was more structure to it. I don’t regret the time it took me to read it and will happily recommend it to others who like ghost books.

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: This series is full of

mystery and adventure. There are plenty of ghosts to go around and you can’t help but fall in love with my favorite ghost, Joey. Each book focuses on a different ghost and gives us hints into why things are the way they are at Ridaught Plantation. Tamara has become the guardian of her best friend’s teenage daughter, Chloe. As Chloe’s psychic abilities develop, more and more excitement occurs in the Ridaught Plantation. Every town has a house like the Ridaught Plantation. A local legendary house surrounded in mystery and urban legends. I will say the writing isn’t what I would consider “tight” but not so much so that it made me want to stop reading. There are places where it feels like unnecessary filler information. I understand the need for the author to create the scene and all, but some of it is just not needed. There were times where I did wish we could just get to the point, but I’m very impatient, so that’s not really anything new for me. But it does make it feel like the story is dragging a little bit in places. I’ll also say there are some characters I wish the author would have given us a bit more about. They’re secondary

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Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews Annihilation’s Resounding Anthem Benjamin Knoll SciFi Anthology The journey continues…out in the midst of parallel universes trouble has rung its bell. Lucifer’s son, the antichrist, is alive once more and must choose his new path, a decision that will heavily impact both his fate and the fate of all. Somewhere amongst worlds Timothy was lost, but now he is found…but who found him? Amy’s Review: Another exciting story Knoll pens a grand story in Annihilation’s Resounding Anthem. I read the book that came before this one, and will read any that come after. Between the anti-Christ, and fate comes a new universe. It’s an interesting plot that staggers the imagination, having Knoll share what’s in his head. It’s a grand adventure, it’s a futuristic sci-fi story with ancient characters, and the blurred line between good and evil. The story brings in the believable, even if almost impossible. This author is not just a writer but a great storyteller. It’s a good story to follow and try to figure out what will happen next. This author’s characters have developed from the previous story, add that extra excitement to the story. A new life, so to speak.

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The Scarlet Queen Mitch Reinhardt YA Fantasy The final battle against an ancient evil is about to begin. The armies of the Scarlet Queen are advancing across Alluria and Jane has fallen under the spell of the Shadowlord and has become a powerful dark druid. Geoff and Sawyer, along with their elven friends, Ariel and Ishara, must find a way to save Jane while trying to hold back a dark tide of evil that threatens all. Amy’s Review: Grand Fantasy! Reinhardt pens a grand story in The Scarlet Queen: A Gripping Epic Fantasy. I have read the stories in the series before, and this third book in the The Darkwolf Saga feels long overdue, but definitely worth the wait. Filled with good versus evil, fantasy and even a little magic, the characters have a dark cloud over them. It’s not just a matter of survival, spells of evil, and even a connection between all the characters, human and elven. It’s a fun and entertaining yet dramatic story, and I liked reading it. It was definitely an enjoyable journey. It’s a great story to follow and try to figure out what will happen next. This author’s characters develop and interacts well with the other characters. A real page turner. The best book in the series.

The Horde JB Michaels Paranormal Suspense The Horde chases you. They are closing in. You keep running. Your breaths become shallow. Your heart pounds so hard it hurts. The stomp of hundreds of feet fills your ears and vibrates the ground you run on. With each desperate stride, your hope deteriorates. Amy’s Review: Heart-pounding excitement! Michaels pens a heart-pounding, can’t-put-down story in The Horde: Chronicles of the Order. I have read his other Bud Hutchins books, and am never disappointed! The Horde is unlike anything I’ve read, and even though I give Bud Hutchins books five stars, if there were a higher number like a six or a seven, this would be that. Michaels brings the stories to life, Hutchins is one of my favorite literary characters, and all of the stories are action packed, suspenseful, and just absolutely thrilling. The Horde is an amazing, chilling, thriller with the story being fresh and new, and yes, definitely full of supernatural and paranormals lingering, not just in the shadows, but chasing down its next prey. The book grabs you from the beginning, and brings in the believable, even if almost impossible. This book deserves a second read! (and maybe more). The thrills and intrigue is written clearly and the characterizations are engrossing. If you love a good psychological thriller, this book should be next on your list. This story was intriguing and kept the reader guessing. This is book six, but I hope and pray it’s not the end of Bud and his unique cases.

The Bird in the Window Dalrymple Romantic Suspense Novella In a sleepy suburb of Sarasota, Florida, all the residents on Ridge Road seem to have something to hide. Meet a nosy nurse named Ashley, a bored stay-at-home mom named Patience, and an eccentric art teacher named Sally as they each play a role in uncovering a decades-old neighborhood mystery. Amy’s Review: Grand Story! I love reading for authors that I’ve discovered yet. I’m so glad that I’ll read any genre, especially since I have the opportunity to find hidden gems. Dalrymple pens a grand story in The Bird in the Window. In this story, the bird, is actually a macaw, and its arrival lends to the plot of the story. The title intrigued me, and I’m honored to have read Dalrymple story. The plot has a lot of layers as well as an interesting cast of characters on Ridge Road. The book is one of those keepreading-until-you-finish stories, and I enjoyed this one very much. The thrills and intrigue is written clearly and the characterizations are engrossing. I like the mix of suspense and romance, and obsession. It’s clearly a recipe for a good story. It’s a great story to follow and try to figure out what will happen next. This author’s characters develop and interacts well with the other characters. I will definitely read this author’s work again.

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Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews Christmas with the Conduit Wes Markin Crime Thriller If you fail to stop a killer, then they will only grow stronger. DCI Michael Yorke and Emma Gardner are still plagued by guilt over their failure to catch the murderous psychiatrist known as the Conduit, and the loss of their former colleague to insanity. On Christmas Day, following a brutal massacre in Leeds, Yorke and Gardner find themselves once again chasing the ruthless puppeteer, believing Amy’s Review: Yorke is back! Markin pens another intriguing, page-turning story in Christmas with the Conduit. I’ve read Markin’s work before and from day one, I loved DCI Michael Yorke. This one is written in the holiday spirit, or really the holiday just coincides with a heart-wrenching massacre. Yorke and Gardner are on the trail of the one that got away, The Conduit. It’s an amazing journey into the unknown as they find who really is leading this investigation. A remarkable read of intrigue, survival, and determination. Things aren’t really as they seem, and the Conduit is in charge. It is always a joy to read this author’s stories. This author is a magnificent storyteller. The journey of twists and turns, kept this reader turning the pages. The thrills and intrigue is written clearly and the characterizations are engrossing. Absolutely love this story, though I gave Markin great ratings on the past books, this may be my favorite one yet of the series. If you love a good psychological thriller, this book should be next on your list

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Cotton Candy Killer Mary Holt Cozy Mystery Only Raven knows her missing and estranged husband is, in fact, dead. She knows because she killed him. Another murdered body has landed at her feet, and she must uncover the killer before the police investigation stumbles across her crime. Raven cannot allow her significant disability to interfere but must use it to her advantage before her prey turns the tables. Amy’s Review: Interesting read Holt pens a grand story in Cotton Candy Killer. I haven’t read anything from this author before, and I enjoyed it. I don’t have the privilege to read a lot of cozy mysteries, but I think this was a bit more than that. Raven is an interesting character, and mostly realistic, as she is paralyzed and has a service dog. I like the her disability isn’t really a hinderance in the story, or something that is always right there. She’s trying to live a normal life, but something has haunted her and more death weaves its way into her life. I enjoyed the story, and it was interesting to see how things played out. Some characters were a little over the top, but they gave interest and importance to the story. I liked Raven, and I can see her past and how it made her who she is now. Stronger and better off, maybe. It’s a great story to follow and try to figure out what will happen next.

Plot Against Heaven Mark Kirkbride SciFi Novella Death doesn’t stand a chance against love. Hell-bent on confronting God after the death of wife Kate, Paul gate-crashes Heaven. With immigration problems and a wall, Heaven turns out to be nowhere near as welcoming as expected. Both Heaven and Hell are modern and militarized, and the cold war that exists between them is about to heat up, with him in the middle of it. Caught on the wrong side of Heaven, Paul faces an impossible choice if he’s to have any hope of seeing his wife again. Amy’s Review: Intriguing Read! Kirkbride pens an interesting story in Plot Against Heaven. I haven’t read anything from this author before, and I enjoyed reading this. The story revolves around Paul, who is just a new widower. He is determined to to confront God, face-to-face. It’s an interesting look at what Heaven and even Hell can be, and the war between the two. Death isn’t quite as expected, and I’ve never read a book like this, with these ideas and intriguing plot lines. Action leads the journey for Paul, as he is not just battling his own demons and loss, but also the right to see Kate once again. That’s all I’m giving. The story brings in the believable, even if almost impossible. This story was intriguing and kept the reader guessing. It’s a great story to follow and try to figure out what will happen next. This author’s characters develop and interacts well with the other characters. I have fast become a big fan of Kirkbride.

Save Me Twice E. A. Dustin Historical Fiction Based on a true story: Towards the end of World War II, when Hitler in desperation pulls in young and old to fight a losing war, 16 year old Karl together with his older brother Hans is ripped from his Mother’s house in the middle of the night to join the SS. After spending months digging trenches as a deterrent for Russian tanks, Karl and his brother are captured by the Russians. Amy’s Review: Karl’s story is amazing! Dustin pens her father, Karl’s story during WWII in the remarkable title in Save Me Twice. This is the second book of this author’s that I’ve read. I read the acknowledgements and preface before the story, and it just grabbed this read. I could almost hear Karl tell his story. When the story starts, it immediately startles the reader, as it did Karl. “[Karl] jumped out from under his warm down comforter, swept aside a strand of red curls off his forehead, and hurriedly tip-toed to his bedroom door to press his ear against it. “SS! Open the door!” ordered a harsh, deep voice, accompanied by even more impatient banging. “SS!” Karl knew the SS was the German Schutzstaffel, soldiers known for their organized oppression under Hitler’s iron fist...” I read this book from start to end and couldn’t put it down. It was not just a story, it was the life Karl lived during this most dramatic and traumatic time in history. Dustin does a wonderful job telling Karl’s story second hand, and I truly enjoyed reading it, every emotion and fear, and startling truths.

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Do you have a short story that you’d like published in Uncaged? Uncaged is now accepting short stories - in return, Uncaged will provide ONE FULL PAGE to promote up to 3 books from the author, OR a free Sneak Peek promotion!

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