Uncaged Book Reviews

ISSUE 42 | JANUARY 2020

note from the editor

W

ow - it’s 2020. 2019 went fast, but I have to say, I’m not unhappy that it’s gone. It was a stressful year here on the farm, with such a wet season that we had problems getting our hay field cut and baled. Here it is in January, and our water tables are still high. I won’t complain too much, as winter has been mild...so far.

As we begin 2020 with Uncaged, 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 2020. Thank you for the support.

Feature author openings are available now until June 2020, so if authors have a book that is releasing this year, give me a shout and we will see what we can do - most of these spots fill up pretty quickly - to don’t be afraid to contact me.

Unfortunately, Tier 2 review requests will remain closed until further notice. That review Tier is only open to Feature Authors at this time. Uncaged is always open to bringing on new reviewers, so if you’d like to get books for free in exchange for an honest review, please email me at Cyrene@UncagedBooks.com

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Uncaged still has an opening in our blog review group.

If you have a blog and you review books and would like to get more exposure for your reviews, then shoot me an email. The only requirement is to review 4 books minimum although you can certainly do more.

The magazine has a new monthly section for authors and their pets! Each month, the Featured Authors will be highlighted with their furry pals in a section separate from their feature slot. You will also get a bit of insight into my life as I feature one each month of my own.

Enjoy the January 2020 issue of Uncaged Book Reviews and have a great year!

Happy New Year!

X cyrene

contents featureauthors Sophie Barnes 14 historical regency 30

Mark Hewitt

38

Catherine Kean

46

Sherry A. Burton

60 66 74

war fiction

FangFreakinTastic

84

historical saga fiction

Maggie Dallen young adult romantic comedy

Nesa Miller fantasy romance

Scott M. Baker horror

catchup 34 Danelle Harmon

Danelle Harmon lets us know about her latest releases

70 Tessa McFionn

Tessa returns to Uncaged to tell us about her ambitious 2020 and share the latest book in the Rise of the Stria series

paranormal romance

showcase

10

Kathryn Le Veque

26

Mary Morgan

High Warrior

To Weave a Highland Tapestry

sneakpeek

12

Caroline Warfield Christmas Hope

Jewelz Baxter contemporary mc romance

authors and their pets

56

Issue 42 | January 2020

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

4 7 118 122 126

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

Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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upcomingconventions

Wild Wicked Weekend February 20-22, 2020 San Antonio, TX http://thewildwickedweekend.com/

Coastal Magic February 20–23, Daytona Beach, FL https://coastalmagicconvention.com/

Romancing Williamsburg March 18-22, Colonial Willamsburg, VA https://romancingwilliamsburg.com/

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Book Lovers Con March 18–22, Nashville,TN https://www.bookloverscon.com/

Apollycon March 26-29, Washington, D.C. https://apollyconevent.com/

A Weekend with the Authors April 16–19, Nashville,TN http://www.aweekendwiththeauthors.com/

showcase Kathryn Le Veque High Warrior High Warrior

Kathryn Le Veque Medieval Romance A big Irish knight, much beloved by his English men, faces his biggest challenge when an injury nearly claims his life… and his confidence as a warrior. A USA Today Bestseller 4/25/18!

The man known as the “High Warrior” is an Irish knight with an English overlord. Sir Bric MacRohan serves the House of de Winter as the head of the de Winter war machine. He is big, loud, and fearless.

Once the most aggressive, all-powerful knight in the realm, a great injury forces Bric to realize that he is, indeed, mortal. Though he recovers from the injury, it changes how he commands his men and how he handles himself in battle.

Mentally, his is far more injured than he is, physically.

Enter Lady Eiselle de Gael. The daughter of a bastard of the Earls of East Anglia, Eiselle is ‘gifted’ to Bric by a very dear friend as a reward for saving the man’s life. The lady is resigned, but Bric is positively adverse. He doesn’t see it as a reward; he sees it as a punishment.

But what they didn’t expect was how much they would come to love each other.

When the greatest swordsman that England 10| uncagedbooks.com |

has ever seen lays down his weapon due to battle fatigue, it’s up to Eiselle and those who love Bric to help the man regain his confidence as a warrior, and to once again do what he was born to do. Men like Sean de Lara... Dashiell du Reims... and many more recognizable knights from Le Veque’s Medieval world all pull together to help Bric recover what he has lost... himself.

Medieval Romance has never been so emotional – or so romantic – as Bric and Eiselle discover the true power of their love.

Excerpt Keeva de Winter knew what was happening. This was something that had been building for two days, ever since Bric MacRohan had been informed that he was to be a bridegroom, courtesy of an offer from Dashiell du Reims, heir to East Anglia’s earldom. That didn’t sit well with the big Irish knight, and he’d locked himself in his chambers for two days. No amount of pleading or shouting from Daveigh could get him to come out.

But Daveigh knew, at some point, that Bric would attempt an escape. He’d prepared for that eventuality.

It seemed that he’d been right.

When Daveigh saw that his wife was dressing, he waved her off. “I do not want you downstairs right now,” he told her. “If Bric is in battle mode, then you could be injured. You know the man stops for nothing when he is in a fight and I do not want you in his line of sight.”

Keeva, pretty and pale, with deep red hair in long spirals down her back, waved him off. “Don’t be stupid.”

Her Irish accent was strong as she pulled on a long, heavy robe that was warm against the cold morning temperatures. “Bric would not turn against me.”

“He may not even know it is you until it is too late.”

Keeva tied off her robe and headed for the chamber door as her husband hurried to follow, pulling on his boots. She wasn’t about to take any foolishness from

her husband’s premier knight, a man who happened to be her cousin.

backed away, she came up to Bric and pointed to his sword.

“I will stop this right now,” she said. “You and your knights have coddled Bric too much. This is ridiculous that you’d let a grown man rebel like this.”

“Put it away,” she grumbled. “How dare you embarrass me. How dare you behave like this.”

Fiery was a word to describe the woman. She was stronger than most men. Keeva charged out of the bedchamber as Daveigh followed, both of them racing for the narrow spiral stairs that led to the level below.

Once they entered the darkened first level, where the great hall and several smaller chambers were, they could immediately see the fighting near the massive, doubledoored entry.

Instead of two knights against one, several soldiers were now involved, too. They’d been summoned through the kitchens by frightened servants and now a line of armed soldiers stood around the three knights doing battle.

There was some shouting going on, mostly shouting encouragement at Bric, who had disarmed Mylo and had the man in a chokehold around the neck, using him as a shield against Pearce, who was genuinely trying not to hurt anyone. All he wanted to do was disarm Bric, but now it had turned into a hostage situation.

But Bric was having no part of Pearce’s attempts. As Daveigh and Keeva approached, Bric lashed out a big foot at a soldier who got too close, smashing the man in the knee. As the soldier went down in pain, Keeva’s shout brought everything to a halt.

“Bric MacRohan!” she yelled. “If you don’t cease your fighting and release Mylo, I will enter the fight and you’ll not like it in the least. Do you understand me?”

Odd how one angry woman could stop what dozens of men couldn’t. Bric came to an immediate halt at the sound of her voice and released Mylo, shoving the man far away from him. Back against the wall, he stood there with his sword raised as Keeva and Daveigh broke up the ring of soldiers, sending them all back the way they’d came.

Bric eyed the woman; she was his cousin, and he had been part of her dowry when she’d come to marry Daveigh de Winter. That was how the bredand-bled Irish knight had ended up in the service of the English de Winter war machine. But she was also foul-tempered at times, and bold, and she wasn’t beyond taking him on in a fight if she was mad enough. Bric wanted to avoid that, but he also wouldn’t let himself be pushed around by a slip of a woman.

Even if she was his liege’s wife.

“Lady de Winter,” he said deliberately. “I am defending myself. It would have done you greater embarrassment had I allowed myself to be captured like a fool.”

Keeva scowled. “Go over there and sit down,” she said, pointing into the great hall and the nearest table. “Sit yourself down, Bric, and keep your lips shut until I have had my say in all of this.”

Bric sighed heavily, eyeing her unhappily before complying. It wouldn’t do any good to argue with her if he was attempting to avoid a physical altercation with the woman, so he lumbered over to the table she was indicating and planted himself on the end of the bench. He could see from his periphery that Daveigh, Pearce, and Mylo had followed, hiding behind Keeva because they, too, were fearful of her spitfire Irish temper.

They would let her take the lead. Between two Irish hotheads, that was all they could do.

kathrynleveque.com

But Keeva was genuinely angry. As Pearce and Mylo Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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Caroline Warfield

Christmas Hope Christmas Hope

Caroline Warfield Historical Romance After two years at the mercy of the Canadian Expeditionary force and the German war machine, Harry ran out of metaphors for death, synonyms for brown, and images of darkness. When he encounters color among the floating islands of Amiens and life in the form a widow and her little son, hope ensnares him.

Through three more long years of war and its aftermath, the hope she brings keeps Harry alive.

Rosemarie Legrand’s husband left her a tiny son, no money, and a savaged reputation when he died. She struggles to simply feed the boy and has little to offer a lonely soldier, but Harry’s devotion lifts her up. The war demands all her strength and resilience, will the hope of peace and the promise of Harry’s love keep her going.

Excerpt “Whoever did this is a dead man.” Harry pulled his grandmother’s Bible from the mud that pooled inches deep in the trench and began to wipe it off with the filthy sleeve of his uniform. Sick of dirt, sick of death, and sick of the everlasting mud, he loosed a flood of curses.

“What do you care, Wheatly? It isn’t as if 12| uncagedbooks.com |

sneakpeek you ever read the damned thing,” McNaughton growled without looking up. The sergeant sat on a seat carved into the trench wall cleaning his rifle. McNaughton, ever meticulous about weaponry, tolerated filth in all other ways including his personal hygiene.

“Doesn’t matter. Somebody got into my kit,” Harry grumbled.

If he said why it mattered, the company would mock him for a week or more. Dumping the book in the mud had been a prank, and there would be more if he admitted why he cared. He might not read the Bible, but when he looked at it, or touched the cover, it put him back on his grandparent’s farm in Saskatchewan. Harry could almost see flowers on the sill and smell the wheat on the wind and the apple pie baking in the kitchen. For that moment at least, he escaped the rot and colorless muck.

Now, even his Bible lay covered in brown dirt.

He wanted to weep. The losses mounted. This one unleashed the grief he had held back by a thread for days, a toll of the dead too heavy to bear: Simpson, Morin, Reilly, Campeau, Erikson—so many dead in the months of fighting, and they were only thirteen kilometers closer to Germany, thirteen farther from the Somme.

carolinewarfield.com

feature authors

regency | war fiction | paranormal

Sophie Barnes

Mark A. Hewitt

Catherine Kean

S O P HIE B A RNE S

B

orn in Denmark, USA TODAY bestselling author Sophie Barnes spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She’s lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish, and Romanian (with varying degrees of fluency). But, most impressive of all, she’s been married to the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.

When she’s not busy dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.

Stay Connected

Uncaged welcomes Sophie Barnes Uncaged: Your latest book, Lady Abigail’s Perfect Match released in October and is second in a series.

Can you tell readers more about this book and the series? Can they be read as standalones?

sophiebarnes.com

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Sure! Lady Abigail’s Perfect Match is part of my Townsbridge novella series in which each of the five Townsbridge siblings eventually get their HEA. In Lady Abigail’s Perfect Match, it’s James’ turn. Having experienced his parents’ wonderful marriage and his older brother Charles’ blissful union, he believes in love and longs to find the right woman with whom

to settle down. Unfortunately, he ends up getting caught in a compromising situation with a woman who seems to dislike his company entirely, to the point where he believes he makes her feel physically ill. But, he’s determined to give the inevitable his best shot anyway and his effort does pay off since it allows him to learn that Lady Abigail’s constant queasiness is caused by painful shyness – particularly relating to him – and this is something he plans on helping her overcome.

These books can be read as standalone stories.

Uncaged: What are you working on next that you can tell us about?

I’ve been pretty busy. Since publishing Lady Abigail’s Perfect Match in October, I’ve finished writing the third and final book in my Crawford series as well as a Gothic inspired Regency romance novella that’s going to be part of an anthology in September 2020.

Right now I’m plotting the sixth book in my Diamonds In The Rough series so I plan to start writing that one soon.

Uncaged: What inspired you to write in the historical genre?

My mother-in-law introduced me to the historical romance genre and then one day, when I happened upon Julia Quinn’s, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, I just knew I had to try writing my own historical romance novel. Julia Quinn’s style is lovely and it spoke to me more than any other romance novel I’d read at that time, because of the brilliant sense of humor.

Uncaged: You’ve done quite a bit of traveling, do you have a favorite place?

I think New Zealand is the most beautiful place I’ve ever visited. I would love to go back there one day. And then of course there’s Spain, which will always have a special place in my heart since it’s where I spent my childhood.

Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why?

Jane Austen, because she is like the mother of the genre in which I write and I’d love to chat with her about inspiration, character development, and plot.

I would also invite Oscar Wilde because I think he would make a fascinating conversationalist. Barbara Cartland would make a fun addition too. I’d like to have Margaret George there as well so I’d have someone to talk to about developing a historical fiction novel based on a real person, since that’s always interested me. And Julia Quinn would have to be there too because I think she’d love to meet Jane Austen :) Uncaged: Have any of your characters ever done something that you didn’t intend when you began?

One turned into a duke, which was actually the publisher’s request. But when I started writing The Illegitimate Duke, Florian Lowell was just supposed to be a physician, though still part of the peerage. He was never meant to be a duke though.

Oftentimes my characters are actually more likely to not do something I meant them to do because it ends up not really fitting the plot in the way I’d planned. Although in Her Seafaring Scoundrel, (The Crawfords 3), Cassandra does end up holding a chicken while wishing her hands were free so she could hit the hero. That part was added during edits and just felt inspired.

Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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| FEATURE AUTHOR |

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| SOPHIE BARNES |

Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | Uncaged:What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books?

I love to spend time with my husband and kids, read, bake, watch TV, or just sit and enjoy a cup of tea or a glass of wine outside on my deck.

Physical books, although I’ve had to shift to e-books because I’m running out of space.

Uncaged: What does success as an author look like to you?

I think selling your first book means you’ve made it because you’ve caught at least one person’s interest and if you can do that, then there are sure to be other people out there eager to read your stories. At least that’s how it was for me. Until I sold my first novel to Avon, I considered writing to be a hobby, even though that might not have been entirely fair to myself since I was dedicating time each day in order to write. But it’s how I felt. When Avon offered to print How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back, that was it – I truly felt like I could call myself an author.

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Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

Thank you so much for buying my books, for reading them, for reviewing them, and for taking the time to spread the word about them. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you, nor would I have the opportunity to keep on writing the stories I love, so thank you!

If you’d like to reach out, you can always contact me through my website at: www.sophiebarnes.com I love hearing from readers and always do my best to respond in a timely fashion.

I can also be found on the various social media platforms listed below, though I’m probably most active on Facebook.

| SOPHIE BARNES |

Enjoy an excerpt from The Forgotten Duke The Forgotten Duke Sophie Barnes Historical Regency Releases Jan. 28 He never imagined he’d be the man he was born to be, or that one woman’s faith in him would change his life forever...

When Carlton Guthrie, Scoundrel of St. Giles, encounters a runaway bride in the London slums, he offers to help her. Not out of kindness, but because she’s the Earl of Hedgewick’s daughter. Using Regina to exact his revenge on her father seems like the perfect plan. Until Carlton starts to fall for the innocent beauty.

Seeking refuge with a notorious crime lord, was never part of Regina’s plan. But in her blind attempt to escape the fate her parents have planned for her, options are limited. What she doesn’t expect, is to pull aside Carlton’s facade, and to find a tormented man who makes her feel safe and cherished - a man she could easily love, if he’ll let her.

Excerpt Chapter One London September, 1820 Everything in Regina’s life had always gone according to plan. She’d been born on March fourteenth, exactly as the physician and midwife had predicted.

Since then, her sole purpose had been to become an accomplished lady. She’d been educated in a manner befitting the daughter of a British peer. And so, it was

not surprising that she could play the pianoforte, embroider monograms on handkerchiefs, converse in French, and dance as if floating on air.

Her life was as it should be, as it had been designed to be, and she had no illusions about the duty that would one day be required of her. As a female, she would have to make the best possible match. Love would not factor into this eventuality since her marriage would without doubt be one of convenience.

Her parents had spent the last eighteen years preparing her for this. And yet her father, Charles Berkly, Earl of Hedgewick, still managed to surprise her when he interrupted tea one afternoon to inform her that she and the Marquess of Stokes were to be married.

The very next day.

By special license.

Apprehensive and slightly dazed, Regina told herself that all would be well. Her father had made a magnificent match – one that would elevate not only her but her entire family. She trusted him to have her best interests at heart, so she did not think to protest the hasty union or to remind her father that she and Stokes had never met. Instead, she breathed a sigh of relief when he described the marquess as a handsome youth with a fondness for poetry and music. She imagined herself enjoying his company, of entertaining him in the evenings with music and song, and of giving him children as duty required. She convinced herself that in time, love would blossom between them and that they would be happy together.

But when Stokes arrived that same evening for an introductory dinner, and was shown into the parlor by Plath, the butler, Regina realized that everything she’d imagined was but an illusion.

Instead, she was expected to walk into hell and live there.

The resolve required to maintain her composure as Stokes approached her, to drop into an elegant curtsey and not run screaming from the room, was extraordinarily difficult. Like sitting still while a swarm of bees tried to sting you. But she now understood why she’d never met the marquess Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | before and why she had to marry him faster than she could blink. Most likely, her father hoped to complete the task before she realized she was marrying a child.

Even though it was rather difficult not to notice such a thing, considering Stokes’s appearance.

He had the typical rounded features of a young adolescent with a lanky body to match. Regina supposed he could be fifteen, if she were lucky, but rather feared he might be much younger than that. His face was regrettably covered in pimples of varying sizes, though this was the least problematic aspect since he would likely be rid of those within a few years. Of greater concern was his difficult gait, which suited an aging old man much better. And when he extended his hand to Regina, the stiff rigidity forcing his fingers to curl at odd angles was more than she could bear.

With a gasp, she looked up, only to be met by pain in his eyes. The heartbeats thumping fast inside her slowed, easing a path toward sympathetic understanding. He did not want this marriage any more than she did.

So Regina smiled. Not because she was pleased on either of their behalves, but because it was what Stokes deserved. However difficult this situation was for her, surely it must be worse for him, not only because he was so much younger but because he probably thought she would spurn him.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, my lord,” she said as she placed her hand in his.

Behind him, his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Windham, looked on with a mixture of hopefulness and concern.

“The pleasure is entirely mine,” Stokes told her politely. He gave her hand a gentle pull and she let him create the appearance of helping her rise.

“Perhaps the two of us can take a turn about the room together before we’re called in for dinner?” nadinemillard.com “I’d like that,” Regina said. She deliberately avoided looking over at her brother Marcus, whose glower she could feel as acutely as the heat emanating from the fireplace. He would undoubtedly have some choice words with their 20 | UncagedBooks.com

parents later, but for now, Regina believed the best policy would be to make the most of an already difficult situation.

So she placed her hand lightly on the arm Stokes offered and forced her steps to match his as they moved toward the far end of the room.

They reached the bay window looking out on the dusky garden and drew to a halt. Giving her a sideways glance, Stokes spoke in a low whisper. “I am sorry about all of this. When my parents told me of their intention to see me wed, I did my best to dissuade them. But Papa is determined to secure the lineage of his title and with the undeniable progression of my illness, he sees Hedgewick’s offer as the only hope of doing so.”

His comment caused numerous issues to poke and prod at Regina’s mind, like how her father had apparently started all of this by approaching Windham.

And the idea that she would have to lie with him tomorrow after the wedding.

Forcing all her aversions to this aside, she chose to get to know this boy whose life must be unbearably difficult, and asked, “Do the physicians know what it is that ails you?”

He inhaled deeply, as if this subject required additional strength. “They say it is primary asthenic gout.” He looked at her directly. “Incurable, by all accounts.”

“I am sorry.” It was all she could think to say even though she knew it was not enough.

“Apparently, it is rare in children, which makes me special according to some physicians.” He gave a low snort. “I must say I’ve never felt so myself.”

Regina winced. The physicians were idiots if they believed that Stokes would find comfort in such a notion. “How long have you suffered like this?”

“The symptoms began five years ago and have been progressing since.”

Hoping he wouldn’t detect the pity she felt for him, she casually asked, “And how old are you now, if you do not mind my asking.”

“Fourteen.” The edge of his mouth lifted and for a second she caught a glimpse of the fun-loving boy he might have been if he’d been granted good health. “It is the age of consent for a boy, provided his parents

| SOPHIE BARNES | approve.”

Regina nodded. The duke and duchess were hoping to marry him off as expediently as possible before he got worse and lost his chance completely.

Determined to put a positive spin on the situation, Regina said, “You’re probably the most eligible bachelor I’ve ever met. A pity you’re going to be squandered on an old woman like me.”

He grinned with what appeared to be genuine amusement. “I doubt there’s a woman in all of England as beautiful as you.”

She nudged him slightly while giving him a sly smile.

“Top points for charm and for not inquiring about my age.”

Affecting a debonair look, he said, “No proper gentleman would ever think to do so.”

“I am eighteen,” Regina confessed with a chuckle.

“And entirely wasted on me.”

Regret flickered in his eyes and Regina’s heart squeezed painfully in response. “Don’t say that. You and I—” “Have no hope of happiness.” His blunt statement, as obviously simple as it was, jarred Regina’s soul.

“Don’t say that,” she whispered.

“Why not?” He gave her a quizzical look. “It is the truth, when you think of it.” When she said nothing in response to this, he added, “My illness will not kill me for at least a couple of decades.”

With a gulp, she met his gaze head on. “I should hope not.”

“You say that now, but as I deteriorate with time, you will regret being my wife, just as much as I will regret ruining your life.”

Regina stared at him and as she did so, it occurred to her that she had to find a way to save them both.

Perhaps they could have the marriage annulled immediately after? It was an option, though not a very good one when she considered the vicar who would be conducting the ceremony. He ought not be able to do so unless she and Stokes gave their consent.

And yet, it was becoming increasingly clear that they would be pronounced husband and wife no matter what they said or did. Their parents were powerful people. What chance did she and a child stand against their determined wills?

Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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Fear started to drip through Regina like freezing rain. “I’ll find a way out of this,” she assured him.

He raised an eyebrow. “How?” “I don’t know.” Short of running away…

Her nerves tightened in response to that thought.

It went against the obligation instilled in her since childhood. It felt wrong and disobedient and… wonderfully freeing, all things considered.

Swallowing, she glanced sideways. Assembled on the sofa and in the armchairs were their family members, all watching with syrupy smiles painted on their faces.

Except for Marcus, who looked rather grim. His eyebrows were drawn together, one partially obscured by a dark blonde lock of hair. Jaw tight, he appeared to be holding a great deal of anger in check. If she were to flee, she would miss him the most, which was something she contemplated a great deal as the evening wore on.

When the time eventually came for Stokes and his parents to depart, he stepped close enough to Regina so he could whisper next to her ear, “Time is running out.” He leaned back and gave her the sort of sad smile that quickened her pulse with the knowledge that only she had the power to act.

“We shall see you again in the morning,” Lord Windham said as if they were preparing to start a joint venture together, which Regina supposed they were, in a way.

Hedgewick smiled with the satisfaction of a lion who’d just caught a fat gazelle. “Eight o’clock sharp.” He smiled again and bowed toward Lady Windham. A few more parting words were spoken and then Stokes was helped down the front steps of Hedgewick House and into the awaiting carriage.

The front door closed with a deep thud and Regina expelled a long breath.

“Well,” Hedgewick said, turning about so he could regard his family. “That went rather splendidly I’d say.”

“The Windhams are delightful people,” Louise said in support of her husband. “Very proper and most elegantly attired.”

Marcus stared at them both as if they’d just performed a series of cartwheels. “Are you serious?”

| FEATURE AUTHOR | Apparently he’d decided the time had come to speak up. “That is all you have to say?”

“What else is there?” Louise asked her son in that timid voice that had always been so comforting and soothing. Now it just sounded weak and devoid of character. Like tepid tea.

“I don’t know,” Marcus clipped in an acrid tone that warned Regina of the argument to come.

“How about the fact that you’re planning to foist Regina off on a decrepit child?”

Hedgewick’s eyes darkened to storm cloud grey.

“Your sister is going to be a duchess one day.”

“At what cost?” Marcus asked. He swung around to face Regina. “You cannot go through with this.

I won’t permit it.”

“You. Won’t. Permit. It?” Hedgewick’s voice trembled while fine flecks of spittle flew from his mouth. His face had turned beet red. Leaning forward, he glared at his son. “Perhaps if you were head of this family you’d have a say in the matter.

But you don’t.” He turned his attention on Regina whose skin began to prick in response to his anger. She’d never seen him like this. He’d always been loving and kind. “Everything has been arranged, so the wedding will proceed as planned.”

Leaning back, he puffed out an agitated breath through his nose. “I suggest you get some sleep now so you can be well-rested and ready.”

“Yes, Papa,” she obediently murmured while Marcus gave her a stupefied look of concern. Pretending to be agreeable seemed like the simplest option while coming to terms with the fact that not even her brother was able to sway her father’s decision.

“I do not understand you,” Marcus told her moments later when both of their parents had retired.

“You cannot seriously want this for yourself.”

“Stokes isn’t so terrible.” She started up the stairs while Marcus trailed behind. “He and I will get along well with each other, I think.”

“But he’s…I mean…how will you…” His words were blown away on a heavy sigh of frustration.

“I have always known that I would marry for convenience. This isn’t much different than the women who have to marry men thrice their age.”

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“It’s different in the sense that Stokes might stay alive for some time yet.”

“Good God,” Regina gasped as she halted halfway up the steps and glanced back at her brother. “I should certainly hope so.”

Marcus lifted one shoulder. “Forgive me. That comment was in bad taste. I just wish you could marry the man of your choosing and not be a pawn in whatever it is Papa’s trying to achieve.”

“You think there’s more to his wanting this marriage than social status alone?”

“Considering how angered he was by my mere suggestion that you not go through with the wedding, I’d say so. But I cannot imagine what it might be.”

Regina pondered this as she resumed her progress.

When she reached her bedchamber, she paused. “I love you dearly, Marcus. You know that, right?”

Tilting his head, he gave her an odd look. “Of course.”

She forced a smile. “Good.” She pressed down the handle and opened the door. Telling her brother she might not be there by morning would be a mistake.

He’d only want to help her escape and thus implicate himself in her disappearance, which was something she could not allow. Besides, she still wasn’t sure she’d go through with it.

“I love you too,” he told her gently, and she was glad for the darkness because it stopped him from seeing the tears in her eyes. “Sleep well.”

Echoing his parting words, she entered her bedchamber, closed the door and leaned against it. Could she really run away? Her parents would not expect it, which would make the task so much easier. This was a benefit to being the dutiful daughter, the proper young lady who never strayed from protocol and always behaved with decorum. She could simply walk out the front door and vanish.

Glancing at the white lace gown hanging from a hook on the wall, Regina allowed the idea of running away to capture her imagination more fully. She’d worn the dress when she’d made her debut at the Coventry ball three months earlier. It had been altered slightly this afternoon by a maid tasked with turning it into her wedding dress. In Regina’s opinion, too much lace and silk netting had been added, but she supposed it would do. She stepped forward and touched

| SOPHIE BARNES | the fabric, letting it slide between her fingers. The bonnet she would wear sat on her dressing table, with additional silk netting sewn onto the brim to create a frothy ruffle that descended toward the back where it fell away in a big voluminous tail.

Regina allowed a sad chuckle. She would look like a cake in this.

Her brow puckered even as she pulled the gown into her arms and pressed it against her chest. What would life be like for her if she married Stokes? It wasn’t as if she loved some other man. And yet, the realization that they wouldn’t dance with each other or ride together or enjoy the sort of active life that was meant for people their age was a blow. Instead, they would live like old people, imprisoned in some large manor somewhere.

She laughed bitterly. What good would her title do her then? What solace would she find in having done her duty when even Stokes had made it clear that he had no desire to marry? Indeed his features had softened with gratitude when she’d said she would find a solution. But could she go through with it?

She clutched her dress tighter. If she sought refuge with friends her father would find her. The inevitable would only be delayed. So where would she go?

She pondered these questions for hours while pacing her bedchamber floor, until she was sure she must have worn out the sheen. Each question left her more indecisive and unsure than the last. At some point during the night, she’d put on her wedding gown and matching bonnet for no other purpose than to confirm how ridiculous she would look. She still wore it now as the darkness began to recede to the corners of her room. Dawn was breaking and she’d soon lose her chance to leave.

Could she be brave and do the unexpected? Could she face the unknown alone?

“I have to,” she murmured. It was time to put herself first for a change. Only then would she stand a chance of building the sort of future she wished for – a future she hadn’t even known she wanted until today. But the truth was that she dreamed of falling in love and of being loved in return. She longed for compatibility with a man strong and healthy enough to be her partner for life.

Glancing at her cheval glass, she considered the woman reflected back and made her decision. “I have to save myself and Stokes from misery.”

But first, she had to get changed.

So she reached for the end of the ribbons that held her bonnet in place and prepared to give them a pull when the sound of an upstairs door closing caused her to pause. The servants were already rising. There wasn’t any more time.

Giving a resolute nod, she abandoned the thought of putting on a more practical dress, eased her bedchamber door open and stopped to listen. The clock in the hall chimed five. Soon the maids would start cleaning the downstairs rooms.

With this in mind, Regina stepped into the hallway and headed toward the stairs. Descending them on her tiptoes, she made her way into the foyer. No one was about yet. The front door was right there. Unguarded.

Regina moved toward it, unbolted the lock, and opened the door to cool morning air. Mist sat low in the street, concealing most of the buildings.

Heart pounding, she glanced back over her shoulder once before stepping outside, closing the door behind her, and breaking into a run.

She wasn’t sure where she was going exactly, but she had to get out of Mayfair before someone saw her and forced her to go back home. The wrath she would face there would likely surpass what her father had shown toward Marcus last night.

Turning onto Piccadilly, she raced toward a side street and almost skidded into it in her haste to escape the clatter of hooves from a carriage somewhere behind her. This was madness. Good God, what was she thinking? Perhaps she ought to go back before anyone realized she was missing. But her feet didn’t slow, they just kept going as if propelled by the part of her brain that refused to accept what her parents were doing. Why would they force such a hasty wedding upon her or Stokes? Why was her father so unrelenting? It was almost as if this match mattered more to him than she did.

Regina’s chest tightened against the air being forced in and out of her lungs. She had no idea Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | where she was now, she reflected as her slippers struck the pavement with increasing speed. The streets and buildings were unfamiliar, though still somewhat respectable.

Something clanged behind her, causing her to dart down a street to her left where she almost smashed into a man. He staggered sideways, his hand briefly touching her elbow as she swerved around him.

“Looking for a groom?” His drunken voice turned to lewd laughter. “I’ll help you out!”

Ignoring him, Regina continued on her way with increased determination. The silk netting and lace billowing out around her merged with the thickening fog in a ghostly effect. Three streets later, her toe caught an uneven spot on the ground and she tripped, stumbling forward with a gasp. Her arms cartwheeled as she made a desperate attempt to maintain her balance. But her body was angled too far forward, and her speed only added momentum to the fall that now seemed inevitable.

Until her entire front connected with something warm and wonderfully solid that instantly stopped her descent. An arm came around her, bracing her against the person who’d caught her, and Regina instinctively started to struggle.

“What the devil?” a masculine voice muttered.

“Be still, damn it!

Regina gasped and looked up at the man who now held her.

A pair of coffee-colored eyes stared down into hers with mesmerizing intensity. Raven locks protruded at haphazard angles from beneath the brim of a velvet top hat. Expressive eyebrows drew together in wonder, puckering a prominent forehead and drawing Regina’s attention toward the man’s nose. It was elegantly shaped in a chiseled straight line that slanted toward a neatly trimmed moustache. The dense hair hovered above a wide mouth that presently smirked at her with what could only be described as lethal amusement.

Recognizing him from all the sketches she’d seen in the newspapers over the years, she blurted the first thing that came to her mind. “I know who you are.” Carlton Guthrie’s notoriety was such that not knowing who he was would have been impossible.

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His smirk became more pronounced as the edge of his mouth curled upward. “You’re the Scoundrel of St. Giles.”

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ping stones. The most he’d ever accomplished was three times. “Done.”

When she dropped the stone back into his hand, her fingers brushed inside his To Weave a Highland Tapestry palm, and he trembled. Patrick fought To Weave a Highland the temptation to take her full lips in Tapestry a fiery possession as he closed his fist Mary Morgan around the stone.

Fantasy Romance Stepping aside, he strode with intent to Patrick MacFhearguis, the water’s edge. Determination wove hardened by battles won a tight thread in his quest to complete and lost, desires what he the task. He cast his sight out to the can never have—peace within his heart and soul. expanse of water. If ye can hear my Yet, the ever-meddling Fae thoughts, Fae, grant me this one reweave a new journey for quest to skip a simple stone five times him to conquer—a task across the loch. this highlander is determined to resist.

When skilled weaver, Gwen Hywel, is commisQuieting his mind and body, Patrick sioned to create a tapestry for the MacFhearlifted the stone. A shaft of sunlight guis clan, she embraces the assignment. While broke through the gray day—light seeking out ideas, she finds herself clutching the shimmered off the water in a mirror one thread that can alter the tapestry of her life and heart. of jewels. Taking a step back, Patrick A man conflicted by past deeds. A woman with cast the stone outward and held his no family of her own. Is it possible for love to breath. unravel an ancient past, in order to claim two Hope soared within him as the stone badly scarred hearts? Or will the light of hope be doused forever? skipped once, twice, three, four—and splashed into the water. His shoulders sagged, and he was heartsick at the Excerpt loss.

Rising slowly, Gwen removed the Gwen approached quietly by his stone from his hand and brought side. “Pity. It was a great throw.” it near her lips. She met his gaze boldly. “For one kiss, you must “Aye,” he acknowledged softly. “One of my best. My brother, Adam was a skip the stone five times.”

His pride concealed his inner tur- champion at this game. I should have moil. Never in Patrick’s life had he studied him more.” been able to master the skill of skip- “Interesting,” she mused.

Mary Morgan

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Straightening, Patrick started forward.

“I can help ye pick more mushrooms.

Are they for the Midwinter feast?”

“Yes. Apparently, they’re for an onion and cabbage dish. Sounds delicious.

I’m amazed at how all the women have managed here in this time-period.”

“I had heard it was a struggle in the beginning for them.” He glimpsed sideways at her. “How do ye find being here? I cannot fathom what ye must miss.”

She shrugged. “There’s simplicity here. I’d almost call it serenity. I’ve learned a lot this past month. Whereas, in my town you can go crazy trying to keep up with everything.”

Gwen waved a hand outward. “And don’t get me started on city life. Traffic congestion, speedy drivers, people always on their cell—” She giggled.

“Sorry. Too confusing for you.”

Patrick smiled, trying to perceive everything the lass was saying. Each time she spoke, her face would light up. There was a musical lilt to her voice that soothed him. He found her enchanting, regardless of the words spewing forth from her.

Noting a group of mushrooms, he moved away from Gwen.

“Since you have lost, what about my end of the bargain? I believe I can claim something of value.”

Patrick froze in his steps. Glancing

over his shoulder, he stared at her in disbelief. “Ye wish to claim a reward?” Hope soared within his heart as if the sun’s rays stoked the emotion.

Her tongue darted along her lower lip. “Absolutely.”

He turned slowly around. “Name your reward.” Tension coiled within his muscles.

She approached him in an unhurried fashion. “You might have requested one kiss as your reward, but I’ll take four—the same number of times you skipped the stone over the water.”

His heart hammered against his chest. His mind refused to understand the magnitude of her words.

“Four?” he uttered in a hoarse voice.

“Four,” she affirmed, stepping closer. “Do not keep me waiting.”

In one swift move, Patrick crushed her to his chest. Her soft curves were warm against his body. “Start counting, leannán.”

She never had a chance to respond as he hungrily covered her mouth with his lips.

marymorganauthor.com

Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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mecastanares.com

mark a.hewitt

| FEATURE AUTHOR |

M

ark A. Hewitt is a retired aviation executive, college professor, and military pilot. The ideas for his books spring from life experiences, his extensive international travel, and an admiration for the unique “quiet” spyplanes from the Vietnam War. He holds a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College and an MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. His novels have been approved by the CIA’s Publication Review Board.

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Uncaged welcomes Mark A. Hewitt Uncaged: Your latest book will release on January 2, and it’s the fifth book in a series. Can you tell us more about this series? Does a reader have to read these in order or can they be picked up anywhere in the series?

After the Soviets shot down the U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers over the USSR, the CIA and the President vowed to never again put a manned surveillance aircraft in harm’s way. The problem was, of course, that in the early 1960s the state of technology didn’t allow for reliable unmanned surveillance flights on an as-needed basis. My books are based on the premise that a retired CIA executive teams with a retired Marine Corps fighter pilot to conduct secret limited aerial surveillance missions on a contracted basis for the CIA, in apparent direct opposition to the national policy. The only people who knows of this unique black program is the President, the CIA Director, and the retired CIA exec and the Marine pilot. The program becomes wildly successful and missions are expanded. It allows the President and the CIA to use the pilot and his airplane in various ways not ever envisioned by previous CIA Directors or Presidents, such as finding and killing the top 100 terrorists on the planet.

After spending a few years with the U.S. Border Patrol, the pilot, Drue Duncan Hunter, develops the skills “to find people who do not want to be found.” The secret to his success is a unique “quiet airplane,” one of 11 which were built for the U.S. Army at the end of the Vietnam War. And he doesn’t only find terrorists but “enemies, both foreign and domestic.” Politicians with split allegiances. My five novels are based on various international missions (such as finding terrorists camps or hideouts, or the location of hostages in the mountains of Colombia, or conduct aerial eradication of opium poppies in Afghanistan).

I purposefully designed my novels so that they do not have to be read in order. Reading them in order is helpful. At book signings I tell prospective readers that they can pick up any of my novels and they will be brought up to speed very quickly on the previous exploits of Duncan Hunter.

Uncaged: Is this an open-ended series or do you have set plans on how far the series will go?

I believe my cast of characters are “older and more mature” than what you’d find in other series of novels.

In many ways these are the exploits of men and women at the top of their game, near the end of their careers, racing to finish the “unfinished business” of some of the major terrorism problems of the intelligence community before they are also retired from the program.

After eradicating the vast majority of terrorists abroad, Hunter and company find there are enemies “domestically” and struggle with how to deal with them. I think there’ll be several more Duncan Hunter novels.

Uncaged: Aviation has been a huge part of your life, from the dreams of a child to the time in the military.

First of all, thank you for your service. Do you still fly for recreation?

I say the only way I fly now is “first class.” After flying jets off carriers, I’m comfortable with my past and gladly allow others to take me where I want to go. I’m one of the luckiest guys I know—anytime a kid gets to fly the jet of his dreams, that is a remarkable story.

Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why?

Whittaker Chambers. Before he defected from the Communist Party he ran the highest placed Soviet spy in the U.S. government, Alger Hiss. Then Chambers exposed him. This is another area my character, Duncan Hunter, excels at—finding and exposing the traitors of America. I’d want to ask him how difficult was it to rip the mask off of the Communist Party’s main spy, and by doing so exposing himself to personal ridicule and danger for his family. The media and Hiss’ friends would eviscerate him if there was no proof. But Chambers had the foresight to keep copies of every paper Hiss gave him to photograph. They’re known as the “Pumpkin Papers.”

Ian Fleming. Sometimes I say my main character, Drue Duncan Hunter, is like “James Bond in a flight

| MARK A. HEWITT | suit.” Fleming’s Bond character is a reflection of his unique experiences in the British special operations world. I would want to know what he thought of a contract spy using a “quiet airplane” to literally assassinate international murderers.

Uncaged: Have any of your characters ever done something that you didn’t intend when you began?

Yes, but you’ll have to read about the most recent case (Blown Cover) when Duncan Hunter confronts the former president on the top floor of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.

Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

I like to feed the birds and squirrels in my yard when I’m not racing my two-seat Jaguar.

Uncaged: What does success as an author look like to you?

When a reader literally cannot put down one of my books. When they tell me that they become so involved in the story that they blow off work and stay up all night to finish it. When I give them a new book, I have some friends who have no compunction telling me, with a conspiratorial and devilish eye, “I know I’m not going to get any sleep tonight—thanks Mark!”

Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books?

It’s hard to autograph a kindle or a car. Give me a real book.

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

I would say I have amazing fans and I certainly appreciate them. For the occasional thought piece, they can read my articles at American Thinker. com or follow me at https://www.facebook.com/ markhewittauthor/ Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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| FEATURE AUTHOR |

Enjoy an excerpt from Special Access Special Access Mark A. Hewitt War Fiction

Basking in the glory of killing Osama bin Laden, the President revealed that US Navy SEALs carried out the mission. His constant heralding of their heroism and capabilities damaged the SEAL’s operational security, revealed tricks of their trade, and endangered them and their families. As some in the Special Operations community expected and feared, a number of SEALs are systematically killed across the country. The Navy’s legendary SEAL commander, Captain Bill McGee, believes he is the next target of a sniper and seeks help from a close friend with unusual contacts and capabilities.

Duncan Hunter, a retired Marine Corps fighter pilot, flies a top-secret airplane with his mentor, Greg Lynche, the sometimes über-liberal retired CIA Chief of Air Branch. Together, in their quiet airplane, they execute some of the CIA’s most sensitive airborne counterterrorism missions under a Special Access Program. Saving McGee from a sniper’s bullet comes at a price as Duncan Hunter finds himself at the crossroads - either remain a contract pilot and betray a friend or become a patriot and risk exposure as a traitor. His decision pulls him into one intrigue after another, finally revealing the truth behind several conspiracies hidden behind the firewalls of top-secret security clearances, CIA files, and Special Access Programs.

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Excerpt 0700 October 10, 1996 Del Rio International Airport, Del Rio, Texas The overnight thunderstorms blew out just in time.

Duncan Hunter sat back in his chair and stared into the distance, as dozens of maquiladoras on the other side of the Rio Grande disappeared over the horizon and into the haze. Aircraft mechanics slogged through the hangar dripping with sweat. In a couple hours, it would be show time.

It was another humid Thursday in Del Rio, and the US Border Patrol’s Director of Aircraft Maintenance would soon be on his way to the other end of the airfield either to bring Border Patrol aviation into the 20th century or watch it lapse back into a glorified flying club—or die altogether.

The uncertainty made Hunter nervous. For a former Marine fighter pilot, the feeling was new and a bit unsettling. There was a career resting on how well the presentation went. Depending on who one talked with, it was not a good fit having a former fighter pilot and aircraft maintenance officer with a couple of graduate degrees as the Border Patrol’s new Aircraft Maintenance Director. It was an odd choice for a new civil servant with little to no civil aviation experience.

Law-enforcement aviation and FAA regulations were completely different beasts than military flight and maintenance operations, but the GAO report suggested either the Border Patrol get some adult leadership to turn its aviation program around, or it would be shut down.

Not many applied for the job. Hunter was a surprise selection. Within the first hour of his first day, he met the crusty old Chief Pilot for the first time. Charles Rodriguez jabbed a finger into Hunter’s chest and spat, “Who the fuck do you know in the Border Patrol?”

Taken completely by surprise by the outburst from the short, heavily wrinkled man in a flight suit, Hunter coolly replied, “You try that again, and I’ll break your finger. I don’t know anyone in the Border Pa-

| MARK A. HEWITT | trol.” He saw a rectangular nametag, a Border Patrol aviation patch, and a shoulder holster containing a 9mm Beretta.

Holstering his finger, Charles snapped, “Bullshit.

You couldn’t have gotten this job without knowing someone in the Border Patrol. Who the fuck is it?”

Hunter debated his response. “Is that how you got your job, Charles? Who’d you blow to get it? I don’t know anyone in the Border Patrol. However, I do know the Attorney General, so don’t fuck with me, or I’ll make a little call and have your ass investigated.”

He turned his back on the pissed-off pilot with a gun and walked out of the pilot’s building and into his hangar. Hunter encountered a lot of hostility in the few weeks he was on the job, but, in the short time he was there, he immediately reversed the trend of aircraft crashing every other week due to pilot error or weak maintenance processes. Half the maintenance workers and the junior Border Patrol pilots quietly cheered for Hunter. The senior patrol agents in charge, like the Chief Pilot, avoided him.

Response to the outsider “non-agent” was mixed, but the leadership, including the Chief Patrol Agent and his deputy, was wholly supportive. Half the assistant Chief Patrol Agents kept Hunter at arm’s length. The other half became cheerleaders.

It was over a year since they had an aircraft crash attributed to buffoonery, and he’d been on the job only thirteen months. Hunter’s encounters with Charles Rodriguez were still strained but professional. Airplanes and helicopters were being fixed as fast as the pilots broke them. For the first time ever, all aircraft went on patrol with all systems working. Every aircraft in the Del Rio fleet was up, ready, and flyable with no deferred discrepancies. The Border Patrol leadership took notice.

The maintenance facility hummed with efficiency and professionalism, and, with the turnaround of the facility and the improved mission capability of the aircraft, the mechanics found themselves with a lot of free time. With ten crashed aircraft carcasses in the Quonset hut out back of the maintenance hangar, Hunter challenged the bored mechanics with a project.

Some of the men began overhauling a crashed Piper Super Cub. When the first overhauled airplane rolled out of the hangar, Hunter turned it into a media event highlighting the mechanics’ work—the half that supported him. The aircraft was transformed from a ragged collection of parts, including a bent frame and wings, seized engine, shredded dope and fabric—to a stunning like-new airplane.

His success embarrassed the senior pilots and the other half of the mechanics, who were buddies with Charles. The hangar no longer looked like an Army-Navy surplus store. The mechanics that worked produced like-new airplanes from carcasses that hadn’t flown in ten years, and the bright little white airplane in Border Patrol livery stunned the leadership. Other Section Air Operations begged for their aircraft to be overhauled or to be placed on the list for new Super Cubs.

When the Chief Patrol Agent asked Duncan how things were going one day in August, he replied, “I don’t understand why your guys don’t use quiet airplanes to chase illegal aliens and drug smugglers.”

Taken aback, the Chief asked, “What are quiet airplanes? Gliders?”

That conversation set off a chain of events culminating in a flight demonstration and a quiet aircraft presentation. It was a long, bumpy road to reach that point, and it was time to get started.

Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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C ATC H UP

CATCH UP WITH DANELLE HARMON WITH HER LATEST RELEASES AND GET STARTED WITH THE FIRST BOOK IN THE DE MONTFORTE BROTHERS SERIES

| DANELLE HARMON | Uncaged welcomes back Danelle Harmon Uncaged: You released, Never Too Late for Love this year, and it’s part of a series, Heroes of the Sea. Can you tell readers more about the series?

Indeed! Heroes Of The Sea is a series of loosely-connected stories about strong, sexy men of the sea—and the women who love them. Royal Navy captains and admirals, American privateers, and even a pirate or two are all to be found in these action-packed love stories set during Colonial America and the Georgian and Federalist eras. NEVER TOO LATE FOR LOVE is the tale of Liam Doherty, who missed the chance as a younger man to marry, but now finds himself helplessly drawn to a beautiful widow he cannot resist.

Uncaged: What are you working on next that you can tell us about?

Another Heroes Of The Sea story, this one about a handsome Royal Navy officer who serves his admiral as flag captain of a mighty warship during the Napoleonic era. Readers will remember him as a secondary character from LORD OF THE SEA - Captain Delmore Lord, a rather starched and stuffy fellow who’s been unlucky in love. Beautiful Lady Grace Fairchild enlists him to help her capture the heart of another man ... but can either of them resist each other?

Uncaged: Are you planning on attending any in-person events or conventions in 2020?

I participated in the Fall In Love With New England booksigning this year, and had such a good time, meeting many wonderful people and making some new friends. I hope to do it again in the coming year!

N

ew York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Danelle Harmon has written nearly twenty books over a career spanning three decades. She and her family make their home in New England with numerous animals including five dogs, an Egyptian Arabian horse, and a flock of pet chickens.

Danelle welcomes email from her readers and can be reached at Danelleharmon@danelleharmon.com

Website: www.Danelleharmon.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanelleHarmon/

Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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Enjoy an excerpt from The Wild One

A chorus of out-of-tune voices came up from below.

“Romeo, O Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?”

Gareth flung his crop down at their heads. Cokeham let out a yelp, then fell to laughing.

The Wild One Danelle Harmon Historical Regency England, 1776: Lord Gareth de Montforte is known as an irresponsible rake with a heart of gold. When he takes a bullet for boldly thwarting a stagecoach robbery, he is stunned to discover that the beautiful young woman he has heroically rescued, Juliet Paige, is his deceased brother’s American fiancée, accompanied by her infant daughter. Despite his brother the duke’s refusal to acknowledge Juliet, Gareth is determined to do right by the courageous woman who crossed an ocean to give her baby her rightful name.

But Juliet is wary of marrying this black sheep aristocrat, even while she is hopelessly charmed by the dashing devil. Never has she met anyone who embraces life so thoroughly, who makes her laugh, who loves her so well. And, even when it seems the odds are against them, Juliet has absolute faith that Gareth will go beyond the call of duty, risking his life itself to give her and her daughter a home — and a love that will last a lifetime.

Excerpt “Lord Gareth?”

He froze.

It was she, staring out at him with an expression of astounded disbelief on her lovely face. Gareth was caught totally unprepared. He knew he must look like an arse because he certainly felt like one. But the comic ridiculousness of the situation suddenly hit him, and his lips began twitching uncontrollably. He gazed up at her with perfect innocence. “Hello, Juliet.”

36 | UncagedBooks.com

The girl’s smooth, high brow pleated in a frown as she took in the scene. Perry down there with the horses. The other Den of Debauchery members all gathered below, beaming stupidly up at her. And Gareth, grinning, sprawled full-length along a tree branch just outside her window.

“Just what on earth are you doing, Lord Gareth?”

The way she said it made his cheeks warm with embarrassment. So he was a pillock. Who cared? Instead, he gave her his most devastating grin and said with cheerful earnestness, “Why, I have come to rescue you, of course.”

“Rescue me?”

“Surely you didn’t think I’d allow Lucien to banish you into obscurity, now, did you?”

“Well, I — The duke didn’t ban—” She gave a disbelieving little laugh and leaned out the window, grasping the blanket tightly at her breasts. Her hair, caught in a long, dark braid, swung tantalizingly out over her bosom. “Really, Lord Gareth. This is highly irregular!”

“Yes, but the hour is late, and as it took me all day to find you, I was feeling rather impatient. I do hope you’ll forgive me for resorting to such desperate measures. May I come in and talk?”

“Of course not! I — I cannot have a man in my bedroom!”

“Why not, my sweet?” He pushed aside a small, leafy twig in order to see her better and grinned cajolingly up at her. “I had you in mine.”

| DANELLE HARMON | She shook her head, torn between what she wanted to do — and what she ought to do. “Really, Lord Gareth your brother will never approve of this. You should go home. After all, you’re the son of a duke and I’m just a — “ “ — beautiful young woman with nowhere else to go.

A beautiful young woman who should be a part of my family. Now, do collect Charlotte and your things, Miss Paige — I fear we must make haste, if we are to marry before Lucien catches up to us.”

“Marry?!” she cried, forgetting to whisper.

He gazed at her in blank, perfect innocence. “Well, yes, of course,” he said, clinging to the branch as it dropped another few inches. “Surely you don’t think I’d be hanging out of a tree for anything less, do you?”

Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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C ATHERINE KE A N

C

atherine Kean is an award-winning, Kindle Unlimited All-Star author of medieval romances whose creative muse has coaxed her to also write in other romance genres. She wrote her first medieval romance, A Knight’s Vengeance, while her baby daughter was napping, and now has a backlist of over 20 published books.

Catherine’s novels were originally published in paperback and several were released in Czech, German, and Thai foreign editions. She’s won numerous awards for her stories, including the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Her novels also finaled in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the National Readers’ Choice Awards, and the International Digital Awards.

In 2019, she co-founded CPC Publishing with author Wynter Daniels and is busy writing books for the Cat’s Paw Cove Romance series.

When not working on her next book, Catherine enjoys cooking, baking, browsing antique shops, shopping with her daughter, and gardening. She lives in Central Florida with two spoiled rescue cats.

Stay Connected

catspawcoveromance.com

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Uncaged welcomes Catherine Kean Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about your Cat’s Paw Cove series that you have running?

The Cat’s Paw Cove series features paranormal romances set in or around the fictional town of Cat’s Paw Cove, Florida, located south of St. Augustine on the Atlantic coast. The name Cat’s Paw Cove is derived from the small islands in the harbor, which look like the pads of a kitty’s paw. The town was founded in 1645 by a few British families that (mostly) survived a shipwreck on their way from England to Barbados.

My longtime friend and fellow romance author Wynter Daniels and I had talked about creating a shared story world, and since we both love cats, and have both adopted rescue kitties from local animal shelters, we decided to create our own breed of feline, called Sherwoods, that have magical abilities and had arrived in the town along with the founding families. All of the Cat’s Paw Cove stories will include at least one kitty.

We founded CPC Publishing in January 2019 and kicked off the series in September with a fun, fast-paced time travel romance called A Witch in Time, which we co-wrote. Our multi-author holiday anthology, Meows & Mistletoe, was officially launched at a special two-hour event on November 2 at the Orlando Cat Café. Wynter has her own connected books within Cat’s Paw Cove, and so do I, and we also have 13 guest authors writing about the town, its businesses, annual events, and historical sites. Five Cat’s Paw Cove series books are available now in print and eBook; two are also available in audio, and we have a fabulous lineup of all-new stories to be released in 2020.

Uncaged: You also write in the historical genre and you’ve taken part in several collections and sets. How do those come about?

I’ve written over 20 historical romances and plan to continue to write them as well as contemporary-set Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | Cat’s Paw Cove books. One of the joys of being an author is meeting other writers, sharing marketing ideas and strategies, and helping each other find new readers. Boxed set bundles are a great way to cross-promote and hopefully connect with people who haven’t read our stories before. I’ve coordinated a number of historical romance collections and am participating in several for 2020.

Uncaged: What are you working on next that you can tell us about?

I have several new projects in the planning stages: a medieval novella for a historical romance bundle that will be published next Fall; a sequel to Hot Magic, my Cat’s Paw Cove series novel about a modern-day antiques dealer who is actually a reincarnated 12th century knight, and his cat, who is in fact his reincarnated teenage squire; a sequel to A Witch in Time, which I will co-write with Wynter; and two other historical romance stories that would be part of multi-author bundles in 2020. I’m glad to be busy, but some days I wish I could write in my sleep. LOL! Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would

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you love to sit and have lunch with and why?

J. R. R. Tolkien and Jane Austen, I’m sure, would be a fascinating lunch guests.

Uncaged: Have any of your characters ever done something that you didn’t intend when you began?

This happens often! Some of my favorite scenes have unfolded when my characters decided to veer from my original plan. Lucian Lord, the hero of Hot Magic, surprised me with his stubbornness and wry sense of humor. In a scene between him and the heroine, Molly, that takes place in Devon Rex Desserts, I envisioned their conversation unfolding one way; he wanted to act more alpha male knight, and so I drew upon his medieval past and let him run with the scene. I love how it turned out.

Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

I like catching up on TV series on Netflix. I recently watched Lucifer, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and binge-watched The Vampire Diaries and The Umbrella Academy. I also try to walk several times a week on the

local nature trail; I always feel good after being out in the sun and fresh air. On weeks when I don’t have approaching deadlines, I meet friends for lunch and attend local writing events.

| CATHERINE KEAN |

Enjoy an excerpt from Hot Magic

Uncaged: What does success as an author look like to you?

Since writing has become my career, success for me means earning enough royalties from my books to earn a living. The market is always fluctuating, so there’s a constant learning curve to keep up with the best ways to gain visibility for my stories and to understand what promotional strategies are working and what aren’t anymore. Success for me, though, is also receiving emails from readers who’ve said they loved my books and can’t wait for the next one. Those words of encouragement make the thousands of hours spent working at my computer worthwhile.

Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books?

I’m old-fashioned; I love physical books. I love the feel of the paper against my skin, the weight of a book in my hands, the whisper of paper as I turn the pages.

I will always prefer physical books, although I do own and use a Kindle.

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

I am grateful for every one of my readers! Writing a book for me means working many hours in solitude, so it always makes my day to receive a message or email from a fan.

My books are available on Kindle. Many are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited, so the best place to follow me is Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Catherine-Kean/e/ B001JOZEMU/

Hot Magic Catherine Kean Paranormal Romance While clearing out her late mother’s home in Cat’s Paw Cove, Florida, Molly Hendrickson finds an unusual antique necklace.

Wearing it makes her feel confident and sexy—things she hasn’t felt since her ex broke off their engagement or, really, ever. She decides to keep the jewel but takes other items to Black Cat Antiquities, the local antique store, to have them appraised.

Lucian Lord, a reincarnated 12th century knight, moved to Cat’s Paw Cove after a scandal in which he revealed his magical abilities to his former girlfriend. Demoted by his superiors, he’s running the antiques shop while his grandfather is on vacation. But, when Molly brings in artifacts tainted by dark magic, Lucian is duty-bound to find and contain the dangerous energy before it wreaks havoc not only on the town, but the world.

Living by the knightly code of honor, Lucian vows to help Molly, especially when he realizes the necklace is the source of the ancient magic he’s hunting. He’s determined to save his headstrong damsel and redeem his tarnished reputation—but first, things will get very, very hot.

Excerpt Did he see anything that interested him?

Hell, yeah.

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | Lucian clenched his jaw on a silent groan while he fought to control his inappropriate stirrings of desire. He gripped the rounded edges of the desk and pretended to be contemplating the items in front of him. Far better than what he really wanted to do: walk around the counter, pull her into his arms, and kiss her.

Regardless of her perfect, cherry-red lipstick.

Regardless of the fact they’d only just met.

Regardless of the fact she was a client, placing her trust in his professionalism.

What was wrong with him? Sure, she was a beautiful woman, but he’d known many beauties.

Something about her, though, intrigued him and sent anticipation tingling through his veins: The slightly wry curve of her mouth, or the kindness he sensed within her, or the intelligence in her bright blue eyes.

He’d never been tempted so intensely before.

Not even by his ex, Stephanie, a successful model with a wicked sense of humor and a passion for running marathons. His heart constricted as a memory flashed though his mind, of Steph wheeling her suitcase out of their apartment and slamming the door behind her.

Bitterness gnawed, because her leaving wasn’t entirely his fault. Of course he could have done a few things differently in their relationship, but his duties for the Experts had created the rift between them. Those same duties would stand between him and a less-than-superficial relationship with any woman.

They always would.

“Don’t look so grumpy, Lucian,” Galahad mewed from Molly’s arms. How smug the squire sounded, as though he’d guessed how much Lucian liked her. The squire would know Lucian’s taste 42 | UncagedBooks.com

in women, though, after more than eight hundred years spent together.

“What was that meow for, Galahad?” Molly cooed.

“She likes me,” the feline said. “Ohhh, but she knows how to pet me juuuust right.”

Lucian’s fingers tightened on the desk.

“You are cheeky, with all that kitty talk.” Molly nuzzled the cat’s head.

Lucian silently groaned. If only she knew what the hormone-driven teenager she cuddled was really saying. Thankfully, she’d never find out.

As the cat shifted in Molly’s arms, Lucian straightened away from the desk. “Thanks for your patience. I’ve given your items some thought, and—” Galahad started kneading Molly’s left breast.

“Boob,” he purred.

Lucian gritted his teeth. He and the squire would have a talk later.

“Sooo soft and plump,” Galahad said.

Hissing a breath, Lucian glared at the feline then looked up at Molly, who seemed a little startled.

“Maybe you should put Galahad down. I wouldn’t want him to scratch you.”

“He’s fine. Really.” Molly beamed down at the cat.

“Look at him. He’s so happy.”

The feline was positively grinning, his paws going at a furious pace. Next, he’d get one of his claws stuck in her dress, on purpose, and then— “Did I tell you she’s wearing white lace panties?”

Galahad meowed.

“Shut up!” Lucian snapped.

| CATHERINE KEAN | Molly frowned. “What?”

Damn.

“I didn’t say anything,” she insisted.

“I know,” Lucian said quickly. “I didn’t mean you. I meant Galahad. I want him to shut up.”

“He’s only kitty chatting.”

“We’ll talk about this later, Lucian.” Galahad yelled through the door.

Molly brushed off her hands. “He does talk a lot, doesn’t he?”

“I think he’s part Siamese. They’re known to be rather vocal. Now, as I was saying about your items….”

“Yeah, Lucian,” the squire shot back.

Lucian managed a tight smile. “I still think you should put him down.”

“If she sets me on the floor, I’ll have another peek up her skirt,” Galahad said. “Maybe I’ll even see some sweet, round butt cheek.”

Lucian pinched the bridge of his nose. He was sorely tempted to take the cat and shut him in the storage room for the rest of Molly’s visit. Meeting her gaze, he said: “When Galahad meows like that, he usually needs to use the litter box.”

In the midst of scratching the cat’s chin, Molly went still. “Oh.” “Liar.” Galahad huffed. “Liar, liar—” “Sounds like he really needs to go.” Molly set Galahad on the floor, the movement giving Lucian a prime view once again of her cleavage and all its generous promise.

He forced his attention back to the feline.

“Litter box?” the squire groused. ”My furry ass—” Lucian picked up the cat.

“Hey!” Galahad yowled. “Put me down.”

Lucian tucked the struggling feline under his arm, carried him to the back room, and shut him in.

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feature authors

historical | young adult

Sherry A. Burton

Maggie Dallen

sherry A. bu r t o n

B

orn October 18th, Sherry was raised in the small town of Fairdale, a suburb of Louisville, Kentucky. Since eloping with her now-retired Navy husband to Tennessee in the wee hours of the morning on December 30, 1980, Sherry has lived in Kentucky, California, South Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin, Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania.

Living in different areas and meeting new people from vastly different regions has been a unique gift she is grateful for.

Sherry got her start in writing by pledging to write a happy ending to a good friend who was going through some really tough times. The story surprised her by taking over and practically writing itself. What started off as a way to make her friend smile started her on a journey that would forever change her life. Sherry readily admits to hearing voices, and is convinced that being married to her best friend for thirty-nine years goes a long way in helping her write happily-ever-afters.

Sherry and her husband have returned to their adopted state of Michigan, to be closer to their children and grandchildren. She spends most of her time writing from her home office, lecturing, and traveling to book signing events. Sherry greatly enjoys traveling to Libraries, Schools and other venues where she shares her books and love of writing. Check out the lecture page to see the topics offered, including History of The Orphan Trains.

Stay Co n n e c te d

sherryaburton.com 46 | UncagedBooks.com

Welcome Sherry A. Burton Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about the Orphan Train Saga series? How many books are you planning on for this series?

Between 1855 and 1929, there were over 250k children sent west from New York and Boston to find new homes. Children most people haven’t heard about. My books are historical fiction. The children in my books are fictional, and I use history to tell their tales. I introduce seventeen of the eighteen children in Discovery-book one-which tells Mileta;s story. Each book after that will tell about the life of one of the children. The reader will follow the child from their earliest memory, find out what caused them to be orphaned, living on the streets or in the asylum. They will journey with the children on the train and follow them as they grow. This series is void of swearwords and graphic content; however, it is not YA, the children grow up, and there are real-life situations. With that said, I have received e-mails from children as young as nine, letting me know they are enjoying reading this saga.

Uncaged: Are you planning on any in-person events in 2020?

I have numerous signings and lectures scheduled for next year and adding more all the time. So far, I have signings scheduled in Michigan, Kentucky, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Ohio. Some events are at craft shows, lecture venues, and organized multi author signing events. I go anywhere I can to meet and make new fans. My signing schedule is on my website and updated frequently.

Uncaged: What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

I am currently working on Franky’s story-the fourth novel in The Orphan Train Saga which is expected to be released in June of 2020.

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why?

Diana Gabaldon, I’ve met her twice and she is beautiful inside and out. I believe I could learn a great deal from her. Laura Ingalls Wilder, I grew up reading her books and would love to tell her how much those books ment to me. Charles Loring Brace, Mr. Brace was the man behind the Placing Out Program which sent the children out west via the orphan trains. I have so many questions for him.

Uncaged: Have any of your characters ever done something that you didn’t intend when you began?

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All the time! I never know what is going to happen until I begin writing. Anastasia, the main character in book three of TOTS (The Orphan Train Saga) totally surprised all of us. Every e-mail from my beta readers were like, I never expected that. Neither did I. Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

As sappy as it sounds most of my off time is spent with my hubby. He recently retired after thirty-two years in the Navy and we are making up for lost time. Hanging out with him and traveling to signing events is my happy place.

| SHERRY A. BURTON |

Uncaged: What does success as an author look like to you?

Naturally I want everything, the money, the invites to the book fairs without having to apply. But honestly, I have published ten novels as well as five children’s books. I have a fan base that eagerly await my next release and tell me how amazing my novels are. I think that makes me pretty successful.

journey with me. To the ones who don’t yet know me, I hope you will give me a chance to win you over.

Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books?

Oh, physical books to be sure. I love the weight of them in my hand and they are much easier to sign. ;) Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

To the fans I already have, thank you for taking this

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| FEATURE AUTHOR |

Enjoy an excerpt from Discovery Discovery Sherry A. Burton Historical Saga Fiction While most use their summer breaks for pleasure, third grade teacher Cindy Moore is using her summer vacation to tie up some loose ends concerning her grandmother’s estate.

When Cindy enters the storage unit that holds her grandmother’s belongings, she is merely looking for items she can sell to recoup some of the rental fees she’s spent paying for the unit. Instead, what she finds are secrets her grandmother has taken to the grave with her. The more Cindy uncovers, the more she wants to know.

Why was her grandmother abandoned by her own mother? Why hadn’t she told Cindy she’d lived in an orphanage? And how come her grandmother never mentioned she’d made history as one of the children who rode the Orphan Trains? Join Cindy as she uncovers her grandmother’s hidden past and discovers the life that stole her grandmother’s love.

Excerpt It was two in the morning. Cindy was freshly showered and had a cup of hot coffee sitting in her trembling hands. She’d resisted opening the notebook after a drop of sweat had fallen onto the cover. Instead, she’d replaced the tissue paper and carried the entire box down the attic stairs and into the living room. She set her coffee aside, unwrapped the notebook, and was greeted with another handwritten note.

Whoever is reading this is about to uncover secrets I’ve taken with me to the grave. At least I hope that is the case, as I’ve worked hard at keeping the 50 | UncagedBooks.com

shame that is my life under wraps. While I have tried to live a good life, I am afraid that sins from my past have kept me from living a full life. I am not quite sure what sins I committed, but they must have been so great that my dear mother abandoned me when I was but a wee child.

The year was nineteen-twenty-one, it was January, and I had nearly reached my eighth year, when my mother took me to the orphanage. I still remember her face clearly and can still see the dark curls that fell loose around her shoulders. I think she was tall, but maybe that was just a child’s perspective. She was thin; that I do recall. Then again, so was everyone who lived in our tenement. Maybe it was because we were always hungry.

It was raining the last time I saw my mother. I was cold and wet, and my mother told me to go inside where I would be warm. I asked her if she was coming inside and she said no, she didn’t want to spoil the floors with her wet shoes. I didn’t have to worry about that. I wasn’t wearing any shoes. Mother was dripping wet, the rain had stripped her of her curls, and her deep black hair lay plastered against the side of her head like a hat. I asked her why she was crying.

She told me it was just the rain on her face, but I could hear her sobs and knew she was lying. Before I could respond, Mother opened the door, pushed me inside, and the door closed behind me. The doors nearly reached the ceiling. A deep rich brown, they were the largest doors I had ever seen. An elephant could have walked through without issue. I have never forgotten the sound it made when it slammed shut. A solid thud that vibrated like rolling thunder. The sound has woke me from my dreams more often than I can count.

Maybe that is because my mother never bothered to kiss me goodbye.

I was still staring at the door, when an older girl wearing a blue gingham dress and a crisp white apron came and asked me what I was doing. I told her my mother brought me. She shrugged and told me I must have done something very bad for my mother to have left me. I couldn’t recall doing anything bad, but the girl must have been right, as I never saw my mother again.

The girl took my hand and led me down the long hall, which was empty except for a few paintings on

| BARBRA CAMPBELL | the wall and large red crocks evenly spaced along the floor near the wall. I didn’t want to leave the entrance.

The building was so big, and I was afraid my momma would not be able to find me. The girl was bigger than me and looked mean, so I went with her. She took me to a room with tall windows and dark walls, where a lady wearing a black dress was sitting behind a large wooden desk. The girl told the lady she’d found me in the hall. The woman picked up a clipboard and asked me if I spoke English. I remember smiling and shaking my head yes. Not everyone in our tenement spoke English. My momma did, but not very well.

Momma and Papa and I came over the ocean on a big ship from Poland. While I remember my papa, I do not remember what his face looked like. He died before the ship reached America. They said he was sick.

Two men carried him outside in the rain and threw him over the side.

Oh, how I loathe the rain.

Momma said my Ojczulek – that’s the Polish word for Papa – taught me how to speak English so people would like me better. I wish I could remember my papa better.

The woman asked my name. I told her my name was Mileta. She asked me what my last name was. I told her that was the only name I had. The lady didn’t seem happy about that. She asked what my mother’s name was. I was going to tell her it was Mamusia – which is the Polish word for momma, but then I remembered what my papa told me and I said her name was Momma. The lady smiled and wrote something on the clipboard. It was the first time the lady smiled.

Papa must have been right.

My clothes were wet; I was barefoot and so cold I was shaking. The woman must not have liked that I was dripping water on the floor because she told the girl, who she called Clara, to take me to the washroom for a bath and delouse. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but from the look on the girl’s face, I was sure I wasn’t going to like it.

As Cindy read, the story came to life, as if she was watching it unfold. *** Mileta followed Clara down a long hallway, admiring the large blue bow that held her hair high on top her

head. It was a fine bow. Mileta wondered how her own long brown hair would look in a bow such as that. They passed two doors before stopping in front of another. Clara opened the door and pushed her inside, closing the door with a loud bang. She was beginning to not like the doors in this building.

Mileta was standing in what she would soon learn was the washroom, which was filled with deep washtubs. Three of the roundest women she had ever seen were in the room. Each of them wore long dark dresses covered with crisp white aprons such as Clara had on. Two of the women sat on low stools beside the large tubs, each briskly scrubbing the heads of girls not much older than she. Neither child seemed to be enjoying themselves. The third woman approached Mileta. Without saying a word, the woman took hold of her hair, twisted it close to her head, and snipped the length off with scissors. The woman examined the length of hair, then wrinkling her nose, tossed the wet locks into a large woodstove. Before Mileta could protest, the woman removed her tattered dress and tossed it into the fire along with the hair.

“You’re covered with lice,” the woman said when Mileta began to cry. “Now strip off your underwear.”

Mileta did as she said and watched as the woman tossed them into the fire.

A scream drew her attention.

“Tis hot!” one of the girls in the tub yelled.

“Stop your wailing, or I’ll pour another bucket on your head,” the woman tending her said and pushed the girl’s head under water. Seconds later, the head emerged. The woman plucked the girl out of the water, wrapped her in a towel, and motioned for Mileta to come. She hesitated, then found herself thrust forward by the sting of a hand on her bare backside. Not wanting another swat, she hurried to where the large woman was waiting and stood looking into the sudsy water.

“Well, go on; get in,” the woman fussed.

Mileta scrambled into the tub, blinking her surprise at the warmth of the water. Still cold from the rain, the water felt so inviting. She smiled. It was Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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the second time she’d done so since entering the building.

“What? You’ve never had a bath before?” The woman snorted.

Mileta shook her head. She and her mother lived in a three-room apartment on the fourth floor of a bug-infested tenement building. They shared the space with two other families, making for a total of nine people living in the tiny apartment. The water spigots on the fourth floor didn’t work, so once a week, her mom carried a bucket of cold water up the stairs and, using a sponge, cleaned them both as best she could. Every other week, an extra bucket of water was brought up for washing the hair. The water was only heated enough to remove the chill. Running the stove cost money they did not have. Sometimes the water wasn’t even heated. If it was cold outside, her mother would allow it to come to room temperature before using it to wash. Up until a few moments ago, she never knew such luxuries as a hot tub filled with water existed. Nor did it matter that the water had already been used multiple times. It was the first time since leaving the house earlier this morning that she’d been warm.

The feeling of contentment didn’t last. The woman who sat next to the tub pulled a scrub brush from her apron, slid a bar of strong smelling soap across the brush before, in turn, sliding the brush along Mileta’s delicate skin. She tried to escape, but the woman’s grip held firm. She did not let up until she had assaulted every inch of Mileta’s body from scalp to toe with the course bristles. When she finished scrubbing, the woman poured a foul-smelling liquid into her palm, which she used to lather what was left of Mileta’s hair. Using the tips of her full fingers, the woman pulled the foam through the strands of hair from root to end.

“Rinse,” she ordered, then pushed Mileta’s head under water.

Gasping for air, Mileta rubbed the stinging suds from her eyes. Her vision cleared just in time to watch the woman lift a bucket and douse her with the contents. The girl that had preceded her in the 52 | UncagedBooks.com

tub was not lying; the water was hot.

“Out!” the woman commanded, tossing the bucket aside.

Mileta clamored out of the tub without hesitation and trembled while the woman ran a rough towel over her tender pink skin.

When she finally finished, she pointed a chubby finger to the other side of the room.

“Go see Mistress Eleanora and she will get you dressed. Now!” the woman bellowed when Mileta hesitated.

Mileta hurried to the woman who’d taken her dress.

Mistress Eleanora sized her up before handing her a pair of brand new underwear and a slip. To Mileta’s surprise, she then handed her a blue and white gingham print dress that matched the one Clara was wearing, along with a pair of black tights. Except for the print, the dress was plain. However, to seven year-old Mileta, used to wearing rags, it was beautiful. The lady took a ruler and measured Mileta’s feet before presenting her with a pair of shiny black shoes. Once again, tears threatened. It was the first time she had ever received such treasures. She hurried to get dressed then crammed her feet into the shoes, which seemed a bit small. She did not tell the lady, as she was afraid she would take them away from her. They might hurt her feet, but they were new. Brand new, like from the store window on the busy street where people wrinkled their noses when she and her mother passed by. For the third time that day, Mileta smiled.

SHERRY A. BURTON & Reggie, Wally, Gracie & Murdoc

We have three cats, Reggie, Wally and Gracie.

We also have Murdoc, a standard poodle who sometimes thinks he is a cat. While Reggie and Gracie are content to do their own thing, the boys are truly mama’s boys who insist on being near me at all times. Wally is constantly plopping on my desk, usually right on top of my research papers, or, stepping his front paws onto my shoulder so he can lick my head-I still haven’t figured out what that is all about.

Murdoc has a doggie couch in front of my desk and is usually content to lie there only to jump up if he hears me fuss at Sir Wally. They can be aggravating at times if I am heavy into my writing or nearing a deadline, but they always manage to finagle a smile out of me.

JEWELZ BAXTER & Angus

Here’s, Angus, my writing buddy. He’s named after AC/DC’s guitarist, Angus Young. A fourth of July puppy who has been with us since he was six weeks old, he’s now twelve and a half. He is always next to me when I’m writing. At night when I’m reading, he is under my feet. As I’m short, my feet don’t touch the floor when I sit on my couch, so he walks under them and lays down.

Here we are snuggling in front of a heater.

Neither one of us is fond of the cold.

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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.

SOPHIE BARNES & Nicky & Chico

Unfortunately I no longer have a pet since our African bush dog, Stitch, passed away in the spring. But, I have had a few different pets over the years, mostly dogs, but also one big orange cat that came with the house my parents bought when I was seven. Below I’m pictured, I think at the age of ten, with my toy poodle, Nicky. Of all my pets, he will always have the biggest place in my heart, most likely because I had him for most of my childhood, from the age of five until I turned sixteen. On my shoulder is Chico, my budgie.

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DANELLE HARMON & Brendan

CYRENE & Tsunami I have a mob of pets. Mainly because I seem to like them more than most people, at least that’s what my family says. I will feature one each month - and you can get a small peek into the life I lead on a small farm.

Where to start? I live with and show German Shorthaired Pointers, a breed I’ve had since 1987. (We also have a sweet rat terrier puppy named Sir Percy.) Here is a picture of Brendan, who is an AKC Champion of Record and also in possession of his Canine Good Citizen award. He is the first puppy from the first litter I bred, and is named for the hero of my book, CAPTAIN OF MY HEART.

Tsunami came to us just at the end of May, 2019.

I wasn’t truly looking for a third horse, but Tsunami is special. The rescue organization I work with was called in to take possession of three horses from a starvation case. All of them were in dire condition.

Once they were brought in, they were vetted and started on a feeding program to bring them back to health. From the moment I looked into Tsunami’s eyes, I couldn’t forget him. I went with my gut and we decided to foster him for the summer, to see if he would work out with our other horses. Of course, it turned into a foster fail and we adopted him. What is really great, is I became friends with the man who bred Tsunami and have received a lot more information on him and his breeding. What a treat.

Tsunami is a striking 20 yr. old, 1/2 Arabian-1/2 Andalusian gelding. He is back to 100% now, and he has quite the personality. He acts a lot younger than he is, and he is ridden most by my daughter who fell in love with him. We are discovering new things about him all the time.When it comes time for mealtime, he will hit the side of his stall with his front foot while staring at me - I guess I’m not fast enough to suit him.

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maggie dallen

M

aggie Dallen is a big city girl living in Montana. She writes adult and young adult romantic comedies in a range of genres. An unapologetic addict of all things romance, she loves to connect with fellow avid readers.

Stay Co n n e c te d

maggiedallen.com

Uncaged welcomes Maggie Dallen Uncaged: You write in a wide variety of genres, from historical to young adult and romantic comedy. The one common theme that connects them all is romance.

Can you tell us a bit more about your latest book, Charming the Runaway Duke?

I do write in several subgenres of romance, but whether they are contemporary rom-coms, high school love stories, or historical regency romps, all of my books tend to be lighthearted and sweet. Charming the Runaway Duke is a perfect example of that style. A regency Christmas novella, it’s a feel-good romp that I hoped would be a quick escape for readers during the hectic chaos that surrounds the holidays.

Uncaged: You recently released a young adult book, Playing the Enemy – which is set as book one in a series. Can you tell us more about that book? How many books are you planning for that series?

Playing the Enemy is the first of a multi-author YA project. The series, The Trouble with Tomboys, is now complete with three books, although the other authors and I are already plotting a spinoff series in that same world. This was such a fun project to work on! Each heroine in the series is a skilled athlete trying to find her place in the world (and in her high school.) I love writing strong, confident female characters and these heroines are as feisty as they come!

Uncaged: What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

So many projects! I’m launching three new series in early 2020. The first is a sweet small-town rom-com series starting with Fake Dating the Unsuspecting Heiress. For YA romance, I’m getting ready to release my first interconnected duet, which has been a whole new challenge for me. The first book, Charming the Cheerleader, goes live at the end of January. For historicals, I’ll be launching a new series called School of Charm in May.

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why?

Too many to list them all, but off the top of my head I’d say Marie Force and Penny Reid. I’m a fan of their work but I’m also in awe of the indie careers they’ve built. They’re not only talented writers, but savvy business owners as well.

Uncaged: Have any of your characters ever done something that you didn’t intend when you began?

All. The. Time. I’m a pantser through and through so it’s fairly commonplace for me to sit back and look at my characters and wonder what mess they’ve gotten me into this time.

Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

I love to knit, although these days I only have the time and attention span for little projects. Not surprisingly, I suppose, I’m a big reader as well. I read all across the board but romance will always be my favorite.

Uncaged: What does success as an author look like to you?

Being able to write what I want, when I want to write it. As someone who’s spent many years writing what other people wanted (as a reporter and then a ghostwriter,) I’m incredibly grateful that I can write the books I love to write.

Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books?

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reading ebooks the most out of convenience. I have the kindle app on my phone and since I always have my phone in my pocket, it’s always at my fingertips!

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

Thank you for reading and please say hello! I love hearing from readers. I’m on Facebook and Instagram way too often so please stop by and say hello. You’ll make me feel less guilty for procrastinating.

| MAGGIE DALLEN |

Enjoy an excerpt from Charming the Cheerleader Charming the Cheerleader Maggie Dallen Young Adult/Romantic Comedy Will the new guy be the one to thaw the ice queen and become the king of Talmore High? It’s a challenge Conner can’t refuse. He might even win the bet...but only if he doesn’t fall for her first.

Conner and his stepsister are new to town, new to Talmore High, and very new to this whole step-sibling situation. As of three weeks ago they were only children...and now? Well, now their parents’ newly wedded bliss is wreaking havoc with both of their lives.

Not that Conner is worried. He might be the new kid but he’s never had a problem being the big man on campus. Until now. No one at this school seems to have gotten the memo that he’s beloved. The girls aren’t swooning and the guys are looking for any excuse to kick his butt back to California. When his stepsister throws out the challenge, it’s a no brainer.

If he can make head cheerleader Rosalie “The Ice Queen” Farlow fall at this feet, he’ll have it all.

Great, not only was I the new kid, I was now the new kid who was friends with the class loser. That was the only explanation for why Lars found a spot in social Siberia and why no one came over to join us.

But that was fine. I mean, Lars might have been an odd duck—no, scratch that. He was definitely an odd duck, no ‘might have beens’ about it. His big bulging eyes were too interested, too eager, too…excited. Like I was his shiny new toy and he couldn’t wait to dissect me and check out my innards.

He was kind of creepy, to be honest.

What had my life become that I’d gone from the king of my former to school to this?

But whatever, it was just a matter of time, right?

I’d never started over at a new school before but my bet was, this was totally normal. To be expected, really.

I was ignoring Lars’ neverending questions and eyeing the cafeteria trying to get a sense for the social hierarchy when I spotted Harley hovering with her tray near the front of the line, eyeing the crowded room like she was about to forge into battle.

I raised a hand and flagged her down. Relief flickered across her features before she clearly remembered that she didn’t like me.

That was fine. Join the club.

But then again, if he wins the bet...he’ll lose her. And what’s the use of having it all if he loses the only thing that matters?

Excerpt If I’d thought my day might turn around with some greasy cafeteria food and a whole lot of stares and attention from my peers, I was wrong. True to his word, Lars had fetched me from class and led me to the cafeteria, sitting next to me at a table in the back.

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feature authors

fantasy | contemporary romance

Nesa Miller

Jewelz Baxter

Stay Con n e c te d

n e sa m i l l e r

I

’m just a little ole Texan living in the motherland – England – with my English husband. I moved here several years ago, leaving all my family & friends back in Texas – parents, brother, 2 daughters, 1 son, 2 talented grandsons & 2 charismatic granddaughters. I never realized just how different it would be. I’ve learned a lot and seen so many fantastical places. Places I would’ve never seen had I stayed in Texas.

Alamir is the first book in the Blood of Kaos series. It’s a story that developed from an online gaming community I belonged to many years ago – Superdudes.

Sounds kind of corny, I know, but it was the most tight knit online community you could ask for. We played games, we argued, we fought, we loved, and we made lifelong friends. We were, and still are, family.

ladyofkaos.com Please welcome Nesa Miller Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about your Blood of Kaos series? How many books are you planning for the series?

Blood of Kaos revolves around Etain Rhys, who at age fourteen, witnessed the brutal murder of her family. Torn from a world of childish innocence, she runs for her life only to find herself plunged into the realm of the Alamir, human warriors infused with powerful magic. Thinking of them as a fabrication of her 66 | UncagedBooks.com

father’s imagination, she realizes she must learn to live among them and face her own Alamir legacy. The story follows her struggles and victories as she creates a new life for herself, growing from girl to young woman to experienced warrior.

I originally planned for 7 books, but Book 4 has proven to be more of a challenge so, at this point, it could be 8 or 9. It all depends on my characters.

Uncaged: What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

I am working on Book 4 in the series, which will be out sometime next year. I’m also working with an artist on an audio version of Alamir, the first book in the series, due in April 2020.

Uncaged: You moved from the U.S. to England – has that transition influenced your writing? Do you get back to the U.S. at all?

Living in England has certainly changed my perspective. I’ve learned a lot about English life, which I hope has given the story a bit more credibility since the first part is set in Wales. I’ve actually visited the castle ruin of Laugharne in the south of Wales. In the beginning, it was just a black & white picture on the internet. It was mind blown seeing the actual castle in real life!

We don’t get back to the US as often as we’d like. Although my husband is English, he loves it over there, too! We’re hoping to visit my family later this year.

Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why?

Diana Gabaldon or Anne Rice – both are just so darn talented! They weave stories that draw you in and never let go and create characters you fall in love with and will always remember.

Uncaged: Have any of your characters ever done something that you didn’t intend when you began?

When do they not? But here’s a few highlights - Two have died. Two will turn traitor (recent development for future book). A character who started out as a distant ancestor has now become an unknown sister. And two have decided to save a few unfortunates, ergo the addition of another book because it would make the current one way too long. Heavens knows what else is in store for this poor author!

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Uncaged: What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

Watch TV, read (not near enough), photography, dream of being an interior designer, travel, sleep.

Uncaged: What does success as an author look like to you?

Writing is the first success. Editing is the next. A professional cover and interior comes after that. Then comes publishing. I have a few loyal fans. And I’ve actually sold a few books. I’ve done this three times now so, not doing too bad. But, it would be nice if I could figure out a successful marketing plan.

Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books?

I have no preference. I like them all.

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

To my fans, thank you so much for your support and loyalty. I do this for you!

Although I’m the author and can be considered as… biased, these stories will draw you in and leave you wanting more.

| NESA MILLER |

Enjoy an excerpt from Flesh and Bone Flesh and Bone Nesa Miller Fantasy Romance Two swords stand in a pool of blood.

A ring is found amidst a pile of ashes.

Dar is missing after a battle against the Bok. Etain hasn’t been seen since leaving the Elven city of Nunnehi.

They are the defenders’ strongest warriors.

Without them, how can the Alamir defeat their greatest enemy?

Excerpt I couldn’t save her. Nothing I did. Nothing I said.

None of the gifts I gave her – ring, sword, cloak, my name, even my blood – proved strong enough to overcome her most dangerous enemy. Me. Midir was right when he said I didn’t deserve her.

Her light illuminated the world and warmed the coldest of hearts. Her determination inspired us all. She made me a better man, showed me how to feel again. She saved my life.

Now she is gone. Murdered by my own hand.

I repeatedly ask myself why? Why was she there?

How was it possible for her to be right behind me, right…behind…me, and not feel her presence?

Was I too caught up in the bloodlust? Did my need to kill the flame-headed demon cloud my senses?

Everything has turned to dust.

My sweet Etain, a chuisle, please forgive me.

All that’s left to do is prepare. Let the demon’s abuses to my flesh purify my soul, cleanse me of the evil that darkens my heart. I didn’t deserve her love, but she loved me all the same. Once I am purged, I know her beautiful soul will find mine and take me home.

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TESSA MCFIONN IS BACK IN UNCAGED TO TELL US ABOUT HER NEW BOOK IN RISE OF THE STRIA SERIES AND WHAT SHE WILL BE UP TO IN 2020

Catching Up with Tessa McFionn Uncaged: You’ve just released book two in the Rise of the Stria series, Divine Challenges. Can you tell readers more about this series? How many books are planned for this series?

I would be delighted. This series came out of a what-if scenario for me. I wondered what would happen if you opened your door and ended up in a different universe.

Yeah, I know; I have weird what-if imagination. Think Wizard of Oz meets Star Wars. So the series tracks the story of our human, Evainne, as she navigates her way through the new world she’s been dropped into. I have three-armed aliens, space ships, Area 51 level bug-eyed creatures and a handsome hero to keep things interesting.

Originally, I was planning on just writing a trilogy, but my characters are not having any of that. The original story will come to a conclusion after the third book, which is still in pieces in my head and on my laptop, but more stand-alone stories from the rest of the crew are definitely in the mix.

Uncaged: You also have a series, The Guardians running. Are you still continuing that series as well?

I am. Currently I’m working on book five and many more are in store there. Mainly because Eamon is still refusing to tell me his story and so many of my readers are eager to hear more from my sexy, snarky Irishman.

I love the freedom to create all new heroes in new cities. Right now, book five is set in New Orleans where we find conquistador Gabriel dela Vega keeping the Big Easy and his reclusive spiritmate, Lyssa, safe from Rogue attacks and the approaching hurricane.

The anthology is called Storybook Pub and it’s going to be amazing.

Second, I have a new sci-fi romance that I’ve been toying with, along with a light paranormal mystery series I’m currently pitching to publishers. I am hoping to get a bite, but if not, I am ready to put it out there myself. The paranormal mystery has been a blast to write. It’s set in a bar in New Orleans (I guess that’s my current locational obsession) and the main character is a half-human, half-fae creation of my own, called a skin dancer. The story revolves around her trying to maintain her anonymity after she encounters two sexy and powerful faes from the High Court, both determined to claim her loyalty and her body while a dangerous plague strikes down both human and fae alike.

Uncaged: Are you planning on attending any inperson events or conventions in 2020?

As of now, I have one event planned. On May 2, 2020, I will be signing at the second annual Love & Devotion event in San Diego, CA. It’s going to be great fun, with lots of romance authors, giveaways, cover models, vendors, laughs, cover models, merchandise…did I mention cover models? Also, I will be attending WonderCon in Anaheim. I will be signing at the BroadUniverse booth and there may even be a panel in the future as well. I’ll have more details once the year gets going. Last year, I spent a lot of time at events and not enough in front of the keyboard. This year, it’s going to be all about finding that delicate balance of marketing and wording.

It’s going to be a great new year. Call it a vision of mine.

Uncaged: What are you working on next that you can tell us about?

I actually have three projects in the works, aside from the two series already out. SOMEONE STOP ME!! I will be adding a sexy short story to a new anthology slated to hit shelves around St. Patrick’s Day. How apropos for the former Irish step dancer, don’t you think?

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Divine Challenges Tessa McFionn SciFi Romance Prophetic promises make for dangerous pillow talk.

A handful of days have passed since Kahlym cal Jhuen stumbled upon the beautiful female who altered his entire existence. Strong, fierce, and willing to fight for what she loved, he is powerless against the undeniable attraction. But, the Rimmarian Emperor wants his alluring prize back and with every Thrall enforcer in the Seven Quadrants hot on their trail, Kahlym is running out of options.

Evainne Wagner never thought her Bostonian front door would lead her halfway across the galaxy. Neither did she expect to find passion in the arms of a drop-dead gorgeous space captain. Guess life has a funny way of keeping things interesting. Now, all she had to do was figure out how to control the phenomenal cosmic powers spinning inside her mind without getting killed in the process.

T

essa McFionn has always had a love of all things unreal. Growing up reading Tolkien, Heinlein, and comic books, playing D&D, and watching Thundarr the Barbarian on Saturday mornings, she was immersed in worlds of magic. When her mother introduced her to Dune and An Interview with a Vampire, she was hooked on romance in speculative fiction, and after discovering Sherrilyn Kenyon, she realized love can share center stage in the story. With an award-winning paranormal romance and a new sci-fi romance series out in the world, she continues to encourage all to believe in magic.

tessamcfionn.com

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Added to this turbulent mix is a true Rogues gallery of new allies and old enemies, and only the Goddess knows if love can survive the oncoming storm.

Excerpt Kahlym turned to face his crew. The lot looked like they’d been through one hell of a meat grinder— healing cuts, black eyes, and bruised cheeks dotted every expression as they awaited his orders.

“Go on,” he said. “Get out of here. You all deserve a rest. We can regroup in a couple of days.”

Yhan’tu cleared his throat, concern reflecting back through his four pale eyes. “Do you think it wise to separate?” he inquired.

Kahlym shook his head as he processed all the possible “what if” scenarios. “I don’t really know,” he replied, “but I do believe our chances are better if we

don’t remain together.”

“He’s right,” Brel chimed in, adding his support. “We all have people we can trust and places we call safe. I say we let the dust settle for a couple of days and see what happens.”

Falka and Yhan’tu shifted their gazes between him and their precious cargo and, after an uncomfortable silence, Falka stepped away from the group. With reverent care, she placed a hand on Kahlym’s shoulder.

“We will take word to Lozzan’s family. He will be remembered with his due respect.”

Kahlym nodded, gripping her own slender shoulder in response. “Thank you,” he said, then slid his eyes toward his quiet angel. She’d remained silent during their short trek, eyes never still as she surveyed the sheltered dock. If she was amazed by the station and the small bit of Septicon she’d seen during their landing, she was about to experience the surprise of her life. His gaze rested on her as she swiveled her head, jaw slightly agape in wonder.

“Dhaer. You, Yhan’tu, and Falka, take the second transport. After your stop on Outer T’chan, you can head to wherever you desire. R’uan, Brel, and I will take Evainne to Khundyl’s place. After two days, unless you hear something new, meet us back at the ship.

Sound good?”

Evainne spun on her heels and shifted her wide, brown eyes to him. “I’m sorry,” she said. “What?”

Brel chuckled. “Damn, kherdes. If it makes you feel any better, I was paying attention.”

“Me, too.” Dhaerin raised his hand, feigning a serious scowl. “I never know if there’s going to be a test on things around here.”

Kahlym arched an eyebrow, shaking his head. “Why me?”

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jewelz ba x t e r Uncaged welcomes Jewelz Baxter Uncaged Can you tell us more about your series, Voodoo Troops MC? What inspired this series for you?

The Voodoo Troops MC is an outlaw motorcycle club who, from their origin, have been well known for their female entertainment for hire. One by one the club members meet strong women who change their view on life and club business. When the entire series is finished you will see the transformation from outlaws to familyoriented men.

J

ewelz Baxter lives with her husband in Louisiana near their children and grandchildren. She values her family and loves supporting their grandchildren’s sports and hobbies.

Over the years Jewelz filled notebook after notebook with stories in her spare time. With her husband’s encouragement, she shared those stories and received positive responses from others; prompting her to follow her dream and take the plunge of publishing.

When not writing or spending time with family she can be found on a Harley exploring the backroads with her husband.

Jewelz has her own bike but confirms there is nothing like being on the back seat wrapped around her man.

Stay Connected

The storyline and character descriptions for Brick Solid came from a single picture I came across of a couple next to a Harley on the cover of a motorcycle magazine. It caught my interest and immediately questions came to mind. This model is more polished than most biker models. How did she end up with such a rough 1%er? What made this tough guy step into the picture? After the photo, did they still look at each other like that? I took that one scene and ran with it.

It began as a single book, but by the end of the original manuscript two distinctive stories were being told.

I decided to split it into Brick Solid and King Loyal.

Characters continued to talk to me. I continued to write.

The series was born.

Uncaged: How many books are you planning on for this series, or is it open-ended?

Brick Solid has nine club members. I plan on each of them getting their own happy ever after. But at the moment, I only have seven of the stories outlined or written.

Uncaged: What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

I am editing book four of the series. The club’s vice president discovers love has been right in front of him.

She’s part of the club family, therefore off limits. Neither of them can deny their feelings which brings chaos to the club.

I’m also working on my first stand-alone contemporary.

It’s been in the back of my mind for a while. Recently it has become so often in my thoughts that I have chosen a cover and written the blurb. Hopefully you will see it early 2020.

Uncaged:What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

There is nothing I find more relaxing than being on a motorcycle. The wind in your face. The sound of the pipes. The smell of fresh cut grass or food grilling somewhere nearby. Being a part of nature. It clears your mind.

It is also where most of my stories develop.

Uncaged: Past or present, which authors would you love to sit and have lunch with and why?

Two immediately come to mind. Past would be William Johnstone. I am such a fan of his books.

The history and the wildness of the old west is so thorough in his books you feel like you’re part of it. I would love to know what his experiences were to be so descriptive and entertaining.

Next would be Jennifer Blake. I fell in love with her books soon after discovering the world of romance novels. She also writes of historical events weaved into her stories of old Louisiana.

Knowing we live within less than an hour of each other, I often hope to run into her when I’m in that area of the state. It would be interesting to hear the changes she has experienced over the years in the writing community.

Uncaged: Have any of your characters ever done something that you didn’t intend when you began?

Absolutely. I didn’t intend for Rash to be so softhearted in book three. But he wouldn’t have it any other way. LOL. In a future story, I was surprised by who a certain biker claimed as his. I didn’t see that one coming.

I had to take a break and let that bit of information sink in.

Sometimes the stories just flow out and you have to follow.

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Uncaged: What does success as an author look like to you?

| JEWELZ BAXTER | haunts his dreams is brought to the clubhouse to be auctioned.

Success can be so many different ideals. To me it’s seeing readers enjoying a story I penned. Knowing I put a smile on someone’s face or helped them escape to another world. Seeing readers pick up the next book because they took something good from the one before shows me that I’m making someone happy. I like that.

Nealy Ann Kinman left the city to flee a demanding and unfulfilling life. Strong willed and confident, she likes being in charge of her own life.

Only now she has lost control and finds herself in a dangerous situation.

Uncaged: Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books?

Will Brick break the rules to save her?

If he saves her will he be able to let her go?

I prefer to hold a book in my hands and flip the pages. I wouldn’t give up my Kindle though. Without it I would run out of shelf space so much sooner. I donate and trade many of my paperbacks, but I have a large collection of books I keep to reread.

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

To say I have fans still seems strange to me. I love hearing from my readers and could not do this without them. I am so thankful for everyone who has followed and encouraged me on this journey.

I appreciate each and every one of you!

Enjoy an excerpt from Brick Solid Brick Solid Jewelz Baxter Contempoary MC Romance Jethro “Brick” Jackson has made a name for himself as the Voodoo Troops Sergeant at Arms. He is solid and unforgiving. A force. He learned at a young age to trust no one.

Especially women. He has no use for them and has no problem using them for a profit. That is until the face that

Excerpt Chapter Four Nealy emerged from the building. She paused and took a deep breath. Closing her eyes, she lifted her face toward the warmth of the sun and allowed the breeze to blow her insecurities away. Her hair and makeup reflected her personality now. She felt more like herself and at ease. The dress she wore was short and clung to her like a second skin emphasizing her larger than average curved hips, tiny waist, and ample top. A beautiful emerald green.

Her shapely legs looked longer with the length.

And four-inch heels didn’t hurt. Black pumps and bracelets topped off the look.

Brick stood just outside the door scanning the grounds. He turned at the sound of the door. He stared. For the first time he could ever remember, he was stunned: at her beauty, at his reaction, at his thoughts, at his feelings.

She went to him, held her arms out and spun. “Well?”

He nodded only once. His hand found her back and gently guided her around the building to a Harley parked near the building where few gathered.

A Fat Boy sat between a tree and the building. Metal motorcycle and oil advertisement signs covered the wall.

Nealy looked it over and around the space where they stood. To her, this looked very photogenic.

She liked his choice.

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | “Anything I should know? Like what I can or cannot touch or do on the motorcycle?” “All yours.

Can’t hurt it.” She nodded.

He stood arms folded. His eyes focused on her.

“Are you okay now? Last I saw you...” Her words trailed off as she looked to his side.

“All good.”

She smiled and opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted.

“There you are.” Sly and his associate skirted the corner of the building.

Brick backed away.

“What do you want?” asked Nealy.

“Just work your magic baby. Love the backdrop.

And private,” he winked.

She shuddered. Inhaling deeply, she turned to Brick and relaxed blowing out that breath.

“Let’s do this.”

Her photo shoot began well. Nealy was comfortable and quickly fell into her groove. Brick stood back and watched. Soon a small crowd gathered.

Cat calls could be heard occasionally from the spectators but she seemed to ignore them.

So did Brick. As long as nothing insulted Nealy he was good. He was so focused on her he had not noticed his brothers next to him.

“Beautiful. What have you got for me next, baby?” The photographer prompted as he lowered his camera.

She moved to the tree, picked up denim shorts she had placed behind it, and pulled them on under her dress keeping modest.

“Booooo!”

“Show us what ya got!”

“Take it all off.”

Whistles and more calls sounded from around her.

Removing the dress, then her shoes, she dropped them by the tree and stepped back to the bike. She glanced toward Brick when she heard whistles and approval from the crowd.

He nodded.

Nealy didn’t understand the need for his approval. She only knew it calmed her the same time it excited her with a warmth that was unfamiliar. It also encouraged her to continue. With a 78 | UncagedBooks.com

snug fitting top that was hidden under her dress, short denim cut-offs, and bare feet, she impressed the camera again.

“Know you’re cursed now. There’s a babe on your bike,” King slapped Brick’s shoulder.

“He may never ride it again.”

“She’s already got you whipped.” Chuckles and nudges accompanied the ribbing. Brick shook it off thinking she would be worth it but he was only doing his job: protecting the merchandise. Even though she was not merchandise. No, she didn’t belong in this world. When she learned the truth, she would run just as she had done that first night he saw her. He focused on Nealy. He would always have this memory. This beautiful woman made him feel trusted. Something he had never experienced from any woman. “That’s all good baby but I need more.” “Like what?” she asked.

He approached her and the assistant disappeared behind her. All in one swift move she felt her top being cut down the back as the photographer ripped it from her.

Whistles and cheers erupted.

Nealy squealed and quickly raised her arms crossing them over her bare breasts. She tried to get off the bike without her hands. This was difficult since she couldn’t touch the ground; being only five foot one she knew she was at a disadvantage.

In only a few strides Brick had stripped off his vest, reached around her, and put it around her shoulders.

“She said no nudity,” he barked.

“Boooooo!”

“Let’s see it!”

“Keep it off!”

His brothers looked on in stunned silence. What was he doing?

She pushed her arms through as he pulled the vest close in the front. They stood staring at each other.

Nealy mouthed a thank you to Brick but couldn’t force out a sound. She was shaking.

“Focus on me,” he told her.

He walked to the photographer twisted his shirt in his fist lifting him to his toes. “You. Don’t. Touch. Her.”

| JEWELZ BAXTER | Sly did not argue. No one argued when Brick spoke.

“I can make this work, man. No problem.”

Brick let go dropping him, then stepped back next to his club brothers.

“What the fuck man, let her work it. She’s good.”

“I’ve seen her somewhere.” Mac thought. “The tire.

She came in the shop a while back.”

He turned to Brick. “You sent her.”

“Something we should know?” King glared at Brick.

“No.” The shoot continued and was impressive even without defying her comfort zone.

When they finished, Brick gathered her dress and shoes and handed to her. He nodded toward the building, “Get dressed.”

Nealy took them and ran into the building.

“That’s a wrap. We’ll load up and talk before I leave.” The photographer yelled as he and his assistant turned toward their van.

King nodded his agreement to the photographer.

The small audience migrated around the building leaving the club brothers standing alone.

“What gives?” demanded Ghost.

“Let it go,” King said. “Get the stage ready for the girls. ALL the girls.” King, Ghost, and Rash turned to Brick.

His eyes narrowed at King. Jaw clenched. He turned and stormed toward the clubhouse door.

Minutes later Nealy exited the building dressed in her jeans and t-shirt; she had everything returned to her bag and slung over her shoulder. His cut hung over her arm.

Brick stood outside the door again, feet apart, arms crossed over his chest. His face was hard. Eyes cold.

His eyes softened when they met hers. He slipped the bag from her shoulder and dropped it by the door. Took his cut and put it back on.

Brick’s hand went to her back and guided her to the corner of the building and stopped. The same corner she first saw him. He had helped her that night and again today.

Looking across the club grounds there were even more people scattered. Ice chests filled with beer littered the area. The band was clearing the stage and

the girls she came here with were lining up across the front of the stage. The yard of men moved toward the stage without crowding it. Just close enough to see the girls lined up with very little on.

They were smiling and blowing kisses and bouncing around the stage.

Nealy looked down at herself. Why had they not dressed? With a deep sigh she dropped her shoulders, picked her head up, and stepped in their direction when a strong arm came around her.

She turned and looked up to Brick.

He shook his head.

She relaxed against his hold.

He let go and stood beside her.

A man she has not seen until now jumped onto the platform took a microphone from the stand and faced the crowd. “Has everyone had a good time today?” He began, “Are you ready to get down to business? This is what we’re all here for isn’t it?”

The crowd cheered and whistled. “Where’s the short girl?” A voice sounded above the noise.

“Yeah, where is she? That’s a sweet one.”

“Well, fellas as you know the sponsor gets choice.

And seeing as where we are, they have chosen.

But anyone wanting to butt their head against that wall feel free to take it up with the Troops.”

The announcer gestured to Brick and everyone turned to him. He stepped in front of Nealy and crossed his arms.

“Well, hell!” King closed his eyes shaking his head. He stepped next to Brick and mimicked his stance.

Another matching vest stepped to his other side.

The crowd became silent. Only “Nope” or “Not me” was heard.

She couldn’t move. Staring at the back of three large bikers, listening to the crowd, she felt numb.

“Let’s get started then. The highest bidder…,” he held up a bucket. Metal rattled and clinked as it shook. “Gets to reach in and choose a set of keys.

The owner of those car keys is yours for twentyfour hours. Let’s start the bidding.”

Nealy heard him but could not believe it. They Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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| FEATURE AUTHOR | were bidding on women. The auction was the models. She was supposed to be up there to be bought. Color drained from her face. She was not only dressed to look like a prostitute; they thought she was one. She lifted her head to see Brick step back to her side.

He was studying her.

Did he think she was? Surely not, but his expression revealed nothing.

He reached into his pocket and pulled his hand out tilting it back far enough to for her to see what he held. Her car keys. He slid them back into his pocket. “You’re safe.”

He had saved her again. She didn’t want to think what would have happened if he had not been there. What if he had not stepped up for her?

What if he just bought her for himself? A thrill ran through her. He was the most intriguing man she had ever encountered. Dangerous and exciting.

He had told her not to be so trusting and he was right. Look what she had gotten herself into. Her mother had seen the invitation the day they went shopping. Her bag had fell and it slid out. Her mother read it and was elated at the thought of her daughter taking part in a talent search for modeling. She had also let her talk her into this, thinking it would please her. She was twentyeight years old. It was time to stop trying to be what her mother wanted her to be. It was time to live her life for herself.

Most of all, Brick was right; don’t trust everyone you meet.

They stood side by side watching the auction.

Men bid large amounts of money. Some individuals. Some as groups. Each girl stepped up when her keys were drawn and made a show of herself happily going with the winner.

Thousands of dollars had been spent in a matter of minutes. Auction winners left with their prizes.

Vehicles to sit until the next day.

The photographer and his assistant stood at the back of his van. All the equipment packed and ready to travel.

King approached Brick, “I set the conditions.”

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He nodded to the van as the photographers shut the back doors heading to the front. “Reinforce it.”

Brick gave a nod. Walked to the driver’s side of the van. He spoke. Sly nodded. Brick spoke again. Sly paled, nodded and climbed in the driver’s seat.

Brick stormed straight back to Nealy after his intense chat at the van. He guided her to the door where he grabbed her bag and escorted her to her car. He dropped the keys in her hand.

“Let’s go.”

She opened her mouth to speak only to sigh and nod.

Eyes dim and shoulders slumped, she got in and buckled. When she was ready to back out, she noticed Brick beside her on his bike.

A million thoughts and scenarios played through her head as she drove home. Not knowing what would happen next, she parked next to her little trailer and slowly stepped out of her car.

Brick parked next to her. He cut the engine but did not dismount. He read the uncertainty in her.

“Get in. Lock up.”

She bobbed her head and went inside where she swiftly locked the door, leaned against it and slid to the floor. Seconds later the roar of his motorcycle faded in the distance. She couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down her face then.

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2020

fang-FREAKIN-tastic reviews

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Scott M. Baker

Berlin in May 1945), and This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things During the Zombie Apocalypse (the zombie apocalypse as recorded by a thirteenyear-old in her diary); and his zombie-themed anthology Cruise of the Living Dead and his anthology of generic horror stories Incident on Ironstone Lane.

2020 promises to be an exciting year for Scott and his fans. Starting in February, Scott will begin releasing a five-volume young adult post-apocalypse series Shattered Worlds, about a group of adventurers traveling the globe to close five portals that opened between Earth and a monster-filled dimension. He is also working on a new zombie series that will begin publication mid- to late 2020.

S

cott M. Baker was born and raised in Everett, Massachusetts. He spent twentythree years living in northern Virginia working for the Central Intelligence Agency and had the rare opportunity to travel the world and see unusual sites and locations, many of which have made their way into his novels. Scott is now retired and lives just outside of Concord, New Hampshire along with his wife and fellow author Alison Beightol and his stepdaughter.

He has written The Vampire Hunters trilogy, about humans fighting the undead in Washington D.C.; Rotter World, Rotter Nation, and Rotter Apocalypse, his post-apocalyptic zombie saga; Yeitso, his homage to the giant monster movies of the 1950s that he loved watching as a kid; the novellas Dead Water (zombies aboard an oil rig), Nazi Ghouls from Space (the title says it all), Twilight of the Living Dead (zombies invade

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Enjoy an excerpt from: The Vampire Hunters The Vampire Hunters Scott M. Baker Vampire Horror As former Boston cops, Drake Matthews and Alison Monroe thought they had experienced it all... until they found themselves tracking down a serial killer who turned out to be one of the undead. Stopping him cost them their careers and almost their lives. Thanks to an influential and anonymous benefactor, Drake and Alison find a new job ridding the streets of

| SCOTT M. BAKER | Washington D.C. of the vampiric threat terrorizing the nation’s capital.

Only this time, Drake and Alison are not facing a single vampire but an entire nest led by Ion Zielenska, one of history’s most evil and twisted masters.

As the vampires indiscriminately prey on humans, seeing them as nothing more than food to satiate their hunger, they create a wave of violence that threatens to engulf the city. Orchestrating the carnage is Antoinette Varela, the mistress of the nest, who realizes that for the nest to survive the hunters must be eliminated. However, when her vendetta turns personal, the hunters find themselves in struggle they are not prepared for.

Excerpt Even at 10:00 in the evening, Union Station thrived with activity. Despite the hour, scores of people bustled around the main concourse. Passengers disembarking from, or waiting to board, their late-night train. Family and friends gathering to greet them or see them off. Porters hauling luggage to the appropriate platform. Cleaning crews sweeping the concourse and emptying trash cans. Shop owners peddling books, magazines, and last-minute souvenirs to weary travelers. And a vampire on the prowl for food.

Drake originally picked up its trail on the Mall, a prime hunting ground for vampires. Spotting the thing had been easy enough. On a balmy spring night it was the only figure walking along the Mall wearing a soiled red windbreaker with the hood pulled tightly over its head. Before Drake could close in to verify and make the kill, however, the vampire strayed from its usual pattern. Leaving the Mall, the vampire set off into downtown Washington, following Constitution Avenue, a route that provided it with more opportunities to feed. Drake had followed at a discrete distance, waiting for a chance to corner the evil and eliminate it. With so many people around, though, that chance had not materialized. When the vampire turned onto Louisiana Avenue and headed for Union Station, Drake hurried to catch up. He was still far enough behind that when he entered the train station fifteen seconds after the vampire, the thing already had melded into the crowd.

Drake now wandered the concourse, hunting his undead prey. That turned out to be far from easy. Union

Station had two levels, each with a labyrinthine maze of corridors housing gift shops and food stalls. Beyond the station lay a multi-level parking garage, loading platforms, and maintenance yard. Drake scanned the area, vainly looking for a figure in a red windbreaker. So as not to look suspicious, he stopped occasionally at a bank of computer monitors listing the arrival/departure notifications, using the chance to scan waiting passengers.

He had just stepped away from a bank of monitors at the west end of the concourse when the cellular phone in the carry case on his belt began to ring.

Only one person had the number—Alison Monroe. She had followed him from the Mall in their midnight-black Dodge Ram and now sat parked in front of Union Station, ready to move at a moment’s notice. Drake reached down and pressed the CALL button, then spoke into the microphone of his headset.

“What’s up?”

“Any luck?”

“Nothing,” Drake sighed.

“Sounds like par for the course for you,” she teased.

Drake smiled. “If you think you can do better, you’re welcome to try. I’d love to sit in the truck and let you do the boots on the ground.”

A chuckle came through the headset. “Sorry, boss.

You don’t pay me enough for that shit. So, what do we do now?”

“I’m beginning to think our friend was on to being tailed and led us here so he could lose us.”

“You want me to circle the station and see if I can spot him?”

“No, sit tight for now. I want to give the station one more sweep, then…”

Drake sniffed. Almonds. No, more like ammonia—the smell of the putrefying flesh of a vampire.

“Boss, are you okay?”

“Hang on. I may be on to something.” Drake searched the concourse and spotted a figure in a red windbreaker as it disappeared into the men’s bathroom. Breaking into a jog, Drake headed after it. “I think I’ve found our friend.”

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“Be careful.”

As Drake approached the men’s bathroom, he slowed his pace and looked around. No one was paying any attention to him. Reaching under his leather jacket, he pulled out one of the three wooden stakes he kept secure in a special pouch stitched into the jacket lining. Holding the base so the shaft rested against his right wrist and inner arm, he stepped into the bathroom.

The place reeked of decomposed flesh and the acrid smell of urine. Drake swallowed hard to force down the nausea that welled up in his throat. No one stood at the urinals. Keeping his back to the wall, Drake quietly moved across the bathroom to the section containing the stalls. Still no one. He stopped to listen, but only heard the whirring of an exhaust fan and the flow of running water from a broken toilet.

And a whimper.

Dropping to one knee and kneeling over, Drake examined the stalls. The last one on the right contained two sets of legs. He stood and raced to the stall, kicking open the door. A young boy, no more than ten, was sprawled backwards on the toilet, paralyzed with fear. The thing in the red windbreaker towered over the child, its head inches from the boy’s neck. One hand with talon-like fingernails pushed down on the boy’s shoulder while the other pushed his head in the opposite direction, exposing the youngster’s throat.

At the intrusion, the thing turned to glare at Drake.

It had a pallid face straight from the depths of hell.

Black matted hair hung over a slightly-protruding and deeply-furrowed forehead. A pair of bloodred eyes, the yellow pupils of which seemed to glow, leered from sunken sockets. A set of upper and lower fangs had replaced the cuspids, each fang two inches long and razor sharp. The sunken cheeks and gray pallor indicated that the thing had not eaten in a while. And it was not happy about being disturbed in the middle of a meal. Its cracked lips drew back in a snarl as an animalistic hiss filled the stall.

Drake raised his arm to plunge the stake into the vampire. The thing lunged at him unexpectedly, its hands connecting with Drake’s chest and 86 | UncagedBooks.com

throwing him backwards with the force of three men.

Drake sailed across the bathroom, crashing through the door of the opposite stall and slamming into the toilet tank. Luckily, he kept his grip on the stake. Despite the pain and disorientation, he raised the stake to defend himself. Instead of pursuing its attack, the vampire hissed at Drake and bolted for the exit.

Drake scrambled to his feet and raced into the concourse in time to see the vampire duck into a walkway between a pair of stores, heading for the main entrance. Drake took off after it.

“Alison!” Drake practically yelled into the headset.

“I have a snuffy heading for the main entrance. Cut him off.”

No response.

“Alison!”

Still nothing. Reaching for the cellular phone, his hand touched the empty carrying case and the dangling cord of the headset. Great. Things were going from bad to worse.

Out in the Ram, Alison listened to the battle unfold.

She heard the metallic clang of the stall door being kicked open, followed by a hiss and body contact.

Then the connection went dead.

“Boss, are you there? Boss?”

Reaching into the gym bag on the passenger seat, Alison pulled out a sawed-off shotgun and opened the breech to make sure it was loaded with the special ammo—two shells, the pellets of which had been soaked in holy water. She snapped the barrel closed and reached for the door handle.

Alison saw the vampire race out of Union Station onto the sidewalk. It frantically looked around for a means of escape and found it. A tanker truck sat idle farther down Massachusetts Avenue, its flashers blinking. The driver stood near the cab asking directions from a young man in a business suit. Running over to the truck, the vampire began to crawl up into the cab. The driver, a burly man weighing at least two hundred and fifty pounds, grabbed the vampire by the shoulders and pulled it back onto the street.

Spinning around, the vampire clutched the driver by his neck and hurled him across the street into the side of a parked SUV. Even from this distance, Alison heard the metallic thud and the shattering of glass.

The vampire turned to confront the young man in

| SCOTT M. BAKER | the business suit, but he and several other bystanders already had started running. In what seemed like a single flowing motion, the vampire climbed up into the cab and slid in behind the steering wheel. With a hiss of airbrakes, the truck pulled out onto Massachusetts Avenue.

Drake emerged from Union Station, his attention immediately drawn to the commotion to his right.

Seeing the assaulted driver and the truck as it pulled away, Drake quickly assessed what had happened.

Without hesitating, he raced off after the truck, trying to reach the cab. He made it as far as the rear wheels of the tanker when the truck shifted gears and accelerated. Cutting in behind the trailer as it passed by, Drake grabbed the rear access ladder and jumped on. He paused just long enough to make sure of his footing, and then started to climb.

Shifting into drive, Alison pushed her foot down on the accelerator. The Ram’s engine thundered to life.

She set off after the truck.

“He definitely doesn’t pay me enough for this shit.”

Drake pulled his way to the top of the ladder just as they rolled past Georgetown Law School. From this vantage point, he spotted a slow-moving Cadillac in the left lane blocking their path. Drake felt the truck shift gears and increase speed. Moments later, a jolt rocked the entire trailer as the cab slammed into the car, propelling it forward. Rather than attempt to get out of the way, however, the Cadillac’s driver panicked and applied his brakes. This time the truck crashed into the Cadillac. The second, heavier jolt caused Drake to lose his footing and nearly fall off of the ladder.

A sickening screech of metal scraping against metal made Drake look up. Being pushed along by the truck, the Cadillac lost control. Its front end swayed back and forth, and then finally veered sharply to the right. The car almost made it out of the way when the truck rammed into its rear wheel well. The Cadillac spun around in a near one hundred and eighty degree turn until its front end slid underneath the truck’s tandem wheels. Drake held on tight. The trailer hooked the Cadillac’s front end and dragged it sideways down Massachusetts Avenue, the grinding and crunching of metal providing the perfect accompaniment to the firework of sparks. Suddenly, the tandem

wheels obtained a grip on the Cadillac’s mangled hood, rode over its front end, and came down on the other side with a loud crash. Still hanging onto the ladder, Drake was thrown around like a piñata, his knees and ankles banging against the metal ladder. Bolts of pain shot through his legs.

The truck made a sharp turn to the left. For a moment, Drake thought the vampire had lost control and that they were about to overturn. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of a red, white, and blue Interstate Highway shield with the number 395 emblazoned across it. They were leaving the city and heading for the open road.

Things had just gone from worse to horrible.

Alison gasped as the truck entered the sharp turn.

Not only because it nearly tipped over, but because the maneuver cut directly across the path of oncoming traffic. Half a dozen cars hit their brakes to avoid an accident, with two of the cars being rear-ended by the vehicles behind them. A Toyota Corolla speeding out of the street on the right entered the intersection just as the truck did and was barely able to stop in time to avoid a collision. Unfortunately, the driver of the Metrobus behind him, his attention momentarily distracted by a rowdy group of teenagers in the rear, did not.

The Metrobus slammed into the Toyota, shoving it directly into the path of the truck. Because of the steep turn, the truck hit the Toyota at an angle, shearing off the front end and spreading pieces of engine and shards of chassis for nearly one hundred feet.

Alison lifted her foot off the accelerator, slowly wound her way through the debris, then again applied gas once into the turn. By the time the two vehicles reached Route 395, she was only one hundred feet behind the truck. She watched as Drake regained his footing and pulled himself on top of the tanker. With his knees bent and leaning forward to maintain balance, he began to inch his way along the thin metal catwalk running the length of the tanker.

Alison’s eyes grew wide. She slammed her hand against the horn.

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with a wave. From inside the Ram, Alison frantically pointed in front of him.

Drake turned to see the cement beam of the E Street overpass hurtling toward him. He fell forward onto the catwalk a split second before the revetment whizzed by overhead, missing him by inches. He paused for a few seconds, taking several deep breaths to regain his composure. Then, lifting himself onto his hands and knees, he resumed crawling along the catwalk.

Drake didn’t see the approaching merge with the Southeast Freeway and wasn’t prepared when the truck swerved left onto the entry ramp. The force of the turn knocked Drake off balance and he tumbled off the catwalk. Instinctively, he reached out to grab something, and with his right hand clutched the small safety rail that ran parallel to the catwalk. Dangling off the side of the truck, he could see the cement jersey barriers racing by a few feet beneath him. Drake lunged his left hand upward, trying to grab the safety rail, but missed.

He tried again without success. He could feel his fingers going numb. Mustering all his strength, he made one final lunge for the safety rail and grasped it.

That was as far as Drake got. The curved metal surface of the tanker provided no traction for him to crawl back up.

Alison quickly tried to calculate what the next move should be but drew a blank. The Southeast Freeway had only two lanes, which were even further restricted by a wall of jersey barriers lining the shoulder of each lane. To move alongside the truck now would put her in too great a danger of being sideswiped, knocking her out of the game just when the boss needed her most. No. She would have to wait and make her move after they reached a more open road.

The truck suddenly veered right, entering the off ramp for the Kevin J. Welsh Memorial Bridge.

Once across the bridge and outside of the city, the truck increased speed to seventy miles per hour.

Alison noticed the flashing blue lights reflecting off the interior of the Ram’s cab before she heard the sirens. Glancing into the rearview mirror, she saw two D.C. police cars in pursuit and rapidly 88 | UncagedBooks.com

closing the distance. As if she already did not have enough to worry about.

Pushing her foot all the way down on the accelerator, she moved into position to help Drake.

The vampire noticed the flashing blues at the same time Alison did, and looked into the side mirror. Then he noticed Drake hanging off the tanker. Their gazes met in the mirror’s reflection. For a second, each opponent glared at one another. Then the vampire’s eyes narrowed into blood red slits, and his lifeless lips sneered.

For Drake, things went from horrible to FUBAR. The truck suddenly swung left and back again.

Drake’s body slammed against the tanker, the pain so intense he thought his abdomen might explode.

He tried lifting his right leg to the upper curve of the tanker, desperately hoping to gain a foothold, but the truck again lurched to the left. Drake slammed off the side of the tanker. He felt his grip weakening.

Both Drake and the vampire saw what was ahead of them at the same time. Approximately five hundred feet ahead of them, a red Nissan pick-up cruised along at fifty miles per hour, its flashers blinking. Two large red flags had been placed on either side of the bed. A yellow banner draped over the tailgate bore the words WIDE LOAD. Ahead of the Nissan, a tractor trailer plodded down the center of the highway, a cutaway section of a single-story house extending three feet over either side of the flatbed.

A single thought went through Drake’s mind. Shit!

The vampire steered to the right. The tanker converged on the Nissan like a wolf on its prey. Fortunately, the Nissan’s driver saw the approaching danger and moved into the breakdown lane where he came to a stop. The tanker roared past the Nissan and began to overtake the flatbed on its right side. When the two trucks were side by side, the vampire steered back to the left. The driver of the flatbed attempted to move out of the way, but the vampire continued to follow.

Drake anticipated the move. When the gap between the two trucks closed, he turned to one side and pulled his legs up against his chest, straining every muscle to sustain this semi-fetal position. The trucks collided where Drake’s legs had been a moment earlier. The house section snapped and splintered as the tanker

| SCOTT M. BAKER | tore along its length, showering Drake in shards and chunks of broken wood. After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, the tanker passed by the flatbed and continued down the freeway.

But the damage had been done. The collision had shifted the house section so that more than six feet extended over the flatbed’s left rim. When the driver tried to pull into the left breakdown lane, the rear quarter of the house section slid onto the road and dragged along the pavement, pulling it almost completely off the flatbed. The driver stopped with a deafening huff from the airbrakes, the truck blocking the right lanes and the house section blocking the left.

Alison had a split second to make her decision. Shifting into low gear, she aimed for the spot just behind the flatbed where the damaged house section still clung to it. Closing her eyes and lowering her head behind the steering wheel, she braced for the collision. A heavy jolt rocked the Ram, accompanied by the sounds of splintering wood, scraping metal, and fracturing glass. When she looked up, a huge spider web-like crack covered the left portion of the windshield. But she had made it through. Even better, a large debris field covered most of the left two lanes of the highway. While one police car stopped to attend to the accident site, the other slowed to a near crawl as it negotiated the scene.

If she wanted to save the boss, it was now or never while she still had an open road and no police interference.

She saw the tanker a good half mile in the lead and pulling away rapidly. Alison accelerated again, trying to ignore the whistling wind and shards of loose glass coming from the damaged windshield. She reached over and grabbed the shotgun.

No one was more surprised than Drake that he still clung to the side of the tanker. The vampire had stopped trying to knock him off. Not that it mattered.

He could feel his arms and hands going numb and knew he would not be able to hold on much longer.

Out of the corner of his eye, Drake saw Alison begin to pass the tanker on the left as they entered the off ramp for the Inner Loop of the Beltway. She raced along the offramp’s shoulder, staying just far enough to the rear so that she would not be spot-

ted by the vampire while they made the turn. At the last second, she gunned it so that the Ram pulled even with the cab as they merged onto the Beltway. Racing from the off ramp at over sixty miles per hour, both vehicles cut off several cars and trucks. Tires screeched and horns blared as traffic swerved to avoid an accident, forcing all four lanes of the Beltway to a stop. Good, thought Drake, now we don’t have to worry about innocent bystanders.

They were only half a mile from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

Alison let go of the steering wheel just long enough to blare the horn. The vampire turned to look and stared into the twin barrels of the shotgun.

Alison pulled the trigger.

The thunderous roar and flash from the gunpowder momentarily blinded her. When the smoke cleared, she saw the remains of the vampire’s head staring back at her. The face and top of its skull had been blown away, leaving large flaps of dead flesh that folded backwards like the petals of a gory flower. Its lower jaw remained intact as well as a fragment of the upper left jaw that hung loosely, still attached to a strand of flesh. Whiffs of white smoke drifted upwards from the mass of gore as the holy water reacted with pure evil. The vampire tried to hiss, both out of pain and hatred, but could only manage a bloody gurgle. Instead, it turned back to the road and futilely tried to steer.

Alison dropped her speed just enough to fall back parallel with the tanker, then slid as close as possible to the vehicle, placing the bed directly under the dangling Drake. The truck started swaying, grinding the tanker against the Ram and threatening to push it away. Alison steered into the tanker and blared the horn.

Drake let go. He dropped into the Ram’s bed with a heavy thud that knocked the wind out of him.

Looking up, he saw the tandem wheels of the tanker only a few feet away, threatening to crush the Ram’s bed and him with it. Alison pulled into the center of the Beltway and slowed. When the Ram came to a stop, Drake stood up, ignoring the throbbing in his legs and knees and back, anxious Issue 42 | January 2020 |

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to see what happened next. Alison stepped out of the cab and stood by the open door.

Entering the approaches to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, the vampire attempted to keep the tanker straight, but had no way of knowing that the far-right lane was closed for construction. The truck hit the jersey barriers blocking the lane and careened to the left at a forty-five-degree angle. Not knowing what it had hit, the creature instinctively turned the steering wheel back to the right, sideswiping the barrier a second time. The cab spun one hundred and eighty degrees. The tanker, however, continued traveling straight.

Ripping itself free from the trailer connection, the tanker bounced over the cab’s rear chassis and up onto the Jersey barrier. The grinding of metal against cement accompanied a panorama of sparks, but only for a few seconds. The hull of the tanker ruptured under the pressure, spewing forth a stream of gasoline that was immediately ignited by the sparks. Drake watched the tanker erupt into a mushroom cloud of orange-red flames and oily smoke.

A few seconds later, a headless figure staggered through the inferno rapidly spreading across the bridge. Engulfed by flames so intense that even cement decomposed and metal melted, the thing should already be destroyed. Yet it fought to survive. With each step, strips of dead flesh seared off and blew away, revealing muscles and organs that shriveled in the heat. Finally yielding to the inevitable, the vampire stopped. It let out a guttural howl from its shattered, burnt throat that sounded as if it had come straight from the depths of hell. The howling stopped only when the body crumbled into dust, which was instantly blown apart by the intense winds caused by the conflagration.

Only then did Drake become aware of the flashing red and blue lights reflecting off the metallic surface of the Ram. Alison stood facing to the rear, her hands clasped behind her head. A sharp, angry voice focused Drake’s concentration.

“You on the pick-up. I said place your hands behind your head and turn around. Now!” In one slow motion, Drake turned around and 90 | UncagedBooks.com

raised his hands behind his head until his fingers interlocked. One of the police cars that had been chasing them sat twenty feet away. Two police officers stood by the front of the car, their pistols trained on Drake and Alison.

The older of the two cops, a muscular Hispanic with Rodriguez displayed on his nameplate, used the same angry voice on Drake again. “Get off the pickup, slowly, and move beside your girlfriend.”

Drake complied. The two cops cautiously moved closer. Then the Hispanic sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Oh, Christ. I should have known.”

“What do you mean?” asked his partner.

“You’re in the presence of a celebrity,” Rodriguez said sarcastically. “You’re about to arrest Drake Matthews.”

“Who?” “Never mind. You’ll get sick of him soon enough.”

Holstering his pistol, Rodriguez removed a pair of handcuffs from his belt and motioned for Drake to turn around. “I assume you won’t give me any trouble?”

Drake turned lowered his hands behind his back.

“Do I ever?”

| SCOTT M. BAKER |

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Uncaged Reviews Drawing Bloodlines

Deborah Garland Paranormal Romance Dr. Alexander Manning’s vampire allegiant demands loyalty and secrecy. Keeping their existence hidden from humans is the Prime Directive. So when he accidentally reveals himself to a woman, a beautiful woman he can’t resist, he’s forced to make a choice: report her to his commander or ‘deal’ with her himself.

Uncaged Review: I haven’t read a good vampire romance in some time, and this is a nice start to a new series. It did start a little slow for me, and that could have been from the switching point of views from chapter to chapter. I think it might have made it easier if it was made clear in the beginning of the chapter whose point of view we were reading from. I like reading from both characters, but it can be confusing when you have to read a couple lines from the first paragraph or two to find out who you are dealing with. I did get used to it quickly enough and the book ramped up quite a bit after about 25% in and then this book turns into that “hard to put down” category.

I liked the chemistry of Alex and Elizabeth and there is enough suspense to keep you flipping the pages. This is a steamy romance with a fresh take on this genre and I even enjoyed some of the secondary characters that I hope will be in the future installments. Reviewed by Cyrene

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Star Crossed Anne & Wayne Fantasy Romance Skye Giovanni was seven years old the first time death came to her.

She has been haunted by visions of death since she was a child. It is her legacy and her curse. What good is power when you have no control over it?

Detective Lucas MacConnell is being hunted.

Uncaged Review: This is a great first book, and very different from most magical fantasies that are on the market today. We are met with Druids and Gypsies, and the Fae in this book. The characters are well flushed out, and likable, and the world building is good without bogging down the book. The chemistry between the characters is spot on, and the author drags this out as a slow burn. Even though the book takes place over only a few days, a lot happens in the amount of time.

My only grump about the whole book, is even though it didn’t leave off on a cliffhanger that has you gritting your teeth, it’s still a cliffhanger and I knew as the book drug on that they weren’t going to solve this arc in the amount of space that was left in the book.

It didn’t even solve any of the small arcs within the main one. But this is a trilogy, and I am all in.

Reviewed by Cyrene

Crown of Frost Isabella August Fantasy Romance

Tough Karma Laura Simmons Time Travel Romance

A wicked faerie warlock haunts Elaine’s dreams.

A chilling tale of loss, tragedy, psychic warfare, and eternal love.

As a Taurus witch, it’s hardly a surprise that she dreams of warlocks. Yet each time, it’s the same mysterious man with long black hair and icy blue eyes. For years, he haunts her dreams... until the day she finally meets him, face to face.

Uncaged Review: This book is a great surprise for me – with some original takes on the faerie worlds.

The characters are likable and memorable. When Elaine escaped the Blackfrost Lord in Arcadia, her memories were ripped to shreds, but a man haunted her dreams – and when she finally comes face to face with him, she begins to remember bits and pieces.

The chemistry that these two have jump off the page, and the world building is terrific. When Elaine needs to return to Arcadia – to help Liam, she begins to learn the truth of everything.

The book keeps a nice pace and author does a nice job with this new world – and I’m definitely onboard for book two, which is Simon’s story – whom we met here in book one. Reviewed by Cyrene

Amber Macklin’s world is cruelly shattered when she loses her baby girl three months after her husband’s sudden death. Her cousin, Bryce, comes to her rescue, moving her into his home for fear she will kill herself from the grief.

Uncaged Review: This book straddles the line between suspense, thriller and paranormal. The paranormal and the time travel is more of an ability to astral travel, which is the ability for the soul to travel outside the body, and Bryce uses his ability to try to save Amber after she’s abducted.

There is a lot going on in this book, and it keeps a great pace. This is the second book in the series, but the authors gives us a great prologue to catch you up in case it’s been awhile since you read the first one, or like in my case, you didn’t read the first.

I definitely enjoyed this story and the originality. This book is well written and well worth your time. Reviewed by Cyrene

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Uncaged Reviews Unkept Promises Jude Knight Historical Regency

A Change in Tide Freya Barker Contemporary Romance

She wants to negotiate a comfortable marriage; he wants her in his bed

What impact would it have when everything suddenly faded to black?

Naval captain Jules Redepenning has spent his adult life away from England, and at war. He rarely thinks of the bride he married for her own protection, and if he does, he remembers the child he left after their wedding seven years ago. He doesn’t expect to find her in his Cape Town home, a woman grown and a lovely one, too.

Uncaged Review: A historical regency that is unlike the regency norms you find today. This is the first book I’ve read by Jude Knight, and I really like her writing style, her attention to the smallest things and her character building. This book held my interest from start to finish, and it had just enough suspense to keep it interesting. I think some of it defies belief of the era, but Mia isn’t concerned about how society sees her and fights for both the children and for her husband.

There are a few things that are a little unbelievable for the time period, but the author weaves in enough suspense and a dash of danger to keep the reader turning the pages.

In the end, it comes together well, but it’s a fight to get there. I do look forward to reading more from this author. Reviewed by Cyrene

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For Mia, a crowded subway ride changes her entire life. Retreating to the wilderness helps her cope with a world that is suddenly too loud, too turbulent.

Her existence safely contained to the small cottage on the lake, she is unprepared for the neighbor that moves across the bay Uncaged Review: Mia is trying to live a quiet life, with obstacles from a form of PTSD that she suffered after the big blackout – that changed her life on a crowded subway. Trying to live quietly in a cottage near a lake, in the rural area, she’s lost everything.

Her career, her husband, her freedom, all from not being able to control the panic attacks when in loud, crowded places.

Jared, a famous ex-hockey player moves in across the lake, disrupting her quiet life. Circumstances push the two of them together, and along with Jared’s little sister, Jordy and her baby Ole, Mia life will never be the same. Whether it’s enough – remains to be seen, and read.

This is a great book and the author does a great job bringing the reader into the story. This is a sexy & fun book and you may need a tissue box for this emotional book, and the characters are perfectly human.

Don’t miss this one. Reviewed by Cyrene

Ward Kyle Waller Dystopian

Up The River? Or Down In The Dirt?

Summary Execution has become the preferred fate in a place where even angels fear to tread. Those unwise who elected for prison or are deemed unworthy of a quick death are condemned to The Ward, the former capital-city-converted-city-prison of Sacramento, California.

Uncaged Review: If you are a dystopian genre fan, you may like this one. What it’s not: a zombie book, or a book like Divergent or Hunger Games. Supernatural monsters like vampires and werewolves aren’t going to rise out of the destruction of the earth and it’s not an “easy” read. This is a hard-hitting, semirealistic book that is more Escape from New York than it is The Walking Dead. San Francisco has been turned into a full city prison, and it’s here were they have to survive. And it’s definitely not a romance in any shape or form.

If you like a book that makes you think, makes you search for clues and watch for the subtlety of mental illness that is woven into the book, this book would be right up your alley. Since it’s a bit of a rougher read, it does seem to slow the book down a bit. I haven’t heard of a sequel happening for the book, but it left off where it could easily go in either direction.

Reviewed by Cyrene

House of Ash & Brimstone Megan Starks Urban Fantasy

Hell has come to collect… …but Gisele Walker has no plans to pay the debt.

As a half-demon paranormal bounty hunter, Gisele is used to flirting with death, but stealing a curio and opening a portal to Hell’s demon court is more than your average day job.

Now, she’s partnered with an infuriatingly handsome demon, Shade, who has more levels of grey than she can count.

Uncaged Review: I read a lot of urban fantasy, so I’m always looking for something new to sink my reading chops into and this one was a good start to a new series. It wasn’t perfect, but after it got past the halfway point, I read straight through to the end.

As for the characters, I really liked Shade and Beast, and GiGi is a bit of a wild card for me. I didn’t hate her, but I didn’t agree with a lot of her decisions and rash actions. I think she’ll grow on me in future installments. The plot was action packed, and even though the world building could be a bit better, it was still a very interesting take on the demon/angel world that I haven’t read before. I am definitely onboard for book two. Reviewed by Cyrene

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Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews Heroes Aren’t Born Cody Voeller Post-Apocalyptic After a house party, James Ryan wakes to a truly different world, one where the dead walks, runs, rips and tears and where he and his friends are forced to become the heroes they’ve always read about.

Within mere hours of fighting off a hangover James Ryan, college student, and hopeful teacher, finds himself rallying his friends, finding supplies and fleeing for safety in a world brought to ruin, but first, he has to convince them to go. Believing that his childhood home would promise safety for him and his friends he leads them to the small town of Astoria, OR, the famous end to the Oregon Trail.

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: Heroes Aren’t Born is a good mix of action and unbelievable luck. I totally enjoyed this book, but there are some things that are preventing me from giving it a full 5, or even 4 stars.

The writing itself, is good – at least in my opinion, for what it’s worth. The story flows nicely and doesn’t make the reader guess at much.

Which I appreciate because sometimes I just don’t feel like having to think too much about what I’m reading. The tone is what you would expect from an early 20’s character in a zombie apocalypse book, not too mature for his age, or immature.

The things that occur over the course of the book are fairly common things when it comes to this kind of story. Sudden outbreak, escape, looking for safety, problems with both zombies and survivors. That’s all normal. What isn’t quite normal is

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how good this guy is at, literally, everything. Or how everything turns out.

Granted, in today’s society, many people would be much more prepared for an event like this. With the increase in popularity of zombie and post -apocalyptic books and movies, there is a whole new generation of people who have learned basic survival skills from those kinds of things. Every book and movie has many of the same tips covered and often cover new ideas as well. So, the idea that someone who is a fan of those kinds of things would know how to do everything they need to in order to survive in a post-apocalyptic world, isn’t that far-fetched. I know that I, myself, have learned a huge number of skills that I think could be useful in that situation just in the last 6 years or so. And due to the variety of stories and situations, most of those potential problems have at least been touched on. So to say the main character could never do all of the things this book says he does is improbable, I don’t think it’s impossible.

That being said, I don’t think I liked that he can do everything himself, because it doesn’t give him much room to grow as a character, or even as a human. It makes him seem like a know it all.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book, even with James having all of the necessary knowledge to do everything on his own without anyone’s help for the most part. It was a little bit annoying seeing someone who has the luck he does though. If you can get past him being a little too good to be true, read this story. If nothing else, you may be able to pick up on some new post-apocalyptic tips.

Monster Shaw & Bray Horror WARNING: THIS IS AN EXTREME HORROR NOVEL. There is gore. There is bad language.

There are scenes of a sexual nature. There are scenes of domestic abuse. But hidden underneath it all is also a chilling story. Please do not purchase this book if you are easily shocked, disgusted or offended. This book is not for you.

Teaming up together for the first time since ‘ART’, Michael Bray (Whisper) and Matt Shaw (Sick B*stards) bring you MONSTER; the haunting tale of a normal woman who wakes up to find herself part of a nightmare.

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: Monster by Matt Shaw and Michael Bray is definitely not for everyone. If violence bothers you, DO NOT read this book. They include the warning for a reason. Don’t get mad at the author if you choose to ignore it.

That’s on you.

There are several times in this book where I felt awful for some of the characters that I wanted to hate. Something I enjoyed about this book was that the authors give a fairly detailed backstory on some of the characters, which gives the reader a better understanding of how they got to where they are during the story itself.

I can honestly say there are times in this book where I was legitimately surprised. The creativity is off the charts and I appreciate the time the authors took to write it. It’s rare for me to be caught off guard anymore, so when it happens, it’s like I’ve been given a gift. This review has been hard to write without giving away anything in the book, so the last thing I’ll say is that it’s definitely worth reading as long as you aren’t sensitive to the things mentioned in the warning. Also read the Forward, just in case. To be honest, it wasn’t as extreme or gory as I expected.

This book is the type of book that once I get started reading, I can’t put it down. I just can’t wait to see what happens next. One of the main characters, Courtney, was really easy for me to relate to. She likes true crime stories and is fascinated by serial killers. Luckily (or unluckily) for her, there is one in her area. She works in a crappy job and has a kid that doesn’t appreciate her. One of the things she does to pass the time at her shitty job is to make up stories about the customers who come into the convenience store she works at. I can’t swear to it, but that sounds like something I have done myself.

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Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews Snow White and the Seven Cannibals Laura Hawks Dark Fairy Tale Short Snow White dreamed of venturing into the land beyond her walled kingdom and time is running short. Knowing her father is seeking a suitor for her marry, she sneaks into the Dark Forest, unaware of the dangers it conceals. Accompanied by her trusty guard, she soon becomes entangled in a savage game of cat and mouse.

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: I went into this hoping for the best. Sadly, I was disappointed.

I’ve been looking for a super twisted take on a story like this for a long time. The idea of cannibal dwarves was right up my alley. As a teen, I remember talking with my cousin about all the different ways some of these fairy tales could go from sweet and innocent classics into becoming more like the dark and sinister things I enjoyed.

This is BEFORE I discovered that many of them had much darker versions in Grimm’s.

I really liked that it was a unique take on an old fairy tale. I know that “twisted” tales are really popular, but most of the ones I read are too much romance for my taste. Being that cannibals tend to be a little less on the romance side and more of the horror side, I was drawn in by the idea of the seven dwarves being cannibals. It was something I’d not seen before and was eager to see how the author went with it. Sadly, it just didn’t work for me. One positive thing for me is that it was really short. If it had been much longer, it would have ended up as a DNF.

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I can’t put my finger on what it was specifically that didn’t work for me, but it didn’t meet my expectations. I won’t even say it was badly written because I don’t think it was. I think it was just the story itself let me down. The romance in the book was on an acceptable level for my own preferences. I didn’t feel like it was too much, and in that way, I thought it was sweet. The knight in shining armor rescuing the damsel in distress. I expected that just based on the blurb. I can appreciate the plight of the prince seeking a woman that will accept him for who he is, so I can’t complain about that either. I know a lot of people like that kind of thing, and that’s ok.

I may still try another book by this author and hopefully, I’ll enjoy it more. As I mentioned before, I don’t think it was badly written, there was just something about the story that didn’t sit right with me.

The Diary Of A Mad Zombie Killer: The Eastwood Interviews JoJo Strange Post-Apocalyptic The third book in the series. Jojo Strange has done the impossible.

United the Post-Apocalypse North American continent, but can he hold on to it? Between recovering from his injuries inflicted on him during the Battle for Wyoming and his leadership responsibilities, he must juggle being a good husband and father. Both of which are new experiences for him. His new problems come from the remnants of the old government and a man who thinks he’s the rightful president. Not to mention, a scientifically enhanced human who is trying to usher in the next step of human evolution.

into the story, it’s over. That’s disappointing.

The way these are written, you’re not left with a feeling of, “what happens next?” I always have a satisfied feeling, even though I still want to know what else happens, but I don’t feel like it ended too abruptly.

This is definitely a series worth reading. While certain aspects of the series are over, I know there is still so much more to come. The society has grown and evolved and I can’t wait to see what else is happening.

Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: The Diary of a Mad Zombie Killer books have become some of my favorite zombie books every. The Eastwood Interviews doesn’t disappoint. It does an amazing job of giving more backstory on established characters as well as better introduce interesting side characters.

Every time I finish one of these books, I feel like I’m saying goodbye to either an old friend or family I actually like. I’ve become irrationally attached to most of them. I love Jojo’s sense of humor. He’s definitely someone I’d like to hang out with and pass the time.

He’s rational and creative. His philosophy of “Think like a hippy, react like a hillbilly” makes perfect sense to me.

The length of these books is perfect for me. I generally read fast, so having longer books to read is ideal for me. Many times, by the time I’m really getting

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Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews Threshold T.K. Ware Christian Futuristic One robbery … One decision … One suspicion … changed everything...

Maran never listened to her mother, and now she wish she had. Netrick Nooner, a ruthless man with a deadly background, and an insatiable appetite for crime, turns on the one he lavished with gifts with police invaded his establishment and hauled him off to jail. When betrayal festers, he sends his henchman with one mission---to eliminate Maran and those affiliated with her.

Amy’s Review: An addictive story Ware pens a real addictive story in Threshold.

I’ve read several of Ware’s books, and I enjoyed each one. Threshold is an interesting story that keeps the reader captivated from the beginning. Who else wouldn’t be pulled in as a man is dangling over a roof? It’s a thrilling page-turner.

Ware always writes well, and this author shows a great story. The characters have dimension, and even the “bad guys” aren’t just one-note. I like how Ware describes not only his setting but shows the audience his characters, along with their quirks, flaws and even perfections. A definite addictive story that won’t let the reader put it down until the final word. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews.

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The Vampires of Greenwich Village Arjay Lewis Paranormal He could use a break. With his wife expecting and the undead rising, he’s not going to get one…

Newly minted wizard and NYPD Detective Eddie Berman is burning the staff at both ends.

Between his crime-fighting duties and the fast-approaching birth of his third child, he knows he’s staring down more sleepless nights. And when a drug bust exposes vampires attempting to fulfill a sinister prophecy, he’s in a race against time to stop them from raising the dead.

Amy’s Review: Exciting undead story Lewis pens a great story in The Vampires Of Greenwich Village. This story hits all the notes of intrigue and mystery, while also delving into the undead, unlife of vampires. Eddie is an interesting character, as he not only is an NYPD detective, he also is a wizard. The adventure and excitement of the story comes to life, as it is filled with blood lusting vampires, wreaking havoc and determined to bring impending doom. This story is exciting, intriguing and a realpage turners. If you like bloodsucking vampires, and excitement, this is the book to be read. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews.

Morpheus Conspiracy Douglas Volk Supernatural Military When Vietnam War veteran David Collier returns to Boston from his tour of combat duty, he soon falls into hellish suffering caused by a newly discovered war-related psychological ailment known as PostVietnam War Syndrome.But what Collier doesn’t know is that he’s also been overtaken

by The Curse of Morpheus – an ancient force for evil that was reawakened by a hideous war crime which the heroic soldier did his best to prevent Amy’s Review: Gripping Volk pens an intriguing and thrilling story in The Morpheus Conspiracy. Volk allows his readers to enter into an exciting world, filled with darkness and thrills. It’s a very raw and dramatic read, and it brings the reader into the directed dreaming, and the impact of such telepathy. Volk writes very well, and brings this story into a frightening and terrifying reality. It’s the kind of book you have to put down, and walk away from, even if just to catch your breath before reading it again. It is a page-turner and one that you think about even when you put it down. I look forward to reading more by this author. This is a definite recommendation by Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews.

The Disappearance of Robin Murat Gerald W. Darnell Hard-Boiled Mystery All Carson Reno books are standalone novels. It is not necessary to read them in any order.

Carson has been hired to locate a client’s missing brother, and it quickly gets complicated.

Amy’s Review: Darnell’s stories are never disappointing!

Another great Carson Reno story, and Darnell delivers it so well. With all the books in this series I have read, I think each new one Darnell releases gets better. This reader loves the character of Reno, and the interesting cases that Darnell puts in front of him. Filled with action, mystery and a grand investigation by Reno, and his cohorts. I loved this story, and it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. Cops and mobsters are just the beginning, and filled with twists and unpredictability, this is a magnificent story. It’s more than just a story or page-tuner, it’s a heart-pounder as well. I look forward to reading more by this author, in this series or anything he wants to release.

This book is a definite recommendation by Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews.

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Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews The Android Sisters Gary Starta Children’s SciFi For a special pair of android sisters, Nyx and Dayna, it’s a sure bet they dream. But when Nyx, the red-eyed sister, finds herself expired, is she dreaming, experiencing a post death virus or perhaps something greater? Further blurring the lines, Dayna, the violet-eyed sister, finds herself paired hybrid style with the consciousness of a deceased financial baroness.

Amy’s Review: Amazing sequel Starta pens a sharp and wonderful story in this second book, The Android Sisters: Changing Faces. Again, the reader meets the Android sisters, Nyx and Dayna. It’s an interesting perspective of life and death through the interesting eyes of these sisters. The characters are definitely well-developed, and are almost human. I like how Starta gave them human qualities, but always reminds the reader that they’re androids. A thrilling story that keeps the reader engaged. A real-page turner. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is definitely recommended by Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews.

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Tales from the Aether Matthew C. Woodruff Dark Humor In this extraordinary collection of ‘dark’ short stories, Awardwinning writer Matthew C. Woodruff explores the timeless questions of Joy, Fear, Love, Loss, Foreboding and Incomprehension. All set around particular holidays, the characters in these twelve stories experience things we can only imagine. These stories will make the reader stop to wonder if anyone ever really knows those closest to them or even the world around them Amy’s Review: Uniquely dark and creepy! A must read!

Woodruff pens magnificently dark stories in TALES from the AETHER: Extraodinary Tales of Dark Fiction, Dark Humor and Horror. This collection makes you wonder what goes on in the mind of this author, and that you’re so glad he put it on paper. I liked each story, and enjoy Woodruff’s writing style, and his story style. The stories are either, dark, horror, dark and humorous or all of the above. I read this cover to cover, and even went back and read a few all over again, for a second. and even third time. One of my favorites was “My After Life” even as it described the cats feasting on his dead body. Yes, it’s that wonderfully creepy, and you don’t want to put it down. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews.

Meryl Streep On the Couch Alma Bond Entertainer Biography Audiobook

Fearless Men, But Few K.M. Breakey Political Fiction

Meryl Streep is a Hollywood icon, a political activist, a 20plus Oscar-nominated actress, and a mystery. The Devil Wears Prada, Kramer vs. Kramer, Julie & Julia, Mama Mia!, Sophie’s Choice? Meryl does it all.

But who is she when the camera stops rolling? What are the thoughts that she keeps hidden?

Amy’s Review: Loved this story Bond pens a wonderfully told story in Meryl Streep On the Couch. Bond is a very creative author. I enjoy learning about the “celebrities” that Dr. Dale has on her “couch.” It is clear that Bond does her research, and she brings the stories to live. I like the writing style and how the story is told. This is an amazing series of books, and since I am a big Meryl Streep fan, I enjoyed “sitting in on her sessions.” It almost makes you feel like you’re in the room, but maybe also crossing the line of privacy. I know it’s a story, and how it’s put together makes it almost real. “Meryl” says in a session, when asked about her career, “In my feelings, in my work, anything is permissible. I can be anyone in my mind because I have squandered my emotions. But not in my real life.” Bond writes well, and this book is just another one of her marvelous works, and a real page turner. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is highly recommended by Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews.

sivism.

Eamon Clarke is a proud Irishman. He’s conquered the playing field, now he’s a hero in the broadcast booth. He’s larger than life.

A national treasure. But things aren’t all rosy. The land he loves has caught a vicious strain of Progres-

Amy’s Review: Powerful story!

Breakey pens a remarkable story in Fearless Men, But Few. This story was a real page turner, grabbing me from the first word, and not allowing me to let go. Breakey always writes well, and his characters are very developed. After reading this and Eamon’s story, I think this is one of my favorites of Breakey’s work. It was unpredictable, and in some cases emotional, adding to the journey to survive. The line between war and a governmental induced chaos is very fine, and this story will keep the reader guessing. It is also thought provoking in many aspects, even with just the concept itself. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews.

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