The day after Christmas, the spouse and I took a road trip to Black Mountain, North Carolina for research. I had been studying the area a bit online and through social media as a possible setting for the relocation of my (former) Black and White series of bear shifters. Y’all remember Gus and Bex, right? 😉
Before I made a decision though, I wanted to see the town and the mountains surrounding it. We got there and I FELL IN LOVE! FELL. IN. LOOOOOOOOVE! It was the most picture perfect small town at the base of the Black Mountain subrange which is part of the larger Appalachian Mountain Range. The Black Mountains contain the highest peak east of the Mississippi, Mount Mitchell.
I’ve added pictures here of the town of Black Mountain and the mountains themselves so you can get an idea of where I’ll be setting the series later this year. I’ll be rewriting it as there are many elements from the Southern Shifters series by Eliza Gayle that I’ll have to remove, including her character Luke. But I’ll go into more detail about all that later. For now, enjoy the pictures…
The town had a book nook, and 2 other bookstores. A tea and spice shop, a wine store, a kitchen store, outdoors and trading company stores, a museum and art gallery, ice cream and chocolate, lots of little restaurants and craft beer pubs, a handcrafted furniture store, and stores with home decor, a general store and a hardware store.Those dots up in the mountain are cabins and houses.
In the beginning of Bear Haven, I said this: The ride in general isn’t over, but the ride in the Southern Shifters Kindle World, for me, is. At least for these characters. At least for the foreseeable future.
So, lets clarify some things. YES, Gus and Bex are over, but ONLY in the Southern Shifters Kindle World. I had to do what I did. I had to end Bear Haven as I ended it BECAUSE in order to tell the bigger story… to weave other characters in from other series, to connect some other dots into it all, I had to move Gus and Bex, Michael and Maxine, and other supporting characters OUT of the Southern Shifters Kindle World. (Remember… the Southern Shifters Kindle World does not belong to me and as such, there are limitations to what I can and cannot do.)
The Black and White series is, for the time being, done. I said that too (look above). I may go back and write another one. But only after I finish all the other tie ins.
Gus and Bex will be starting over. Elsewhere.
Michael and Maxine will be getting their own book.
Marcel and Mari will be getting their own book.
And ALL of these will be linked, loosely, but linked nonetheless with my Denali Heat bears which I just got the rights back to.
Keep in mind, as well, as I said in the back of Bear Haven, that none of these stories will be coming until either late 2017 or early 2018. I am sorry you have to wait, but other things happened (Samhain Publishing closing), that forced plans to be altered.
But, to reiterate… There are reasons I did what I did. I have mentioned it before Bear Haven came out AND after Bear Haven came out.
Please if you still have questions, ask me. I’m happy to answer them.
Welcome to this year’s Snarkology Halloween Hop! We have a ton of authors and bloggers this year and I’m so thrilled Melissa Snark put together such a fantastic and fun party for us all! I participated last year and it was a great time.
I’m going to admit, I’m not a big Halloween fan. I don’t write Halloween stories. I don’t decorate, save for a sign that says Boo. I don’t even buy the candy. I’m a scrooge on Halloween. But what I do like? What I do love? The lights. There are usually candy corn lights and purple and green and orange lights and I LOVE them! Also, candles. Ones that smell like candy corn. Or pumpkin scented everything. I love the scent. I won’t eat or drink it, but I could smell it all day and be so very happy. Purple twinkle lights and warm, pumpkin scented candles get me every time.
And being that Halloween is right in the middle of Fall, my absolute favorite time of year, I love writing books that are set in this season. It’s when I’m at my most happy, my most energetic, my most creative.
Two of my books that fall during this time period are paranormal. One is a werebear shifter, called Ink To Bear and it’s part of Amazon’s Kindle Worlds imprint. (Click on the covers to be taken to the book page for more information, buy links, and an excerpt)
Big, and built, Gus is one werebear most other shifters, and hybrids steer clear of; unless he’s got the ink out. Then, they line up for the chance to see him work and maybe, just maybe, get a little ink of their own. He’s made a name for himself as a traveling tattoo artist, but he’s a loner and his only rule is to never stay any place long enough to learn names.
But then, he sees her…
Bex is alone now. No family since her mother passed. Few people she would call friend. And she’s just sold the last remaining link to her childhood. None of it seems real and yet, it’s all too much reality for her. She wants to start her new life and she wants out of her small hometown.
Her way out comes in the form of a broad shouldered, tattooed biker, offering take her anywhere she wants to go, even if it means going over the infamous Tail of the Dragon mountain pass and through territory that isn’t always friendly to his kind.
She’s never been on a motorcycle. She’s never been this close to a shifter. She’s never done anything reckless. Can she trust him to keep her safe? More importantly, can she trust herself and her feelings when she climbs on and wraps herself around him?
And the second? A vampire paranormal M/M romance, I simply fell in love with while I was writing.
Is the prospect of love worth dying for?
Vampires exist, and travel through space and time. Immortal, beautiful creatures. Neither dead, nor living.
Dane has no memory of being human. He only remembers waking after being unwillingly turned. He is left with a parchment with one single line written upon it: his human birthday. For this one day a year, he can live and die as a human. He is ready. It is time. 126 years after becoming a vampire, he is ready to let go.
When he meets Jorge, with his dark good looks and brilliant blue eyes, Dane reconsiders his choice. Can he take back the life that was stolen from him by dying? Or can he make a life with a soulmate he never imagined having?
I’ll be giving away a $10 Amazon.com gift card if you’ll let me know what it is that you love most about your favorite season, whatever it is AND what Halloween candy you’re guilty of sneaking from the candy bowl or your kid’s bucket of treats. Leave your answers below in the comments!
You’re also welcome and encouraged to sign up for my newsletter and follow me on social media!
So, lets clarify some things. YES, Gus and Bex are over, but ONLY in the Southern Shifters Kindle World. I had to do what I did. I had to end Bear Haven as I ended it BECAUSE in order to tell the bigger story… to weave other characters in from other series, to connect some other dots into it all, I had to move Gus and Bex, Michael and Maxine, and other supporting characters OUT of the Southern Shifters Kindle World. (Remember… the Southern Shifters Kindle World does not belong to me and as such, there are limitations to what I can and cannot do.)
