First Chapter: Sneak Peek!

The conclusion to the Taming the Dragon series is finally here.

Okay, no it isn’t. Not quite. It’s up for pre-order, but the book doesn’t release until June 2nd, so… a few more weeks.

Almost there, though.

And if you’re a fan of the Taming the Dragon series, I’m guessing you’re chomping at the bit for this one, since the last book (Bewitching the Dragon) released last September!

Usually I can write books a lot faster than this. I mean, aside from the novellas I included in two box sets (the Dark Moon Falls box sets – second one just released last week!), I haven’t released a book in eight months. And it will be nine by the time Let Go My Gargoyle releases (barely). Shoot, last year I released a book almost every month.

Maybe that’s why this one took so long. I think I overtaxed myself. I was so busy letting everybody know about those books, I wasn’t writing new ones. Well, I was trying – I wrote and rewrote this particular book four different times. I made it to 20,000 words twice before scraping what I’d written. That’s half a book! Heck, the two novellas in the Dark Moon Falls sets are both only 25,000 words. The final version of Let Go My Gargoyled ended up at 45,000 words, but really, it’s double that in effort.

And you know what? I’m pleased. I’m happy with this final version. It’s completely different from where I started. The hero and heroine are entirely different characters, even. In two of the four versions, Argyle was the main character. In another, Oliver was. And ultimately, I went with two characters you haven’t met yet, however, they are both very much (surprisingly!) entwined with the overarching storyline that’s been brewing since book 1 (Dragon His Heels).

Anyway, I hope you’ll give it a read. I have a really hard time finishing series, which was another contributing factor to how long it took to type the words “The End” on this book. Because it really is the end.

OR is it…? (Because Argyle and Oliver still need their happy ever afters, and now I’m thinking maybe I need a spinoff Taming the Gargoyle series. Hmm….)

Okay, enough of that! Let’s give you what the headline promised: A sneak peek at Let Go My Gargoyle, before it’s released to the general public. So here you go. Enjoy!!

LET GO MY GARGOYLE

Taming the Dragon Book 5

by Tami Lund

Four years ago, Sofia had an affair with a gargoyle. The next morning, he disappeared—leaving her with an infant.

Now he’s back, and Sofia is afraid he wants to claim the child she’s been raising as her own.

Griffin isn’t back because he wants the child. What Sofia doesn’t know is that the kid isn’t even his. He’s back because his boss told him to protect Sofia and the baby. A task he doesn’t think he’s capable of doing.

Unfortunately, the more time he spends with Sofia and her adopted daughter Penelope, the less he wants to leave.

And the more danger he’s putting them in.

Taming the Dragon series

Each book has its own happily ever after; however, it is recommended they be read in the following order:

Dragon His Heels

Hungry Like a Dragon

Dragon in Denial

Bewitching the Dragon

Let Go My Gargoyle

****

Chapter One

Why did the most prestigious of all gargoyle brethren have to be located in New Orleans, of all places?

“It’s a big town,” Griffin told himself as he strolled along the sidewalk, heading toward the City of the Dead, where he was supposed to meet his new boss, Oliver, at dusk. He glanced over his shoulder, his senses on high alert, but so far, he hadn’t come across any dragons.

Not that they weren’t here. In fact, this city was crawling with them. Or so it had seemed the last time he’d visited.

“I can’t believe I’m moving here,” he muttered, kicking at a clump of moss growing between two broken chunks of concrete.

A golden opportunity to join the elitist of the elite had been dropped into his lap, and all he could do was worry about running into someone from his past.

He paused next to a whitewashed stone pillar marking the entrance to the cemetery that was about to become his home for, oh, the rest of eternity.

Were these guys really so diehard that they lived as stone statues except when they were working assignments? Because Griffin would freely admit that he’d choose to sleep in a warm, comfy bed rather than perched atop a gravesite any day of the week.

Why had Oliver picked him of all the gargoyles all over the world? It was certainly the burning question of the night. And what happened if he didn’t succeed? This position was a life sentence. Did that mean Griffin would get to keep trying, again and again, until he got it right? For all of eternity?

Did that mean he’d technically never fail, ever again?

The sun dipped below the horizon and shadows stretched across the sidewalk, reaching like long, dark fingers across the aboveground burial sites.

Creepy AF.

Shaking off the willies and gripping the small duffle that contained all of his worldly possessions, Griffin threw back his shoulders and stepped into the cemetery just as the sound of footsteps hurrying down the path echoed in the dim remnants of daylight. He slipped to the side, ducking behind a massive oak tree draped with Spanish moss.

A human man strode past, heading toward the wrought iron gate, pulling it closed and threading the iron chain through the grates before snapping the lock and heading down the sidewalk, his footsteps gradually fading into nothingness.

Not that a locked gate mattered to a gargoyle. If his magic didn’t work to free him, he could, with relative ease, scale the wrought iron barrier. Or, better yet, shift into his leathery, winged body and simply fly over to the other side.

But, of course, the locks weren’t for him. That guy didn’t even know Griffin existed, at least outside of his stone form. Those locks kept the humans out after dark, which allowed the resident gargoyles to shift out of their stone forms and go about their days…er, nights.

“Okay, might as well get the initial meeting over with.” Even though he’d much rather head down to the quarter, have a drink, or twelve, and find a lovely lady to flirt with for the evening.

As long as the quarter was dragon free, at any rate. Which it probably wasn’t, so scratch that idea.

He strolled along the moss-covered path, meandering, not really trying very hard to find his new boss. He was reasonably confident the guy would find him eventually. Hell, Oliver had found him all the way up in Canada, so he shouldn’t have too much difficulty here on his home turf.

The air shifted, indicating magic was being used, and Griffin bristled.

But it was just another gargoyle. The man who transformed from a statue to tanned, surfer-looking dude and then hopped nimbly down to the sidewalk in front of him wasn’t just another gargoyle, no matter how laidback he appeared in his human form.

“Oliver.” Griffin nodded once and did not offer his hand to shake, as was the custom for gargoyles.

His new boss nodded in return. “You’ve arrived.”

“You didn’t expect me to?”

“Oh, I knew you’d come eventually. But yes, I was concerned that you might get…distracted on your way to town.”

Griffin lifted one shoulder, let it drop again. “I did delay, actually. I could have arrived three days ago. But I made a pitstop in Nashville and partied like it was 1999.”

One eyebrow lifted, but otherwise Oliver showed no emotion.

“So anyway, I’m here now.”

“I see that.”

Griffin stuffed his free hand into the front pocket of his jeans, even though he was probably supposed to stand at attention or something. Honestly, he didn’t know. He figured Oliver would put him through some sort of training regimen before he started helping to save the world. Or so he’d heard that was what Oliver’s gargoyles did.

“Come,” his new boss said, and he strode toward the closed gate.

Griffin hurried after him. “Where are we going?” That was it? That was his greeting? There wasn’t a whole lot of information in that greeting. In fact, there was none. Where was Griffin sleeping tonight? What was the training plan? Where were the other gargoyles he would be working with?

At the closed gate, Oliver reached through the slates and wrapped his hand around the lock. A moment later, the chain it was attached to slithered free and Oliver pushed the barred doors open. At his nod, Griffin stepped through, onto the sidewalk, and then Oliver replaced the lock and chain.

Without speaking, he began striding down the path running along the front of the cemetery. Griffin’s long, lean legs easily kept up. “Seriously. Where are we going?”

Griffin wasn’t a fan of surprises. He had no problem with whatever undoubtedly physically and mentally challenging preparations he was going to have to go through as a new member of Oliver’s team, so long as his boss told him what he was planning to do.

This silent walking—away from their home turf, by the way—was damned unnerving.

The farther they moved away from the City of the Dead, the more people they encountered, which also set Griffin on edge. There were definitely dragons here; he could sense them. He could see them. He could smell them. They didn’t smell bad—most of them, at any rate—but it was certainly distinct. They always seemed to have the faint scent of a campfire clinging to their skin.

He glanced around, checking out each face in turn, searching for one in particular—relieved each time he did not recognize the person who crossed his path. It wasn’t even Mardi Gras and this place was crowded with revelers. Griffin made a mental note to use his vacation time to get out of town during the Fat Tuesday celebrations.

Wait. He did get vacation time, right?

Everything he knew about this new gig could be summed up in a few sentences. It was a lifetime responsibility. Once someone joined Oliver’s brethren, they did not leave. There was no quitting, no retirement plan. The only other bit of information he knew was that relationships were strictly forbidden. No falling in love, no mating, no bearing offspring.

No problem.

That might have been the reason Griffin actually did show up today—well, and the fact that Oliver would have come after him at some point and demanded his presence. But that whole no falling in love, no bearing offspring rule held a lot of appeal for a guy like Griffin.

At the next block, Oliver hung a left and began walking away from the crowds, and Griffin let out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

Oliver finally stopped in front of a nondescript brick building with a fenced in patio that was bustling, probably because it was September and seventy degrees instead of ninety outside.

The place also reeked of dragons.

“Seriously?” Griffin burst out. “We’re going to a bar? And why this one?”

Oliver canted his head. “You seemed like you were getting nervous back there, where it was more crowded.”

It wasn’t the crowds, per se—okay, yeah, he wasn’t a fan of crowds in general—it was the chance of running into a dragon he knew. Rather, had made an acquaintance once, four years ago. But he’d not left a positive impression, and he’d really rather not have to face this particular dragon ever again.

“Why are we going to a bar anyway?” Griffin repeated.

Without answering, Oliver reached for the door and held it open. With a resigned sigh, Griffin stepped into the dim interior.

It was a small place, clean and simple. Miniature lights hung above the bar, and there were huge, framed shots from various New Orleans Saints football games on the exposed brick walls. Double doors leading out to the patio were wide open, giving him a glimpse of mismatched outdoor furniture, most of which was occupied by…dragons.

Everywhere he turned, there were dragons. Hell, there wasn’t even a witch or a human in the vicinity. No, wait, there was one. A witch, bellied up to the bar, putting back shots like she was in a competition with the dragon next to her.

“What is this, the dragons’ version of Cheers?” he muttered. He was still carrying his duffle, too, which made him even more self-conscious. Who the heck carried an overnight bag into a bar? He hunched his shoulder, as if that would somehow make him invisible.

It’s a big city, Griffin. The chances of running into one particular dragon…

Oliver snickered and clapped him on the back. “Outside or the bar?”

“Neither,” was what he wanted to say. Instead, he shrugged.

“Outside it is.” Oliver headed that way. “Might as well take advantage of the less than 100 percent humidity while we can.”

They stepped out onto the patio, and several dragons eyed them like they didn’t belong. Which they didn’t, not that Oliver seemed to notice. Or maybe he didn’t care. There wasn’t frostiness in those gazes, simply…curiosity.

Dragons and gargoyles didn’t often interact. They didn’t have a need to. Gargoyles existed to protect others, and there were few dragons who could not take care of themselves. Breathing fire was a handy trait to possess.

He followed Oliver to a brick firepit built into the center of the space—seriously? Did it even get cold enough in this town to warrant a fire?—and they claimed the remaining two unoccupied chairs.

A moment later, a waitress hurried through the door, balancing a tray full of drinks on one hand. She had bronze skin and dark hair that was piled on top of her head in a messy bun. Her eyes were wide, almond-shaped, and surrounded by thick lashes. Her mouth was coated with shiny gloss. She wore a black T-shirt with the bar’s logo in gold stamped over her right breast, and jean shorts under a black apron. Her shapely legs went on for miles.

She was, in a word, gorgeous.

Griffin slouched in his seat and wished it were cold so that he were wearing a jacket and could attempt to hide in the collar. Because, son of a bitch, the very dragon he’d intended to avoid was about to ask him for his drink order.

“How about we go somewhere else?” he suggested to Oliver, who ignored him and lifted his hand to draw the server’s attention.

She nodded at him, and Griffin knew the second she realized he wasn’t a dragon, because her nostrils flared and her eyes widened. Then her attention shifted to the guy sitting next to Oliver.

To him.

Her mouth fell open and the tray slipped from its perch atop her palm and nine different alcoholic concoctions crashed to the cement.

The dragons closest to her jumped out of the way to avoid being hit by flying glass and liquid; a chorus of groans went up all around them.

Ignoring the mess at her feet, she stabbed her finger in Griffin’s direction and shouted, “You! Get the hell out of this bar. In fact, get the hell out of this city. No, the state. Get out! Now!” Her voice rose with each word.

Griffin scrambled to his feet and scooped up the duffle he’d dropped next to his chair. Oliver stood, and they both backed toward the gate that would deposit them out onto the sidewalk.

“Go!” she screamed.

Griffin practically fell over the swinging gate in his haste to get out of the vicinity before she started breathing fire at him.

Once they were well off premises, Oliver clapped him on the shoulder.

“I see you’ve already met your first assignment.”

Keep reading… well, on June 2nd! >>>> Let Go My Gargoyle

 

Tami Lund writes contemporary and paranormal romance and clearly has a love of dragons. And gargoyles. Oh, and wine. Check out the rest of her books here: https://tamilund.com/

Dragons! New Covers! Dragons!

So I wrote these books. They’re about dragons. Well, when I decided to write the very first book in the series, it didn’t necessarily have to be about dragons. Because it was written as part of a multi-author, over-arching series, the criteria was as follows:

Shifters and alpha dads. Oh, and of course, the happy ever after goes without saying (although I just spelled it out, so I suppose it did need to be said. Or at least, I made a decision to clarify. Wait, I’m totally getting off topic…)

Anyway, that’s it. That was all I had to ensure was in the book. Shifters – easy. Alpha dads – well, not especially my norm, but I knew I could do it. I mean, I’ve written plenty of alpha heroes in my day, but I’ve written just as many betas, and I have equal love for both of them. It was really the ‘dad’ part that wasn’t my typical trope.

But hey, I love a challenge, and I especially love flexing my writing muscle. Plus, generally speaking, vague–very, very vague–criteria tends to make my muse stand up and siiiiiiiiiing.

For example: Two years ago, I wrote a novella called Baby, I’m Home. It was supposed to be part of a Father’s Day anthology. The criteria: the hero finds out he’s a dad. (So I suppose I had a tiny bit of history writing heroes who are dads.) That was it. What I wrote: an interracial surprise pregnancy romance that, personally, I think is totes adorbs (oh, and steamy too!).

Another example: I took a writing class in which the instructor said to write a book with a unique secondary character. Boom. The Twisted Fates series, one of my personal faves of every series I’ve written, was born. The unique secondary character? A snarky, yet wise, cross-dressing Fate (basically, a magical protector) who is the shape and size of an NFL linebacker. Who quite possibly steals the spotlight several times throughout the three-book series.

And another example: Vampires! As of 2016, I hadn’t yet written about vampires. I’d thought about it plenty, but no story ideas came to mind. I knew readers loved their vampires, but I just didn’t have a muse who liked to hang out at night, drink blood, and could burn to a crisp during daylight hours.

And then a fellow author suggested a multi-author series called Blood Courtesans. The vampire hero needed to be alpha (of course) and the idea was that there were these brothels that catered to vampires, offering blood and sex for cold, hard cash. But of course the vamps had a habit of falling in love with their courtesans. Two books, Resist and Eternity, were born from this basic, um, plot.

Oh, and let’s not forget Mirror, Mirror. That one resulted from a publisher’s call for novellas about urban legends. So I wrote a (funny) story about the Legend of Bloody Mary.

Well, that was a very long and not exactly related introduction to the new covers for my Taming the Dragon series.

That’s right: the Taming the Dragon series has NEW COVERS! As I mentioned above, this series started out as part of the Bad Alpha Dads series, which, as the name implies, is a multi-author series about alpha heroes who happen to be dads (whether they know it or not).

I wrote the first three books in the series accordingly, and then the fourth I gave a bit of a twist (uh-uh, not gonna tell you; you have to read Bewitching the Dragon to find out what I’m talking about). By the time I started working on the fifth and final book in the Taming the Dragon series, the Bad Alpha Dads series creators had announced that the series was coming to an end in 2020. So I figured the last book didn’t need to have those same elements (alpha hero, dad), and also I mentioned all the way at the top of this post that writing heroes as dads wasn’t exactly my forte.

And yet, somehow, the whole dad thing ended up in book number five anyway.

Well, sort of.

Anyway, the series has now been written. Book five is with the editor. Publication date is June 2, 2020. And… I HAVE NEW COVERS.

For the entire series.

So, finally, the point of this post. To show you the NEW COVERS!

What do you think???

Oh, in case you want to check out the books too: Taming the Dragon series 

 

Tami Lund has a new book coming out soon!

Dark Moon Falls Vol II

Attn: Shifter Lovers!

Happy new year! Welcome back to Love, Lust, and Laptops! First, I want to say thank you for reading my blog posts every couple of weeks. Second, I want to let you know that this particular post is all about free stuff, specifically books and associated swag. Specifically books about shifters. So if that’s your thing, keep reading…

I’ve teamed up with 11 other authors to bring you free shifter books all year long! You’ll get a free book each month–a book that’s free just for the book club! If you want to learn more and sign up, visit the book club site here:  https://www.alphaobsession.com/

PS – the (free) January book is:

I’m also writing in a shared (shifter) world called Dark Moon Falls, and we have a book coming out in May (and it’s only 99c while on pre-order!). Check it out HERE.

Additionally, you can enter to win an iPad 10.2 inch from the authors of Dark Moon Falls, Volume 2! Over $1,000 in prizes and freebies!!!
*No Purchase Necessary! Click HERE or click the pic below.

Happy reading & good luck! ~Tami Lund

PS – Check out my website for a whole lot of reading material: https://tamilund.com/

It’s My Way & I’ll Write If I Want To

I admit it, my writing process is a bit…odd. That’s as good a word as any.

Actually, that’s probably the best word to describe my process of getting those jumbled thoughts out of my head and onto my laptop. And, eventually, published, so you can enjoy the end result.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the pantser vs. plotter debate. It’s as old as the idea of being a published author. And it’ll probably never go away.

Simply put, it’s someone who plans out their book before they start writing, versus the writer who figures out their plot as they type.

Some people feel very strongly that one way is better than the other.

(I’m not one of those people.)

Others claim you can be a mix of the two. As it turns out, for me, anyway, these ‘others’ may be right.

I’ve always insisted that I am 100% a pantser; no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I have far too many outlines without actual books taking up space on my hard drive to deny the cold, hard facts: If I outline a book, it will never get written.

Seriously. Here’s an example: There’s this heroine who’s an attorney and hero who’s a mechanic and also a single dad love story that I’ve had in my head for years. It’s probably been least five, maybe more. But when it first hit me (and they do, seriously; these ideas come out of nowhere and rarely at convenient times), I had way too much else going on to drop everything and start typing away. But the basic premise (the heroine is actually his ex-wife’s attorney and his kid gets kidnapped and she helps him find the little boy and of course they fall in love in the process) wouldn’t get out of my head and I really, really wanted to remember to write this damn story.

So I did a quick outline. I had every intention of returning to this book, after I’d cleared everything that was currently on my desk.

And what did I say? It’s been five years? I still think about this book, pretty regularly. And maybe, someday, I actually will finally get around to writing it.

In the meantime, I’m busy writing all those books I’ve not outlined.

But wait, I mentioned above that I may very well be a mix of these two contradictory writing processes, remember? So, after that example I gave above, what the heck am I thinking?

Stay with me, I promise, it makes sense. No, no, I don’t promise that, because honestly, not much of what I do makes sense to anyone but myself.

Okay, let’s get back to why I think plotting actually sometimes helps me, despite all the evidence against this idea.

See, I am a pantser. An idea will pop into my head, maybe an opening line, maybe an opening scene; sometimes even the end of the book. I’ll stew over this idea for a while. Usually a couple of days, until I have a reasonably large block of time with which to sit down at the laptop and start banging on the keys.

And then that’s exactly what I do: I sit and write. The research happens as I go. Names, often I use “X” or “Y” until something strikes me as appropriate. I’ll have six tabs open on my internet browser, as I verify locations and situations and of course spellings of words (I’m a notoriously bad speller) as I’m pouring my heart and soul into this book. I can hammer out 20,000 words in a weekend, if the idea is that insistent and I blessedly don’t have real world expectations of my time.

But sometimes, that doesn’t happen. Sometimes, the ideas are there but I can’t seem to type them on the screen. My hands hover over the keyboard, the curser flashing on a blank page. Usually that happens when I’m stressed out. Too many constraints on my time, courtesy of the real world. Or maybe it’s been far too long since my house has had a thorough cleaning and I can’t concentrate for all the dust bunnies collecting in the corners. Or maybe I’ve been under the weather with a cold or everyone’s favorite visitor – Aunt Flo. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of them, and sometimes they really do create writer’s block. Which is frustrating as hell because damn it, the ideas are there!

That’s when my concept of plotting comes in handy.

For example, last spring, I was invited to be part of a boxed set called Dark Moon Falls (wanna read it??? Click HERE.). Twenty-thousand words minimum. All authors must write within the same shared world. It takes place in the Pacific Northwest. Here’s a list of characters who live in the town that can show up in everyone’s books. Pick one of these and give him/her a happily ever after or make up your own. Here are the basic parameters.

Boom.

Close enough to the concept to call it plotting, as far as I’m concerned.

And guess what happened? I was hit with a story idea so strong, I had no choice but to ignore everything else in my life and furtively pour it from my brain into the computer. And when I got the first round of edits back from my editor, she said it was the best one I’d ever written.

Obviously, there’s something to this pantser/plotter combo mindset.

At least, for me.

Tami Lund writes books, always via pantsing, although sometimes she uses a vague form of plotting that might not be called plotting by anyone else. But hey, whatever works, right? Here’s her website, so you can check out her books: https://tamilund.com/

Love on the Mountain

There once was a group of authors who all decided to write in the same shared world. Shapeshifters, we decided.

Wolves.

We set the story in a fabled small town at the base of a mountain in the Pacific Northwest. The town, which we named Dark Moon Falls, was small, hardly a blip on the map.

Small, but full of intrigue.

Beside the pack of wolves, a witch’s coven also resided in this beautiful small town at the base of the mountain.

Humans hung out there, too. Some were aware of the paranormal beings living among them, some were not.

Most importantly, there was one true mate for every single one of the wolves in the Dark Moon Falls pack… they just had to find her. Or him.

There’s Jag and Storm’s story – she’s in Dark Moon Falls hiding out from a stalker, and Jag, who is a sheriff’s deputy in this tiny town, is determined to help her, come hell or high water.

There’s Kiera and Ryder’s story – she was almost sold to a rogue wolf pack but found asylum in Dark Moon Falls. Could she find love too?

Cat & Easton have a past – they dated briefly in high school – but then Easton left the pack and they went their separate ways. Now he’s back, injured, and she’s his physical therapist. Sparks fly, but there are secrets in this backwoods town, and Easton’s not sure their rekindled romance can handle the truth when it comes out.

Jaxon & Rhee hook up after meeting at the Wolf Inn, the only bar in town, and they figure it’s a one-night stand. Except they can’t seem to get enough of each other, which isn’t good because Rhee needs to get the hell out of Dodge before she gets herself killed.

In Maddox & Felicity’s story, Maddox is wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. Follow along as he works to try to solve the mystery of who done it – while attempting not to fall in love.

Kali & Dane’s story – When Kali’s mother is murdered, she’s determined to bring the bad guy to justice. Dane insists on helping, despite her attempts to keep him at arm’s length, and naturally sparks fly since they are fated mates, after all!

Cooper & Kassidy – Cooper was banished from the pack years ago. Now he’s back to bury his beloved grandfather, who happened to have befriended Kassidy, Cooper’s high school sweetheart. He’s ready to pick up where they left off, but Kassidy needs answers first; namely, why he left in the first place.

Abel & Annalyna – Years ago, Annalyna’s father died helping Abel out of a dangerous situation, and she’s never forgiven him. Now they are forced to face their respective demons, and they just might find love in the process.

Lyall & Natalia – These two have been in love since they were teenagers, but Natalia left Dark Moon Falls in an effort to outrun her fear of turning into her mother. Now she’s back, and someone’s trying to kill her. Lyall has to protect her – while trying to keep his heart out of the mix.

Levi & Zoe – Levi is charged with seeking out Zoe and bringing her back to the Dark Moon Coven where she belongs, and of course they get more than they bargain for when they meet!

Ghost & Mackenzie – He’s a nomad; she’s a single mom just trying to make ends meet. Is a relationship even possible between these two opposites, both with their own issues to deal with?

There are fifteen stories in total, written by fifteen different authors. Some you probably know; some may be new to you. There’s a strong possibility you’re going to find your next book boyfriend in this boxed set.

Here’s the link, so you can get started with falling in love, over and over again: DARK MOON FALLS VOLUME I

PS – Yeah, you read that right. Volume I. Volume II releases in May, 2020. Check it out: DARK MOON FALLS VOLUME II

Happy Reading! 

Tami Lund writes all sorts of books: romcom, wolves, dragons, witches, suspense, and all of them are guaranteed happy endings! Her website has all the deets: https://tamilund.com/

 

 

 

Like Wolf Shifters? Me too!

Dark Moon Falls, a boxed set containing 15 novellas written by 15 different authors, is about wolf shifters. And it’s based in the Pacific Northwest. You know, where Twilight was based. There are witches. Action. Suspense. Sexy times. Hot alphas. Strong women. Great stories.

And all 15 stories are based in the same town, occurring at the same time, affecting the same characters.

Curious yet?

Here’s a tempting teaser from one of the books in the set! 

LYALL

She’s back.

His high school sweetheart. The love of his life.

The woman he let go because she needed to find herself.

Looks like she found herself back in Dark Moon Falls.

She also found herself an enemy.

And even though Lyall swore he was through chasing someone who didn’t want to be caught, he sure as hell was going to protect her from danger.

He’d figure out how to protect his heart later.

When she left town again.

Oh hell.

“Listen, Lyall, I know we didn’t work out so well the last time, but I was thinking—”

“Hey.”

Like a siren’s song, that voice pulled Lyall’s attention to the woman who had stepped up to the end of the bar. Her eyes looked sleepy and her hair was mussed, but not so much that it looked bad, more like it reminded him of all those times over the years they’d slipped upstairs for a quickie when he was supposed to be tending bar.

Her dark curls were pulled back into a loose ponytail at her neck, and she wore a striped T-shirt dress that fell to mid-thigh. There were a pair of bejeweled flip-flops on her feet. She’d put gloss on her lips and maybe some mascara on her lashes, but otherwise, she wasn’t nearly as made up as she was when she’d arrived in town earlier in the day.

Damn, he liked her like this. Natural. Real.

Or at least, that’s how it felt to him. This was the Natalia he’d known all through high school. The smooth, sophisticated woman who walked into his bar earlier was what Lyall liked to think of as Dallas Natalia. The woman who left him for greener pastures that, based on the sadness in her eyes, she hadn’t yet found.

Probably because there wasn’t any grass greener than right here in Dark Moon Falls.

Ava snorted and swirled her drink. “Oh. You’re back. Noticed you weren’t at the burning ceremony.”

Natalia winced.

“Knock it off, Ava,” he snapped.

Ava studied Natalia while sipping her drink.

“You want something?” Lyall asked Nat.

“I’m good right now. Can I help with anything?”

She wanted to stay busy. Was that because of her grief over her aunt or stress over the destruction out at the farm or because she’d just taken a nap in his bed and maybe being there reminded her of all the good times she’d walked away from?

Probably the first two, but he really wanted it to be the third option.

“You’re going to work? Here?” Ava asked.

Since he couldn’t just shut down the bar whenever Natalia breezed into town, it wasn’t unusual at all for her to help out while she waited for him to close each evening. She bussed tables, took drink orders if it was busy enough, and sometimes she even stepped behind the bar and helped him pour drinks. The first time she’d done it, he’d joked that they made a good team, that she should move back and help him run the bar.

She’d taken off that night, a day earlier than she’d planned.

Mental note: no jokes about running the bar together this time.

“I help out where I can,” Natalia said.

“Oh gods, please don’t tell me you’re moving back,” Ava said, taking another swig.

Natalia eyed Ava’s drink. Even though she used to deny it when she lived here and quit talking about it altogether after she left, Natalia was an incredibly powerful witch. Ava, most likely, had no idea, but Lyall was pretty sure Nat was contemplating using some of that magic now.

He placed his hand on the bar, his arm something of a barrier between the two of them. “No, she isn’t. She’s just here to settle her aunt’s estate.”

“I heard somebody trashed the place,” Ava said. She didn’t sound sympathetic or sad.

“News travels fast around here,” Natalia remarked.

Ava shrugged.

“That’s one thing. about small towns,” Natalia continued. “Everybody knows everybody else’s business.”

Ava took another drink and didn’t respond.

“And even if you’ve been gone for a while, say, a few years, all you have to do is stop by the Hot Joy Café and Joy Darling fills you in on whatever you missed.”

Lyall narrowed his eyes. What was she getting at?

“For example,” Nat continued. “I know how many men you’ve hooked up with in the last ten years.”

Lyall’s heart rate kicked up its pace. Ava’s lips curled into a catlike smile.

“And I know that Lyall was one of them.”

“Nat—”

Ava cut him off. “Hey, it’s a free country. And he’s obviously a free man. You’re the idiot who took off and left him behind.”

Natalia stepped around him and leaned over the bar so that she was eye to eye with Ava. “Well, now I’m back. And until I leave again, stop throwing yourself at him like a desperate old maid.”

Ava opened and closed her mouth several times, but no words tumbled from her lips.

Natalia touched the top of the rosemary sprig in Ava’s glass. “Also, I just want you to know that this garnish contains a love potion. You are going to fall madly and deeply in love with whoever you hook up with next, regardless of his feelings on the matter.”

Ava’s eyes went so wide they looked comical. She clambered off the stool and speed walked to the door.

Lyall grabbed the drink and dumped what was left into the sink under the bar. “You lied to her, didn’t you?”

“Yep.”

He shook his head. “Why, Nat? Why the hell act all jealous girlfriend and scare her off when you know damn well you and I aren’t going to hook up? Not to mention, you’re going to leave again. So what the fuck was the point of all that?”

“I—I just…I don’t know.”

“So no point is what you’re saying. You’re fucking with her head, and mine, for no reason? Jesus, Nat, I thought you were better than that.”

He reached under the bar and snagged the bottle of Maestro Dobel.

“Here, just take it. There’s no point in my hanging onto it anymore.”

Grab your copy HERE so that it’s on your ereader as soon as you wake up on November 12th!

Happy reading! 

 

Tami Lund is an author, wine drinker, and award winner. She writes shifters, witches, demigods, dragons, and contemporary romance. You should check out her website for more reads: https://tamilund.com/

Meet the Heroes from Dark Moon Falls

Oh, do I have a treat for you today! I’ve written a book that’s going to be part of a boxed set releasing on Nov. 12. There are fifteen total books in this set, all by different authors. The coolest thing about this set: all the books are set in the same world. It’s the same small town at the base of a mountain in the Pacific Northwest. The same wolf pack with the same alpha and enforcers and sheriff and all the excitement and challenges that come with being part of a pack. It’s the same witches coven that normally gets along swimmingly with their wolf-y neighbors, and yet, issues still arise. It’s the same small town bar (the Wolf Inn, for the record). The same grocery store, town square, local cafe…

It was such a fun project to work on, and I’m super excited for you all to read about this shared world!

To give you an idea of what the characters are like, I thought I’d introduce you to a few of the sexy heroes you’re going to be able to read about – in the authors’ own words:

Lyall (this one’s mine!)

When we were in high school, I thought she was “the one.” Until the day after graduation, when she ran away to the big city.
A decade later, she’s back in Dark Moon Falls, to settle her aunt’s estate. And guess what? That spark, that electricity between us? It still exists. But she’s determined to leave again, this time for good.
Problem is, somebody’s trying to hurt her, and whether we belong together or not, I’m damn well going to protect her.
I’ll figure out how to protect my heart later, when she’s gone again.

Cooper

I headed to the barn where Gloria sat, Kassidy right on my heels. I looked at her bare legs. Gorgeous bare legs that seemed to go on forever, but not the best for riding on my bike.
“You better go put some long pants on if you’re still hell-bent on coming with me.”
“We’re taking your bike?”
“We can’t exactly carry the rifles if we shift to our wolves.”
“Yes, but I thought we’d take the truck.”
“Gloria’s already got all my camping stuff on her and she’s ready to go.”
Kassidy stood there staring at the bike, her brows scrunched too tightly together.
“What’s the matter? You’re not afraid of riding with me, are you?”
She straightened her shoulders, obviously denying her fear. If I knew Kassy, she’d never admit she was afraid of anything. “No. I’ve just never ridden on a Harley before.”
“Trust me. It’s a piece of cake. Besides, all you have to do is sit behind me and hold on tight. I’ll do the driving.”
“Hmmm. Maybe that’s the part I don’t like.”
“Suit yourself. You can stay here.” I threw my leg over the bike and started the engine.
“Wait.” Kassidy ran to the house and two minutes later was back wearing a pair of straight-legged jeans. Was there nothing that didn’t look sexy on this woman? Then she hopped on behind me. “Just don’t crash, okay?”
“Trust me, baby. Gloria and I have a great relationship. I know how to handle her. Hold on.”
When she didn’t put her hands around me I decided to just go. I let out the clutch and we took off. I smiled when she let out a short yelp and then wrapped her arms tightly around my waist. And they felt good. Right. Like home.

Jaxon

Jaxson comes from old money and lives in a mansion on the mountain, but you wouldn’t know it to meet him – he’s down to earth with an unassuming way and oozes rugged masculinity. There is one catch, though… he harbors a closet full of emotional demons that stem from a devastating family secret, and it’s this very thing that ends up connecting him to Rhee, a wild child with a sharp tongue and the woman he wants to claim. Too bad for him, she’s only in town for three days.

Easton

Meet Easton Raines. Broody, hot, and, and currently battling demons from his past. If he wants to find peace, he’ll have to return to the one place he said he’d never go again. Only this time, his wolf isn’t letting him leave without its mate.

Ten years ago, Easton Raines left to start a better life. But a decade away hasn’t done much to solve any of the problems that sent him running. He returns home to find his world much like he left it: broken and empty.
Then he runs into an old flame.
Cat’s loved Easton since high school, but her knack for picking the wrong guy has put her in a dangerous spot.
Easton’s determined to heal himself and hightail it out of there, no strings attached. Will he love her and leave her—again—or will Cat’s past decisions catch up with her and break them apart for good?

Ryder

When I saw her emerge from the forest, covered in blood and dirt, I had to help her, regardless if I had back up or not. The scent of fear permeated the air, something I loathed to smell on a female, and I hadn’t experienced one so strong in the past. Once I reached her, it took a moment to register that she was Kiera, the daughter of an Alpha, whose pack was hundreds of miles away from Dark Moon Falls.
With no other choice, I took her to my home to rest and recover.
In the days that followed, I realized that I’d found my mate.
Kiera told me she felt the same, but her body and spirit were too damaged from what happened to her to commit. She was resisting the draw we had to each other, and I vowed to make them pay for what she’d suffered at their hands.

I’ll wait for her as long as I have to.

Dane

I like to make the ladies laugh. It’s adorable how some of y’all giggle even when I’m not trying to be funny. But I only have eyes for one girl and her name is Kali. I’m ready to settle down and she’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of when it comes to a woman. She’s funny and independent, all wrapped up in one beautiful package. What more could I possibly ask for? But she’s in a dangerous situation that involves the entire town and pack. Now people are dying. I’m hoping my help is enough to take down this evil before it takes more lives. Will our new love survive? I hope so because I can’t lose her now that I’ve found her.

Maddox

Thoughts of clearing my name dissipated when I saw her. She was the woman from my dreamscapes. The woman who appeared in my visions. But I wasn’t looking for something permanent.
She was supposed to have stroked my ego while I found the bastard who committed murder in my hometown. Once my name was cleared, I’d go back home.
But home was no longer a place. It had a face, and a body I couldn’t get enough of. And my wolf wanted her too.
When I was a kid, I had a relative who told me, “Our hearts chose who we loved.”
Maybe she was right.

Ghost

Ghost has been living the life of a nomad. A Lone Wolf. Riding his Harley, picking up odd jobs, and stopping only long enough to lay his head somewhere for the night. But life on the road is no longer as appealing as it used to be and he’s ready to settle down, find a mate, and begin the next chapter of his life.

Dark Moon Falls seems like a great place to do just that.

Mackenzie was born and raised in Dark Moon Falls, but ever since her ex-husband landed in jail based off of her testimony, she’s become a pariah to the shifters in town. Which is fine with Mac, because after being left to raise her son alone, she doesn’t have much faith in them either.

Ghost and Mac are two lonely souls, until fate finally intervenes and puts them in each other’s paths… But will they accept the gift of each other, or are they both too stubborn to see what’s right in front of them?

A man of my talents, I had no problem finding work, but as the years went on I found myself yearning for something more.

Something I’d never wanted… A pack. A mate. A place to put down roots.

After what felt like a lifetime of living out of a bag and roaming like a nomad, I was ready to have a touchstone. Somewhere to return to when the road got too long, and I grew weary of staying at the next motel.

A home.

That’s why I was currently pointed in the direction of Dark Moon Falls.

I’d heard of it numerous times during my travels. A town where shifters roamed freely and lived among humans.

A few of my buddies had settled there, and I’d met some members of the pack over the years, including their Alpha, Elias Grant, who was cool as a cucumber and had the respect of not only his pack, but the entire town.

Although I knew I’d never fully have the need to ride out of my blood, Dark Moon Falls seemed like a good place to settle down and begin this new phase of my life.

Abel

I loved her from the moment I saw her. I could give you a million reasons why but the only reason that matters is because we belong to each other. Leaving her was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but it was the only way to keep her safe.

Now that her father is gone, murdered, I may be the only one between her and those who would want to hurt her if they find out her secret. A secret she may not even know.

She once asked me, “What’s better? A man that would kill for you or die for you?”

I answered, “Both.”

Like what you’ve read so far? Click here to order the entire boxed set from your favorite ebook retailer: DARK MOON FALLS

Thanks for reading! ~Tami Lund

 

Run with the Wolves (aka discounted PNR books!)

Have you ever checked out these Wolf Pack Runs before? If you’re into paranormal reads, it’s well worth your time.

There are mountain lions and spirits and dragons and faeries and wolves and aliens and witches and gargoyles and a phoenix and vampires and magic and cyborgs and surely there’s something on this list that makes you curious!

Click here to learn more>>>WOLF PACK RUN

PS – There’s also a giveaway. A couple of Amazon gift cards. So yeah…click the link above and grab your summer reads!

PSS – The first book in my Lightbearer series is in this Wolf Pack Run, and it’s only 99 cents!      ~Tami Lund

Too Much Fun Scheduled…

It’s graduation/wedding/end of school season. For me personally, it’s also wedding anniversary-slash-daughter’s birthday season. Oh yeah, and summer; trying to get in every single possible second of glorious sunshine-filled days because I live in Michigan and fully understand how few and fleeting those days are.

This summer, so far, I’ve only received one wedding invite; scheduled for the last day of my vacation, no less. But I do have plenty of high school graduations. In fact, I had two invites for last weekend and two more for this upcoming one. There’s also my brother-in-law’s birthday party and my niece’s horse show, my daughter’s last day of school, and prepping (mentally and literally) for the vacation my husband and I are taking for our twentieth wedding anniversary (!!). And as soon as we return, it’s my daughter’s birthday, and after that, I think summer slows down for a few weeks until our annual family vacation (and that wedding) toward the end of July. Thank God.

Oh crap, and I just realized Father’s Day falls in there, too!

Meanwhile, I’m riddled with guilt as I try to juggle two jobs, a teenager, nurturing my garden so I can have fresh salsa by the end of summer, attempting to lose a few pounds so I actually don’t hate the way I look in my swimsuit; on top of all those obligations listed above. Which, by the way, ultimately, will be fun, so honestly, calling them obligations isn’t the correct term, but that’s how I feel at the moment.

Because it’s too much. And yet I want to—or at least feel obligated to—do it all. Two of the grad parties are for children of cousins whose parents are brothers, so optimally I’d like to only do one, but is that really fair? Truthfully, I may not be able to do either, which only adds yet another layer to my constant companion, Guilt.

And then there’s the reality that my husband and I chose to get married on Father’s Day weekend all those years ago, so we have to figure out how to celebrate that special event, honor three fathers (my husband and both our dads), as well as make my daughter feel special on her birthday, which is also right there in the mix. Oh, and three of my five nieces have birthdays all that same week as my daughter. This summer in particular, I am so grateful we enrolled my daughter in the school she currently attends if only because they end their school year a week before her old one does; otherwise, that grand event would be happening right smack in the middle of everything else listed in this paragraph.

Oy, we should have planned out our lives better!

I know, I know, that isn’t how it works, but that comment makes me chuckle because I am, while not strictly Type A, most definitely a planner, and I need to make everything fit, everything work; find order on the chaos that has become my June calendar. (Yes, I still use a paper calendar. Two of them, as a matter of fact. Because I don’t care what you say, it’s just easier.)

And so, up front, before the event-filled weekends even arrive, I have to mentally make the decisions: What will we do? What will we decline? And those decisions are, admittedly, made with my coveted writing time in mind.

If I go to the work event on Friday, the graduation on Saturday, the dinner party on Saturday, and the graduation on Sunday, when will I have time to write?  And so I start trimming obligations, so that I can sit on my backporch and work on yet another novel for your enjoyment.

Because I enjoy it too. And I don’t feel obligated to do it; I simply want to. Which is how writing ultimately is the winner in the end.

Rather, you are.

 

Tami Lund writes books and drinks copious amounts of wine to combat the guilt of choosing writing over all that fun stuff she should be doing. This book just released on May 31, if you want to check it out!

DRAGON IN DENIAL

 

 

HUNGRY LIKE A DRAGON Excerpt

Guess what? I just released a new book–yesterday! Here’s what it contains:

• dragons
• a sexy dragon chef
• a stubborn, strong, badass dragon heroine
• a cute dragon baby
• dragon humor
• witches (and dragons)
• gargoyles (and dragons)
• dragon sexy times
• a dragon-licious happy ending

And here’s a teaser for additional temptation:

“Okay, baby girl,” she murmured as she lifted the child onto her shoulder and gently patted her back. “Let’s get that gas out and then fall back asleep for at least twenty minutes. I need a shower.” Never, until three months ago, had she considered showers to be a novelty, a privilege, a damn-near euphoric experience.

For once, the bundle of adorableness decided to comply, belching loudly enough to make a grown man jealous and then promptly sighing and closing her eyes. She was so damn cute, Petra was tempted to just hold her like this, but reality called in the form of being clean for the date she’d managed to line up for tonight.

Gently placing the sleeping babe in the bouncy seat that was already parked on the bathroom floor, Petra quickly turned on the water and stripped down, ignoring the soft paunch she glimpsed in the mirror before climbing into the shower.

Sadie started crying five minutes later.

“Oh come on,” Petra complained as she rinsed conditioner out of her hair. “I need to shave. It’s been way too long. Birds are starting to look at my legs as possible relocation options.”

Sadie stopped crying.

Petra paused in the act of turning off the water. When the baby didn’t start up again, she picked up her razor, quickly lathered her leg, and got to work scraping off enough hair she worried the drain would clog.

Good thing she was able to get through the task, because she couldn’t wear long pants tonight even if she wanted to. She didn’t have any that were clean. Her choices were shorts or a skirt. Because she sure as hell couldn’t fit into the dozens of outfits she bought for Sadie. Working at a kids’ clothing store was probably not the wisest choice for someone who wasn’t good at self-control.

Clean and freshly shaved, she turned off the water and shoved aside the shower curtain, reaching for her towel.

And saw a man standing in the bathroom, holding her daughter in his arms, his body gently swaying to some silent beat.

Petra immediately summoned the magic, ready to shift into dragon form and scare the living daylights out of whoever the hell dared sneak into her house and pick up her baby girl and…

Her dragon, in stark contrast to Petra’s reaction, was doing a jig, a rather seductive one, at that. Why the hell wasn’t her dragon roaring in her head and demanding to come out so she could rip this guy’s limbs from his body?

The internal confusion gave the man enough time to turn to face her, and Petra’s heart stopped for a long moment, then kicked into triple overtime.

Oh. My. Gods.

Noah.

And jeez, did he ever look good, holding her baby like that.

Their baby.

Oh shit.

“Uh…” She finally tore her gaze away from the man she’d been fantasizing about pretty regularly ever since she sauntered away from him after the most amazing sex ever in the woods behind Gabe’s house. She snagged her towel and quickly wrapped it around herself, hiding her mom bod from view.

His gaze dropped south of the hem of the terrycloth. “Did I give you enough time to shave?”

Her face heated. “Uh…” Crap, was she incapable of forming words? Standing in the tub, water dripping from the ends of her hair, clutching the towel above her heaving breasts, she finally managed the concept of actual speech. “Wha-what are you doing here?”

He indicated the child sleeping on his shoulder. “Meeting my daughter. She is mine, isn’t she?”

Want to keep reading? Of course you do! Head on over to the Bad Alpha Dads website for all the buy links. While you’re there, take a look at the first book in the Taming the Dragon series, DRAGON HIS HEELS, which is on sale for 99c until 1/31/2019!

Happy (dragon) reading!

Tami Lund is an author, award winner, wine drinker, and writer of dragon romance. She also writes mafia romance, and the first book in her Detroit Mafia Romance series releases on 2/28/2019. Stay tuned for more deets…https://tamilund.com/

What Are You Reading?

As I typed that title, in my head I heard that “What’s in your wallet” commercial, just FYI.

But anyway, wanna know what I’m currently reading?

First up is Conquer My Heart by Rachel Donnelly. I just started it, so I’m only about 10% in, but already fascinated. It’s a historical romance with a strong heroine who fits into the era. I love a good, strong heroine, so appreciate it when authors write them into historical novels, but they still have to be appropriate to the time they live in, right? And so far, Rachel Donnelly is doing exactly that with Briana. I’m looking forward to getting lost in the time of Vikings and Saxons.

The next one I plan to immerse myself in is The Lost Dragon by Debbie Herbert. I grabbed this one because another author had mentioned it was one of her favorite reads of 2018. It’s part of the Bad Alpha Dads series that I also write in. I read a few pages before clicking and I’m already totally hooked. Even though I’m thoroughly enjoying the above mentioned historical romance, I’m equally as excited to dive into this dragon shifter book.

Lastly, I haven’t gotten to them yet, but I noticed I’ve downloaded a fair share of other dragon books to my phone (I read via the Kindle app or through iBooks). Apparently, I’m on a dragon kick lately. Could be because I just set up my own second dragon book for pre-order, and I’m a little giddy about it. Not only that, but I’ve already started the third book in the series (Taming the Dragon series), and I now have five total books planned. Including one in which a gargoyle will feature prominently. Which reminds me, I need to check out a few gargoyle shifter books too…

 

Happy reading! Oh, and if you’re interested in my latest book, it’s called Hungry Like A Dragon and will be released on January 29, 2019. You can pre-order here:

HUNGRY LIKE A DRAGON

Tami Lund writes and reads books, drinks copious amounts of wine, and occasionally wins awards. You should check out her website: https://tamilund.com/