Exciting News!!!

I can't believe it's already the end of September! It doesn't seem real to me. Time has just flown by way too fast. But some exciting things have happened this month. The most exciting being...

drumroll please

 I contracted my fourth book!

Lyrical Press has offered me a contract for the fourth book in the Alpine Woods Shifters Series, Worth Fighting For. Right now, the release date is set for July 9th. And since I know some of you who read Arctic Winds have been requesting it, I think you'll be pleased to know this book is about the local fox Premier, Cody!

Here's the working blurb:

As leader of a fox skulk, Cody is used to feeling protective of his people. But when his best friend, Misty, gets attacked, the panic he feels has nothing to do with duty. Suddenly, he’s noticing Misty as a woman instead of the girl he grew up with. Is he willing to risk their friendship to pursue a relationship with her?

Misty has loved Cody for years, but he’s always viewed her as one of the guys. She’s tried everything to show him how perfect they would be together, without success. Now, he’s looking at her like she always dreamed he would. But every time she gets close, he pulls away.

Neither see the danger lurking in the background. Someone is plotting against the foxes, leaving them all in jeopardy…especially Misty. Can Cody overcome his fears in time to save the woman he loves? 

Already, I've started working on my pre-edits and I'm so excited. I think this story is going to be a really special addition to the series! To celebrate, I'm being taken out to a fancy restaurant tonight. It's been a long time since I was able to put on a fancy dress and go out, so I'm looking forward to it very much. 

I also just got back from a girls weekend to Universal Studios in Orlando (yes, I went to Hogwartz), but I'll save that story for another day. I'm hoping to get some of the pictures before I write about it so I can share with you all, but I wasn't the one with the camera and so far haven't gotten them. Soon hopefully! 

Until then, hope you all have a good last day of the month and a good upcoming weekend. Anyone have anything fun planned?

Dog Behavior

As many of you who've been following this blog or any of my other social networks know, I recently moved. Not only did we change location, but we also moved from a house in the suburbs to an apartment in the city. Needless to say, the amount of space we have was cut exponentially.

Now, this really wouldn't be a problem. It's actually quite nice if you ask me. But someone in the family seems to be less than pleased. At least, I'm assuming that's the cause of the most recent development.

One of our dogs, the youngest, has developed some new behavior issues. Not only has he started chewing on the furniture (so far we've caught him before he's ruined anything), but he's been stealing things. And shoes are the least of it. He did ruin a pair of slippers, but he's also danced around with a couple bras in his mouth, multiple pairs of socks, underwear, and plastic water bottles. Yep, water bottles. They don't even need to be empty. This morning, I must have left a cabinet or a door open, because every few minutes he'd have a new one in his mouth. Luckily, we got them away before he sprayed water all over the house.

The logical conclusion is that he's not getting enough exersize. But believe me, that cannot be the case. We're at the dog park or beach at least once a day, more often two, and boy do those dogs get run ragged. They end up sleeping half the day away. But as soon as he's up, he's back to his bad behavior.

So, that's what I've been dealing with. My biggest concern is not that he'll destroy something, but that he'll eat something and get sick. We've already had to deal with that when he ate a rock and needed surgery to get it out. Not the smartest dog in the world, hehe. At the moment, I don't have a good idea to stop the behavior. Right now, we've resorted to blocking him in the kitchen while we're away, and keeping a close eye on him when we're home.


Anyone else had to deal with this kind of thing? How did you take care of the problem?

What I Did on my Summer Vacation...

I feel like I should be writing a book report about what I did this summer since I've been MIA for the past few weeks. The truth is far less exciting than it sounds though. Truth is, even though summer is usually a good time for me to catch up on reading, I didn't even do a whole lot of that this year. I did spend a fun week with my friend at her summer cottage off of Lake Michigan, which was a lot of fun. And I moved across the country. Literally. I am now residing in Sunny California! It's beautiful here, but definitely an adjustment. I still feel like I'm on vacation, not that I'm in my new home.

But all in all, things are good! Chasing Paradise was released last month, and I've been hard at work preparing The Wolf Within for its November release date. I also completed Book Four in the series, Worth Fighting For. No release date for that yet. Next on my writing plate is the first book in a new series. Don't worry, I'm not through with the Alpine Woods Shifters yet, just throwing something new into the mix. :)

As for the books I've read this summer...

June:

 Her Commander (The Orion #2) by Cathryn Cade. 6/10. Not as charming as the first book, but still an enjoyable read.

 Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night (IAD #3) by Kresley Cole. 10/10. I didn't think Ms. Cole could top No Rest for the Wicked, but she just might have here. I say might because I don't know that I could choose. Both are great books. If you haven't read this series and like Paranormal Romance, I highly recommend it.

Dark Needs at Night's Edge (IAD #4) by Kresley Cole. 8.5/10. Not as good as the last two but still a solid addition to the series. Another great read.



July:

 Never a Princess, Always a Frog by L.K. Below. 8/10. Very nicely done short story. There were a few points that were breezed over, but overall, a great read.

 Hidden Star by Nora Roberts (reread) 10/10. Just as good as I remembered. Loved this story and the characters.

 Dark Desires after Dusk (IAD #5) by Kresley Cole. 8/10. I really struggled with this one. It was good, don't get me wrong, but probably my least favorite in the series so far.

 Captive Star By Nora Roberts (reread) 6/10. I remember this was my least favorite when I first read these books years and years ago, and the same was true here. Had a hard time relating to the characters.

Anchor by Jorrie Spencer 7/10. I really liked the uniqueness of the story, and the main characters. The story really captured me and drew me in. The only reason this didn't receive a higher rating, was that there really wasn't any romance in this romance book. They kind of tacked it on at the end, but it didn't feel natural or complete.

August: (as you can see I went through a superhero romance phase)

 Doms of Dark Haven 2 (Western Nights). 7/10. HOWEVER: Two of the stories in here I loved loved loved. The only reason this didn't get full marks from me was because one story I hated. I couldn't even finish it. I bought the book specifically for the Cherise Sinclair story and although I wish it had been longer, she didn't disappoint.

 Screw Superman (AKA Screwing the Superhero) by Rebecca Royce. 10/10. I absolutely adored this book. One of the best books I've read this year. I highly recommend it.

 Banging the Superhero by Rebecca Royce. 8/10. Not as good as the first, but still a fantastic read. I will definitely be buying more from Ms. Royce.

 Who Wants to Date a Superhero by R.G. Alexander. 7/10. This was a fun read. I really liked the heroine and I love R.G. Alexanders use of reality tv in her books. Recommended for anyone who likes superhero romances.

 Bunny and the Bear by Eve Langlais 6/10. I really liked this book but there were a few things that tripped me up. I don't want to give anything away, but I wish she'd run with the idea of a bunny shifter instead of...well, if you read the book, I think you'll see what I mean. Also, the use of pie in reference to a woman's sex was a bit strange. And when both characters used it independent of the other, it threw me off. Overall, a cute read, and I will read more from Eve Langlais in the future, but there were a few things that threw me off about this one.

Okay, I think I'm caught up now! Whew, guess I read more than I thought (although still a bit short from usual).

What were your favorite summer reads?

Chasing Paradise Guest Blog #2

Today I'm blogging about the power of words over at Stephanie Haefner's blog. If you don't know Stephanie, well, you should. She's great. So head on over to her blog, The Writer's Cocoon, and check it out!

http://thewriterscocoon.blogspot.com/2011/08/awesome-magificent-fabulous.html

Guest Blogging and a contest

I'm over at Bitten by Paranormal Romance today and giving away an ebook. One lucky commenter will have a chance to win either Arctic Winds or Chasing Paradise. So if you've already read Arctic Winds, you can pick up the second one, and if you haven't, now's your chance!

Hope to see you all over there!

http://www.bittenbyparanormalromance.com/2011/08/guest-paranormal-romance-author-sondrae.html

Release Day!

Release day is finally here! And with it the second book in my Alpine Woods Shifter series. I have to admit, its almost more nerve wracking the second time around. I just hope I don't let my readers down and they enjoy Chasing Paradise as much as I enjoyed writing it. Gwen was a hard cookie to crack, but she's got a large heart and it was so much fun writing an otter shifter.

Throughout this week, I'll be all over the bloggerverse doing interviews and giveaways, so be sure to check back in to find out where I am. There are even a few contests going on for a chance to win.

And be sure to check out Chasing Paradise available now at Lyrical Press, Amazon, and digital bookstores everywhere!

Chasing Paradise Excerpt

Chasing Paradise

Available Monday, August 1st

When she stopped in front of him, her eyes locked on his and he was powerless to look away.

“Hi.” Her gaze shifted to the side as if searching for something to say. “I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself earlier, or thank you for saving me from the wall. I’m Gwen.”

She thrust out her hand to shake his, and Ethan stared at it. How would she react if he pulled her into his arms and ravaged those beautiful lips like he wanted to? Instead, he gave her a smile and shook hands.

“Actually, you did manage to thank me.” Utterly charming him in the process, too.  The blush that stole over her cheeks only endeared her to him more. “I’m Ethan. Can I buy you a drink, Gwen?”

Her gaze drifted to the open doors behind him. “I probably shouldn’t. I try not to mingle with guests.” She continued to stare into the bar before glancing back at him, her doe-like eyes hiding nothing. She wanted to stay with him and was fighting an internal battle with her conscience. It would be easy to tip the scales in his favor.

With any other woman, he’d swing his arm around her shoulders, and guide her toward the bar with a charming smile. Instead, using his intuition as his guide, he cupped her cheek with his hand. Her eyes closed as she nuzzled her face against him but flew open moments later as he drew her closer. His other hand slipped around her waist as he tilted her chin up, aligning her lips with his.

As soon as his lips brushed against hers, his wolf growled low in his chest. Something about this woman captivated him. The need to touch her, taste her, move inside her, was unbearable. Resisting the urge to crush her against him proved difficult and he struggled to keep the kiss light.

Despite his resolution, the feel of her lips parting in silent invitation proved too much for his tightly-strung control. His tongue thrust inside, exploring her mouth as his arms pulled her tighter against him. Her hands closed into fists, pulling at him as if to draw him closer. Breaking away, he gasped for air, need setting him on fire. Gwen rested her head on his shoulder, panting as well.

“What say we skip the drink and go back up to my room?” Ethan suggested, desperate to know her better.

“No.” Her quick reply was so unexpected, it took him a moment to process.

No? He thought they had been on the same page. Her hands were still fisted in his shirt, her body a comfortable weight in his arms. Everything indicated she had enjoyed the kiss as much as he had. Hell, she’d practically melted against him. What had he done wrong?

The moment he’d met this woman, everyone else had ceased to matter. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. It devastated him to think she might not feel the same way. Letting her go tonight would be one of the hardest things he’d ever done. If that was what she wanted, he’d find a way to walk away. But it wouldn’t end there. Wolves were persistent when they wanted something and he wanted Gwen. Nothing would stop him from coming back until she was ready for him. He’d win her over eventually. No other outcome was acceptable.

“My room is bigger.”

It took a moment to process the meaning behind her words, but once he did, his soul leapt and he fought the impulse to howl.