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Year of the Dragon

2012 is the year of the dragon and I love writing dragon shifter stories.

Dragons appear in myths and fairy tales and they are the keeper of treasure, protecting hoards of gold and jewels and the occasional maiden. I bring those mythical elements into my dragon stories.

My dragons soar and dive. Their wings flap, flutter and snap. Although their wings are important, dragons are far more complex. They have horns, scales, talons and beautiful long tails. They breathe fire and blow smoke and that’s why I love dragon shifters. All that fire stirs my imagination and I want the reader to feel the burn.

Dragon shifter characters are so unique and exciting I decided to do a series titled Dragonfire. My dragons must find their one true mate for only then will they experience dragonfire.

Book one, Captured, was released by Changeling Press in the fall. My heroine, Zira, has been captured and placed in an aviary as a pet for the tyrant, Targus. Her keeper, Laros, is a handsome, human thrall and his job is to take care of the fierce dragon and see that it flies for his master’s pleasure. In this story the dragon is the maiden and Laros is a modern knight who saves her.

Book two, Chosen, is the story of Karis, a female shifter whose fate was preordained because of a gold deal struck between her ancestor and a powerful sorcerer a thousand years ago. Born with a dragon on her hip, Karis is the chosen. According to legend, the location of a hoard of gold will be revealed when Karis bonds with her true mate. She’s been guarded all her life because even good dragons will do bad things for gold.

Book three of Dragonfire will be released later this year. I promise it will have fire, smoke, treasure and a hunky hero.

I wish you a very happy and lucky Year of the Dragon.

BLURB for DRAGONFIRE: Chosen

A thousand years ago, two dragon clans went to war over a cache of gold. To end the war, a sorcerer hid the gold and foretold of the birth of a female bearing the mark of the dragon.

Born with a dragon on her hip, Karis Nordrath is the chosen, and because of the mark she’s been guarded all of her life. According to legend, the location of the gold will be revealed when the chosen is bonded with her dragon mate, but the only dragon that stirs Karis’ fire is bodyguard, Rett Aurumon.

Rett left the Fire Mountains to follow a wanderlust he couldn’t explain until he laid eyes on Karis. Hired as her bodyguard, Rett doesn’t know if his true role is protector or mate. He doesn’t know Karis is the chosen, but he knows she’s the one.

CHOSEN is the second book in my Dragonfire series and is available now from Changeling Press.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1758

EXCERPT

Rett Aurumon stood in the front foyer of Gaden Hazac’s apartment waiting for his client. He walked to the end of the foyer, careful not to step into the spacious living room of glass, chrome and leather. The room had all the warmth of the man who lived within its pale gray walls.

Barefoot and wearing a pair of black sweats, Hazac entered the living room. “She’ll be ready shortly. Her hair was mussed.”

The tone of the lawyer’s voice and his lack of clothing got the point across. Hazac wanted Rett to know he and Miss Nordrath had had sex. Rett had often wondered why the man felt it necessary to make this point to a bodyguard.

Rett liked his job and his growing feelings for the woman he was hired to protect were disturbing, but he was certain of one thing. He disliked Gaden Hazac. “Thank you, Mr. Hazac.”

The lawyer walked over to a wet bar and poured himself a drink. Then Hazac turned his back on Rett and stared out the window at the city skyline.

Rett hadn’t expected his client’s boyfriend to engage him in conversation, and he’d never been invited into the living area of the apartment. Rett didn’t mind remaining in the foyer without benefit of restroom or a drink of water. The job required hours of tedious waiting. At least Rett didn’t have to listen to Hazac and his client making love.

The driver called to tell Rett the armored vehicle was in front of the building. Rett disconnected and his client entered the living room. Her dark gold hair was loose, flowing over her shoulders. She wore a bright blue blouse that complemented her eyes and a gray skirt that accentuated her trim figure.

Rett longed to let his gaze drift slowly down her shapely legs to the high heels she wore, but he kept his focus.

Hazac hustled to her side and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Hey, baby.”

When Hazac leaned down to kiss her, Miss Nordrath turned so that his lips brushed her cheek. She looked at Rett. “Is the car ready?”

“Waiting out front, Miss Nordrath.”

His client stepped back, extricating herself from Hazac. “Goodnight, Gaden.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Hazac said.

Rett opened the front door and checked the hallway. As he escorted his client out of the apartment, Rett glanced at Hazac. “Goodnight, Mr. Hazac.”

The lawyer glared at him, then downed his drink.

When they reached the elevator, Rett pushed the call button. “Did you have a nice evening, Miss Nordrath?”

She sighed. “Not one of my best.”

They stepped into the empty elevator. “Are you headed home, Miss?”

“Yes, thank you.”

As the car descended, Rett took advantage of the private moment to admire his client. She was twenty-seven, stunningly beautiful, with a generous smile and a musical laugh. Her features were delicate, her pale golden skin was flawless, her neck graceful, her breasts nicely rounded, her waist trim, her ass perfect and her legs long.

And the dreams she wrought were making his nights pure agony.

She glanced at him and smiled. Rett was sure she’d caught him looking, but was saved by the loud ding of the elevator bell, announcing they’d descended to the lobby floor. The doors opened. Rett stepped out first and checked the building’s foyer before his client exited the car.

He repeated the security check as they exited the building.

“Rett, why don’t you call me Karis?”

Because I need the reminder that I’m just an employee.

“I’m following instructions, Miss.”

“My father’s instructions? You have my permission to call me Karis.”

“Thank you, Miss.”

He opened the back door of the Nordrath vehicle. Karis’ car was heavily armored with a trained driver at the wheel. Rett rarely left her side.

She climbed into the vehicle, then looked up at Rett and grinned. “You’re not going to do it, are you?”

He grinned back. “No, Miss.”

Rett shut the heavy door. He’d never say it out loud, but that wouldn’t stop him from thinking of her as Karis.

www.bjmccall.com

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Delights of Winter: Books, chocolate sauce and thou!

A balmy 60 degree weather here in south Texas does not deter me from writing this. I am cold. Okay, I know you are probably shivering in much lower temperatures, but hey!, where I live this is approximately 20-30 degrees lower than what we normally experience.

Yet in winter, my activities turn to cocooning.

Today, I’m making a marinara sauce, reading the next in my allotment of Rita nominee novels and watching the rain drizzle down. I’m not going anywhere. I’m wearing my comfy duds and thick socks and drinking tea and coffee.

Could life be better?

No.

To help you in your quest for a yummy day–or even Valentine’s Day, I give you my recipe for chocolate sauce.

This thick delicious stuff warms the heart in winter (and all other seasons). It’s easy and quick to make. (I give it as Christmas gifts.) And it is not terribly expensive.

Here’s your chocolate fix:

• 1 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips (Any flavor, they are all yummy!)
• 1 bag of Kraft caramels (Yes, you have to unwrap these little suckers. Truly, this is the “hardest” part of the recipe, but why not have a scotch, neat, while unwrapping these little babies? You’ll be warm, happy and ready for desert!)
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 stick of butter (1 cup)

Empty the room temperature butter, chips, caramels into a microwave proof pot. Pour the milk over it all.

Then, in 2 minutes increments, cook the mixture on High in the microwave, for a total of 10-12 minutes.

Stir (and sip your scotch) between every 2 minute cook.

Remove from microwave, stir with a spatula for one-2 minutes to ensure that the teeny tiny bits melt down.

Pour into a glass jar with a metal spoon inside to ensure the glass does not break from the heat. (I use canning jars, large and lovely, for this! As a gift, I tie a bow around the lip. Viola! Happy friends!)

This makes such a heap of deliciousness, your family will thank you. YOU will thank you. Over ice cream or brownies–or…um…just straight from the darn jar, this sauce is divine.

Also divine is the opportunity to write for a number of terrific publishers. (I love my job.)

On Feb. 3, I debut a short short with my Sassy 7 friends for Decadent Publishing in their new series, The Edge. They even invited us to launch this line for them!

BE MINE, my story, tells the tale of a man who has hunted for the woman he met and fell in love with last Valentine’s Day.

Hope you will read them all and enjoy them, my chocolate sauce and your cocooning activities, (wink, wink!) whatever they are!

Come to http://www.cerisedeland.com for more news about me and my fiction.

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Adele Dubois

Cerise Deland

Dee Brice

Francesca Hawley

Jan Springer

Jane Beckenham

Liz Crowe

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Please join these fabulous authors and our other SNSD member authors each day for great posts and news of their recent releases, including contests!!

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