Once In A Lifetime Adventure? Sign me up!

       Release day for A Wolf’s Promise is finally here. Yay!!!! I have to admit Kinsey, the heroine, was one of my favorite characters to write. Why? Well, it’s simple. She embraces her impulsive, adventurous spirit.

When Drayce gives her a hotter-than-heck night and then leaves, she chases him across the country to find out if they have more than a passing fling. Now she may seem a bit stalkerish, but think about it a moment….Haven’t you ever wanted something and passed up a chance?

I have. Repeatedly. It’s so simple to get locked into a monotonous existence that the second one iota of change appears it feels wrong, something to ignore and forget about. When I was younger I thought the perfect life would be working temporary jobs around the country—staying only long enough to see the sites and have the random adventures the area could offer. Then I’d set out for a new destination, lather, rinse and repeat. Fun huh?

I never had the courage to let go of the security routine provided. So a part of me loves Kinsey for doing what I couldn’t. Sure, she’s a fictional character, but I like to think of her as the ambassador of adventure for us all.

So, if you could strike out from normalcy and do one wild, impromptu thing, what would you do? Come on, let’s give Kinsey a run for her money here. My list is pretty extensive but I think I’ll offer a couple ideas from mine:

1.    Snowed in – my northerner friends laugh when I mention this because they know my southern Texas blood is way too thin to enjoy this experience. But as someone who’s rarely seen snow, I’m enthralled by the idea of being snowed in somewhere remote. Maybe a cabin in the woods or something. No internet, no outside pressures.

2.  Pile into the car and drive – this is probably my favorite idea. Tossing a suitcase into the car and heading out, stopping wherever the mood strikes me. Live in the moment rather than by a schedule.

Okay, so those are off the top of my head. What are yours?

In the meantime, check out A Wolf’s Promise and see what happens when Kinsey chases her man down and stumbles across the Black Hills Wolves. I was thrilled to be a part of this incredible series and I hope she and Drayce live up to all the wonderful stories they’re surrounded by.

A woman does what’s necessary to get her man…

When Drayce Freeman rocked Kinsey Jamison’s world one passionate night and then turned tail and ran the morning after, she did the only thing a self-respecting woman would. Chase him down and prove they had the zing. Fortunately her BFF, a jaguar shifter, gave her the 411 on wolves—or most of it, that is. She’s ready to do whatever it takes to get her man—even if it means taking on the whole pack.

The last thing Drayce needs right now is the sexy human his inner wolf wants to claim showing up in Los Lobos. The headstrong, goofy female refuses to take no for an answer. Living on the fringes of a rebuilding pack is hard enough, but now he has the widow of his pack mate and a rugrat to deal with. Adding a human to the mix would be a mistake. Duty sucks. 

Phoenix Rising

By Cara Carnes

I’m thrilled Phoenix Rising releases today. When this line of paranormal new adult books was mentioned to me, I knew instantly what I wanted to write. Specifically, I knew what I wanted Riletta and Macen to share with the world.

What I didn’t expect was the visceral reaction I would have as a writer while putting their story down. I’ve written quite a few books at this point. The characters are always fiercely independent in my head and I as the author always have a firm grasp on their personalities, flaws and little idiosyncrasies.

From the start, though, these characters were different. This story was different. Even as I typed THE END I still couldn’t put my finger on precisely why. Then, late one night, it came to me.

Their journey was mine. Or rather, ours. We’ve all been there in one way or another—in a new place, starting a new leg of our life experience. I might’ve breathed life into Riletta and Macen but they gave me understanding, insight into how far I’d come. More importantly, how much I’d grown.

I was too young to be on my own. I didn’t know that then. I do now. I didn’t have many of the life experiences other kids my age had. I love my family dearly, but stating I was sheltered is such a grave understatement that,if I to said it aloud, lightning would strike me. I knew no one. To make matters worse, I wasn’t exactly a social bug. Add this to the fact I wasn’t living in a dorm and the perfect recipe for a horrible first year culminated.

Fortunately, fate intervened and I followed my heart’s desire and enrolled in a journalism class. It was mostly juniors and seniors. To say I was out of my comfort zone was an understatement. But I was helping put together the college newspaper. Nothing could stop me.

I learned so much the first year there—jello shots aren’t the world’s answer to tasty party snacks and the world will NOT end because there are thousands of crickets have invaded the campus (you don’t want to know. Trust me, it was VILE. *cringes) Those are the first two that came to mind. There were so many more. What can I say? I was a naïve newbie with LOTS to learn. 

I could share tales of over imbibing, misadventures of the socially awkward. But the most important lesson I took from that year was risk. Taking a chance by putting yourself out there is hard, but the reward when it pays off is so worth it.

 

I hope you enjoy Phoenix Rising. More importantly, I hope it helps you recall your younger self and discover exactly how far you’ve come since then.

So, what did you learn your first year away from home?

Buy Links:

Amazon || Kobo || iTunes || Decadent Publishing

Blurb:

Sometimes you have to crumble to ashes before you can fly

Riletta knew hardship. As a shifter who couldn’t shift, she was raised in a wolf pack that ostracized her. She was ready to tackle the world when she was dropped off at the university with no identity, very little cash, and the only thing she wanted—freedom. The last thing she expected was for the university’s resident Alpha wolf to stake a claim.

Macen Giordano hadn’t expected the little female to bring out his protective wolf, but he’s not about to let university politics harm the innocent shifter. Riles may not be wolf, but she is his.

When prejudices threaten them both and shed light on her true nature, the two must survive the impossible to earn their destiny.

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