Under A Mating Moon: Lexi & Jake’s First Kiss

I’m excited to be here on the Decadent Pub blog today to celebrate release day for Under A Mating Moon, Book 27 in the Black Hills Wolves multi-author series.  Wahoo! ::happy dance::

Under A Mating Moon is my second “Moon” story for the BHW line, and I have another in progress. Each story features one of three Wolf siblings:  Ross (Diamond Moon, #12), Lexi (Under A Mating Moon, #27), and Evan (Jasmine Moon, in progress).

The official tour for Under A Mating Moon starts later this month, along with a blog hop and a book blast complete with giveaways!

Here’s the schedule:

* Rockin’ Reads Blog Giveaway Blog Hop, Sept. 23 – 30, 2015

* Under A Mating Moon Book Blitz and Giveaway, Sept. 24 – 25, 2015

* Under A Mating Moon Book Release Tour and Giveaway, Sept. 28 –  Oct. 12, 2015

Be sure to visit my Web site (http://www.celiabreslin.com/) this month for more details and links to the fun.

And now, as promised by the title of this blog post, here’s a look at Lexi and Jake’s first kiss! 

xoxo,

Celia

Book Description:

British Alpha wolf Jake Marsden spends his days among humans, pursuing a lucrative music career and avoiding his pack’s politics. When his current DJ tour takes him to the US, he stops in Los Lobos to visit family, and runs into the one Wolf he never wants to see again—the mate who rejected his claim.

While visiting her brother in Los Lobos, free-spirited Lexi Luparell is shocked to encounter the Wolf she’d denied when they were teens. Now she must face her guilt for the cruel way she spurned him all those years ago, make amends, and admit the truth. Jake was right all along—they’re meant to mate.

Lexi would love to explore the mate concept and her overwhelming attraction to virile, alpha Wolf Jake, but he wants nothing to do with her. How can she break down his defenses when she’s the reason he built them in the first place?

Jake dates only human women now. Lexi had her shot at being his mate, and she threw it away. But when her life is threatened, he may have to rethink his position and do whatever it takes to claim his one true mate.

Excerpt:

Wow, oh wow—J-Bird could kiss. Like melt her clothes clean off her body, kiss. Lexi moaned and parted her lips for Jake’s sexy, demanding mouth. He slipped his tongue inside, darting everywhere at once, exploring her so thoroughly her knees shook and she sagged in his iron embrace. God, his body was hard, nothing like the skinny kid from her memory. But his scent, that was the same. Musky man and smoky oak, like the white oak trees in the Hoosier National Forest where they used to hang when they were kids. Plus that sweet touch of maple. Delicious.

She let her tongue tangle with his, tasting the mint of his toothpaste mixed with the beer he’d obviously consumed before entering the house. Sparks of pleasure darted down her body all the way to her toes. Her boring ex, Dean, had never made her feel like this.

In fact, no one had ever kissed her like this, as if the zombie apocalypse had descended upon them and this was their last chance at happiness before doom struck them dead and ate their brains. Desperation, need, hunger, deep longing...it was all there in the way his hands clamped her tight to his torso, there in the way his mouth claimed hers, owning it.

She wound her arms around his neck, letting the pads of her fingers massage along the shaved hair at his nape. Desire drenched the G-string bikini bottoms she wore under her shorts. She’d battle a thousand brain-dead ghouls if he would touch her there, where she burned and ached for him. Her mate. God, was this happening?

Available at:

AllRomance || Amazon || Bookstrand || Kobo

Add Under A Mating Moon to your TBR List on GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26165628-under-a-mating-moon

About the Author:

Celia lives in California with her husband, daughter, and two feisty cats. She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and has a particular fondness for werewolves, vampires, and the Fae. Her award-winning vampire series - The Tranquilli Bloodline - is available from Champagne Books.  Diamond Moon is her first werewolf story for Decadent Publishing’s Black Hills Wolves shifter series. When not writing, you’ll find Celia exercising, reading a good book, hanging with her family, or indulging her addiction to Joss Whedon’s TV shows and movies.

Web site || Blog || Twitter || Facebook || Goodreads || Pinterest || Newsletter

Worth Fighting For

Today is the day! Worth Fighting For is now available.

I just love release days. It is so nice to see something I’ve worked so hard on be purchased for other people’s enjoyment.

Writing has taken up a special place in my heart. It’s still hard to believe that I’ve made this dream become a reality. And I never could have done it without the wonderful fans who purchase my stories. You guys rock!

To celebrate release day I have decided to give one lucky person a $5 dollar Amazon card. To enter, comment below with the name of your favorite Black Hills Wolves story so far. One random name will be drawn on 9/5 and I will email them. (Be sure to include your email.)

Blurb:

When Myka Hayes accepted the interior design job for The Den on Tao pack lands, she didn’t expect to be reunited with the wolf that’s haunted her dreams for the last six years. But there he stood behind the bar, looking all too sexy and mysterious.

Kaden Boyd was ready to leave his past behind and begin his future. At least until Myka walked into Gee’s Bar and stirred feelings inside him he’d thought he’d forgotten.

Both burn with desire for each other, but their past complicates things. Not wanting to cause any problems in his new life, Kaden tries to resist his attraction to Myka, but she has other plans. Once and for all, she intends to make him see that some things are Worth Fighting For.

Amazon || AllRomance eBooks  || Kobo  || GoogleBooks || Smashwords || iTunes 

Excerpt:

Myka rounded a corner and spotted Kaden exiting a walk-in fridge. “Hey. I’m glad you’re all for forgetting it because I sure didn’t want to have to tell you I’m not interested. A lot has changed since I was a teenager, including my taste in men.”

He laughed.

It pissed her off. “What’s so funny?”

“Honey, if that was you not being interested in the main bar, then I would be scared to see what interested looked like.”

Damn him. “You’re very rude.”

He shrugged again and cast her a smile. “I try my best.”

“What? To be an irritating ass?”

Both of his brows shot up. “Wow. Now who’s being rude?”

She wanted to throw something at him. How in the hell could she even have been attracted to him for even a second? “You started it.”

“Mature.”

“Forget it.” She turned and stomped for the exit. This wasn’t going to work. Gee would have to get rid of the guy or find a different interior designer.

Large powerful fingers dug into her upper arm, and she found herself spun around and then plastered to a wall. His big muscled body pressed against hers.

“I think we got off on the wrong foot,” he said.

She clenched her teeth, staring up at him. Emotions waged a war inside her. She was pissed, but at the same time, her body was extremely aware of his. His scent filled her nose. Musk, pine, and clean sweat. Desire was on the rise. “Your point?”

He rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll apologize first.”

She waited but he said nothing. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“You said you were going to apologize.”

“I did.” He smiled down at her.

She growled. “No, you didn’t.”

“Do you ever do anything but argue?”

She shoved him. “That’s it! Get off me.”

He didn’t give an inch. “I’m sorry, all right?”

She blew out a breath to try and clear the few strands of her blonde hair falling from their pins into her view. He reached up and brushed them away. Holy shit! Her body trembled, and desire coiled tighter in her lower belly. How in the hell could she be attracted to him still?

“Are you always so rude to people?” she asked.

One side of his mouth tipped up in a smile. “No. And to be honest, I’m kind of mad at myself for provoking you.”

“Then why did you do it?”

He cleared his throat again and stepped away, running a hand through his hair. “Doesn’t matter. How about we call a truce?”

She tugged at the edge of her blouse. It had ridden up during their struggle. “Fine. No more insults?”

“Deal.”

She gave a crisp nod then let her gaze roam over the room. There were lots of things she wanted to ask him. Their truce didn’t exactly invite her to play Twenty Questions, though. She chanced a glance at him and caught him staring at her with a quizzical tilt to his head. Crazy thing was he didn’t even try to flinch or hide his open interest.

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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