Saturday, June 20, 2020

Saturday Seven ~ June 20th 2020



Happy Saturday, what have you been up to this week? Here is a rundown of highlights for the week. I hope you find them useful in your life! My goal as a person and a writer are to always Pay-It-Forward, so please let me know how I can help you. YES, YOU!


Enjoy your weekend & this post! Amazing things to come!

~Amy


What am I Reading? –

PS It's Always Been You: A Second Chance Romance by Lauren Blakely ~ A sweeping, second chance standalone romance!

I was pretty good at living without regrets until a way too close call during a skydive. Instead of my life flashing before my eyes, I saw one face, one regret that’s been gnawing at me ever since—Presley. The woman I loved madly ten years ago. The woman I had to walk away from.

At first, all I want is to sort out why I can’t get her out of my head. But as soon as I see Presley again, I know I have to win her back at any cost. Brilliant, captivating and utterly beautiful, she’s the one I want.

Fate steps in when we’re asked to pair up to find a treasure in art and antiques. It’s an opportunity I can’t pass up—to uncover a path back to the woman I let get away while we chase down a love story a hundred years in the making.

Trouble is, Presley is tougher now, more wary, and she’s been hurt. By me. So it's going to take a whole lot more than one hot kiss and a wild adventure together to convince her to give me a second chance.

What am I Listening to? –  Trying out a new meditation Program so that is interesting. Created by Jake Ducey here is the website so check it out! How would you like to hit the reset button and re-wire your mind to attract better health, abundant wealth, more love and everlasting gratitude? If that sounds appealing, you're in the right place!

What Quote am I Pondering? “Most of us are busy gambling on the most dangerous risk of all—living our whole life not doing what we want on the bet that we can buy the freedom to do it later.” – Jake Ducey

What am I Researching? – 

So many DIY projects! My creative brain has been in overdrive lately. It is mostly centered around the house and the living room. I am really trying to simplify things as much as possible and our current couch takes up the entire room. Now, I know what I WANT but good lord everything is so expensive. I am – as you know—the creative type so I am researching how to build my own couch! Seriously! Here are a few pics of what I am thinking about and I am kinda stoked. 



Yummy Meal of the Week –

Taco Salad!! With LOTS of avocado because it is brain food and I need all the good stuff I can get!
What did I Learn? –

I admit, this question is always the one I do last, because I really must think about it. I learn so much every week. Being a Mom, a corporate professional, author, coach, daughter, friend, etc. and what the best choice with the biggest impact.

This lesson stems from an active, lively and passionate debate last night. The dueling of opinion, ideology and perception versus reality was invigorating. The topic involved two flags. I am not going to go into the debate itself however, in retrospect I am re-evaluating what it personally means to me to be an American. More to come!


What am I Watching? – Been catching up on Grey’s Anatomy. I am halfway through the current season (I think it is season 17). I am still so in love with these characters and Shondra Rhimes as a creator. Love it. While I have been on the fence with some of her other productions, Grey’s will forever be in my All-Time Top 10!!

*BONUS Content ~ 


*My new YouTube Channel Romine’s Reviews Premiered Friday May 22nd! New episodes will be out soon! So excited and cannot wait to hear your feedback so please subscribe, tell your friends and comment!



That is all for this week, my lovelies!
I hope you have an amazing week, and I will talk to you all next Saturday!



Have any thoughts on my week’s activity or want to make a recommendation? Drop me a line or a tweet. One lucky commenter will win a free Romine book of their choice! Never want to miss a blog post or a Saturday Seven? Join my mailing list, and I will be happy to send it straight to your inbox!

Saturday, June 13, 2020

Saturday Seven ~ June 13, 2020

Happy Saturday, what have you been up to this week? Here is a rundown of highlights for the week. I hope you find them useful in your life! My goal as a person and a writer are to always Pay-It-Forward, so please let me know how I can help you. YES, YOU!

Enjoy your weekend & this post! Amazing things to come!


~Amy


What am I Reading? – My Fence is Electric: and Other Stories by Mark Newman - A housing estate is in shock following a child’s disappearance. A girl and her invisible friend go their separate ways. A father and a son bond over Post-It notes. A single father and his daughter have different approaches to the disappearance of their dog. A father finds his way to coax his agoraphobic son back out into the world.

What am I Listening to? –  Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins -  "I know that no matter where you are in your life, you want more! No matter how well you're already doing or how challenged you now may be, deep inside you there lies a belief that your experience of life can and will be much greater than it already is. You are destined for your own unique form of greatness."


Anthony Robbins has already unlocked the personal power inside millions of people worldwide. Now, in this revolutionary new audio production based on his enormously popular Date with Destiny seminars, Robbins unleashes the sleeping giant that lies within all of us, teaching us to harness our untapped abilities, talents and skills.

The ultimate program for improving the quality of every aspect of your life (personal or business, physical or emotional) Awaken the Giant Within gives you the tools you need to immediately become the master of your own fate.

What Quote am I Pondering? – “The Creative Adult is the Child who Survived.” ~ U. LeGuin

What am I Researching? – It has been all about Knights of the Golden Circle. The deeper I get the more I want to know. I discovered a link to my own family. I had an ancestor who was shot in his yard during the Kansas Massacre. There was also a heavy presence of the KGC in Reading, PA where my ancestor on my father’s side resided. I love history.



Yummy Meal of the Week – Sooped Up Raman! I love Raman. The best Raman House is in Tulsa is amazing and pricy so I decided to try an at home version. Really easy. The most difficult part was figuring out how to properly baste an egg.

What did I Learn? – Funny enough I learned that I am damn good at my job. Not saying this with any arrogance, but humility. The thought of sitting behind a desk staring at spreadsheets was not my childhood dream. A surprise to me, I’ve developed a skill for the work and enjoy the continuous challenge.






What am I Watching? – It’s been a busy watching week. I watched both National Treasures. I needed to watch the second for research on The Knights of the Golden Circle and well, it felt wrong to not watch them together. After all, they are great fun. Also watched a documentary on the History of the House of Windsor and Tony Robbins, I am not your Guru – Yes I openly wept. (lol).

*BONUS Content ~
*My new YouTube Channel Romine’s Reviews Premiered Friday May 22nd! New episodes will be out May 12th! So excited and cannot wait to hear your feedback so please subscribe, tell your friends and comment!

That is all for this week, my lovelies!
I hope you have an amazing week, and I will talk to you all next Saturday!


Have any thoughts on my week’s activity or want to make a recommendation? Drop me a line or a tweet. One lucky commenter will win a free Romine book of their choice! Never want to miss a blog post or a Saturday Seven? Join my mailing list, and I will be happy to send it straight to your inbox!





Come Find Me!

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Saturday, June 6, 2020

Saturday Seven ~ June 6th



Happy Saturday, what have you been up to this week? Here is a rundown of highlights for the week. I hope you find them useful in your life! My goal as a person and a writer are to always Pay-It-Forward, so please let me know how I can help you. YES, YOU!


Enjoy your weekend & this post! Amazing things to come!

~Amy





What am I Reading? – Putting this one to the three-chapter test! –

A Voice that Thunders by Cully Mack

A BROTHER A BROTHER DESTINED * A SISTER CLAIMED

A GOD WHO CAME BETWEEN THEM

Mirah watched her brother Gabe place his inky hand on the rock shelter wall and transition into manhood. Needing no one outside their small clan, freedom and friendship promised a peaceful future. That was life until the god, Shemyaza, sent his sons to slaughter them all.

Of those who survived, Mirah is captured and Gabe is missing.

United with a host of Giants, and Chimera, Shemyaza has one enemy, the destined Voice of Thunder. In a bid to destroy him, Shemyaza is building an army of Wielders and insists Mirah joins them.

Through magic, Mirah gains secrets. As she attempts to hide her powers and the mystery behind her wielding, Shemyaza’s stepson offers to train her but can she trust him with her heart?

Her old and new world collide and Mirah is torn. War is coming. Whichever path she chooses Mirah knows the Shadow is near, and only she can hear it whisper.

A Voice That Thunders is the first in an epic fantasy series set in the ancient past when monsters crept into our world, myth was born, and magic first breathed.


What am I Listening to?The Synchronicity Key: The Hidden Intelligence Guiding the Universe and You By: David Wilcock Narrated by: David Wilcock

Using history, astrology, and synchronicity theory as well as concepts such as fractals, spiritual geometry, quantum physics, and other new research, Wilcock shows that there is a hidden architecture within time....


Okay I was really looking forward to this one but it is dragging… I am thinking Audible books should have the same testing method – Three Chapters. We shall see what happens




What Quote am I Pondering? – Synchronicity is an ever-present reality for those who have eyes to see it. ~ Carl Jung



What am I Researching?
– Lots of stuff about Atlanta and the Knights of the Golden Circle. The more I dig the more interesting it becomes. Starting to be a cool rabbit hole. All in service of my WIP Stupid car that went from a short romance to a full-blown novel. My muse is speaking--- constantly!




Yummy Meal of the Week – Street Tacos! I treated myself this week with some amazing street tacos from a local restaurant. I can only eat four at a time and they are tiny! YUM!!



What did I Learn? – I learned it is okay to process change, but at the same time you have to change. I was processing everything that has happened, but it wasn’t until I got off my butt and changed my routine that I got my groove back. Change is a mindset, but it is also an active sport! If you are struggling with change, do something different. Tear down the walls and start over. It helps! It’s like fine… things have to change might as well go for it full throttle!



What am I Watching?
– Game of Thrones was a favorite this week. I am starting Season Three. Love it. My favorite characters (for which I didn’t think I would like going into it) are Tyrion Lannister & Daenerys Targaryen. I am hooked.



*BONUS Content ~

*My new YouTube Channel Romine’s Reviews Premiered Friday May 22nd! New episodes will be out soon! So excited and cannot wait to hear your feedback so please subscribe, tell your friends and comment!



That is all for this week, my lovelies!
I hope you have an amazing week, and I will talk to you all next Saturday!


Have any thoughts on my week’s activity or want to make a recommendation? Drop me a line or a tweet. One lucky commenter will win a free Romine book of their choice! Never want to miss a blog post or a Saturday Seven? Join my mailing list, and I will be happy to send it straight to your inbox!






###

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Saturday, May 30, 2020

Saturday Seven ~ May 30th 2020

Happy Saturday, what have you been up to this week?

Here is a rundown of highlights for the week. I hope you find them useful in your life! My goal as a person and a writer are to always Pay-It-Forward, so please let me know how I can help you. YES, YOU!

Enjoy your weekend & this post! Amazing things to come!
~Amy
Image by Pexels from Pixabay 
 
What am I Reading? - 

Origin by Dan Brown – I finally finished it! Yes!! – Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist, and one of Langdon’s first students.

But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch’s precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced to flee. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch. They travel to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.

Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme re­ligion, Langdon and Vidal must evade an enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace. They uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery…and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us.


What am I Listening to? – Hooked on the Classics – This is an albumn my parents had when I was a kid and I loved it. All classical works with a little bit of a rock tempo. Wahoo. Great for cleaning!
What Quote am I Pondering? “Living well is the best revenge!” – George Herbert




What am I Researching? – Fences – I have a big dog with PTSD and my neighbor has three little yippie dogs. There is a fence, a metal fence. Right now, we cannot have the dogs out at the same time without chaos ensuing. Barking, running etc. This is normally not a problem except they al run along the fence which is a huge puddle. My theory is if I can create a visual barrier it will subdue everyone. My neighbor agrees. I am looking into a way to make this happen. I have a few ideas. I will keep you posted!

Yummy Meal of the Week –

Baked fruit – a layer of apples, bananas, pears and blueberries. Sprinkled with cinnamon and baked at 350 for 45 minutes on a cookie sheet. YUM!! (plus the house smells amazing)


What did I Learn? –  Change sucks, I do not do well with change. – Working on it.


What am I Watching? – Avatar the Last Airbender on Netflix. My kids love this show, we used to watch it every weekend together and they just released the animated series on Netflix in anticipation of the upcoming live-action series. So excited…anything will be better than the awful movie!




*BONUS Content ~ 
*My new YouTube Channel Romine’s Reviews Premiered Friday May 22nd! So excited and cannot wait to hear your feedback so please subscribe, tell your friends and comment!


That is all for this week, my lovelies!
I hope you have an amazing week, and I will talk to you all next Saturday!


Have any thoughts on my week’s activity or want to make a recommendation? Drop me a line or a tweet. One lucky commenter will win a free Romine book of their choice! Never want to miss a blog post or a Saturday Seven? Join my mailing list, and I will be happy to send it straight to your inbox!





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Thursday, May 28, 2020

Awesome Excerpt Thursday ~ Fairy Faithful ~ Gabriella Bradley & Taryn Jameson

Is Princess Blossom destined to be the last Queen of the South on Ledalath?


Finding a prince on a planet that has no royal males is not an easy task. For years, Blossom appealed to the gods for a mate to rule by her side. When the goddess of love finally answers her plea, she is sent far from her home planet to Venus. But how can she find a prince on a planet where there are no fairies?

Buy Now!

Excerpt ~ 

Blossom sat on the rock again, pulled her robes tighter around her body, and continued to look at the glowing ball still resting on her palm. If she disobeyed the goddess, would Venus punish her? Her heart was torn. She should be faithful to her calling. To become the queen of the fairies. But a queen needed a king, and so far, no prince had come to claim her hand. She could not ascend the throne until she had a mate by her side. And her parents wanted to retire. Not too much pressure… But the king and queen had no answer for her either.

No prince could ever arrive to vie for her hand.

There was no royal male anywhere on Ledalath.

Ledalath, the fairy planet, had four royal houses, one for each region, North, South, East, and West. Blossom’s parents were the ruling royals of the South. The other three royal rulers also had only daughters. Throughout thousands of years, it was the first time that no royal princes had been born on Ledalath.

And it was unheard of that she would choose a commoner to rule by her side. The question had not even come up, though she had thought about it.

Blossom had no sisters. Her parents had only had one child, so she was the crown princess, not even having the choice of abdication. She was destined to rule.

The other three royal houses had royal daughters, more than one. But the oldest daughter of each house would share Blossom’s problem—no prince, no future king.


And now the goddess wanted her to go to Venus where her wish would be granted? A prince on Venus? From what she had learned, the population of the planet was a huge mix of cultures from many worlds throughout the galaxy. How could there be a fairy prince there? Fairies only lived on Ledalath. Nowhere else.

~



Come Find Me!

Don't have a Kindle, no problem. I've got you covered! Read eBooks on your phone, tablet and computer no Kindle Needed!


Saturday, May 23, 2020

Saturday Seven ~ May 23, 2020





Happy Saturday, what have you been up to this week? Here is a rundown of highlights for the week. I hope you find them useful in your life! My goal as a person and a writer are to always Pay-It-Forward, so please let me know how I can help you. YES, YOU!

Enjoy your weekend & this post! Amazing things to come!
~Amy


 


What am I Reading? - Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey – It is the mid-eighties, and you are thirteen-year-old girl with dreams, hopes and wishes. On Friday nights you watch Dallas and the Duke’s of Hazzard. Sunday’s rock because the movie of the week is on and you will finally get to see The Empire Strikes Back, and you covet the popular girl’s chocolate Cookie lip gloss. You also either sleep under your bed or in your closet for fear of you Dad coming up the stairs and into your room. You are surrounded by adult whispers, strange parties and red ruby strawberries waiting to be picked except they are in the yard of the creepiest guy in town. It’s all relative, right? Then boys in your school start getting attacked, go missing. What better way to spread your wings than solve the town mystery?


What am I Listening to? – Lady Antebellum. L.O.V.E. & myself talk into a camera as I edit the first episode of Romine’s Reviews!


What Quote am I Pondering?
– It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… this is oddly poignant for present day.


What am I Researching? – Hephaestus the Greek God of Fire. – Yes, Zack had an English research paper and Mom needed to help. Have to admit, the story is fascinating and conjures all kinds of ideas. A crippled God, cast out by his family, reclaims his right through ingenuity and hard work. The God that cannot fight, creates armor for the Gods who can amplifying their stories beyond belief with weaponry unknown to mortals. Why have I not heard of this dude before?



Yummy Meal of the Week – Subway BLT – YUM! Add the guacamole. Do it!



What did I Learn? – Waking up at 4 AM is difficult. Really, really difficult.



What am I Watching?
– Raising Dion and Extraction on Netflix. Loved one, hated the other.




*BONUS Content ~ 


*My new YouTube Channel Romine’s Reviews Premiered Friday May 22nd! So excited and cannot wait to hear your feedback so please subscribe, tell your friends and comment!


That is all for this week, my lovelies!


I hope you have an amazing week, and I will talk to you all next Saturday!

Have any thoughts on my week’s activity or want to make a recommendation? Drop me a line or a tweet. One lucky commenter will win a free Romine book of their choice! Never want to miss a blog post or a Saturday Seven? Join my mailing list, and I will be happy to send it straight to your inbox!

###

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Don't have a Kindle, no problem. I've got you covered! Read eBooks on your phone, tablet and computer no Kindle Needed!


Romine's Reviews - TV Challenge Ep1

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Awesome Exceprt Thursday ~ Dreams of a Wombat ~ Charlie Richards

Into the Paranormal World: Out for a jog, a cougar shifter stumbles across a discovery that will change his life.


A couple of years before, Virgil McBride’s life changed…for the better. He’d been working as a ranch hand at a cattle ranch in Texas while hiding the fact that he was a cougar shifter. Then his boss brought home a gargoyle mate. It didn’t take long for staff to transition, wheedling out those humans who weren’t trustworthy. Virgil loves his new freedoms, allowing him to shift and explore the ranch in animal form. While out running as a cougar, Virgil scents something amazing, and he realizes his mate is near. Searching out the source, he finds something he’s never seen before…and it isn’t the dilapidated hunting stand. Virgil meets Shaw, a wombat shifter. Even though he assures his mate that he would be welcome at the ranch, Shaw isn’t convinced. After learning why—the beta of Shaw’s wombat wisdom is claiming him as his mate—Virgil realizes he’s not going to be able to fulfill his wombat’s dreams on his own. Can Virgil win Shaw’s trust enough to get the help they need to free his mate and give them a future?

Buy Now!

“Hey, Virg! What are you up to this evening?”

Turning upon hearing the shout of Stanley Redfeather, Virgil McBride grinned at the Native American. He was also the ranch foreman, but he knew his friend wasn’t asking in a work capacity. Between the darkness beyond the window and the way Stanley was dressed for dancing, Virgil figured the man was heading toward the local honky-tonk and wanted a wingman.

So not happening tonight.

“Hi, Stan,” Virgil greeted, giving the handsome man an appreciative sweep with his gaze. “Goin’ out, I see.” Lifting his hands with a laugh, he winked. “See me in these comfortable sweats? I’m puttin’ on my flip-flops and takin’ a jog in the woods.”

Stanley groaned. “So you’re going to say no if I ask you to join me at The Rockin’ Station, aren’t you?”

Virgil nodded as he thought about the local dive bar, which had a decent-sized dance floor in the back. Their jukebox had a large assortment of tunes to fit just about everyone. Well, except rap or heavy metal, but those who enjoyed that kind of music probably wouldn’t be caught dead in the hick bar, anyway.

On Friday nights, such as the evening stretching before them, The Rockin’ Station also had a live band. Virgil knew Stanley swung both ways, same as himself, but if he were to try picking up a guy at the bar, they would probably have their asses handed to them—or at least, someone would give it a shot. That meant Stanley was going to try for a little lady-action.

I’m so not in the mood for human shenanigans.

Instead, Virgil wanted to indulge in something else that evening. “Sorry, man. I already have a date”—he winked—“with nature.”

Stanley nodded even as he sighed, his disappointment clear in his scent. “All right. Guess I’ll ask Walsh. Maybe he’ll be down for it.”

“Down for what?” Walsh asked, walking into the room. The dark-haired human grinned at Virgil. “You letting your kitty out for a walk?”

While Walsh’s tone sounded teasing, an interested gleam had entered his brown eyes.

“Yep,” Virgil confirmed. “Goin’ for a run.” He pointed at Stanley. Then he dropped his flip-flops on the floor and slipped into them before starting toward the front door. “Stanley’s lookin’ for a wingman.”

Walsh arched an eyebrow. “Really? Where ya goin, boss?”

As Virgil grabbed a jacket and slung it over his shoulders, Stanley answered, “There’s a live band at The Rockin’ Station on Fridays, and I’m going to look for a lady to dance with.” A low chuckled entered the foreman’s tone as he added, “And maybe a little more. You want to come?”

“Oh, sure,” Walsh replied, sounding pleased. Then he called, “And I still wanna see that someday, Virg!”

Virgil knew what Walsh was talking about. The human wanted to see him turn into his cat form. While Walsh had known about vampires for years due to an altercation with a rogue—he was part of the one percent of humans who couldn’t be compelled or mentally manipulated by a vampire’s trancing ability, so the memory couldn’t be deleted from his mind—he’d never met a shifter before being hired at Nicholas’s ranch.

Laughing, Virgil grabbed the door handle as he nodded. “You got it, buddy. Next time.” Then he strode outside.

“I’ll hold you to that!” Walsh called. Virgil waved as he allowed the screen door to close behind him, knowing the man returned his attention to Stanley when he heard Walsh say, “Give me fifteen minutes for a quick shower and shave, and I’ll be ready to go.”

As Virgil stepped off the porch and sauntered across the yard, heading toward the tree line, he thought about the many changes that had taken place over the last few years. When he’d been hired on as a hand to work the cattle over six years before, he’d had to keep his nature hidden. No one on the place had known about the existence of the paranormal.

Then, almost three years before, the ranch’s owner—Baltus Lindson—had insisted on taking his eldest son—Nicholas—on a business trip. While Baltus had owned the place, Virgil had rarely seen him. He was fine with that, too, since his scent bothered his cat.

The smell of greed, manipulation, and expensive cologne was not a good mix…on anyone.

Virgil had known Nicholas quite a bit better, although his scent confused him a little, too. The human worked beside them on the ranch, handling the running of the place. He’d also been engaged to a woman named Sandra, but he’d never had her scent on him.

Nicholas’s return from that fateful trip revealed everything to Virgil…and outed him as a shifter at the same time. The man had stumbled across gargoyles and had been the mate of one. In fact, not just any gargoyle, either—Nicholas was mated to a gargoyle elder—the rulers of their kind.

With Elder Bodb’s arrival, who’d been introduced as a rancher from Montana who was studying Texas practices to see how he could improve his own ranch, Virgil had been certain the wedding to Sandra would be called off. It hadn’t been. While Virgil had been surprised, it wasn’t his mating, and he wasn’t close enough to Nicholas to be asked for advice on how to work through personal issues.

What Virgil found even odder was that Sandra had moved into the ranch house…with another woman, Maggie.


Virgil had wondered what was going on, but it wasn’t his place to ask. Instead, he’d been more concerned about the arrival of more gargoyles and a couple of vampires. Worried about losing his job, he’d steered clear of the ranch house and the whole lot of them, taking his meals in the bunkhouse.

~


Come Find Me!

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Awesome Excerpt Thursday ~ Valentine's Slay ~ Denise Wheatley

In the land of Zanalia, Valentine’s Day is a celebration of war. When two of the realm’s fiercest foes go head-to-head over the sacred ritual, sparks unexpectedly fly, igniting an explosion of love, lust, and ultimately, broken traditions.

In a world filled with warriors, Valentine’s Day means war for the creatures of Zanalia. Mina, queen of the disciplinarian tribe, is responsible for spearheading attacks on the land’s worst enemies.

Spike, Mina’s biggest adversary and the son of king Theo, no longer believes in provoking battles on this love-filled holiday. He secretly encourages the Zanalians to put away their weapons and spend time with their loved ones instead. The absurd suggestion goes against the territory’s oldest tradition and is rejected by many, to the point that Spike receives death threats. His father grows worried for his son and orders Mina to stage his kidnapping, then provide him with personal, around-the-clock protection.


Mina is infuriated by the mission as she’s being forced to protect a disloyal traitor. She vows to make Spike’s time with her as torturous as possible until she unwittingly finds pleasure in the pain she inflicts upon him, while he seemingly relishes her harsh punishments. Emotions run high between the pair, and Mina realizes that Spike’s wish to spread love this Valentine’s Day just may come true after all.

Buy Now!

Excerpt ~

Mina held her head high, a huge smile spread across her smooth pale green face. She marched down the long stone hallway toward King Theo’s lair, proud of the way her spiked bronze teeth glistened while her wavy white hair blew in the wind. Mina was feeling better than ever as she prepared to give the leader of Zanalia a full report on her final week as the realm’s queen of the disciplinarian tribe.

On the way to his domain, she high-fived several of Theo’s soldiers, who cheered loudly while clapping their scaly webbed hands. Mina and her tribal warriors had just successfully completed one of their most difficult missions to date. The job was a personal one for Theo that involved his wayward brother, Horace, who’d defected from their sphere in pursuit of love in enemy territory.

Theo had warned Horace to stay away from the land of Raynalium, whose hate-filled creatures despised the superior Zanalians. Ignoring his brother's advice, Horace ended up being captured and tortured by the Raynali army. It was Mina and her disciplinarian tribe who snuck into the dangerous realm under the cover of night, attacking their entire militia and rescuing Horace from the slimy, menacing wilderness where he’d been held.

The successful mission wasn’t the only reason Mina was in such a good mood. After ten long grueling years of hard work and unwavering dedication, she had decided to retire from her post as queen of the disciplinarian tribe. Mina knew it would be difficult for Theo to let her go, considering he had no better warrior serving him. Along with her stunning, slightly human-like appearance, beguiling personality, witty intelligence, and innate sixth sense, Mina knew she possessed the strongest will to conquer that Theo had ever witnessed. But as a family man, she was sure he’d understand her desire to hang up her spears, settle down, and explore what other opportunities the galaxy had to offer.

“Great job, queen!” Jewel screamed, jumping up and down as Mina reached the end of the hallway.

“Thank you!”

Mina laughed at her friend’s excitement. She and Jewel had been extremely close for years, having met during their first day of training at the disciplinary camp. Jewel was a petite, adorable little blue creature whose pointy ears resembled those of an elf, while her fluffy gold wings could have been plucked from a fairy. Her endearing appearance was her best weapon, because while she seemed delicate and unassuming, Jewel possessed the strength of ten soldiers. Mina had nicknamed her casualty, because if anyone ever crossed her, that was exactly what they’d become.

Jewel grabbed Mina’s shoulder and whispered in her ear. “You have no idea how sad I am that you’re leaving your post as our queen.”

“Oh, come on. It’s not like I won’t be around anymore. You’ll still see me all the time. And guess what? I’m going to recommend to Theo that he choose you as my successor. Your entire existence is about to change in the most wonderful way. Buckle up, sister. You’re in for an amazing ride.”

Jewel’s tiny face fell as she dropped her head and sighed deeply. “Yeah, a ride I’m absolutely terrified to take. I can’t even fathom the thought of going out on these missions without you. Plus I’ll never be capable of filling your shoes, Mina.”

“No one expects you to,” she replied, running her fingers along the edges of Jewel’s wings affectionately. “Just be yourself, my little ruthless casualty. I bet you’ll end up being better than I ever was.”

“I seriously doubt that, but thanks for the reassurance.” Jewel punched a secret code into the glass slate that opened the door to Theo’s lair.

Mina quickly embraced Jewel and then stood in the threshold.

“Permission to enter, sir?”

“Yes, please. Have a seat, my dear,” he said, slowly stroking his long gray beard while gazing at several monitors.

Mina sat down across from Theo and wiggled in her seat, excited to discuss Horace’s successful rescue as well as the terms of her retirement.

“You have no idea how delighted I am to see you,” he told her. “If I may be perfectly honest, I was unsure as to whether you and the rest of the tribe would return from Raynalium safely, let alone recover Horace from that savage jungle.”

“Well, I am quite pleased that we were able to fulfill all of the above,” Mina replied, proudly bowing her head. “I knew that rescuing your brother was a top priority and our most important mission thus far. There is no way we would have let you down. Or him.”

“That is so wonderful to hear, Mina. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I do hope Horace learned his lesson. My guess is he will never defect from the land of Zanalia and enter into enemy territory ever again.”

“I would certainly hope not, sir,” she said, then took a deep breath. Just when she opened her mouth to mention stepping down from her post, Theo reached down inside of his desk drawer and pulled out a large black box.

“As for your payment,” he said, “you will be compensated handsomely.”

Theo pulled several semiprecious stones from the box and slid them across the desk. Mina gasped and covered her mouth while gazing at the glimmering stones.

“Your monetary funds have already been transferred into your account. Because of this mission’s level of difficulty, please consider these stones an added bonus.”

She reached out and ran her fingertips across the minerals’ cool surfaces.

“Theo,” Mina breathed, “these are absolutely stunning. They’re also too much. How can I thank you for such splendid gifts?”

“By not retiring just yet.”

She froze, hoping she’d misheard him.


“I’m sorry, sir. Could you please repeat that?”

~


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