I can’t believe that it’s fall already. 2017 has been, so far, one of my most productive years as a writer, and the best is yet to come. Among the many projects I’m involved, A Vampire Thirst sees me in the double role of invited author and cover artist, and I can’t wait to share more of it with you… but all in due time. If you wish to know more about this exciting new world created by New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author A K Michaels, pop over to the A Vampire Thirst’s Facebook page for cover reveals and snippets. My cover is up next.
cover reveal
The Fifth Moon’s Dragon: Cover Reveal
The High Lord of Solaria, Dragon Sol has recently returned to his planet to marry his two promised brides, but instead of savoring the pleasures of his wedding night, he finds himself fighting an enigmatic assassin sent to kill him.
A skilled mercenary, Jade belongs to the Assassin Academy and lives for the thrill of the chase, but her latest mission goes awry since the moment she throws that first arrow at her intended target.
Dragon proves to be Jade’s worthiest opponent yet, and what starts as any other mission becomes so much more, reversing the roles of hunter and prey. Before either of them can stop the inevitable, a deep connection takes roots until their hearts and not their lives are at stakes.
Cover Reveal: Ax: A Wolf’s Hunger Alpha Shifter Romance
A Wolf’s Hunger: It can’t be stopped
Axelrod McKenzie left the Seattle’s Wolf Pack ten years ago, swearing never to return. The sudden death of his adoptive father and alpha of the pack forces Ax to go back on his word.
Suddenly plagued by a gnawing hunger that consumes him from within, Ax must confront his inner demons and his half-brother, Kendall; a brother Ax resents because by pack laws Kendall will inherit the alpha seat vacated by their father.
Little does Ax know that his life is going to get way worse before it gets any better. But the moment he has a glimpse of Aimee, Kendall’s fiancée, Ax’s life is forever changed by the revelation that the she-wolf is his fated soulmate.
Passions run high as the three of them must come to terms with their fates. Will love triumph over a family feud that has lasted for decades?
Bound by Water: A Zodiac Shifters Paranormal Romance: Pisces
It’s cover reveal time for my Zodiac Shifters title, Bound by Water, that will be out on March 16th, 2017. This year, I’m experimenting with a few multiple authors series, and I’m quite excited for the challenge. Here, you 
can read the first few chapters of my merman story.
Sometimes, water ignites fiery passions…
The only merman shifter alive, Atreides is a famous painter, rich, and sophisticated. In his spare time, he helps the police recover stolen art.
A mere human—although exceedingly strong-willed—Ariel is an accomplished art thief who has sworn never to steal again. Until she’s forced to repay her father’s substantial debts, and the only way out is robbing an Etruscan artifact.
One night, they meet. He isn’t looking for a soulmate, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship. Yet, it only takes one passionate kiss under the full moon to intertwine their fates. Unfortunately, there’s a werewolf biker gang on their heels, and they won’t leave Atreides and Ariel alone.
Will love triumph over a bunch of enraged shifters?
Cover by Raven Blackburn
Raphael & The immortal Youth
Raphael, the first book in The Immortal Youth series—a YA spin-off from The Immortals—is finally out. The first reviews from my ARC’s readers are so far positive, and I’m glad that people seem to connect with Raphael: a young werewolf deeply damaged in the soul and yet inherently good. Writing a story that treated a topic like abuse both physical and psychological wasn’t easy. In fact, it took me sixty days longer than I had planned, but I’m happy with how the book turned out.
Raphael
Raphael has nowhere to go, nobody who loves him, and his past has scarred him deeply. A young werewolf on the run, living rough in the catacombs beneath Rome and with nothing else to call his own but his freedom, he desperately tries to elude the Controller whose goal is to send him back to Renegade Youth Shelter and a life of torments.
As he lives day by day with the constant threat of being captured, his future looks dark and lonely.
That is until a chance meeting with Luisa; a werewolf like him whose scent marks her as his one true soul-mate. Much to his despair, their encounter is cut short as he flees from the enforcer chasing after him.
His heart broken and his wolf bereft, Raphael will sacrifice everything to be reunited with Luisa. Even his freedom when he discovers she’s been abducted by a street gang. But, will it be enough?
Saturday Snippet, just because editing is a tyrant
I’ve been working on Raphael’s edits like there’s no tomorrow and promptly forgotten all about Friday Snippets and other promises I made. But, here I am, the next day, with a brand new snippet, and the simplified version of the cover I posted last week.
From Raphael:
Slowly getting up, Raphael stretched his arms and looked around, only to spot the colossal frame of the Controller. “Great Wolf—”
The demon had his back to him, talking on a cell phone. Of all the places the man could be stalking in Rome, he had to be walking around Quartiere Coppedè.
“Happy sweet sixteen to me.” Raphael was sure there was a cosmic joke somewhere to be found, but was too hard-pressed to appreciate the humor in his current predicament.
Forcing himself to slow his pace, he stepped away from the fountain and reached the side of the Fairy House, now in the shadow. His heart throbbed in his throat as he cleared the corner and kept walking toward the bridged archway delimiting the neighborhood. A red bus slowed down and stopped at the curb on Tagliamento Street. With a leisure jog, he passed the arch and reached the bus stop, then hopped on the running board as soon as the bus exit doors opened.
Passengers stepping out complained, but Raphael pushed through the crowd until he was safely ensconced in the middle of the cabin, sandwiched between the afternoon commuters. He dared one peep out of the large window and saw the Controller staring at him. The man shook his head with a pronounced grimace on his face. As the bus lurched forward, Raphael waved at the demon. “See ya.”
Then a sweet scent he had never forgotten hit his nostrils and he turned, his heart beating as fast as his wolf’ as he faced a familiar pair of green eyes. A feeling of belonging descended upon him like a warm blanket.
“Hi,” the girl of his dreams said.
Two years had passed since the night of the botched robbery, but he thought of her every day. “You’re my mate and I’m in love with you,” he hurried to say, in case she would disappear again. It had been love at first scent for him, and he had known the truth since then that he would never love anyone else in his life. His wolf pranced around to be acknowledged.
Her eyebrows shot up and her lips curved in an amused smile revealing dimples on her cheeks. “It’s nice to see you.”
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. His wolf demanded he nuzzled her throat, and Raphael’s breath hitched at the image.
At the same time, the girl’s eyes lit and widened, casting a spell on Raphael who couldn’t see anything else but her.
Resurrecting the Friday Snippet
I can’t remember when I posted a Friday snippet last, but it’s about time to start doing it again. Yesterday, I finished writing Raphael, the first title in The Immortal Youth series (which I’ve been posting chapter by chapter on WriteOn), and I feel in a celebratory mood because it was quite the gestation. I also finished working on the cover and I want to show it off along the snippet.
From Raphael:
Prologue
Rome, 2011
Raphael zigzagged in and out of the back alley he entered to lose the enforcer. The sucker had been on Raphael’s tail for a while, and so far, he had managed to escape the long hand of the law. Running at full speed, he glanced right and left looking for a secluded spot he could hide and take a breather. A soft glow illuminated the ancient cobblestones paving the street, and dew covered the ground, which made his frantic jog a loud affair where stealth was required. His trainer soles squeaked and squealed every time he changed direction. The annoying noise reminded him of that one time he played basketball with some mortal kids. Lanky as only tall genes and neglect can assure, and turned fourteen a few weeks earlier, Raphael proved to be a natural. At the recent memory, a smile tugged at his lips, but booted steps echoed from the right and he dove left under a marble arch.
As an architecture enthusiast, he liked the Ghetto neighborhood, but it wasn’t built for midnight cops and robbers games. Too many dead ends, like the brick wall covered in ivy he found himself facing after his last turn. His wolf growled in displeasure.
“I don’t like it either.” He steadied himself against what remained of a Roman column turned pedestal. The fat, black and white cat resting on top of the ruin raised a paw and licked it, as if taunting Raphael’s wolf, who growled louder. “Would you behave?” For once, he hoped it were full moon to be able to turn and run away using his wolf’s speed…
Elios and Gaia
Four years in the making, but Elios’s & Gaia’s love story is finally out. A few minutes ago, I hit the publishing button for both books. Here are the covers by Alessandro Fiorini. Elios’s will be slightly changed, because I don’t like his eyebrows, but it’s a minor thing and it will do for a few days.
Monica La Porta 