Monday, February 24, 2014

Guest Blog & Giveaway: The Werewolves of the West Series by Carol Van Atta

UFI welcomes Carol Van Atta Author of The Werewolves of the West Series. Thanks for Joining us!!

When Fantasy Becomes Reality.
What if your wildest fantasy walked into your world …fangs or fur, and oozing sex appeal like warm honey on a hot buttery bun? Would you be ready?

That question is answered at some point and in some degree by every paranormal romance/fantasy heroine. There comes a point when her eyes are opened wide and a world beyond the ordinary is revealed.

Imagine opening your kitchen blinds some morning and instead of your neighbor’s messy backyard you see a giant beanstalk, or mushrooms the size of skyscrapers, or, better yet, a hot, hunky, man-beast eager to sink his teeth into your neck and his…quick, cold shower please! Keeping it PG here!

Well, that’s what happens to Melanie Larson, BFF, of Chloe Carpenter, animal minder extraordinaire, who has been incarcerated for multiple murders she didn’t commit. Melanie’s mind-blinds are not simply opened, but blown right off when supernatural secrets are exposed.

Melanie’s not a complete stranger to the supernatural. She’s found success and made a ton of money writing about bump-in-the night creatures in her paranormal romance books. She’s put her writing on hold and has rushed to Plum Beach to offer Chloe moral support. She finds things are far worse than she anticipated. Not only is her friend facing an uncertain future behind bars, but Melanie soon discovers that monsters aren’t just found between the pages of her books, but are lurking in the quant Oceanside town. Before she has time to unpack her suitcase, she’s welcomed into a wild world of werewolves, vampires, witches, angels and demons, faeries and demons, and a the havoc that unfolds because of their meddling in human affairs.

With no time to process her paranormal predicament, Melanie is thrust into an adventure that has the potential to destroy not only her own life, but everyone and everything she holds dear, including the world they live in. But in the midst of the unexpected madness, her man-hating beliefs are shattered when she’s faced with several supernatural suitors vying for her affection.

Who will she choose? A young werewolf with a crooked grin, his handsome ‘pops,’ a powerful fae prince, or will she lock lips with a mysterious vampire who keeps showing up in the most startling places, like outside her motel’s bathroom window.

Let’s join Melanie as she ponders her predicament after a long day of mind shattering revelations:

Until today, besides the characters and creatures in my books, I’d only once given any genuine thought to the existence of nonhuman species, and the details were foggy now. What I could recall was a trip to Vegas as a teenager. I’d sworn to my parents that I’d spotted a werewolf lurking in an alley. We’d argued the remainder of our vacation until I’d relented and accepted their theory. I’d likely observed an actor in costume taking a break from some Vegas show. Considering it was Halloween weekend, I could see how their reasoning made sense.

Knowing what I knew now, I wasn’t so sure what I had or hadn’t seen. When I mentioned it to Zane, he confirmed a substantial werewolf population in Nevada.

“So, now what?” My thoughts had grown swimmy and I was ready to collapse from exhaustion.

With a touch of heroic effort, Michael rushed to my side. “You’re beat. Let’s get you back to your room. We’ll post a guard to keep an eye on you while you’re here. Chloe’s best friend is a friend of the Pacific Pack.”

I nodded, grateful for his offer. I glanced up and noticed his eyes. They’d changed and now glimmered golden in the moonlight. Thinking my own eyes were playing tricks, I looked away, but not before seeing his adorable half smile. Michael was indeed a cutie. I didn’t have to be wide awake to know that.

A few minutes later I was in my room, in my pajamas and making certain everything was locked up one last time. I peeked out the front window and noticed another handsome stranger. He gave the hand signal, agreed upon by Zane, to ensure I knew who was in charge of my surveillance. I returned the gesture and dropped the blinds.

Tomorrow morning I would meet with Zane and the M’s for a trip to the Plum Beach Wildlife Park where Chloe and Zane had met and were employed. Michael and Mack performed security duties for Luke Snider, the park’s owner. Chloe had told me about Luke, and I was looking forward to hearing his take on the seaside scandal involving his key employees. It was important I remember that he wasn’t privy to the supernatural elements in Plum Beach, or anywhere for that matter. Finding out from me wasn’t an option. My lips were sealed.

I half stumbled to the tiny bathroom and plastered on enough night cream to combat the future wrinkles all my worrying was sure to cause. Pushing aside the curtain, I could see the parking lot of a market behind the motel.

Something moved, more like zipped toward me in a blur of silvery light.

My feet were frozen to the floor, leaving me to face a man unlike any I’d ever seen. He stood outside my window, just inches from the glass, which looked very thin and breakable all of a sudden. His lip cured up on one side revealing a gleaming white fang.

Still glued to the same spot, I watched him raise a long-fingered hand to his mouth. He kissed his palm, his eyes never leaving mine, and then blew me the most erotic kiss of my life. It tingled all the way to my toes.

Before my bizarre reaction could register, he vanished in another blur, leaving me trembling.

My feet came unglued and I backed away, fighting the urge, with every step, to open the window and call for my fanged admirer … or was fanged stalker more accurate?

Collapsing on the bed, I touched my neck. I couldn’t understand how one blown kiss could leave such a trail of heat behind.

I’m not sure what I’d do in Melanie’s position, but at the moment, I’m leaning towards open the darn window and let that sexy stalker in, fangs and all. So, my question to you is: What would you do if a paranormal prince charming showed up outside your window, door, or car (you get the point)? Would you let him in or close the curtain/door and dial 911? My other question is more general. How do you think you’d handle finding out the world as you know it isn’t what you’d always believed? Would you go with the flow or get your head examined?

Share your answers in this awesome blog’s comment section. I’d love to hear from you. And if you’d like to know what happens to Melanie, Chloe, and the rest of the Pacific Pack, pick up a copy of She Kissed a Vampire, book two in my Werewolves of the West series.

And check out the picture below. I found one I think represents the vampire, Alcuin. You will have to read the book and see if you agree. After you finish reading, find a photo of how you envision Alcuin, and then share it on my Facebook page to be entered in another cool drawing.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Werewolves-of-the-West-Book-Series-Author-Carol-Van-Atta/153030771437034?ref=hl

Happy reading!

Alcuin
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Like most authors, Carol Van Atta is no stranger to the written word. She penned a short novel at age 12 (somewhat frightening illustrations included, and lots of bunnies were involved), and had a creative writing piece published in her high school newspaper (about David Bowie's Diamond Dogs LP). Yes, she's an ex-80's chick.

Devouring books from numerous genres, Carol developed a deep thirst/hunger for more reading material, and could almost always be found with her nose in a book.

She has contributed to several popular inspirational anthologies and devotional books, and lives in the rainy wetland of Oregon with a terrifying teen (another in college) and a small zoo of animals. She is taking an undetermined hiatus away from inspirational writing to delve into her darker side. (Though you can check out her latest spiritual suspense novel, Soul Defenders). It is rumored that this genre-jumping occurred after Carol discovered too suspicious red marks on her neck, and experienced an unquenchable urge to howl at the moon.

Find Carol and her books
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She Kissed A Vampire
Werewolves of the West #2
Best selling author Melanie Larson’s relationship with her friend, Chloe Carpenter, is bleak. Falsely accused of murder, Chloe’s future rests in the hands of her mate, Zane Marshall, and the Pacific Pack’s purebred werewolves. In an effort to help, Melanie joins forces with the pack and soon discovers the monsters she writes about in her paranormal novels really do go bump in the night.

As Chloe struggles with legal troubles, an unwanted blood bond with a master vampire, and a reunion with her mate, Melanie untangles the attention of multiple supernatural suitors determined to claim her as their own. Strangely attracted to a brazen vampire, she must decide if the blurred line between passion and pain is worth crossing.

Werewolves, vampires, and fae royalty race to unearth an ancient artifact with the power to extend their existence. Can Chloe and Melanie restore their friendship in time to stop magical mayhem from ruining everything they have worked so hard to redeem?

I Kissed A Dog
Werewolves of the West #1
Chloe Carpenter isn't like other women. She can communicate with animals. A gift she unwrapped following one of her frequent dances with death.

In her otherwise wacky life, she's finally found a semblance of sanity working at the Plum Beach Wildlife Park, where her unique talents can make life or death differences for the animals in her care. That semblance is shattered when a new veterinarian roars into the park in his spiffed up sports car and sets his golden gaze on her. If she had her way, he'd roar right back out.

Problem: He's her new coworker and he's saved her life twice - in the past twenty-four hours.

Zane Marshall, Enforcer for the Pacific Pack of purebred werewolves, has a job to do - figure out who or what is mutilating the young men of Plum Beach.

With orders to find the woman who talks to animals, he accepts a position working alongside the fiery Chloe Carpenter, a female who ignites his interest far more than he ever expected.

Remarkably, she's the one elusive female with potential to bring meaning and passion to his empty existence.

Problem: She despises him.

Together, they're forced to unravel a mystery of supernatural proportions, a murderous mystery with eternal implications for everyone. In the process, they discover opposites really do attract.

Major Problem: Zane is pledged to another woman, and she'll do anything to keep him from Chloe.
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February Edge Release Blast


Edge, a digital-first single-title romance line from Entangled Publishing, takes its lead from their popular Select imprint but gives its novels an edge in the marketplace by bringing great stories to readers at reasonable prices in a quick-and-easy way. Whether sexy or sweet, traditional romance or love and lust with a women’s fiction bent, at the center of every Edge book is heart. From Urban Fantasy to Contemporary Romance to Science Fiction Romance, Edge has a book for all romance readers—and right at their fingertips! As they say, all’s fair in love and war. To find out more about their titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books are coming next, visit the Entangled website, follow them on Twitter, and like their Facebook page.

Today I'm happy to be featuring Edge's February releases!!



Mustang Sassy by Daire St. Denis

Special $0.99 Introductory Price!


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Jordan Michaels wants his car fixed, now, and he wants Sass’s auto body shop to do it. But the handsome blond has a secret−he’s really Jordan Carlyle of Carlyle’s Classics, Sass Hogan’s biggest competitor, and he’s determined to prove himself to his family. As Sass and Jordan get to know each other, the depth of the attraction has them falling in love. But a relationship based on lies will only leave them primed for the worst wreck of their lives.



Death Defying by Nina Croft
Blood Hunter #3

Special $0.99 Pricing on First 3 Books in Series!

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After five hundred years, Callum Meridian, founding member of the Collective, is bored out of his mind. Until he realizes he’s physically changing—into what, he isn’t sure. Callum is determined to discover the truth, but his own people will stop at nothing to prevent it from coming out. He turns to Captain Tannis of the starship El Cazador. Sparks fly as they work together to make it out alive, but can Callum really trust the one woman hell bent on using him? Defying death has never been more dangerous…or more sexy.




Bittersweet Darkness by Nina Croft
The Order #3

Special $0.99 Pricing on All 3 Books in Series!


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As payment for a debt, Ash Delacourt finds himself working with the Order of the Shadow Accords as the demon representative. It’s a chance to be near his daughter, make a new start, and—once he’s met the delectable Detective Connolly—maybe have a little fun. But Faith has a secret, and falling in love with Ash—one of the bad guys, albeit a stunningly gorgeous one, isn't part of her future. How can she ever let Ash close when her time is running out…?



Before the Devil Knows You're Dead by Patricia Eimer
Speak of the Devil #3

Special $0.99 Pricing on All 3 Books in Series!


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There’s never an end to the crazy when you’re demon spawn. Not that Faith Bettincourt’s complaining. She's patching things up with her angelic on-again off-again boyfriend, Matt, and saving kids from Death in her pediatric unit, one soul at a time. But when she's forced to take over as the Angel of Death, and then Matt’s ex comes back, bringing the Apocalypse with her, Faith’s not about to give up the world...or her man. When the chips are down, what’s a girl to do but take matters in her own hands, consequences be damned?