Review: Chasing Shadows (Daemons of San DeLain Book 1) by M.A. Church

Rating: 3.5🌈

Chasing Shadows is the first book in M.A. Church’s new Daemons of San DeLain series. A paranormal romance, the theme and background of the central characters hints at a darker story than it turns out to be.

A physically abused child is saved from his father’s continuing brutality by a monster that’s hiding under his bed. One who announces to the child that he belongs to him.

Church could have gone so dark with that storyline but instead the monster turns out to be a guardian who acts as protector, friend, and nothing more until the boy ages. He’s been a unseen companion, a voice and glimpses of darkness under the bed.

It’s not until Austin’s an adult with a career as a successful paranormal romance author that events cause a meeting that brings them finally face to face.

Church’s universe for this series has many of the usual paranormal characters as well as the new shadow daemons the author’s created. I found so many aspects about them interesting, the use of shadows to travel. Portals. The fact that there’s gender differences in appearances. That puzzled me btw. Why automatically assume or assign gender to daemons? Why not make coloration differences according to age?

At any rate, Kage, the head of his Daemons clan, aka the Monster under the bed, just doesn’t come across as all that monstrous. Courtly, old. Just not the feared being he’s supposed to be across all paranormal species.

That’s a factor here all through the various storylines. None of the hunters, werewolves, dragons, seem especially threatening.

The promise the dark elements threaded through the description shows never arrives. Which is fine if you like your paranormal romance on the light side.

Chasing Shadows , for me, is a lighter styled romance. There’s fated mates but no kink or wild sex that you’d expect from a daemon who’s claiming his long awaited mate. The story has some mystery, some suspense but ,again nothing chilling or high anxiety.

The relationships, the danger, even the mating bond itself was more along the quick entertainment level then anything with deeper narrative expectations.

If that’s what you want in a paranormal romance, or even something you’re looking for right now, check out the beginning of this new series, Chasing Shadows (Daemons of San DeLain Book 1) by M.A. Church .

Daemons of San DeLain series:

Chasing Shadows #1

Goodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com › showChasing Shadows by M.A. Church

Description:

The monster: They say I am powerful. They say I am the darkness. They say I instill fear in the minds and hearts of many.

They’re right.

I am powerful. I am the darkness. I should be feared. Then I heard his cries and everything changed. Power can be tempered. There’s safety in the darkness. And the monster isn’t always the one under the bed.

Now only the heart and mind of one human interests me. He is mine. I wait, watching over him until the time is right to claim what belongs to me.

Austin: Do you believe there are monsters under the bed? I do. I don’t just believe; I know for a fact they exist. I’ve met one. Sort of. Okay, I haven’t actually seen the monster, I’ve only spoken to it.

Kind of hard to see much of anything when you’re hiding under the covers while waiting on your father to beat your ass. The monster saved me. Literally. He says I’m his, and he’s waiting for the right time to claim me.

Someone tell him to hurry the hell up.

—-

Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer

Review: The Harvest Young: Bound by Fate (The Next Generation Book 1) by M.A. Church

Rating: 3 🌈

It’s been a while since I read M.A. Church’s series , The Harvest Taken (2014), but I do remember liking those stories.

Which I why , aside from the terrific cover , I picked up The Harvest Young: Bound by Fate (The Next Generation Book 1) by M.A. Church.

I’m not sure that I either enjoyed this as much or remembered the other very well. Because I found I had quite a few issues with it.

Most of the universe, various species, political setups, can all be found in the previous series. You need to be familiar with those stories or you’ll be completely lost here.

There’s no attempt to fill in a new reader and frankly, there’s probably no way to convey the complicated backgrounds and histories of all the people and worlds involved.

But my issues started with the characters. The twins, who I met in the other series, are now grown. And one, Szin , is unlike his brother in looks and feels extremely insecure. He’s about to be claimed by his fated mate, who he feels inadequate to. Unlike his brother, Szin looks more like his human father than his Tah’Narian other parent.

That’s the basics. But he’s grown up with and actually loves Takeo, his childhood friend and soon to be mate. Takeo has adored and listened to him all his life. But instead of talking to him about the problems he’s feeling, this character is whining and running.

Honestly, he’s royalty. He’s surrounded by people who listen to him , constantly. Not , imo, the most relatable.

Then there’s the sex scenes. When the couple finally decide to mate, one barely a virgin and one is. It’s instantly a bondage D/s pain scene.

Ok. They’ve barely decided they’re going to be mates but let’s dive right into a D/s relationship?

Yeah that’s believable. Not that they aren’t cute together but can there at least be some semblance of time to make that reasonable?

Then while they are strolling about Takeo’s home world I came across a scene that pulls me out of the story completely.

Here’s the issue.

One thing I’m very disappointed to see in a futuristic story is that continuation of stale non environmental ideals. Here are our main characters on a hot, arid planet with highly specialized flora and fauna that they take note of. But this is what their species built.

“They continued walking but didn’t speak until they reached a several-storied, light-gray-colored building with huge windows. A lush, well-manicured green lawn surrounded it. “This is the Sa-Ka.” “Wow. Of all the things I expected, this beauty in such an arid place wasn’t in it.” “There is a sprinkler system here, that’s why it’s so green. If you like that, you’ll really like this.” Takeo led Szin down a path that led to a garden.”

— The Harvest Young: Bound by Fate (The Next Generation Book 1) by M.A. Church

Green lawns, that need a sprinkler system. I was absolutely cringing. They aren’t even human. But the author’s choices were. Outdated , environmentally destructive even in our times, but now making an appearance in a sci-fy romance novel on a desert planet far in the future.

This is so disheartening. To see water wastage (with burbling fountains) made a thing to be appreciated. American lawns, sprinkler systems. What? No mow patterns?

For me, I look to science fiction for something fresh, and if it’s a repetition of old history, then it’s because there’s a lesson to be learned. Not held up as something wonderful in the future when we should have discarded it as a tired old element that should have been eliminated then because we learned our lesson about water preservation now.

Did I finish the book? Yes. But I was looking at everything differently. How much was outdated in terms of philosophy? I was now second guessing every choice the author was making with the narrative.

So would I recommend this? Honestly I’m not sure. I guess if you’re a fan of the author, or if you want to know where the series characters go next, then sure.

But for everyone else, you can decide for yourself.

There’s other books in this series but I’m stopping here.

https://www.goodreads.com › showBound by Fate – The Harvest Young by M.A. Church | Goodreads

Synopsis:

Half human and half Tah’Narian, Szin doesn’t fit with either race. His appearance is mainly human, but he’s able to have a young. Unfortunately, that’s his only Tah’Narian characteristic. He’s smaller and weaker than other young. Szin’s eighteenth birthday has passed and time’s running out. He has to stop his childhood friend, Takeo, from making the worst mistake of his life: claiming Szin as a mate. Takeo deserves an equal who’s as fierce as he is, something Szin most certainly is not. Since before Takeo was born, he’s known Szin was his. Nothing and no one, not even Szin, is going to stand in the way of claiming his mate. He understands Szin feels he isn’t good enough, and he’ll do anything to convince Szin otherwise. Including taking drastic measures to ensure his mate listens. Takeo is the ultimate blend of human, Tah’Narian, and Onfrevian DNA. He’s pure predator, and his sights are set on his mate.

An Alisa Audiobook Review: Dragon’s Hoard by M.A. Church and Narrator: Dorian Bane

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

To be loved by a dragon is to be treasured.

A hundred years ago, werewolf Alpha Montgomery took a risk driven by desperation—he borrowed money from the ancient dragon Warwick Ehecatl, putting up the pack lands as collateral. Now the debt is due, and dragons don’t forget—or forgive. Warwick demands Montgomery’s son, Avery, and three businesses as compensation. As an Omega, Avery knows he is basically useless to his pack, so he might as well agree. He soon has second thoughts, though. Warwick is fearsome, and he’s free to do as he likes with Avery.

Warwick knows his race’s reputation, and he even admits some of it is deserved. But he’d rather cut off his tail than let his innocent mate’s light go out. It won’t be easy, but buried deep, there’s something between them worth safeguarding.

I really enjoyed this story. Though the circumstances weren’t great for getting Warwick and Avery together you never know if they would have ever really met in any other way. Dragon’s don’t normally mate so Warwick doesn’t understand his insistence that Avery is theirs but he isn’t going to fight what he feels.

First off, Avery’s father was an idiot if he thought he would be able to get away without paying back his debt. I loved Avery’s innocence but also that he didn’t let other preconceived notions keep him from being who he wanted and Warwick did a wonderful job showing him that he didn’t see him like those in his pack did. It took a little for Warwick to open up but form the beginning he wanted to do what was right for Avery and treat him well. While there were times when points were made multiple times, which usually is one of my biggest pet peeves, I really liked this story.

Dorian Bane did a wonderful job narrating this story. I was able to connect with the characters well and feel their emotions in his reading as he used different voices for the characters. His voice changes so much you really get to see the differences with the characters. He also portrayed the haughty attitudes of many of the characters well.

Cover art by Aaron Anderson is very nice and gives a nice visual of Warwick.

Sales Links: Audible | Amazon | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Audiobook, 6 hrs 54 min

Published: December 12, 2017 (ebook first published February 27, 2017) by Dreamspinner Press

Edition Language: English

Series: Dreamspun Beyon

M.A. Church on Cat Facts and her latest story At Sixes and Sevens (Fur, Fangs, and Felines #4) by M.A. Church

At Sixes and Sevens (Fur, Fangs, and Felines #4) by M.A. Church
Dreamspinner Press
Cover art by Paul Richmond

Buy Links:

Dreamspinner Press eBook and Paperback | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have M.A. Church here today on her At Sixes and Sevens tour. Welcome, M.A.

Cat Facts by M.A. Church

It is estimated that there are 200–600 million cats alive on Earth.

There may have been instances of domesticated cats as early as 7,500 BC.

Cats are the most popular pet in the United States: There are 88 million pet cats and 74 million dogs.

A group of cats is called a clowder.

Cats can’t taste sweetness.

Adult cats only meow to communicate with humans.

Cats’ life spans are on the rise. In the early 1980s, cats were only expected to live seven years; now they are expected to live twelve to fifteen.

The oldest known cat was Creme Puff, who lived to be thirty-eight years old.

Domesticated cats use vocalizations like meowing, purring and hissing—but feral cats are practically silent.

Cats can pass their body through any space which they can fit their heads through.

Blurb

Werecats mating with humans was bad enough…. But an Alpha werewolf?

Aidric’s life takes an unexpected turn when he meets Alpha Carter Lovelock of the Dark Lake Pack—who is apparently his mate. Now Aidric must decide whether to accept the mate the goddess chose, or deny her gift because cats and dogs just don’t mix.

Carter is in a pickle. He always assumed his mate would be a female werewolf. How else is Carter supposed to carry on his line and retain Alphaship? When Aidric comes into his life, Carter’s ex, Sabrina, isn’t giving up easily. Her brother, Delaney, is a thorn in Carter’s side, and some of the other werewolves go out of their way to make Aidric feel unwelcome, including one of his deltas, Evan.

Unfortunately, what little headway they make is destroyed during a full moon hunt when enemy werewolves attack Aidric and threaten the pack house where the Dark Lake pups are kept—an ambush that could have devastating consequences on their future.

Werewolves are notoriously insular, and before Carter and Aidric can build the life they want with each other, they’ll face a fight for acceptance.

Excerpt

There was no way a mating between a werewolf and a werecat could work. All I was doing was delaying the inevitable. Obviously Carter felt the same way since he hadn’t bothered to call me in the week since that meeting. He certainly wasn’t pursuing me.

Growling, I stomped to the bedroom. Well, screw him. I needed to be mated to a werewolf like I needed a hole in the head. I snatched up my cell phone and promptly dropped the thing on the bed when it rang. Startled, I hissed at it. Shit. The ringtone continued to blare as I snatched it up. If I’d cracked the stupid screen, I was going to…. I blinked in surprise.

Speak of the devil—or in this case—the werewolf. Running my finger across the screen, I unlocked my cell. My heart pounded. If I answered this, I’d have to stop avoiding the situation. Was I ready? There’d be no going back. Did I really want to take this step? Did I have a choice?

I answered the damn phone. “Hello?”

“Aidric LeClair?”

I closed my eyes for a second, took a deep breath, and then opened them. Why did his voice have to be so low and rumbly? I shivered. “Speaking.”

“This is Carter Lovelock.”

Right away I noticed he omitted his title, but that didn’t surprise me. He had no way of knowing how secure my phone line was.

“Are you there?”

“What?” Jeez, what was I doing? “Yes, I’m here. Sorry about that. I was….” Okay, no, I was not going to tell him I was perving on his voice. “Anyway. What can I do for you?”

There was silence on the line. The temptation to bang my head against the nearest wall was great, but I resisted. Had I actually asked him what could I do for him? Could I possibly sound stuffier?

“I can think of several ways to answer that question, but maybe it would be better not to.”

“I’m sorry?” I cringed. In my mind I saw my cat with his paw over his eyes. Well, guess that answered the question of whether I could sound stuffier. Apparently I could.

“Ah, is this a bad time?”

Is there ever a good time to make an idiot of myself? “No, no, it’s not a bad time.”

“I see. Cat got your tongue, perhaps?”

Whatever nerves were plaguing me suddenly ignited, and with a whoosh, went up in a screaming mass of indignant flames. Abruptly I wanted to use Alpha Lovelock as a scratching post.

“You know, your kind is proof evolution can go in reverse.”

Now I understood exactly what the term “dead air” meant. I couldn’t believe I’d said that, but by damned, he deserved it. Cat got my tongue—seriously?

Finally Carter chuckled. “I guess I did ask for that, didn’t I?”

“I would say so.” I collapsed on the bed, knees weak. Conversing with this werewolf was like pushing a boulder. Uphill. During a monsoon.

“Hey, it got you talking to me, at least—even if it was to insult me,” Carter said. Then his voice turned serious. “You and I need to meet.”

“Yes, I suppose we do.”

“I’ll give you directions to my house and—”

“No.” He couldn’t be serious.

“Excuse me?”

How much arrogance could a person cram into two words? “I’m not coming on your pac… your, ah… your place. No way.”

“You have my word you won’t be harmed.”

Whoop-de-freaking-do. “That’s nice and all, but I’m still not coming there.”

“Well, I can’t come to you without permission from your… from Dolf.”

That was definitely a no too. “I agree. That’s not a good idea either.”

Dolf and the rest of the betas were already too interested in my life. The nosy bunch of felines would probably hide in the surrounding trees if Carter came here. It wouldn’t be curiosity killing the cat; it’d be me.

“Then what do you suggest, because we do need to meet. I’m afraid I really must insist.”

I almost told him he could insist until he turned blue in the face, but I was trying to be civil. “I think somewhere neutral would be better.”

“And private.”

I hesitated. Private meant isolated, and isolated meant… well, isolated. Although I understood why he’d request that—we didn’t have to watch what we said if humans were not about—I didn’t know this Alpha. He was my mate and wasn’t supposed to be able to hurt me, but did I really want to put that to the test?

“I… fine. I will tell Dolf where I’m going to be, though.”

“You should. Temple and Shea will know where I am too.”

I’d forgotten all about his betas. “You’re coming alone, correct?”

“I… no. I can’t. You know that. Would you allow Dolf to go somewhere unescorted?”

Damn. He had a point. Alphas never went anywhere without at least one beta with them. Now what? “So you’re going to have one of them with you?”

“I’m afraid so. That’s nonnegotiable, and you know why.”

This was turning into a massive headache, and we hadn’t even laid eyes on each other yet. I growled softly. “I am not discussing anything of a personal nature with you as long as you have an extra set of ears listening in.”

“Which is why I suggested you come here. It’s easier.”

Of course it was—for them. I didn’t find anything about going there easy. The idea of being the lone cat surrounded by nothing but wolves was intimidating. In shifted form they were bigger and heavier than my cat, which was the size of a large Savannah.

While we could be arrogant, we had nothing on werewolves. Ha! Arrogant. The word described them perfectly, along with sarcastic, bossy, and vain. They acted as if the rest of us shifters should bow down to them.

If Carter came here, one of his betas would be with him. Plus they’d have to spend several nights, considering Carter’s pack land was several hours away. I was uncomfortable offering Carter my guest room, but I might’ve done it. But his beta too? Not happening. That was one werewolf too many.

Having two strange males—who were werewolves—under the same roof with me was more than I could handle. Not to mention I only had the one spare guest room, and I couldn’t see Temple and Carter sharing a bed.

My cat immediately growled his opinion on that. I’d probably fillet that sucker if he tried to get into bed with my mate… oh no. Banging my head against the nearest wall was looking better and better. I was getting possessive of Carter, which was a bad sign. A very, very bad sign.

“Aidric?”

“What?” I snapped.

“I’ve already given you my word nothing bad will happen to you here.”

“That’s supposed to reassure me?”

The growl that came across the phone line lifted the hair on the back of my neck.

“You question my word? My word? That’s an insult in so many ways I don’t know where to begin.”

By the goddess’s right paw, what was I thinking? “Okay. That was uncalled for, and I apologize, but you have to understand how uncomfortable this makes me.”

“Apology accepted. I do understand, and I promise you if any of my wolves lays a hand on you, they will regret it.”

Well, hell. He meant it. I heard the conviction in his voice and pinched the bridge of my nose. A voice in the back of my head whispered this was a disaster waiting to happen, but I couldn’t see a way around it.

It’d be easier for me to go there, even though the thought left me trembling. On the other hand, what better way to see if I could tolerate living among the wolves? Better to find out now before we mated, than later when there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.

“Fine. I’ll come there.” I clutched the phone as my stomach dropped to somewhere around my knees. “But understand this—the moment I feel threatened, I’m out of there.”

“Understood. If that happens, I want to know about it immediately, because you won’t feel that way for long, I promise you. Would you consent to staying for a couple of nights?”

Yep, the aforementioned headache just sank its claws into the base of my neck. “Might as well.”

“Thank you. I know this is difficult, but all I ask is that we sit down and discuss this like two rational adults.”

Then we were already screwed, because I’d never known a werewolf to be rational, but why throw that into the conversation? “Agreed. Send me your address so I can program it into the GPS.”

“I will. Is the snow awful down there?”

Oh yay. Small talk and the ever-safe topic of the weather. “No. Not really. The temperature is supposed to rise tomorrow. That’ll get it melting quickly.” Which sucked, but it was better for driving. “I need to talk with Dolf and square this with him so I can have the time off. I’ll probably leave tomorrow after lunch. Since it’ll be Sunday, the traffic shouldn’t be too bad.”

“Excellent. Send me a text so I know when you leave.”

Already with the demands. “How about you ask me to send you a text? I’m not Temple or Shea, even though I hold the same rank. And you’re not my Alp… well. You know. You might want to remember that.”

“But I do hold the same rank as Dolf. You might want to remember that.”

I gritted my teeth. We were already off to a rip-roaring start. “While I am perfectly willing to give you the respect your rank deserves, I kiss nobody’s ass. If you want me to do something, ask instead of demand. I’m your mate, not your beta.” I cursed softly for my slip of the tongue.

“You’re right. I….” Carter sighed. “Will you send me a text before you leave?”

That was better. A firm believer in starting out how I meant to go on, I answered him in the perkiest voice I could muster. “Sure. I can do that.”

“I’ll see you when you get here. Have a good evening. Good night.”

“You too. Good night.” On that cheerful note, I ended the call and slipped my cell back into my jeans pocket.

If we didn’t kill each other within the first hour, it’d be a miracle.

About the Author

M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing poles. It’s a full-time job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it!

When not writing, she’s exploring the latest M/M novel to hit the market, watching her beloved Steelers, or watching HGTV. That’s if she’s not on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two children.

She is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

Contact M.A.:

Blog: http://machurch00.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nomoretears00
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nomoretears00
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/MA-Church
The Harvest FB fan page: www.facebook.com/#!/theharvest00
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/MAChurch
Amazon: www.amazon.com/M.A.-Church/e/B007A8JA4C
Email: nomoretears00@hotmail.com

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Dragon’s Hoard by M.A. Church

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

To be loved by a dragon is to be treasured.

I can’t resist a dragon’s tale and this new installment in Dreamspinner Press’ Dreamspun Beyond series is another knockout! Dragon’s Hoard by M.A. Church combines several typical story elements such as a dragon and his hoard, a wolf shifter and mate bonding, a pack omega typical characteristics and serves up a finished romance that sees a wonderful new love story emerge from those familiar beginnings.

Our introduction is to a desperate bargain made by Avery’s father and pack Alpha with Warwick, an ancient Dragon and well-known money lender. Only he’s someone you go to only as the last resort. Think Dragon shark! And Avery’s father has been very irresponsible with the pack holdings and finances. A deal is done and he has 100 years to pay off his debt. Yeah, like that’s going to happen.

But the wonderful thing about Church’s characters is that it’s not all black and white. These beings have dimension, what they may be lacking in personality in one area of their character, Church makes it up in another, so you can maybe not identity with them but emphasize a little with their situation. It’s also our first introduction to Warwick, a formidable personage, every ounce a scary, powerful dragon.

Skip forward to Avery, someone who develops in character and depth by the paragraph. Avery is living the life of a sheltered Omega, considered to weak, submissive, and a bit of a rare hothouse flower. He doesn’t really think of himself that way but it’s the way all Omegas are regarded. It’s tradition. Until one special night…his birthday and the coming of age of himself and the 100 year loan his father made.

How Church builds that suspense and drama is terrific! And the quick meeting of glances! Powerful.

Warwick’s thousands of years of existence has prepared him for everything except for the possibility of meeting his mate. Church gives us two main characters thrown into total confusion, hopefulness, desire, and more. The author delivers a wonderful twist on the mate bonding here that I loved, and many secondary characters that I loved spending time with.

I loved how this story ended but absolutely wouldn’t mind it if M.A. Church found a way back into this universe to check up on this couple to see how they are doing. Who knew you could be so happy for a dragon and a wolf?

I absolutely recommend Dragon’s Hoard by M.A. Church.

Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson. I like the cover, it has some really nice elements to it, including that model who works for Warwick.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 234 pages
Expected publication: October 1st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781635338805
Edition LanguageEnglish

MA Church on Research, Characters and her latest story ‘Dragon’s Hoard’ (Dreamspinner Dreamspun Beyond Tour)

Dragon’s Hoard by M.A. Church
Dreamspinner Press
Dreamspun Beyond

Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson

Expected publication: October 1st 2017
Available for Purchase at Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have M.A. Church here today on her Dragon’s Hoard tour. Welcome, M.A., please tell us a little something about your latest release.

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Hey everyone! I’m M. A. Church, and I’m here to talk about my latest release, Dragon’s Hoard from the Dreamspun Beyond line at Dreamspinner Press. When I first heard Dreamspinner was opening a new house line featuring paranormal themes, I was beyond excited, lol. I’ve wanted to write a dragon story for a long time, and this seemed like a sign!

How much of yourself goes into a character?

Every character has some personality trait of mine. It may be the one-liners, or the snarky attitude, but there’s always some part of me there.

Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write? Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?

I always research my books, but I end up doing more for certain ones. Most of my stories tend to take place in present-day, so there’s that contemporary edge to the stories that needs to make sense to the reader. When I’m doing paranormal, I research folklore/myths, plus how an animal responds in its natural setting. Even if I’m writing sci-fi, I’m researching things. But I do also love making up worlds and cultures.

Do you have a favorite among your own stories? And why?

That would be The Harvest series. It was started right after my mom died, and I credit it with helping me get through one of the hardest times in my life.

Blurb

To be loved by a dragon is to be treasured.

House Line Dreamspun Beyond | #5

Genres: Urban Fantasy / Werewolves/Shapeshifters

Excerpt

Warwick grabbed the reins on the runaway dragon inside of him, desperately trying to control the thrashing creature. Ye gods! His dragon wanted the Omega, badly, which was shocking. His kind usually paired up long enough to procreate, and if the female became pregnant, she went off on her own to have the egg. She raised the offspring, and once the fledgling reached adolescence, they were on their own.

Sometimes dragons had sex with each other for fun, but relationships never lasted long. Their kind tended to get on one another’s nerves, which led to fights. It was why they didn’t often mate with dragons or other paranormals, but there were a few who managed to make it work.

Warwick preferred short-term connections where it was understood there were no commitments. He’d never been interested in mating. But now suddenly his dragon was interested in that Omega… and wanted to claim him as his own.

Warwick was stunned. But the hazel-eyed Omega standing outside almost accomplished what rarely happened with dragons. The wolf hadn’t even been trying—and that was the frightening thing.

He jerked his gaze away from the young wolf. The last thing he needed was to betray his sudden interest. Never would he give an opponent that kind of knowledge, even if his dragon was all but wagging its tail in excitement. With a mental thrust, he tried to settle the vexing creature. He certainly didn’t need this right now, and especially not here.

About the Author

She is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

Contact M.A.:

Blog: http://machurch00.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nomoretears00
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nomoretears00
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/MA-Church The Harvest
FB fan page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/theharvest00
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/MAChurch
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/M.A.-Church/e/B007A8JA4C
Email: nomoretears00@hotmail.com

STRW Interview with M.A. Church on her new release ‘Texting, AutoCorrect, and a Prius’ (author interview and excerpt)

Texting, AutoCorrect, and a Prius by M.A. Church
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza

Available for Purchase at Dreamspinner Press

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have M.A. Church here today talking about writing, characters, and her latest release,

Texting, AutoCorrect, and a Prius. Welcome, M.A.!

✒︎

Our Interview with M.A. Church

How much of yourself goes into a character?

A lot. Many of my characteristics, thoughts, feelings, and reactions are built into my characters. Actually, both my main characters have many of my personality traits.

Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write? Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?

Absolutely! Research plays a vital role. I mainly write paranormal and sci-fi, but I spend a lot of time checking mythology. I’m a firm believer in you have to understand a myth before you can flip it on its head. If I’m writing about werecats, I feel it’s necessary to the understand habits and reactions of felines, whether they’re big or small. Many of my paranormal stories are based in present day, so I have to make my shifters fit into that environment.

I do enjoy research, but I love making up worlds and cultures. It’s one reasons why I’m so fond of sci-fi. But even with that, research plays a key role in making the unbelievable believable.

Have you ever had to put an ‘in progress’ story aside because of the emotional ties with it? You were hurting with the characters or didn’t know how to proceed?

I have but not recently. There was a scene in Shadows in the Night where the main character’s mother was dying. I struggled with it because it was close to when I lost my mom. It caused some bad moments, but I got through it. Frankly I think it made that scene much stronger.

Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?

I’m good either way. I like HEA, but sometimes the story just isn’t set up for that. I’d much rather have an ending that is HFN than to force HEA. As long story ends with the characters happy, I’m good, even if all their issues haven’t been resolved.

How do you choose your covers?

The main thing I look for is something that highlights my story and picks up the feeling of the book. I want something that portrays a very basic element of the book so readers know at a glance what my story is about.

Do you have a favorite among your own stories? And why?

I’d say it’d either be The Harvest series or Trouble Comes in Threes from the Fur, Fangs, and Felines series. The Harvest was originally written right after my mom passed away. The books kept me from losing my mind.

Trouble Comes in Threes doesn’t have that memory connected to it, but it was the first threesome I ever wrote. It was well received, fortunately. And I did worry about how to portray a threesome believably.

What’s next for you as an author?

I have a book coming from Dreamspinner in October called Dragon’s Hoard. It’s part of the new Dreamspun Beyond line, and I’m very excited about that.

At Sixes and Sevens is under contract with Dreamspinner and will *probably* be out in November. It could be October, though.

Blurb

Clay McDonald finds the perfect car on Craigslist and is quick to send the seller a text:

Is your penis still for sale?

AutoCorrect strikes again. Damn—he should’ve proofread. How embarrassing.

Luckily Darrell Anderson, a mechanic and the owner of the Prius, is more amused than offended, and the two men agree to meet. When they do, the attraction is instant, and a date is arranged. But a series of mishaps, misunderstandings, and misplaced assumptions sorely test the new relationship.

In a contemporary romantic comedy about the perils of technology and dating in the modern world, a text that went so wrong might just lead to something so right—but only if Clay can refrain from jumping to conclusions and give love the benefit of the doubt.

Excerpt

“Whoa, whoa. The truck is fine, and there’s nothing wrong with it. You didn’t hear me because I drove the Prius. Which means you’re going to need to take me back up to the shop since I left my truck there.”

Darrell groaned. Of all the rotten, underhanded…. “Oh, come on. Seriously? You just ruined my Saturday.”

Bert laughed, a cocky little grin on his face. “Hey, I told you it had to be parked here.”

Darrell continued to grumble as he went back to arranging the food. “I was trying to forget about it. Does that mean you posted the ad on Craigslist?”

“As a matter of fact, I did this morning.” Bert opened his beer. “It should be up already.”

Of course it was. “Lovely. Just what I want to do on my weekend off. I’m assuming you put my cell phone number on the ad?”

“Yup.” Bert sipped his beer, then put it down on the counter. “Look, if something comes up, just let the call go to voicemail.”

Darrell poured a soda for himself. “Thank you, Captain Obvious.”

Bert smirked, then drank some more of his beer as he studied Darrell.

“What?” Darrell demanded as he opened the chip bag.

Bert slowly sho✒︎ok his head, an overdone look of pity on his face. “You’ve got all the symptoms.”

Darrell knew he was going to regret asking, but just like a moth to the flame, he couldn’t resist. “All the symptoms of what?”

“BBS.”

“As sure as I’m standing here, I know better, but okay….” Darrell scrubbed his hand over his face. “I’ll bite. What is BBS?”

Grinning madly, Bert took another sip of his beer, then with exaggerated patience, put it on the counter. “Blue ball syndrome. Dude, you desperately need to get laid. You’re grouchy, your sense of humor has left the building, and quite frankly, your one-liners need a couple more lines.”

Darrell tilted his head back, stared at the ceiling, and sighed helplessly. “I had to ask, didn’t I?”

About the Author

When not writing, she’s on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two grown children.

She is a member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: MA churh http://www.facebook.com/pages/MA-Chur…
Dreamspinner
My Blog
Website http://machurch00.blogspot.com
Twitter nomoretears00
Goodreads

A Stella Release Day Review: Texting, AutoCorrect, and a Prius by M.A. Church

RATING 4,5 out of 5 stars

Clay McDonald finds the perfect car on Craigslist and is quick to send the seller a text:

Is your penis still for sale?

AutoCorrect strikes again. Damn—he should’ve proofread. How embarrassing.

I simply adored this new release by MA Church! Texting, AutoCorrect and a Prius was in IMO an amazing story, everything I want to find in a novellas like this one, light and funny and sweet. I picked it because I was intrigued by the title and the blurb. And I think it was exactly what I needed.

The characters of Darrell and Clay were very well done, I liked both of them as soon as I met them, and then later they were hot together and I felt how much they were actracted and how crazy they acted on it. Probably things went a little too fast but it was right that way to me, it worked great. Yes, these men were stupid too when they let some misunderstanding come between the beginning of a potential love story, but you know what? It was right. Beause we are pretty stupid in RL too.

Althought the story is just one hundred pages, I feel satisfied from what I get to know about the MCs, I found interesting second one, I was happy with the HFN. I think everything was well balanced. I like all the elements of the story plus the characters were plenty over thirty years old and this is one more thing I want to read about.

In the end, Texting, Autocorrect and a Prius was a winner to me, I feel to recommend it to everyone who like me want a light and well written story with instalove and humor.

I like the cover art by Alexandria Corza, it is simple and fits the story.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 110 pages

Publication Date: June 28th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN13 9781635337730

Edition Language English

M.A. Church on Writing, Characters and her release ‘A Country Boy at Heart’ (release day guest post and excerpt)

A Country Boy at Heart (States of Love) by M.A. Church
Dreamspinner Press
Cover art by Maria Fanning

Release Date: November 9, 2016

Sales Links

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have M.A. Church here today to talk about writing and her latest release, A Country Boy at Heart. Welcome, M.A.!

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On Planning, Plots and A Country Boy at Heart by M.A. Church

I had a plan.

Oh yes, I did… and it was mostly thrown out of the window, lol. One question I’m often asked is do I have characters who take over my writing and make the story go somewhere I didn’t originally have in mind.

*Snort* Is it hot in the South?

A better question would be when do they not? If only I had a dollar for every time a character informed me he wasn’t interested in what I’d plotted, or I’d misunderstood his motivation, or he decided not to be the good guy because the good die young or some diva crap like that…. Gawd.

*Rolls eyes* There’s usually screaming involved.

Talk about shooting my pretty outline to hell and back, lol. On the other hand, when I try to force it, I end up wishing I hadn’t. I learned that the hard way. This happened with A Country Boy at Heart.

I started with one idea and ended up going in a totally different direction. I knew I was going to do the opposites attract trope and one guy had to be interested in hunting and fishing since the story was going to start off at Bass Pro shop in the Memphis Pyramid.

Nick was going to be my country boy, and he was going to work at a farm—a good ol’ Southern boy. I *had* planned for his love interest to be from somewhere up north. So, the two would be struggling with the whole North versus South thing, along with the heat found in the South compared to the coldness of the North. I’ve always said I could tolerate heat better than the cold. (It’s only been since I’ve reached a *certain* age that’s changed, lol.)

I was all set up ready and to go… and then Sandy, my other main character, tossed my entire plot out the window. He informed me right quick he was from South too and had gone to high school with Nick. There was something between the two of them, but because of small town attitudes—and an incident between him and Nick their senior year—things didn’t work out. Sandy also informed me that he much preferred the city to the country.

Annnnnd there went the whole North vs South thing and hello country boy vs city boy.

Needless to say, it didn’t take me long to come up with the title after that. Because this was a States of Love story for Dreamspinner, and I’d picked the state of Tennessee, I had Sandy living in Memphis.

Fortunately for me, the hubby and I lived there for ten years until we moved to a little rural town across the state line in Mississippi. Plus, we’ve gone to Bass Pro right after it opened and several times since. It helped to have been to the place I was writing and to have lived in the city Sandy lived in.

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About A Country Boy at Heart

Hot damn, what more could a country boy want? Bass Pro Shop is finally opening in Tennessee. Nick plans to check out all twelve indoor acres chock-full of hunting, fishing, and boating in the Memphis Pyramid on the Mississippi River.

City boy Sandy wonders yet again how he let himself get talked into attending a grand opening for a hick hunting store. His geeky heart prefers the energy of the city. Little does he know all that is going to change due to a freakishly tall glass elevator—and Nick, the high-school crush who’s suddenly taking a second look at him.

A moment of panic while trapped in the elevator leads to a spark neither expected. Getting out is the least of the challenges they’ll face if they want to try to put their differences aside and find out if love is possible between a city boy and a country boy.

Excerpt

AHHHHH WHHAAAAAHH whahhh whhhhaaaa!

“Oh my God, is that a woman screaming?”

Nick barely resisted rolling his eyes. Could the wedding guests not tell the sound came from the giant bird currently displaying his magnificent feathers as he strutted? The peacock did a little dance, squawked again, and then stopped.

Oh. Oh damn, that’s not good. It turned its head, almost as if searching for him. He swore he saw an evil gleam in its eyes. Okay, now what? He tried to sidle farther back out of the way, but the tiny woman who stood at five feet nothing even in those lethally spiked heels clamped onto his elbow.

He winced. Jesus, she’s got a grip on her. He wasn’t sure which of the two—her or the ornate wall mount—concerned him most. Yeah, right. Nick eyed the ornery bird. Mister Peacock and he had been in an ongoing battle for supremacy for the last several years.

Damn. What was the menace on two legs doing now? Oh fuck, it spotted me. It made a funny sound, then shook its body. If he didn’t know better, he would’ve sworn it smiled when it spotted him. It certainly tossed its head as it… oh, shit.

Literally.

The wedding coordinator grabbed the back of Nick’s shirt and yanked, hard. What the hell did she eat for breakfast? He stumbled backward, and only sheer luck kept him from going down on his ass. The peacock squawked again—only this time it sounded like laughter.

“Your peacock just shit all over the runner! The runner that leads to the trellis! That’s where the pastor is going to marry them!” she whispered furiously.

While he thought that lovely shade of fire-engine red was an interesting color for her, he was a little concerned. He didn’t have time for yet another apocalyptic temper tantrum.

As tempted as he was to cover his ears, he was afraid that would get them boxed by Mrs. Big City Wedding Planner. Why didn’t the lady comprehend wild animals were wild and tended to shit whenever the urge hit? Although he did wonder if it did that just to spite him.

“Both Rob and I tried to explain to you that could happen, Mrs. Smith,” Nick whispered fiercely back to her. “Several times over, as a matter of fact, and in several different ways.”

Fat lot of good it did. The woman refused to budge. The bride’s colors were the same beautiful iridescent blues and greens that were in the peacock feathers, and she just had to have a peacock walking down the runner before her.

Rob, or Robert Gatlin, was actually the owner’s son. Dr. Ernie Gatlin had recently retired from his medical practice, and he and the missus planned to do some traveling, so he’d turned operations of the farm completely over to Robert.

Nick scratched his head as he stared at the steaming pile of shit on the stark white runner, as did several horrified wedding guests who’d already been seated. “What do you want me to do?”

“Go get it!” Mrs. Smith exclaimed as quietly as she could.

“Um, okay. The shi… I mean the poop, right? Ah….” Nick took a step back from the wedding planner, whose eyes were bulging. “Do you have anything I can use to—”

The sound that came out of the tiny woman next to him made his hair stand up. Which was quite a feat, considering his hair was short. Man, even the peacock hadn’t sounded that deranged.

“O-oh, okay, then. Wow.” He assumed she meant for him to get the poop, but now he wasn’t so sure. “Ah, guess not. I’m open to suggestions, just in case, you know, you got any.”

Mrs. Smith fanned her face, her eyes promising death, as she hysterically tapped the headphones she wore. “Art? Art? Are you there? Come in. Come in. Oh my God, sweetie, please answer.”

Seeing an opportunity to escape, he edged away from the wedding planner.

Mrs. Smith grabbed Nick by his shirt again and jerked him down to her level. “You listen to me, young man. Go get that runner out of there right now. That bride’s wedding gown cost ten thousand dollars, and I am not having her walk across bird shit just to get to the altar. Ten thousand dollars. Do you understand that?”

Nick gulped. Ten thousand? Who the hell spent that kind of money on a dress? Was the bride insane along with her wedding planner? No, he didn’t understand that. Not for clothing. Now, for a four-wheeler? Oh yeah, he’d drop that kind of cash on a four-wheeler in a heartbeat.

Once Mrs. Smith released him, Nick raced out there and shooed the bird out of the way. He quickly removed the runner, hissing only slightly when Mister Peacock pecked him on the ass. Damn pain-in-the-ass bird. He was going to pluck the bastard clean one day. He stood, and the peacock pranced out of his way.

Smart bird.

Art, the guy Mrs. Smith had been harping at on her headset, magically appeared right behind Nick, laying down a new runner. This runner wasn’t as spiffy as the first one, but it was missing a very important element in its design—peacock poop.

Nick pulled Mister Peacock’s favorite treat out of his pocket and held it out. Luck was on Nick’s side. The birdbrain followed Nick back to its pen. He threw the treat inside, and Mister Peacock followed after it, no problem. Of course. It preened, looking entirely too pleased with itself. Stupid bird was going to be the death of him, if he didn’t kill it first. Okay, he was joking. Sort of. Maybe.

“Blasted pain-in-the-ass bird,” he muttered as the first sounds of the wedding march drifted to him.

“Ahhhhh whhaaaaahh whahhh whhhhaaaa!”

“Right back at you, you overgrown dust buster.” Nick sincerely hoped no more birds shit on this damn event.

Springtime was their busy time for weddings. The dogwoods were in bloom all over the farm, the weather hadn’t turned melt-your-face-off hot yet, and the air carried the fragrant scent of flowers. Even though it was just the end of April, he was still sweating buckets.

The standing joke was that if you didn’t like Memphis weather, just wait thirty minutes and it would change. They’d already had a few days with the temperature pushing ninety degrees. The humidity wasn’t bad yet, but it was coming. By August the humidity would be as thick as his aunt Sally’s soup and just as deadly.

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About the Author

She was a finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards, runner up in the 2015 Rainbow Awards, and is a member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

Links:

Blog: http://machurch00.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nomoretears00
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/machurch00/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5141393.M_A_Church
Amazon: amazon.com/author/machurch
Email: nomoretears00@hotmail.com

Love a Sexy Merman? Check out M.A. Church’s Beneath the Surface (excerpt and giveaway)

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AboutTheBook

TITLE: Beneath The Surface

AUTHOR: M.A. Church

PUBLISHER: OmniLit / All Romance eBooks, LLC

COVER ARTIST: Erin Dameron-Hill

LENGTH: 37,000 words

RELEASE DATE: April 01, 2016

BLURB: A whole different world exists beneath the surface.

The last thing Nisha expects while patrolling his territory is to find his mate, but his instincts tell him the handsome human diving into the surf is the one meant for him. Two bites and Kannon will be joined to him forever. But when Kannon’s father disrupts the mating process, Nisha releases his claim, hoping beyond hope his mate will one day return.

While free diving with his father, Kannon is bitten by a seductive merman. Although he swore to never go near the ocean again, the pull to return to the water and his mystery man remains strong. Finally, after fifteen years away, an impromptu wedding brings Kannon back to the Seychelles, and his destiny.

Kannon only plans to stay on the island for a week, but this time Nisha won’t let his mate go without a fight. Merfolk and human culture collide as the embers of Nisha and Kannon’s mate bond ignite, and Nisha must complete the mating before it’s too late.
Excerpt

A whole different world existed under the sea—lighting, sounds, even the feeling of otherworldliness. No matter how clear the water, it still played tricks, even on experienced divers.

The colorful tropical fish, artifacts, and the remnants of history buried beneath the waves—along with a mysterious landscape mostly untouched by humans—always gave Kannon a thrill. Parts of the reef weren’t very deep, so he had no trouble freediving.

This year for vacation, Kannon and his dad rented a boat and guide to take them to the reefs around the Seychelles. This was by no means the first time he’d gone snorkeling. Growing up along the California coast guaranteed Kannon was comfortable in the water.

The guide had warned them to stay together, but Kannon had other ideas. Besides, he wasn’t going that far off. After investigating the colorful reef fish and interesting coral formations—and seeing his dad was distracted—Kannon slowly but steadily wandered off on his own. An outcrop of rocks covered in algae caught his eye, and he went to investigate.

Many of the multihued native fish swam past him, curious as to what he was. It was funny how they circled him. Kannon held his hand out. A few braver fish darted in, nibbled at his fingers, and then swam off. God, what a rush it was. Nothing was better than this.

He drew closer to the outcrop, surprised it was much deeper than he’d first thought. Huh, not an outcrop, but the mouth of an underwater cave. Cool. From a distance it appeared to be nothing more than oddly shaped rocks. Peering inside, he was unable to see past the murky blackness within.

Curious, he reached his hand out, stretching toward the mouth of the cave. His scalp prickled. A tingle washed through him. The water around him caressed his body as he hung weightlessly, staring at the cave entrance as his dick swelled in his trunks. What the…?

It wasn’t as if he made a habit of getting horny while diving, so what the hell? Torn between desire and unease, he hovered in the tropical water. Chills chased up his spine, and goose bumps broke out over his body.

His heart rate sped up—not a good thing underwater—and the feeling of being watched crept across his nerves. Something was in there, and his mind screamed at him to get away even as the urge to reach inside nearly overwhelmed him.

Kannon’s body swayed dangerously closer. His nipples ached as the water flowed past, and he had to force himself not to whimper as need struck him. He jerked back. There’s something waiting for me, just waiting for me to reach in so it can… what? So it can do what?

Jesus, he needed to get a serious grip on his imagination, and crap, he had to surface too. Lack of oxygen made the decision for him. All this panicking on his part had used up his air—stupid of him.

He surfaced and shook the hair out of his eyes. Wow, is that our boat way over there? Oh man, Dad’s going to kill me. Worried about the fit his dad was going to have, he was totally unprepared for the strange guy who popped up next to him, although “guy” might have been overly nice.

Kannon yelped, but the dude across from him just smiled. The androgynous, fey face wasn’t quite human. The long pointed ears were a good indication, as was the glimpse of sharp little teeth.

Oh, and the gills at its neck.

Azure blue hair floated in the water around shapely shoulders and cobalt blue eyes stared back at him. It was a visage that was hauntingly beautiful, otherworldly, and a tad disconcerting. The creature smiled slightly as if he agreed. It—whatever it was—scared the bejesus out of him.

Then it reached out and dragged Kannon under the water.

BuyLinks

Omnilit/All Romance eBooks

AuthorBio

When not writing, she’s on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two grown children.

She was a finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards, runner up in the 2015 Rainbow Awards, and is a member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

:: Blog :: Facebook :: Facebook Page :: Twitter :: Amazon Page ::

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CHECK OUT THE OTHER POSTS ON –

:: 3 Chicks After Dark :: Bayou Book Junkie :: Nephy’s World :: Author J Scott Coatsworth ::

:: Diverse Reader :: Drops of Ink :: Cherry Mischievous :: The Land of Make Believe ::

:: Alpha Book Club :: The Day Before You Came :: Divine Magazine :: Loving Without Limits ::

:: Molly Lolly: Reader, Reviewer, Lover of Words :: MM Good Book Reviews :: Carly’s Book Reviews ::

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At Sixes and Sevens (Fur, Fangs, and Felines #4) by M.A. Church Dreamspinner Press Cover art by Paul Richmond

Cat Facts by M.A. Church

Blurb

Excerpt

About the Author

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Dragon’s Hoard by M.A. Church Dreamspinner Press Dreamspun Beyond

Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson

Expected publication: October 1st 2017 Available for Purchase at Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Blurb

Excerpt

About the Author

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Texting, AutoCorrect, and a Prius by M.A. Church Dreamspinner Press Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza

Available for Purchase at Dreamspinner Press

Blurb

Excerpt

About the Author

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A Country Boy at Heart (States of Love) by M.A. Church Dreamspinner Press Cover art by Maria Fanning

Release Date: November 9, 2016

Sales Links

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On Planning, Plots and A Country Boy at Heart by M.A. Church

About A Country Boy at Heart

Excerpt

About the Author

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At Sixes and Sevens (Fur, Fangs, and Felines #4) by M.A. Church
Dreamspinner Press
Cover art by Paul Richmond

Dragon’s Hoard by M.A. Church
Dreamspinner Press
Dreamspun Beyond

Expected publication: October 1st 2017
Available for Purchase at Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Texting, AutoCorrect, and a Prius by M.A. Church
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza

A Country Boy at Heart (States of Love) by M.A. Church
Dreamspinner Press
Cover art by Maria Fanning