What's to Find in the Wormhole: A Muse Monday Post by Lyndi Alexander

MUSE MONDAY

The idea of wormholes existing sends chills up my spine. But for my guest, it's all part of the creative process. I think her muse sent her down a wormhole and Lyndi sure knows how to use it to create some enthralling books. Tell us about it, Lyndi.

At the conclusion of SIXSHOOTER, the book to which SPECTRUM is a sequel, the two ships carrying our characters jump through a wormhole into the unknown, an act of desperation, a desire to survive on their own terms. 

What lies on the other end of a wormhole? 

Who knows? This is the conundrum that fueled the opening chapters of SPECTRUM for me. Having been a long-time fan of science fiction movies and shows, I could think of multiple examples from Star Trek to Doctor Who and back. My intent was to create something different, something that would challenge our heroes. After all, in SIXSHOOTER, several of them had come to that universe and found it populated with humanoids like themselves. Business proceeded as usual. 

But when Valeni, Garrett and the others come to on the other side, they find nothing. No planets, no stars, nothing to steer by.  As the wormhole has closed behind them, they have no choice but to proceed. How can you figure out where you are when you can see nothing? How long does it take before you give up, and what do you do then? 

The crews struggle with every possibility, traveling blindly, trying every sensor available to them, but still can detect nothing. When they are ready to surrender to despair, Zie, the empathic alien healer traveling with them, picks up the existence of other living beings. Based on this, the only positive clue they have received since their arrival, the ships move in tandem toward the faint signs of life. Continuing to make attempts to communicate through more conventional manners is fruitless, and there is no way to determine whether they are approaching a planet, another ship, or a loose space-faring squid. 

Then, perhaps the most stunning of all out of the endless darkness: “A-Are you a good witch or a bad witch?” 

            And the adventure only unwinds from there.

BLURB:

Following the impetuous launch of the spaceships Tiburon and Sixshooter through a newly discovered wormhole, Garrett, Luca, Valeni, Nikki/Nicholas, and Zie arrive in what seems to be an empty universe. 

After several weeks of trying to make headway, they receive a voice out of the dark, asking if they were “a good witch or a bad witch.” Can they adapt to this bizarre universe? If not, can they find escape through yet another wormhole?

 

Book Trailer for Sixshooter:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jixU6FfqNZ0

 

BUY LINKS: 

Paperback at Amazon • Hardback at Amazon • eBook at Amazon Kindle • eBook at Apple Books • eBook at Kobo • eBook at Smashwords • Audiobook at Apple

EXCERPT: 

Indigo…violet…indigo…swirls of electric feeling as Garrett’s hand passed lightly down their leg…as Valeni moved softly by Nikki, heaving a long sigh with her release. The shooting lines of red fading as all three lay back, exhilarated but exhausted.

The afterwaves of love.

Garrett groaned and stretched out his legs, reaching all the way to the bottom of the broad mattress. The dark blue duvet slipped off the end onto the floor, but it didn’t seem to bother him. “I swear, you gals make me feel fine as frog hair split four ways.”

Valeni snickered. “What a way to go.”

Was that true? Nikki let the question wind through their coalescing thoughts. Would it be a preferable way to leave the mortal world, while engaged in the procreational act? Not if we managed to procreate. Oh, how we wish we could…

Author Bio

Lyndi Alexander always dreamed of faraway worlds and interesting alien contacts. She lives as a post-modern hippie in Asheville, North Carolina, a single mother of her last child of seven, a daughter on the autism spectrum, finding that every day feels a lot like first contact with a new species. 

Author Links

Website  and Blog      https://lyndialexander.wordpress.com/

Facebook                    https://www.facebook.com/lyndialexander13/

Goodreads                   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4185290.Lyndi_Alexander

Amazon Author Page

https://www.amazon.com/Lyndi-Alexander/e/B005GDYPU2/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Bookbub:                    https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lyndi-alexander

Smashwords | Lyndi Alexander    https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lyndialexander

Instagram        https://www.instagram.com/alexander_lyndi/

Story Inspiration~More Than a Gift...Muse Monday by Patricia Preston

MUSE MONDAY

Inspiration comes to writers in many forms. Then our muse gets us going. Here's Patricia's take:

Whenever I write fiction, sometimes a tidbit of reality inspires me, and that was the situation with More Than a Gift. I had a wonderful writer-friend, Nancy, who always sent me a Christmas gift I loved. She took the time to find a gift that was meaningful to the recipient. For example, I was writing a Western that featured Jesse James as the heroine’s cousin, and she sent me a biography of Jesse for Christmas. I always looked forward to opening a gift from her. 

When I came up with the idea of a heroine who is prepared for a miserable Christmas until she meets an enchanting mall Santa, I knew she needed a reason to be in the mall, and finding a gift was a likely one. I thought of Nancy and how she’d chosen the best gifts. I knew I had my theme, and I’d have the hero, Blake, as Santa, advise the heroine on giving the perfect gift. 

Then, I started outlining, and the result was More Than a Gift.

She wasn't looking for love, especially love dressed like Santa

After a devastating breakup during Christmas past, hHolly plans to avoid office romances and all things Christmas this year. While she’s at the mall shopping for her boss a gift, a flirty, charming Santa urges her to give the holidays a second chance while helping her find the perfect gift.

Home for Christmas, Blake has sworn off romance until he gets a glimpse of the new girl in the office. When a charity gig has him working as the mall Santa Claus, he can’t resist being Santa to Holly’s Scrooge. But will the chemistry between them flame out when Holly finds out who Santa really is?

More Than a Gift is a fun, feel-good holiday romance novella (fade to black).

Excerpt:

 

(Holly and Blake aka Santa at the mall.)

 

“Hey, it’s Christmastime. Cheer up,” he said with a twinkle in his blue eyes. “It’s the best time of the year.”

“Santa, I know you’re all about Christmas, but I’m not.” She wandered toward the central aisle of the large mall. “This time of year is a downer for me. I hate Christmas.”

He trailed alongside her. “You hate Christmas? Why?”

“It’s a nerve-wracking holiday. Stressful. And the suicide rate is high.”

“The suicide rate?”

“I read that in the newspaper.”

“I think of Christmas as a day of joy and hope. And love,” he added in good spirits.

“Hmm,” she responded. Santa was an optimistic soul. Beneath the costume, there might even be a hot guy. Don’t even go there, Holly.

He stopped at a Christmas display in the center of the aisle. Animated elves danced to “Jingle Bell Rock.”

“Look at this. Isn’t it great?” He reached for her hand. “Let’s dance.”

“Are you kidding?” Her cheeks flamed as Santa encouraged her to bop with him.

 

Buy Links: Available at most retailers and library ebook providers.

https://books2read.com/MoreThanAGift 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTSEN7S/

Patricia Preston enjoys writing swoonworthy mainstream romances with charming heroines and irresistible heroes. All her books, regardless of the subgenre, are feel-good romances featuring an emotional and compelling romantic journey that will leave the reader swooning. Her favorite place is her writing cave, where there is always music playing and a glass of iced tea nearby. Learn more about her books at https://patriciapreston.com

X: @pprestonauthor
BlueSky: @pprestonauthor.bsky.social
FB: https://www.facebook.com/PatriciaPrestonAuthor

Let's Take a Look at the Skimpy Bikini with Susie Black

MUSE MONDAY

It's always fun to have to have Susie Black on Discover... This Muse Monday post is fun and informative. Who would think the bikini had a history? Read on and enjoy! 

As a ladies’ swimwear sales executive, I considered the bikini the one article of clothing closest to my heart.  Now that I am a humorous cozy mystery author, I write what I know. So, all the stories in my award-winning Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series take place in the ladies’ swimwear industry. So, naturally, my post is about the history of the bikini:

History of the Bikini:

The iconic bikini is such a summer staple that the style has its own day of recognition.  On July 5^th, we celebrate National Bikini Day. To see how integral a part of fashion the bikini is, it’s important to know how the style came to be. Here is a look at the interesting and surprisingly long history of this classic swimsuit style: 

Evidence of bikini-style women's clothing dates to as early as 5600 BC, and the history of the bikini can be traced back to that era. Illustrations of women wearing bikini-like garments during competitive athletic events in the Roman era have been found in several locations, the most famous of which is at Villa Romana del Casale.

Although two-piece bathing suits were being used by women as early as the 1930s, the bikini is commonly dated to July 5, 1946, when, partly due to material rationing after World War II, French engineer Louis Reard introduced the modern bikini, modeled by Micheline Bernardini. Reard named his design for the Bikini Atoll, where the first post-war tests of the atomic bomb were taking place. 

French women welcomed the design, but the Catholic Church, some media, and a majority of the public initially thought the skimpy design risqué or even scandalous. Contestants in the first Miss World beauty pageant wore bikinis in 1951, but the style was later banned from the competition. Actress Brigitte Bardot drew attention when she was photographed wearing a bikini on the beach during the Cannes Film Festival in 1953. Other actresses, including Rita Hayworth and Ava Gardner, also received press attention when the stars wore bikinis. During the early 1960s, the design appeared on the covers of Playboy and Sports Illustrated, giving them additional legitimacy. Ursula Andress made a huge impact when she emerged from the surf wearing what is now an iconic bikini in the James Bond movie Dr. No (1962). The deerskin bikini Raquel Welch wore in the film One Million Years B.C (1966) turned her into an international sex symbol and was described as a definitive look of the 1960s.

The bikini gradually gained wide acceptance in Western society. According to French fashion historian Olivier Saillard, the bikini is perhaps the most popular type of women’s beachwear around the globe because of "the power of women, and not the power of fashion". As he explains, "The emancipation of swimwear has always been linked to the emancipation of women."^[1] By the early 2000s, bikinis had become a US$811 million annual business, and boosted spin-off services like bikini waxing and tanning salons. CREDIT: WIKIPEDIA 

Death by Coconut is the 7^th book in my award-winning Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series.

Blurb: Obnoxious Florida Mystique Swimwear sales rep Simon Posnick was universally despised by competitors, customers, and employees alike. So, the question wasn’t who wanted the lying, cheating, scoundrel dead. The question was, who didn’t? The Laurie’s Fashions' swimsuit buyer and Mermaid Swimwear President, Holly Schlivnik’s career mentor, Mariel Levine, is wrongly arrested for murdering Posnick by jamming the jagged edge of a coconut shell into the base of his skull. The wisecracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to flesh out the real killer. But the trail is wrought with more dangerous animals of the human type than the alligators and black pythons in the Everglades. Everything turns out differently than the way Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a killer hellbent on revenge.

Tagline: Lucy Ricardo morphs into Miss Marple

Excerpt: I reached into the well and pulled the lug wrench out. I ran back to the blue car and smashed the lug wrench into the driver’s side back window. It took three swings before the glass shattered. I used the lug wrench to smack the remaining glass shards out of the frame. I gingerly reached in and unlocked the door. I opened the door and hopped into the back seat, climbed over, and onto the passenger’s front seat. I opened my messenger bag and pulled out my cell phone. I clicked on the flashlight and leaned over to get closer to the body. Blood was splattered all over the car. I gagged as I recognized Avril Wilts’ blood-drenched tiger print jumpsuit on the torso draped across the steering wheel.

Alert the media. For the first time in my life, I didn’t burst out laughing upon discovering a corpse. Or the tiger print jumpsuit rendered me speechless. Flip a coin.

I opened the front passenger door and stretched across the seat on my belly to position my head under the body to check if she was breathing. I was careful not to touch or move the body. I didn’t need an MD next to my name to make a diagnosis. Avril Wilts was as dead as it gets. A half-dollar-sized round hole in the lower part of the front of her neck was caused by a self-inflicted gunshot from the .38 Special Lady Smith pistol clamped tightly in Avril Wilts’ right hand. A copy of yesterday’s East Coast Apparel News with the headline

Bikini Buyer Beats Bust

Coconut Killer at Large

was next to a blood-splattered, typed suicide note under Avril’s right hand. I twisted my torso into a pretzel and read the note: “I killed Simon Posnick. I can’t live with the guilt. God forgive me.”

****

Twenty minutes later, sirens shrieked a pulsing series of ear-splitting wails, and bubble lights blazed as Mo Lehrman, two sets of uniforms in two patrol cars, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s wagon carrying Jazzy and her team, a crime scene team, and an EMT crew bringing up the rear, all converged on the back parking lot of the convention center. Mo parked his car and joined our trio. He pointed to the body slumped over the car’s steering wheel. “Do you recognize the victim?”

            I nodded. “Avril Wilts.” I grinned. “It turned out she had a good excuse for not being available to answer our questions.”

A Bit About the Author:

Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector and ardent sailor. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.

Looking for more? Contact Susie at:

E-mail: mysteries.authorsusieblack@gmail.com

Social Media Links:

Blue Sky: @hollysusiewrites.bsky.social

Facebook: Susie Black, author of The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series | Facebook

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheHollySwimsuitMysterySeries

Instagram: Susie Black (@hollyswimsuit) • Instagram photos and videos

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/authorsusieblack-61941011

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hollysusie1/

Substack: Substack Home -Susie Black

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@author_susie_black_

X: Susie Black (@hollyswimsuit) / X

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/susieblackwritescozies

Susie Black Books - BookBub

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21437641.Susie_BlackDeath by Coconut buy links:

 

Death by Coconut buy links:

https://books2read.com/Death-by-Coconut

https://books2read.com/u/3LPx00

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Coconut-Holly-Swimsuit-Mystery/dp/B0GX9FZDNP

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-by-coconut-susie-black/1149893841?

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=Death+by+Coconut

Saving the Earth: Let's Hope for Time Travel by JL Peridot

MUSE MONDAY

Please welcome JL to Muse Monday on Discover... What a premise for a book! You'll love how her Muse led her down the path for this sure to be good read.

What happens in the past stays in the future

My latest book, Until We Met Again, is a time travel story set against the backdrop of a post-collapse society. I wrote it in the midst of learning about climate change and how the prevailing “growth at all costs” mentality is costing us the earth.

This wasn’t the most uplifting topic of study, but while exploring what such a futuristic society might use time travel technology for, I also wondered how they might try to survive and thrive until the people tasked with changing the past succeed.

After traversing through time, my heroine returns to the camp she calls home: a controlled village-population settlement at the edge of an arid landscape, with radioactive regions to the north, a desert to the east, and a toxic wasteland in the south. It’s is just one of many human camps dotting what remains of a once-lush world.

Without trees to spare, they lash together dried mushroom bark for doors. They weave rugs from strands of grass species that still grow in harsh climates. Some folks travel between camps to share resources, contribute manpower, and deliver messages to loved ones because communication networks aren’t what they used to be.

All the while, brave volunteers travel back in time to change the past, believing if they alter just enough of it, they’ll secure the beautiful future their ancestors dreamed of.

In real life, however, the only way you and I can affect the future is with what we do today. At some point, our descendants will look at the world we gave them and wonder what we were thinking. I wonder what we’ll tell them if they manage to come back and ask?

Until We Met Again: A Time Travel Novelette by JL Peridot

A time traveller absconds to the past in search of her lost love.

One word: my name. A call from Origin through the neural lace grafted to my brain and nerves, connecting me to another place in another time. A reminder of what I’m here to do.

I clutch a bottle cap; its sharp metal edges ground me in the present. It’s funny, don’t you think, to consider this moment the present, as if the past and future I came from aren’t supposed to exist? If you were here, I’d ask. You’d smile and kiss my forehead and say you love my nonsense questions.

But you’re not here. They want me to forget you ever were.

Available now at most e-book retailers.

About JL Peridot

JL Peridot writes love letters to the future on devices from the past. She's a qualified computer scientist, former website maker, amateur horticulturist, and sometimes illustrator. But most of the time, she's an author of romantic science fiction. She lives with her partner and fur-family in Boorloo (Perth, Australia) on Whadjuk Noongar country.

Visit her website at jlperidot.com for the full catalogue of her work.

How Research Enriches My Life by Mary Georgina de Grey

MUSE MONDAY

Please welcome Mary Georgina de Grey to Muse Monday on Discover. She knows her business on research and inspiration. What fun she's had. 

Someone once said to me, ‘It’s easy for a romance writer. You don’t have to do any research. Everyone knows what happens in a romance.’

I confess to feeling annoyed by such an ignorant attitude because all of my books require a lot of research. The fact that a writer doesn’t make that too obvious is due to the skill he or she has.

As I often set my books in foreign countries, I do have to research those places, even if I know the country well, because things change every day. I even check carefully that I have the weather right for the season.

But why do I say it enriches my life? Because it forces me to learn new things. For Then the Earth Moved, I spent time in a design studio and got to know people involved in architecture and interior design; for Then Time Stands Still, I visited a winery in Northern Spain and refreshed my knowledge of Roman archaeology. But perhaps the strangest was learning about sheep farming in South Wales in the 1960s for Let Love Find a Way. I have just completed a lovely deep dive into mysticism, tarot readings, pills and potions for my next novel.

All this makes life interesting. But it is work.

Blurb for Then Time Stands Still

English archaeologist Dr Amancia Harding has looked after her family for five years. Now it’s time to take care of herself and leading a team on a dig in Spain is the perfect way to propel her career forward. Her good intentions are threatened when she meets vineyard owner Max Serrano.

Damaged by war in Ukraine and a tragic event in his past, Max has given up on relationships and taken refuge in making wine, but the attraction he feels to Amancia forces him to confront painful issues. There’s also the gulf between their two cultures to consider if a relationship is to have any chance of success.

Ambitious and fiery in character, can either accept that compromise is sometimes necessary to find happiness? 

Then Time Stands Still takes place in Bristol UK, then an archaeological dig on a vineyard in northern Spain.

Buy Links:     

USA

https://a.co/d/iVTKd3U

https://a.co/d/dXgTYNK

UK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Then+Time+Stands+Still+by+mary+georgina+de+grey

I really enjoyed writing this book, especially doing the research into archaeology and wine-making. And, of course, the food and customs of the country. Even if I know the place really well, I still have to ensure everything is up to date. The internet is fantastic, but person to person is still the best.

I love writing contemporary novels, as the research is also into jobs and professions, how they are carried out, and by whom, what it feels like day-to-day. People sometimes suggest it might be boring, but I have often found research unearths plotlines and forces me to consider a completely new (and usually better) way forward.

But my readers don’t want a travelogue, and, at some stage, I have to get down to writing the story. I write in my study at home, sometimes four or five hours a day, once I’m in the story. It’s scruffy but I’m not in there to admire its décor. Generally, I’m seated by a lovely Art Nouveau window which glows gradually brighter, as the sun moves around the house in the afternoon.

Inspiration comes from newspaper and news website articles, stories people tell me, history, but mainly from observing how people react in different situations.

I live in South Devon with my husband, an artist. When not writing a novel, I’m putting together talks about romance and why it should be given serious consideration as a genre. As you can imagine, I get booked up around Valentine’s Day, but I also speak at festivals when I get the opportunity.

Then The Earth Moved takes place in London and the mountainous Abruzzo region of Italy.

Buy Links:

USA

https://a.co/d/cOgoT9P

https://a.co/d/hkX3ddA

UK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=then+the+earth+moved+by+mary+georgina+de+grey

 

Let Love Find a Way takes place on a Colombian cattle farm, then a sheep farm in South Wales.

Buy Links:

USA

https://a.co/d/b5BwElW

https://a.co/d/4ge3x1m

UK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=let+love+find+a+way+by+mary+georgina+de+grey 

Firefighter Romance by Ella Braeme

 MUSE MONDAY

Enjoy Ella's latest release now!

Rekindled Flame

A Second Chance Firefighter Romance by Ella Braeme

Book Links

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/rekindled-flame
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD87RMRW
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236532005-rekindled-flame
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/rekindled-flame-a-second-chance-firefighter-romance-burning-hearts-book-1-by-ella-braeme
Website: https://ellabraeme.com/2025/08/17/rekindled-flame-a-second-chance-firefighter-romance/

 

Book Details

Book 1 in the Burning Hearts series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD87RMRV
Publication Date: September 3, 2025
37,000 words / 137 pages
Available in Kindle Unlimited and as paperback
Perfect for fans of Susan Stoker and Zoe York.

Blurb

When old flames reignite, sparks fly.

Volunteer firefighter Shawn Miller thought he had his life figured out in small-town Elken Grove. His print shop pays the bills while his real passion—fighting fires—keeps him connected to the community he loves. Then his new Captain walks through the station doors: Rebecca "Becks" Schwartz, the woman who walked out of his life nine years ago. Now she's his superior officer, and someone in the department is determined to drive her away—or worse. As danger closes in, Shawn must balance protecting Becks with respecting her authority. But when sparks fly hotter than ever between them, he realizes some flames aren't meant to be extinguished—they're meant to be stoked. Get REKINDLED FLAME today and feel the heat of this slow-burn second chance romance!

♥ firefighter romance ♥ second chance ♥ small town ♥ protective hero ♥ workplace romance ♥ she’s his boss ♥ contemporary ♥ first responder ♥

Read now: https://books2read.com/rekindled-flame

Early Review Quotes

★★★★★ "This is a wonderful page turner." - Goodreads review

★★★★★ "Shawn and Becks second chance story is not without some major events which keeps the reader entranced by the story." - Goodreads review

★★★★★ "I loved this story with its second chance at love for these two." - Goodreads review

★★★★ "The characters Shawn and Rebecca are going to deliver a very entertaining book for you to enjoy reading." - Goodreads review Excerpts

Excerpt

“There’s something else you should know before you leave.”

Something in the chief’s tone made Shawn sink back into his chair. “Sir?”

“The new captain is a woman,” Washington said carefully, clearly bracing for resistance. “Rebecca Schwartz from the Charlotte Fire Department. Goes by Becks, according to her application. She’ll be arriving Thursday next week for an informal meet-and-greet at Mr. Jones & Husband, then coming by on Saturday to meet the volunteers during training before officially starting on Monday.”

Shawn nodded, unfazed by the gender revelation. “A female captain? That’s fine by—“ But the words died in his throat as the full name registered. The folder slipped from his suddenly numb fingers, papers spilling across the floor. Rebecca Schwartz. The name echoed in his head like the aftershock of an explosion. “Rebecca Schwartz?” he repeated, his voice sounding distant to his own ears.

Washington’s eyebrows rose slightly at Shawn’s reaction. “You know her?”

Know her? Shawn almost laughed at the absurdity of the question. He’d known her as Becca back then—sweet-faced but determined Becca with her infectious laugh and fierce ambition. He’d known the curve of her smile and the scent of her skin. Known her dreams and fears. Known the sound of her voice first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. Until he hadn’t.

“We trained together,” he said finally, the understatement of the decade. “At the North Carolina Fire Academy. When I knew her, she went by Becca, not Becks.”

Washington frowned, clearly surprised by this information. “I didn’t connect the dots when reviewing your files.” He leaned forward, suddenly concerned. “Is this going to be a problem?”

Shawn bent to gather the scattered papers, grateful for the chance to hide his expression. Memories he’d buried years ago resurfaced in vivid detail—Becca’s fierce determination during training exercises, her infectious laugh during rare moments of downtime, the devastating fury in her eyes the last time they’d spoken.

“I never want to see your face again, Miller. Keep six feet away from me for the rest of our lives.”

He straightened, clutching the reassembled folder, his knuckles white against the manila paper. “No, sir. No problem at all.”

To read on, get you copy now: https://books2read.com/rekindled-flame

About the Author

Ella Braeme writes steamy small-town romance where protective heroes and the women who capture their hearts find love in the mountains and marshlands of Georgia. Whether her characters are running toward danger or running from their past, they always find their way to happily-ever-after. When she's not dreaming up new ways for couples to fall headlong into danger (and love), she's in her garden, supervised by a dog who firmly believes digging holes helps the flowers grow. Her quick, satisfying reads deliver the perfect escape, whether you're sneaking in a chapter during lunch or staying up way too late to reach that happily-ever-after.

Connect with Ella

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ellawritesromance
Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/ellawritesromance
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22846173.Ella_Braeme
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ella-braeme
Sign-up to her emails and get a free novella https://ellabraeme.com/newsletter-signup.htm
Author Website: https://ellabraeme.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Ella-Braeme/author/B0BKL79CSM

Also by Ella Braeme

Elken Grove Mountain Men series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DPL86ZSM/

Married in Windfall series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBS76NN4 ARC

Character Guest Post: Forgotten Second Son to King by Amber Daulton

WICKED WEDNESDAY

A special treat today on Discover... for Wicked Wednesday. Amber Daulton has brought along a guest who has stepped off the pages of her book to speak to us.

I’m Rubén Lozano, the hero from Amber Daulton’s dark romance novel, Lost in His Spiderwebs. I don’t feel comfortable calling myself “hero.” That doesn’t fit me. Not at all. I’m an anti-hero, a villain with a decent side. If you’re someone I like, I can be a good guy toward you. Nice, funny, generous. If we’re enemies, then watch your back. That’s the only warning you’ll get.

Today, I’m going to talk about my career. I’m the leader of the Lozano Cartel, one of the oldest cartels in Mexico. It’s dark, deadly, dangerous—just like me. Being the boss is messy, and only the most wicked can survive it.

As a child, I was the forgotten second son. Papá focused all of his attention on my older brother, corrupting him and turning him into a monster. Even though I was raised in luxury, it came at a price—blood. Anyone who crossed the path of a Lozano had to pay. Everything I have, I earned with my fists. Or a knife, gun, machete—I’m not picky when it comes to weapons. Unlike my best friend, Enrique. He loves his damn blades. Anyway, I’m the third generation of Lozanos to rule the cartel, so I have some big shoes to fill. I took command last year after Papá died. My father and grandfather who ruled before me would turn over in their graves if they knew about the changes I was making.

No more unnecessary killing.

No more targeting civilians.

Do business as peacefully as possible.

Shed blood only when you run out of other options.

These changes aren’t popular with some of my underlings, but as the boss, they have no choice but to obey me. At least, that’s how it should be. One of my councilmen, Alroy Tenorio, and his flunkies are causing problems. A civil war brewing. With Enrique and my core group of trusted friends and confidants at my side, I’m more than capable of handling betrayers, but I’m distracted. Before you ask, yes, I’m distracted because of a damn woman.

Drina Cabrera.

Dios mío. My God. That gorgeous, infuriating woman will be the death of me. I keep thinking about her when I should be worrying about Tenorio stabbing me in the back. She’s wicked, fearless, and all mine. When I’m with her, I feel like I can do anything, accomplish any goal, become the man I was destined to be. The thought of losing her guts me. She shouldn’t have so much power over me, but here I am, telling you this when I need to staple my mouth shut. I need a son to carry on my legacy. But I want a queen, a woman to rule at my side, to advise me in tough situations. That woman is Drina. She just needs to let her down guard and accept my darker side into her life.

I’m nothing if not determined. Drina will be mine forever. The cartel will thrive under my leadership. For those who think to take either from me, think again. I’m not a man to trifle with.

Readers, if you want to know more about my business and my relationship with Drina, pick up a copy of Lost in His Spiderwebs. It’s a dark, angsty ride, so be prepared. 

Lost in His Spiderwebs 

Series: Lozano Cartel (book 2)

Release Date: October 14, 2025

Publisher: Daulton Publishing

Cover Designer: Satin Rose Designs

Genre: Dark Romance

Length: 90k

Heat Rating: 5 Flames 

Kidnapped by the enemy. Bought by the jefe. Will his smoldering touch thaw her frozen heart?

Rubén Lozano, the new leader of the Lozano Cartel, craves peace amidst a legacy of bloodshed and death. He never expected to find his ex-lover, Drina Cabrera, in the clutches of his vicious rivals. Her haunted eyes compel him to rescue her, but freeing her is another matter.

After five months of captivity, Drina trades one captor for another. Though she succumbs to Rubén’s masterful touch, the bittersweet memory of her daughter and the life she was stolen from is a constant wedge between them.

When Rubén’s darkest secret comes out, he will have to wash his hands in crimson. Will Drina let her king face the danger alone, or stand at his side as his cartel queen? 

– Book two in the dark romance series, the Lozano Cartel. All the books can be read as a standalone, but are part of an interconnected series.

– Scenes featuring forced seduction, drug distribution, torture/violence, kidnapping/captivity, and attempted sexual assault may be uncomfortable for some readers.

– No cheating and HEA guaranteed!

– Written in 3^rd POV. 

The cartel king has finally found his queen. 

Excerpt 

“Smile,” Rubén told her. “It’s showtime.”

She nodded and lifted her chin, wincing a little in the flashing camera lights.

As three hand-picked paparazzi snapped pictures of him and Drina from all angles, Rubén counted to thirty before he steered Drina past them to the music room.

“Wow,” Drina murmured as they passed the piano for the ballroom.

A massive chandelier gleamed from the lofty ceiling, its decorative crystals reflecting the soft white light and dancing spots across the ivory walls and the chattering, laughing guests. The live band played instrumental music at the far end of the rectangular room, where Esme’s team had set up fancy tables and chairs for the speech and dinner portion of the evening.

“Why do you keep this room locked up? It’s magnificent.”

He shrugged. “It’s a bitch to clean.”

His blunt answer steepled Drina’s eyebrows. “My, what consideration. I’m sure the housekeeping staff appreciates it,” she teased and pulled him onto the dance floor alongside several other couples. “Let’s dance.”

As her arms slid around his shoulders, he rested his hands on her waist. Her body heat and strawberry aroma enveloped him. Groaning, he gripped the thick fabric of her dress so hard that it bunched and the band of his rings bit into his skin. She rested her head against his chest, and her hair teased his nose. They swayed, lost in each other as though they were the only people around. A foolish notion, one he shouldn’t revel in. If he did, he would ravage her on the floor.

“You have a good turnout,” she murmured while he twirled her about. She spun back into his embrace. “Are any of these people your friends?”

“Hardly.” This was his world. Glamour, power, prestige. The public mask he wore to hide his sinister nature. “You’re swimming in dangerous waters. The sooner you realize I can buy and discard all these sharks and guppies with a flick of my wrist, the better off you’ll be.”

“I’m well aware you’re king of the sharks.”

He snorted, holding her closer. “You’re a barracuda. Lithe grace and sharp teeth.”

“Ooh, I like that.” She nipped at his chin. “I’ll never be a guppy.”

Damn right. As the song ended, he guided her off the dance floor. Duty called.

 

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About the Author 

Amber Daulton is the author of the Lozano Cartel, the Arresting Onyx, the Embracing You, and the Ramseys in Time series, as well as several standalone novellas. Her books are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.

She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats. 

Social Media Links 

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Check out my website, Daulton Publishing: https://amberdaulton.com

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