Coyote Moon ~ An Author Discovery and Reviews

I’m betting Pat Cunningham’s WereCoyotes wouldn’t mind their story being given as a gift for this holiday season. Okay, okay... there were some tantalizing bribes involved from said WereCoyotes... like they might put in a good word with Chaos, so if I ever wrote about their kind, it would be one of those stories that pens itself... yeah, yeah, we’ll see... in the meantime, since I have a soft spot for these furry cute tricksters, here’s my take on their story.

Author Discovery ~ Coyote Moon by Pat Cunningham

Having read a short story, SNAKE IN THE GLASS, by Pat Cunningham, for an ezine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, that I thoroughly enjoyed because of the pull-no-punches style of writing and the fantasy’s imaginative cleverness, I anticipated reading COYOTE MOON, Ms. Cunningham’s first published book with Siren-BookStand.
Okay, I read the juicy excerpt bits and my mouth metaphorically watered because, hey, I have a fondness for coyotes. Long ago, I watched a lone, large coyote stop and literally look both ways before crossing a four-lane highway. When he crossed, his tongue lolling out since it was summer, it was with a languid steady gait and an attitude of utter confidence.
I was completely impressed, then, just as I am completely impressed with Ms. Cunningham’s werecoyote un-alpha hero, Cody. He’s a fun guy to be around. I smiled a lot, and yes, chuckled out loud, as I read Cody and Willy’s love story.
Yep, Cody has the smarts upstairs, where it truly counts especially when it comes to winning the day and saving his chosen mate, from herself and the bad wolf guys.
Coyotes, those cunning jokester canines of legend and lore have a lot to offer us according to shamanic tradition and that’s exactly one of the reasons this story transported me to the hidden world of the werecoyote. Because Ms. Cunningham seamlessly, and with a beautiful cleverness, incorporates the coyote nature into her light-hearted, yet compelling romance story.
For an entertaining escape into the shapeshifting contemporary world of Cody and Willy, I highly recommend COYOTE MOON.

Here’s one of my favorite parts ~

“We can charge straight into a pack of wolves, and get our heads bit off. But there’s a better way. The coyote way.”

Yeah! The coyote way!
~~~

Smiles, Savanna Kougar

Author of ~

All Shades of Blue Paradise
Red Lioness Tamed
When a Good Angel Falls
Tangerine Carnal Dreams
Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis
Black Cat Beauty
Her Insatiable Dark Heroes
Stallion of Ash and Flame
~~~~~~

Reviews for COYOTE MOON ~

5 BLUE RIBBONS: "I love stories where I am giggling within the first five pages, and Coyote Moon was one of those. Cody was an awesome hero, he just cracked me up. When you think of coyotes, the mental image that appears is very different from Ms. Cunningham's version, but the result is very good. I really enjoyed his sense of humor, and the way he dealt with Willy's issues. Willy was also a great character, especially with all the emotional stuff she had going on. The romance between the two was red-hot, and very entertaining. Excellent job!" -- Noelle, Romance Junkies

5 BOOKS: "Coyote Moon by Pat Cunningham is one of those surprise finds of a read, that reaches out and drags you straight in. This romance tangles the paranormal into life as if it simply existed, and takes off from there. It's a bold approach, and Pat Cunningham carries it off like some sort of magician. I was completely enthralled, from the first moment Cody Gray broke up the tableau of evil-doers closing in on that nice blond she-wolf at the garage. The action is fast, the dialogue snappy, and the situations utterly unpredictable. The full moon and the wild freedom of certain canines, as well as all the heightened senses that go along with that, bring the life of these not quite humans into amazing perspective. Go ahead, let out a howl. From waffles to wagging, this is a paranormal that dares. I hope Pat Cunningham continues in this vein for a full length novel, as she'll be setting a whole new standard for paranormal fiction. Kudos, and then some." -- Snapdragon, Long and Short Reviews

4 CUPS: "This is a very entertaining shape shifter tale. Cody is charming and wily and determined to win Willie over. Willie is confused about being a wolf and afraid that she might hurt anyone she has sex with. Cody's patience with her and the hot love scenes really make the story...I liked the fact that Willie is the alpha part of the couple and I enjoyed the way she handled the less than impressive wolf pack. This quick read is definitely a winner." -- Maura, Coffee Time Romance & More

4 ANGELS: "If you like shifter stories with strong women characters, you'll like Coyote Moon! Willy is not a weak, girly-girl type of woman. She is strong willed, intelligent, works as a mechanic, and has never found a man who can match her spirit - until Cody. Cody is the embodiment of a wily coyote; he is cunning, sexy, fun loving, and very determined to get his woman. I loved the clash of wills and the explosion of chemistry that these two cannot deny. I also liked the battle between the wolf clan, that has just figured out they missed out on a female wolf shifter, and Cody. The wolves may be bigger and mean if not evil, but they are underestimating the will of one cunning coyote who has found his mate! The wolf clan also seriously underestimates Willy, and Willy isn't happy about this macho fighting over who gets to "keep" her. Willy intends to get what SHE wants! This book was great fun, and I can't wait to read some more stories like this from Ms. Cunningham." -- Stephanie B., Fallen Angel Reviews
~~~~~~

COYOTE MOON

Blurb ~

It's that time of the month -- the full moon -- when Willy Alvarez's moods go wonky and her dreams fill up with wolves. A time for hungers she doesn't dare fulfill because they lead to violence. She's resigned herself to a manless life, then Cody Gray arrives.

Cody is cute, funny, charming, and a werecoyote. His nose knows what Willy doesn't: she's half werewolf. He's convinced this repressed half-human she-wolf is his perfect mate. Now he just has to convince her. And quick, because her long-lost pack has learned about her existence, and they've come to town to claim her...
~~~
COYOTE MOON by Pat Cunningham at ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-coyotemoon-14959-330.html ~
~~~~~~

Christmas is a'comin!

As we get closer to the holidays, I start thinking about Christmas shopping, and how I hate it because I never know what to get anyone. Since most of my friends are writers, I thought I’d focus on that in this article.

I’ve never really received a writing related gift, so I thought, what’s cool that’s writing related that I’d like to receive? So I called up my trusty friend Google and said, “Goog, what are some good writer’s gifts?”

Most writers are voracious readers so like me, they’ve got tons of books. This handy Conceal Bookshelf can help you sort as well as neaten up your desktop.

Typewriter key jewelry
Who doesn’t like jewelry? As bracelets these are really popular in my local chapter. This link is to an artist’s store in Etsy. If you’re not familiar with Etsy, check it out. Tons of local artisans sell their creations.

Note & Quote bookmark journal
This handy idea lets you jot down notes and bookmark your pages with them, if you’re reading a book you can’t write on.

Book Lover Wine Charms
You have to use wine charms in my house. It’s no fun to play “match the lipstick color to the guest” to find the owner of a wine glass. I’ve made some over the years out of wire and beads, but these are too fun not to include on this list.

Cafepress is a little more expensive, but you can find just about anything writing related and get it printed on a plethora of items. And if you don’t find what you’re looking for, create it yourself.

Another artisan site, though lesser known, is Zazzle where you can search for writer’s gifts as well.

And of course don’t forget those most basic and essential needs, coffee and tea! A gift card from Starbucks or Pete’s Coffee will keep you remembered long after the 25th.

 

The Wolf Shifters are Howling for the Holidays

I tell you those wolfies are demanding my writing time. They’re showing up in my imagination a lot of late... looking sexy hot in their human shapes and adorably fierce in their wolfie shapes. I think the wolves are making certain they’re next in line, once I’ve finished Branded by the Texans. I’m down to the last few chapters and *hopefully*... yes, cross those fingers... I’ll get Branded revised, polished and sent off for publication. Soon!

On Sunday, I generally write a piece of Flash Fiction for the Liquid Silver SEx blog’s Flash Fiction Sunday event (everyone is welcome to join in). Mostly, I participate because it’s darn fun and I yen to pen this compact type of fiction... the challenge, the internal excitement of creating a scene, a moment, a very short story with a limited number of words, that’s what goes on for me. And, always, the question is: can I do it?

As a reader, I have a great time reading everyone else’s flashies. Of course, I learn more about the craft of writing, as well, from all those fab-tastic authors. Certainly, I’ve been inspired often, even helped over those bumpy blocks we writers know so well. Another upside to writing flash fiction, is that it’s one way to keep improving my skill set in a way I enjoy.

This week, Western Erotic Romance author, Gem Sivad, hosted Flash Fiction Sunday. Her theme was ‘I love you’... those three little words... that are the foundation of our romance novels, even if not actually spoken in the story. Those three words ~ sometimes, so easy to say... sometimes, so incredibly difficult for our heroines and heroes to say to one another.

Yep, those wolfies snuck up on me. It wasn’t in my mind to Flash about them... oh no, but suddenly there they were, mesmerizing my imagination, frolicking in the snow, then morphing into both my heroine and my hero.

~~~ So, how sneaky have some of your characters been? Just to get their stories written? ~~~~~~

Love at White Wolf Lodge

ONE
“I love you.”
Kindra’s heart skipped a beat. A really big beat. She hadn’t heard that. Had she? Rising slowly, while trying to think in quantum leaps, she draped the popcorn trim on the nearest branch of the nine foot tree she’d chosen for her father’s lodge, The White Wolf.
“I love you.”
There it was again. To make certain her ears weren’t deceiving her, she did what she didn’t want to do, turn around and face the owner of the voice, the man her father considered to be his right hand. Kindra stuffed her hands into her back pockets.

TWO
Zack, the man she’d spent the last three weekends having ‘body heat’ sex with, in every position she’d ever fantasized about, looked as though he was about to howl his feelings for everyone at the guest lodge to hear, if she was any judge of his expression.
“It wasn’t supposed to be this way...” she began, then halted as his gaze blazed like the enormous fireplace to one side of them.
Usually enigmatic and aloof as their moon, now, fierce determination carved his ruggedly handsome features and glittered his dark silver-colored eyes.
“What am I supposed to say?” Kindra shrugged.

THREE
Zack D’Guerre of the Voltz Pack was used to getting his own way. He’d certainly seduced her easily enough, a discreet assault that aroused her passions to a ferocity that had her climbing up his lean sex-delicious body with her slit pressed against his tall brute of a cock. He’d suavely introduced her to his den of iniquity, then proceeded to show her carnal pleasures she’d never dreamed of. He had her panting every time she saw him or thought about him. Kindra figured she was his winter conquest, the woman he’d entertain himself with until the spring thaw. Wrong.

FOUR
“You’re supposed to say ‘I love you’ back.” His silvery hot gaze didn’t waver. He was on the hunt. For her.
Kindra took several steps backwards, nearly crashing into the Christmas tree she so carefully decorated.
“You’re supposed to say ‘yes’ when I ask you to marry me.” Reaching out, fast as he could snatch a rabbit in his jaws, he caught her arm. With surprising gentleness, he pulled her away from the tree.
“You know I can’t think of you... in that way,” she whispered, then waved to a couple passing by who smiled a greeting at her.
“Why not?”

FIVE
Kindra desperately wished she ran through the newly fallen snow. Alone. Free. Her paws cushioned by the airy coldness. She wanted the scent of pine and warm-blooded prey seizing her nostrils. She didn’t want to be here. With him. His words of love growling in her ears. He was supposed to be the man she had a once in a lifetime affair with, the one she remembered as she lay curled before the fireplace, dozing. He was her guilty prized secret. That’s how she’d written their script in her mind. Mounting savage lust, and that was the end of it.

SIX
Instead, she stood here, feeling and smelling his wolfen mating heat for her. The man who heated her blood to an impossible, unbearable sizzle. Reluctantly, he released her arm.
“Because I can’t.” Kindra jerked her hands out of her pockets, then crossed them tightly beneath her swelling breasts. She glared, her wild frustration steaming out of every pore on her body. So it felt.
He stared. The need to know more than what she’d spoken flared deep in his eyes.
“Why can’t you?”
“Because... to be with you... I couldn’t let my heart get involved.” Kindra thrust her chin out.

SEVEN
“That’s why,” she added, louder than she should have. Dying inside, Kindra averted her face. Why couldn’t she just have been decorating the tree as she did every year, enjoying the heady excitement of bringing it to holiday life. Glistening. Golden. Bright with colored bulbs and ornaments. Damn. Grrrring snarling damn. And damn his need to mate her. His unique potent musk surrounded her, demanding her surrender. Demanding she surrender to her own she-howling need for him.
“Your heart is already mine, Kindra. You just don’t know it, yet.”
“Is that so?” she attacked, baring fangs she didn’t have. Not yet.

EIGHT
But wished she did. She’d rip into him, her teeth snapping so fast he couldn’t subdue her. She’d teach him she meant fierce bitch business. Her heart didn’t belong to him. Not one untamed beat of it. For good measure, she’d slap him with her tail, before racing away to bound over the snow. Free. Alone.
“That’s so, little wolfess mine.”
Whirling, she moved back to the boxes of decorations. “Go away, Zack. I need to finish the tree...”
His hand caught hers and with a command she couldn’t fight, he tugged her flush against his body.
“No,” she whispered.

NINE
His lips claimed hers, then devoured with a primal sweetness that had her yielding, her body as soft as the marshmallows in her mug of hot chocolate. The shouting no’s in her mind turned to whimpering yes’s. Kindra grabbed his neck and clung. Her legs swung upwards, wrapping around him. They panted, placing kiss after tumultuous kiss on each other’s mouths. Immersed inside their own world of raw seething passion, neither one of them noticed the gathering crowd. Until the sound of clapping and cheers intruded.
Kindra let her lips unglue from his and slid down his body.
“Marry me.”

TEN
He didn’t relinquish his lover’s hold, despite the fact she squirmed to free herself.
“Marry me, Kindra. I love you.”
“You planned this,” she accused in a whisper. “Asking me in front of everyone. I’ll look like the bad-bitch Grinch who stole Christmas, if I say no.”
“Yes,” he admitted, his growl adoring. His gaze sparkled, as silvery as moonlight on the snow. “Do you know when I knew I loved you?”
Kindra could only shake her head no.
“The first moment I saw your face.”
Her heart unfroze, then blazed like the roaring fire. “Yes, Zack. I love you.”
~~~~~~

The Bull is on hiatus this week. Happy Snorting Holidays!
~~~
YOWSA, POWSA ~ IT’S COMING! IT’S COMING! ON DECEMBER 11th ~ The Holiday Hunk blog tour put on by the Liquid Silver authors (check Serena Shay's blog) for your festive and ‘fanning self’ pleasure... lots of book prizes... plus, there will be a chat afterwards with many of the authors, ask those questions you’ve been dying to.
~~~
Shapeshifter lovers, check out CAT NIP. It’s a free read by erotic romance author, Gem Sivad ~ http://gemsivad.wordpress.com ~ also, for the ongoing story, subscribe at ~ http://textnovel.com ~
~~~
Plus, take a peek at COYOTE MOON by Pat Cunningham at ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-coyotemoon-14959-330.html ~ Pat’s book has received several top reviews.
~~~~~~

HAPPY SHAPESHIFTING HOLIDAYS

~ MAY ALL YOUR READING DREAMS COME TRUE ~

Savanna Kougar

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Author of ~

All Shades of Blue Paradise
Red Lioness Tamed
When a Good Angel Falls
Tangerine Carnal Dreams
Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis
Black Cat Beauty
Her Insatiable Dark Heroes
Stallion of Ash and Flame ~
~~~~~~

Please Tell Me That's An Oasis....

So I'm standing here amidst miles and miles of sand and out there, in the far far away appear to be words... Yes, they must be words, all running away from me.

"Why," I holler, "Whyyyyy"

The words just point and laugh at me, but that's okay, when they come back I will wrangle them into submission. Only, how to get them back?

As you can probably tell, I've run into a terrible dry spot in my writing. grrrr. So many stories started, ideas filling up my head, but no words to put down. I've tried changing stories, starting new stories, heck I've even tried putting it all away and focus on reading...not a good idea, LOL, I could read forever!

My characters are proving to be most unhappy with me, but hey, they are not the only ones suffering, right. Blogging has become a trial, I'm quiet on the forums, sigh.

There is one thing I'm still finding the words for, Tanner! Tanner is a back and forth flash on the Passionate Ink website with my good friend Savanna. Those couple of sentences every day have been something I look forward too! Thanks Lady Kougar. :)

Admittedly, real life has become a touch overwhelming, but nothing that can't be handled. So why are the words making a break for it? LOL

Anyone else run into this problem? And if so, how the heck did you coax those naughty letters back in line?

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

I was supposed to post yesterday, but was so absolutely swamped –with real life and writing life- that I did not have a minute to spare. So I’m taking advantage of the open day on our blog and sneaking in.

Which brings me to the subject of my subject. In recently working as a contest category coordinator for my local RWA chapter, I was speaking to the overall coordinator about one of the entries in our contest. I’d really liked it, and thought it deserved a high score. But in her private comments to me, she mentioned she found it full of clichés. I did a mental head scratch. Clichés? Call me dumb, but that hadn’t occurred to me at all.

Part of that I blame on parents who exaggerate everything to the point that my father frequently used the term “over exaggeration” (which is technically an oxymoron.) I don’t know if it’s the New York upbringing in them, but they had a saying for everything. Two of my mother’s favorites when I tried to get away with something were “I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck,” and  “I wasn't born yesterday.”  :)

My contest coordinator’s comment reminded me of a Harlequin Historical I read years ago in which the author got revenge against her editor, who insisted on removing all her clichés, by writing a Spanish heroine who used clichés frequently, but got them wrong. It was who the character was, so the editor couldn’t change a thing.

So I ask the readers: what do you think of clichés? Do you notice them? Do you care? Do they drive you up a wall? Make you madder than a wet hen?

Bah Humbug or Deck the Halls ~ and... I won’t slow down.

How much ripping shredding fun could Sable, as her black cat self, have with that tree and all that wrapping paper?

Bah Humbug or Deck the Halls ~ Do Your ShapeShifters Enjoy the Holidays?

Hmmm... I’m damn well certain my stallion shifter, Trail, will be enjoying Christmas and the holidays on Earth. Yep, he’ll be snorting and running wild with his Seneca. Plus, he’s planning to make good use of mistletoe. He likes teasing his human mare with lots of kisses.
Oh, yeah, he’ll also make certain there’s a crock pot of mulled cider brewing, cinnamon and spices scenting the air. Several apples a day, or several mugs of cider, not only keeps the doctor away, it keeps Trail extra frisky as a stud.

My black cat girl, Sable Kiki, has never seen a trimmed Christmas tree that didn’t make her claws curve and itch for a good feline time. Why waste time tamely batting at the ornaments? Climb, seek and destroy every glittery ball and bauble, that’s her cat motto. Maaoowww and yowl... ride that pine down to the ground.

Given my red lioness woman, Sun Rocket, and my stallion shifter, Prince Zio, live in the far future and another galaxy, respectively, the holiday season as we know it, doesn’t exist.

So, are your shifters getting ready for the holidays, or heading the opposite direction?
~~~~~~

For now, Darius, my bull shifter, has decided to voice his thoughts.

Yowza butting-powza, the Bull is back... a hero with a real set of horns and the bold balls to match.
~~~~~~

For the beginning of this bullie woolie tail see my prior blogs ~
~~~

X-Serial Flash

New Bull in Town ~ Darius Speaks

THIRTY-FIVE
Once I see Shelley’s simple adobe home, I slow somewhat. Running over one of her barn cats or her freely roaming chickens wouldn’t endear her to me. I hit the brake firmly as I pass through the open gate about a quarter mile from her house. The pickup creeps along. Mentally, I tug on a nose ring to keep myself under control. Pulling into her parking area, I slam the brake hard. In seconds I’m outside, the door banging behind me. Yep, there’s her friend’s pink truck sitting beneath the spindly shade of a pinon tree. I charge the door.

THIRTY-SIX
Snorting silently, I leap over the three steps onto her shaded porch, my boots thudding on the old wooden planks. “Who is it?” I hear Shelly call to her friend. “You’re not going to believe this, Shelley honey, it’s Darius, that yummy cowboy that asked you to dance Saturday night.” I pause, my fist raised to the door. Silence. No response from my Shelley. Before I’ve knock three times, her friend jerks open the door. Leaning against the door’s edge, she gazes at me coyly, then smiles. Her piled on red lipstick is so shiny I stare, mesmerized for an instant.
~~~~~~

Shapeshifter lovers, check out CAT NIP. It’s a free read by erotic romance author, Gem Sivad ~ http://gemsivad.wordpress.com ~ also, for the ongoing story, subscribe at ~ http://textnovel.com ~
~~~
Plus, take a peek at COYOTE MOON by Pat Cunningham at ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-coyotemoon-14959-330.html ~ Pat’s book has received several top reviews.
~~~~~~

HAPPY SHAPESHIFTING HOLIDAYS

~ MAY ALL YOUR READING DREAMS COME TRUE ~

Savanna Kougar

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Author of ~

All Shades of Blue Paradise
Red Lioness Tamed
When a Good Angel Falls
Tangerine Carnal Dreams
Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis
Black Cat Beauty
Her Insatiable Dark Heroes
Stallion of Ash and Flame ~
~~~~~~