New Systems, New Momentum

I've noticed over the past few months I've been struggling to get anything done. As a toddler mom, I probably never have enough time or energy for everything I want to do, but with a few prolonged bouts of illness this summer, I’ve been struggling more than usual. As someone who is used to being productive and going after my goals, it’s been difficult to deal with this season where I have nothing left to give. Physically or mentally.

One of the difficulties of having a young child is that you often have so many balls in the air at once, and you are so focused on keeping them going, you can’t think about anything else. I’ve got to keep my son alive, which includes bathing, feeding (even though he only likes three things), and forcing him to sleep the best I can. Maintain the house while he simultaneously tries to destroy it. Remember snacks for daycare and the swim stuff for lessons. And that doesn’t even touch on all the needs for my evil day job.  It can be overwhelming to keep all those plates spinning when you’re already on empty.  Trying to remember everything is a full-time job of its own.

So this month, I made a list of everything that need to get done on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis (a quarterly or yearly list might be necessary too, but I'm holding off on those until I've refined the system more). I assigned everything a day of the week and created a daily to do list of every day of the week with everything I need to do, down to putting the recycle in the bin each night. What days the laundry is done. What day I fill the coffee pods. What day I clean the fridge. Anything that needs to get done. Thereby allowing myself to release those thoughts from my mind. I don’t need to worry about when the flowers were last watered or groceries were ordered, because I have a day set aside for that and I know it will be done on that day, and it doesn’t need to be done sooner. If it did, it would be on my list sooner.

And as the month progressed, I’ve added more and more things to lists. More areas of stress or irritation that can be solved by being ahead of the game. I create list of items in the house that need to be constantly restocked, and designated a day to when I would determine if they needed to be purchased or not. No more getting home from the grocery store only to realize I’m out of soap and I need to go back. I’ve moved some activities from the morning to the evening, such as refilling the coffee pot with water (because nothing is more upsetting to my morning than having to delay getting coffee because there is no water in the pot), focusing my nights to set up the best morning, and day, I can.

I've even started adding meal planning to my daily list. Giving each day’s dinner a theme, such as Mexican on Tuesdays and Pizza on Friday. It might not be an exact meal, but even just having a theme limits my options, and allows me to decide what to make for dinner faster.

And so far, it’s been working well. It’s amazing the freedom taking these many little decisions throughout the day off my plate has created. I don't have to wonder if I should do the laundry, or if it’s been too long since I’ve scooped the cat’s litter, or if we are almost out of laundry pods. I have a day for that, a system for that, and until it shows up on my list, I don’t need to worry about it.

And limiting how many decisions I have to make throughout the day has freed up my mind for other things. Most importantly for creativity and writing. I didn’t realize how much all those little decisions were draining my energy. How much trying to keep everything in my head was stealing my creativity. Until it was gone. I just knew I was always too tired, too overstimulated to focus on writing. I never looked deeper.

But now that I’ve freed up some of this mental headspace, I’m able to think about my characters. To ponder what they are doing, how they arrived in their current circumstances, and how to get them out of it (and probably their clothes). I’m able to hear the words again, and get random ideas while walking or doing dishes like I used to.

I’m still working through the kinks of this new system, and finding new areas I can embrace to eliminate even more decisions from my daily routine. And once I have it perfected, I’m sure life will change. My son and his needs will no doubt change over time. As will mine. But finding these areas of relief, even if it’s just for this moment in time, has been so vital to my mental health.

So I encourage you, if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed in this season of your life for any reason, or even if you’re not feeling overwhelmed but just feel your life could improve with more organization and focus, take a moment to write down everything that is bogging you down. Everything that splits your focus, or raises your stress, and trying to create a system to eliminate or minimize it. Find ways you can take duties off your mind and put them on paper, and free your mental space up for more. No matter how difficult it might sound to start, it will be well worth it in the end.

A Break in the Routine #AmWriting #WritersLife #Summer #RestAndRecharge

 It’s July! I made it through a winter full of power outages and drudgery, and survived a spring season of house hunting and writing the last few chapters of Hawk’s Heart (Stranger Creatures book 5). Finishing that story really hurt my brain, until I finally, finally envisioned the ending, which felt just right. With a major project completed and the search for a house done, I’ve been sitting down at the computer, ready to plan my next writing projects and thinking about all the other things that need to be done, not to mention all the minutiae of house maintenance and cooking. The lists of things to do felt like an endless load of weight piling up in front of me, and I lost all energy and motivation.

Coffee and dark chocolate helped restore my energy and gave me some extra to store away, but the motivation to do any meaningful work or make any real choices? That stayed gone much like my short-lived love of waterfall cardigans and candy circus peanuts. Habits created by having to juggle a fair amount of hours at work while in college and then, the experience of raising children and everything that entails, has taught me that every minute must be used wisely or I will drown in a sea of tasks that require my attention. As the children have grown, I find myself still trying to do every single thing I think needs doing to keep the imaginary sea of entropy at bay. Summertime seems to be when I catch myself in this pattern of unnecessary overwork and overwhelm.

Maybe it’s the sunshine and lovely weather. Maybe the ocean is calling me through my seashell collection. Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s book Gift from the Sea was the inspiration for the sea shells that I have displayed in different places throughout my house. I intentionally left them out so they could become breadcrumbs that would lead me to remember to take some time for myself every now and then. Mostly, I just see the shells without really seeing them. Sometimes, though, could be the shells or the sunlight beckoning from the crack in my blinds, something snaps me out of my ultra-efficiency mode.

Whether it’s a staycation or traveling, or even short weekend trips, taking some time off always renews my desire to delegate every chore possible and to let the little things go for a while, maybe even completely. Habits are hard to break but the peace and the time for reflection regenerates a part of myself that I tend to neglect. With each reminder, I go further into the journey of finding what matters versus what is the kind of background noise that we, as humans, have been trained to fear and judge others about. Slightly messy houses, chipped manicures, simple, unglamorous dinners that don’t involve a ton of prep work and clean up, and souls that light up like flowers in the sun- that’s what summers are for. So, I’m taking a break and telling myself that it’s alright. This summer, I won’t get as much work done as far as actual words on paper, but the ideas are buried deep in the garden, growing into something better and brighter than they would have become if I had kept slogging through a constant routine of multitasking and mopping up messes.

 

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Wave That Flag!

 

This year’s July 4^th celebration has a little more meaning in America, because we’re marking our 250th birthday. Movies have dramatized many events in our country’s history, especially military conflicts. Granted, some of them were highly fictionalized (especially biographies), and many played fast and loose with the facts, but I thought it would be fun to look at some of the better ones that emphasized patriotism. This is by no means a complete list, just a few favorites.

“Yankee Doodle Dandy” (1942)—James Cagney returned to his song and dance roots to portray Broadway showman George M. Cohan (“Born on the fourth of July,” he always claimed). It was released when America was deep into WWII, and the timing couldn’t have been better for a flag-waver like this. Cohan favorites like “Over There,” “Grand Old Flag,” “Mary,” and “Give My Regards to Broadway” (among many others) are showcased in elaborate production numbers. The cast works well together, and Cagney won the Oscar for Best Actor.  

“Destination Tokyo” (1944)—One of the best movies about submarines in wartime, with enough suspense for two films. Cary Grant is the submarine Commander assigned to sneak his crew into Tokyo Bay to gather information for an upcoming air strike. What makes it work better than most other war flicks are the details the writers used to create believable characters, then placing them in realistic situations. All of the other standard war movie tropes are used (an ethnically diverse crew, personality clashes, close calls with enemy vessels, etc.), but just sit back and enjoy a terrific adventure. And speaking of Cary Grant and submarines…

“Operation Petticoat” (1959)—This service comedy pairing Grant with Tony Curtis was supposedly inspired by actual events, but it’s played strictly for laughs. During WWII, the submarine Sea Tiger picks up a group of Navy nurses from a South Pacific island, one step ahead of an enemy invasion. Since the sub’s crew is strictly stag, you can imagine the complications that follow. Grant is on familiar ground as the frustrated Captain, but Curtis holds his own as a junior officer whose talents are pulling scams and chasing women.   

“Action in the North Atlantic” (1943)—During WWII, every branch of the military was featured in a movie, and any actor who hadn’t enlisted was pressed into service. This film gave Humphrey Bogart his turn as a Merchant Marine skipper, leading a diverse group of seadogs delivering supplies to Allied troops while evading the German Navy.   

“Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo” (1944)—This film is known for its accurate depiction of the historic Doolittle Raid, which was America’s first retaliatory strike against Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They incorporated actual wartime footage to make it more realistic. The script was based on a book by Captain Ted W. Lawson, who was a pilot on the raid. Van Johnson played him in the film, and was supported by most of the MGM contract players who weren’t serving in the military. Spencer Tracy also dropped in as Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle, who planned the raid.  

 

“The Great Escape” (1963)—Based on an actual breakout of Allied flyers from a German POW camp, this adventure still holds up. It’s usually remembered for Steve McQueen’s motorcycle antics while fleeing the Nazis, but the story grabs you from the gate and doesn’t let go. Credit for that goes to a great script, taut direction, and a terrific ensemble cast featuring James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, and James Coburn. Garner revealed in his memoir that of all the films he made, this was his favorite because it was based on a true story that needed to be told. A special nod goes to Elmer Bernstein’s musical score.

 

Tim Smith is an award-winning bestselling author of romantic mystery/thrillers and contemporary romantic comedies. His author site is AllAuthor--Tim Smith. 

  

Happy Independence Day to All the Independent Authors

 

 

Image by RebaSpike from Pixabay

An independent author's life doesn't come close to resembling Hallmark stories of glamorous and adored authors dealing with a touch of writers block and a handsome but irritating agent/fellow author/handyman at the cabin where they're staying/pick your own hunky hero. What drives the independent or hybrid author is mostly invisible to everyone except ourselves.

Nobody outside those closest to you know about the rejected pitch you pretended didn't matter or the chapter you rewrote for the third (or thirtieth) time because it wasn't right yet, or the day you only managed one sentence, but it was the best damn sentence ever.

Independence Day is a good time to remember that the one who lights the fuse of inspiration and dedication is you. Every indie author is self-ignited. We don't have outside publishers forcing a deadline, nor agents demanding the next book. It's just you, deciding again and again, whether the fuse on a story is worth lighting.

Then the book goes out into the world, igniting the firework that's only possible because of your decision to light the fuse in the first place.

So if today you're at the mid-fuse point, stuck in the slow but necessary work, don't be discouraged. Keep the fuse burning, and the fireworks will come!

Happy independence day to all my fellow authors. 

 visit me at naughtynetherworldpress.start.page

Happy July to you!

 Good Morning to you!

I hope my post finds you well and ready for summer. I have grand news! I've written my first Western novel to be released this summer from Wolfpack Publishing. 

I have loved reading Westerns since I was a kid and to think I finally got to pen one does my heart a lot of good! Here's what it's about:

The MacGregor’s Lament

A Legends of the High-Lonesome Novel

 

January Bain

 

The star on his chest was supposed to keep the peace. The blood in his veins demanded a reckoning.

In 1858, a ruthless cattle baron burned out Holt MacGregor’s family, leaving him with nothing but a shattered childhood and a wooden sidehill horse carved by his father’s own hands. Decades later, Holt wears the silver star of a deputy marshal in the Wyoming Territory—a “Scholar-Warrior” trying to let the law handle his ghosts.

But the past refuses to stay buried.

When Holt and his fiercely loyal clansman, Callum, trace a web of corruption straight to the capital city of Cheyenne, they find themselves face-to-face with the man who ordered the slaughter: the wealthy, untouchable Baron Sutherland. To bring him down, they must survive a war zone of hired regulators, crooked judges, and a city on the brink of collapse.

Then comes Adaira. Beautiful, fierce, and the Baron’s own daughter, she represents a future Holt never dared dream of—a quiet life far from the chaos of the gun. But in a territory ruled by greed and iron, peace comes at a devastating price.

When the ultimate betrayal shatters his world, the lawman must die so the warrior can live. From the smoke of a printing press to a legendary walk down Carey Avenue, Holt MacGregor will unleash a primal fury that will change the frontier forever.

Some men ride for justice. Some ride for peace. Holt MacGregor rides because he has nothing left to lose.

A gritty, heart-wrenching frontier epic, The MacGregor’s Lament is the unforgettable origin story of a man destined to become the West’s ultimate errant knight.

 

 

 

The MacGregor’s Lament

 

From Highlands to Wyoming plains,

MacGregor’s fought for land and name,

Centuries reckoning to end the flame,  

And wash away the Sutherland stains.

 

A cellar deep and a wooden horse,

A boy who watched a brutal course,

The silver spurs and the dragon’s breath,

A child who learned the scent of death.

 

He wore the badge but kept the hunger, 

While the years grew short and the shadows longer, 

Until the wind brought back the ash, 

And the level-head met the lightning flash.

 

A sixty-mile ride on a lathered bay, 

To the smoking ruins where the MacGregors lay, 

He found the girl with the enemy’s face, 

And a love that bloomed in a hollow place.

 

The Colt was cocked, the hammer back, 

The Baron knelt in the chimney black, 

But the Higher Law was the choice to save, 

And the debt of blood was finally paid.

 

From Highlands to Wyoming plains,

MacGregor’s fought for land and name,

Centuries reckoning to end the flame,

Till only the dust and debt remains.

 

 

 

 

 

Prologue

 

Missouri, 1858

 

“Get into the cellar, son! Stay quiet no matter what happens or what you hear.”

His pa’s voice was a jagged rasp as he yanked up the trapdoor and lowered him by his outstretched arms into the darkness. Holt’s small fingers were cramped tight around the little cedar horse his pa had finished whittling just that morning. It was a sidehill horse, built with the uphill legs shorter than the downs, meant for navigating the legendary steep braes of the old country. It was a tale the boy never tired of, fascinated by the very thought of such mythical beasts running wild across the misty glens.

Holt was dropped, his boots hitting the packed earth, but he never let go of the carving. He crawled toward the rough stone wall, the ground cold and gritty under his palms, the little wooden beast now tucked safely into his pocket against his thigh. Fear lodged in his throat, making him gasp for every ragged breath.

Above him, the floorboards groaned. He could hear his parents arguing, their shadows flickering through the narrow cracks in the wood. His mama refused to leave, her voice sharp with a desperation Holt didn’t fully understand, insisting she could handle a long gun as well as the next man.

The trapdoor slammed shut, cutting her off. The heavy wood sent a cascade of dust and grit raining down on Holt's head. He ignored it, straining to see in the dimness, the darkness pressing in from every corner like a physical weight. The musty, damp smell of the earth stung his nostrils. He waited, curled small, alone in the dark.

The sudden crack of gunshots made him bolt upright. He covered his ears, a sob breaking from his chest as tears began to track through the dust on his cheeks. Then came the silence—a dead, heavy quiet that was worse than the shooting.

Would pa let him out now? He stared at the ceiling, waiting for the sliver of light that would mean the trapdoor was opening. He prayed for it. Please, let me out.

A different noise started then. A low, hollow whoosh that sounded hungry to his ears. The smell of smoke reached him first. Sharp. Dry. Wrong.

Fire.

Stunned, he couldn’t move. He could only watch the cabin floor above. Through a jagged knothole, he saw the flash of silver spurs—heavy, star-shaped rowels that clinked like a funeral bell against the floorboards. Then the smoke drifted in, thickening into a gray blanket that pressed him down toward the dirt. He covered his mouth with small, trembling hands, remembering his father’s command to stay silent.

Suddenly, the world above gave way. A floorboard, wreathed in orange flames, came crashing into the cellar. The jagged, glowing wood caught him across the shoulder, and he screamed as the heat seared through his shirt. He had to hide—or he’d be burned alive.

He looked around frantically, spotting the crawlspace his pa had dug out under the porch—a narrow, cooler hollow in the earth. He scrambled toward the tunnel-like opening, pushing through the suffocating heat. At eight years old, he was slender, taking after his ma’s side of the family. His pa was always telling him he needed to “muscle up”, but today, his small frame was his only hope.

He managed to wedge himself into the opening, pulling his legs in and curling into a tight, shivering ball. His hand went to his pocket, his knuckles white as he gripped the little horse. He squeezed it so hard the stunted wooden legs bit into his palm, a small, grounding pain against the roar of the fire. His shoulder burned where the floorboard had branded him, and tears flowed unchecked. It felt like an eternity before the angry roar of the fire died out into a low, hissing ember. 

And in the black silence of that hole, the boy he was died, and the man he would become began to hunger.

 

 

 

Chapter One

 

Green River, Wyoming, 1885. 

 

Deputy Sheriff Holt MacGregor stared east into the pitch-black expanse of the high desert. Sometimes, even twenty-seven years on, the wind still brought back the fire. It shifted through the high Wyoming grass with the same dry, rhythmic hiss, smelling of alkali dust and old ash. He rolled his left shoulder—the one branded by Missouri oak—feeling the phantom heat pull uncomfortably at the twisted skin.

In the quiet between the gusts, the faint, ghostly skirl of the bagpipes started up, humming a low, jagged lament in the back of his mind. A funeral song for a family long in the clay.

I hope you have a grand day and a lovely summer!

Hugs,

January Bain/storyteller

Read Passageway 2 by Steven A Coulter #SciFi #Fantasy #LQBTQ #Romance

  

Passageway 2

Book 2

Key Words: 

Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Time Travel, Literary Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, Gay Romance

Synopsis:

In the ancient forests of northern California, a mother’s final act to protect her child sets off a chain of events that draws Guardians of the Passageway, Darwin McQuaid and Daruk, into a deadly mystery.

The pair, bound by love and destiny, are alerted by the specters of violence only to stumble upon a horrifying scene—a murdered family and an extraordinary infant survivor. With the aid of Uncle His, the wise indigenous shaman, the Guardians discover startling truths about the victims and the perpetrators, uncovering secrets that challenge their understanding of humanity.

As they delve deeper into the mystery, Darwin and Daruk encounter the only other survivor, Haldir, a young man with feline features and remarkable abilities. Joining their cause, and seeking sanctuary in the 21st century with the orphaned infant, Haldir must adapt to a new world where being different isn’t easy. Preparing for high school alongside Darwin, the remarkable young man must walk a fine line between fitting in and exposing his otherness, bringing fear of who and what he is.

In a world where the past, present, and future intertwine, can these young warriors protect their newfound allies and prevent further chaos from consuming their worlds? And, as they face new adversaries and unforeseen challenges, can they overcome the corruption and violence that threatens all they hold dear?

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Excerpt:

Maia stepped with precision through the forest, moving as a ghost, not daring to risk waking the boy and having him cry out, alerting the killers. The raven-haired teen inched

between the shoulder-high ferns, moving every frond so as to leave each Huckleberry branch, laden with dark berries, intact. As always there must be no sign she was ever here. She and her people had lived this way beyond memory, sometimes near the humans but always invisible. Until now.

Legend said the mountain had been ripped by glaciers thousands of years before, carving the granite into deep valleys, leaving scores of streams and small lakes glistening like jewels, endless meadows full of wildflowers and deer, boundless stands of rock, forests thick with redwoods, pines, maple, red alder, Douglas fi r, western hemlock. But she had no time to enjoy the beauty. She glanced at the dramatic rock formation above, carved like a howling wolf.

Ahead, to the right, a redwood had long ago collapsed against some rock, its bark covered in moss and small ferns, leaving a small hollow where she might hide. She inched through open grass and squeezed into the hidden space. Settling down and comforting her newborn, she reminded herself that carelessness had allowed the strangers to find them. She stood, stepping out and, noticing some indentations in the forest floor, held a knife in her hand and raised her arm, closed her eyes and chanted in a whisper. Slowly, the soil shifted and leveled; her scent evaporated. Satisfied, she slipped back into the dark crevice. The child started to whimper. She opened her robe and lifted out a breast. The boy giggled happily and grabbed hold.

She heard shouting, coming closer. A group of killers. When they came across her campsite just days ago, their language made no sense but they’d gestured that they came in peace. But the strangers took out their weapons, different than any they had seen before.

She watched their images on the medallion around her neck as four humans came within a dozen feet and looked around, searching for a trail. Finding none, they cursed and split up, bypassing her position. She looked at the knife in her hand, the carved bone handle, the brilliant silver blade covered in sigils and glyphs. It was powerful if she had a chance to use it, knowing that she was less skilled than others.

Her people were dead. It was her fault because she was careless and let the humans find them. She and her son were the last.

Then the baby giggled again, his lips swollen and red.

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-----

More in the Series

Book 1

Chosen by mystical warriors to protect a parallel Earth from a catastrophic future, a young man must push his mental and physical abilities to the limits if he is to help save mankind.

As seventeen-year-old Darwin McQuaid flees high-school bullies, he is saved by an enigmatic stranger; an indigenous teenage warrior who was born 500 years in the past.

Strong and powerful, Daruk possesses an intelligence that exceeds his rugged youthful appearance, and Darwin is drawn to learn more about him. Surprisingly, the high-school junior discovers that the mysterious warrior has a connection to an old family friend—an elderly indigenous shaman called Uncle His.

As the physical attraction intensifies between Darwin and Daruk, the warrior reveals a secret—that he and Uncle His are Guardians of the Passageway and are destined to protect the crossroads of three parallel universes, three Earths, each 500 years apart.

Discovering worlds he never knew existed, along with an untapped power within himself, can the young man become the warrior needed to defend this ancient world from corrupt invaders? Or will the death and danger of a more primitive time prove to be too much for this 21st-century teen?

Universal

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Book 3

When love transcends time and danger lurks in every shadow, can a young warrior protect those he loves while navigating the chaos of multiple worlds?

Darwin McQuaid finds himself caught between dueling realities: the ordinary life of a high school student and the extraordinary responsibilities of a Guardian-in-training. After a courageous act thrusts him into the public eye, Darwin becomes the focus of a media frenzy, just as an alien ship hurtles toward Earth. With his enigmatic lover, Daruk, and the gifted Fae, Haldir, by his side, Darwin must navigate the perils of newfound fame while also preparing for the looming threat of invasion.

And, when an assassination attempt at a high-profile fundraiser endangers the President's life, Haldir's timely intervention reveals a tangled conspiracy that puts them all at risk. As the trio races to uncover the truth, they must harness their unique abilities to shield their loved ones from the escalating dangers that surround them.

As the countdown to the alien ship’s arrival accelerates, will Darwin and his friends be prepared to confront the dual threats—both extraterrestrial and domestic? Or will they fall victim to the forces that endanger everything and everyone they hold dear?

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-----

Who am I?

Steve writes speculative fiction. He explores issues of consequence embedded in fast-paced adventure, exotic settings, nasty bad guys, reluctant heroes, and the audacity of love. His work is enriched by his varied careers – soldier, teacher, journalist, state legislator, corporate executive, and library commissioner. He has a BA and MA in Journalism and was a Lambda Literary Fellow in 2008 and 2013, later spending two years on the Board. He lives in San Francisco with his husband, Greg. They favor bittersweet chocolate.

Stalk Me

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READING THE VISCOUNT by Lexi Post has released!

 

Reading the Viscount 

(Courting a Curious Lady: Book 5)

by Lexi Post 

has released!

Amazon  | Amazon UK  | Amazon AU  | Amazon CA 

She’s shy, her nose buried in books. He’s the life of the party and maybe just the hero she needs to read. 

Painfully shy Lady Sophie is happy to blend in among the other shepherdesses at her friend’s Twelfth Night ball, at least until she gets lost in the corridors and a laughing stranger sweeps her into his arms and kisses her. Horrified, she runs away, enticed back to the ball only by a change of costume. But there’s something in her new costume that has her feeling as confident as the heroine of her favorite play, giving her the bravery to experience yet another kiss from the full-of-life Lord Tamworth. Unfortunately, the next morning, she must hide from him and return to her life at school.

Lord Tamworth has vowed not to wed until after he turns thirty, as he has secret plans that must be in place before he can settle on a wife. So, when he kisses an innocent shepherdess, he’s driven to apologize only to end up committing yet another faux pas. Determined to start his new life free of encumbrances, and to once again see the lady with the softest lips and keenest intelligence, he takes extraordinary measures.

It doesn’t take long for Christopher to discover teaching at the Belinda School for Curious Ladies is filled with many pitfalls, the deepest being the intriguing Lady Sophie. As his personal plans come to fruition, he’s torn over his growing feelings for her and ponders the unthinkable―breaking his vow. But he soon realizes his own plans are the least of the impediments to keeping Lady Sophie in his life. If he plays the villain in her story, will she ever see him as the hero?

Catch up on the whole Courting a Curious Lady series.

About Lexi:

Lexi Post is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of romance inspired by the classics. She spent years in higher education taking and teaching courses about the classical literature she loved. From Edgar Allan Poe's short story “The Masque of the Red Death” to Tolstoy’s War and Peace, she's read, studied, and taught wonderful classics.

But Lexi's first love is romance novels so she married her two first loves, romance and the classics. Whether it’s sizzling cowboys, dashing dukes, hot immortals, or hunks from out of this world, Lexi provides a sensuous experience with a “whole lotta story.”

Lexi is living her own happily ever after with her husband and her two cats in Florida. She makes her own ice cream every weekend, loves bright colors, and you’ll never see her without a hat.

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Read The River King by Kim Alexander #EpicFantasy #Adventure #Romantasy

  

The River King

(The Demon Door Book 4)

Synopsis

SOMETIMES LOVE DOESN’T CHANGE THE WORLD. SOMETIMES IT CHANGES ALL OF THEM.

Rhuun, the half-human and wholly-reluctant prince of the demons, has finally reunited with his fiery Lelet. It’s too bad they must hide behind a facade of icy indifference to fool those who are determined to keep demons and humans apart...by any means necessary.

There is more at stake than bringing the miracle of rain back to Eriis. It's not just sand and lost royals poised to come through the newly-opened Door. Something ancient is hungry, and fat, complacent Mistra won't stand a chance. Even worse, whispers and shadows speak of blood magic that could destroy not just The Door, but all Doors—forever—barring the way home for lovers and enemies alike.

Will the love Rhuun and Lelet have moved worlds to share be the very thing they must sacrifice to save their worlds?

More Info: https://books2read.com/TheRiverKing
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What are the other books in the series?

The Sand Prince

Two worlds. 

Bound by magic. 

Divided by a Door. 

On the barren, war-ravaged demon world of Eriis, the fierce queen Hellne fights to keep her people alive and her son Rhuun's heritage a secret. 

On the green and gentle human world of Mistra, demons have faded into myth. Only a handful of old men and fanatical children still guard The Door between the worlds. Different and shunned by his demon kin, Rhuun finds refuge in a book that tells of a human world of water and wonder. 

Forced by his mother's enemies to flee Eriis, he finds himself trapped on the other side of The Door in the very place he has read and dreamed about—Mistra. Chained to the deadly whims of a child who guards The Door, Rhuun must balance serving and surviving, even at the risk of exposing his true identity. 

Riskiest of all is his task of kidnapping an infuriating young woman who is about to find out that the demons of Eriis are much, much more than just an old bedtime story.

Check It Out: https://books2read.com/HeronPrince

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The Heron Prince

The Demon Door can be opened...but the price is deadly.

Prince Rhuun has found acceptance among the humans on Mistra, something he could never have in the demon realm of Eriis, not even as heir to its throne. What's more, he has even found love with the prickly, passionate heiress, Lelet va'Everly.

The idyll can't last. The prince has enemies who are after more than his throne. They are out for his blood…which holds the key to unsealing The Door between the two worlds, and the demons want in. When Rhuun is lured into a trap on Eriis, Lelet has no choice but to turn to a motley group of exiles, children, and madmen to help save him.

Lelet soon discovers that, like all things, rescuing the prince comes with a price. The secrets in Rhuun's blood may be worth killing for, but are they worth dying for?

Check It Out: https://books2read.com/HeronPrince

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The Glass Girl

Love opens all doors…but betrayal locks them forever.


Newly blessed (or cursed) with wings and fire, Prince Rhuun of the demon realm of Eriis sees hope for his life on the human world of Mistra with his fierce human lover, Lelet va'Everley. She literally went to hell and back to save him, and she's not about to let anything—or anyone—ruin their perfect future.


All too soon, the claims of family, duty, and justice force Rhuun and Lelet to confront new griefs and old mistakes as they attempt to restore balance to the throne of Eriis. But, with every jealous rumor and each vengeful whisper, friends turn, family schemes, and forgotten enemies creep from the shadows.


Treachery in Eriis and betrayal in Mistra jeopardize what Rhuun and Lelet have fought so hard to build, threatening to tear apart the two lovers, their families, and even their worlds.

Check It Out: https://books2read.com/theglassgirl

The River King

SOMETIMES LOVE DOESN’T CHANGE THE WORLD. SOMETIMES IT CHANGES ALL OF THEM.

Rhuun, the half-human and wholly reluctant prince of the demons has finally reunited with his fiery Lelet. It’s too bad they must hide behind a facade of icy indifference to fool those who are determined to keep demons and humans apart...by any means necessary.

There is more at stake than bringing the miracle of rain back to Eriis. It's not just sand and lost royals poised to come through the newly-opened Door. Something ancient is hungry, and fat, complacent Mistra won't stand a chance. Even worse, whispers and shadows speak of blood magic that could destroy not just The Door, but all Doors—forever—barring the way home for lovers and enemies alike.

Will the love Rhuun and Lelet have moved worlds to share be the very thing they must sacrifice to save their worlds?

Check It Out: https://books2read.com/TheRiverKing

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Who am I?

Kim Alexander grew up in the wilds of Long Island, NY, and slowly drifted south until she reached Key West. After spending ten rum-soaked years as a DJ in the Keys, she moved to Washington DC, where she lives with two cats, an angry fish, and her extremely patient husband who tells her she needs to write at least ten more books if she intends to retire in Thailand, so thank you for your patronage. 

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