A SEAL Never Quits is all about having the heart of a warrior and never letting go of a mission, whether it be your assignment in the military, your dream future, or the love of your life. While researching Navy SEALs, I found endless inspiration from my own life experiences. Military Heroes date back in my family for hundreds of years. My father served in Vietnam as a private, and by the mid-seventies became a Captain in the Army Rangers. When I began writing A SEAL Never Quits, I knew it had to be about Special Ops since my dad shared that world with me from his time as a Ranger. His stories of the bond he formed with his unit shaped my view of a do-or-die brotherhood represented in the book. The Texas Navy SEALs series takes a group of rough and tough SEALs and puts them on an undercover assignment near the Texas/Mexico border to handle a rising terrorist issue coming from Mexico, Central, and South America. The unique aspect is that these SEALs go undercover on a working ranch and must stay on top of intel in a small town. Writing about a working ranch in south…

This is a dangerous topic for me. Because if you’re going to make me name my must-have writing snacks then I’m going to have to think about them. And if I think about them, I’m going to want them. And if I start to want them and deny myself, I’m going to crave them. And if I crave them, I know I’ll end up going to the store to get them. And if I go to the store I’m probably going to peruse the book section. And if I peruse the book section I’m going to end up buying quite a few. And if I buy quite a few then I’m going to feel guilty for adding to my already overflowing TBR pile. And if I start to feel guilty then I’ll have to set aside time to read them. And if I set aside time to read them then I won’t be writing. And if I’m not writing then I won’t even need my snacks after all, right? My logic may be slightly flawed, but thanks for going along with my rambling journey. At the risk of never writing another word, here are my 5 must-have writing snacks. I’ve…

First off, it’s truly painful to only pick five novels. How on earth am I supposed to do that? There are so many lovelies out there, and I just want to snuggle them all. From stories that sparked inspiration for my own work, Kingdom of Exiles, to just plain amazing concepts… Sheesh. This is so hard! But, as I must follow the rules, I’ll only bend them slightly by admitting the following: I feel like Harry Potter is a given. It completely and totally shaped my childhood, but since that’s on an echelon all its own, I’ll go ahead and pick my top five fantasy novels to date (in no particular order) that get shelved next to JK Rowling for me. Okay, ripping the band-aid off in 3…2…1… A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Mass Okay, so that really should say, A Court of Mist and Fury, but as that’s the second book in the series, you’ll have to start with ACOTR. Now, that’s not to say ACOTR isn’t amazing. I can’t remember if I devoured this story in one sitting or not, but I do recall my husband trying to talk to me, and me consequently…

I love second-chance romances. Couples who fall in love only to lose each other have lots of time to stoke the fire as they search for a relationship as intense as their first love. By the time they get back together, the sparks really fly! That’s the case with Jess and Cade in Cowboy Summer, and you’ll find the same heat and passion in these classic novels by some of my favorite authors. I had to put them in alphabetical order (by last name), because I couldn’t choose a favorite! Kari Lynn Dell: Tangled in Texas Kari Lynn Dell’s books are wildly authentic because she’s the real deal—a ranch-raised cowgirl and true-life rodeo competitor. She’s a compelling writer as well, creating characters who are vivid and alive. In this story, physical therapist Tori’s latest client is her ex, bronc rider Delon Sanchez, who’s suffered an injury that may end more than his rodeo career. The chemistry between these two ranges from fiery disputes to touching love scenes, and like all her books, it’s full of heat and action as well as humor and emotional insight. If you want to get a taste of the true cowboy life, you need to…

Bowie got out with the purchases he made at Unique Boutique and headed for the door. There wasn’t a woman in sight when he let himself in, but he heard a lot of chatter coming from his bedroom. “Lucy! I’m home!” he yelled. There was a moment of silence. Then the door opened, and Ella came out, laughing. “You sure got our attention with that greeting,” she said. Pearl and Rowan were right behind her. “Bowie, do you remember all those old I Love Lucy reruns we used to watch when you were little?” Pearl asked. Bowie grinned. “I sure do.” “We’re mostly ready,” Ella said, then frowned. “Rowan doesn’t want to go.” “I think she might change her mind,” he said, and handed her the sack. “Go try them on.” Rowan’s eyes widened when she saw the Unique Boutique sack and peeked inside, then clutched the clothes to her chest and ran back into the bedroom. “I’m going to wash up and put on a clean shirt,” Bowie said. Pearl hugged his neck. “You are an old softie…getting your not–really–kin friend something new.” He shrugged. “I haven’t spent a dime of my own money on anyone but myself in…

From Zane’s Point of View “You want to know how a werewolf realizes when they’ve found The One, that one-in-a million soul mate that’s supposed to be out there for all of us?” Zane Kendrick repeated, sure he must have heard the question wrong. When the woman sitting across the table from him nodded, all he could do was stare, not sure how this situation had turned so personal. Zane had arrived at the SWAT compound that morning thinking a local reporter was there to interview him about the narcotics case his pack had helped with recently, but instead he’d walked into the training room to find a blogger from a website called Fresh Fiction waiting for him. Everything had gone pear-shaped in a damn hurry after that. Especially when it became obvious the woman knew he and the rest of the Dallas PD SWAT team were all werewolves. “Yes,” she said. “I’ve heard it’s already happened to several of your pack mates, so I thought it would be a good question to start with. And I have no doubt my readers are going to find it interesting. In fact, several of them have already asked how they can snag…

Let’s get real for a second: paranormal romance readers are looking for something unique. We all love classic paranormal tropes, but in recent years, the true treasures among the genre have taken those classic elements and turned them on their head. Likewise, if you’re a western romance reader, you’re looking for the sexy tried and true cowboys you love but with an extra special, fresh twist. So what if I told you that you could have the best of both worlds? –Cue collective gasps! Paranormal romance with a western twist is exactly what you’ll find in Cowboy in Wolf’s Clothing, my newest release and the second installment in dark and dangerous Seven Range Shifter series, where the heroes are cowboys by day, wolf shifters by night. Now I’m not really one to sing my own praises, but since I’m here to convince you that cowboy + wolves is the mashup you’ve been waiting for, here are three reasons why I love writing the Seven Range Shifters. All the sexy alpha male angst, none of the alpha-hole bull… We’ve all read it—the alpha-male wolf shifter who is just a little too…alpha. And while I love a sexy alpha male shifter as…

Historical romance is my favorite romance genre and you probably wonder why when I write so many contemporary paranormal romances. I like variety in my reading and in my writing. But when it comes to picking stories to read, I love historical romance. I do write Highland romances, so I tend to read anything but that. Why? I don’t want to accidentally pick up anyone else’s story ideas while I’m writing, so I read what I don’t write. I love action, adventure, mystery, all things that I watch or read when I have the time. A sweet romance can be fun, but I tend to love more action and adventure, suspense, combined with the romance and historical theme. I was watching the true story about the Viking who beat the Roman Crusaders who tried to take their lands from them. He was in love with a woman, and they had to fight off the invaders, using their wits and fighting skills to win against overwhelming odds, not only from the Roman threat but from the Viking tribes who had been bought off to kill him and his people. He was a good leader, a fair leader, and for a hundred…

I love a lot of seasons but Spring is just plain fun for me to watch come in. Winter has its beauty, especially there at the end when I’m so sick of running my air-conditioning unit to make it through those late summer heat waves. I love getting my warm fuzzy slippers out and having the chance to use some of the quilts I’ve made. Still, spring is just plain magical. Now I’ll make a confession. I love birds. One of my favorite things to do in spring is to keep an eye on the Eagle Cam. There is a pair of Bald Eagles who next in Big Bear and there is a camera mounted so you can get a peek at them as they prepare their nest. It’s something I really enjoy, watching those bird as they tend their eggs and waiting…just hoping to see a chick or two. This year they have two little chicks. Wicked Highland Ways is the last book in my Highland Brides series. Some might look at it as the late summer piece in the collection but for me, it’s still springtime. Hey, Brenda has waited for five books to have her very own….

1. Tough Manly Men! I love reading and writing cowboy books. Nothing defines America and its values like the Old West. That was when men were men and women were women, but a cowboy wasn’t a cowboy unless he was wild, woolly and full of fleas. Of course, the heroes we love to read about are more likely to be tall, dark and handsome.  He can also charm the bark off a tree and is able to cope with whatever comes his way. 2. Cowboy Lingo: Today’s language seems rather dull compared to the colorful lingo of yesteryear.  Can you think of more mouth-pleasing words than hornswoggle, caboodle or skedaddle?  Or what about fiddlefooted, ranktankerous, or splendiferous? A latte may be the haute cuisine of coffee, but give me an Arbuckle’s any day. The rebellious part of me delights that my characters can use such words as “ain’t” and “druther” without guilt.  My eighth grade English teacher would have had a fit. Of course, back in the 1800s, she’d be more likely to have a conniption (any way you call it, it serves her right for branding me with an F). When a cowboy said “hell on wheels” he wasn’t talking about no bikers…