Sea Panther
e-Book: $1.99 (reg. 3.99)
Oct. 11th - Oct. 31st
Available at:
Amazon : B&N : Apple : Kobo
~Dawn Marie
Showing posts with label Sea Panther. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sea Panther. Show all posts
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Happy Spring!
Happy first day of spring! I love this time of year. Birds are singing sweet songs dressed in their mating plumage. Bulbs blindly planted during the autumn are emerging from the soil, providing bright smiles. Day length–amount of sunlight–is increasing. And the weather is warming. Oh, happy days!
Spring begins in the northern hemisphere this afternoon with the vernal equinox at 5:58 PM EDT. The length of day and night will be nearly equal. And guess what else? A full moon will brighten our skies at 9:43 PM EDT. This will be the third and final supermoon of 2019. How special is that? Very! According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the last time a full moon closely coincided with the spring equinox was in March 2000. The last time they happened on the same date was on March 20, 1981.
What do you plan to do on this first day of Spring?
Since there will be a full moon tonight perhaps a vampire / shapeshifter story is in order. Have you read Sea Panther yet?
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| e-Book available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, and Apple. |
Can love mend a fractured soul?
After evading arrest for Jacobite activities, Scottish nobleman Robert MacLachlan turns privateer. A Caribbean Voodoo priestess curses him to an eternal existence as a vampire shifter torn between the dual natures of a Florida panther and an immortal blood-thirsting man. For centuries, he seeks to reverse the black magic whilst maintaining his honor. Cruising the twenty-first century Atlantic, he becomes shorthanded to sail his 90-foot yacht, Sea Panther. The last thing he wants is a female crew member and the call of her blood.
Although she swore never to sail again after her father died in a sailing accident, Kimberly Scot answers the captain’s crew wanted ad to escape a hit man. She’s lost everything, her fiancé, her job, and most of her money, along with money belonging to her ex-clients. A taste of Kimberly’s blood convinces Robert she is the one woman who can claim the panther’s heart. To break the curse, they travel back in time to where it all began—Jamaica 1715.
~Dawn Marie
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Excerpt Wednesday ~ A Vampire-Shifter for Halloween ~ Sea Panther by Dawn Marie Hamilton
Halloween is a mere five nights away. Get your paranormal fix with an excerpt from Sea Panther...
∞∞∞
The simple act of returning the woman’s scarf had taken a
dangerous turn when their fingers touched. Robert managed to control the
vampire by sheer will alone. Nonetheless, the power surge coursing through his
veins from the brief contact with the lass awakened the panther. He barely made
it to the tall grass on the outskirts of town before being claimed by the
transformation.
He chose not to fight the change. He welcomed it with every
fiber of his being.
Heart raced. Blood throbbed at his temples and a tortured
curse escaped his lips. He discarded his garments and clenched his teeth.
Muscles ripped and tendons snapped and bones distorted to conform to the
panther’s shape. Coarse golden fur tipped with a reddish tinge rippled over
bare skin, making him quiver with urgency.
Nostrils flared, he sniffed the salty breeze. There would be
precious few moments for his pleasure before the beast seized complete control.
He darted through the salt marsh, paws sinking into moist
earth. His growl sounded out a soul-wrenching lament on the injustice of his
life. Robert couldn’t shake the feminine image of the tall graceful woman with
brown curls and haunted chocolate eyes. The desire to mate shook him to the
core.
Far from the trappings of civilization, he slowed to a
rhythmic lope. He hoped no one found the tracks. The headlines would be
sensational.
Big Cats Return to South Jersey
Cougar Tracks Sighted in Cape May County
On closer inspection, a zoologist would recognize the
smaller pawprints and attribute them to the Florida panther, Puma concolor coryi. Researchers would
bombard the foundation with inquiries. His secret would be in jeopardy.
The panther reared its full power and forced away Robert’s
human thoughts.
A raccoon moving through the reeds caught his keen gaze. He
pounced on the prey. Yet on the fringes of consciousness remained the
unquenched desire for his mate.
∞∞∞
Hope you enjoyed this wee excerpt from Sea Panther, a Crimson Storm Novel.
Sea Panther exclusively at Amazon.
~Dawn Marie
Friday, March 13, 2015
Happy Friday the 13th
To celebrate Friday the 13th and all things paranormal, I'm sharing a passage from Sea Panther. This is from a scene where Kimberly and Robert are sailing through the Bermuda Triangle, searching for a time portal to the past...
A mirror image of the sky overhead, the Bahamian waters glistened in the sunlight. She loved the changing palette of color from clear blue to transparent turquoise, allowing glimpses of the coral below. A gentle wind blew out of the northwest. Kimberly inhaled the pleasant scented sea air.
Night Thrill made steady progress, flying only the main sail. Robert handled the helm as they rounded Andros Island on a heading for Bimini. She reveled in the indulgence of watching him. Robert had discarded his shirt when the sun rose and the temperature soared. Her gaze slid over his torso. Sleek tanned skin, glossy from a sheen of perspiration, pulled taut over tight muscles that flexed with every move. Desire gathered low in her belly.
He looked over from the wheel and smiled. Her breath hitched and she felt love for him in every cell of her body. She wished they could sail like this always. To somewhere else though, not to their current destination.
Without warning, the breeze quit. Completely stilled. Kimberly jumped into action, tending the sail while Robert engaged the engine. He shot her a strange unnerving glance as he shrugged into a black linen shirt.
She swallowed apprehensively and moved to stand beside him. “What is it?”
“The compass is going haywire. Spinning wildly.” His tone of voice revealed growing excitement.
Kimberly chewed on the edge of her lip, taut with anticipation. They’d been waiting for something to happen, though she hadn’t really believed the stories. The contents of her stomach shimmied. Was she ready to confront the unknown?
A cool mist advanced, quickly developing into dense fog, which expanded into an enormous semicircle not five hundred yards off deck.
“The RPM’s are dropping,” Robert reported.
The boat slowed to a near idle. Kimberly’s stomach lurched. She glanced at her watch. The second hand had stopped moving. She tapped on the crystal. Nothing.
She reached for Robert’s hand. “It’ll be okay,” she said, lacking true confidence.
Robert squeezed her fingers. “That’s my brave lass.”
The eerie fog swirled, encircling the sailboat yet kept a distance of about three hundred yards. Kimberly glimpsed the clear sky in the center—bright blue with no clouds. It was as if they were caught in the eye of a mellow storm.
Without warning, a large mass burst through the edge of the milky fog to hover about thirty feet above the surface of the water off their port side, throwing a huge shadow. The air smelled different. Like after a thunderstorm.
“What the hell is that?” Kimberly whispered.
“I dinnae ken.” Robert wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her tight to his side.
The elliptical shaped thing began to vibrate. She held her breath. A soft whirring broke the unnatural quiet. Lights on the bottom of the object flashed, alternating between red, green, blue, and white.
Off the sailboat’s bow, a hole opened in the fog, exposing a tunnel of sorts with swirling mist walls. Before Kimberly could blink, the floating object entered the opening and vanished. Just as quick, the tunnel entrance closed.
“Wow. Was that real?” Kimberly asked.
“I am not certain, but I read an eyewitness report within Patrice’s notes describing a similar sighting.”
“Do you think it was a UFO?”
“I hope not. If it was, then this isn’t a time portal.” Robert gave her arm a squeeze.
“It could still be. If the portal could take us back in time, why couldn’t it also bring someone, or in this case, an object from the future to our time?”
Robert released her and rubbed the back of his neck. “This is all a wee unnerving, though, you make an excellent point. But then again, it could have been from another galaxy or a dimension of which we have nae knowledge.”
Kimberly retrieved the cell phone from a hidden pocket in the boy’s pants she wore. Robert’s eyes narrowed. He probably thought she planned to call for help. Even if she wanted to, they weren’t close enough to land.
“You shouldn’t have that. If we make it to the past... Ach, well, I hate to think what would happen to you if someone found your cell phone.”
“I didn’t plan to take it with me. Just wanted to see if it still worked.” She depressed the On button. Nothing. “It’s dead.” She tossed the useless phone into a small compartment under the wheel.
Time dragged. The fog slowly swirled closer. Kimberly kept checking her watch, but it wasn’t working. She took it off. “I guess I shouldn’t be wearing a watch either.”
“Get rid of anything from the present time.”
As she checked her pockets to ensure she hadn’t accidentally picked up something that didn’t belong in the past, the amount of blue sky overhead shrank to nothing more than a small circle over the cockpit. Then the milky haze overtook even that tiny bright spot.
A fine mist moistened her face, and she tasted salt on her lips. The fog rolled across the deck, thickening and becoming darker and heavier as strands of vapor swirled around equipment and through openings. Visibility declined to mere inches.
Kimberly felt as if chilly fingers reached for her from within the ominous fog. She grabbed Robert’s hand. “Please don’t let go of me. I’m frightened.”
“I will keep you safe.” He wrapped muscular arms around her and pulled her back against his broad chest. “Remember to talk in the lad’s voice you practiced and if we get separated, tell anyone who finds you that you are my nephew, Ian, my cabin lad.”
“Okay.”
Abruptly, she heard whispering within the fog.
“Ahoy there. Is anyone aboard?” The disembodied voice made her shiver.
Kimberly pressed tighter against Robert and the heat of his body. “Did you hear that?”
“Aye,” he said, voice muffled against her damp hair.
Within the fog, someone whistled a jig-like tune. The haze dissipated slightly. Three men dressed in old-fashion aviator gear stood off the bow of the sailboat as if they walked on water. One saluted, and then they all vanished into the vaporous mist.
“Oh. My. God.” Gooseflesh prickled the length of Kimberly’s arms. She leaned into Robert’s strength. “You did see that, didn’t you? I read about flight crews being lost in the forties.”
“I saw.” He gave a gentle squeeze. “I am certain we will see more unusual sights before our adventure is complete. Are you still willing?”
~Dawn Marie
A mirror image of the sky overhead, the Bahamian waters glistened in the sunlight. She loved the changing palette of color from clear blue to transparent turquoise, allowing glimpses of the coral below. A gentle wind blew out of the northwest. Kimberly inhaled the pleasant scented sea air.
Night Thrill made steady progress, flying only the main sail. Robert handled the helm as they rounded Andros Island on a heading for Bimini. She reveled in the indulgence of watching him. Robert had discarded his shirt when the sun rose and the temperature soared. Her gaze slid over his torso. Sleek tanned skin, glossy from a sheen of perspiration, pulled taut over tight muscles that flexed with every move. Desire gathered low in her belly.
He looked over from the wheel and smiled. Her breath hitched and she felt love for him in every cell of her body. She wished they could sail like this always. To somewhere else though, not to their current destination.
Without warning, the breeze quit. Completely stilled. Kimberly jumped into action, tending the sail while Robert engaged the engine. He shot her a strange unnerving glance as he shrugged into a black linen shirt.
She swallowed apprehensively and moved to stand beside him. “What is it?”
“The compass is going haywire. Spinning wildly.” His tone of voice revealed growing excitement.
Kimberly chewed on the edge of her lip, taut with anticipation. They’d been waiting for something to happen, though she hadn’t really believed the stories. The contents of her stomach shimmied. Was she ready to confront the unknown?
A cool mist advanced, quickly developing into dense fog, which expanded into an enormous semicircle not five hundred yards off deck.
“The RPM’s are dropping,” Robert reported.
The boat slowed to a near idle. Kimberly’s stomach lurched. She glanced at her watch. The second hand had stopped moving. She tapped on the crystal. Nothing.
She reached for Robert’s hand. “It’ll be okay,” she said, lacking true confidence.
Robert squeezed her fingers. “That’s my brave lass.”
The eerie fog swirled, encircling the sailboat yet kept a distance of about three hundred yards. Kimberly glimpsed the clear sky in the center—bright blue with no clouds. It was as if they were caught in the eye of a mellow storm.
Without warning, a large mass burst through the edge of the milky fog to hover about thirty feet above the surface of the water off their port side, throwing a huge shadow. The air smelled different. Like after a thunderstorm.
“What the hell is that?” Kimberly whispered.
“I dinnae ken.” Robert wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her tight to his side.
The elliptical shaped thing began to vibrate. She held her breath. A soft whirring broke the unnatural quiet. Lights on the bottom of the object flashed, alternating between red, green, blue, and white.
Off the sailboat’s bow, a hole opened in the fog, exposing a tunnel of sorts with swirling mist walls. Before Kimberly could blink, the floating object entered the opening and vanished. Just as quick, the tunnel entrance closed.
“Wow. Was that real?” Kimberly asked.
“I am not certain, but I read an eyewitness report within Patrice’s notes describing a similar sighting.”
“Do you think it was a UFO?”
“I hope not. If it was, then this isn’t a time portal.” Robert gave her arm a squeeze.
“It could still be. If the portal could take us back in time, why couldn’t it also bring someone, or in this case, an object from the future to our time?”
Robert released her and rubbed the back of his neck. “This is all a wee unnerving, though, you make an excellent point. But then again, it could have been from another galaxy or a dimension of which we have nae knowledge.”
Kimberly retrieved the cell phone from a hidden pocket in the boy’s pants she wore. Robert’s eyes narrowed. He probably thought she planned to call for help. Even if she wanted to, they weren’t close enough to land.
“You shouldn’t have that. If we make it to the past... Ach, well, I hate to think what would happen to you if someone found your cell phone.”
“I didn’t plan to take it with me. Just wanted to see if it still worked.” She depressed the On button. Nothing. “It’s dead.” She tossed the useless phone into a small compartment under the wheel.
Time dragged. The fog slowly swirled closer. Kimberly kept checking her watch, but it wasn’t working. She took it off. “I guess I shouldn’t be wearing a watch either.”
“Get rid of anything from the present time.”
As she checked her pockets to ensure she hadn’t accidentally picked up something that didn’t belong in the past, the amount of blue sky overhead shrank to nothing more than a small circle over the cockpit. Then the milky haze overtook even that tiny bright spot.
A fine mist moistened her face, and she tasted salt on her lips. The fog rolled across the deck, thickening and becoming darker and heavier as strands of vapor swirled around equipment and through openings. Visibility declined to mere inches.
Kimberly felt as if chilly fingers reached for her from within the ominous fog. She grabbed Robert’s hand. “Please don’t let go of me. I’m frightened.”
“I will keep you safe.” He wrapped muscular arms around her and pulled her back against his broad chest. “Remember to talk in the lad’s voice you practiced and if we get separated, tell anyone who finds you that you are my nephew, Ian, my cabin lad.”
“Okay.”
Abruptly, she heard whispering within the fog.
“Ahoy there. Is anyone aboard?” The disembodied voice made her shiver.
Kimberly pressed tighter against Robert and the heat of his body. “Did you hear that?”
“Aye,” he said, voice muffled against her damp hair.
Within the fog, someone whistled a jig-like tune. The haze dissipated slightly. Three men dressed in old-fashion aviator gear stood off the bow of the sailboat as if they walked on water. One saluted, and then they all vanished into the vaporous mist.
“Oh. My. God.” Gooseflesh prickled the length of Kimberly’s arms. She leaned into Robert’s strength. “You did see that, didn’t you? I read about flight crews being lost in the forties.”
“I saw.” He gave a gentle squeeze. “I am certain we will see more unusual sights before our adventure is complete. Are you still willing?”
~Dawn Marie
Friday, December 19, 2014
Winter Warm-Up Blog Hop - #Giveaway - #HopswithHeart : Romance on Christmas Eve
Update: 12/24
And the winners are:
Dawn Marie Hamilton Writes winner - Beaded Holiday Key Chain - Dawn Hagan
The Hop Grand Prize winner - $75 Amazon Gift Card— Stephanie Osborn
Congrats Dawn & Stephanie!!
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| http://www.hopswithheart.blogspot.com/ |
Welcome!
to the
Winter Warm-Up Blog Hop
Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday season so step on through the garden gate and spend some time with me and a few of my characters during this festive time of year. Then scroll down to the bottom of the post and enter the giveaways. Merry Christmas!
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| Available at Amazon for Kindle and in trade paperback. FREE with Kindle Unlimited. |
~~()~~
“Can we make snow angels?” Scott hollered over bantering voices.
“Yes, please,” Young Iain begged too.
Laurie urged the lads into jackets and the entire family trudged out into the snowy garden. Patrick flicked a switch. Light illuminated the area, making the snow sparkle. The lads fell onto their backs in the snow, waving their arms and legs. The imprints left behind were the images of angels. Laurie made a large one. Patrick’s even larger.
If a once powerful warrior could display a playful side so could she. Isobell dropped onto her back to make an angel of her own. To her utter surprise, Archie threw off his plaide and plopped beside her in naught but his trews and leine. As they spread their arms to make angel wings their fingers touched. Their gazes met. A thrill shot through her.
Archie’s eyes flared. He must have felt it too.
She couldn’t let the moment pass without making one last memory with him. Isobell squeezed his fingers. “Come with me. I ken a special place.”
Archie grabbed his plaide and they slipped away from the others frolicking in the snow. She guided him through the inn’s garden, along the well-trodden woodland trail, through the meadow and into Laurie’s garden and the privacy of the orchid room. Was doubtful the family or guests would visit on this most special of nights—Christmas Eve.
“Why have you brought me here?” he asked.
“Why do you think?” She hoped her smile appeared sensual.
He raised a brow. She pressed against him, grasped his hands and pulled his arms around her, placing them on her bum. His response, a firm squeeze, urged her on. Stretching up onto the balls of her feet, she leaned in and kissed him as sweetly, as passionately, as her heart demanded.
A rough sound erupted from deep within his throat, a growl, a demand, and the kiss intensified into a meeting of mouths and tongues, wet and wild. Isobell’s breath came from Archie and his from her. When the fever calmed, forehead resting against forehead, they gasped for air.
“So, that is your answer, lass?”
“Oh, aye!” She melted against him.
He glanced around the small glass chamber then stepped away. He grabbed a cushion from one of the chairs and tossed it on the floor. Then another and another. Using all the cushions, he made a fine bed.
Archie dropped onto the cushions, tested their comfort then offered an inviting hand. “Join me.”
She fell on knees on the cushions beside him. Suddenly feeling shy, she tentatively touched his smooth cheek. She had no experience seducing a man.
Archibald wrinkled his nose in the sweetest way. “What?”
“You have been with so many other women. I dinnae ken…”
“Nae so many.”
“But Da said—”
“He said a lot of things that were not true. Aye?”
“Aye.” She lowered her gaze embarrassed for having believed all the lies.
Archie slid a palm over her hair and down an arm. “I will be gentle.”
~~()~~
Ahhh. Romance on Christmas eve. So nice. Oh, look, another couple has joined us.
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| E-book available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Smashwords, kobo, and Barnes&Noble. Trade paperback available at Amazon, BAM, and Barnes&Noble. |
~~()~~
A drunk banged into the table and broke the steamy spell holding Kimberly and Robert enthralled. She choked on a flat laugh. He cleared his throat.
The awkward moment thickened the air. Made it hard to breathe.
Kimberly twitched her nose. Now would be a good time to find a hidey-hole to crawl into. Perspiration glazed the skin between her breasts. God, her face must be the color of a ripe strawberry.
“I overheard you,” Robert said.
“Did you?” Just great.
“Aye.” His gaze dropped to the tabletop. He picked up a drink stirrer and fiddled with it.
Mesmerized, she watched large fingers nimbly tie the thin strip of plastic into a bowline knot. The naughty image of him using the same knot to tie a silk scarf around her wrists flashed in her mind. Where had that idea come from?
“What the rest of the crew has been trying hard not to tell you is I have a rare blood disease.” Her wayward thought splintered at the unemotional statement of fact.
She gazed into his eyes, searching for something empathetic to say.
“I have to take it easy until my doctors find a donor with the right DNA makeup to help me. That is why I sleep a lot.”
“I’m sorry.” Oh, that sounded lame. Worse yet, she’d been thinking about sex. Kinky sex. My God, what had come over her lately? She’d never thought of having that kind of sex with Jason. Heat rose from toes to face. Thank God Robert couldn’t read minds. She reached for her mug, but it was empty.
“Dance with me?” He grasped her hand.
She nodded, and followed him onto the dance floor. “When they find a donor, will they be able to make you well?”
His eyes clouded. “I hope so.”
So did she.
He tucked her close, held her tight, smooth cheek against the rasp of whiskers, as they swayed with the other couples to the sweet melody of an Irish love song. She embraced hard muscle as she wrapped her arms around him.
How could a virile man like Robert be critically ill?
When the song ended, she pulled away, feeling awkward. He seemed uncomfortable too. They returned to the booth at the same time as the twins.
The moment Robert sat, his cell phone buzzed. He grabbed it from his belt. “Aye.” A dark expression hardened his features. “Do what you can. Tell Colin to be ready to motor out and set sail as soon as we arrive.”
Alarm pinched. Something bad must have happened.
He returned the phone to his belt and pulled her to her feet.
“What’s up?” Davey asked.
“We have trouble.” Robert pushed Kimberly through the crowd toward the back door. Davey and John followed. Once they were out in the night air, Robert answered Davey’s question, “It appears Miss Scot is wanted by the sheriff’s department.”
Kimberly wanted to explain, but he cut her off.
“Colin is stalling the deputies, which will buy us some time but not much. You two…” He directed an intense stare at the twins. “Go to the boat and make ready to cast off on Colin’s order. I will borrow a launch, and we will rendezvous offshore.”
John and Davey disappeared into the shadows.
“Come.” Robert tugged on her arm.
They ran down the back alley away from the Christmas gaiety. By the time they reached the outskirts of town, Kimberly panted for breath. She still hadn’t figured out how to explain the situation. “Captain, I—”
“Just answer one question. Did you break the law?”
“No.” She shook her head with force. “Definitely not.”
“Then you can explain later. Now, we need to hurry.” He led her behind a waterfront hotel. They jogged across the manicured lawn to a private dock with a Zodiac tied to it. Luck was with them. Keys dangled from the ignition.
The inflatable boat raced out into the dark night. When the town with its twinkling lights looked like a miniature holiday village, Robert idled the engine, and they drifted.
“I’m sorry. I’ve done nothing wrong.” Kimberly found it hard to believe the mess that had caught up with her.
~~()~~
Perhaps not the best Christmas eve, but romance is in the air and their happily-ever-after is coming. That is the thing I love about romance novels. There is always a happily-ever-after. Thanks for visiting with me and my characters. Now for a contest...
Dawn Marie's Holiday Giveaway
For a chance to snag one of these lovely holiday key chains crafted by Nicole Laverdure, just leave a comment below with your favorite holiday activity. One name will be drawn after the hop has ended. Good luck!
Grand Prize Giveaway
Thanks for participating in the Winter Warm-Up blog hop. Be sure to check out: Hops with Heart for future blog hops. Now, hop along to some of the other participating blogs...~Dawn Marie
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Paranormal Romance Howloween Blog Hop - #Giveaway - #HopswithHeart
Update 11/3
And the Winners:
Blog Prize--e-book copy of Sea Panther: Mary Frances Roya
Grand Prize--$50 Amazon Gift Card: Janet Haselden
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| www.hopswithheart.blogspot.com |
Welcome to the Paranormal Romance Howloween blog hop. I so enjoy this time of year. We keep a lit ceramic jack-o-lantern that I made years ago in the window for the month of October. On Halloween evening, we play spooky music through speakers to the front yard. Last year, I dressed as a witch to handout treats to the kids. I'll do the same this year. And my husband plans to join me, sporting the mask from V for Vendetta. Should be fun.
One of the kids who visited last year asked if I was dressed as a vampire. I guess my goth-look witch costume can also pass for a vampire. Do you like vampire stories? Shapeshifters? How about a Highlander transformed into a vampire / Florida panther shifter?
Can love mend a fractured soul?
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| E-book available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Smashwords, kobo, and Barnes&Noble. Trade paperback available at Amazon, BAM, and Barnes&Noble. |
Although she swore never to sail again after her father died in a sailing accident, Kimberly Scot answers the captain's crew wanted ad to escape a hit man. She's lost everything, her fiancé, her job, and most of her money, along with money belonging to her ex-clients. A taste of Kimberly's blood convinces Robert she is the one woman who can claim the panther's heart. To break the curse, they travel back in time to where it all began—Jamaica 1715.
He chose not to fight the change. He welcomed it with every fiber of his being.
Heart raced. Blood throbbed at his temples and a tortured curse escaped his lips. He discarded his garments and clenched his teeth. Muscles ripped and tendons snapped and bones distorted to conform to the panther’s shape. Coarse golden fur tipped with a reddish tinge rippled over bare skin, making him quiver with urgency.
Nostrils flared, he sniffed the salty breeze. There would be precious few moments for his pleasure before the beast seized complete control.
He darted through the salt marsh, paws sinking into moist earth. His growl sounded out a soul-wrenching lament on the injustice of his life. Robert couldn’t shake the feminine image of the tall graceful woman with brown curls and haunted chocolate eyes. The desire to mate shook him to the core.
Far from the trappings of civilization, he slowed to a rhythmic lope. He hoped no one found the tracks. The headlines would be sensational.
Big Cats Return to South Jersey
Cougar Tracks Sighted in Cape May County
On closer inspection, a zoologist would recognize the smaller pawprints and attribute them to the Florida panther, Puma concolor coryi. Researchers would bombard the foundation with inquiries. His secret would be in jeopardy.
The panther reared its full power and forced away Robert’s human thoughts.
A raccoon moving through the reeds caught his keen gaze. He pounced on the prey. Yet on the fringes of consciousness remained the unquenched desire for his mate.
Sea Panther Giveaway
Here is your chance to receive a gift e-book copy of Sea Panther (Kindle or Nook). Just leave a comment below telling me about your favorite Halloween activity. I'll draw one name after the hop has ended. Good luck!
Grand Prize Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for participating in the Paranormal Romance Halloween blog hop. Be sure to check out: Hops with Heart for future blog hops. Now, hop along to some of the other participating blogs...
Friday, September 19, 2014
Fall into Romance Blog Hop - #Giveaway - #HopswithHeart
Update 9/24
And the Winners:
Blog Prize--e-book copy of Sea Panther: Pam
Grand Prize--$75 Amazon Gift Card: Yolanda Matias
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| www.hopswithheart.blogspot.com |
I so enjoy this time of year. Cooler temperatures make outdoor activities more fun. Perhaps a trip to the mountains and a hike to a waterfall. A waterfall is one of the settings in my paranormal novel Sea Panther. Robert and Laurie travel back in time to Jamaica 1715 to try to reverse the effects of a Voodoo curse. Dunn's River Falls was the inspiration for a playfully sexy scene for the couple.
Can love mend a fractured soul?
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| E-book available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Smashwords, kobo, and Barnes&Noble. Trade paperback available at Amazon, BAM, and Barnes&Noble. |
Although she swore never to sail again after her father died in a sailing accident, Kimberly Scot answers the captain's crew wanted ad to escape a hit man. She's lost everything, her fiancé, her job, and most of her money, along with money belonging to her ex-clients. A taste of Kimberly's blood convinces Robert she is the one woman who can claim the panther's heart. To break the curse, they travel back in time to where it all began—Jamaica 1715.
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| Dunn's River Falls - Jamaica |
Where the hell is she?
Robert shifted the bulk of his weight from one leg to the other, yet again, and glanced at the mid-day sky. Bright sun. Blue sky. Weather would remain clear. He returned his stare to the outside of the ballroom’s double doors as if force of will alone would make Kimberly appear.
He’d been waiting for her on the terrace of the governor’s home for what seemed like an eternity. In reality, no more than a half-hour passed. After a quick post-ceremony toast to their nuptials, she’d gone to her room to change into a simpler gown.
Preferably, a garment easy to remove.
Soon she’d be all his. He chuckled. The governor had snickered like a fool and poked him in the ribs when he’d informed Robert of the romantic glen and waterfall in the hills above the great house. The secluded pools were ideal for swimming in the raw, or so Archibald said. A perfect spot for a tryst.
Sea Panther Giveaway
You'll need the book to read more about the tryst. Here is your chance to receive a gift e-book copy of Sea Panther (Kindle or Nook). Just leave a comment below telling me about your favorite fall outdoor activity. I'll draw one name out of the captain's hat after the hop has ended. Good luck!
BTW: Sea Panther is competing for the September cover of the month at Lolly Tova's blog. If you like the cover, I'd appreciate a vote: http://www.lollytova.com/septembers-cover-love-poll/ Thanks!
Grand Prize Giveaway
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Thanks for participating in the Fall into Romance blog hop. Be sure to check out: Hops with Heart for future blog hops. Now, hop along to some of the other participating blogs...
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Sneak Peek Sunday #SPeekSunday: Sea Panther
Today for Sneak Peek Sunday, unbeknownst to the captain, the first mate invites Kimberly to come aboard for the night and she has a nightmare...
The animal growled. A blood curdling sound that raised the hairs on her arms. Canines bared, he leapt toward her. Lunged for her throat. She toppled backward; fell over the edge, screamed.
She woke with her body covered in sweat.
Another growl echoed in the night. This one sounded like a tomcat yowling, though louder. More frightening.
Kimberly bolted up in the bed. With a shaky hand, she reached for the switch and turned on the reading light over the bunk.
The cabin door swung open.
The captain stood in the doorway. Gorgeous cinnamon eyes bore into her. His intimidating breadth and height pressed against the edges of the small portal made him appear larger. Dangerous.
Thanks for stopping by!
For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.
~Dawn Marie
|
| E-book available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Smashwords, kobo, and Barnes&Noble. Trade paperback available at Amazon, BAM, and Barnes&Noble. |
She woke with her body covered in sweat.
Another growl echoed in the night. This one sounded like a tomcat yowling, though louder. More frightening.
Kimberly bolted up in the bed. With a shaky hand, she reached for the switch and turned on the reading light over the bunk.
The cabin door swung open.
The captain stood in the doorway. Gorgeous cinnamon eyes bore into her. His intimidating breadth and height pressed against the edges of the small portal made him appear larger. Dangerous.
Thanks for stopping by!
For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.
Click HERE
to join in the fun
and hop along
with Sneak Peek Sunday.
~Dawn Marie
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Sneak Peek Sunday #SPeekSunday: Sea Panther
Another Sneak Peek Sunday. What did the captain decide? ...
He left. The door closed with a thud.
Kimberly breathed a sigh of relief. The room seemed less stifling without the captain’s overwhelming presence. She strolled to the window and peered out at the spotlighted winter garden. Cottony snow capped a collection of sculpted evergreens.
The old men at the Rusty Scupper had it right. The captain was a strange man. Like the actors in her favorite old movies, his speech and mannerisms imitated a bygone era. Was it an affectation or did it come naturally to him?
She savored the last taste of the cabernet. Raspberry and plum aromas with a hint of cassis flavor. In truth, the wine was excellent. As she placed the empty glass on a table, the door opened again. She tensed and swung around.
Colin stood in the doorway, a grin on his face. “So you’ve ensnared the captain.”
“He hired me if that’s what you mean.” She couldn’t help returning the Scotsman’s smile.
Thanks for stopping by!
For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.
~Dawn Marie
|
| E-book available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Smashwords, kobo, and Barnes&Noble. Trade paperback available at Amazon, BAM, and Barnes&Noble. |
Kimberly breathed a sigh of relief. The room seemed less stifling without the captain’s overwhelming presence. She strolled to the window and peered out at the spotlighted winter garden. Cottony snow capped a collection of sculpted evergreens.
The old men at the Rusty Scupper had it right. The captain was a strange man. Like the actors in her favorite old movies, his speech and mannerisms imitated a bygone era. Was it an affectation or did it come naturally to him?
She savored the last taste of the cabernet. Raspberry and plum aromas with a hint of cassis flavor. In truth, the wine was excellent. As she placed the empty glass on a table, the door opened again. She tensed and swung around.
Colin stood in the doorway, a grin on his face. “So you’ve ensnared the captain.”
“He hired me if that’s what you mean.” She couldn’t help returning the Scotsman’s smile.
Thanks for stopping by!
For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.
Click HERE
to join in the fun
and hop along
with Sneak Peek Sunday.
~Dawn Marie
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Sneak Peek Sunday #SPeekSunday: Sea Panther
Now that the conventions on my schedule for 2014 are over, I can get back to a weekly Sneak Peek Sunday. Kimberly is still meeting with the captain, hoping he'll offer her a crewing job on Sea Panther...
Kimberly held her breath. He had to hire her. He just had to. It would be the perfect opportunity to slip away. No one would think to look for her on a yacht sailing south this late in the season.
The captain sprang from his seat. With graceful catlike movements, he crossed the room to tower over her. She refused to be intimidated, and held her ground, allowing him to crowd her.
“Why do you want to crew for me?” he demanded with a sneer.
His rude manner got under her skin. Air left her lungs with a soft hiss.
One. Two. She silently counted to ten and swallowed her pride.
“I’m homeless. Crewing for you will give me a place to live.” She gazed into the most alluring eyes. Her stomach did a somersault. Idiot. She couldn’t believe she was attracted to the infuriating man.
Thanks for stopping by!
For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.
~Dawn Marie
|
| E-book available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Smashwords, kobo, and Barnes&Noble. Trade paperback available at Amazon, BAM, and Barnes&Noble. |
The captain sprang from his seat. With graceful catlike movements, he crossed the room to tower over her. She refused to be intimidated, and held her ground, allowing him to crowd her.
“Why do you want to crew for me?” he demanded with a sneer.
His rude manner got under her skin. Air left her lungs with a soft hiss.
One. Two. She silently counted to ten and swallowed her pride.
“I’m homeless. Crewing for you will give me a place to live.” She gazed into the most alluring eyes. Her stomach did a somersault. Idiot. She couldn’t believe she was attracted to the infuriating man.
Thanks for stopping by!
For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.
Click HERE
to join in the fun
and hop along
with Sneak Peek Sunday.
~Dawn Marie
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Sneak Peek Sunday #SPeekSunday: Sea Panther
It's Sunday, time for a Sneak Peek. I'm sorry I missed the last couple of Sundays due to traveling, but here is a new sneak peek. Kimberly is still meeting with the captain, hoping he'll offer her a crewing job on Sea Panther...
Captain MacLachlan arched an eyebrow. “Do you have a problem working with men?”
“Of course not.” She wouldn’t allow him to think her a sexist. “But I do wonder if they’ll have a problem working with me.”
“My crew will do as I order.”
“That doesn’t mean they’ll want to work with me.” Kimberly rose from the chair, unable to sit any longer. She’d been shocked at the pub to learn Sea Panther’s mysterious captain was the same man who owned the yacht. What a coincidence she’d met him on the street the other night. She flicked glances in his direction while she paced.
His penetrating stare tracked her every move. “It might ease your mind to know my sister will meet us in Annapolis and will sail with us until we reach Florida.”
A surprise and a relief. “Does that mean I have the job?”
Thanks for stopping by!
For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.
~Dawn Marie
|
| E-book available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Smashwords, kobo, and Barnes&Noble. Trade paperback available at Amazon, BAM, and Barnes&Noble. |
“Of course not.” She wouldn’t allow him to think her a sexist. “But I do wonder if they’ll have a problem working with me.”
“My crew will do as I order.”
“That doesn’t mean they’ll want to work with me.” Kimberly rose from the chair, unable to sit any longer. She’d been shocked at the pub to learn Sea Panther’s mysterious captain was the same man who owned the yacht. What a coincidence she’d met him on the street the other night. She flicked glances in his direction while she paced.
His penetrating stare tracked her every move. “It might ease your mind to know my sister will meet us in Annapolis and will sail with us until we reach Florida.”
A surprise and a relief. “Does that mean I have the job?”
Thanks for stopping by!
For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.
Click HERE
to join in the fun
and hop along
with Sneak Peek Sunday.
~Dawn Marie
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Sneak Peek Sunday #SPeekSunday: Sea Panther
It's Sunday, time for a Sneak Peek. Kimberly is still meeting with the captain, hoping he'll offer her a crewing job on Sea Panther...
Kimberly struggled not to fidget under the scrutiny of her host.
Dressed in form-hugging black pants, a starched white tuxedo shirt open at the throat and stretched across a broad chest, and with the scar on a dangerously handsome face, Captain MacLachlan did look like a pirate. An eye-patch and sword, and a kerchief over his short spiked hair would complete the swashbuckler effect. Kimberly tried not to sigh at the image. She had to stop watching those classic old movies.
From his charming smile on their first meeting, she wouldn’t have expected him to be such an ill-tempered man. Tonight, however, his dark expression unnerved her. As did the odd sensation when they touched.
She rubbed her palm on her thigh—the palm still tingling from their handshake.
From the way the captain snatched his hand away, she would have thought him stung.
Silence stretched. Kimberly couldn’t stand the suspense. “Will there be other women onboard?” She burst out with the question that worried her most.
Thanks for stopping by!
For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.
~Dawn Marie
|
| E-book available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Apple, Smashwords, kobo, and Barnes&Noble. Trade paperback available at Amazon, BAM, and Barnes&Noble. |
Dressed in form-hugging black pants, a starched white tuxedo shirt open at the throat and stretched across a broad chest, and with the scar on a dangerously handsome face, Captain MacLachlan did look like a pirate. An eye-patch and sword, and a kerchief over his short spiked hair would complete the swashbuckler effect. Kimberly tried not to sigh at the image. She had to stop watching those classic old movies.
From his charming smile on their first meeting, she wouldn’t have expected him to be such an ill-tempered man. Tonight, however, his dark expression unnerved her. As did the odd sensation when they touched.
She rubbed her palm on her thigh—the palm still tingling from their handshake.
From the way the captain snatched his hand away, she would have thought him stung.
Silence stretched. Kimberly couldn’t stand the suspense. “Will there be other women onboard?” She burst out with the question that worried her most.
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Thanks for stopping by!
For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.
Click HERE
to join in the fun
and hop along
with Sneak Peek Sunday.
~Dawn Marie
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Sneak Peek Sunday #SPeekSunday: Sea Panther
Hope everyone is having a fabulous 4th of July Weekend!
Since it's Sunday, it's time for a Sneak Peek. Kimberly is still meeting with the captain, hoping he'll offer her a crewing job on Sea Panther...
The angry tilt of her chin exposed the sweet, soft, tempting length of her throat. His fangs punched through his gums, and he labored to concentrate.
“My father was Jimmy Scot. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.”
Indeed. Fast Jimmy had won more international yacht races than any of his contemporaries. Why did his daughter seek a job on Sea Panther? Although the lass wore quality garments, Colin believed she struggled without resources. “When was the last time you sailed?”
“Before my father died.” She pinned him with an irritated look. “Listen, I need a job, and I’m a good sailor.”
Sea Panther needed another hand. No one else had applied. Robert sighed, feeling cornered. Hadn’t she heard the rumors about him? Didn’t she believe the stories as all the others did? The lass must be in a dire situation if there was no one to turn to other than him. She held his gaze and waited for a response. Her imploring brown eyes slashed his defenses. Robert didn’t want to give in. He should send her away.
He retreated to the other side of the room and sat on the red leather sofa. With one leg crossed over the other knee, he tried to appear unaffected by her presence. He observed her while morosely pretending to sip from the goblet of wine, wishing the crystal glass contained her blood.
Thanks for stopping by!
For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.
~Dawn Marie
Since it's Sunday, it's time for a Sneak Peek. Kimberly is still meeting with the captain, hoping he'll offer her a crewing job on Sea Panther...
|
| E-book available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Apple, and Barnes&Noble. Trade paperback available at Amazon, BAM, and Barnes&Noble. |
“My father was Jimmy Scot. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.”
Indeed. Fast Jimmy had won more international yacht races than any of his contemporaries. Why did his daughter seek a job on Sea Panther? Although the lass wore quality garments, Colin believed she struggled without resources. “When was the last time you sailed?”
“Before my father died.” She pinned him with an irritated look. “Listen, I need a job, and I’m a good sailor.”
Sea Panther needed another hand. No one else had applied. Robert sighed, feeling cornered. Hadn’t she heard the rumors about him? Didn’t she believe the stories as all the others did? The lass must be in a dire situation if there was no one to turn to other than him. She held his gaze and waited for a response. Her imploring brown eyes slashed his defenses. Robert didn’t want to give in. He should send her away.
He retreated to the other side of the room and sat on the red leather sofa. With one leg crossed over the other knee, he tried to appear unaffected by her presence. He observed her while morosely pretending to sip from the goblet of wine, wishing the crystal glass contained her blood.
Thanks for stopping by!
For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below.
Click HERE
to join in the fun
and hop along
with Sneak Peek Sunday.
~Dawn Marie
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