A Paranormal Love - Nina Pierce

Paranormal ghouls and goblins have certainly changed since I was a kid. The idea of a werewolf or a vampire being anything but the nasty villain in a novel was unheard of ... let alone being the sexy alpha hero!

But there you have it. That's exactly the change that's come about in the world of romance novels. Every type of being from fallen angels to demons, vampires to werewolves, aliens to zombies and everything in between. A romance reader has her/his pick of any type of paranormal being.

Being the science fiction geek that I am, I completely embrace this new wave of paranormal romance. I'm in the middle of several paranormal series and loving every dark minute of this forbidden love. And as a writer ... well, you know I couldn't resist! I have two series out, one involving a vampire hunter and a town with cougar and wolf shifters fighting over land rights. I completely in paranormal nirvana when I'm working on these stories.

What about you? Are you enjoying this new wave of paranormal romance or are you electing to steer clear of it? Because I'm kinda nosy that way ... I'd love to know.

I have a series with Ellora's Cave titled SHIFTING BONDS. It's the story of a polymorphic shifter looking for her wolf and cougar mates.

Here's the Blurb:
Veterinarian Jayda Kynslan recently moved to Montana. The mountains hold many secrets but none as mysterious as hers. She’s just discovered she’s a polymorphic shifter—wolf, cougar, human. Jayda’s not sure who she is—or what her heart and body need.

Recently promised to Cole Takoda, the head of the wolf council, Jayda wants to believe their bond will fulfill her every need. But there’s no denying her cougar growls for a mate of its own. Leader of the cougar council, Zane Brodan has no desire to get involved in a romantic relationship. Tangling with a shifter already promised to another is a bad idea—except when it’s a luscious polymorphic shifter doing the tempting.

Cole believes Jayda is his lifemate. Zane can’t resist her seductions. It seems someone wants to ruin all their plans. As the temperature and body count rise, so does Jayda’s need to possess both men—wolf and cougar—and her needs refuse to be denied.

Excerpt:
She raced through the shadows, her claws digging deep in the damp forest floor. Lush ferns of summer slapped at her muzzle but didn’t slow her speed. The scent of rabbit rode on the night air laced with the honeyed aroma of silky lupine. Jayda Kynslan tamped down the urge to hunt. Time had become her enemy. Her attention needed to stay focused on more important quarry.

Breaking through the tree line, she stepped onto the edge of the field. The Montana mountain breeze ruffled through her thick pelt of black and Jayda wanted to throw her head back and let instinct loose. But a wolf howl would only give away her position and this night was about secrecy and speed. The protective darkness would soon give way to a blue wash of light. The full moon peeked over the treetops, its face a crimson fire. A blood moon. A superstitious person would read death in its orange glow. Jayda only saw her chance at stealth slipping away. Soon it would sit high in the sky and smile down upon the earth, stealing away the shadows.

Three full moons had passed since that fateful night when Cole Takoda, leader of the wolf shifter council, had held her tight and shown her the magic that was shifting. That night, pain and anger had filled her even as her body had sought equilibrium in its first shift into animal form. Since then, muscle, bone and tissue had learned to morph without agony. The only pain now was the ache in her heart knowing she would never regain the decades her body had held tight to its furtive gift. Allowing herself the freedom to shift had released her from the pent-up frustration that had manifested itself in years of nightmares.

There was no time to mourn the loss.

With caution, Jayda left the darkened secrecy of the forest and ventured into the tall river grass. The song of the wind soughing through the ponderosa pines was joined by the steady rush of the river just ahead of her. Though its banks overflowed with the swell of the recent rains, the current here at the foot of Coppertip Mountain had slowed to a lazy pace. Intent on swimming its expanse, this would be her first venture into the water as a wolf. The thought both thrilled and terrified. Perhaps she hadn’t chosen the best route, but she hoped it would deliver her to her destination ahead of her foe.

The soft carpet of bitterroot beneath her pads swallowed her approach. Scanning the riverbank, Jayda glimpsed a shadow shift just below a rocky outcropping on the other side, not thirty feet from her. Dropping to her belly, she let the grass close around her. Jayda had no intention of being found.

Trusting Your Heart - Nina Pierce

Let's face it, humans aren't meant to spend their lives alone. We aren't solitary creatures. We need one another and not just in a familial or best friend kinda way ... I mean we NEED one another!

The fact of the matter is the human population requires we find a mate and procreate. Unfortunately, unlike so many other mammals, our brains desire a bonding, not just the love 'em leave 'em attitudes of other animals.

But finding that special someone is difficult at best, impossible at worst. We see evidence of the hoops people are willing to jump through every day with the invention of internet matchmaking, speed dating and dating in the dark. And once we seem to have found someone, it's hard to trust them with our hearts.

It really is a gamble when we put ourselves out there and give someone our hearts. But the reward is oh, so sweet!

And that's why I write romance. The chance (even in fiction) to help two lovers find one another. DIVINE DECEPTION is an erotic romance novella available from Ellora's Cave. It's the story of two people who are hiding secrets from one another. It takes place in the vineyards of the Hudson Valley.

Check out the book trailer ...

And an Excerpt...
Having Nick present while she visited with Joseph wasn’t really in her plans. Frankie had tried to talk Nick into taking the motorcycle to the hospital later in the morning, but Margaret had come running down the granite steps swinging a picnic basket as Frankie was climbing into the truck. She handed it to Nick with two quick kisses on his cheeks and stood watching as he climbed into the passenger side of the cab and they pulled from the driveway.

Now they were headed into town, the midmorning sun hanging in an azure sky, its rays dancing on Seneca Lake. Normally Frankie would have loved a day like this but the cab seemed claustrophobic with Nick Gradin’s surly attitude sitting between them.

“It’s not my fault you didn’t know who I was,” she said quietly.

Turning to her, he cocked a skeptical eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You knew your father had a stepdaughter.”

“And a child bride,” Nick remarked coldly. “I expected my stepsister to have pigtails and braces. Not…” His hand motioned up and down her torso.

“Well, you didn’t seem to mind the package yesterday.”

“Yesterday I thought you were Joseph’s assistant.”

“Funny, yesterday I thought you were a womanizing pig of a manwhore.” She shot him a patronizing smile. “Guess one of us was right.”

He frowned. “If you’ll recall, I wasn’t the one who came on to you in the field.”

“As I recall, it was you who was ready for action in the wine cellar.”

“I was simply reading the signals you were sending out.”

“Then you have a faulty GPS.”

“My wiring is just fine thank you.”

“I suppose you think it is, with all the woman you have tumbling into your posh Philadelphia bed.”

“Now what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, as if you don’t know.”

“I have no idea what you’re…oh, this is stupid. Pull over here.” Nick motioned to a dirt road that led to a small alcove near the lake.

She’d been parking there once in high school.

“I’m not going to see Joseph until we clear this up and we can at least be civil to each other,” he said.

Frankie acquiesced. He was right. It wouldn’t do Joseph any good to have them bickering in front of him. She turned the truck into the trees, their pumpkin and gold leaves floating passively on the gentle breeze. They bumped down the dirt tracks, the center lane overgrown with the dried weeds of summer. Frankie felt as if she was entering the lion’s mouth. Anger surrounded Nick like the cloud of dust trailing behind them. She had no idea why he was so pissed when she’d only spoken the truth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, have you found that special someone or are you still looking?