Mouth of the Woods
The mouth of the woods
smiles, all sweetness and light
Branches become limbs
with claws that will pull you in
Leaves close out the light, Don’t fight
The night has lessons for you
Image description- a wooded area with a pine tree at the center surrounded by oak trees and other pines. The image is at daylight on an overcast day
Under My Feet
Daisies grow in cracks
in pavement under my feet
Let my steps be soft
Finally seeing the end of June’s gloom has got me inspired. I’ve been working on a bunch of different things, lately. I always seem to do my best work when I have a few different projects to work on, so when I get stuck on one thing, I can go write something else. I’ve been writing a ton of poetry over the past two years. Poems are probably the easiest thing for me to write since I work from home and am constantly being distracted by my two teenagers and my needy pets. When my focus gets fractured, I can jump back into a half-written poem a few minutes or three hours later, depending on the level of distraction I’ve been hit with, and finding my focus again is mostly painless. Writing fiction is a different process entirely for me. Still, if I let the difficulties stop me, nothing would get written at all.
What I’m working on now:
I’ve started writing some short stories, an entirely new thing for me. I wrote two dystopian short stories and am working on a couple of horror ones. Next up, I’ll try writing some spicy romance short stories.
I’m currently working hard on the next book in my Stranger Creatures series. Each story in the series features a different couple as they fight for their happily ever after. Book 5 will be Luke and Jordan’s story.
Blurb:
After surviving a battle with cancer, Jordan decides life should be about taking chances. She’s never met another person with psy abilities before, until Luke. Though she’s still nowhere near as bold as she wishes she could be, she comes up with an idea that would allow her to spend more time with the enigmatic man.
Luke gladly agrees to Jordan’s plan to spend the holidays together. Even though he wants something more permanent than their current holiday arrangement, he vows to keep that thought to himself. Would Jordan still want him if she knew his past?
With threats and violence toward shifters and psy on the rise, Luke and Jordan must find answers or their time together will be over much too soon.
More about my Stranger Creatures series:
Wolf’s Challenge (Stranger Creatures book 1)
When temptingly handsome, powerful shape shifter Derrick dares shy, single mom Sydney to take a chance with him, will she rise to the challenge or will she run for safety, leaving him in the dust?
Bear’s Edge (book 2)
A boss can’t date her employee—simple as that. No matter how much Shayla wants to unravel a few of Grant’s mysteries and take her friendship with the shy, sarcastic man to the next level, she’s determined to keep her fantasies of him to herself.
After bear shifter Grant lost his girlfriend and three best friends in a fire, he did his best to shut himself off from everyone around him. Falling for Shayla wasn’t part of his plan, but after a kiss that leaves them both speechless and hungry for more, Grant can’t keep his desire for his boss under wraps any longer.
When things between the two of them get hotter than he could have imagined, Grant wonders if some of his darker desires will be too much for Shayla or will she embrace the needs he’s kept hidden for so long?
An obnoxious reporter and Shayla’s bitter ex have teamed up to chase down conspiracy theories that could destroy Shayla’s business and worse, put her life in danger. To find their happily ever after, Shayla and Grant will have to trust in each other and find a way to crush all the obstacles standing in their way.
Tiger’s Last Chance (book 3)
An investigation into missing shifters leads Detective Nikki Jackson to the discovery of a radical political group’s horrifying plot for dominance. Traitors are embedded within the very organizations meant to keep shifters safe. As the list of people she can trust dwindles, she calls on private investigator Sean Whitman to help her unravel a web of deceit.
As Nikki and Sean fight for survival, his fear of losing her could become a reality. Will he get one last chance to show her he loves her?
Coyote’s Vow (Stranger Creatures book 4)
Kylie was the victim of a brutal experiment that gave her telekinetic abilities. Coyote shifter Trevor doesn’t trust the psy but when his feelings for Kylie grow out of control, will he risk everything to be with her? When a deranged doctor has disturbing plans for shifters and psy, can Trevor and Kylie stop him, or will they be silenced forever?
If you’d like to follow me on social media for my latest book information and excerpts, poems, contest info, book recommendations, and other fun stuff, you can find me at:
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Christina-Lynn-Lambert/e/B01MCYK0K7
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/christina-lynn-lambert
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinalynnlambert
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15900423.Christina_Lynn_Lambert
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WordPress: https://christinalynnlambertwordpress.com
Override
Sullen shades of gloom
lift when the wind shifts
a few hours of light
has to be enough
Sledgehammer
The wall hides answers
Gatekeeper dressed in kindness
Pain is paradise
I’ve been working on a horror short story and I’m also working on the stories in my Stranger Creatures series and my Haven Forest Resort series but poetry keeps going through my mind. On every path, there are so many walls, some are squat, ugly things that look like the barriers they are but other walls are disguised as safety or other lovely things. It’s hard to tell truth from lies that shimmer like unexpected stars in the darkness. Sledgehammers and flashlights help on the journey.
When a deranged doctor has disturbing plans for shifters and psy, can Trevor and Kylie stop him or will they be silenced forever?
#PNR #shapeshifterromance #romanticsuspense #spicyromance #enemiestolovers
Coyote’s Vow (Stranger Creatures book 4) is now available! Each story in my Stranger Creatures series features a different couple as they fight for their happily ever after. Coyote’s Vow is Trevor and Kylie’s story.
Blurb:
Kylie Claremont wants answers. She was the victim of a brutal experiment that caused her to develop telekinetic abilities. The position she’s offered as a liaison between Shifters United and the Psy Guild will give her the chance to find the elusive research company that disappeared after experimenting on her and bring them to justice. The only thing standing in her way is an arrogant coyote shifter who is convinced that Kylie is a threat to shifters and shouldn’t be allowed to be a part of Shifters United. She never expected to fall for the gruff, mistrusting man.
Coyote shifter Trevor Ryland will never trust the psy. Still, he knows the time has come to strengthen the tentative alliance between shifters and psy. He fully intends to ignore his attraction to the beautiful psy liaison, but he’d never forgive himself if something happened to her. His plan to protect Kylie from afar is wrecked when they’re forced to work together. She could be his mate but Trevor can’t let that happen. The struggle to deny his need for the one woman with the power to destroy him gets harder every day.
Trevor and Kylie uncover a web of greed and deceit during their search for a travelling research group. They’ll have to work fast and fight hard to stop the CEO’s latest plans or shifters and psy everywhere will suffer.
Excerpt:
Kylie’s strength and fire as well as her obvious intelligence appealed to Trevor on a level he couldn’t describe. I can’t be with her, his reminder to himself lacked certainty. As soon as his time watching out for her came to an end, he’d get her out of his mind. Until then, how hard could it be to ignore his attraction to her? He was strong. He’d been on countless dangerous missions for the Shifter Enforcement Army and Shifters United. He’d been injured, lost team members, been down roads of grief and sadness that seemed to have no end, but he’d survived. A pretty woman with a smart mouth and intensely beautiful brown eyes wouldn’t be his downfall. He could handle occasionally working with Kylie. He could handle having a massive crush on her and he could ignore the fantasies of her that liked to invade his dreams. He would be fine. Everything would be fine.
Purchase Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZT58GXZ
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coyotes-vow-christina-lynn-lambert/1143274092?ean=2940185830819
Apple iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/coyotes-vow/id6447381379?ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=books_box_link
Kobo Books: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/coyote-s-vow
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1370196
Google Books: Coyote’s Vow by Christina Lynn Lambert – Books on Google Play
What inspired Coyote’s Vow?
Trevor Ryland was a minor character in Wolf’s Challenge (Stranger Creatures book 1) and in Tiger’s Last Chance (Stranger Creatures book 3). The gruff coyote shifter really needed his own story. For Trevor, nothing is ever easy but he’s tough and he’s strong so he’s used to persevering and getting things done. When he falls for a psy, he is convinced he can forget about her. Kylie Claremont, a smart, beautiful web designer turns out to be unforgettable.
What I’m working on now:
I’m working on book 5 in the Stranger Creatures series. This will be Luke and Jordan’s story. I’m also working on book 2 in my Haven Forest Resort series. In addition to romance, I also write poetry, essays, and speculative fiction short stories.
Writing paranormal romance allows me to create worlds and possibilities beyond the everyday, beyond the mundane. Even though a character may be able to shape shift into a wolf or a bear, they still want the same things most of us want— love, acceptance, and of course, sometimes justice or revenge. I have only just started writing dystopian, horror, and science fiction short stories. For poems and short stories, I like the challenge of creating a substantial story in only a paragraph or a few pages. When space is limited, every word and every action is intensely important. Writing essays gives me a chance to take on an issue directly while using tone and vivid imagery to make my statement impactful.
You can find me on social media at:
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Christina-Lynn-Lambert/e/B01MCYK0K7
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/christina-lynn-lambert
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinalynnlambert
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15900423.Christina_Lynn_Lambert
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinalynnlambert
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/christinalynnlambert
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chris4lamb
WordPress: https://christinalynnlambertwordpress.com
Closed
Over time, silk turns
to steel, armor petals close
Words can’t touch the light
Trust your heart. Follow your dreams.
#ShapeShifter #ParanormalRomance #Curse #Sorceress #BlackCat #FatedMates #UrbanFantasy #SoulMates #
EroticRomanceNovels
Blurb
When instinct tells Shaina to visit the feral cat trap she’s set in Central Park,
she listens to that inner voice. The sleek black cat she finds has a terrible
secret. Tom is an unwilling shape shifter, cursed by a sorceress who craved a
human plaything. Shaina vows to defeat the vicious but seductive witch and
save the man she believes is her soul mate—though it might mean losing him
forever.
Excerpt
“Hey there, kitty.” I crouched down on the grass beside the steel-mesh cage,
my straight skirt riding up my thighs. “Are you all right?”
The massive black tom in the cage bared his teeth and hissed. I felt his rage
and frustration. I wanted to reach into the trap, scratch behind those huge ears
and comfort him, but I knew better.
“Shh! I won’t hurt you, kitty. It’s going to be okay. Tomorrow I’ll take you to a
nice, warm place where you can have plenty of food.” I played my light over his
body, which was lean but not emaciated. Although his fur bristled, overall he
looked clean and healthy. Then I noticed a wound on his left flank. It gleamed,
wet and oozing, in the beam from my torch.
“Oh, dear! What happened to you? That’s a nasty gash.” I stuck the light into
my jacket pocket. I only had two hands, and the mace was more critical. The
cat’s menacing growl turned into a whimper as I picked up the trap, jostling
him against the mesh. “Sorry, kitty. We have to get you home and dress that.
That will make you feel better.”
The combination of the cage and my quarry must have weighed at least twenty
pounds. “You’re a big guy,” I commented as I picked my way along the tree-
hung path back to the street. Once my eyes adjusted to the dark, it wasn’t too
difficult. I glanced into the cage a few times. The tom’s eyes glowed as though
lit from within.
Getting him up five flights of stairs was another story. I paused to catch my
breath on the fourth story landing, resolving yet again to find a better paying
job.
Finally, I wrestled the cage into my studio apartment and set it on the floor
near the window. My feline guest huddled in a corner of the trap, watching me
with wary eyes as I stripped off my work clothes, donned an old sweatsuit, and
went to fetch antiseptic, antibiotic ointment, cotton balls, gauze, tape and a
towel from the bathroom. I sat cross-legged on the worn carpet next to the
cage. Now came the hard part.
“Pussycat, I need to take you out now. I know you’re scared and upset, but
please, don’t fight me. This is for your own good.”
The cat’s solemn expression suggested that he understood me. Slowly, trying
not to alarm him, I unlatched the door of the trap. I wrapped the towel around
both my hands and reached in to grab him. I expected him to yowl, hiss or
scratch. However, he didn’t resist at all. I pulled him out, cradling him in my
lap. Normally, I’d swathe a feral’s body in the towel to immobilize him. This guy
seemed so calm and quiet, though, I wasn’t sure it was necessary.
I soaked some cotton in betadine. “Sorry, but this is going to hurt,” I told him,
holding his forelegs in my left hand while dabbing at his lacerated hip with my
right. He winced but didn’t try to escape. In fact, he lay completely still in the
hollow of my folded legs while I doctored him. In no time, I’d bandaged the
injury, wrapping the gauze around his upper leg and securing it with surgical
tape. The snow-white stripe across his haunches was a stark contrast to his jet-
black fur.
He gazed up at me, his eyes glittering like paired jewels. I ventured a scratch
behind his ears and was rewarded by a low purr. “You’re going to be fine, puss.
But now I have to put you back into the cage.”
“Rowrr!” His sudden growl startled me. I managed to capture him in the towel
before he could run. “Pfftt! Rrr-owl…!” He raised his voice in obvious protest as
I tried to bundle him back into the trap.
“Hush, puss! Shh! Do you want to get me evicted?” My lease said no pets. I
reasoned that the ferals I occasionally kept here overnight didn’t qualify as
pets, but I wasn’t eager to test this theory.
“Rowrr!” my guest insisted. I scratched his ears again then smoothed the fur
under his chin. He settled into my arms.
“You really don’t want to go back in, do you?”
“Mrrow.” His meaning was obvious.
I was so tempted to agree to his wordless plea for freedom. I could imagine
how awful it must be, to be locked up when you were used to roaming free. Of
course, given his willingness to let me touch him, he might not be feral at all.
He wasn’t wearing a collar and it was clear he hadn’t been neutered, but still,
the shelter should check to see if he’d been microchipped.
He rubbed his cheek against my arm. His hefty body vibrated with his purr.
Then he stretched out his neck so he could lick the back of my hand. His warm,
rough tongue sent a delicious little shiver up my spine.
“You’re very hard to resist. Do you know that?”
“Meeow.” I could have sworn he was smiling.
“Okay, you win.” After all, it was one room. The doors and windows were
locked. Where could he go?
Rave Reviews for The Eyes of Bast
The Eyes of Bast is hard to put down once you start reading it. Between highly
arousing sex scenes and nail-biting suspense, it’ll keep you turning pages until
the very satisfying ending. ~ Ria Restrepo, Amazon (5 stars)
What I DO want is extremely hot sex between one man and one woman, and
plenty of it, as they fall in love. And WOW! Does this book have that! ~ Fiona
McGier, Amazon (5 stars)
Lisabet brings it all together seamlessly: mystery, thriller, paranormal, black
magic, shape shifting, smoldering sensuousness, hot, hot sex and a touching
love story. This one has it all. Really enjoyed it. ~ Max Lemberger, Amazon (5
stars)
I picked up this novella, meaning to read the first chapter or two in the time I
had before I had to be somewhere. Needless to say, I read a lot more than I
intended, and I was very late. ~ Cheyenne Blue, Goodreads (5 stars)
Purchase Links
Kinky Literature – https://www.kinkyliterature.com/book/4072-the-eyes-of-bast-/
Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4LVYDLH
Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C4LVYDLH
Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1390042
Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-eyes-of-bast-
lisabet-sarai/1121761796?ean=2940166056207
Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-eyes-of-bast-2
Apple Books – https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6448929321
Add on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/150375804-the-
eyes-of-bast
About author Lisabet Sarai
Lisabet Sarai became addicted to words at an early age. She began reading
when she was four. She wrote her first story at five years old and her first
poem at seven. Since then, she has written plays, tutorials, scholarly articles,
marketing brochures, software specifications, self-help books, press releases, a
five-hundred page dissertation, and lots of erotica and erotic romance – over
one hundred titles, and counting, in nearly every sub-genre—paranormal, scifi,
ménage, BDSM, GLBT, and more. Regardless of the genre, every one of her
stories illustrates her motto: Imagination is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
You’ll find information and excerpts from all Lisabet’s books on her website
(http://www.lisabetsarai.com/books.html), along with more than fifty free
stories and lots more. At her blog Beyond Romance
(http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com), she shares her philosophy and her news and
hosts lots of other great authors. She’s also on Goodreads, BookBub and
Twitter. Join her VIP email list here: https://btn.ymlp.com/xgjjhmhugmgh
Read Lisabet’s discussion below about what shaped her writing style!
The Price of Power
I think it’s safe to say that all paranormal stories revolve around at least one
character with extra-human powers. Vampires are immortal and
preternaturally strong. Shape shifters exhibit the powers of their beast sides:
fleetness, ferocity, heightened perception. Psychics can read thoughts,
mentally control inanimate objects, or see the future. Fairies, witches, demons
and similar fey folk have access to a wide variety of magical capabilities. Even
ghosts have the power to appear and disappear and to walk through walls.
Encountering individuals who can defy everyday laws and logic is one of the
joys of reading paranormal romance. We all like to imagine what it might be
like to fly, crush our enemies to a pulp, or psychically meld with our lovers.
One of the fascinating things about power, though, is that it almost always has
its price. In return for their powers, the characters lose something. Vampires
pay in guilt for their blood-sucking ways, and often in loneliness. Werewolves
live at the mercy of the moon. Psychics suffer social isolation; it’s difficult to
have a normal relationship when you know what everyone else is thinking.
The dark side of power, the payment it exacts from the one who wields it, often
plays a central role in paranormal romance plots. Sometimes it is the primary
source of conflict, particularly when it divides the powerful character from his
or her beloved.
During my childhood, my father created stories for me and my siblings about
humans and other creatures with magical abilities. Surprisingly, given how
young we were, his tales often highlighted the negative consequences of
magic. Perhaps because of that early exposure, I’ve always been fascinated by
the dual nature of power. Almost every paranormal book I’ve written explores,
to a greater or lesser extent, the costs associated with having supranormal
abilities.
The Eyes of Bast is no exception. Though it allows him freedoms normal
humans don’t experience, Tom suffers from his shape-shifting. Shaina
discovers her innate power in the course of the book and is tempted to use it in
ways she knows will be destructive. The villain Delphine Monserrat has been
transformed from an innocent girl to a vicious witch by her desire for
immortality.
In the romance world, one can always expect a happy ending. There may be
darkness, though, along the twisted road to that bright conclusion. Personally I
prefer romances which recognize that power has its price. Otherwise, it’s just a
fairy tale, sunny and superficial.
The Road and the Rose
The rose, he travels
underground, rising to meet
the road as she flows
All the flowers are out everywhere, and everything is green and bright and full of color, so I had to share a little appreciation with this poem about what nature could give humanity if we agree to listen.
I’m so excited to be a part of the Moms Who Write anthology entitled The Future of Us: For Those Who Come Next. I have a collection of three poems (Every Day of Defiance) and an essay (Love, Just Because) that will be a part of the book.
About the anthology:
When we become mothers, we are altered forever. When we speak into the life of a child, we never know how deep our words will cut. How much they can heal. Will the things we say be part of their inner dialogue for the rest of their life? It could be.
So, writing to our children—the next generation to inhabit this beautiful disaster of a world that we live in—almost seems overwhelming. What could we possibly say?
We can tell them they are brave. We can try to help them learn from our mistakes. We can encourage and guide and warn them. We can educate and influence them.
We can try to make their world better.
Christina Lynn Lambert 