The Name Game

I'm making steady progress on my current work in progress, but something is nagging at the back of my mind. I've yet to come up with a reasonable name for this story. I'm afraid that, without that extra motivation provided by a unique and catchy story title, my muse will scoff, and suddenly fly away, leaving nothing but blank pages and self-doubt where motivation and desire once resided.

The two main characters in this story come from my first novel Lovestruck Succubus. Joe and Lexi were minor characters, but their unique personalities, and possibilities within their relationship, led to the formulation of their own story. This current story actually grew out of a short story idea about a woman learning to pole dance for exercise, and falling into a life of crime fighting. Of course, there was to be a romance there, with a man that saw her for what she could be, no for what she was at the time. This woman was physically, very rubenesque, so I had a wonderful story title picked out called, 'Her Delicate Curves.'

Somehow, and I really cannot remember exactly how it happened now, Joseph and Alexis came into the picture and hijacked the story. This is now the story about how Joseph and Alexis first met, and how Joe first becomes a shape shifting werewolf and bounty hunter for the Ellijay, Georgia clan of werewolves.

Of course, those that know me, know I just cannot leave well enough alone. They must find themselves in trouble with the local mobsters, and on the run for their lives. Believe me, I know what happens, and I just can't wait to write this so my readers will know as well, but it still has no title.

Any suggestions? I suppose I may be forced to give out some samples or advanced reader copies before I publish this and see if a reader might have a title suggestion. The only thing I fear in writing this is that, without at least a working title, and the intrigue and motivation it provides for me as I write, I may suddenly lose faith and declare the whole thing not worthy of a title, or completion.

I just don't know. I've never written this far into a project without a title before. Any of you other writers out there have this issue? Have you ever completed a project without an idea for a title? I'm usually the opposite, bringing a title out of the mist in the first few weeks of writing, if not before.

How about readers. Any ideas of what to call a story about a secretive shape shifting werewolf meeting a hardened ex-military bounty hunter, falling in love, and mistakenly turn your friend into a werewolf?

Fall Anthology

I'm please to announce a new publication, rich with wonderful stories of love, lust, desire, and intrigue.

I was lucky enough to be invited to provide a short story, along with four other authors, for this anthology. This is where my story The Cusp of Libra is found. The book is available in ebook format almost anywhere ebooks (or any books) are sold.

Here's a list of places carrying this anthology. Please support these wonderful authors by downloading a copy of this anthology. Most places, and for a limited time only, it is available FREE. That's right. This anthology is available FREE almost everywhere!

Smashwords

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

All Romance eBooks

Feedbooks

One Place for Romance

Get it while it's hot! hope you enjoy.

WIP Wednesday

After I posted the first scene of a work in progress last week, I've decided to include a new scene weekly and call it my WIP Wednesday.


Last week I introduced Lexi (Alexis Paulina Califan) in a new story. Some of you may recognize the name from a previous story. In this first scene, I establish that Lexi is part of a pack or clan of shape shifting werewolves. they live in northern Georgia and maintain their secret by hiding in plain site. Alexis has been chosen by her parents to be mated to Leonidas, the pack's future Alpha. she's not happy about it and argues with her parents before storming out of the house and to large apple storage barn on the other side of the property.


In this next scene, I introduce Leonidas as he finds her in the apple storage barn and tries to have his way with her.

Alexis barely heard the creaking door over her own sobbing. She turned to the sound but remained crouching in the dark corner behind stacks of apple crates. A shadow moved across the ground and she knew it was Leo before he came into view. As he cornered the row of apple crates, she jumped up to a standing position. She attempted to quickly brush her hands across her face and hide the evidence of her sobbing.

"I was walking by and heard someone inside, so I decided to check it out," Leo said, a smirk forming and creasing the edges of his mouth.

"Bullshit Leo. You knew my parents were breaking the news to me, and you wanted to see my reaction."

"Breaking the news?" Leo said, his question more rhetorical and snide, then honest. "Come on, you had to have known about your family's plans since we were children."

"I never really thought they were serious. Besides, you should be mating up with one of the girls clamoring over you instead of hoping for something that will never happen."

"Oh, it is going to happen." Leo stepped forward, his six-foot frame filling the small space between the high stacks of apple crates, and blocking off her only exit. "Whether it is official or unofficial, now or later, we will be mated."

Alexis tensed and scowled at him. "You only think you can get away with anything because of your daddy. If it weren't for him, you would've been put down years ago for your poor--"

Leo stepped forward and backhanded Alexis, sending her sideways against a stack of crates. "Bitch, you leave my father out of this." He moved to her as he spoke, pushing her to the dusty ground. He was on top of her before she could react, ripping at her blouse, and cursing in her ear.

"You want to play tough? We can play tough." Leo pulled at her sleeve until she heard the threads ripping free. "I think we will be mated sooner rather than later."

Leo pinned Alexis down with one hand to her throat while he grabbed at her breast with his other hand. Alexis was stunned, in shock, her body started to go numb, preparing to give in to what was happening. Then, as Leo squeezed her breast to the point of pain, something snapped inside her. Fear and resignation gave way to anger, and prompted her to shift--not completely, but at some mid-point between human and wolf. In the next instant, more through instinct then conscious thought, she swatted him away and rolled over on top of him. His shift came nearly as quick, but now she had him by the throat, and she squeezed until his breathing turned to gurgling sounds. He batted violently at her but she continued to squeeze his throat with all her strength, kneeling with her knees against his shoulders, until his eyes rolled back and he became motionless beneath her.

Leo had shifted back to human form, his black hair already slick with sweat. Alexis slowly released her grip around his neck and checked to make sure he still had a pulse. She heard him breathing low, rough, and raspy, and he had a pulse. That is when the real fear struck Alexis. Leo was still alive. He would likely recover soon and run to tell his father what happened. Of course, he would leave out the part of him attacking her, trying to force himself on her. His father, and everyone else, to include her own parents, would take his side and she would still be mated to Leo in the end.

Alexis ran.

She stormed through the wooden door of the storage warehouse, racking it so hard against the outside wall. It broke off its hinges, falling flat on the ground behind her. She was not sure where she was running to, or even why she was running; she just needed to get away. Tears blurred her vision and cooled her cheeks as she ran out of the orchard with her purse, flapping behind her like a kite on a string. Surprised the straps were still intact around her shoulder, she stretched her legs and found firm purchase on the asphalt covered street, increasing her speed. in the next moment, she was in the town square. A taxi sat alone along the curb. She stopped, opened the back passenger door, and got in.

"Where to?" The cab driver turned in his seat, an expectant look on his face.

"How can I get to Atlanta?" Alexis asked. Atlanta seemed as good a place as any.

"There's a Greyhound goes there from the station south of Dalton twice a week."

"Then take me to the Greyhound station."

The driver sat there looking at her with that same expectant look on his face until she pulled her wallet out of her purse, flashing her credit card. Then he turned back around, made a radio call, and did a u-turn in the street, pointing the car west, out of Ellijay.

I hope you enjoyed this scene. As always, please feel free to leave comments or offer suggestions. Stay tuned for more story excerpts, and look for this project as a whole when it is finished.