Dragon’s Den Blog

Lost Soul

Soul Series book 2

by Cindy Pike

Trying to deal with the fresh pain from losing Bishop, the guys and I try to regain some sort of semblance of normal. The holiday season is fast approaching and the guys have some fun things planned. Between those plans, school, and getting closer with each one of them, my life is full. Except, strange things start happening, from random gifts to outright vandalism. It’s setting all of us on edge, but we have a few choice suspects in mind. Add, on top of everything else, that not everyone is on board with the proposed relationship between me and them. Tensions run high with some of the guys experiencing jealousy. Can we make this work? Whoever is messing with all of us is making finding my normal seem farther and farther away. Can we stop whoever this is from hurting anyone else or are we destined to crash and burn this time around? This is a Reverse Harem book where the heroine ends up with at least three of the guys.

CONTENT WARNING: This book contains graphic and some violent scenes, including rape, physical and emotional violence, and psychological turmoil. Please don’t take this warning lightly. It’s brutal at times and I don’t want anyone to be harmed from the words I’ve written. If you or someone you know needs help, please know you’re worth it! National Abuse Hotline 800-799-SAFE

Author Bio

How to start? Hi, I’m Cindy! I live in Arizona with my wonderful husband, three kids (that I love but sometimes want to give back lol) and cat. I’ve always written stories throughout my life, wishing I could be a published author one day. They say the hardest step is starting, I disagree. For me the hardest step to becoming a published author is believing in myself, and having the courage to follow through.

 I’m an oddball that likes all sorts of things, from singing (I’m not the best, but also not the worst), to the physiology of animals, I love the human mind and am fascinated by how it works. I want to know what motivates people to do the things they do, and why. I can be girly and love doing hair and make up for myself and friends/family (other times I can’t be bothered). I’ve recently taken up henna body art (check out my Instagram to see how bad I am @restlessol) and it helps me zone out and turn off my brain from the thousand and ten things zipping about it. The flip side of those things are I love to camp and am not afraid to get dirty (most bugs don’t freak me out) and love working with horses.

 Being a wife and mother to three rambunctious boys, my life is crazy and often I am known to get between four to six hours of sleep depending on if my baby or book characters decide to keep me up until I get their story down in my computer. Seriously, this is a real thing ask any author, (all the ones I know say the same, not that I know many) they don’t leave us alone (I swear I’m of sound mind, mostly) until their story is told.

 What else? I wish I were funnier but it’s just not in the cards for me (much to my disappointment), so to compensate I surround myself with others that make me laugh, constantly. That’s about it! Thanks for taking the time to at least have selected my book(s) in interest (any interest is good, right?) even if they aren’t for you. Stay true to you and I hope you enjoy my stories as much as I do giving them to you.

Broken Soul

Soul Series book 1

by Cindy Pike

Years ago he tried to break me.

Now, five men are piecing together the shattered pieces of my soul.

When I’m brutally attacked and find myself in the hospital, old memories are unburied. Memories of pain, torture, and an agony I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.

I thought I’d finally begun to heal from my past trauma, but I didn’t know what healing was until I met them. The five protective men who infiltrated my life and dissipated the darkness of my past.

Flynn, the EMT who saved my life. His smile alone is capable of eddying a room with light.

Heath, the retired MMA fighter who owns a gym aimed to help abused women like myself. He makes me feel safe and protected, as if nothing can harm me when I’m in his presence.

Owen, the compassionate doctor who fixed me up and gave me a home. He’s the unofficial leader of the group…and he won’t let you forget it.

Kyle, the skilled, ex-army sniper who can’t decide what to do with me but desires me just as fiercely as I do him. And finally,

Silas, the gruff, bossy asshole who makes my heart flutter with just a single word.

The five of them saw something in me—something worth saving—and I’ll be damned if I don’t repay their generosity.

But when my past comes knocking on my door, will I be strong enough to fight back and save myself and the men I’m growing to love? Or will my soul remain broken?

This book contains some cliffhangers, not all plots get resolved in this book. It is a reverse harem where the heroine ends ups with at least three of the guys.

CONTENT WARNING: This book contains graphic and frankly violent scenes, including rape, physical and emotional violence, animal abuse, and psychological turmoil. Please don’t take this warning lightly. It’s brutal at times and I don’t want anyone to be harmed from the words I’ve written. If you or someone you know needs help, please know you’re worth it! National Abuse Hotline 800-799-SAFE

Author Bio

How to start? Hi, I’m Cindy! I live in Arizona with my wonderful husband, three kids (that I love but sometimes want to give back lol) and cat. I’ve always written stories throughout my life, wishing I could be a published author one day. They say the hardest step is starting, I disagree. For me the hardest step to becoming a published author is believing in myself, and having the courage to follow through.

I’m an oddball that likes all sorts of things, from singing (I’m not the best, but also not the worst), to the physiology of animals, I love the human mind and am fascinated by how it works. I want to know what motivates people to do the things they do, and why. I can be girly and love doing hair and make up for myself and friends/family (other times I can’t be bothered). I’ve recently taken up henna body art (check out my Instagram to see how bad I am @restlessol) and it helps me zone out and turn off my brain from the thousand and ten things zipping about it. The flip side of those things are I love to camp and am not afraid to get dirty (most bugs don’t freak me out) and love working with horses.

Being a wife and mother to three rambunctious boys, my life is crazy and often I am known to get between four to six hours of sleep depending on if my baby or book characters decide to keep me up until I get their story down in my computer. Seriously, this is a real thing ask any author, (all the ones I know say the same, not that I know many) they don’t leave us alone (I swear I’m of sound mind, mostly) until their story is told.

What else? I wish I were funnier but it’s just not in the cards for me (much to my disappointment), so to compensate I surround myself with others that make me laugh, constantly. That’s about it! Thanks for taking the time to at least have selected my book(s) in interest (any interest is good, right?) even if they aren’t for you. Stay true to you and I hope you enjoy my stories as much as I do giving them to you.

Another Zombie Apocalypse

by Joshua Grant

The multiverse is rife with zombie outbreaks, all with different origins and different outcomes. But what if they all stemmed from the same rotten root? And what if that root was growing towards the same dark and grizzly end?

Another Zombie Apocalypse follows several zombie apocalypses set across different worlds, all of them connected by one bloody thread. A service robot contemplating what it means to be human during the outbreak. A family being hunted by a creature worse than any normal shambling corpse. An immune survivor trying to cling to his humanity after a devastating loss. Vampire brothers discover that they’re not the alpha predator anymore.

All these stories and more play out in the visionary comic collection from bestselling author Joshua Grant and award-winning artist Laszlo Nemeth!

Author Bio

Bestselling author, comic creator, and video game designer Joshua Grant is a self-proclaimed Bond villain and a thousandaire philanthropist (like a billionaire philanthropist, just with a lot less money).  He has survived a flash flood, encountered numerous bears, and sailed the ocean blue.  Josh loves to read, write, play video games, and occasionally read up on the crazy science that’s happening in the world, but most of all he loves just getting people together to love, laugh, and grow alongside each other.  Currently, Josh makes a living teaching and working with kids in various environments, with the occasional novel always in the works.  To learn about his work, visit www.diabolicshrimp.com!

The Ring of Twelve – Aries

The Ring of Twelve Series book 1

by Bestselling Author Brian McCord

When gamer Aubrey Anastassia answers an ad in a small newspaper, a greed for the bloodlust in video games spills over into real life, fulfilling his passion for hunting human game. All he needs is five kills to qualify for the Game, then along comes Marian. Will her love be enough to redeem his soul? Or will he be condemned to wander through life asking, “what if?”

Excerpt

He had been the sniper for his platoon, providing ground support as they advanced in their mission to re-take and hold the city.  From his eagle-eye point of view, he could see up and down the street where two-by-two troops were going door-to-door checking for insurgents when a woman came toward them with a child in tow.  Both raised their hands, but something seemed a bit off to him.  Neither the woman nor the child walked with a normal gait as if something was preventing a natural stride.  He put the scope on them and could see bulges on their bodies where there shouldn’t be any, and he was convinced they were unwilling suicide bombers sent by insurgents to kill and maim US and Coalition troops.  His captain was shouting in their native language, commanding them to stop, but they kept walking forward, shaking their heads.  The woman’s hand moved to the right, but the child froze.  They were six meters – about 20 feet – away when he took the shot.  The woman, then the girl, dropped dead where they stood.

Author bio

Author Brian McCord is a Best-Selling Author on Amazon and is the proud author of books such as

Ascension of the Lost Souls #1 in New Release

The Delilah #1 in New Release (70’s 8-Track Rock anthology)

The Delilah #3 in New Release (as a standalone)

The Postcard Series #1 in New Release

The 13th Room #2 in New Release (Anthology)

He is also a ground-breaking author, displaying his prose in The Rise of the Quaranteens which is the first known fictional book to be published about COVID-19. In the early days of the pandemic, the numbers were changing by the hour, yet he painstakingly took the time to report the numbers at the time of publication.

Brian lives in Mesa, AZ with his wife and co-author Christina. He is Dad to 4 kids and 3 dogs, and Papa to 4 grandchildren.

Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/BrianMcCordAuthor

Amazon Page – https://bit.ly/BrianMcCord

Website – Thriller | Brian McCord, Author

It Was Meant to Be

by USA Today Best-Selling Author Susan Horsnell

Kennedy wasn’t looking for love, but it seems fate had other ideas.
When he accepts a job as a ranch hand on a property a few miles from the city of Rogue Bay, he has no idea how much his life is about to change.
From the moment he sets eyes on his rancher boss, he knows he’s in a kind of trouble he’s never been in before.
Blaidyn is happy as a single man, running the ranch that has been in his family for decades.
The last thing he expected was to have his world knocked off its access by a sexy drifter.
Will these men accept it’s fate that has thrown them together?
Will they accept it was meant to be?

Excerpt

“Blaidyn, I’ve spent a total of five years dodging people who were hell-bent on killing me, and it taught me you can’t take life for granted. So, if you find someone who might come to mean something, you need to give yourself a swift kick in the ass and act.”

Author Bio

Susan Horsnell writes romance from sweet to hot.

Strong social themes are a feature in her books.

She grew up in Manly, NSW, Australia, and has traveled Australia and the World on postings with her Naval Officer husband of 48 years.

She lives with her husband and fur baby – Gemma-Jean, a young Jack Russell Terrier, in a small village in the mountains in Queensland, Australia.

Since retiring from a nursing career of 37 years, she has been able to indulge her passion for writing. The family enjoys traveling the country with their RV when not at home renovating.

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/SusanHorsnell

crochet needles and threads on windowsill

One More Scene

Tonight I’ve written a couple of scenes in the expanded version of Heart of Fire. I have one more scene to write and then I’ll be done. I have to think about how much detail I want to put into the explanation. I need to sleep on it. With any luck, I’ll finish it tomorrow.

This gets this part of the story up to almost 26K so combined with the second part at a little over 28K I’ll have a 54K novel roughly. The anthology will be out this year for six months.

Once I get my rights back to the story, I’ll combine the two and do another thorough edit on the whole thing. Then I’ll release it in ’24 as a novel. I believe I’ll give good value for the additional cost of it. Hopefully readers will feel the same.

Once I finish this one, I’ll take a break from writing to do some editing. I also have to do a bunch of book work. I need to pay bills, prep for taxes, and a few other things like this. I hope I still have time to finish this one but this stuff needs to get tackled so I can check it off my list.

Hopefully by the end of the weekend, I’ll have finished the addition to the story, book work, and the client work. I could go back to Hunger on Monday then. It all depends on how many interruptions I get this weekend.

Vicki and I plan to watch the six hour Pride and Prejudice. I can do book work and promoting while we do that. I also want to work on crocheting. I’ve got half the squares for a blanket crocheted together and want to do the other half and see how much yarn I have left so I can decide whether to do a border. It’s going to be a full weekend.

Getting Hitched in Pumpkin City

by Annee Jones

Bio

Annee Jones is an International Bestselling Author of romance, fantasy, and mystery. She is passionate about writing stories where dreams come true and love wins!

Professionally, Annee works as a disability counselor where she is honored to help her clients navigate through complex medical and legal systems while rediscovering their wholeness in Spirit.

Event planner and newcomer to town Alexis Sanders is launching her business, Pumpkin Parties, in Pumpkin City after inheriting her great-uncle’s ramshackle farmhouse. It’s just the fresh start she needs after getting dumped by her boyfriend who decided he’d rather date her best friend instead. Now she’s got four Valentine’s Day weddings already on the books.

However, things don’t go according to plan when all the couples start fighting and several of the would-be brides and grooms even threaten to call off the nuptials altogether. Alexis is desperate for the cash she needs to fix up her new home, so she’ll do whatever it takes to make sure everyone gets happily hitched on schedule.

When she stops at the bookstore, Read Between the Vines, to bone up on relationship advice from the “experts,” she’s distracted by the handsome owner, a professor who also teaches poetry part-time at the local college. Perhaps Professor Connor Donovan might know the secret to love that lasts?

Excerpt

“That I can understand,” Alexis replied. She lifted another box into the truck bed and rubbed her sore biceps. “Thank you so much for all you’ve done for me lately. I owe you like a thousand dinners.”

 “No you don’t. Like I said, this is mutually beneficial. Not to mention, what Griffin and Lauren did to you was just shocking. I thought I knew her well enough at least, but not as well as you did of course, since you guys were in the same sorority together and I didn’t do the Greek thing.”

 Tears pricked Alexis’s eyes and she blinked rapidly, willing them not to spill over. 

She’d cried enough as it was without adding more to the pot. 

“Guess you can say she did me a favor. Catching her and Griffin in bed together at his apartment last year made me realize who my true friends were. Namely, you.” 

She paused to rearrange the boxes to make room for those that were left and wiped a stray tear away with her gloved hand before turning back to her friend and reaching over to give her a quick hug. She wondered if Cassidy could even feel the squeeze considering the thick down-filled puffer coats they were both wearing.


red fire illustration

Two Stories at Once

Tonight I couldn’t decide which story to work on. I’m only a few thousand words from being done on the first half of Heart of Fire. But I need to finish Hunger for the anthology. I almost always choose the project I think I can complete faster to work on so I started with Heart of Fire.

As is my habit, I reread the previous sections to where I was adding scenes. Then I had to find out more information from the second story so I spent more time reading. But eventually I felt confident enough to write what I needed. I added a couple of scenes and have a plan on how to finish off the first one. I think this section will take a night of solid writing to finish it off but you never know.

I thought I was done for the night but Hunger was open so I went back to where I left off and realized I knew what I wanted to write. I started in and in forty minutes finished off the section. I like what I wrote and hope it represent the situation how I want it too. I also know where I’m going with it.

All together I added about 1200 words to Heart of Fire and about 1500 to Hunger. Tomorrow night my plan is to do more of the same. I hope I’ll finish Heart of Fire – or at least get it to a point where I only have to smooth it out once the second half is edited and added to it.

From there it can sit for a bit while I work on other things. My hope is to publish it beginning of 2024. My hope is I’ll finish both stories by the end of the week but only time will tell on this.

Nathaniel Winner

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Nathaniel J. Winner, from the suburbs of NY. I am a serial entrepreneur and author, using my business experiences to inspire my writing. As a father of two, I am dedicated to teaching children the value of entrepreneurship and equipping them with the skills to excel in the business world. Through my educational children’s books, I aim to empower the next generation of young leaders and innovators.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

This is a funny story. My first book came about as a result of a challenge from some friends. We were discussing various and unusual opportunities when I mentioned writing a children’s book on entrepreneurship. They challenged me to actually do it. The next day, I sat down to write, but the idea for the book came to me because I have two sons and I was thinking about ways to teach them about entrepreneurship. I remembered the books my mom read to me when I was a kid and how much of an impression they left on me. I felt that this book would have a lasting impact on children’s lives.

What genres do you like to read?  Are these the same genres you write in? 

I always loved motivational books and books that teach real life skills, so I guess Jonny Entrepreneur is a mixture of the two. 

Is your book for adults, young adults or children? 

I would say the age range is between 6 and 12 

What is your current release or project?

Jonny Entrepreneur, and I’m already working on the sequel, Jonny Entrepreneur: The power of thought and the law of attraction 

Tell us about the key characters

The central characters in the story are Jonny and his father. Jonny’s father acts as a mentor, assisting him in understanding entrepreneurship and addressing practical difficulties. Additionally, Jonny’s friends also play a role as employees.

What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?

“Jonny Entrepreneur” is a tale about a young boy who discovers how to initiate and manage his own enterprise, acquiring valuable expertise and understanding in the process. Jonny’s journey through the principles of entrepreneurship allows him to develop crucial practical abilities, including problem-solving, setting objectives, and communication. As your child reads this book, they will acquire the fundamental tools required to excel in the field of business, and be motivated to become an accomplished and determined entrepreneur.

Share an excerpt

“I did great, Dad, but I’m exhausted.”

Jonny showed his father the earnings he had made and the schedule he had set up for the next day.  It was neatly organized with time, name, address, phone number, and what needed to be done.

“Very neat and organized.  I see you have forgotten one important thing.”

Jonny looked at the schedule but nothing looked off.  He asked, “What did I miss?”

“You did not leave yourself any time for breaks.  Look at how tired you are now.  How will you do that all by yourself tomorrow?”

The boy did not want to admit it, but his father was right; it would be very difficult to work all day like this again… more actually!

“You might have over-scheduled,” his father remarked.  “This problem will need to be addressed.  By the way, where’s your bag of salt?”

“I ran out after I did Mrs. Williams’ house, but that was the last one I did today, so it worked out,” Jonny explained.

“You should have bought salt yesterday, when we were at the store.  Now, we’ll have to go back.”  That was true.  Jonny made a mental note to plan ahead in the future, so that he does not needlessly waste time running around.

There was still the issue of not being able to finish all the houses by himself tomorrow. That left only one option:  Jonny would have to hire employees!

Do you have a favorite scene?

The Business Expands

Ring! Ring! Ring!

                “Hello?”

                “Hi, Trey, it’s Jonny.”

                “Hey, Jonny, what’s up, man?”

                “How would you feel about making some money today, old buddy old pal?”

                “Go on…”

                “I started a snow-shoveling business and I need your snow-shoveling expertise.  I know your dad has you shovel your driveway most of the time, so I know that you know what you’re doing.  I also checked your reference, me, who confirmed that you’re cool.  So, how about it?”

                “Sure, sounds good.”

                “Great, come on over.  We have driveways to shovel!”

Trey came over and the boys got started right away.  Jonny used the same shovel he had used the previous day.  Trey used a new shovel that Jonny and his father had picked up at the store earlier that morning, in addition to several new bags of salt.

 But by noon, the boys realized that, even together, they would not be able to finish.

                “Jonny, we need more people,” Trey told him through panting breaths when they sat down for lunch.  “I can call my brother to come help.”

                “That’s a good idea.  I’ll have to rent that shovel from my dad again.  Oh well, I guess that’s worth it.”

                Soon, all 3 boys were hard at work.

9. Do you have a favorite scene?

I most enjoyed when Jonny wakes up at the end of the book to see theirs no snow and he feels his entrepreneurship is done, only to find out that there are multiple opportunities coming his way. 

What advice would you give a beginner?

Never give up on your dreams, and focus on the long game, eventually your hard work will bare beautiful fruits. 

multicolored hearts wallpaper

Heart of Fire Expansion

I have so many projects floating in my head. I want to get some out. I couldn’t sleep the other night and pulled up the Heart of Fire file. I figured I’d read it and go to sleep. I read parts of it and then I decided on a place where I could add a sizeable chunk of information.

This was great but I’m not supposed to be working on this right now. I have a list and I’m trying to stick to it. But sometimes the words just come. I added just under 1200 words to it on Thursday. Tonight I managed to write 2659 words in it. I’ve got two more scenes I want to add in. Then I’ll look at this chapter to see how well it works or if I need to split it up.

I want to smooth out a couple more places before I think I’ll be adding a few more scenes so I can transition into the second part. The second part will be out in Portal to the Other Side. It releases in May.

I’ll get my rights back late in 2023 so I’ll probably put the new novel on the agenda for 2024. This is why I don’t need to work on this now but apparently the words and ideas are here so it’s what I’m doing.

Meanwhile I’ve started a new scifi short story I’m calling Hunger. This will go into an anthology as well.

Tomorrow will be working on administrative stuff for my writing. We’re watching movies together. So I’ll work on the computer while I watch. This way I’ll get two things done at once. If I get tired of the admin stuff, I’ll work on crocheting the squares together in my afghan.

I’ve not been crocheting for weeks now. Last time I ended up with a back ache and sore fingers from working with a thread. This is all my rheumatoid arthritis. I hate this part of it. I’ve asked my doctor for some things to do. I’ve got three exercises for my hands.

Unfortunately, my shoulder started hurting a few weeks ago. I have aches and pains all the time so I thought it would just pass. But it didn’t. So I asked my doctor about it and he thinks I may have a torn rotator cuff. Again this is likely a problem caused by my arthritis. So I’m going to PT and will do everything I can to stop it from getting worse.

When I mentioned it, he examined my shoulder and pressed on things. He had me hold out my arm and he pressed on it. By the time he was done, I felt awful. It took a day plus for my pain level to go back down to a normal level for me. Hopefully the PT will help.