Crawling Into Bed With M.A. Church
Important
things first, are these sheets silk or cotton?
There’s other sheets besides silk? LOL! Silk sheets, of course! Burgundy silk
sheets.
What
are you wearing?
Black pajama bottoms and a black-and-white zebra tank.
What
are we snacking on in bed while we read tonight?
Several different kinds of flavored popcorn, with Coke
to drink. Sorry, lol. I’m not much of a drinker.
If
I open this nightstand drawer, what will I find?
Probably not what you’re expecting. (All of that is in
my walk-in closet.) Besides, I don’t have a nightstand next to my side of the
bed. It’s a brass trunk. In it, I have several quilts handmade by my
great-grandmother. Told you it wasn’t what you were expecting, lol. ;-)
Do
you roll up in the blankets like a burrito, or kick the covers off during the
night?
Neither, actually. I’m hot natured, so I don’t burrow
in the blankets. But on the other hand, I don’t kick the covers off me, either.
I mostly go with just a sheet. Yep, it’s a delicate balance.
Can
I put my cold feet on your calves to warm them up?
Only if you want to hear me scream like a banshee,
lol.
What
are we reading?
Behind the
Eight Ball. (Release
Date: October 30, 2015)
Blurb:
A cool morning, a yard full of birds, and a kitty on a
mission. What more could a werecat want? Beta Heller Wirth has it all, except a
mate—a shifter mate, that is. The last thing he wants is one of those dangerous
humans who kill without remorse. Heller knows about that firsthand. So
what does the goddess Bast do? She gives Heller exactly what he does not want—a
human: business owner Lawson Dupre.
Lawson hasn’t a clue what just happened in his car
detail shop. One minute a cute client is about to pass out, then he perks up
and starts flirting. Next thing, he runs out the door like the hounds of hell
are after him. Learning that Heller is a werecat doesn’t freak out Lawson. He
happens to be one of those rare humans who knows paranormals exists. He even
lives with one. Watch the fur fly as Heller and Lawson battle hurt feelings,
misguided beliefs, and a power shift in Heller’s clowder.
Excerpt:
Step.
Step.
Stop.
The rustling of dead leaves caught my attention, and I
froze with one paw still in the air. Not moving and barely daring to breathe, I
waited. My whiskers twitched as a cool October breeze disturbed the scent of
decaying leaves and rich soil. The foliage trembled again as something rooted
around.
I slowly lowered my paw. The disturbance wasn’t very
noticeable except to my predatory gaze. The movement continued. Gradually, bit
by bit, I crept forward, making sure my long fur didn’t disturb the surrounding
mounds of dying leaves. It was times like these I wished my coat were short
like Dolf’s. One thing was for sure—whatever was below those leaves was going
to be mine shortly. All I needed was to cover a little more distance and I’d be
close enough.
Step.
Step.
Crouch.
Heart thumping, I watched as the movement continued.
My muscles tightened and my bottom started wiggling. Unable to wait, I sprang
forward, claws extended. Leaves flew into the air as I landed on my target.
Bugs scattered. Eyes narrowed, I searched for…. There! There was the little
bugger. I growled at the big black beetle and trapped it with my paw.
Seconds passed. The bug wiggled under my paw, tickling
me. Hunched down, I carefully lifted my paw and peeked. Dammit, can’t see. Unable
to get a good look, I lifted my paw a little higher… and there it went,
scuttling across the ground. Gleefully I slammed a paw down, trying to trap it.
Slap. Slap. Slap. Arrgh! What’s the deal? I keep missing.
Looked like I’d found myself in a game of
whack-a-mole, except with a beetle. And off we went. The bug scurried away with
me hot on its trail. Every time I thought I had a paw on it, I ended up
missing. Stupid critter was fast. I bounded along behind as it raced across the
ground. Then it suddenly cut back and ran straight under me.
Surprised, I leaped in the air, all four paws coming
off the ground. Whoa! Zigged when I should have zagged. I landed and
nonchalantly licked a paw. Hope no one saw that. I had to give the bug credit.
That was a smart move. The shrill cry of a mockingbird caught my attention. I
lifted my head, searching for the little tattletale.
Up in a tree it sat, its warning cries echoing around
the yard. I eyed the tree. Hmm, I could climb it, but the stupid bird will
probably just take off. Still, might be fun. Maybe after I finished playing
with the bug… and damn. The bug.
My attention returned to where it had been, my tail
slashing. Great. Lost it. Stupid bird. I sat up and threw a glare over my
shoulder at the bird. Standing, I turned my back to the little menace, tail
held high. That’s what I think of you, buddy. I prowled around for a while,
sniffing, enjoying the coolness of the morning.
In the early morning sunlight, the dew on the grass
sparkled like diamonds. Maybe it was pretty, but the stuff was also cold and
wet against my paws. I was glad for my fur. As I wandered back toward the
house, my stomach growled. I was hungry and… I sniffed. Oh, was that a blue jay
I smelled? Oh, oh, a blue jay. Yum.
The human side of me groaned, but the kitty part
wanted to jump with joy. The noisy little shits were actually quite
intelligent. Catching one was always a feat. Quick as I could, I hid in the
bright fall foliage by the back porch. I stayed very, very still so the stupid
bird three feet from me didn’t fly off in a panic.
I licked my lips, my whiskers twitching as I watched
the little rascal across from me raise its head. Shit, shit, shit. What caught
its attention? Come on already. It’s all fine, nothing to worry about here. No
cat hanging around. Just go back to pecking around on the ground. Everything’s
good. See? I’m not moving, not even breathing.
Crouched low, I waited while my breakfast relaxed and
returned to looking for acorns. Other birds came and went, but I refused to get
distracted. I knew the one I wanted. Inch by agonizing inch, I crept closer to
my prey. My mouth watered and my heart thumped.
The chatter of the birds around me was easy and
relaxed, no distress calls sounding. That’s right. Just keep on eating. Soon
I’m going to be eating you. My body tensed, back legs ready to spring me into
action….
And the phone in the house rang.
Buy
the book:
Meet
the author:
M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many
years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in
fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her
numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing
poles. It’s a full time job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it!
When not writing, she’s exploring the latest M/M novel
to hit the market, watching her beloved Steelers, or sitting glued to HGTV.
That’s if she’s not on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around
the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her
high school sweetheart, and they have two children.
She was a finalist in the Rainbow awards for 2013 and
is a member of Romance Writers of America, Rainbow Romance Writers, and Science
Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
Where
to find the author:
Tour
Dates and Stops:
Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of 'Behind the Eight Ball'
Rafflecopter Code:
And
way off topic… I was so happy to see these science/history articles in the news
recently! Can you imagine discovering Jefferson's chemistry lab? I'd love to make a pilgrimage to see that on my next trip east. Doesn't just inspire you to write about secret rooms and hidden treasures?
