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Kim McDougall

Audiobooks are coming

Summer seems to be whizzing by as usual. I've been kayaking, hiking, foraging, swimming and writing in my little forest tent. We've had days at the beach and evenings around the campfire. We just hosted a family BBQ weekend for my mother's 80th birthday. It was terrific to have most of the family together. That doesn't happen too often. 
 
My summer has also been about dealing with ailing animals. My cat, Tobie the Terrible was diagnosed with a hyper thyroid. Due to the shortage of vets in our area, it took me a while to find one close enough who could take her, and I let her condition drag on longer than I should have. Happily, she's doing much better now. 

The news about Booker, my horse, isn't so good. You may remember stories about Booker from past newsletters. He is also the inspiration behind Shin Mei in Black Annis Year. We've gotten up to some hijinks together. If you're new here, you might want to check out the very funny post about my attempts at horse husbandry HERE. But only if you have a strong stomach. 
 
Unfortunately, Booker has some health issues. I won't detail those ailments here because, unless you're a horse person, they won't make much sense. Suffice it to say that the issues are serious, and I may have to make some heart-wrenching decisions very soon. Please keep Booker in your thoughts. 

BOOK NEWS


Audiobooks for both A Knack for Metal and Bone and Black Annis Year are in production! I can't wait to bring both these stories to life with some wonderful voice actors. The Knack series will feature three narrators: one for Rowan, Conall and Dale. Check out this Instagram post with a sample from narrator Allyson Voller who will voice Rowan. She looks like she's having fun!
HEAR THE KNACK SAMPLE ON INSTAGRAM

Fadra Nally will be narrating Black Annis Year. I am really impressed with her work. She is able to capture Elenna's mix of humor and emotion in an amazing way. Listen to Fadra's fun introduction to Mullarkey Mills on the Black Annis Year page. 
LISTEN TO THE BLACK ANNIS YEAR AUDIO SAMPLE
 

WORK IN PROGRESS


It's been a particularly hot summer here with temperatures frequently in the low 30s (Celsius). Thankfully, it's about 5 degrees cooler in my little tent in the woods and I spend most mornings there. 

I continue to work through the hot-mess first draft for Mech and Magic and despite all the aforementioned summer delays, I'm still on track for a November release. The cover is being designed right now by the fabulous Christian Bentulan who did the for Knack cover and I hope to have it for you by the end of the month. 
 
In the mean time, I have a little sneak peek for you about what Conall's been up to below. Please note this snippet comes after only an initial edit. There are probably still typos and it will get tweaked before the final book is released. Enjoy!
SHOP A KNACK FOR METAL AND BONE


Snippet from Mech and Magic, The Knack Book 2
 
Conall made his stand as the short night fell.
 
He was close to the edge of the Meadows, but not close enough. He’d hoped to lose the coyotes in the forest that was draped like a blanket of green alongside the Dawson River. But he’d run out of time. From the sound of their calls, the Reavers would be on him in minutes, and a good mile of open Meadows still stretched before him.
 
Instead of risking a mad dash to the forest, he’d stopped at a small outcropping of stones. He recognized the place. The Wildbloods called it Castings. Man-sized boulders lay in a rough circle about twenty feet in diameter. Most lay on their sides but three remained upright. Conall had always thought they looked like shell casings discarded by a giant.
The rocks wouldn’t protect him, but he liked to have something solid at his back in a fight. He leaned against one of the upright stones, a blade in each hand and waited. Garou had agreed the air blades would be their best defense against a pack and so he kept to his human skin. His palms were slick and his knuckles ached from gripping the knives. They were each twelve inches long and slightly curved. A cobalt blue line of thera was inset along the blade, waiting to be activated.
 
The Meadows fell utterly silent. Even the crickets knew something was coming. The first coyote leapt into the clearing between standing stones and bared his teeth.
 
Conall shook the knives to ignite the thera. Air coated the blades and vibrated at a rate that would easily cut through flesh, bone and even metal. They hummed in an octave beyond human hearing, but the Reavers heard.
 
As the echo of their cries died, three of the ragged-coated scavengers appeared like wraiths from the shadows. Conall spit at the feet of the first one. Of all the clans that came together in Durance, the Reavers were the most despised. They were thieves and killers who only pretended to follow the shifter laws. The only reason the Wildblood Conclave let them stay was because of their numbers. They bred like rats and were useful when the clans were faced by outside dangers like raiders or gaunts.
 
The lead coyote lunged, teeth bared. Conall swiped his knife and sheared off whiskers from the side of his muzzle. The coyote dropped to the ground. His haunches bunched and he snarled, ready to spring again. Two more Reavers circled him, staying just out of reach. Now the stone pillar at his back became his cage. He couldn’t run. He couldn’t kill all three before they took him down, but he’d make them hurt. They were at an impasse.
 
One of the coyotes began to shift. Conall watched only from the corner of his eye, not wanting to glance away from the others for even a moment. The shift was quick, not a good sign. That meant the Reaver was strong—both physically and magically.
 
In seconds a naked human male was standing between two of the snarling coyotes. He was shorter than Conall and wiry. His muscled arms and legs looked like twisted rags left to dry in the sun. Short, dust-colored hair stuck out from his head. Squinty eyes watched him from a pock-marked face.
 
“Lone wolves ain’t welcome here, stranger.” His voice drawled. “This is Reaver land. We saw you hunting Reaver hares, drinking Reaver water.”
 
The closest coyote bared his teeth.
 
“What do we do with outside shifters who come to steal our game, boys?”
 
One of the coyotes lifted his muzzle and howled. The other followed with a cacophony of yips and howls that prickled the hairs on Conall’s nape. He felt suddenly cold, despite the heat. He recognized the feeling; it was anticipation for a fight, tinged with dread.
 
He wasn’t afraid to fight. But dread was a part of any battle. Someone was going to die here today. 

 

BOOK FAIRS


Cozy fantasy, beach reads and free shifter books fill out this month's selection of Book Fairs. Be sure to check out the August Fantasy Fair. This is hosted by the Facebook Group, Festival of Books. Hit the button below the banner to join that group for more book-related fun and give-aways. 









Join the Festival of Books Facebook Group
 

SPOTLIGHT BOOKS

Get your free novella in the Dealer's Choice world!


Dealer's Will 
A Dealer's Choice Novella
by Liz Cain

 
"Dealer's Will" is set as a prelude to the riveting saga "Dealer's Choice," this tantalizing tale unravels the secrets behind Morgan's origin and why she is the way she is.
 
Driven to desperate measures, Morgan strikes a dangerous deal with a local crossroads demon, hoping to save the man she loves when he falls fatally ill. But little does she know that her decision will set in motion a chain of events with dire consequences. "Dealer's Will" immerses you in a prequel of dark choices and haunting consequences. As Morgan makes her fateful deal, the boundaries between light and darkness blur, and the line between salvation and damnation becomes perilously thin.
Brace yourself for a thrilling journey into the depths of temptation, sacrifice, and the blurred line between love and regret.
GET DEALER'S WILL FREE

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