Category: Daily Musings

The flawed character who doesn’t apologize. Meet Quinn Walsh.

Quinn Walsh, the main character of Flame For You.

Some like him, some don’t.

He doesn’t hide that he’s an asshole.

But he is loyal, so his friends give him a good shake when he needs it and one heck of a pass.

He has taken care of his mother and his sister and his family for years, he deeply cares about the people he loves.

Quinn has flaws, for sure. He has a quick temper, he takes longer to apologize than he probably should. He gets wrapped up in his head and can be slow to see the emotional fallout of his actions.

He is grieving and wounded and flawed and none of that is wrapped up by the end of Flame For You.

Ah! He meets Simone. And she definitely, absolutely, melts that cage around his heart. She knows he’s kind of gruff and detached at times but he also makes her feel safe, and adored, he listens to her, handles what she gives him with care and they find their way to a HEA.

But Simone isn’t out to save Quinn. She gets who he is and she loves him…with his temper and his flaws and his grieving heart, anyways.

And in my Christmas short-story this year, “Christmas with her Grumpy-grinch”, we see that Simone has grown, she calls him out on his stuff but Quinn still lets things get at him, doesn’t always pause, and then explodes. And he’s still slow to apologize but he does.

I will always have a soft spot for Quinn. Flame For You, Raleigh DamsonI love him and I am happy Quinn and I have found readers who also love him, flaws and all.

 

We can be optimists.

The high winds whipped against the windows throughout the night and it brought to mind the mourning of a sea goddess as those winds over and over can absolutely drive someone to… well insomnia. So I am starting the last month of the year with no sleep but a full cup of coffee and optimism, I’ll take it.

Have you pre-ordered Flame True? I have a few pieces to tidy up and once I’ve been sufficiently coffeed, I’ll get on that.

Hope the first day of the last month is good to you, friends.

Seriously, thank you for reading.

Working on December’s newsletter, where I have a couple of promotions to share and freebies up for grabs, including my short story, “Christmas with her Grumpy-Grinch”, which features Quinn & Simone and Christmas at their house… this isn’t your Hallmark Christmas (no shade to Hallmark, who doesn’t love a feel good?) but I’m hoping readers will dig it. I’m showing how Simone puts up with Quinn’s ridiculousness and how he continues to soften with loving her and there’s a happy wrap-up in the end.

If you want a copy of Christmas with her Grumpy-Grinch and loathe newsletters, let me know.

In this newsletter, I started to share how thankful I am to even have readers and books published and out in the world and I ended up going off on too many tangents.

But this has been a stupid-hard year of struggle and instability for my family, and when I say, “thanks for reading” I mean it from the bottom of my emotional-chaotic heart.

thanks for reading

Book royalties are the reason I can buy my kid a birthday present and that means everything to me.

Being part of the writing community, connecting with read,ers and writing books has been the bright spots in the year- the things that have made the tough days easier to take and I am so grateful.

When You Move A Release Date …

Within the calendar year of 2022, I released the first three books (plus one novella) in the Bandit Brothers Series. But that wasn’t my plan. Originally, I wanted to finish the series within the calendar year – oh! High expectations!

But when it came time to decide on a release date for Flame True, the fourth book in the series, I kind of blanked. I was so excited about this book, it’s the story of Mulberry who is part of the inciting event of Flame For You, book one and I wanted to get it into readers’ hands.

Then I realized how close to the holidays we were. So I moved the release date to January.

I sent Flame True off to my wonderful betas, re-vamped the blurbs for the series, found my way into a shared world with an incredibly talented group of authors (book coming 2024), and decided to write a short story about Clara, the sub from Flame For You, wrote two Christmas bonus scenes, switched newsletter list providers, slowly worked on making this website prettier, and got a ton finessed on Book Five.

Moving the release date for Flame True was the right decision, even though it felt scary. In moving the release date the fears about not being able to write surfaced but as it turned out, I got more written because my creativity flowed without pressure.

Sort of taking the threads from the season of rest and renewal and quieting/ or hitting pause … not a bad thing, highly recommended it.

year strong

 

Black Friday Romance Reads You Need! Black Friday Deals On Romance Books

Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers!

As a way of showing my gratitude (for you!) I’m sharing romance reads that are on sale or discounted or newly available reads.
Please double-check the price, as pricing can change unexpectedly. I hope you find a new book to fall in love with. Thank you to my author peers for sharing!

 

BLACK FRIDAY ROMANCE READS YOU NEED

Book cover for asher

Asher: A Morning Star MC Novel  by D. Williams click here

My world as I know it has been turned upside down. Family drama comes back into my life, and I try to distance myself as I have in the past. Fate has other plans for me that I am not ready for. My regrets can’t get in the way of the responsibility I should have never avoided. Not that the bossy woman that was dropped into my lap would ever allow me to shrink away from them again. When the only blood family I have left is threatened, my chosen ones help me protect what I never knew I was missing in my life.

 

 

 

 

book cover for last christmasLast Chance Christmas: A Fairfield Corners Novella by L.A. Remenicky click here

From the outside, Brent and Jordan had the perfect life: the house, the dog, fulfilling careers, and their love. However, Jordan’s past refused to leave her alone. In an attempt to start over, Brent relocated to Fairfield Corners, bought an extravagant house, and mourned the loss of his Jojo while Jordan gave everything she had to her career as a doctor. As the holiday season approached, a frantic phone call from Jordan’s brother pulled Brent back into Jordan’s life, giving them the opportunity to reconnect. Battling the past and present, their love must survive secrets and betrayal, giving them one last chance to be together.

 

 

Broken chains cover Broken Chains by Demelza Carlton click here 

Shy librarian Catena likes her quiet life…until a huge naked man muscles his way into her house, insisting he’s been woken from his centuries-long sleep to be her personal protector. Catena’s life is turned upside down when she’s saved by a creature she’s only heard about in books. If only her hero’s rock-hard abs weren’t actually made out of stone. Tor has no memory of his past. All he knows is that he must protect Catena at all costs. Can they unlock the dark secrets chaining them to the past, and forge a new future?

 

 

Onyx Flame

Onyx Flame by Morgan Eliot click here

An Alpha wolf always dreams of finding their queen, their Luna. Alpha Colin Blackburn is no different. He craves his mate. When he finds her, he falls hard and fast. But Alpha Colin never expected to be mated to someone who never wanted to be a Luna. Paige Bradshaw doesn’t believe she can trust any Alpha. To make matters worse, wolves are being murdered. Now, Colin must show Paige she can trust him while working to keep the packs safe. Danger is closer than ever, and time is running out. Can Colin and Paige find love before it’s too late?

 

 

 

Stocks and Lies

Stocks & Lies by C.N. Marie click here

A man I can’t trust. A relationship I don’t want. Lied to and manipulated. That’s how I ended up in the slums of New York nursing a broken heart. A broken heart soothed by the brief glimpse of a love now lost. One moment. One second. That’s all it took to reignite the spark between us. But can my battered heart take another round? Do I want it to?

 

 

 

 

 

cover one hundered thousand reasonsOne Thousand Reasons: A secret baby, second chance novella by Bella Barnes – newsletter sign-up click here

Daughters in the Mafia can’t fall in love with boys at school. I did, and it cost me everything. Seven years ago, I offered Jacob our one and only chance and he didn’t take it. I knew better, but my innocent heart believed that somehow love would find a way. I was wrong. So I ran, broken hearted and pregnant, as far away as I could, knowing I would never see him again. But now he’s back in my life, and wants answers I can’t give. He thinks I’m the same girl he once knew, but that innocent girl is gone. I can’t tell him about my secret. And there’s one hundred thousand reasons why.

 

 

RION coverRION by K.R.RUTH click here

GINI I drove everyone out of my life. I vow to live in solitude, locking all the doors shut ever since I was too young. I didn’t even realize I was going to hide behind them, and most apparently from reality. Now, he banged all the doors down and walked into my life. His reputation pisses and scares the hell out of me. All he says is he owns me and asks me for things I can’t give him. If I don’t comply, he threatens to ruin me, not with death. But to survive and live along with serious burn injuries.     RION   Talking is just taboo to me. And Gini is about to spend her life as my wife, whether she likes it or not. It’s all sealed. If she fights me, I’d chain her. I won’t even think twice about it. She isn’t going anywhere. That’s all you should know about me. I hate talking. I am a type who’d fucking love to show it. Because I am beyond borderline douche. A double-douche.

 

by marie jonesThose We Trust by Marie Jones click here  

Broken and humiliated by her husband of ten years leaving her unexpectedly, Sophia Meadows muddles through her daily routine—writing computer programs and rarely leaving the house. That is, until an old friend from university shows up on her door with an offer she can’t refuse: a chance to get away and heal in the Scottish Highlands of Inverness by flat-sitting. Yet once she arrives, she soon discovers the offer is not what she bargained for: A police surveillance team is watching her every move and a mysterious man is after the contents of a safe hidden in a wall. After a break-in at the apartment, her path collides with DI Marcus Armstrong, the man in charge of the apartment surveillance. Sophia is swept into an investigation of fraud involving her university friend and into a sudden attraction with the handsome DI who finds himself drawn to her even though she’s a suspect in his case. With evidence piling up against her and her friend and the attraction between her and Marcus growing stronger, Sophia is forced to confront her broken heart and find a way to clear her name. In a tangled web of secrets and clues, can she and the DI work through their attraction and learn to trust each other in time to stop a criminal and possibly save a life?

 

 bonded cover

Stalked By Monsters click here, Bonded and Betrothed click here, by Rachel Callahan

Stalked by Monsters is a paranormal why choose academy romance with fated mates, shifter, monsters, witches, friends to lovers, and enemies to lovers. The town of Endcliffe has always been a safe haven for supernatural creatures—our refuge from the mortals’ prying eyes. But what happens when creatures that make even our skin crawl lurk at our borders? What happens when they attack the humans living in blissful ignorance of our existence? That’s where we come in. The elite monster hunters of Endcliffe Academy are trained to slay the beasts that go bump in the night. And I’ve been selected to join their prestigious ranks.

Bonded and Betrothed is a paranormal why choose romance with fated mates, shifters, and enemies to lovers: A murder, a betrothal, four mates desperate to claim me… and a war that might end us all. I always knew I would take over as leader of our pack… I just didn’t expect that day to come so soon.While I struggle with my father’s murder, I’m thrust amid an ongoing turf war between us and the Langleys—a sleuth of bears who aren’t afraid to maim and kill to steal the power they crave.

 

savage thievesSavage Thieves by Poppy Jacobson – newsletter sign-up click here 

Three men, a heist gone wrong, and a promise she’d never let anyone betray her again. Keri’s determined to stay out of trouble after getting out of prison, but when the mob hits the bank where she’s making a deposit for her boss, she’s afraid history’s about to repeat itself. Too bad that the closet she chooses to hide already has an occupant … or three.Trapped between the men who betrayed her, who left her to rot behind bars, and whose touch she still dreams of when she’s alone at night, Keri has a decision to make. Will she give into her desire, or fall victim to another bitter betrayal? Savage Thieves is a short, filthy, why choose mafia romance, with dark themes, plenty of kink (dubcon, light bondage, light pain play), and a HEA.

 

 

forget me not

Forget Me Not by Krys Rayne click here 

Forget. Me. Not. The words highlighted in old newspaper articles at two murder scenes send shivers prickling down criminal analyst Autumn Taylor’s spine. Memories claw their way to the surface, reminding her when a vile individual held her life in his hands. She’s determined to capture the killer before the body count rises. Defense attorney Nico Scala’s uncle, the head of an Italian syndicate, turns to Nico for answers about his daughter’s brutal murder. Forced to straddle the line between law enforcement and the mob, Nico delves into the high-profile investigation with Autumn, and an unexpected attraction develops between them. Yet again, Autumn finds herself the target of a deranged sociopath. With danger closing in, her only choice is to rely on Nico for help despite doubting his true intentions. Can Autumn trust Nico long enough to capture the Forget Me Not Killer? Or will the passion between them cause them to play into the murderer’s twisted plans?

 

 

Black Friday SDale

 

free books

He wants to make her a gingerbread princess.

Hello everyone! I am here with too little coffee, way too little sleep and wind-burned cheeks from being at the ice rink yesterday.

Not that I skated, I watched, and you know, I think I got the colder side of that deal.

Super excited to be finalizing the outline for Book Five today, in the blocked-off-time-for-this-reason I made, and beta feedback is coming in on Flame True.

I can’t wait to share Nick & Mulberry’s story! They like good banter, and they are so perfect for each other… just a few more weeks.

If you have read Flame Again, here is a bonus scene. Gabe wants to make her a gingerbread princess… grab it here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3nl613xbfy

This Week: A Stepbrother and A Grumpy Bear Are Released…Books Worth Clicking For

Sharing books that have crossed my path this week, including two books I was privileged to be an early reader of, two pre-orders I can’t wait to get my hands on, a new author and a holiday romance that makes me want to have a margarita.  Check them out and show them some love!

NEW RELEASES 

 

Astra Rose's Inevitable

If taboo romance is your cup of tea, Astra Rose does it very, very well. I read an early copy of this, and Hailey, Xander and Cole are delicious together.

My stepbrother Cole and his best friend Xander have tormented and teased me for years, but last summer things changed between us. I should have known better than to let myself fall in love with Cole; to let him take advantage of me, to be vulnerable to him. Now that we’re all back home for another summer, I’ve promised myself I won’t let him get to me. Him or Xander. But it turns out that this is the summer that changes everything — our family, my future, and the three of us. The truth is, we were all set on this path long ago. What happens between Cole and Xander and I has always been inevitable. ♥ Inevitable is an MMF menage romance. It is the sequel to Stepbully, but can be read as a stand-alone. ♥ Link

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goldilocks and the Grumpy Bear

If witty banter and smoking-hot chemistry is your kind of read, check out Kacie West’s Goldilocks and the Grumpy Bear. I got to read an early copy and I zipped right through it. It made me laugh out loud and fall in love with Declan and Natalie; I’m sure you will too! Link

He’s too grumpy. She’s all sunshine. But together they might fit just right. Single dad Declan Lowery is trying to have a peaceful holiday with his son. That is until Natalie Taylor plows into his front gate, all sunshine and Christmas cheer. While his son is delighted by her quirky fun, Declan knows he should find her a way home. He’s a famously grumpy ball player-he’s not running a damn bed and breakfast. But they’re stuck together while they wait for the storm to pass. Soon she’s baking cookies and tempting him to take a bite. And Declan’s list for Santa becomes a taste of her sweet lips and a chance to thread his fingers through those golden waves. The Grumpy Bear should never fall for Goldilocks, but when the snow clears it might already be too late. Author note: Goldilocks and the Grumpy Bear is a stand-alone grumpy sunshine Christmas novella between a single dad professional baseball player and a quirky high school history teacher. May contain lots of laughs, holiday cheer, and Metros baseball fun. Kacie West is a pen name for the author duo Jenni Bara and AJ Ranney.

 

 

cover for a very merry margarita mix-up

Next, a cinnamon roll firefighter and a baker, can’t get much yummier than that! Link

They say don’t kiss your best friend. I accidentally kissed her twin sister.
Jules and Hailey Milsom couldn’t be more different. Except they’re identical twins. One is my best friend. The other is the new girl in town, searching for a family she never knew existed.It’s just my luck that when I finally make a move on my best friend, I share the best kiss of my life with a stranger. Any sane person would realize this is hopeless. But when the red-haired beauty needs a reason to stay in Bristol, I double down and try to make every one of her Christmas dreams come true. And I kiss her…again and again. But the one thing she really wants, a relationship with her twin, may be the one Christmas wish I can’t deliver. And this mix-up may be nothing more than a mistake. Authors Note: A Very Merry Margarita Mix-Up is a steamy standalone set in Bristol Bay that features a cinnamon roll firefighter, a sweet baker, small town shenanigans and all the Christmas joy your heart can handle.

 

NEW AUTHOR

Curse of the Raven cover

Give a new author some love! Check out Brittany Wright’s debut novel, which is perfect if you need something dark and twisted. Link

Sometimes, there is no happily ever after.
Ember has spent the last twenty years of her life in a dance with the devil.
Derek is a broken and narcissistic man, but Ember wants nothing more than to make things work with him.
A woman with a tendency to attract people that aren’t good for her is trapped in a nightmare created by the love of her life.
Sasha’s therapeutic methods are unconventional, but as Ember guides her through a maze of fear and love, it will take everything she knows to bring them both out the other side.
If Ember can’t learn to see her toxic relationship for what it is, there could be devastating consequences
Curse of the Raven is a contemporary novel about overcoming your demons.
Readers should be mindful of the trigger warning listed at the beginning of the book.

 

UPCOMING BOOKS! CHECK OUT THESE HOT PRE-ORDERS!

 

THE DRUMMER , COVER

The Drummer by Carla Krae makes me wish I had a drummer in my past. Grab this at the special pre-order price! Link

Lincoln Adams was only supposed to be a drunken mistake, the consequence of a little too much Christmas wedding eggnog and loneliness.
Once he’s asleep, I sneak out of his apartment expecting to never see the drummer again.
Except I left my guitar at his friend’s house.
And my earring on his floor.
An earring he uses to leverage me into a lunch date where he starts chipping away at the armor erected around my heart with his too-insightful mind and gorgeous green eyes. His touch heats up my body with a need I’ve never felt before. I won’t do a relationship ever again, but a surprise mutual connection brings us together for a week of sharing and sensual delights.
Seven days of friends with benefits, then we go our separate ways.
What happens in Virginia can stay in Virginia—right?
This story is intended for readers 18 and over due to adult language, sexual content, and adult situations.

 

unwrapping mountain man

Yes, please! I’ll take a Mountain Man and OMG a modern-day mail-order bride? Yeah, I’m here for it. Link

Replying to a spam email to be a mail-order bride may not have been the smartest thing I had ever done, but it’s too late to change it.
But with no prospects, and standing on the brink of homelessness I had nothing to lose.
The promise of a quiet marriage to a wealthy mountain man didn’t seemed like everything I needed.
But when that man turns out to be the man from the poster that hung on my wall as a teen, was I ready for a life in the limelight?
Andrew
When my football career was over, all I wanted was to lead a quiet life away from cameras. Settling on a mountainside in Montana was the perfect escape.
The only problem there wasn’t any women around.
That’s where the Mountain Heart Email Order Bride Company comes in.
When my soon to be bride arrives with tempting curves and hidden secret I can’t help but wonder.
Will ours be the life I longed to live, or the one I longed to leave behind?

 

Going to end this edition of Books Worth Clicking For , with a reminder that Flame True, Book Four in the Bandit Brothers Series, is on pre-order at a special pre-order price. Grab it here

But he was her grumpy-Grinch.

Just finished the Bandit Brothers Series Short Story! I am so thrilled to share it in my newsletter on December 16th. If you really, absolutely do not like newsletters but read here instead, drop me a line: raleigh@raleighdamson.com and I’ll send you the linky.

Also in Bandit Brothers news, Flame For You is free for a limited time here

 

 

 

teaser

 

Did you hear about the time the NAVY SEAL rescues that woman on the mountain? The dog lives.

Hi everyone! I wanted to share with you, Defending His Hope by  Patricia D. Eddy

It’s on sale everywhere – Apple, Nook, Kobo, Google Play & Amazon for $0.99 and I grabbed my copy! Can’t wait to read about Hope and Wyatt.

 

Defending Hope cover

 

Wyatt

I’m no hero. Don’t much care that the Navy disagrees with me. My years as a SEAL left me with a ledger full of blood, a permanent limp, and a complete inability to function in polite society. Up in the mountains, no one bothers me. Hell, no one even knows I exist. It’s better that way.

So why did I bring the beaten and bloodied woman back to my cabin?

Because when I found her trapped in an SUV hanging upside down at the edge of the cliff, she whispered three words I couldn’t ignore.

“He’ll kill me.”

No, he won’t, darlin’. Because anyone coming for you? They’ll have to go through me. No one messes with a SEAL and survives.

Hope

One night, one mistake, and I’m trapped. My boyfriend-turned-captor will never let me go. Unless I take matters into my own hands and escape. But even then, he finds me, and now the car I stole is hanging upside down, balanced on a tree, on the side of the mountain. In a snowstorm.

When a stranger comes to my rescue, I don’t want to trust him, but I don’t have a choice. Will this bearded mountain man be my salvation? Or will the man who wants me dead kill Wyatt too?

The Away From Keyboard series is a set of interconnected standalones. Past characters appear in future books so you’ll never have to say goodbye to your favorites.

 

Definding His Hope cov

 

 

 

Ah! Chasing Words. Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit! Happy November!

This week, I felt like I was in some kind of time warp with the weather! 20C in November? Yeah, I’ll take that. Last year my cubs were trick-or-treating in an ice storm. This year, they did it in sweaters.

And maybe that’s why I’ve felt a little off, a little split-focused, chasing the words, getting the edits done on Flame True, to realize that I need to adjust to make something work for Book Five. The downside of being a plotter/planner is that when you outline to ensure there are no plot holes, fitting in something unexpected takes some mental gymnastics. I am a plotter AND an intuitive writer, and I don’t know how it gels, but it just does, and I am so grateful to be writing.

If you click to Get Sexy Tonight, you’ll find plenty of erotica and erotic romances up for grabs in this month’s group promotion.

Here’s a snippet of Flame True, and it is on preorder for $2.99USD right now

Off to wrangle words!

A snippet from Flame True.