Thursday, July 24, 2008

Today is a special day because I have a special Guest Blogger, and you probably remember her because she guest blogged before, her name is Shelley Munro and she has an upcoming release on August 6th that she will be talking about today. Shelley was nice enough to stop by the blog and talk about her upcoming release Assassin, the fourth book releases from Ellora’s Cave. I'm happy that she had enough time to stop by and tells us about how Assassin came to be written and what it is about. You can visit her website, her blog and her MySpace.

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Hi! I'm Shelley Munro, and I write for Ellora's Cave and Samhain Publishing. A huge thanks to Phoebe for inviting me to visit. Today I'm talking about my favorite type of shapeshifter—the feline or big cat.

From the moment I saw an article in the New Zealand Herald about sightings of a mystery black cat in Canterbury, South Island, I knew it would make a good story. I cut out the article and kept it for about three years while I wrote about other things such as talking dogs, aliens and military men. It wasn’t until I saw a human interest story on our local television about a small South Island town called Middlemarch that I recalled the cat article. Evidently, the town of Middlemarch had a severe shortage of marriageable females and to help the young farmers and other men in the area find partners, the town intended to organize a dance.

The two ideas blended inside my head and a story bloomed about a community of leopard shifters who lived in Middlemarch and suffered from a shortage of women of marriageable age.

The first book in the series, Scarlet Woman, was one of the most difficult stories I’ve ever written. It started life as a short story. My editor liked it but thought there was too much story for the length I’d written. She suggested that I lengthen it, which I did, although my characters kicked up a fuss. So did my muse. I’m pleased I persevered because it’s now one of my favorite stories.

This week I finished writing the seventh book in my Middlemarch Mates series. I’m not sure why I enjoy writing about feline shifters so much. Maybe it’s because my husband isn’t a cat fan and we have a dog instead. I have to make up for it somehow! My cat of choice is the black leopard, although I have introduced a brother and sister in Stray Cat Strut who are lion shifters.

On August 6, Assassin, the fourth book releases from Ellora’s Cave. Here’s the blurb:



Feline shifter Leo Mitchell is the pretty brother who attracts women with ease, but he’s turned picky. He suspects the mystery blonde hanging around Middlemarch is the one for him. If only he could grab the elusive female and seduce her. Oh yeah. He craves some hot, sinful lovin’ with the lady in black leather.

Assassin Isabella Black has harbored a huge crush on hunky Leo for ages. Because the timing sucked she’s watched him from afar, praying another woman won’t snatch the hottie away before she’s free to stake a claim.

Finally the pair meet. Isabella offers her naked body but Leo counteracts with a cup of tea. Seems Leo likes to call the shots when it comes to sex. A day later they’re finally dancing horizontally. It’s smokin’ hot, steamy, delicious—everything she’s ever wanted. Isabella is ecstatic until another assassin threatens to ruin her happiness. It’s life or death now. One wrong move and her secrets will destroy the Mitchells along with everything that has become dear to her…including Leo.


And here’s a short excerpt from Assassin:


The bastard was out there.

Isabella Black could feel him like an irritating itch at her nape. He was there. The same instinct that had led her to come outside searching told her he was there, hidden out of sight, waiting patiently. With heavy tension swirling in the pit of her stomach, she scanned the hills and rocky outcrops surrounding Middlemarch, resisting the urge to stomp back and forth in a show of frustration. She didn’t like the situation. It pushed her temper from calm to uncertain, which wasn’t good for someone in her line of work. Her breath escaped in an impatient hiss.

At least the target was safe, stashed in a secure house on an isolated farm. Felix Mitchell would keep his new family from harm or die in the effort. As it should be, Isabella thought with approval. Felix was an honorable man and perfect for Tomasine. Isabella swiveled silently to scan the main road dissecting the small township below. The breeze ruffled her shoulder-length hair and she brushed it off her face with an impatient hand. She reached for the case holding her high-powered rifle. Without looking down, Isabella assembled the weapon and loaded it, holding the rifle lightly in her hands. She turned slowly, eyes watchful.

No strangers. Not a thing out of the ordinary.

Then a flash of light caught her eye, just to the right of a leaning pine.

“Move again. Let me get a good look at you,” she murmured.

Patiently she waited, watched. Finally she caught the outline of a figure picking his way across the hill, slinking from rock to tree.

“That’s it,” she crooned, her fingers flexing around her rifle. She watched him in her telescopic sight, noted his familiar face. One of Mika’s cronies. Even if she hadn’t recognized him, the weapon he carried would have given him away. The man meant business. Kill or be killed. She aimed until his face lined up in the crosshairs of her sight and gently squeezed the trigger, feeling not a trace of remorse.

He fell instantly, remained still.

A quick check ensured no one had witnessed the hit. Not a soul stirred, which wasn’t unusual around Middlemarch since it was a small country town. Isabella moved carefully, needing to check for peace of mind. She watched the body up on the hill, saw he didn’t move, and cautiously approached to check his pulse. When he didn’t move, she nudged him with her foot.

Dead.


To read excerpts from the earlier Middlemarch books, visit my
website at and to learn about the real town of Middlemarch, where the dance takes place on a yearly basis because the first was so successful check out their website.

All my
Middlemarch Mates books are available from Ellora’s Cave.

Scarlet Woman by Shelley Munro (Book 1)




Emily Scarlet’s husband left her for his secretary and died in a car accident—all on the same day. Now, six months later, Emily has emerged from her chrysalis of painful memories. And to prove she has what it takes to attract a man, she’s determined to experience one perfect night of passion.


Feline shape shifter, Saber Mitchell has a problem with his four boisterous younger brothers. They’re out of control. It’s too late for him, but he hopes to get his brothers mated and settled, and the ball is the place to introduce them to marriageable women.


Unbridled sex is the last thing he plans on, but one glimpse of Emily Scarlet changes his mind. Sex with her is a necessity. They dance. They make love.


One thing is clear—a single night isn’t enough. Saber must have her for his mate, but Emily isn’t so easy to convince…or trust.




Peeping Tom by Shelley Munro (Book 2)




The residents of Middlemarch have a nickname for reporter Tomasine Brooks. They call her Peeping Tom and refuse to answer her questions about the mysterious black cats spotted in the vicinity. To them she’s an outsider—the enemy—who has no place in their close-knit shifter community.

Tomasine is determined to find a safe place to settle but earning the locals’ trust seems impossible. In desperation, she decides to seduce the sexy Felix Mitchell into giving away Middlemarch’s secrets because it’s a matter of life or death…hers.


From the moment feline shifter Felix Mitchell crashes into Tomasine outside the post office he desires her with an urgency that makes him suspect they are fated mates. When they are together the connection is hot, the sex is spicy and she makes him happy, but Tomasine is close-mouthed about her past—a past that can threaten their future together.





Stray Cat Strut by Shelley Munro (Book 3)




I met a male lion shifter in the pub last night. Not that my father would approve since it reinforces my gay status, but Lucas is incredible. Tall. Golden. Sexy. Our gazes met and we clicked. The evening turned into night. The sex was hot. Intense. Real magic that doesn’t happen every day. Hell, it electrified me. By the time the night was over I craved more…I hungered for a future because it’s no fun living alone like a stray cat. I’m just like every Middlemarch shifter, gay or not. All I want is love.



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