Happy September! The Book Cons are COMING!!

Dear Readers--

Happy September!! It is a busy bookish time for me. On Saturday, August 22, 2026, I had a book signing at la petite mort bookstore in Cockeysville, Maryland. And yes, it does mean a little death (orgasm) in French. The books are spicy and so are the readers! Scroll down to see what else is going on and to find a surprise! 

September 18-19, 2026, I will be at the Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity Con where I will be signing books along with a LOT of great authors!

You know that SECRETS OF THE CRYPTIDS is now available in audiobook at Audible, Amazon, and Apple! Narrated by the fabulous Jeffery Lynn Hutchins, Secrets of the Cryptids is ready to take you to Glacier National Park and Browning, Montana while you drive to work or work out!

But did you know that SECRETS OF THE CRYPTIDS has a book trailer with NO MUSIC on purpose. Peep this! 

AND, I’m delighted to share that SECRETS OF THE CRYPIDS has been selected as a FRESH PICK which means it’s in the running for a 2026 Fresh Fiction Readers Choice Award. Finalists will be announced in March 2027. Fingers and toes crossed!

Paranormal and fantasy gems sale

Get these books fast! This promotion ends Sep 30, 2026! 

On the home front...I had a small new release party with a number of close friends to celebrate Secrets of the Cryptids coming into the world. Of course my wait staff were appropriately attired in their tuxedos. 

My friend Harry, from Foundry Row Wine & Spirits, brought me this adorable Bigfoot along with Portlandia wine for the celebration.

Phew! That was a LONG post!! Thanks for reading this far! And NOW for the surprise! The first ten (10) readers who comment on this post will receive an Audible code for a free copy the Secrets of the Cryptids Audiobook! All I ask for in return is an honest review on Amazon, Audible, or Goodreads.

Pugs and Kisses!

Sharon

 

Book Tour and Giveaway: Secrets of the Cryptids, Book 1 of Cowboys and Cryptids

 

 

She never belonged to the pack—until fate led her to him.

Secrets of the Cryptids

Cowboys and Cryptids Book 1

by Sharon Buchbinder

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Romantasy

She never belonged to the pack—until fate led her to him.

Cybersecurity expert Hayil Rufus Rose has spent her life hiding one impossible truth: she’s a werewolf who has never shifted, a failure by her pack’s rules and a woman on the brink of exile. A solo hike in Glacier National Park is meant to clear her head—but instead, a chance meeting with Will Penn, a guarded federal agent with powerful instincts and secrets of his own, changes everything.

As Hayil becomes entangled in a missing persons case involving Will’s brother, she uncovers corruption, cartel money laundering, and violence threatening the Blackfeet Nation. She forms an unexpected bond with a Bigfoot family, who are not monsters, but an ancient people who recognize her latent power. Through trauma, loyalty, and near‑fatal danger, Hayil finally undergoes her full transformation, claiming her identity at last.

Secrets of the Cryptids launches a thrilling paranormal romance series about found family, fierce hearts, and the courage it takes to become who you were always meant to be.

 

Amazon * Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

Hayil had the advantage of excellent night vision—super vision compared to other humans. Plus, she possessed an almost uncanny ability to connect with most wild and domestic animals. Hayil mentally grimaced. She could also thank her grandmother for her long overdue ability to shift. What would it take to trigger her body into the lupine version of herself? Was it like a growth spurt that hadn’t hit her body yet? Or was Hayil destined to remain the one person in her pack who wasn’t able to wolf out?

Once again, her mother’s constant refrain came back to her: “You’re a late bloomer, like your grandmother. She was older than you when she shifted. All in good time. You’ll see.”

Sure, Mom.

Hayil knew her mother wanted the best for her, but found her cheerfulness a bit forced. Beneath her mother’s optimism, Hayil sensed an undercurrent of concern about her thirty-year-old daughter’s ability to integrate into the red wolf clan. This missing piece of Hayil’s identity called to her like a siren’s song, demanding she complete herself. Would she ever be a true part of the pack? Or would she forever be the unmated one? What then? She was an anomaly, something the pack didn’t tolerate well. Tradition dictated that if a pack member didn’t shift by the end of their third decade, they were banished.

A chilling thought struck Hayil mid-stride.

If I don’t shift this year, will they force me out of the pack?

They were the only family she’d ever known. Her mother would fight for her to stay and would probably win. But at what cost?

Hayil would be an outcast. She’d never be invited to pack meetings, deliberations or celebrations. Those were reserved for shifters. If she married a non-shifter, the pack would drive her out, of that she was sure. What if her offspring were able to shift? Would that make things better? Would the pack let her stay then? It wasn’t as if she could go to a genetic counselor and ask for a DNA test for werewolves.

The thought of losing her extended family through no fault of her own made her gulp back tears. Angry at herself for allowing her thoughts to go down that dark rabbit hole, Hayil reminded herself she was a scientist. Review the facts, not the fears.

Fact one: Grandma had been in labor with Hayil’s mother when she’d shifted for the first time.

Fact two: The majority of the pack members had shifted when they’d hit puberty.

Fact three: Hormones! It had to be related to hormones! The rush of hormones at puberty and the flood of pregnancy hormones had to be related somehow.

Hayil was long past puberty and the associated mood swings and acne, thank you very much. She was not ready to be pregnant. For starters, she would need a romantic partner in her life. She’d had zero luck on that score so far.

“I still have time. It’s not too late. I won’t give up hope.”

Shaking her head to clear her mind, Hayil double-checked her wild animal deterrents. All in place. Then she tugged her knit cap down over her ears and pulled her hands-free headlamp into place. She zipped her fleece jacket against the breeze and adjusted her twenty-five-pound backpack. With an altitude gain of almost nineteen hundred feet, she planned to take her time, pacing herself for the strenuous four-hour hike. She grasped her lightweight hiking poles and took a last look up at the stars. Time to see that spectacular view at the top.

As promised by the trail blog, the dirt path was well maintained. The morning air was cold and crisp, layered with the woodsy scent of damp earth and pine needles. An owl hooted, and Hayil spotted movement in the brush between the thick pines beside the trail. Her headlamp reflected in the eyes of small critters, all of whom skittered deeper into the woods.

For three hours, all she heard was the crunch of her hiking boots on dirt and gravel, the rasp of her own breaths, the glug of water when she drank and the jingle of her bear bells. She looked at yet another incline on the trail and decided she needed a hiking song for inspiration.

“Country roads, take me home,” she sang, belting out “Mountain Mama”—and something crashed through the bushes ahead on the trail. Something large.

She froze.

An enormous black bear stood on its hind legs at the top of the hill.

Shit, shit, shit. If only I could shift, shift, shift!

The animal had its back to her, but if it got her scent, it could turn and charge at her in a flash.

Heart pounding like a jackhammer, she placed her hand on the bear spray.

A breeze sprang up, making her eyes water with its intensity. The good news was that it meant she was downwind of the bear. The bad news was that the air smelled like a wet dog had rolled in a dead animal. The worst news was that the bear turned and looked right at her.

 Omigod. It’s not a bear. What the heck is it?

Sharon Buchbinder is an award-winning author who has been writing stories since she could hold a pen. The paranormal romance genre is her writing home, a place where the impossible is simply the beginning, where women find their power in the most extraordinary circumstances, and where love is always worth the danger of seeking it.

A Maryland-based author with a background in healthcare and higher education that has informed her vivid, grounded storytelling, Sharon is drawn to heroines who have been underestimated — women who carry something extraordinary inside them and spend the whole book learning to trust it. Sharon believes passionately that readers deserve stories where the heroine doesn’t just survive — she transforms. When she’s not writing, Sharon can usually be found unplugging in her garden, obsessing over cryptid mythology, and convincing her pets they are not, in fact, supernatural.

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the Secrets of the Cryptids Giveaway Here

Ghost of a Chance 

Redclaw Security Book 2

by McKenna Dean

Madison has put together some really awesome Prizes giveaway during the tour. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember you may enter every day for your chance to win one of the prize packages. You may find the tour locations here.  About Ghost of a Chance by McKenna Dean:

At sixteen, Sarah Atwell walked away from her love of horses and a promising career as a competitive rider after discovering she’d inherited the family curse. Years later, her grandmother stunned everyone by leaving Sarah her horse farm—worth millions—but with conditions Sarah might not be able to meet. A former Redclaw agent, Casey Barnes retired when a security assignment went bad, killing his partner and leaving him as a partial amputee. His inner wolf is in hiding. He’s been living quietly as a horse trainer, but June Atwell’s death now pits him against her granddaughter for rights to the stable. With both of them snowed in at the farm, a series of increasingly serious accidents draws Sarah and Casey closer together, but they both harbor secrets that might tear them apart. Ghost of a Chance is a paranormal romance story. Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2nbVC33 Excerpt: For some reason, he glanced back at Sarah where she waited by the door. The backlight of falling snow through the glass in the shadowed hallway created the suggestion of a black-and-white photograph. The only spot of color was the bright red scarf at the collar of her coat and the wine-dark lipstick she wore. She leaned against the wall with her eyes closed. Something inside him clicked, as though recognizing a scene from a movie. His heart stopped a beat, flipped over, and thudded again with increased intensity. No. It couldn’t be. Not her. He hurried away, head still reeling at his reaction. When he returned with an armload of clothing, she was nowhere to be seen. Her laptop sat by her shoes, one pretty little pump turned over on its side. As expected, he discovered her in the living room, staring at the pictures on the wall. “There you are.” She jumped at the sound of his voice. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” He adjusted the heap of clothing piled over one arm and held out a pair of snow boots. “She had so many photographs of me.” Sarah took the boots almost automatically, and indicated the walls covered with pictures, ones Casey had seen many times. That had to be it. Why she felt so familiar. Why she seemed to be the one. Relief washed over him. Obviously he’d spent too much time alone if he thought Sarah Atwell was his destined mate. The Panther’s Lost Princess Redclaw Security Book 1 Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2LSf9UL About McKenna Dean: McKenna Dean has been an actress, a vet tech, a singer, a teacher, a biologist, and a dog trainer. She’s worked in a genetics lab, at the stockyard, behind the scenes as a props manager, and at a pizza parlor slinging dough. Finally she realized all these jobs were just a preparation for what she really wanted to be: a writer. She lives on a small farm in North Carolina with her family, as well as the assorted dogs, cats, and various livestock. She likes putting her characters in hot water to see how strong they are. Like tea bags, only sexier.  
McKenna Dean's Social Media Links: Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/c8GDYX Website: http://mckennadeanromance.com/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B075CRHQ7B/ Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/McKenna-Dean-Author-262328784224302/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/McKennaDeanFic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mckennadeanromance/?hl=en Tumblr: https://mckennadeanromance.tumblr.com/ Email: mckennadeanromance@gmail.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New: Tova’s Dragon Ghost #Bookhugs by @LyndiLamont

Lyndi Lamont’s inspirational message: I believe love is a powerful force in this world. It brings lovers together, creates families and lives on after death in the hearts of those left behind. It may not make the world go 'round, but love makes the world a better place.

Lyndi is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the blog post for three chances to win!

Seek help of the Lord of Drakkenberg. Only he can aid you. You must fly with the dragon.

Tova Svensdottir, an earth mage, is on a mission to save her homeland, the Kingdom of Velosia from the evil wizard Bruno of Grimmdorn. Her grandmother tells her to seek help of the Lord of Drakkenberg, but the old lord is dead. In his castle, high on a mountaintop, she instead encounters his son, the Outlaw Kane.

Kane fled Velosia after a futile attempt to rescue his father and his mate from Bruno's cruel prison, killing the head guard in the process. Now that Bruno has been banished, Kane has returned to clear his name, but his purpose changes when he meets Tova.  Tova's warmth stirs his passions and her courage touches his heart, but he dreads telling her of his true nature, certain she will recoil. But Tova is made of sterner stuff.

Together, Kane and Tova have the power to save Velosia. If they survive the coming battle. But can an earth mage find happiness with a dragonshifter?

Amazon links:
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07635W1SR or short link: Link: http://a.co/iYJcdeF
AU:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07635W1SR/ or http://a.co/1Lqtbo4
CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07635W1SR/ or http://a.co/7I5GLe3
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07635W1SR/ or http://amzn.eu/5j6oPEA

Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Seek help of the Lord of Drakkenberg. Only he can aid you. You must fly with the dragon.

Her grandmother’s words rang in Tova’s head as she climbed the path into the mountains. Why had Mutti Zee sent her out of her way on a fool’s errand? Everyone knew the dragonfolk had fled Velosia years ago, driven away by Bruno of Grimmdorn’s crusade against them. Until he’d been driven from power. Now Bruno had returned at the head of a mercenary army, if Mutti Zee’s vision could be believed. And Tova had no doubts. She’d felt the vibrations in the earth.

And somehow she was supposed to save the kingdom?

She raised her gaze to the sky and asked, “Why me? I’m no hero.” The heavens gave no answer, though she saw clouds form to her left. She shook her head. Now she was talking to herself, like mad Magnus, the village idiot.

She stopped to catch her breath and rest her tired legs in a level area. The path ahead grew steeper and narrower the higher it wound into the mountains. She groaned. After walking all day, her legs ached. She was glad she’d worn men’s breeches and a tunic with her sturdy boots. A gown and petticoats would be but a hindrance.

After a deep breath, she started to climb again. Dusk came early in autumn, and she needed to find shelter before dark. Castle Drakkenberg, abandoned and forlorn, perched high above on a cliff, its turrets silhouetted against the leaden sky. Almost as if mocking her with its remoteness. Too much was at stake and her chances of reaching the capital in time to warn the king were slim at best. Even without this detour, she estimated the journey to Castle Novita would take three days or more.

For centuries, the dragon lords had resided in the castle, ruling the isolated mountain communities. People in this area were known as dragonfolk, though Tova knew not why. A great puzzle, but one she had no time to ponder. With luck, she had but to find the dragonlord, and he would take charge of the quest.

A shadow blocked the sun, and she looked up at an enormous bird silhouetted against the sky. Goddess, she’d never seen such a large raptor. It turned and the sun’s rays glinted on its shiny red-gold wings and barbed tail. She stopped and stared after it, shaken to the core of her being.

No, impossible. Dragons didn’t exist. They couldn’t.

Amazon links:
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07635W1SR or short link: Link: http://a.co/iYJcdeF
AU:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07635W1SR/ or http://a.co/1Lqtbo4

CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07635W1SR/ or http://a.co/7I5GLe3
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07635W1SR/ or http://amzn.eu/5j6oPEA

 

Lyndi Lamont is the racy alter ego of romance author Linda McLaughlin. Writing sexy stories gives her a license to be naughty, at least between the pages of her books! She has written several full-length novels plus numerous short stories and novellas, ranging from historical to futuristic. She believes that love is unending and universal, and enjoys transporting her readers into a different world where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward.

Connect online:

Website: https://lindalyndi.com 
Reading Room blog: http://lindalyndi.com/reading-room-blog/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LyndiLamont

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/LyndiLamont

Twitter: @LyndiLamont

To celebrate the release of Tova's Dragon, I'm doing a Rafflecopter giveaway, starting today and ending October 30. There are three ways to enter:

1. Like my Lyndi Lamont Facebook page
2. Subscribe to my mailing list and upcoming newsletter
3. Subscribe to my blog (on right sidebar or scroll to bottom of the page)

Link to the giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/8e9c3a7f6/?

Interview with Nancy Lee Badger, Author of Spark, Clan of Dragons, Book One

What made you decide to be an author? I was a voracious reader, and brought books along when working the midnight shift at New Hampshire 9-1-1 (not much happens, especially during a late night blizzard). I decided I could write a better story than most of the books I read, so I started doodling on a legal pad, then would race home and re-type them, once my shift ended. I’ve had stories inside my head, and they needed an outlet. Seeing my stories in print was a dream that came true.

What do you like best about being a writer? What do you like the least? I love being my own boss. After my two publishers closed their doors, I ramped up my indie-publishing and turned my writing into a business. What I do not like is my solitary writing. Hubby heads to work, and I must get myself in the chair, and write. I joined my local chapter of Romance Writers of America as well as the Triangle Association of Freelancers. Monthly meetings get me out of my cave.

How do you think your life experiences have prepared you for writing? I volunteer every fall with my family at the New Hampshire Highland Games (check out https://nhscot.org/ )  I have been doing this for over 15 years, so in 2009, while working in the information tent, surrounded by kilts, bagpipes, and athletes turning the caber, I thought “I should write about this.” My job as a 9-1-1 Dispatcher, EMT, and volunteer firefighter, filled my head with several other story lines. My Scottish time travel romances and my romantic suspense novels were born.

Have you ever felt as if you were being dictated to while you wrote a book--as if the words came of their own accord? If yes, which book did that happen with? My characters scream at me, but the loudest usually start out as ‘secondary characters’. These are men, women, villains, horses, etc. who are a minor part of the story, but become an integral part, or turn up as the lead character in another book. In My Hunted Highlander, my last Scottish time travel novel, a little boy became a focal point, even though I did not plan any of it. My heroine was a pirate, and I wanted to show her softer feminine side. Where other characters screamed, Keegan whispered to me. I love that kid.

You’ve written 16 novels, SMOKE will be released October 7th, and are working on SMOLDER, the 18th novel. What’s your favorite time management tip? I wake up early, and instead of rolling over, I get up and go to work. I’ll check emails quickly, make sure any friends on Facebook who are having a birthday are remembered, then open my manuscript and write. I don’t edit or spell-check as I go. I don’t separate into chapters, either. After the first draft is finished, then I go back and clean it up. You cannot fix an empty page!

Are you a plotter or a pantser, i.e., do you outline your books ahead of time or are you an “organic” writer? Well, I used to be a panster, writing whatever came into my head. I usually had the beginning and the end in mind, but I find that I cannot write fast enough. I now write a 3-4 page outline, and find that the story flows much faster. It might take a road less traveled at certain points, but what used to take 7-9 months now takes 3-5 months.

If you had one take away piece of advice for authors, what would it be? Read lots of books, then write the best story you can, making sure you put your heart and soul on the page.

Did music help you find your muse with this book? If yes, which song did you find yourself going back to over and over again as you wrote? Even though I am a mature woman (i.e. older than most writers) the song that moved me to start writing is Love Story by Taylor Swift. She released the song in 2008, soon after I started writing a romance novel. I found her music video, and play it when I need inspiration. I was so impressed with the romance, setting, and costumes that I have started a series that is fitting for the Regency historical genre. I hope to bring that series out next year.

 

Nancy Lee Badger brings you another story filled with Scottish dragons and shape-shifters. Set on the Scottish Island of Skye, she again fills her paranormal fantasy with romance and danger, and with characters you will remember. Some will tug at your heart. Others will make you wish for their demise. SPARK is the first book in a brand new series, Clan of Dragons.

What can a young dragon do to prove to his older brothers that he is their clan’s best chance to save their species? In the Black Cuillin Hills, Evan heads to the village of Morhban to find a way to interact with humans. To learn their language and customs, and to get close enough to a red-haired beauty to mate with her, the brown-winged purple dragon shifts into a copper-colored horse. When his new hooves protect her from Lord Toal MacMorgan’s inappropriate demands with a well-placed kick, she thanks Evan by brushing his silky coat. Things are looking up.

When an unfamiliar horse kicks Toal into the creek, releasing Vika from his roaming hands, her appreciation turns to horror. A sputtering Toal demands that the animal die. Anger makes Vika agree to a wager. A three day hunt will determine the fate of the horse she names Spark. Failure will mean his death, and the loss of her freedom. Pirates, wolves, a wild boar, and a handsome stranger lead her on a wild ride. She discovers her heart is in as much danger as her life.

Amazon      Amazon Canada      Amazon UK    Amazon Aus 

Excerpt           

Evan broke the kiss, and moved away, enough to make Vika’s hands fall away. He walked unsteadily to the bush, and stomped it until he had extinguished the fire. As he cooled his feet in the stream, he took a deep breath. He steeled his features, so as not to show her how bewildering her touch had felt. His chest hurt, which confused him. He wished to save his clan, so he would not allow his expression to show he was at war with himself.

Turning to face her, his shoulders stiffened. She had stopped crying, but her cheeks were damp with tears. Her skin was pale from fright, and she was shaking uncontrollably. His first concern was to let her know she was safe. The second was to keep his distance until he could discuss his new feelings with his brothers.

“Do you believe in dragons now?”

She nodded. “I thank you for saving us from that horrible demon!”

He laughed. “That was no demon. ‘Tis a dragon, one of a few that be said to live among the black rock peaks of the Cuillin Hills. Aye, they be large and dangerous, but when was the last time you heard of someone disappearing from your village? Wolves be much more dangerous.”

“Oh! I forgot about Orin and Spark!”

“Who?”

“Me brother Orin dealt with a wolf, today. Our horse, Spark, killed it by stomping on it.”

Evan grinned, and tightened the cloth around his waist. The air had grown chilly, and blew his hair across his face. Brushing it back, he watched her eyes widen.

“Your hair. ‘Tis the same shade as me horse.”

His laugh echoed through the trees, and he turned away in order to catch his breath.

Nancy Lee Badger loves chocolate-chip shortbread, wool plaids wrapped around the trim waist of a Scottish Highlander, the clang of broadswords, and the sound of bagpipes in the air. After growing up in Huntington, New York, and raising two handsome sons in New Hampshire, Nancy moved to North Carolina where she writes full-time.

Nancy is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, Triangle Association of Freelancers, and the Celtic Heart Romance Writers. Nancy and her family volunteer each fall at the New Hampshire Highland Games surrounded by…kilts!

Blog  http://www.nancyleebadger.blogspot.com
Website http://www.nancyleebadger.com
Twitter  https://twitter.com/NLBadger
Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/NancyLeeBadgerAuthor/    
Goodreads     https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4101274.Nancy_Lee_Badger
Amazon Page  http://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Lee-Badger/e/B003UWZJME/

Tour giveaway

1 Winner will receive a Scottish Flag Blanket
(brand new, cat not included) as well as Shortbread Scotties,
Purple Jelly beans, a Pirate Pencil, and a Visit Scotland brochure 

*international winner will instead receive ebooks from Nancy's backlist

Giveaway Ends August 21st

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