Inspiration for Jamie Hawke

 After Crow Magic, the first book in the Legend of the Spirit series, was published, my editor sent a photo of Martin Sensmeier to me. The handsome man is of Alaskan Native and European American descent who is famous for being an actor and model. 

This particular photo inspired the character of Jamie Hawke, a Native American hawk shifter.

If a face can launch a thousand ships, a photo can inspire a book.

However, my brain matched the photo with a military romance story I had been wanting to do. A friend in the USMC who was more confident than me that I could pull off writing a battle scene. I did it! Thanks, Whiskey Rick!

#Thursday13 - First Lines of Hawk's Honor

 In honor of Hawk's Honor, Legend of the Spirit series book #3, being completed and sent to the publisher, I'm posting the first 13 lines.

Jamie Hawke is a Native American Chippewa from Michigan who is with a USMC Special Ops shifter unit. His country, his team is everything. This strong warrior holds honor above all. Being a hawk shifter on a Special Ops team is dangerous but falling in love with his commanding officer is deadly. Jamie is honor bound by the corps and won’t touch Captain Andrea “Andy” Nelson. After being wounded, Hawke is told by his shaman to find his mate before the next tour through Madame Eve’s 1 Night Stand service. When his date turns out to be no other than Capt. Nelson, he’s a dead man.

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 “Corporal Hawke!”

Zipping his rucksack closed he slung it over his shoulder and stood. His Team Leader approached from across the moonlit yard while men in full battle rattle moved at a brisk pace around her. The Captain displayed the epitome of what every female marine should be…confidant, capable, with grace and style and a military bearing unmatched. Nevertheless, a female officer in special ops, much like shifters, in all reality didn’t exist.

 Native American shifters in MARSOC (Marine Special Operations Command) with security clearance such as his could select the battalion they wished to serve with. Hungry for adventure, he chose one of the riskiest regions and fell into a team who lost one of their Critical Skills Operators in battle. So deep in secrecy, only upper brass and the CIA knew of it, the group called Spirit Walkers contained several shifters.  They went into areas where the enemy had weeks to prepare, booby-trap, and plant enough explosives to eliminate a city block. Together with their fearless leaders, they out-smarted their opponent and completed whatever mission needed to be done.

 Sure, they lost a few to pay the price of war, but what blew his mind were the “routine” tasks completed without a single bullet fired. The teams moved like specters across landscapes and through villages. Night missions often included capturing or killing insurgents and recovering maps.  

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Being a hawk shifter on a Marine Corp Special Ops team is dangerous but falling in love with his commanding officer is deadly. Honor bound by the corps; Jamie Hawke won’t touch Captain Andrea “Andi” Nelson. Hawke is told by a shaman to find his mate before the next tour through Madame Eve’s 1 Night Stand service. When his date turns out to be none other than Capt. Nelson, it’s love or duty. 

Thanks for reading!

Please enjoy other amazing #Thursday13 lists HERE

#Tuesday Teaser - Hawk's Honor

 

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Being a hawk shifter on a Marine Corp Special Ops team is dangerous but falling in love with his commanding officer is deadly. Honor bound by the corps; Jamie Hawke won’t touch Captain Andrea “Andi” Nelson. Hawke is told by a shaman to find his mate before the next tour through Madame Eve’s 1 Night Stand service. When his date turns out to be none other than Capt. Nelson, it’s love or duty. 

EXCERPT

As they lay in silence, tension thickened the air. With the cat out of the bag, there would be nothing technical stopping them from getting involved romantically. Maybe she misread the various ques from him, misunderstood the longing glances she would catch from him when they were in the desert. But then again, Madame Eve did match them. If he only considered her a friend, she would let go of the desire to be with him.

 

“Not my commanding officer.” His voice barely over a whisper as he spoke to himself with his eyes closed. “Out of the Corps.”

 

“I need to be honest with you, Jamie.” Gathering her courage, she needed to be fully honest with him. “I’ve been attracted to you for a long time. During our tours, I found myself caring for you in a way that went against code. At one point, I seriously considered asking for a reassignment. Now that I’m out of the Corps, I approached Madame Eve to see if we might be a match.”

 

She heard a sharp intake of breath next to her. Perhaps she said too much, and he didn’t see her as anything other than his commanding officer. She longed for his arms to wrap around her, even for a short time. Her life flipped upside down with her injury and her confidence took a hit. His silence fed her insecurities. A flush of embarrassment traveled up her chest and neck. Unshed tears burned her eyes. Hawke remained so quiet, she wondered if he was freaking out or if he fell asleep. She rolled to her side to check on him. He lay on his back with the heels of his hands pushing into his eyes. His lips formed a taut line.

“I’m being too pushy.” She groaned in apprehension and pushed to a kneeling position. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry if I made things weird. I’ve obviously made a mistake by admitting my crush on you. Look, maybe I’ll…”

 

“No.” With lightning speed, he grabbed her wrist to stop her from rising. “No mistake and don’t even think about leaving.”

 

Static electricity vibrated where their skin touched. His thumb caressed the inside of her wrist, sending a calming sensation throughout her entire body. He flipped to his side and lifted onto his forearm. He took a deep breath and released a sigh. Her eyes met his. Slivers of gold sprayed like fireworks in the dark orbs.

 

“I need to be honest with you.” He spoke with conviction as his eyes bore into hers. “I lied.”

Who Reads Romance?

 During any given period, women who read romance novels have a tendency to have twice as many lovers as those who don’t. People who read romance have sex 70% more often than those who don't.

The Romance Reader

Romance is the leading growth category in the print book market in 2025. Sales have grown consecutively for three years, with recent annual revenue exceeding $1.44 billion.

Who is the romance reader?

·        Female: 82%

·        Male: 18%

·        Average age of the romance reader: 35–39 years old

·        Ethnicity:

• 73% White/Caucasian
•  12% Black/African American
• 7% Latino/Hispanic
• 4% Asian/Asian American.

·        Sexual orientation:

• 86% heterosexual or straight
• 9%  bisexual, pansexual, or other bi+ identity
• 2% gay or lesbian.

Reading Habits

·        Most frequent readers are younger, aged 34 and below.

·        92% of survey respondents are print readers

·        64% are e-book readers

·        35% are audiobook users.

·        Tablets and smartphones are the most-used devices to read e-books.

·        Half of romance readers read romantic fantacy,

• followed by sports romance
• historical is still a popular genre

·        Younger readers read more Young Adult, Erotic, and

• Paranormal Romance and less Contemporary Romance than older readers.

Further Insights

The future of romance is the younger emerging readership.

These younger readers are:

·        diverse in sexual orientation and in ethnicity

·        more male

·        frequent readers

·        listening to audiobooks

·        reading e-books on smartphones

·        consuming YA, erotic, and paranormal romance

·        shopping at a greater number of online retailers

·        extremely engaged on social media and willing to experiment with new authors

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Reflection of an Eagle Spirit

The hero of Eagle Dance is a Native American eagle shifter. 

Dyami has a spiritual guide within his soul 

and has been blessed with the ability to change from man to animal at will. 

The man often reflects strong attributes of the animal.

Native wisdom also honors the eagle for their opportunistic ways. It's not that they're skilled hunters (they are), but the go about gaining their needs in ways that are most efficient. This is a lesson for conserving resources. Work smarter, not harder.

The eagle reminds us to be victorious, brave and strong. We are do be these things with humility. Honor, respect and dignity are very important to those who have an eagle spirit.

Meditate for a moment. 

Does the great spirit send you an eagle?

Dyami Schafer, a Native American from a Michigan Chippewa tribe, leads a lonely life due to his large size and unusual appearance. When his nesting instinct sets in, he turns to Madame Eve and her 1Night Stand dating service to help him find his spirit mate. Or at least a woman who accepts him as an eagle shifter.

Amanda Collins never stopped loving the Chippewa boy she knew from her childhood. Maybe a night with a Native American man will help her forget the past and let her move on with her life.

Sometimes, it’s necessary to take a step into the past before dancing into the future. With the help of Madame Eve, will the Spirit of the Eagle carry Dyami and Amanda?

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Thursday 13 - Cheap Romance

Romance doesn't have to break the budget. Sometimes being romantic is free. Let's take a look at 13 ways to be romantic without spending much.

1. Write a poem for your honey.

2. Make a list of all the things you love about your sweetheart or a list of what you find sexy about them.

3. Leave each other sticky notes with heartfelt messages.

4. Go for a walk and hold hands.

5. Make dinner special. Add candles. Use nice dishes and cloth napkins.

6. Watch a movie at home and makeout on the couch...or floor.

7. Say "I love you" in different ways every day.

8. Declare your love very publicly.

9. Recreate your first date.

10. Play music and dance in the living room.

11. Prepare a meal together. Put on some music and pour your favorite drinks.

12. Enjoy some berries, chocolate and whipping cream. 

13. Blindfold your partner and touch them with a feather, slowly.

For more fun lists CLICK HERE.

#TuesdayTeaser: Eagle Dance

 

 EXCERPT

She brushed the gray tips and white strands of hair that gave him such untamed nobility. With a finger, she traced his face from his temple to his jaw, across his lips, then scraping her nails along the fine hair under his chin. A man of his enormous size would be capable of great strength, and a gal could easily lose herself in his arms for more than one night. His gaze intensified under her scrutiny.

 

“What do you see when you look at me?” he asked and lowered his eyes. Sinfully long lashes brushed his cheeks.

 

She considered him to be the most gorgeous man alive. His eyes mesmerized her. Some would consider the unusual color to be eerie, but she saw a whirlwind of emotions, from pain to hope, drawing her into his soul. Did his unusual appearance cause issues and uncertainty in his life? Despite his intimidating frame, he exhibited control and gentle qualities in the tender way he’d held her when they danced and the way he’d admitted his soft spot for animals. In arms like his, a woman could find paradise in many ways.

 

She cupped his face and forced him to meet her gaze. “I see a handsome, mystical warrior from another world.”

 

“Handsome, huh? I think you need your vision checked. I am nothing more than a simple Chippewa from Michigan.” His mouth was inches from hers. “However, I can be magical and take you wherever you want to go.”

 

“Then dance with me,” she whispered.

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A Mystical Visitor

 After writing Eagle Dance, a red-tailed hawk appeared in my yard after a storm and spent the day with me to rest. The large bird sat on the tongue of our snowmobile trailer studying me with dark eyes, rimmed with gold. Through a mist the creature shifted into an incredibly sexy Native American man. With a mischievous grin, he moved in a graceful manner to sit on a fallen log. Jamie Hawke introduced himself as a Chippewa and a Marine.

 He quickly consumed a plate of chocolate chip cookies and entertained me with adventures he shared with his best friend in MARSOC. Hawks often have a difficult time finding the perfect mate and his ends up being his commander. Eventually, he might have to choose between love and honor. After the enjoyable afternoon, he shifted and flew towards his next mission. Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand might help him sort out his feelings. We shall see.

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Please enjoy Hawke’s story. I’ve placed a few Easter Eggs in this story and a few teasers of who gets their story told next. Reach out to me at maryquast@gmail.com

Baking and Blueberry Wine?

It's blueberry season here in Michigan. My town is getting ready to celebrate the Blueberry Festival soon. Everything will be blueberry. Blueberry pies, cookies, ice cream, pancakes...you get the idea.

I'm making zucchini bread using Grandma's recipe but putting a spin on it by tossing in some blueberries. I'd usually have Flyboy in the kitchen with me, but he'd eat all the berries so he's outside with the family wrangling dogs and granddaughter thus giving me a little peace in the kitchen.

Now, I believe a glass of wine will be perfect compliment to my baking activity. 

I pull a bottle of the rack. White wine is usually served cold. No problem.  I simply toss in some frozen blueberries and I'm good to go. 

Oh, yeah...totally delicious.

A Writer's Dilemma - Euphemisms

When you are a Romance Writer, you often have to use euphemisms. 

We reach out to other writers at times to help when the mind goes blank. 

I love being in this industry. There is never a boring day.

plural noun: euphemisms

1. a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

The March, 2021 edition of Men' Health an article listed 100+ Penise Nicknames.

Most of the slang names, I'd heard of before and I'm looking for new material.

Comedian, Richard Herring, put it into terms such as "the pink lighthouse that wants to draw you onto the rocks".

Baloney pony, custard launcher, love muscle, spitstick, Krull the Warrior King? 

There are about 1,000 recognized euphemisms

for ‘vagina’

in the English language.

 

There's even a Pocket Guide to Vaginal Euphemisms

Fur Burger, Flesh Cavern, Gash, Pink Taco, Penis Cozy,

Whisker Biscuit, Honey Pot, Squish Mitten, Meat Wallet, Fish Barrel?

 

 

Okay... that will keep me busy all day.