Hey everyone, I just wanted to drop a quick update. 

It's been a rough month for me. Life has been a bit chaotic, and my mental health hasn't been the best. I'm feeling much better now, but I had to take some time away from writing, so of course, I'm a little behind. Don't worry. We're not talking months or anything. Just a couple of weeks.

Angel and Anarchy, the first book in the new spin-off to the Blackhaven Manor series, will now release on or around June 15th. (Just depends on how long Amazon takes to review it.)

While the Hunters Hollow series does share the same world as Blackhaven Manor, and some previous characters from that series will make an appearance, you can read these series completely independently of each other. There will be no crossover storylines. No plots that start in one series and pick up in another. 

So, I think that's it for now, but more updates coming soon!

Until Next Time,
XoXo - Arden

The 5th Blackhaven Manor book is now available on Amazon and free to read with your KU subscription! 

I've loved Emrys since he was first introduced in Purrfect Harmony, and Cyrus is the perfect mate for him. Fair warning: this hellhound is growly, sexy, and he says fuck A. LOT.  I tried to rein him in, I really did, but he's impossible. ;-) 

“Enough.” Emrys didn’t speak loudly, but everyone present turned to stare at him. Once he had their attention, he pushed his chin-length hair back from his face and nodded a couple of times. “I appreciate that you want to protect me, but let’s be real for a second. Nothing you say is going to change anything.” His gaze flickered to Cyrus, his resolve manifesting piece by visual piece. “I’m assuming there’s evidence against me, and you didn’t just pull my name out of a hat.”

Fuck, Cyrus hated this, but his mate was right. Nothing anyone said would change the facts. “There is evidence.” 

Emrys regarded him for another moment, then nodded again. “I’ll go with you.”

“What?” Kol shouted. “Em, that’s a really bad idea.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” the other male—Simon—added. 

“You don’t have to go,” Skye said, still calm and collected.

Emrys gave her a sad smile. “Thanks, but I think I do. I know I didn’t kill anyone, and the best way to prove that is to just cooperate.” With only the smallest amount of hesitancy, he strode around the counter, coming to a stop mere inches from Cyrus. “Besides, my mate won’t let anything happen to me.”

It was naïve, far too trusting, and also absolutely fucking correct. No one would lay a hand on his mate, except for maybe him. Preferably both hands. Without any barriers between them like those preppy white chinos that hugged Emrys’ ass like a second skin.

Cyrus bit back a groan. Gods, he was so screwed. 

“Okay.” Emrys bobbed his head a couple of times, then pushed his wrists together before offering his hands up to him. “Do you, uh, need to restrain me or something?”

That really shouldn’t have been as sexy as it was, but his cock apparently hadn’t gotten the message. Down boy. 
“No, I’m not going to restrain you.” Gently, he curled his fingers around Emrys’ wrists and pushed his hands back down to his sides.

“Oh, okay.” An adorable frown pulled at his lips. “Sorry. I’ve never been a suspect before. I don’t really know how this works.” He held his hands up again. “Are you sure you don’t want to tie me up?”

Fuuuck. 
​
Cyrus bit back another groan when his dick jerked against his zipper. Gods, it was going to be a long drive back to New Orleans.
​

7 M/M Paranormal Romance books featuring Bunny Shifters!
​Did I mention they're all FREE??

M/M Paranormal Romance
Approximately 15k Words

**This is a short story that I have no plans to expand or publish.
​It will always remain a free read.**

When Nate Reed dropped by the new bookstore in town, he’d been hoping to find an escape in the form of a paperback. He never thought that the love story he craved would end up being his own, but from the moment he locks eyes with the sexy owner, he can’t deny the fire that burns between them. 

Leaving the city for the small coastal town of Fate Harbor, Zach Thompson hadn’t expected much. In fact, he’d actively hoped for a quiet life free of complications. Then, a gorgeous man with a smile like the sun walks into his shop, and all those well-constructed plans go right out the window.

While he knows the sweet bunny deserves better than some damaged werewolf with emotional baggage, he just can’t seem to let him go. Because the only thing that scares him more than commitment is the idea of losing Nate forever. 

Grin and Bear It: Blackhaven Manor, Book 4 is live a little early on Amazon! As always, it's available to read with your Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Happy Reading! 

It was a long time coming, but the second +One book is here. If you missed the first one, no worries. The books in this series can be read as standalones. 

Ex-Boyfriend Material is a light, sweet, friends-to-lovers romance. Patrick and Evan were so much fun to write, and I hope you enjoy getting to know them! 

Evan Lewis doesn’t get people. It’s like everyone is talking in riddles, and no one ever says what they really mean. He’s tired of being alone but navigating the nuances of the dating scene is nothing more than an exercise in frustration.

Luckily, he knows just the person to turn to for help.

The first time Evan walked through the door of his café, Patrick Donovan should have staked his claim then and there. At the time, though, the guy had needed a friend a lot more than he’d needed a date. He never regretted the decision, at least, not until Evan asks for his help in pursing someone else. Now, it’s time to put up or shut up.

There’s just one problem. 

He’s good at temporary, but he has no idea how to be in a committed relationship. Worse, he has one week to figure it out if he wants to prove to Evan that he can be more than just ex-boyfriend material.

~ PATRICK ~
​

I’d just started three fresh pots of coffee when the front door opened, ushering in a gust of wind…and my favorite customer. 

“Hey, Evan.” The rain had slowed to a drizzle, but water droplets still clung to his ebony hair and darkened the shoulders of his gray polo. “What can I get you?”

“Hey,” he echoed, his smile making his eyes sparkle. “I’d like a chicken club panini and a mango green tea, please.” 

I grabbed one of the to-go cups and scribbled his name across it. “You got it. Anything else?”

“That’s it.” He settled quietly onto his usual barstool at the counter and folded his hands together in his lap. 

It had been more than a year since Evan Lewis had moved to our little community, but I could still remember the first time he’d walked into my shop. It had been raining then, too, and he’d been soaked from crown to sole when he’d stepped through the door. He’d apologized profusely for tracking water across the floor, even though every other customer had done the same all day. 

I’d given him a towel, a cup of coffee on the house, and we had talked until closing.
From the moment I’d seen him, I’d been enamored. Tall and lean with big, green eyes framed by thick lashes and set into an angelic face, he was breathtaking. Sure, he was a little strange, and so literal it hurt sometimes, but I’d quickly and easily learned to navigate his idiosyncrasies. In fact, I found the way he just blurted out whatever he was thinking kind of charming. 

I’d had every intention of asking him out that first night, especially after I had learned that he liked men. The more we had talked, though, the more obvious it had become that what he had really needed was a friend. 

Thus, I had checked my libido and taken a step back, letting his actions guide my own. He’d been so shy back then, so reserved, it had taken months to really get to know him, but not once had I ever regretted my decision. 

“So,” Evan said, “I met this guy today.”

Until now.
​

As some of the last remaining dragon shifters in the world, Uriah Maddock and his siblings are regarded as something akin to royalty in the paranormal community. It’s one of the main reasons their hotel has become such a coveted destination for Otherlings. All he wants, though, is to be left alone. He’s not looking for love or romance. In fact, he actively avoids relationships and all their damning consequences. 

Too bad his meddling sister didn’t get the memo.

Kit Meyers is pretty sure he’s hit rock bottom when his car breaks down in the small, mountain town of Echo Falls. He has no money, no place to live, and no prospects. When a not-so-chance encounter leads him to the infamous Blackhaven Manor, he figures he’ll stay for a few weeks, earn some cash, then head back to the safety of the road. But all that changes when he meets a surly dragon shifter with wounded eyes and even more baggage than himself.

Uriah can’t commit to a houseplant, let alone to being someone’s mate. Convinced that Kit is better off without him, he’s prepared to leave everything behind if that means the skittish human will be safe and happy. Yet, as the days pass, he keeps finding new excuses to stay, until he’s finally forced to admit that he’s not going anywhere.

Especially when he realizes he’s not the only dangerous person in Kit’s life.

Back in November, I promised more updates. It took a little longer than anticipated, but here we go!

In my last post, I had mentioned that I was working to release a book by the end of 2020. Obviously, that didn't happen. Just a couple of days after I wrote that, I ended up in the ER with severe stomach pains. A couple of days after that, I was at the surgery center having my gallbladder removed. Recovery didn't quite go as quickly or smoothly as I had hoped, either.

The holidays were a study in chaos. Then, shortly after Christmas, my oldest son came home from work with muscle pains and a cough. I'm sure you already know where this is headed. He tested positive for Covid-19, and of course, that meant everyone else in the house contracted it as well. 

We were fortunate that our symptoms were fairly mild. In fact, my youngest had no symptoms at all. For me, it felt like a really bad cold with a lot of fatigue. The cold symptoms passed in about a week, but I'm still struggling with feeling exhausted all the time. 

Now, I could have a pity party. Especially when you add in our leaking roof (that is only 5 years old), a broken toilet, a sick dog, and what I worry is the beginning stages of early arthritis. When I look at it all, it does sometimes feel like I just can't catch a break.

​But, such is life.

So, I'm going to be optimistic. I'm going to believe that the bad times will fade, and good things will be waiting just around the corner. 

As for new books, I'm feeling better every day, but writing is still going pretty slowly at this point. For now, I can tell you that the next release will be the third book in the Blackhaven Manor series, and it will be a bit longer than the first two. I'm hoping to release it the first week of February, but it really depends on just how long it ends up being. As soon as I'm confident of a release date, though, I'll announce it. 

Beyond that, I'm just taking it one day at a time.

I do have plans for 2021, though. More books, a new series, a couple of joint projects, and another group giveaway with a brand new FREE story. All of which I'll provide more information for as I know it. 

So, 2020, am I right? It's been quite the rollercoaster, and I can't really say that I'm sorry it's coming to an end.

It hasn't been all bad, though. Back in July, after a lot of hemming, hawing, and hand wringing, I finally made the decision to homeschool my youngest. Not distance learning, but full-on homeschooling. It's been quite the adventure, and far more time consuming than I could have imagined, but it has also been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. After years of struggling through traditional school, my autistic child is finally thriving! I couldn't be prouder of him. 

Still, it is a lot of work, which has left very little time or energy for writing in recent months. I haven't stopped writing completely, but things are going to be a little slow going for a while.

​With that being said, let's get to the updates! 

Mr. Big Shot. *sigh*  I've got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that the book is temporarily on hold...again. I finally realized that the reason the story was giving me so many problems was that it just didn't fit into the +One series. The good news is that when it's finished, it should be more than double in length. I have a few other projects in the works right now, so I'm not sure when I'll get back to it, but probably later in 2021. 

Fearless. The third and final book of the Friction trilogy was originally scheduled to release in the summer. Then Covid happened, and it got pushed back to Fall. Then homeschooling (and life) happened, and it had to be pushed back again. As of this posting, I'm really not sure when it's going to be released. I'm tentatively hoping to have it out some time in the Spring, but that date is pretty fluid at the moment.

So, do I have anything concrete to tell you? Unfortunately, no. I'm still writing. I'm working on some different things, starting a couple of new series, and generally just following where the muse takes me. I'm going to try to have a new book out before the end of the year, but I don't know exactly when or even which book yet. (I have a couple that are close to being finished.)

I'll check in again in a couple of weeks, and hopefully, by then, I'll have something to actually tell you. So, hang in there, keep washing your hands, and stay safe.

​And to my American friends, I wish you all a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Night and Fae: Blackhaven Manor, Book 2 is now available at Amazon and free to read with your Kindle Unlimited subscription! 

Colorful and eccentric, Leelan Rivers knows he’s a little too “extra” for some people. Since those people are exceedingly boring, he couldn’t care less about their opinion. Yet, when a night out leads him right into the arms of fate, he never expected the broody vampire to deny the connection between them.

Wealthy and powerful, Sebastian Delgado is used to people wanting things from him. He’s not even surprised at the lies they’ll tell to get them. So, when Leelan claims to be his mate, he’s skeptical to say the least. Leelan might be beautiful and enchanting, but Sebastian has been disappointed too many times in the past not to be suspicious.  
​
All it takes is one bite to reveal the truth but claiming Leelan as his own comes with its own set of problems. Especially when he realizes he’s not the only vampire at Blackhaven Manor interested in the faerie.

“No need to play hard to get. You know you want it, or you wouldn’t be dressed like that.”

While true Leelan had been hoping to attract someone to take back to his room for the evening, that didn’t mean he lacked standards or self-respect. “I really think you should leave.”

Too fast for his eyes to follow, the vampire reached across the table, grabbing Leelan’s wrist and squeezing it roughly. “I think you should be nicer—” 

“Now, now,” a smooth accented voice interrupted. “Is that any way to behave?”

Leelan’s eyes rounded as the most gorgeous specimen of male he’d ever seen stepped up behind his date and wrapped a hand around the back of the vampire’s neck. Dressed impeccably in a tailored black suit that molded to his broad, muscular frame, the stranger looked like he could have stepped right off of a runway. 

No visible tattoos marked his tawny skin. He had no piercings, wore no jewelry, not even a watch. His dark hair was cut short and styled in a conservative though stylish side part. While not really the type Leelan usually went for, he still somehow managed to embody every wet dream Leelan had ever had. 

But that wasn’t why he couldn’t stop staring.

“Get your fucking hands off me,” the vampire growled as he struggled against the hold on his nape. 
The new guy stroked the side of the male’s neck with his thumb. “Even a limited vocabulary doesn’t excuse poor manners.” As he spoke, his thumbnail grew, lengthening nearly two inches before ending in a sharp point. “Now, apologize.”

While he spoke calmly, danger practically radiated from his very being. The vampire must have felt it, too, because he subsided in his chair and lowered his head in obvious submission.

“I apologize,” he mumbled.

Leelan’s rescuer smiled then, revealing long, lethal-looking canines. “Not to me, fledgling.”

The guy seemed far less inclined to offer Leelan an apology, but he eventually lifted his head just enough to meet his gaze. “Sorry.” He winced when the sharp claw dug into his skin. “I’m sorry for being such a dick.”

The other vampire—Leelan was pretty sure the newcomer was a vampire as well—turned his dark, penetrating stare on him. “Well, it wasn’t very eloquent, but will that suffice?”

Leelan nodded numbly. 

“Very well.” Releasing the younger male’s neck, he grabbed the collar of his tank top instead and dragged him to his feet. “Off you go.”

The guy wasted no time getting the hell out of there, and honestly, Leelan really couldn’t blame him. That had been simultaneously the sexiest and most terrifying thing he’d ever witnessed.

“Thank you,” he blurted. “For, well—” He waved his hand vaguely toward the exit. “—you know.”

“Of course.” Lowering himself into the now vacated seat, he reached across the table with another of those oddly chilling smiles. “Sebastian Delgado.”

Leelan took the proffered hand and shivered as a jolt of electricity raced up his arm from the contact. Distracted by the sensation, as well as the misty haze of pure golden light that surrounded the vampire, he lost all train of thought. 

He knew he should say something, but by the fae, he couldn’t even remember his own name. Everything in his brain had been shunted to the side, allowing just one word to repeat on an endless loop.
​
Mine. ​

I hope everyone is staying safe and sane! I just wanted to update everyone with what's going on, and what to expect going forward.

When this year started, I doubt any of us thought our lives would be turned upside down. Even when the stay-at-home orders started being issued, I wasn't overly worried. I work from home. I have anxiety, so I don't leave my house much anyway. To be honest, I didn't expect things to change too much for me. 

I was wrong.

While not leaving my house hasn't really changed, so much else has. My anxiety is on overdrive all the time. Even something as simple as taking my dog for a walk around the neighborhood has become a study in how to actively avoid other people. The grocery stores are getting better, but there are still times when I find empty shelves, or my pick-up order is missing more than half its items, which then necessitates a trip to yet another store. 

The biggest change has been having both of my teenage boys home. I love them, but being surrounded by three men (including my husband) 24/7 with no break has been...challenging.

And, OMG, they eat so much!!!

Online Distance Learning with my kids takes up a huge portion of my day. Not just from helping/teaching them, but from learning the material myself. My Freshman is a special education student with Autism, so he needs a lot of extra help, especially in Algebra.

And I am terrible at math, guys! 

Every week, I spend hours at night watching YouTube videos and trying to figure out what the hell is going on so I can help him understand it. For whatever reason, my brain just doesn't seem to be programmed for math. It is demoralizing and soul-crushing. That may sound dramatic, but I barely passed this math the first time around! 

Now, I say all of this to explain that my days don't leave a lot of time for writing anymore. I'm still working on Night and Fae, but the progress is slow. It's coming. I promise. At this point, though, I just don't know when. I really hope to have it finished before the end of May, but right now, I can't promise that. 

Of course, that means that the rest of my schedule will have to be pushed back as well. The school year officially ends the last week of May, which should free up a lot more time for writing, but that's still a whole month away. Like everyone else around the world, all I can do right now is take it one day at a time and do the best I can. 

So, if you're struggling like me, know that there is nothing wrong with you. You haven't failed. We're all adjusting to this new "normal" and some days are easier than others. That was really hard for me to accept at first, but we're going to get through this.

So, stay safe. Wash your hands. Be kind to each other, and just as importantly, be kind to yourself!