Just a quick update on Beauty and Bad Blood. 

So, my wonderful, awesome, fantabulous husband surprised me with a trip to Puerto Rico! It was my fist time leaving the continental US and my first time swimming in the ocean.

I didn't write while we were gone. I didn't even take my laptop. I had an amazing time, however, and I feel recharged and ready to tackle the end of the this book now! 

My characters are still doing things to surprise me, so I haven't written the new blurb yet. Honestly, I'll probably wait until closer to the end to do that. I'm still estimating this book will be about 85k when it's finished, which means, I'm right around three-quarters finished. 

Beauty and Bad Blood will definitely be out in November, but as of right now, I don't have a release date. I'm nearing the finish line though, so hopefully, I'll have another update to share in the next week or so. 

Until next time!
​XoXo ~ Arden

Every writer has their process. Some like to edit as they go. Others word vomit onto the page, then go back and clean up the mess later. I probably fall somewhere in between. I make small changes as I go, but when the story gets flipped upside down, I just make a lot of notes on things I need to rewrite later. 

I took a break from Beauty and Bad Blood when my husband was in the hospital. Coming back to it several months later was like reading it for the first time.

Thankfully, I was able to keep most of what I had already written, but as I read through those beginning chapters, I knew I was going to make some big changes that would effect the rest of the story. So I stopped fighting it and just let the characters take over. Apparently, they have a lot to say.

My manuscript is currently sitting pretty at around 50k words, and I am just a little over the halfway point of the story. I'm estimating that this book is going to be between 85k and 90k when it's finished. I had really hoped to have it released by Halloween, but with 20k-ish extra words to write, that doesn't look like it's going to happen.

​I can confidently say that Beauty and Bad Blood will be out sometime in November, but that's as specific as I can be right now. If the story goes over 90k, that obviously means more days of writing, which then leads to more days of editing.

I've also realized that with the changes I've made, the blurb needs a little tweaking as well. I'll try to have an updated blurb posted sometime this week. I can't wait to share Rogue and Dylan with everyone, but I also want to make sure I do their story justice.

​In the meantime, I will try to post updates more frequently, so be sure to check back soon! 

It's here! It's finally here!! Pain in the Ice is now live on Amazon, and as always, free to read with your KU subscription!
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​Thade Maddock would literally rather die than spend four weeks aboard a cruise ship with nine hundred strangers in the middle of the Pacific. When it happens to be his best friend’s dying request, however, he can’t exactly refuse the invitation. On the bright side, the ship’s pool does offer some stunning views. Like the human male with fiery red hair and a smile to rival the sun. 

Although he wouldn’t consider himself naïve, Micah Francis has led a rather insulated life. Having had limited contact with Otherlings and little knowledge about the paranormal world in general, meeting a dragon shifter his first day on the ship is nothing less than magical. Tall and brooding with a body made for sin, Thade is everything he had imagined a dragon would be. He didn’t, however, expect to feel so obsessively drawn to the guy after just one conversation. 

But falling in love is the easy part. When Thade’s friend begins to deteriorate quicker than anticipated, the demon’s illness places the entire ship in danger. As pandemonium ensues and a multitude of dark emotions infects the passengers, happily-ever-after feels a long way off. 
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Because unless they can find a way to bring order to the madness, no one is making it out alive.

As a general rule, Thade didn’t stick his nose into other people’s business. He did what was necessary to enforce the guidelines at Blackhaven Manor, and he would never allow guests to mistreat his staff, but he didn’t go out of his way to play the hero. 

Every once in a while, however, he encountered a situation that required him to act, to be the protector he tried so hard to avoid. 

With his gaze hidden behind his dark sunglasses, he’d been watching the human male from the moment he’d stepped onto the deck. Beyond his vivid red hair, nothing about him made him stand out from the other guests, but Thade hadn’t been able to look away. 

His complexion went beyond fair and could only be described as pale, but with a smattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks. Despite the considerable distance that separated them, and the way the newcomer squinted against the sun, Thade had no trouble discerning the stunning lime green of his irises. 

He had wondered why the guy didn’t just use the sunglasses perched atop his head. Then he realized he wasn’t the only one staring. Mr. Lean, Fair, and Freckled was checking him out, too, and judging by his increased heart rate, he liked what he saw. Thade wasn’t looking for love, but he wouldn’t mind passing a night or two with the beautiful stranger.

He had still been deciding on his next move when the guy’s attention had been drawn away by the female who had accompanied him onto the deck. Like a puff of smoke on the breeze, whatever connection that had passed between them vanished. That should have been the end of it, but Thade couldn’t resist the temptation to let his gaze linger a little longer.

With his eyes still hidden, he watched both humans, studying the way they interacted as he tried to ascertain the depth of their relationship.
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It shouldn’t have mattered. He definitely shouldn’t have felt relief when he heard them mention the female’s fiancé. Yet he hadn’t been able to relax until he’d been satisfied that nothing romantic existed between them. He didn’t have a name for the feeling that had coursed through him in the lead-up to the revelation, but it had been foreign, uncomfortable, and he hoped to never experience it again.

It has been a good week, and I love that I'm able to say that for once! 

Writing is going well. I'm making steady progress, and I should be finished next week. Then, a round of pre-edits, polishing, and refining before sending it off to my editor. I am, however, going to be out of town the second week of September, so that does put a little kink in the timeline. 

With that said, Pain in the Ice: Blackhaven Manor, Book 8 will be available on Amazon and KU September 15, 2022! 

​Thade Maddock would literally rather die than spend four weeks aboard a cruise ship with nine hundred strangers in the middle of the Pacific. When it happens to be his best friend’s dying request, however, he can’t exactly refuse the invitation. On the bright side, the ship’s pool does offer some stunning views. Like the human male with fiery red hair and a smile to rival the sun. 

Although he wouldn’t consider himself naïve, Micah Francis has led a rather insulated life. Having had limited contact with Otherlings and little knowledge about the paranormal world in general, meeting a dragon shifter his first day on the ship is nothing less than magical. Tall and brooding with a body made for sin, Thade is everything he had imagined a dragon would be. He didn’t, however, expect to feel so obsessively drawn to the guy after just one conversation. 

But falling in love is the easy part. When Thade’s friend begins to deteriorate quicker than anticipated, the demon’s illness places the entire ship in danger. As pandemonium ensues and a multitude of dark emotions infects the passengers, happily-ever-after feels a long way off. 
​
Because unless they can find a way to bring order to the madness, no one is making it out alive.

Hello friends! It's been such a long time since we've sat down for a chat, hasn't it? How have you been?

My life has been a bit of a rollercoaster, filled with the ups and downs on the road of recovery. I'm pleased to report that my husband is doing well and even surpassing the doctor's expectations. He's not back to 100% yet, and he still has limitations, as well as painful days, but every day is a little better than the last.

​In my last post, I mentioned I would be taking a step back from Beauty and Bad Blood, but that I would still be writing. And I tried. I really did. I have started and put aside three different books since June. I'll eventually get back to those stories, but I just wasn't in a good headspace to write them at the time.

Having reached the halfway-ish point in my current book, however, I'm comfortable announcing that Pain in the Ice: Blackhaven Manor, Book 8 will be coming soon! Thade Maddock's story wasn't supposed to be next, but he was very demanding, and I make it a point never to argue with dragons. I don't have a solid release date yet, but I've got my eye on the first week of September. 

After that, I'll be taking a short break to visit my oldest son in Florida. Then, it will be back to work on Beauty and Bad Blood, which I hope to finish by the beginning of October. 

That is as far out as I have scheduled right now, but I will have more updates to post in the near future. Look for the cover and blurb for Pain in the Ice to be posted next week! 

Last, but certainly not least, a huge thank you to all of YOU for being so understanding and supportive. You have been far more patient than I have any right to expect, and I can't adequately express how much I appreciate it. 

Anyone who has ever endured a health crises or supported a loved one through something scary and traumatic has probably asked themselves the same question. Is this Hell? Obviously, I have never been. I hear it's hot, and there's no room service or wi-fi. I kind of imagine this is what it feels like, though. 

In my last post, I told you about our recent health scare. To summarize, my husband passed out at the gym and had to be revived with a portable defibrillator. After a a brief hospital stay, multiple follow up visits, and lots of tests, he was eventually referred to a cardiologist in Dallas who ordered a cardiac catheterization. If you're unfamiliar with the procedure (I was), it's where they insert a tube through an artery in either your groin or wrist, then thread that to the heart where they inject dye. It's done to check for blocked arteries and for possible stent placement. 

My husband is only 41, has never smoked, and leads a pretty healthy lifestyle in terms of diet and exercise. However, he still has high cholesterol thanks to genetics. We were worried, of course, but we figured he'd have this test done, they might have to place a stent, and we'd be home by mid-afternoon.

Unfortunately, that's not even close to what happened.

We arrived at the heart clinic at 5:30 in the morning for him to have the procedure at 7:00. By noon, he had been admitted to the hospital and scheduled for cardiac bypass surgery 48 hours later. He had two blocked arteries, both too severe for a stent, and he already had some mild weakening of his heart. 

It has been a really long fucking week. The nine hours he was in surgery were probably the most stressful of my life. Seeing him hooked up to a myriad of wires and tubes afterwards, witnessing how much pain he was in, is something I will never forget. Then, of course, there are the practical things. I'm not allowed to stay overnight with him, and the hospital is 30 minutes away on the turnpike...and I HATE driving in traffic. I'm at the hospital 8 to 12 hours every day, while still fitting in errands and chores before and after. 

He's been an absolute rock star, though. The surgery went really well, and he's recovering quicker than even the doctors had expected. In fact, we're hopeful he'll be able to come home within the next 48 hours. 

It's not over, though. While he's moving much better, and the pain is manageable, it's still going to be several weeks before he's recovered. And once he's home, it's all on me. No more nurses or techs to take on some of the load. 

Of course, I love my husband, and I am more than willing to do this for him, but that does mean any writing is going to be spotty at best for the next couple of months. Moreover, if I do write, it's not going to be Beauty and Bad Blood. 

I'm so sorry. I know you have been waiting on this story for a long time, but I just have so many negative feelings around this book right now. Trying to finish it while in this headspace wouldn't be fair to the characters or to you. So, for now, Beauty and Bad Blood is temporarily on hold. I just need a little breathing room, some time to de-stress, and once things get back to some semblance of normal, I promise I'll wrap it up and get it released. 

In the meantime, I don't really know what I'll be writing, so I guess I'll be just as surprised as you, and that's kind of exciting! 

Until Next Time
XoXo ~ Arden

It's been a rocky couple of weeks. I've been dealing with a lot of pain, swelling, and stiffness in my left hip. It makes it hard to walk and do normal daily things, but it's also difficult to sit still in one position for too long...you know, like when I'm writing. I'm hoping to get into the doctor to have it checked out soon, but right now, it's kind of on hold.

Last week, my husband passed out at the gym after a pretty brutal workout and was rushed by ambulance to the nearest cardiac hospital. After a couple of days in the hospital and several tests, doctors couldn't find any indication that he'd had a heart attack, even though coaches at the gym had to do chest compressions until EMTs arrived.

Unfortunately, they also don't know what caused the episode. My husband is still pretty young, he eats well, is at a healthy weight, and he exercises regularly. So, the past week has been filled with visits to various doctors, and we still have more tests to schedule. 

As you can imagine, my stress level is through the roof. ​
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I'm still trying to fit in writing where I can, but it hasn't been easy. Sometimes, it feels like I'm never going to finish this book, but I'm getting there one word at a time. Hubby has more tests scheduled for next week, and I'm crossing my fingers that we are going to finally get some answers.

I was hoping to have a release date to share today, but that just didn't happen. Please know that I'm trying, but right now, the best I can do is take it day by day and just do the next right thing. 

You guys have been so patient, and I can't tell you how much that means to me. With any luck, my next update is going to be filled with much better news! 
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Just a quick update to let you guys know that I'm still working on Beauty and Bad Blood. Life has just been kind of a mess lately. Not only have I been extremely busy, but it feels like March and most of April was just one disaster after another.

Lightning hit our house and destroyed a lot of electronics, including a brand new television. It also damaged some of the wiring, so we didn't have electricity to two rooms or our smoke detectors for a bit. Someone wrecked into our car in the parking lot and just drove off. The garage door stopped working. Two of our irrigation lines started leaking. Someone stole my credit card number AND my email address??? I could go on, but you get the idea. 

Things are still pretty hectic, but I'm carving out time to make some real progress on this book. My goal (plan? hope?) is to have Beauty and Bad Blood released by the end of May. This story is looking to be between 70-75k, so we'll see if I can make it happen, Cap'n. I'm also not sure if I will put this one on preorder or not. It'll largely depend on my editor's schedule, but I should know more in a couple of weeks. 

Until then, here's the cover and blurb! 

All That Glitters: A Nocturne Bay Story is now available at Amazon and free to read with your Kindle Unlimited subscription! 

EXCERPT

Well…fuck. 

Yeah, yeah, it was supposed to be the happiest moment of his life. Rainbows and unicorns mixed with raging hormones and non-stop sex. Blah, blah, yada, yada. And okay, dude was stupid hot, but Skyler Hastings was shitting bricks.

Metaphorically, of course, because…ouch. 

Sure, there might have been a time when he’d dreamed of finding the missing part of his soul. He’d spent lonely nights imagining what it would be like to meet that one person who was meant just for him, the one being in the whole universe who would complete him. 

Or whatever other clichéd bullshit people liked to wax poetic about. 

Yep, he’d bought into it all, right up until his life had taken a sudden and drastic turn. Now, he had baggage, lots of it, like bus depot levels, and this was not a good time for him to run off into the sunset with some insanely sexy shifter. 

Which meant he had a decision to make. 

Walking away wasn’t an option. For a shifter, being refused by their mate was basically a death sentence, and he didn’t want that. Hell, he wouldn’t wish that on his worst enemy. 

He could complete their bond, allow the guy to claim him, then disappear. That was probably the right thing to do. It would ensure Rafe’s safety in more ways than one, even if it condemned them both to a life of loneliness.

At least Rafe would have a life, though. 

But this was his mate. He’d been given a gift from fate, and frankly, it seemed in poor taste to turn up his nose at such a rare treasure. There would be no second chances, no do-overs. He only got one shot at this, and yeah, it made him a selfish bastard, but damn it, he wanted this. He wanted Rafe. At the very least, he wanted the opportunity to prove he deserved him. 

Which brought him full circle because to deserve his mate, he had to do right by him, and in this case, that meant letting him go.  

Sighing, he wiped the water from his face and tilted his head to the side to indicate the porch. “We should talk.”

I feel like it's been forever since I've been able to say this, but this week was amazeballs! 

As many of you know, my oldest moved out (and all the way to freaking Florida) last summer. This week was the first time I've gotten to see him since August! We had awesome adventures at the Museum of Illusions and the Dallas World Aquarium (which has a surprising lack of aquatic animals.) I cooked all of his favorite foods. We had game nights and talked about life.

All that glitters is not gold. 

It’s a lesson Skyler Hastings learned the hard way, and one he’s still paying the price for. Indebted to a vicious vampire who would rather see him dead than let him go, he’s not looking for love. The last thing he wants is to drag someone else into his mess. So, when he encounters his mate outside of the local nightclub, he’s not sure if fate has a morbid sense of humor or just comically bad timing. 

Cursed to a life of emotional numbness, it has been millennia since Rafe Valladolid has experienced even a passing connection with another person. Sure, he can fake social niceties, but things like love, joy, anger, and grief are all lost to him. That is until he meets a feisty raven shifter who sends him spiraling out of control. So what if the guy is a thief? Or has a mouth that won’t stop? After three thousand years of nothingness, Skyler makes him feel. 

It’s not all candy hearts and rainbow sprinkles, though. While a flood of confusing emotions threatens to pull Rafe under, something sinister stalks his mate, and both seem hellbent on destroying them. Yet, Rafe isn’t worried. He might look like a tame pussycat, but he’s still an ancient warrior who cut his teeth on the bloodiest of battlefields. 
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He’s survived wars, plagues, and famine. How much trouble can one baby bloodsucker be?