Who can you help for Valentine's Day?
about 1 year ago – Sun, Feb 12, 2023 at 05:08:21 AM

Why Does Connor, the Wolf Alpha Love His Girlfriend so Much? How Can We Help Her for Valentine's Day?

In Dragon Shifters' Hoard book 1, we meet Connor - Pinevale's hotheaded, brash wolf alpha - in a brawl at a party Dante and Zephyr Draki throw at their warehouse. Everyone knows Connor's got a jealous streak a mile wide when it comes to his girlfriend. They all know not to make a play for her - unless they want 170lbs of midnight-furred, snarling male wolf landing on them with his fangs bared.

Except someone didn't know, so that's exactly what happens at the party.

No one stops to ask why Connor feels this way about her. And no one mentions her name.

In book 3, we find out a little more about her, and  why he feels so strongly about protecting her. He's right to stand up for her after everything she's been through.

And there's a chance for you to help her too...

But first, here's an excerpt from book 3, revealing his true feelings for her. She doesn't have a name yet. We've just called her Jane, but that's not actually her name. And that's where you come in. But more about that in a moment.

From Dante and Red, Dragons Shifters' Hoard, book 3 (note - raw draft, this scene hasn't been to our editor yet):

Connor jumped in his van.  Jane took the front passenger  seat, her glossy blonde hair blowing in the breeze from her open window as they sped into Pinevale. 

“Have you summoned your cadre?” she asked, amber eyes calm. “A dumb question, I know.”

“Not so dumb. Yes, I have. I texted them all. We’re meeting in an alley downtown.”

“Good.” Her voice was quiet. Withdrawn. She always retreated inside herself before a fight—to ready herself for battle. He knew better than to disturb her.

Since he’d met her, he’d become a better male. She’d made him who he was. Sure, he’d already been alpha of the Pinevale wolf pack, but Jane had taught him to care. To love. To pay attention to his pack members and nurture them. They way he’d nurtured her and she still nurtured him. Whenever he was with her, he craved her touch, her smile, the sun in her eyes. Gods, he’d do anything to make sure that sun never went out. 

Despite her mental retreat, when he shifted gears to take a corner, he brushed a lazy hand over her thigh. She rewarded him with a twitch of her lips and a warm glow in her amber eyes. It was always like this: when they touched, they set each other’s souls aflame. 

Howling wolf blood! He was lucky to have her. 

One night, two years ago, he’d heard a bloodcurdling scream that’d chilled his spine. He bounded down an alley to help. A man had shoved Jane up against a wall, and was groping at her top. She’d been so small, pale and defenseless, Connor had seen red, shifted, and slashed his claws through the tendons on the back of the guy’s legs so he couldn’t walk.  The idiot had fainted from the pain, and while he was passed out, bleeding on the alley’s cobble stones,  Jane had started shaking so violently, Connor knew it wasn’t only shock.

Her terrified scream had spoken to him as Pinevale’s alpha, because she was one of them. 

Her legs and arms trembled, her teeth chattering, and her body convulsing and twitching.  Her jeans, denim jacket and cute orange halter top shredded as beautiful white fur rippled across her body and she transmogrified into a slinky female wolf. 

Jane lifted her head and howled at the moon, confused and distraught. Yowling and scratching at her fur, she tried to shed her new skin. 

He’d calmed her. Taken her under his wing, and showed her what life was like as a powerful wolf. They’d spent weeks in the forest together, hunting feral cats, squirrels and small game, until he was afraid she wouldn't remember how to be human. 

Her story came out gradually as she learned to trust him. He treated her like a little sister. Encouraged her, helped her come out of herself and learn to trust.

She’d been orphaned as a kid. The night he’d met her, her tenth foster dad had beaten her up for not doing her homework. Her foster mother had joined in too, kicking her ribs and screaming that she was useless. She fled into the night and curled up against a brick wall in an alley to sleep. Then the lowlife had woken her roughly, demanding sex. 

Thank the flaming full moon Connor had heard her scream.

That lowlife had been captured by the cops after Connor’s tip off, and when they’d tested his DNA, they’d found the culprit had committed a chain of rapes across the city. No one had yet figured out how his tendon had been slashed or what he’d been doing in an alley scattered with a woman’s tattered clothing. But that was fine. Jane was safe. And, with the jerk behind bars for life, so were many other women in Pinevale.

It’d taken a year before Connor had realized he loved her. On her eighteenth birthday, she’d wandered into the den to a surprise party and her face had lit up like a thousand candles. She’d flung her arms around his shoulders, and as he’d scented her, inhaling the happy tang of sunny days in meadows, he’d known he loved her.

 Sure, he loved all his wolves. He was responsible for  their welfare. Cared for each one of them. But he didn’t love any them like that. 

The sort of love that made his bones melt when she walked into a room and his gaze met her blazing amber eyes. The sort of love that made him want to rip off his fur, beat his chest and roar, “mine,” every time another guy checked out her cute backside. The sort of love that would have him die in her stead if he had to. Although everyone called him fiercely protective and an alpha hothead, when it came to Jane, he wasn’t taking any chances.

[Please be aware that this is a raw unedited draft and there will be changes. Thanks.]

Help Connor and his Sweet Girlfriend

Aw, such a big fierce alpha with a hot spot for his sweetheart. With our Valentine's Add-ons, you can name Connor's sweetheart, decide what she looks like (her hair, fur and eye color etc.), and her fighting style, and we'll work with you to make sure those details fit our story. We'll also include your name in a special Valentine's page in the back of book 3. 

Yes, you'll name the brave female wolf shifter who helps turn the tide of battle. The female who has changed Connor into a better man, a better alpha, and a more compassionate male.

But be quick! Our Valentine's add-ons run out at dawn 15th February! (6 a.m. 15 Feb EST)

Catering Company up for Grabs!

There's a wedding in Book 3. Whether it's a match made in Heaven or a match made in you-know-where, we can't reveal. #nospoilers 

But we can let you decide the name of the catering company that provides the delicacies for the wedding. We'll even you you decide on a couple of hors d'oeuvres they'll serve, if you want! The name you choose will be emblazoned on the side of the catering van, and will spill from the lips of Fae, mage and shifter guests. We'll also include your name in a special Valentine's page in the back of book 3. 

But get in quick! Do I need to remind you? Our Valentine's add-ons run out at dawn 15th February! (6 a.m. 15 Feb EST)

If you've already pledged, click 'manage your pledge', and then click the Valentine's Add-on you'd like.

If you haven't pledged yet, select a reward then choose Valentine's add-on. Thank you!

We Aced Another Stretch Goal!

Thank you so much for getting behind out project! When A.J. Ponder gets back from hiking the Routeburn track in Southern New Zealand, we'll show you the cool character cards she's created for you, which detail statistics and fun facts about our five main characters. Woo hoo! You did it!

New mini stretch goal -$NZ 5400

When we reach our new mini-stretch goal of $NZ5400, we'll provide you with cool digital quote cards from our main characters! These feature various scenes and quotes - and will be included in the digital art pack. Please help us to hit this one quick, because after that, we have a higher goal that will stretch us a little farther, with a fantabulous, super-duper reward! Only 7 days until the campaign finishes! And we have so much more we'd like to give you!

Week 3 - Bonus Perks!

Everyone who pledges, also receives these  books! Yes, that's everyone from day 1 until the project ends in 7 days! You'll be the  owner of these fabulous books:

• Ruby Dragon by Eileen Mueller
• OG-Grim-Dog by Jamie Edmunson
• Heir of Madness by T.L. Branson (co-founder of Indie Fantasy Addicts)
• Dough Boy by Becky James
• Wolf's Quest by Hannah Steenbock

 Soon, we'll be back with more goodies. The sooner you pledge, the more you'll collect! We have another fabulous bonus lined up and a surprise in the wings! 

Our shout out for other Kickstarter projects.

Dragons Gap book by 1 LM Lacee

Enjoy dragons and shifters in Dragons Gap.

Dargath Chronicles and Dusk Orbit Blues by Deston J Munden

Travel to a fantasy world with an orc tavern owner facing an ancient being, or a sci-fi world with space hillbilllies and cyborgs. Or enjoy both.

We hope you have a lovely Valentine's Day, whether you decide to help Connor's girlfriend (NOT Jane, right?) forge her identity, have fun with our catering company, or just enjoy a good read! Remember, Valentine's is about the spirit of love, so take care of those you love, but most importantly, also take care of yourself!

Cheers,

Eileen Mueller & A. J.  Ponder

Valentine's Add-ons!
about 1 year ago – Thu, Feb 09, 2023 at 04:40:05 AM

We Hit our Flash Goal in 24 hrs! Thanks!

We hit our 48-hr flash goal in 24 hours!! THANK YOU!!! You've unlocked the reward! We're sending a double-sided postcard to every backer who has pledged for a physical reward, and we're including a digital copy in the digital art pack. In case you don't remember what the postcard looks like, it's below our special, exciting Valentine's announcement!

We're only a few dollars away from unlocking our stretch goal and a set of digital character stat cards for everyone. These 5 cool cards feature a pic of each character, statistics about them, and a quote. We'll show you a sample in an update soon. (We have a mock-up, but it's not quite right yet, and our art wizard, A.J. Ponder, is currently deep in the New Zealand bush, hiking, so we'll need to wait for her to emerge!)

Valentine's Add-on Rewards!

We're excited that the season of love is upon us! 

So excited to have something special for you! 

Something romantic!

Feeling creative? Always wanted to name something or someone cool in a book? 

Now's your chance.

For just a few days, we're opening up the chance to name cool characters,  and unusual, um, romantic things, via our Kickstarter! Yeah, we don't want ruin the surprise, so we've added a new banner at the bottom of our main campaign page, which explains everything, so hop on over!

Pledge a dollar, or a million, and you'll be given the opportunity via the add-on menu to create a name we can use in our story! But be quick! These Valentine's Day offers run out at about dawn (6 a.m. EST) on 15 February!

If you've already pledged, just click here to update your pledge and choose which Valentine's Add-on you'd like!

Our campaign is already halfway, so don't miss out on the cool swag, bonus books, special edition ebooks, paperbacks or hardbacks or the chance to get in on the action and name... well, stuff! Pop over here to check out exactly what you can name!

Remember, pledge before midnight 12 Feb EST and you'll receive the week 2 bonus pack of 5 exciting fantasy ebooks!

Projects we like:

Mystics and Mayhem by Heather Renee

Mystics and Mayhem Exclusive Hardcovers!

Get  your special editions of Paranormal Romance series: Broken Court, Luna  Marked, Scorned by Blood, and Fated to the Wolf today!

One magical world. Four connected series. Everything to love.

Do you enjoy strong-willed and relatable heroines in your books? What  about heroes who love fiercely and don't overshadow their mates? How  about series that can be read on their own, but also connect with a  bigger world?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, and love spicy romance, get ready to dive into  the brand-new, special edition omnibuses of all four series within the  Mystics and Mayhem universe!

The Spinners of Time by Amy Wolf

Books 1 & 2 of the Turkish-inspired dragon fantasy series filled  with action, romance, and terrifying mythological creatures.

Do you yearn to explore  a mysterious world that harkens back to dragon myths first told in ancient Turkey? Are you eager to enter a world beyond the traditional fantasy settings?

Then welcome to the magical world of Gehān.

We hope you enjoy our Valentine's Add-ons!

Cheers,

Eileen & AJ

Eileen Mueller & A.J. Ponder

Week 2 - Bonus Perks & Flash Goal!
about 1 year ago – Mon, Feb 06, 2023 at 08:57:29 PM

Dragon Shifters' Hoard!

• Are you obsessed with paranormal romance, dragons or dragon shifters?
• Do you love magic, mages and lethal Fae?
• Are kick-butt heroines, hot heroes and danger your thing?

...then Dragon Shifters’ Hoard is the fantasy book series for you.

Flash Goal!

Our campaign is humming along, however, we've decided to up the game with a physical reward and a 48-hr flash goal! We'll send a double-sided postcard to every backer who has pledged for  a physical reward, if we hit $NZ 4,500 by midnight 8 Feb EST! 

We'll also include a digital copy in the digital art pack. 

If only 2 people pledge for a physical copy of the trilogy, this postcard will be unlocked! 

Here's the artwork for both sides of the physical postcard:

Week 2 - Bonus Perks!

Everyone who pledges before 12pm Sat. 11 Feb EST, also receives these books! Yes, that's everyone from day 1 until 11 Feb! You'll be the owner of these fabulous books:

• Secret Story by A. J. Ponder
• The Chronicles of Aurion by Tiger Hebert
• The Curse of the Arcadian Stone by S.L. Breaker
• The Elemental Oder by M. R. Kelly
• Heart of the Forest by Anthea Sharp

Soon, we'll be back with more goodies. The sooner you pledge, the more you'll collect!

We hope you'll hop on board and get behind our project! Feel free to share Dragon Shifters' Hoard on social media or with your friends! Thank you!

Below are some other kickstarter campaigns you may enjoy:

The Obsidian Spindle Saga by Russell Nohelty

Eight portal fantasy novels filled with fairy tales, mythology, action, and romance.

Fairy tales are real.

Rose Briar is a diabetic college student without insurance. She’s  been scraping by through a combination of maxing out credit cards and  relying upon the kindness of strangers.

Unfortunately, she’s spent every dollar at her disposal. There’s no money left to buy her life-saving insulin.

Without her medication, Rose falls into a diabetic coma. She tumbles  into a deep slumber and wakes up in a fantastical place called the Dream  Realm, where fairy tales and legends of old are still very much alive.

She has one chance to wake up.

She must trek across the world, visit the most powerful object in the  land, the Obsidian Spindle, and entreat the fates; the only beings  powerful enough to send her soul back to Earth.

But evil forces don’t want her to leave. They will stop at nothing to capture her and make sure she never goes home again.

Russell is  one of the people who convinced me to run my kickstarter project! I've worked with Russell since 2018 and he's been a powerhouse, coordinating projects with fantasy authors and kicking off the Action Fantasy Book Club, which I'm also part of.  We had a blast when we met each other in person recently at an author conference in Las Vegas. Pop over and check out his Obsidian Spindle Saga kickstarter.

The First Ancestor by J D L Rossell

She avenged the fallen. Rebelled against an empire. Commanded a titan itself. Now, Leiyn must win a war against death incarnate.

Oathbound to a deceased shaman, the ranger Leiyn ventures north with  her comrades to fight alongside the Gasts in their ancestral war.

But this enemy is like none other Leiyn has faced. Ancient and malevolent, the very world bends to their dominion.

To overcome them, she seeks to rediscover a secret lost to time. A magic even dryvans fear.

The true power of titans.

Leiyn must prevail, for the Gasts’ war reaches far beyond the Veiled  Lands. Should she falter now, the Gast nation shall fall, and all of  Unera will soon follow.

Josiah is a good friend of mine, a fellow member of Indie Fantasy Addicts, and his books are great. I hope you check out his First Ancestor kickstarter.

2nd Stretch Goal Rewards Unlocked - 3rd Stretch Goal in Sight!!!
about 1 year ago – Thu, Feb 02, 2023 at 07:02:43 AM

Get in Quick, and Win!

Everyone who backs in the next 20 hours (by midnight 3 Feb NZ time or 6am 3 Feb EST) receives these 3 ebooks, plus any additional bonus ebook rewards we offer throughout our project! 

Be an Early-Bird and enjoy these 3 books!

3rd Stretch Goal - $4800

Our next Stretch Goal will unlock digital stat cards about each of the 5 main characters, including a head shot of each, and interesting stats and facts about them. After that, we have exciting new features for the hardbacks to reveal! A.J. Ponder is on a deadline with a project, then on holiday, but as soon as she's back, we'll have a sample stat card to show you! 

Thanks again!

You've unlocked draki chapter headings in all print books by hitting our 2nd stretch goal!  If you'd like to see the sample chapter headings and help us choose between dark or pale illustrations, feel free to pop into Eileen's Facebook group and comment on this post. There's some interesting discussion going on! Thanks again for supporting our project and helping bring these special editions to life.

Campaigns we like:

Kingdom of Curses and Shadows Collector Edition Omnibus

An enemies-to-lovers, quirky YA fantasy series with mysterious magic, fast-paced adventure, witty banter, and girl power, by Day Leitao

Yes, Zora cheated her way into the Royal Games, but it was for a very good reason. Spite.

Her ex-boyfriend thought she couldn't attain glory on her own. Just because she was a girl. And he was the real cheater.

So she took his place.

Paranormal Romance Book Box: Exclusive Edition Swag & Art

If you also like steamy paranormal romance, check out this campaign by Kel Carpenter.

“Markus Del Reyes, I reject you.” He left me no choice.  
I refuse to spend the rest of my life with my childhood bully for a  mate. I may be a cursed shifter, incapable of shifting—but I wasn’t  desperate.
Not till the Alpha Supreme cast me out of the House of Fire and Fluorite for rejecting his son.
Now I’m packless.
Homeless.
No longer under the protection of a House.
Until the dark vampire king of Blood and Beryl turns his sights on me.

Funded! First Stretch Goal Met! Rewards Unlocked! Thank you!
over 1 year ago – Mon, Jan 30, 2023 at 03:52:18 AM

Yay! You Did It Again!

Thank you for supporting our Dragon Shifters' Hoard Special Edition Hardbacks! We were thrilled when our project funded in 23 minutes! And overjoyed when we hit our first stretch goal within 15 hours! It's all thanks to you!

Your Reward status

A.J. Ponder is working on creating the extra wallpaper we promised as our first stretch goal reward. We’ll reveal it as soon as she’s done!

Stretch Goal 2 - $NZ 2,800

We're not far away from achieving our 2nd Stretch goal, which is great, because we're dying to give you more rewards when we hit Stretch Goal 2!

When we have pledges of  $2,800, we’ll add dragons motifs of the draki twins to all of the chapter headings in our print books.

Here’s a sneak peek at what they could look like! We have two variants! 

Which do you like best?

And we’d love to make a decision with your input! Please comment and tell us whether you like the darker Draki twins or the paler versions.

Thank you for being part of our cool project!

Early Bird Status! Pledge Before Midnight 3 Feb, NZ time (approx 6 a.m. 3 Feb EST.)

• Everyone who pledges before the early bird deadline will receive 3 digital books:  Ebook of Quest by A.J. Ponder; Ebook of Call of the Sea  by Eileen Mueller; Audio short story of Dad's Wisdom by Eileen Mueller.
   
• Our early bird discounted paperback trilogy & art bundles have SOLD OUT!
   
•  STILL AVAILABLE BUT GET IN QUICK!  *** There are ONLY TWO discounted hardback trilogy, art & audio   bundles left.***
   
• The Name a Mage and Hardback trilogy bundle has SOLD OUT. One of our cool superfans is naming the head of the mage gang that features throughout the series!

More Rewards Coming Soon!

We're working on more goodies behind the scenes, and hope to show them to you as soon as we've hit our second stretch goal! If you have friends who’d love YA fantasy with dragon shifters, enemies to lovers, danger and magic, please let them know about Dragon Shifters’ Hoard so we can unlock more cool rewards for everyone!

Other projects we like:

In the meantime, we’d like to share some other projects which have caught our attention on Kickstarter:

The Crystal Saga Reborn, by our friend Katie Cherry

Andrew Clayton's epic fantasy

We'll catch you soon with more exciting rewards! Thanks again, for being part of Team Dragon Shifters' Hoard! 

Cheers,

Eileen and A.J. Ponder