Weekend Writing Warriors ~ Burned at the Stake

April 7, 2018 by Alexis Duran

Greetings and welcome to another exciting episode of Weekend Writing Warriors. Ah, April. The trees are budding out, delicious little birds are scampering about the patio, driving the cats nuts, and tax receipts are overflowing my desk and spilling to the floor. Ever since becoming a self-employed author, preparing year end taxes has become so very interesting. Seems like a great time to grab the laptop and lock myself in a comfortable closet with Jacqui and his best friend Zee.

I’m continuing to share from Prowl, Book 1 in the Jacqui the Cat mysteries, to be released soon. Jacqui, a cat shifter, is about to get real with his friend Zee (not a cat, but still a nice person).

***

Kissing Zee made Jacqui’s mind wander briefly to Wyatt West. Man, how he wanted to kiss that man. He couldn’t have anyone that close, though. Couldn’t risk being exposed, locked up, burned at the stake, or worst of all, rejected.

“What’s the matter, love?” Zee asked, pulling back but still standing very close, still resting a hand on Jacqui’s cheek. “You seem a little less you today.”

“I didn’t sleep last night, that’s all. Everything had to be perfect, you know.”

“I know, you work too hard.” Zee stepped back to admire the suit again. “Still no special love muffin to call your own?”

***

For the fun of it, here’s an interesting number by Maiko Takeda, milliner and jewelry designer extraordinaire.

Update RE: Jacqui’s release into the world. For those of you paying attention, first of all, thank you! Second of all, because I will have a swarm of re-releases coming out in early May, I’ve decided to postpone Jacqui’s release until after the dust has settled a bit. For context, my publisher Loose Id is closing, so I’m repackaging the SEVEN novels I have out with them. New covers, new lower prices! Stay tuned. May will be exciting.

***

Because I don’t have enough to do, I created a Pintrist board for Jacqui’s design company, Cat’s Eye Creations. If you too are looking to get lured into a time suck of doom, check it out! Cat’s Eye Creations on Pinterist

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Jacqui the Cat Mysteries, the cozy gay shifter romance mystery series the world has been waiting for~

Jacqui Corleone is a fashion designer, a yoga-instructor and a concerned citizen who selflessly helps the police solve crimes. Oh, and he occasionally turns into a small wild cat. Probably due to a wizard’s curse or an evil government plot to create super warriors.

Or, he’s a cat cursed to turn into a human and only the bite of a sexy alpha lion will allow him to remain in his superior form of Cat.

Jacqui does not have a split personality, but sometimes his cat personality can get rather loud.

Loud? You’re loud.

Jacqui Corleone is a cat shifter who doesn’t know why or how he turns into a cat. He lives a solitary life in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. He’s not afraid of intimacy (yes, he is) but sensibly refrains from potentially awkward entanglements. Unfortunately, the sexy new deputy sheriff just moved in across the street and Jacqui’s vow not to get mixed up with island dudes is sorely challenged.

When the mysterious disappearance of three blue pots draws Jacqui to investigate, he’s drawn ever deeper into danger–and into the muscular but not too bulgy or veiny arms of deputy Wyatt West (you wish).

Join Jacqui (and Cat) in this new exciting and sexy gay shifter romance mystery series from bestselling author (she wishes) Alexis Duran. Coming soon! **UPDATE** Coming in May! So close. So very close.

***

This post is part of an ongoing blog hop hosted by Weekend Writing Warriors. Every Sunday, participating authors post eight to ten sentences from a published work or perhaps their current work in progress. Then we hop to our fellow warriors’ blogs and check out all the fabulous fiction that’s happening! I heartily invite you to participate as a reader, writer, or both. It’s a great way to discover your next favorite book. Click here or use the address: http://www.wewriwa.com

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ Divinely Weird

March 31, 2018 by Alexis Duran

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the blog hop where a bunch of really awesome writers share their work in excerpts of ten sentences or less. I’ve been sharing from Prowl, my soon-to-be-released gay romance/mystery. This scene is from Chapter 2, where our hero Jacqui, a cat shifter/fashion designer, is hanging out with his client/friend Zee. Here’s last week’s post, if you’d like to catch up.

***

Zee stepped up, cradled Jacqui’s face, and planted a big sexy kiss on his lips. They weren’t lovers. They were too much alike and had bonded like long-lost siblings the first time they met at a super-cool party for itinerant international artists in Prague. Only no one truly cool would ever preface anything with “super,” Jacqui reminded himself. Zee said “super” and any damn thing that came to mind, but Zee was an extra-special, extra-cool case.

They were so alike, so aligned and meshy and over the moon in friend with each other that Jacqui had seriously wondered if Zee might be like him. Might have a cat inside. After too much plum brandy at that party, Jacqui had very subtly asked Zee to turn into a cat with him and go run amok in the feline underbelly of Prague by moonlight.

Zee had laughed and said, “You’re so divinely weird!”

Zee hadn’t judged Jacqui, but didn’t believe him, either.

***

While searching for Zee inspirations on Pinterist, I found this photo featuring model Heather Kemesky. Now I have to sign up for Instagram so I can follow them. *sigh*

Jacqui the Cat Mysteries, the cozy gay shifter romance mystery series the world has been waiting for~

Or, he’s a cat cursed to turn into a human and only the bite of a sexy alpha lion will allow him to remain in his superior form of Cat.

Jacqui does not have a split personality, but sometimes his cat personality can get rather loud.

Loud? You’re loud.

Join Jacqui (and Cat) in this new exciting and sexy gay shifter romance mystery series from bestselling author (she wishes) Alexis Duran. Coming soon! **UPDATE** Coming in April! So close. So very close.

***

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ Space Pirates

March 25, 2018 by Alexis Duran

Hello and Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors. I took last weekend off to go to the coast and spend a day or two not staring at the computer. I have three Jacqui the Cat Mysteries in production mode right now, and things have been a lot crazy in Alexis-land. Good thing I love the process so much.

I finished up with Chapter One in my last post, and have decided to continue sharing from Prowl, Book 1 of the Jacqui series. This scene shows a little of what Jacqui does when he’s not a cat, spying on his neighbors and generally getting into mischief. Besides being a cat shifter, Jacqui is also a fashion designer, specializing in fantasy inspired, non-binary designs. In other words, the designer I wish would make my clothes!

***

“I look like a debonair pirate from outer space,” Zee said, staring into the three full-length mirrors Jacqui had wrestled into place that morning.

“That’s a good thing, right?” Jacqui asked, nervously chewing a thumbnail. He forced his hand down. After all, he’d just paid too much for a manicure three days ago.

Zee spun around, face split by a grin. “I love it! It’s totally me, and totally you, and I look like a billion bucks, even if I do say so myself.”

Jacqui grinned back, giddy with relief. He felt like he’d been holding his breath ever since Zee had commissioned the work. “You are the ultimate debonair space pirate,” he said.

***

Something Jacqui might design if only he were real

Jacqui the Cat Mysteries, the cozy gay shifter romance mystery series the world has been waiting for~

Or, he’s a cat cursed to turn into a human and only the bite of a sexy alpha lion will allow him to remain in his superior form of Cat.

Jacqui does not have a split personality, but sometimes his cat personality can get rather loud.

Loud? You’re loud.

***

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ Riskier Business

March 10, 2018 by Alexis Duran

Hello and Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the blog hop where writers from a wide variety of genres share excerpts from their work in snippets of ten sentences or less. I’ve been having a ton of fun sharing from my upcoming release, Prowl, Book 1 in the Jacqui the Cat mystery series. I can’t believe it but I’ve reached the end of Chapter 1, almost. There are a few remaining lines, but the ten sentence rule is inviolable so I guess we’ll all just have to wonder what trouble Jacqui is wandering into next.

To bring you up to speed, Jacqui is a cat shifter. He’s had a rather exciting time meeting the sexy new neighbor, Wyatt, but the time has come to bid a fond adieu. Here’s last week’s snippet, where Wyatt finally pried Jacqui off his shoulder and sent him flying across the yard. Don’t worry, Jacqui was fine. Wyatt maybe not so much.

***

Sorry about the climbing and the puncturing and the blood, Jacqui said in the form of a yowl that in retrospect probably sounded more than a little feral. Wyatt looked around, probably for something to throw, so Jacqui moved on.

That could have gone better. Now spying on Wyatt will be a riskier business.

Then we won’t do it.

Oh, yes we will. Did you see that bod? Don’t you want to see the rest of—oh, look, a freshly turned garden box.

Which reminded Jacqui, he’d be sad if the three big blue pots were truly gone.

***

Stay Tuned. Cover reveal and release date coming soon! Really!

I come in peace.

Jacqui the Cat Mysteries, the cozy gay shifter romance mystery series the world has been waiting for~

Or, he’s a cat cursed to turn into a human and only the bite of a sexy alpha lion will allow him to remain in his superior form of Cat.

Jacqui does not have a split personality, but sometimes his cat personality can get rather loud.

Loud? You’re loud.

***

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ You’d Better Run

March 3, 2018 by Alexis Duran

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the blog hop where writers from a wide variety of genres share their work in excerpts of ten sentences or less. I encourage you to click the link and sample some snippets. It’s a great way to discover your next favorite book.

I’m continuing to share from the first chapter of my upcoming release Prowl, a gay romance mystery featuring Jacqui, a cat shifter, fashion designer, and finder of Trouble. In this scene, Jacqui in his cat form has been taking refuge on the shoulders of his sexy new neighbor, Wyatt.

***

With the dogs out of sight, Jacqui was able to coax Cat into loosening his grip. Slowly the claws retreated and a thin line of blood trickled down Wyatt’s shoulder. It followed the line of his clavicle and around his well defined, but not bulky, pecs.

So sorry… so very sorry.

Suddenly, Jacqui was airborne. Wyatt must have felt the claws release because he’d taken the opportunity to grab Jacqui by the scruff and hurl him straight across the yard. Luckily, Jacqui landed on the couch, bounced off the middle cushion, sprang over the back and raced for the open gate unharmed.

“You’d better run, Satan spawn!” Wyatt yelled ungraciously after him. Jacqui cleared the fence then stopped to turn around and stare. With his hand clasped to his neck, drama queen Wyatt stared back, “Go on!”

***

A Dignified Retreat

Jacqui the Cat Mysteries, the cozy gay shifter romance mystery series the world has been waiting for~

Or, he’s a cat cursed to turn into a human and only the bite of a sexy alpha lion will allow him to remain in his superior form of Cat.

Jacqui does not have a split personality, but sometimes his cat personality can get rather loud.

Loud? You’re loud.

Join Jacqui (and Cat) in this new exciting and sexy gay shifter romance mystery series from bestselling author (she wishes) Alexis Duran. Coming soon!

***

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ Cat Scratch Fever

February 24, 2018 by Alexis Duran

Welcome to another edition of Weekend Writing Warriors, the blog hop where writers from a wide-range of genres share snippets of ten sentences or less from their work. It’s a great way to discover your next favorite book.

If you’ve been paying any attention to my posts and tweets lately, you might have gotten the impression that I’m a crazy cat lady. And you wouldn’t be wrong. But the reason I’m posting so many cat images is that my current project features a cat shifter, Jacqui Corleone (Yes, he made that name up). I’ve been sharing from the first chapter of Prowl, Book 1 in the Jacqui the Cat Mysteries. Jacqui in his cat form decides to check out his neighbor Wyatt, and ends up taking refuge on Wyatt’s shoulders after being startled by a pair of Pomeranians. In last week’s snippet, the owner of the Poms just informed Wyatt, whose a deputy sheriff, that there’s been a theft in the neighborhood.

***

“And why isn’t Sandy reporting this?” Wyatt asked. He’d let go of Jacqui’s tail and was now performing a heavy handed stroking motion apparently intended to soothe. It worked, a little.

“She’s off island so I called her cell. She hasn’t responded but I just know the pots were stolen because they disappeared after she left.”

“Uh, I’ll make sure it gets looked into.” He was lying to get rid of her and her yapping hounds, but Claire didn’t seem to realize that. Jacqui knew because he had a close up view of the throbbing vein on Wyatt’s temple and the little muscle at the side of his mouth that twitched when he said it.

“I feel so much safer having a cop as a neighbor,” Claire said as she waved good-bye. “Make sure to put some hydrogen peroxide on those claw marks if you don’t want to get Cat Scratch Fever.”

***

A truce might be possible.

Jacqui the Cat Mysteries, the cozy gay shifter romance mystery series the world has been waiting for~

Or, he’s a cat cursed to turn into a human and only the bite of a sexy alpha lion will allow him to remain in his superior form of Cat.

Jacqui does not have a split personality, but sometimes his cat personality can get rather loud.

Loud? You’re loud.

Join Jacqui (and Cat) in this new exciting and sexy gay shifter romance mystery series from bestselling author (she wishes) Alexis Duran. Coming as soon as Alexis gets her s**t together.

***