I really enjoy today’s Featured Author, in fact I truly enjoyed preparing for this segment because I had an excuse to re-read all of my favorites. You’re right, I probably didn’t need an excuse, but when you have some ARC deadlines creeping up and you just can’t put down your favorites, you will grasp onto any port in the storm. Have I put you into enough suspense yet? Okay, okay, no need to get testy! Today’s Featured Author is USA Today Bestselling author Ellis Leigh.
Please join me in welcoming Ms Leigh to the Reading Nook. As part of her introduction, I really want to tell you about her Feral Breeds as they are some of my favorite books, but she mentions them in the interview. Oh, heck with it! I just can’t help myself. This particular book is the first in an off-shoot series to the Feral Breeds, so hah! I’m not really telling you about the Feral Breeds. Ms Leigh paired several of my favorite things, MMA Fighting (Okay it might actually be illegal cage fighting, but we are going to stick with MMA), gorgeous alpha wolves, fated mates, and a surprise you will have to read about to discover.
Claiming His Chance (Feral Breeds Following book 1)
Published to Amazon on December 15, 2015
Author Ellis Leigh
The Feral Breed Followings Series kicks off with one heck of a fight...
After a long year of tragedy and battles, Cahill of the Southern Appalachia pack is hoping to spend a little time alone on his mountain. But with no mate to worry about, the safety of the pack falls on his shoulders, as does paying off the guards he’d hired to keep the mountain safe while he was away. Protecting the pack means heading off to participate in an underground fight club where shifters take to the ring for fame, fortune, and debt repayment. A ring some don’t make it out of alive.
To the owners and fighters at The Pack House, Trinity and Piers seem like any other mated couple. And that’s exactly what she needs them to think. Years of running from the truth has set Piers on a path headed right into the fight cage, and Trinity has followed, even though the violence and the noise are something out of her nightmares. But the two have plans, and a handful of fights is all that stands between them reaching their dreams and banishment…or death.
When Cahill sets his sights on Trinity, nothing can stand in the way of the fighter getting his fated mate. Not the heavy debt his pack must repay, not the other fighters out to show him who’s stronger and more skilled in the ring, not even the possibility that she may be mated to another. Once a fighter, always a fighter—and Cahill’s more determined than ever to throw a knockout punch for the chance of a real win with the woman of his dreams.
Official published review:
Don’t drop your guard
This is a quick little ditty about honor, duty, fate and love. Of course it’s all wrapped up in a fantastic story about cage fighting, protection, and the seedier sides of shifter life. The author didn’t let us down with this spin-off from the Feral Breeds, she captured the emotion and excitement we have come to expect with the characters we instantly fall in love with. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, I’m sure it’s going to be phenomenal.
5 stars
A GR BB
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2GH4YQG4XBOQI
When I first purchased these next set of books, they were actually 4 individual books. How awesome that you get all of the hot alpha goodness in one box set. Ms Leigh takes us on a tour of the inner workings of matings, when she invites us to join her at the gathering. You guys won’t want to miss the excitement and intrigue when the NALB throws a party.
The Gathering Tales: The Complete Series
Published to Amazon on April 25, 2016
Author Ellis Leigh
You are cordially invited to the event of the year...
Please be our guest as the National Association of the Lycan Brotherhood hosts the seventy-eighth annual Gathering. The biggest event of the social season, the Gathering has become the favorite method of networking among packs and bringing together fated mates. At the Gathering, shifters from across the country show up to show off and to see who's the true leader of the pack.
Four stories, three matings, and a homecoming five-hundred years in the making. Come and enjoy tales from the biggest shifter event of the year as wolves from around the country fall in lust, in love, and in fate at the Gathering.
Official published review:
Put on your party dresses
You are not going to want to miss this meeting of the wolves and the potential mates they may find. These steamy reads are going to leave you desperate for more.
Killian and Lyra
He came, he took, he mated
Such a strong beginning of this series. I love how the author made Killian such a strong alpha, he won’t take no for answer once he finds his mate. I especially enjoyed how he put her nasty alpha in his place. I can’t wait to see who finds their mate next.
5 stars
Gideon and Kalie
Love those alpha males
These guys are so intense and yet totally sweet with their mates. But will run down anyone who gets in their way. The author has written the ultimate protectors and then given them strong women to stand by their sides. I love the dynamics between the packs and the way the characters interact with each other. I am really looking forward to reading the next book.
5 stars
Blasius, Dante and Moria
Two is not enough
This might be my favorite book of the series. I love how the author wrote these two strong alphas who aren’t afraid to show their love for each other and the mate they have been waiting so long for. I am so glad Moria found her mates, she kind of held her pack together and embraced everyone else’s mates as soon as they found them. I can’t wait to read the last book in this series to see what happens next.
5 stars
Homecoming
Taking the reins
Who can blame a hill country girl for being a little insecure. I love how the author made Moira just that little bit more relatable with this quick blast of the future. Her guys could have been a bit more helpful, but they are guys, and pretty important at that. I really hope the author takes us back to the gathering at some point. I would love to see what the future holds for these wolves. I am really looking forward to whatever book this author brings us next.
5 stars
5 stars
A GR BB
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R3FK9RUBVANK3
Did you know that, besides the action and danger of her wolves, Ms Leigh has written an entire series of Fun & Flirty Romances? Each book still has those intense alpha males add to that some ladies that might be just a little reluctant to seal the deal. Alright, I might have fallen in love from the blurb as they all revolve around baked goods (really! Who can resist baked goods?) but once I started reading the books I was hooked. The humor and emotions on top of a great story make these books ones you won’t want to miss. Just check out book 5.
Salted Eagle: A Kinship Cove Fun & Flirty Romance (Mates & Macarons book 5)
Published to Amazon on April 18, 2019
Author Ellis Leigh
A town cannot live on baked goods alone. Welcome to the Kinship Cove Diner, where a good cup of coffee comes with every fated mating.
***
I have two great loves of my life—my fox shifting family (no matter how much they drive me crazy) and being on stage. True, my acting credits are relegated to the local community playhouse, but that doesn’t matter. I spend my free time learning lines and rehearsing scenes…that very few people will ever see. Dating, mating, and all that comes with it? Unimportant.
At least until a man with a sharp gaze, a little gray in his hair, and a familiar face comes walking into the diner. He’s handsome, charming, and the fates say all mine.
Except he’s also famous—an actor whose eagle shifter instincts have brought him stardom in the action-movie arena.
The fates aren’t always kind, but giving me someone who lives his life in such a public way might just be too cruel for words. I’ve never really worried about finding a mate, but now that I have him? I don’t want to be without him. And I’ve had enough sharing for one lifetime.
Official published review:
What’s good for the fox is good for the eagle
What a fun book! There were some moments of angst within the pages, but the fun and flirty moments shown right on through. They led me right to the HEA that these two characters both deserved. This book is a fantastic addition to the series and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
5 stars
A GR BB
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/REPZGT2EWJRWC
Bear with me, I just have to share this last book with you and then I promise to get on with the interview. I just love this book, from the cover to the very last page I was enthralled. The author took us down to the ranch where this fox on the run finds a herd of stallions to call her own. You heard that right! Seven hot guys who mate and thrive as a group. I love the way Ms Leigh brings this reverse harem together. Her characters are entertaining and individualized, and the story is not just all about the steamy moments, but in the emotional connections as well. Trust me when I say you should grab a copy of this book for your reading pleasure.
Fox Hunt: The Stallions of the Hidden E Ranch
Published to Amazon on November 6, 2018
Author Ellis Leigh
Snow white and the seven dwarfs have nothing on Waverley and her Stallions ~Terry
If two is better than one and three is better than two, then seven must be better than just about anything.
I was on the run from my past when I met Liam—the man I thought was my one true mate. But when he took me home to his ranch, I found out he wasn’t alone. Seven stallion shifters own the Hidden E Ranch, each ready to make me theirs, with Liam leading the charge.
Horse shifters mate as a herd, something we fox shifters know nothing about. But I’m ready to learn, and my seven stallion mates seem more than happy to teach me.
Official published review:
Where can I find me a herd?
This is reverse harem at its finest. The depth of the characters, the love and friendship they all share, and the way Waverly becomes the center of their world make this a book you will not want to put down until the very end. The evil human after Waverly brings out a new side of the herd as they work together to overcome the obstacles keeping them from insuring her safety. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to my fellow readers.
5 stars
A GR BB
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2YFQARWI61SPL
I could go on and share more of Ms Leigh’s works, but as you will see, she has brought up some of my favorites during our interview.
When did you first realize that you wanted to be an author?
I actually moved into original fiction from fanfiction. I had been writing in a fandom for a couple of years when I decided I wanted to read a particular story but couldn’t find it. At that point, I knew I had the basics of how to tell a story down (because writing fanfiction is a total trial by fire—reviews can be way harsh). A few quick Google searches, some serious reading in the category I wanted to write in, and I was off. That was in 2014, and CLAIMING HIS FATE was that book.
I am so glad that you brought up this book, it is actually the book that made me a faithful follower. I just love your take on these bad boy bikers.
Claiming His Fate (Feral Breed Motorcycle Club Series book 1)
Published to Amazon on August 2, 2014
Author Ellis Leigh
This book owns me with its strong writing, wit, and steamy scenes. ~We So Nerdy
A shifter battling his wolf instincts. A woman living a life of obligation and lies. A moment of fate interrupted by danger.
Rebel Lynch has spent two hundred years searching for balance between his human side and his inner wolf. As a den President of The Feral Breed Motorcycle Club, a lack of control over the beast within isn't just a pain in the ass, it's a death sentence. One served by his club brothers: the judges, jury, and executioners of the wolf-shifting community.
At Amnesia Gentlemen’s Club, customers and staff check their real-world identities at the door. Charlotte, one of the club's best waitresses, ditched her legit career in corporate IT because she needs the kind of income those pesky IRS folks can’t track. When the smart-mouthed bombshell pulls a gig serving a private party, she expects nothing more than a few extra tips. That is until dirty-talking Rebel Lynch strolls into the room looking like sin incarnate, flashing motorcycle club colors, and blasting Charlotte's expectations about work, life, and love straight to hell.
One glance at Charlotte and Rebel knows she's his fated mate. But a wolf shifter is attacking women at the club, threatening Charlotte’s life, and putting the entire shifter community at risk of exposure. Rebel and his Feral Breed MC brothers must find the crazed shifter before he strikes again. If Rebel can't uncover the new monster in their midst—and learn to rein in the protective instincts of a fully mated Alpha—his future with Charlotte will be dead on arrival.
Official published review:
My kind of man Rebel made Charlotte see that she really needed to rethink her situation, but then he left her. Eventually he manages to wrap his thinking around the way a modern woman is, thanks to some help from a few key friends. Their new beginning ends up being the best thing for both of them.
4 stars
A GR BB
How Long does it typically take you to write one of your books?
I work full time and have two kids, so I end up only writing about 10,000 words a week. Most of my paranormal romances are 55,000-65,000 words so those take me about six weeks. My contemporary romances are long so they take me longer. Let’s not talk about how long it takes me to rewrite something when my editor comes at me with a “I didn’t like this” note. LOL
Do you usually write one book at a time or do you find yourself working on multiple books as your muse takes you?
I usually work on two at once—my main title and one I reward myself with. Right now, I’m working on a gothic-style mystery in my spare time simply because the idea won’t let me go.
What is your work schedule like when you are writing?
I write best early in the morning (sadly) so my day goes like this—wake at 5:20, shower, grab a glass of water, write until 6:30. At that point, I get ready for my day, deal with kid stuff, then head into the office for my dayjob. After work it’s dinner/homework/family time until about 8:00, then I open up my laptop and get to work on any admin stuff I need to do. I go to bed between 10 & 11. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Everywhere! It can be a quote, something I see out in the world as I’m running errands, a song, a person I meet—there’s always something tugging at my mind and whispering stories in my ears.
When did you write your first book and how old were you?
For original fiction that would have been 2014. I was 38 with two kids (6 & 1 at that point).
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Knit, watch bad reality TV, hang out with my beloved friends, show at thrift stores, refinish old furniture, and hang out with my kids (not in that order).
What does your family think of your writing?
They’re all super supportive. My super conservative dad has all my books in print on his bookshelf, and my kids tell everyone they meet that their mommy is an author (and that they’re not allowed to read the books I write).
What is one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
How my brain likes to drop hints but not tell me the whole story. When I was writing CLAIMING HIS NEED, I had a side character who kept saying this particular line about being anti-pack. I see my scenes in my head like a GIF or video, and that line would not stop playing on repeat, so I wrote it and kept going. At the very end, that character admitted something that rolled that statement in perfectly—something I totally hadn’t planned on. That happens a lot, and I’ve learned to simply roll with the hints and be confident there’s a reason.
After reading the first book, I fell in love with Gates and was so happy we didn’t have to wait until further in the series for his story. He is just one of those characters you instantly connect with and almost seems like the backbone of this Feral Breed club.
Claiming His Need (Feral Breed Motorcycle Club Series book 2)
Published to Amazon on September 8, 2014
Author Ellis Leigh
He waited four hundred years for her…
She only ever wanted to find her mate…
Their time has come.
Book two in the Feral Breed Motorcycle Club series
Gates is a legend among his fellow wolf shifters. For more than four centuries, he’s lived without a mate, something nearly unheard of in his breed. He’s spent that time mastering the art of the kill, becoming a lethal weapon for the Feral Breed Motorcycle Club, and earning a reputation as the Gatekeeper.
Kaija Wariksen grew up as the Valkoisus pack princess. The Alpha’s only daughter and a powerful Omega shewolf, Kaija’s beauty and place within the pack hierarchy makes her the focus of desire for many of the unmated males, especially one she’s desperate to stay away from. She’d rather wait for her fated mate than be just another bed warmer for a man with more attitude than brains.
But when a territory dispute turns into a kidnapping, Gates and his Feral Breed brothers are called to assist the Valkoisus pack in a rescue operation. Gates soon discovers there’s more in store for him than a fight. He finds his mate in the Alpha’s daughter, a woman targeted by a mystery sect kidnapping Omega shifters. To keep the Valkoisus pack safe, the Feral Breed must put Kaija in danger, risking the only thing Gates has ever needed, and igniting a rage that could destroy the entire wolf shifter population.
Official published review:
What a man
For a wolf of 400 years, Gates is one fine specimen. I love how the author made him stay his course even when his mate tempted him hard. We got to see so many new levels to the characters, I especially enjoyed the cleaners, and the glimpses into the past. I was so happy that in the end his omega made the right decision, his sacrifice would have been for nothing should circumstances cause the loss of their happiness. I am really enjoying this series and can’t wait to see who finds their mate next.
5 stars
A GR BB
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RUWE4K9QND4T2
Out of all of the books that you have written, which one is your favorite?
That’s so hard! Under my Ellis Leigh name, I’d have to say SAVAGE SILENCE. It’s the most personal to me and has a heroine with a backstory I’d swore I’d never write. She took me by surprise. For my Kristin Harte name, I’ll say POP THE CLUTCH. The entire idea for that one came from a single GIF I saw on Tumblr, and the pictures in my head wouldn’t let up. It took me years to write, and my editor said it’s the most “me” book I’ve ever written. I based that story in my hometown, so I guess that shouldn’t surprise me.
I think out of all the books I have read this is the one that I just absolutely fell in love with. The story and the characters just hit you in the heart and stay there well after you are done reading.
Savage Silence: A Dire Wolves Mission
Published to Amazon on August 30, 2016
Author Ellis Leigh
There's no escaping a Dire Wolf on the hunt...
Dire Wolf Thaus preferred the silence, having spent most of his time alone as the weaponry expert of his pack. But a mission outside of his expertise will challenge him more than he ever expected and threaten more than just his life.
Some memories are too horrific to forget. When Ariel’s fragile balance is upended, she’ll do whatever it takes to stay alive. Including running off with a man who scares her almost as much as he intrigues her.
An unexpected hero and a woman with scars deeper than one can see crash together on a mountainside fraught with its own dangers. In the world of the Dire Wolves, an Omega shewolf is a blessing none of them deserves. But when an angel sings his name, Thaus will go to hell and back to keep her safe and at his side.
One soldier, one fight…one chance at forever.
Official published review:
The stuff of legends
This author continues to amaze me with each new book. This one really shows her diversity and sensitivity as an author. The author took a sensitive subject and showed the strength Ariel held while overcoming a history of such traumatic adversity, finding her mate, and running from an evil that will try to take what he wants. With a woman like that, it makes perfect sense that her mate she be equally as strong to support and protect her on her journey. I enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down until I had reached the very end. I was so excited that these two reached their HEA, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
5 stars
A GR BB
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2KXHL5ARBZ1QW
I have yet to read any of your books under Kristin Harte, hey now! there are still so many Ellis Leigh books I still have to read, but I can’t imagine them not being amazing.
Pop the Clutch: A Second Gear Romance
Published to Amazon on June 11, 2019
Author Krisitn Harte
Not all people need a second chance at love. Some need a second chance at life.
To Violet Foster, the past ten years have been a continual replay of an ill-fated night in high school. Without warning, she went from Downriver’s sweetheart to unintentional adult film star, her most intimate moments shared with the world in ten-second loops. She's lost friends, been forced to change career plans, and had to stop dating because of that one indiscretion. The last thing she wants is to return to the scene of the crime, but with her grandma’s health failing, she doesn’t have a choice.
Easton Cole is a walking, talking bad-boy cliché in blue mechanic coveralls. He's always known his trailer-park-kid shadow would follow him into adulthood, but building his auto repair shop into a successful business means he has a chance to change that image. People in Downriver have long memories and getting them to forget his past is an uphill battle. The last thing he needs is the trouble Violet could bring. She's a lightning rod for gossip, with a reputation that precedes her. So what if he's been crushing on her practically since puberty?
Violet’s only planning on staying a month, even if the good memories of Downriver have started to overpower the bad, and Easton is dead set on making new ones…together. But the internet is forever, so there's no chance of Violet having a future unblemished by her past. And when the stain of her damaged reputation resurfaces, Violet knows it could destroy everything around her…including Easton.
POP THE CLUTCH is a full-length contemporary romance novel from USA Today bestselling author Ellis Leigh writing as Kristin Harte. It's the first book in the Second Gear series featuring stories of blue collar heroes and second chance romances.
What do you think makes a good story?
The characters. Whenever I finish a book that I truly loved, it’s always the characters that stay with me. Think Stella and Michael from Helen Hoang’s THE KISS QUOTIENT or Jack and Lily from Kati Wilde’s Hellfire Riders series. Those characters devour the page and stay with you—THAT’S what makes me want to read more and write better.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
A large animal veterinarian. I love animals, especially horses, and was obsessed with taking care of them. I used to bring home strays all the time, something my mother hated. My dad used to send me to my room to write him stories, though. Good things, too—I never made it to veterinary school LOL
It’s no wonder Ms Leigh is such a wonderful writer of paranormal romances. She might not have made it to veterinary school, but she shows her love of animals with every wolf who joins the pack.
I hope you enjoyed this brief glimpse into the writing world of Ms Leigh and it inspires you to grab some of her books and get to reading. Keep reading to the end of the blog, to show Ms Leigh some love by checking out her social media sites. And don’t forget to click on the link to fill out the form. You might be the lucky new owner of a print book pillow written by the author and one of my adult book pillows.
Happy Reading
Sydney
A storyteller from the time she could talk, USA TODAY bestselling author Ellis Leigh grew up among family legends of hauntings, psychics, and love spanning decades. Those stories didn’t always have the happiest of endings, so they inspired her to write about real life, real love, and the difficulties therein. From farmers to werewolves, store clerks to witches—if there’s love to be found, she’ll write about it. Ellis lives in the Chicago area with her husband, daughters, and a German Shepherd that refuses to leave her side. Check out her series for hot alpha shifters, vampires, and the occasional alien.
Author’s Website: http://www.ellisleigh.com/
Author’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellisleighwrites
Author’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellis_and_kristin/
Author’s Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ellis-Leigh/e/B00MDKUMNK
Author’s Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8337289.Ellis_Leigh
Author’s BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ellis-leigh
Click HERE to go fill out our form and be entered in a giveaway for an adult book pillow and a print book by this author. Book and pillow may be different then image shown. Drawing will be held on February 18, 2020.
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