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Essential Online Safety Tips for Your Child's First Device

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Children's book, Digital literacy

Date Published: April 14, 2025

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As a parent, teacher or guardian here is an excellent approach to introduce online safety essential concepts and guidelines for your children. Together, you can learn about responsible online behavior and the importance of protecting personal information.

As a kid, when you get your first device that connects to the internet, it's important to know there are special rules and tips to help keep you safe when you explore and have fun online.

Join AROC robot and friends to learn how.

Also by C.D. Richardson

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Cyber Blues

By CD Richardson

April 6, 2025

Join AROC and her robot friends for an exciting day of dominoes! In this adventure, the robots explore important lessons about empathy and cyberbullying. Through kindness and compassion, they not only have fun but also learn valuable lessons together.

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About the Author

C.D. Richardson, a proud native of St. Thomas, USVI, brings over 15 years of experience in the tech industry to her work. She passionately integrates elements of her culture with technology through AROC Adventures.

In today's digital age, computer science education is more crucial than ever. It equips individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in a technology-driven world. By learning to develop software and build new hardware innovations,

computer science students of all ages enhance their problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and creativity, positioning themselves for success across various industries. Moreover, creators from diverse backgrounds are essential for reducing bias in the solutions of the future that impact us all. Embrace diverse representation.

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Nonfiction

Date Published: March 3, 2025

Publisher: MindStir Media

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Childhood trauma leads to perseverance and personal growth in this empowering memoir.

Born into a world shrouded by multi-generational cycles of abuse and child marriages, Donna Simmons navigates a harrowing landscape of pain and betrayal, detailing the challenges that devastated her early years but ultimately did not define the person she became.

Through poignant storytelling, she shares both moments of despair and the small victories that fueled her resilience. Each chapter reveals the transformative process of healing and self-discovery, touching on the importance of embracing nature, finding solace in creativity, and connecting with a community. Ashes to Flame recounts a powerful, deeply personal, and transformative journey from the ashes of childhood trauma to the vibrant light of purpose.

About the Author

My name is Donna Simmons, and I’m a wife, mother, author, and avid advocate for breaking cycles of generational trauma and mental health recovery.�� As a Governor appointed member of the Kentucky Juvenile Justice Advisory Board and member of the Bakhita Empowerment Initiative Advisory Board, I work with public servants and providers across the state to support a reduction in juvenile system involvement and strengthening protective factors for high risk youth.�� My passion for this work comes from my direct experience as a child abuse survivor, involvement in a behavioral health facility when I was 14, and resulting grooming and exploitation by a 29 year old mental health professional who I was married off to as a child.

In my healing journey, I have recognized that true trauma recovery can only occur when we are willing to examine the generational cycles that keeps us bound in harmful patterns.�� My mission is to help others transform their trauma into purpose so they can break these cycles and reach their full potential as individuals and parents.

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Contact Links

Instagram- @transformingashes2flame

TikTok- @ashestoflame

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A Hewey Calloway Adventure, Book 5

Western Adventure

Date Published: 12-03-2024

Publisher: Forge Books

Elmer Kelton’s Hewey Calloway, one of the best-loved cowboys in all of Western fiction, returns in this novel of his middling years, as he looks for work―but not too much work―in 1904 West Texas.Hewey Calloway had intended to pass straight through Durango, Colorado, en route to visit a friend several miles northeast of the city. He had left his home range about a year before, with a herd of young horses. It was supposed to be a relatively straightforward affair; deliver the horses, collect the payment, and return home with the money. Things got out of hand, however, and there he was in Durango a year later with plans to go north rather than south. Oh, well, he thought, he had always wanted to see new country.

It isn't long before his travels lead him to a cabin on a rainy night. There he meets a young man, sick as a dog, who weakly tries to send him off. And for good reason: the man has smallpox, and soon enough, Hewey catches the deadly disease. The man cares for him in turn, and it's just as he is feeling better that the man disappears. The next morning a Pinkerton detective turns up with posse, looking for a wanted bank robber.

As he travels north, Hewey seems to run in with both the young man who tended to him, as well as the detective. But something seems off about the Pinkerton detective, and Hewey keeps his mouth shut. When he reuinites with his friend Hanley, they do everything they can to get to the bottom of the mystery that threatens both theirs and this young man's life.

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��Excerpt

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At daybreak Hewey was tying up his bedroll, preparing to head out, when he heard a loud voice from outside.��
“Hello the house! Whoever’s in there, show yourself!�� The voice was commanding and not a bit friendly.��
Hewey opened the door and stepped out onto the broken- down little porch. He saw better than a half-dozen riders arrayed in front of the cabin, all armed to the teeth. They were not pointing those guns at him, but they were all casually standing ready. That prompted a momentary urge to jump back inside and bar the door, tempered by a sudden recollection that the cabin door didn’t even have a bar.��
“What can I do for you?�� Hewey asked the man who appeared to be in charge.��
“The name’s Murphy. I’m with the Pinkertons.�� Hewey took an immediate dislike to the man who called himself Murphy. He dressed more like a town dude than a cowboy or lawman, but it was his manner that rubbed Hewey the wrong way. He had small, mean eyes that made Hewey mistrust the man instantly. Hewey had always felt he could read a horse by its eyes, and in his experience the same usually worked on a man.��
��“We’ve been trailing a bank robber for better than two weeks, and we received information that he was holed up near here. Maybe in this very cabin. For all we know, you’re him.”��
“You got the wrong man,�� Hewey replied, “I’m Hewey Calloway. But I suspect I might’ve spent some time with the feller you’re after.�� Hewey explained how he came to be there and to become well acquainted with their quarry.��
“Smallpox, you say,�� answered the Pinkerton man.

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About the Author

John Bradshaw is a native of the small town of Abernathy, Texas. He is an award-winning journalist with well over a thousand published stories. Elmer Kelton’s The Familiar Stranger, co-authored with Steve Kelton, is his first book.

Bradshaw attended South Plains College followed by Texas Tech University. He spent several years shoeing horses for a living as his writing career progressed.

While the desire to write books was always there, Bradshaw first pursued a career in journalism. He wrote numerous stories for ranching, horse and horseshoeing magazines.

Growing up, Livestock Weekly came in the mail once a week, as it does for most in the livestock industry. Writing for Livestock Weekly was always a goal, and in 2005 Bradshaw’s first story was published. It was a profile of Brownie Metzgar, a humorous cowboy still working in a feedlot while in his late 80s.

In 2007 Bradshaw accepted a fulltime position with Livestock Weekly. While with the paper he had over a thousand stories published, as well as enough market reports to give him permanent nightmares.

Horses have always played an important role in his life. The son of a horseshoer, he has spent a significant amount of time either on or under a horse. He still shows in both ranch horse and reined cow horse competitions.

He and his wife, Sara, live outside Abernathy. Sara owns an architecture firm, SK Architecture Group, and they raise Spanish goats, hair sheep and cattle.

In 2013 the couple had a stillborn son, Fox Joaquin Bradshaw. After several years of heartbreak they adopted an infant boy, whom they named Julian Boone Bradshaw. Boone died in his dad’s arms following an accident at the barn five days before his sixth birthday.

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Contact Links

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Nonfiction/Memoir, Adventure, Coming of Age, Drama

Date Published: March 24, 2025

Publisher: MindStir Media

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"Life on the road was a dream. Destinations were shaping up to be cold, hard, complicated realities."

The call of the open road, the music that fuels them, and the night that changed everything... In the early 1990s, amidst the gritty allure of Southern California's burgeoning music scene, 18-year-old Denver finds herself at a crossroads. Her father has been missing for over a year, leaving behind a void that haunts her every moment. After high school graduation, Denver and her best friend hit the road for a transformative journey across the country.

About the Author

You might say Dandy’s lifelong pursuit of healing began in many places: with parents who both abandoned her in different ways; with the incredible cross-country road trip she embarked on as a teenager; or with a transcendent night in Washington D.C.

The truth is, healing is not about beginnings or about endings. It’s an invitation that beckons to every one of us.

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Contact Links

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I got ahead of myself and forgot to include this in the initial post. Sorry!



My webcam froze when my face was like this.��Nothing else I include in this post will be this dumb.


Here's my first YouTube video!

How are you doing? Have you recently put yourself in a position where you know you can't return to a group? I did that. You can hear all about it in my first YouTube video!

May 7 question - Some common fears writers share are rejection, failure, success, and lack of talent or ability. What are your greatest fears as a writer? How do you manage them?

Before we get started, here is your content warning.

I cuss. A lot.

If you’re sensitive about that, the back arrow is your best pal.

I have all those aforementioned fears.

I’m not managing them very fucking well, thank you very much!

You may wonder why the hell someone who looks like me would share a picture of myself without a bag over my head. The reason I am sharing my less than glamorous face with the world without more cover-up than a little foundation to prevent me from looking dead and to tone down the appearance of my rosacea flare-up is because music is better when ugly people are making it.

"I didn't know you were a musician, Ornery."

It's an allegory, Reader. Let me explain.

I don’t think people are ugly until they act ugly. People are just kind of people-looking. Even me, although it's hard to see myself that way. I'm so used to thinking of myself as hideous, even though I'm just plain-looking. I look like a European peasant with my round face and stocky body. There's nothing wrong with that.��

I'm sick and tired of people thinking it's okay to make other people feel bad about themselves.��

This person is fat!��

So what?��

That person has crooked teeth and a big nose!��

Who cares?��

I find this person unattractive!��

That sounds like a "you" problem."��

If you don't find someone attractive, chances are no-one is forcing you to date them, so what the hell difference does it make? Be a damn adult about it.

Anyway...

I'm having to take a lot more time than I would like to work on my bullshit and on trying to be a little more patient with myself. I'm not a patient person by nature.��

One thing I've learned the hard way is I don't have to do All The Things. Trying to do All The Things just burns me out. I think the fact that I have trouble being selective may be tied to my ADHD.��

My keyboard is doing a thing. It is not a thing I like. So, I think I will end this post here.��

That's how I'm doing.��

Ornery Owl Has Spoken

Free use image by Prawny on Pixabay
"Don't worry about it, Ornery. I may not always understand what yer sayin', but I always like talkin' to ya over a cup of coffee or tea, or maybe a swig o' moonshine."
"Thanks, Beaks. I'll pass on the white lightning, but I could go for a latte."

My webcam froze when my face was like this.��Nothing else I include in this post will be this dumb.


Here's my first YouTube video!

How are you doing? Have you recently put yourself in a position where you know you can't return to a group? I did that. You can hear all about it in my first YouTube video!

May 7 question - Some common fears writers share are rejection, failure, success, and lack of talent or ability. What are your greatest fears as a writer? How do you manage them?

Before we get started, here is your content warning.

I cuss. A lot.

If you’re sensitive about that, the back arrow is your best pal.

I have all those aforementioned fears.

I’m not managing them very fucking well, thank you very much!

You may wonder why the hell someone who looks like me would share a picture of myself without a bag over my head. The reason I am sharing my less than glamorous face with the world without more cover-up than a little foundation to prevent me from looking dead and to tone down the appearance of my rosacea flare-up is because music is better when ugly people are making it.

"I didn't know you were a musician, Ornery."

It's an allegory, Reader. Let me explain.

I don’t think people are ugly until they act ugly. People are just kind of people-looking. Even me, although it's hard to see myself that way. I'm so used to thinking of myself as hideous, even though I'm just plain-looking. I look like a European peasant with my round face and stocky body. There's nothing wrong with that.��

I'm sick and tired of people thinking it's okay to make other people feel bad about themselves.��

This person is fat!��

So what?��

That person has crooked teeth and a big nose!��

Who cares?��

I find this person unattractive!��

That sounds like a "you" problem."��

If you don't find someone attractive, chances are no-one is forcing you to date them, so what the hell difference does it make? Be a damn adult about it.

Anyway...

I'm having to take a lot more time than I would like to work on my bullshit and on trying to be a little more patient with myself. I'm not a patient person by nature.��

One thing I've learned the hard way is I don't have to do All The Things. Trying to do All The Things just burns me out. I think the fact that I have trouble being selective may be tied to my ADHD.��

My keyboard is doing a thing. It is not a thing I like. So, I think I will end this post here.��

That's how I'm doing.��

Ornery Owl Has Spoken

Free use image by Prawny on Pixabay
"Don't worry about it, Ornery. I may not always understand what yer sayin', but I always like talkin' to ya over a cup of coffee or tea, or maybe a swig o' moonshine."
"Thanks, Beaks. I'll pass on the white lightning, but I could go for a latte."

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BDSM Romance, Gay, Dark Fantasy

Date Published: May 9, 2025

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Three vampires battle the lives they left behind to build a future out of the ashes of their pasts.

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Immortal Steps: Tain, a renowned Celtic dancer, has bitter memories of his first crush and the trainer who left him without a word. For years he's flung himself from one brief romantic encounter to another, the subject of tabloid gossip and speculation, always insisting he's not gay. When Kyle, Tain's old mentor, comes back into Tain's life, the last thing Tain wants is to give the man, or the vampire, a place in his heart.

Hidden Depths: Pat's devoted his life to locating the wreck of The Pelican's Flight, sunk in 1692, along with forty other ships, when the infamous town of Port Royal slid into the Caribbean. Jamie lost more than his lover when The Pelican went down. Pat offers Jamie hope at finding his ship, along with a chance at rediscovering love. Will the secrets they share bring them together? Or tear them apart?

Vampires In Heat: Humans in Seattle are dying as a result of domestic cat vampires and demonesses working together. The latest victim is Erron's neighbor and best friend. Nolan, the leader of Seattle's Pacifistic Vampire Clan, and Erron, an albino who is commonly mistaken for a vampire, team up with the cat vamp leader to find the rogues who are killing needlessly and trying to discredit vampire-kind. And just maybe, between them, they'll find more than a remedy for this vampire scourge -- like love!

Publisher's Note: Immortal Steps, Vampires In Heat, and Hidden Depths have been previously published as stand alone novellas.

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��The following excerpt contains material suitable only for readers 18+.

EXCERPT

Excerpt from Immortal Steps

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Alone, Kyle Lohan entered his private balcony at the Grampian Theater in Edinburgh, Scotland. As he sat down, the house lights dimmed briefly to signal a two minute warning before the show began. The box smelled faintly of sex, although he doubted anyone without a vampire's heightened senses could detect the erotic scent. Regardless, it was his own fault for sneaking in to watch rehearsals the previous evening. He'd been unable to resist tugging his cock in time with the heavy beat of the dancers as they practiced.

Okay, not all the performers excited him. Just one.

Tain O'Halloran.

Tonight Kyle had better prepared for the public performance, or so he'd thought. The quick release during his shower should have calmed his libido enough to sit through the performance without a hard-on. But as the first strains of a flute solo poured across the stage, the anticipation proved to be more than his body could resist and his cock rose to an aching fullness.

Tain. On stage. His stage.

How long had he waited for this? Worked for this? Dreamed of this? Sometimes it seemed like forever. And yet, very soon, the moment he'd been preparing for would arrive. One way or another, he would finally end his long pursuit.

He adjusted the fit of his tuxedo pants as the chorus sprinted across the stage. Their shoes hit the wooden floor in rhythmic, staccato beats, flirting with the notes. Kyle couldn't stop his own feet from scuffing against the floor in a pale imitation of the dancers' fancy footwork. Had his heart been prone to beat, it would have been racing as fast as the music.

A few more seconds...

Then, appearing out of a flash of light and smoke, bam! There he was. Tain O'Halloran. The male lead's long, sleek black hair floated behind him as he bounced in perfect synchronization with the little blond at his side. His grey eyes flashed with pure joy and a little arrogance. A smile curved his thin pink lips. And what that black leather did for his ass...

Kyle groaned softly as his cock twitched with longing, but he refused to slake his lust. Privacy wasn't an issue, even during a public performance. No, nothing mattered more than soaking up every moment of this night to tuck away in his memories. If the evening didn't go as planned, this could be all he had left to remember the talented young man come morning.

The first dance ended, and Kyle felt the tightness in his chest ease as Tain exited stage right. He'd reappear several times throughout the performance.

Kyle itched with anticipation for the next time, and the next... and the next... By the second act, Kyle could pick out Tain's unique sweat from the morass of odors permeating the air. The scent teased his cock like nothing else. His whole body tensed as he imagined jumping over the balcony's rail to land on top of the dancer's young bones, then fucking him to within an inch of his life, claiming him on stage for all the world to see.

Well, that's one way to announce that you're back in his life, Kyle thought with a rueful shake of his head. Definitely not one of your brightest ideas though.

If anything, such a bold, stupid move would get him thrown out of Tain's life for good. Kyle's goal was quite the opposite. If he had his way, nothing would separate him from Tain ever again.

The show ended with a roar of applause that pulled the dancers back on stage for a second encore. Vibrant and smiling under the lights, Tain looked like he could hold out for a third reprise if the director let him. However, the rest of the troupe wasn't fairing as well, so when the curtains closed again the house lights came up.

The show was over, but Kyle's performance of a lifetime was about to begin.

About the Author

Kira Stone has been around the block…the writer’s block, that is.

From vamps and witches to historical heroes, from futuristic scientists to paranormal corporate executives, from Canadian werewolves to off-world shifters, Kira has written about them all. Manlove has sparked hot and heavy in many of her plots, but Kira also finds a lucky lady to keep the sexy heroes company from time to time. While Scotland remains her favorite place in the world, Kira is constantly in search of new adventures to add to the creative primordial ooze where her best stories are born.

Author on ŷ������

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

Death & Grief, Parenting, Self-Help

Date Published: 06-20-2023

Publisher: Koehler Books

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A week before Christmas 1951, Dr. Ralph Russell risked everything to voluntarily enter a locked federal drug-treatment facility known as a "narcotic farm."

Sixty-five years later, Dr. Russell's granddaughter Debbie suffers a debilitating crisis of identity when her father (Dr. Russell's oldest son), always her biggest fan, is accepted into hospice.

Debbie's investigation into her paternal lineage reveals family secrets and ignites her mother's volatile outbursts, propelling her into therapy.

When therapy fails her, the grandfather Debbie never knew saves her, and she collaborates with her dying father one last time to make her biggest dream come true.

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Crossing Fifty-One pulls back the curtain on the internal struggles of midlife and provides a blueprint for redefining one's self beyond the constraints of addiction and dysfunctional family dynamics.

About the Author

Debbie Russell is a lawyer-turned writer. She spent twenty-five years as an Assistant County Attorney in Minneapolis, prosecuting numerous high-profile cases—specializing in those involving domestic and child abuse. At age fifty-five, Debbie took early retirement, giving up a full pension for the freedom of time. She now spends that precious time writing, restoring her property to native prairie and wetlands, and training her rambunctious retrievers.

Debbie’s first published article appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune in 2001. After that small triumph, her writing focused primarily on legal briefs and memoranda, which were consigned to district court files. Debbie resumed creative writing in 2014 when she began her storytelling blog by sharing personal stories and professional experiences that touched her life in a significant way. Her top-ranked December 2021 article for Elephant Journal, an online journal that celebrates the mindful life is entitled “Getting the Most out of Therapy: Easier Said than Done,�� and is partially based on events in her book.

Debbie's award-winning book, Crossing Fifty-One: Not Quite a Memoir, was released in June of 2023. In 2024, she became a regular contributor to the Minnesota Star Tribune, writing about criminal justice and adjacent issues.

Contact Links

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Purchase Links

YA, Coming of Age, Urban, Romance

Date Published: 05-06-2025

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First Love is Overrated��

This summer these two broken souls discover if your second love can make you forget your first

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Growing up, the Morelli brothers were close

Their kinship sinks deeper than the Titanic the summer they both fall for the same girl. Zakiah always felt Iliana Kaplan's heart belonged to him. All along, it has been their story, until fate removed the blindfold.

Everything falls apart when Zakiah realizes Iliana will never give him her whole heart. This time, the middle brother, Elijah, won't be able to repair the damage. A rift is torn amid all of them, and nothing will ever be the same again.

Two years later, when love comes knocking on his door, Zakiah strays from his motto. He can't pretend the connection he feels with Glory Glover isn't real. He just can't afford to fall victim to love again—already learned that lesson the hard way.

Life drops the other shoe. When his dad reveals who his betrothed is, there's no running from what fate has in store. Can your second love make you forget your first? Zakiah must decide if love only exists in fairytales. No matter what choice he makes, it won't be easy to find what's truly his to behold.

What happened in the spring might've made him forget his summertime dreams, but reality rarely has a silver lining.

About the Author

B. Truly has wanted to be an author since she was fifteen years old. She is grateful to have accomplished this dream. B. Truly has very vivid dreams and a wild imagination. She likes to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. She’s addicted to romance and gets a thrill out of suspense and sci-fi. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, sci-fi, dystopian, paranormal, and urban genres.

B. Truly likes to explore conflicted plots of romance with thrilling twists. She also loves creating impossible situations for her characters to grow from and try to overcome.

B. Truly has three wonderful children, and a husband who defines the person that she is today. She works full-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Houston, Texas.

Contact Links

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Purchase Today

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Motorcycle Club Romance, Suspense

Date Published: May 9, 2025

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Anya’s his captive, but she’s always been mine. I’ll burn their empire to the ground to bring her home.

Anya -- I never forgot Jackson -- not when the foster system chewed us up and spit us out, and not when I was dragged into the nightmare world of Sebastian Six. Jackson was the one bright spot in my past, the only person who ever tried to save me. Now, trapped as Six’s captive, I’ve lost hope�� until I see him again. Jackson isn’t just a memory anymore; he’s a badass biker called Outcast. He fights the brutal champion in Six’s underground ring, just to win a night with me. He’s risking everything to get me out. This time, I’m not letting him go.

Outcast -- She was everything to me once. The only thing that ever mattered. I tried to save her when we were young and failed. But when her photo turned up on a soldier tied to a fake gun deal, I knew I’d been given another chance. I tracked her to Louisville, to the syndicate, to the monster who owns her. If she had been safe and happy, I would’ve walked away. But she wasn’t. So I fought their champion in a cage match just to get close. Now I’m running with her again -- only this time, I’m ready to kill anyone who gets in my way for her. No one is taking Anya from me. Not now. Not ever again.

Trigger Warning: Outcast (Hounds of Hell MC 7) contains scenes of human trafficking, violence, physical abuse, rape, and vigilante justice that may be triggers for some readers. There’s also a strong alpha hero willing to risk everything to save his woman.

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��Content advisory for the excerpt: Profanity, threatening situations.

EXCERPT

Outcast

Player scrolled through his phone in the passenger seat next to him, killing time while they waited in the Jeep for the Red Scourge MC’s soldiers to show. In the back, Crash sat silent, his usual restless energy contained -- for now. Malachai’s illegally modified rifles were tucked in the back, behind the rear seats, ready for the deal. Snow and the twins were positioned in the woods nearby, out of sight but primed to strike if things went sideways. Everyone was in place and ready.

Well, the Hounds were ready. The other MC was new to this part of Virginia, and the fact that they’d reached out about guns right away had sent up an immediate red flag for Outcast. Now they were running late, testing his patience as he ran through all the ways this deal could turn bloody if the buyers decided to play dirty. Yeah, the club needed the money, but with so many unknowns surrounding this crew, Razor had made sure they were prepared for everything. Probably.

The late February sky loomed heavy with dark clouds as the wind howled through the trees, whipping past them in the Jeep. Outcast killed the engine, powering down his driver’s side window just an inch or two. He was vigilant, keeping an eye on all the vehicle’s mirrors. He listened, trying to tune out the sounds of the wind and the occasional vehicle driving by on the highway behind them. For the meeting place, they’d selected a remote area between Mercy and Oak Grove. Outcast had picked it out -- a stretch with no houses or businesses -- in case things went south.

Player shoved his phone back into the pocket of his leather jacket, his attention now on Outcast. “You sure you’re feeling up to this, brother?��

Outcast nodded, shutting down any chance of a drawn-out conversation about his well-being. It was bad enough dealing with Deva every day, her constant hovering after his recovery from the beating Victor Grayson’s men had handed him. And where Deva went, Razor followed -- especially now that they were together. His club president was a hell of a lot harder to shake than his sister.

“I’m fine,�� Outcast said, and for the most part, it was true. Mornings were rough, and by night, the lingering pain crept back in -- especially after a long day. But each day, it dulled a little more. Still, the slow recovery gnawed at him. Pushing forty or not, he should’ve been back to full strength by now, and the frustration of it sat heavy on his shoulders.

“They’re here.�� Snow’s rough whisper came over the walkie talkie Outcast had positioned in the cupholder of the center console.

Sure enough, a huge black Hummer turned off Route 221 onto the narrow dirt road where they waited. Player pressed the button on the transceiver and said, “Copy that.��

Outcast watched the other vehicle move closer. Player grinned at him from the passenger seat, itching for a fight Outcast hoped they could avoid. “It’s show time,�� he said. Crash’s gaze met Outcast’s in the rearview mirror, and he nodded.

“Focus,�� Outcast told them, watching the Hummer rumble to a stop on the other side of the road. He counted four heads but there was plenty of room in that behemoth of a vehicle for more to be hiding. A bad vibe twisted in his gut. Just now he was really fucking grateful for Razor’s command that they take backup.

It was ten minutes until five, and Outcast knew the sun was sinking toward the horizon, though the thick storm clouds kept it hidden. He slowly opened the door and stepped out of the Jeep, the wind biting against his skin. Crash climbed out at the same time, moving with his usual measured calm. Player, on the other hand, damn near rocked the whole vehicle as he jumped out of the passenger side, his boots hitting the ground hard. Moving too fast for Outcast’s liking, Player strode around to stand just behind him, his massive frame coiled tight, ready for a fight before one had even started.

The smell of rain and the acrid tang of cigarette smoke from the four men who exited the Hummer hung in the cold evening air. Outcast stood just in front of his friends; his weight shifted casually and every muscle he had tensed. This was far from Outcast’s first deal, but something about this particular group set his nerves on edge.

Four men stood across from them, their faces partially obscured by the fading light and shifting shadows of the storm. Their leather cuts were crisp, their jeans too clean, and not one of them carried the rough, road-worn edge Outcast expected from outlaw bikers. Something about them felt off -- like they were playing a role rather than living the life. And considering none of the Hounds had ever heard of Red Scourge MC before now, that didn’t sit right with him. Whoever the fuck they were, he didn’t like the vibes they were giving off.

“Appreciate you boys coming all this way,�� the taller of the four drawled, lighting up a cigarette. Outcast recognized Hawk’s voice from speaking with him on the phone. “Been hearing good things about the Hounds�� hardware. Guess you need something to do out here in the middle of Bumfuck, Virginia.��

Outcast nodded, holding Hawk’s gaze as the other man sized him up. “Guess so.��

Hawk took another step closer, studying Outcast. A challenge. After a minute, the man nodded. “Well, they were right about you. Outcast, right? You got some cold, motherfuckin�� eyes.��

Outcast never took on personal comments, just waited, staring the man down. Hawk, they were told, was a VP in his club. He had none of Snow or Razor’s authoritative presence and his insecurities were as obvious as a Halloween mask. Hawk squared his shoulders, but the slight twitch in his fingers and the way he shifted his weight from foot to foot told a different story. The man wasn’t as fearless as he wanted everyone to believe.

Player smirked at Outcast’s side, his posture radiating confidence. Towering over most, his broad frame made him an imposing presence -- only Beast outweighed him in the club. His voice was smooth, almost lazy, but the edge beneath it was unmistakable. “Money’s what matters,�� Player said, flashing a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “If you’ve got that, we’ve got your hardware.��

Hawk nodded to the younger man standing to his left who pulled a thick envelope from his jacket and handed it to him. Holding it up for the Hounds to see, he said, “Here’s our end of the deal. Now, we’d like to see what we’re paying for.��

Without taking his eyes off the Red Scourge soldiers, Outcast said, “Crash.��

It was the cue for Crash to climb into the back of the Jeep and haul out one of the two heavy plastic totes, each packed with rifles. He lowered it to the ground, unlocking the padlock that secured the lid to the body of the bin. Crash pulled out a sleek, fully-automatic rifle. Its dark wood grip and black metal barrel looked ominous in the dim light. Malachai, the newest patched member of the Hounds, was goddamned good at what he did, illegally modifying weapons himself to make them more lethal. His skill with high-powered firearms was one of the reasons the prospect had earned his cut.

Crash moved with deliberate ease, stepping toward Hawk and extending an unloaded rifle. At the same time, Hawk handed over the thick, bulging envelope -- supposedly filled with cash. The exchange happened smoothly. Too smoothly. Outcast kept his eyes locked on the Red Scourge leader.

Hawk gripped the rifle, turning it over in his hands like he knew what he was looking for. Crash, on the other hand, tore open the envelope and thumbed through the stack of bills inside. Outcast caught the barely perceptible glance his brother-in-arms shot him.

I fucking knew it.

��

About the Author

Jamie Targaet is the author of the Hounds of Hell MC. She's anxious to introduce you to this club of gorgeous, dominant men and the lucky women who surrender to them. The ride is going to get wild at times, not going to lie. But there's thrilling action, scorching hot sex scenes, and all the feels.��

Jamie writes erotic romance for Changeling Press, a little fanfiction on the side, and she's an aspiring horror writer in another life. She enjoys time with her family (including the fur babies). She likes good horror movies and shows, emo metal and classic rock, and time spent in other worlds writing and reading. She loves hearing from readers and is looking forward to hearing from you.

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

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