Guest Post by J.K. Coi

What makes a monster? Is it scaly green skin, yellow eyes, and a forked tongue (or does that just make a lizard?)

Can a heartbroken, mutilated prima ballerina become a monster? Because the heroine of FAR FROM BROKEN, my holiday release from Carina Press sure believes that this is what she’s become.

After suffering a violent attack which left her at death’s door, Callie was saved only by the mechanical implants that replaced her legs, her hand, and an eye. She can’t bear to look at herself now, more iron and gears than flesh and blood, and she’ll definitely never dance again. She’s gone from graceful and pretty and talented, to a clumsy, ungainly shell of a person who feels nothing but anger and pain. Who believes herself of no use to anyone.

She hasn’t cried though. Even when Jasper shows up and starts fighting to pull her out of the dark, safe place she’s been hiding.

Jasper himself believes he’s a monster, because only a monster would lie to his wife and put her in danger the way he did. And perhaps it took a monster to insist on doing whatever was necessary to save her life…even if that meant dangerous surgery and artificial limbs. And only a monster would return to her after all she’d been through and ask her to take him back.

Two monsters who refuse to cry, but it will take a lot of tears before either of them can find out whether even monsters deserve a happily ever after.

Soldier. Spymaster. Husband.

Colonel Jasper Carlisle was defined by his work until he met his wife. When the prima ballerina swept into his life with her affection, bright laughter and graceful movements, he knew that she was the reason for his existence, and that their love would be forever.

But their world is shattered when Callie is kidnapped and brutally tortured by the foes Jasper has been hunting. Mechanical parts have replaced her legs, her hand, her eye…and possibly her heart. Though she survived, her anger at Jasper consumes her, while Jasper’s guilt drives him from the woman he loves. He longs for the chance to show her their love can withstand anything…including her new clockwork parts.

As the holiday season approaches, Jasper realizes he must fight not just for his wife’s love and forgiveness…but also her life, as his enemy once again attempts to tear them apart.

Far From Broken is available separately or in the anthology entitled “A Clockwork Christmas”

Inez Kelley is one of my favorite fellow authors, and I’m very excited about her fantasy romance series because I see too few historical fantasies for my taste. This is the second installment of a series, and I’m pleased to announce:

SALOME AT SUNRISE by releases today from Carina Press!

It’s not nice to piss off Mother Nature…

Bryton Haruk sets out on a suicide mission to stop the bloodthirsty Skullmen from terrorizing the war-weary Land of Eldwyn. Consumed by guilt over the death of his wife, Bryton seeks revenge and reunion in the afterlife with his lost love. His purpose is determined, his bravery unmatched, until the queen casts a spell to save Bryton from himself.

Salome is that spell. A bird-shifter, she can harness the earth’s breeze and take the form of a beautiful, innocent woman. Her challenge is to harness Bryton’s pain and guide him to peace. She entrances and irritates him, tempting Bryton from his mission. Even as he gives in to the passion between them, Bryton insists on mounting a solo attack on the brigands’ compound, and Salome fears her love won’t be enough to save him…

Celebrate Summer Solstice.

Salome at Sunrise from Inez Kelley and Carina Press.

Seize the day.

Buy it now.

If so, Carina Press is interested in your work. Check out this submission call. It made me a little giddy.

Carina Press’s acquisitions team and editors have begged me to find more historical fiction and romance, so I’m putting out the call. If you have a completed historical manuscript, 15,000 words and up, Carina Press would love to see it. We’re looking for both historical romance and historical fiction (with or without the romance subplot) of any steam level (including none, none at all). Historical Victorian, Regency, Western, turn of the century or whatever other time period you’ve chosen to write in, we’re interested in publishing some amazing historical work. Our submissions guidelines can be found at www.carinapress.com/submission-guidelines and we’re working through submissions very quickly, due to the large number of us reading them, so you won’t be waiting until summer (or next year) for an answer!