Security Force of Two – Sunday Snippet

Celebrate the upcoming July 4th  holiday, with a Sunday Snippet – Hold onto your hats SECURITY FORCE OF TWO burst onto the scene with 5-Star reviews and awards! First book in my new Mountain Town Mysteries Series. A riveting #paranormal #romance, #mystery, you’re going to love! Guess what!  The second book in the series, Terrabyte Security is scheduled for September 9th release.  Mark your Calendars!

A former CIA agent and a Special Forces vet return to their small hometown for different reasons none of which includes involvement in an investigation of the new police chief’s murder.  

Breaking news!! Security Force of Two has been nominated for the Paranormal Romance Guild’s Reviewer’s Choice Awards.  Voting is open for the PRG Reviewers’ Choice 2023 Awards!I’d be honored if you would vote for my novel, Security Force of Two, in the category ROMANCE/PARANORMAL/FANTASY/ANGELS & GHOSTS/PSYCHICS Here’s link to vote: buff.ly/48StirA Your vote is very much appreciated!

A little about Security Force of Two:

Miacoh Zane, a Special Forces veteran, returns to Aspen Ridge, Colorado a small town nestled in the Rocky Mountains, to settle his beloved grandmother’s estate. But the town holds painful memories and family secrets he wants to leave behind for good.

Candle Bearclaw, a gifted computer analyst/programmer with talents she’s buried when recruited out of college by the CIA. After fifteen years, she abruptly resigns her position with the agency. She returns to her sleepy hometown only to discover her childhood crush has also returned and a violent crime has been committed.

Due to their covert operations experience, Candle and Miacoh are thrown together to assist Homeland Security, FBI, and her father, former chief of police, with a murder investigation. As they search for the perpetrators, will their secrets be revealed as the investigation takes an unusual twist that could blow the case wide open.

An exciting new peek between the pages of Security Force of Two

When she drove up the circle driveway, a chill shot up her spine, then a strange feeling came over her, almost like someone was watching. Reaching under the seat of her SUV, she pulled out her handgun, checked the weapon to make sure it was loaded, chambered a round, and tucked it in the back waistband of her jeans, covering it with her shirt and jacket. She backed out then drove the entire driveway more slowly, checking the perimeter. Nothing. The cell phone hadn’t chirped to alert her of a breach, but she checked her outside surveillance cameras, then the ones inside her home anyway. Again nothing. She shrugged off the feeling and stepped out of her SUV. Gun drawn, she flicked off the safety and turned on the laser. It didn’t hurt to be safe rather than sorry.

Peeking in the window, she saw the alarm keypad was still set and secure. Then she walked around the house, entered through the back door, closed and relocked it, deactivated the alarm. Nothing was out of place. Part of her wished she’d brought Terrabyte along. Though still young, the pups tracking ability was well-developed. Terra would know if someone were in or around the cabin since they left. Back to the wall, she moved carefully through each room, nothing. When she was sure the house was clear, she sat down at the computer, laying the gun next to it. Warning windows were popped up everywhere on the screen. Someone had tried to hack into her system but hadn’t gotten very far. Closing out the windows one at a time until she found a message planted just under the first layer of security. That is what must have set off the warnings. Her throat went dry as she read the message. “Poking around where you don’t belong is dangerous business. Carl’s death was unfortunate but an accident. Leave it be or pay the consequences.”

Fingers posed over the keyboard. She started to X out of the message but stopped. If this was a disintegrating message, she would have no proof it ever existed. Taking out her cell phone, she took a picture of the screen. The handle on the front door jiggled. She grabbed her gun and jumped up, making her way to the front bay window.

About the Author:

Tena Stetler is an internationally best-selling author of award winning paranormal tales. Some call her crazy others creative. She deals with the voices in her head by writing them down and creating a fantasy world and characters you won’t soon forget.  Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure, magic, and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.

Colorado is home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a fifty-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors.

Pssst… While you’re here, don’t forget to check out my paranormal romance/mysteries click  here.

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Security Force of Two – Sale – Sunday Snippet

Welcome back to Sunday Snippet!  This week we celebrate the one year anniversary of  Security Force of Two, a paranormal mystery with a touch of romance.  Take a peek, you’ll be glad you did! The book is on sale for $2.99 for a limited time. Join the #adventure,grab a copy today!

First, I’d like to share the inspiration for SECURITY FORCE OF TWO, the first book in my MOUNTAIN TOWN MYSTERY Series. All books in the series can be read as a standalone.

A few years ago, I attended a writing conference.  I had lunch with an individual from a publishing house.  She was a hoot and talked about her father who was the chief of police for a small town. Growing up in that small town she knew everybody’s business more than most, being the chief’s daughter. Nothing really bad ever happened in her town.

Our conversation got me to thinking, which is always a dangerous thing.  LOL What if the police chief of thirty-five years retired? What if his replacement succumbed to an untimely death in that tiny town that never saw much crime, let alone a violent murder?  What if the retired police chief’s daughter left the CIA for a quiet life only to become mixed up in the investigation? The what-ifs went on and on. I made notes and stored them on my computer.

As it turned out, when I arrived home from the conference, an email awaited me. The book, my debut novel, A Demon’s Witch, I was pitching at that conference was contracted by another house, The Wild Rose Press, which has since published eighteen of my books and counting. In my excitement, the file was completely forgotten.

Years later, I came across the file and reviewed it. SECURITY FORCE OF TWO was born. I keep thinking, someday I should drop the individual an email and let her know our conversation inspired my new release.  Then again, maybe not. LOL

Now let’s see what my new release, SECURITY FORCE OF TWO is all about.

Miacoh Zane, a Special Forces veteran, returns to Aspen Ridge, Colorado a small town nestled in the Rocky Mountains, to settle his beloved grandmother’s estate. But the town holds painful memories and family secrets he wants to leave behind for good.

Candle Bearclaw, a gifted computer analyst/programmer with talents she’s buried when recruited out of college by the CIA. After fifteen years, she abruptly resigns her position with the agency. She returns to her sleepy hometown only to discover her childhood crush has also returned and a violent crime has been committed.

Due to their covert operations experience, Candle and Miacoh are thrown together to assist Homeland Security, FBI, and her father, former chief of police, with a murder investigation. As they search for the perpetrators, will their secrets be revealed as the investigation takes an unusual twist that could blow the case wide open.

How about a sneak peek between the pages of  SECURITY FORCE OF TWO?

When she drove up the circle driveway, a chill shot up her spine, then a strange feeling came over her, almost like someone was watching. Reaching under the seat of her SUV, she pulled out her handgun, checked the weapon to make sure it was loaded, chambered a round, and tucked it in the back waistband of her jeans, covering it with her shirt and jacket. She backed out then drove the entire driveway more slowly, checking the perimeter. Nothing. The cell phone hadn’t chirped to alert her of a breach, but she checked her outside surveillance cameras, then the ones inside her home anyway. Again nothing. She shrugged off the feeling and stepped out of her SUV. Gun drawn, she flicked off the safety and turned on the laser. It didn’t hurt to be safe rather than sorry.

Peeking in the window, she saw the alarm keypad was still set and secure. Then she walked around the house, entered through the back door, closed and relocked it, deactivated the alarm. Nothing was out of place. Part of her wished she’d brought Terrabyte along. Though still young, the pups tracking ability was well-developed. Terra would know if someone were in or around the cabin since they left. Back to the wall, she moved carefully through each room, nothing. When she was sure the house was clear, she sat down at the computer, laying the gun next to it. Warning windows were popped up everywhere on the screen. Someone had tried to hack into her system but hadn’t gotten very far. Closing out the windows one at a time until she found a message planted just under the first layer of security. That is what must have set off the warnings. Her throat went dry as she read the message. “Poking around where you don’t belong is dangerous business. Carl’s death was unfortunate but an accident. Leave it be or pay the consequences.”

Fingers posed over the keyboard. She started to X out of the message but stopped. If this was a disintegrating message, she would have no proof it ever existed. Taking out her cell phone, she took a picture of the screen. The handle on the front door jiggled. She grabbed her gun and jumped up, making her way to the front bay window.

Buy Link https://books2read.com/u/bMN2X5

I hope you enjoyed today’s Sunday Snippet.  Join me next Sunday for another exciting Sunday Snippet!

 

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WINNER -NaNoWriMo 2023, A Tale of 50,000 words in 30 days

Along with millions of writers around the world, (okay maybe not millions, but close)  I’m participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWrimo). It’s been a rough year, and I considered not attempting NaNoWriMo for the first time in thirteen years. However, out of the blue the other night a  NaNoWriMo project came to mind. I will also be finishing up the second book in the Moutain Town Mystery Series.  Yep, I got my work cut out of me this year.  Yippee!!  Check back and see how I am doing.  I could use a cheering section.  LOL 

A challenge  to write fifty-thousand words in thirty days. For weeks, our minds have worked out the logistics of the story, our fingers are twitching to tap that keyboard and kick off the race to our latest novel. The National Novel Writing Month challenge is a great confidence builder and something we writers look forward to November 1st every year.

I’m off to a good start with 51213  words under my belt as of  11-24-23. i made it! I won! Yippie!!

NaNoWriMo as it’s fondly referred to has become somewhat of a tradition for me starting in 2010. I’ve made my goal of at least 50,000 words every year since with the exception of 2013. That year I failed miserably at only 17000 words. My day job was a monster, the hours were long, and by the time I arrived home, I was the monster. Anyone know what I mean? But I digress, at 17,000 I still had a working story, plot and characters. Yeah! Finished it up in the months that followed, polished the manuscript and submitted it.  Since that time, I left the monster of a day job and writing is now my full-time gig, and I love it. Last years NanoWriMo novel  Security Force of Two released March 20, 2023, and is the 17th book release since my debut novel, A Demon’s Witch release in September of 2015.

Seventeen novels that NaNoWriMo helped me to create have been published by The Wild Rose Press. NaNo project for 2022, Security Force of Two was released March 20, 2023. Yippee! First book in my brand new Mountain Town Mystery Series.

My other two series A Demon’s Witch and A Witch’s Journey are shown below and available a Amazon and other online retailers. Download a copy today and join the magical, romantic fantasy adventure, you’ll never want to leave!

 

This year for NaNoWriMo I’m working on a new book Surf, Sand & Romance working title and editing the second cozy mystery in my Mountain Town Mysteries.  The first book in this series, Security Force of Two  released in 2023, to overwhelming success.

Along with the Romance Writers of America and Pikes Peak Writers group, who gave me the tools, NaNoWriMo gave me the confidence needed to stick my toe in the murky waters of the publishing industry. The 50,000 words, approximately 1,667 per day, usually is three-quarters of a pretty darn good novel. Each year I build on what I’ve learned throughout the year and use it to complete the NaNoWriMo challenge. The camaraderie among participants is phenomenal making the challenge a fun way to kick off the holidays!

Wish me luck! Keep checking back for updates on my progress this year.  Will I make the 50,000 words? Only time will tell, but you can bet I’ll do my best! I know you’ll be cheering me on! If you have a chance, I’d love you to leave me comments of encouragement.

Have a fun and safe Thanksgiving! Eat lots of turkey and enjoy family and friends.  After all that’s what its all about!

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Security Force of Two – Sunday Snippet

Welcome back to Sunday Snippet!  This week we take a look at the Halloween party hosted by the town of Aspen Ridge, Colorado in Security Force of Two, a paranormal mystery with a touch of romance.  Makes a great Halloween read! Take a peek, you’ll be glad you did! What’s Security Force of Two all about? I’m glad you asked.

A former CIA agent and a Special Forces vet return to their small hometown only to discover a murder complicates their lives.

Miacoh Zane, a Special Forces veteran, returns to Aspen Ridge, Colorado a small town nestled in the Rocky Mountains, to settle his beloved grandmother’s estate. But the town holds painful memories and family secrets he wants to leave behind for good.

Candle Bearclaw, a gifted computer analyst/programmer with talents she’s buried when recruited out of college by the CIA. After fifteen years, she abruptly resigns her position with the agency. She returns to her sleepy hometown only to discover her childhood crush has also returned and a violent crime has been committed.

Due to their covert operations experience, Candle and Miacoh are thrown together to assist Homeland Security, FBI, and her father, former chief of police, with a murder investigation. As they search for the perpetrators, will their secrets be revealed as the investigation takes an unusual twist that could blow the case wide open.

Buy Links: Amazon  Barns&Nobel  ibooks  Kobo

Book Trailer

Sneak peek between the pages of Security Force of Two:

“Now, what was that all about?” she wondered out loud. First, the man is all irate, then he… and they say women are moody. Candle finished installing the batteries in the little candle lights, made sure they worked, and finally put each one in a pumpkin. Someone turned off the overhead lights. The lit pumpkins transformed the darkness into a magic Halloween kingdom. The crystal skull’s green glow added an eerie feeling to the room. Candle checked the skull’s light and timer. She held the remote that controlled all the candle lights, turning them off and on several times to make sure everything worked correctly. Satisfied, she handed the remote to Gabby.

Brushing the cobwebs and dust out of her hair, Candle peered at Gabby. “If you’re finished with me, I gotta go home, and let the puppy out, exercise her, then get ready for the Halloween Ball tonight. You know, I am kind of excited about it. Over the years, I may have forgotten how to have fun.”

“That’s what I’m here for.” A giggle bubbled up through Gabby’s throat. “Now get out of here. See ya tonight.”

Arriving at the cabin, Candle unlocked the door only to be greeted by a wiggling, whining ball of tawny fur. “How did you get out again?” Looking around the room, she saw the baby gate formerly wedged in the doorway between the kitchen and living area now chewed on one side, allowing it to fall over. Candle shook her head, watched the bright-eyed, happy to see her, and swept Terra up into her arms, cuddling her close. No use scolding her now. The deed was done. Crossing to the back door, Candle surveyed the area for any other damage and found none.

Terra made a mad dash out her dog door for the far corner of the yard, did her business, and stared at Candle. Her duties done, she raced around the yard, waiting for Candle to join her. Then Terra nipped at Candle’s pant legs and ran away again. She would surely be glad when this puppy phase was over. All her pants had tiny holes all around the bottom from puppy teeth. Terra grabbed a ball, squeaking it as she raced around the yard, finally bringing it to Candle to throw. After several minutes of playing ball with the pup, Candle returned to the house to don her costume and get ready to go.

An hour and a half later, Terrabyte rushed into the house and skidded to a stop barking furiously two feet from where Candle stood dressed in her costume. “Hey, it’s just me,” Candle laughed as the puppy stood there, head cocked to one side. She scooped the pup up and held her. “See, it’s just me.” Candle said soothingly. “Don’t you like my costume?” She chuckled again and put Terra in her crate with food, water, and the treasured bully stick. This time made sure the lock was engaged properly and left the radio low.

Candle arrived at the ball a few minutes early, but it looked like the whole town was in attendance. Fog floated across the floor. Shadows from the lit pumpkins danced on the walls and ceiling as she made her way to where Gabby was standing with her family. “Very nice, Gabby. You did a great job with the decorations. Your costume isn’t bad either. You’re the good witch in the Wizard of Oz?”

Gabby nodded, dressed in a golden ball gown with glitter in her hair and a crystal wand in her hand. “Thank you. Candle, I’d like you to meet my husband, Ben.”

“Oh, let me guess, you’re the Wizard of Oz, right?”

“Yes, Gabby’s interpretation.” Ben laughed, striking a pose in a dark emerald green suit with sequined lapels and a light green shirt with a black tie.

Thanks for stopping by for a peek at Sunday Snippet Security Force of Two!  Hope you’ll check the novel out.  See you next week for another segement of Sunday Snippets!

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