Ladies and Gents, I Give You Author Zrinka Jelic!

Just in time for Christmas! I've got the wonderful Zrinka Jelic hanging out with us today! And not only is she kicking back for a bit with a glass of wine and a plate of tasty cookies, she's also kind enough to share a piece from her recent Christmas novella, Deck the Halls. So Zrinka? Take it away, my dear!

 

No matter how hard I tried to write about The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, and no, I’m not talking about back to school, my thoughts kept drifting to sad side of the Christmas. To those who won’t be so fortunate to spend this Special Time Of Year with their loved ones, or to those struck with hard times. And how could they not with everything that’s happening in the world? So to Shake Up (my) Christmas happiness, I turned to music. Because All I Want For Christmas Is You to be happy and cheerful.

Since Santa Clause is Coming to Town, I better watch out, not cry or pout. You know he sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake. Kids already cannot wait for Christmas as the city streets are turning into Winter Wonderland.

Holidays Are Coming and I hope they find you in a good spirits. And if the weather outside is frightening, stay safe and cozy by the fire that’s so delightful, and Let It Snow. But if you’re Dreaming Of a White Christmas, at least you are someplace warm and sunny.

So here’s to the Last Christmas, present and future. Let’s raise a glass and make this holiday cheer last all year.

I leave you now, in better mood than I found you I hope, with a blurb and an excerpt from my newest release “Deck the Halls”, a paranormal Christmas novella.

Enjoy!

 



BLURB

It isn’t the string of crappy jobs, or people’s irrational urge to spend their money, or even his inability to ask Julie out on a date that Zach can’t get excited about Christmas. It is the fact that today is his last day he gets to spend in his preferred human form.

When jealous Tia, a wicked sorceress disguised as the pack’s alpha female, tries to force his wolf out a day early, all-consuming anger sends him into a rage against her. She punishes shape shifter Zach, by changing him to a dog. He has 48 hours to save his family and trade his life for someone else’s in order to break the spell—the only problem, Julie’s cat Miss Molly knows who he is and won’t let him near her owner. But Julie’s safety is the greatest importance and he sticks by her side.

Julie can’t resist falling in love with the stray dog she rescues. She prolongs putting a found dog ad in the local newspaper just to keep him for another day. Strange thing is, the animal reminds her of Zach.

Confronted with the woman who stole the man she secretly loves, Julie discovers the truth about Zach. When his dog form proves useless against the powerful alpha werewolf, the help comes from unforeseen allies.

 

EXCERPT

Tia approached with slow steps. He panted. Would she finish him off?

      “Such insolence deserves a special punishment. What did you hope to gain by this pathetic attempt?” Her sinister laugher ended in a long sigh. “Let me see, what to do with you? Hmm… what I set out to do before your overconfidence got the worst of me. If you can’t be a man, then be his best friend.”

She muttered some intangible chant. Golden fur sprouted on his front legs. What the hell? Silver, his fur was silver not golden. He wagged his bushy tail and a sudden, unexplainable desire for someone to throw a stick for him to retrieve overtook his mind. Wait a minute, focus man, something is terribly wrong here. He tried to growl. Instead a deep bark escaped his throat. A dog! The bitch turned him into a frigging dog. What sorcery was this?

      “That’s much better.” Tia licked her muzzle and turned away from him.

      “Damn it, Tia, undo this.” He barked after her, but she only sped away, her menacing laughter echoing in the foggy parking lot.

      “Perhaps your witchy little sister knows the contra spell.” Tia’s words bounced in his head just before the darkness swallowed her.

      Lexa! Yes, she studied magic, but would her powers break Tia’s spell? He darted away, summoning his sister through their special sibling connection. His Goddess wasn’t protecting him this night, but if Luperca had any mercy, maybe, just maybe his sister might be able to find someone who could break Tia’s curse and free him of this ridiculous form.

He meandered through the crowd of people hugging their shopping bags.

     “There’s a dog without a collar loose.” A man shouted, picking up a small boy in his arms. “Someone should call animal control.”

      Zach scampered away and stuck to the empty streets away from any shopping malls or crowded plazas. Once he cleared the city, he opened up into a free run across the thin layer of snow on a farmer’s field. He paced at the edge of the copse, calling Lexa by emitting shrill whimpers. Had Tia or her bullies gotten to his sister? If Lexa couldn’t meet him, he might end up living in dog’s body forever.

 

 

 

 

A member of the Romance Writers of America and its chapter Fantasy Futuristic & Paranormal, as well as Savvy Authors, Zrinka Jelic writes contemporary fiction—which leans toward the paranormal—and sometimes adds a pinch of history. Her characters come from all walks of life, and although she prefers red, romance comes in many colors. Given Jelic’s love for her native Croatia and the Adriatic Sea, her characters usually find themselves dealing with a fair amount of sunshine, but when it rains, it pours.  

 

 

Pick up a copy of Deck the Halls today!

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