Forged for Release!

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It’s release day for Forged in Flame,
book 2 of the Montanari Universe series!

BUY FORGED IN FLAME NOW: CLICK HERE

Dragon fire can be hidden, but never extinguished.

Ava Flynn never meant to awaken the dragon inside her—until betrayal and a dangerously seductive stranger ignite a power she can no longer deny. When billionaire dragon shifter Dalton Rosetti crashes into her life, their instant, scorching attraction leaves both of them burned by secrets, pride, and a single unforgettable night.

Three years later, Ava is hiding more than a broken heart. She’s raising a fire-breathing daughter while hiding from everyone, including the dragon slayers who murdered her father and want her next. Dalton’s discovery that he has a child changes everything—and he’s determined to protect what’s his, no matter the cost.

With enemies closing in and passion rekindling, Ava and Dalton are forced back together in a deadly game of magic, loyalty, and desire. Forged in Flame is a sizzling paranormal romance of dragonfire, second chances, and a love powerful enough to change destiny.

What You’ll Find Inside Forged in Flame:

  • Secret Baby / Surprise Pregnancy
  • Fling Turns Serious
  • Wedding Romance (maid of honor & hated guest)
  • Hidden Heritage
  • Found Family
  • Fated Mates

LEARN MORE: bethanymaines.com/catalog/sirena-corbeau/

BUY FORGED IN FLAME NOW: CLICK HERE

Forged in Flame Cover Reveal!

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New Cover Revealed!

Book covers in publishing can be fraught for authors. And by fraught I mean panic inducing. What a publisher thinks and what an author thinks a cover should be are very frequently not the same. And usually, an author is only allowed minimal input on a cover. While this is frustrating as an author, as a graphic designer, I do understand it.  Authors get very exacting about their book and want to put every little detail into the cover, which can quickly become fussy and overwrought.  Also, an author may not like the graphic trend that is currently selling in their genre. In short, authors are not always the best marketers of their own books.  But from the author’s point of view, publishers or the designers may not grasp what the book is about and give it a weirdly off-tone look. Which is why you’ll find authors waiting for their covers to be revealed in nail-biting anticipation.  And it’s also why I saw this cover and thought… Oh, thank goodness! The designer completely got my Hawaii Gothic theme.  I can’t wait to get this into the hands of readers!

Authors rarely get much input into covers. Sometimes we’ll get only a “right of refusal.”  Which means that we only get yes or no—no adjustments.  And sometimes that can be used as a threat—if you say no, your book will be delayed. (If you thought publishing wasn’t a cutthroat business, think again.) But working with Varus Publishing has been lovely. They’re very willing to hear feedback and do their best to make adjustments.  Getting the right vibe of a book to readers is as important to them as it is to the authors and they have a pretty extensive “discovery” process to attempt to get all the little nuggets of book thoughts, tropes, and vibes from the author to the designer.  Which is why I feel that this cover is such a success.

So without further ado, please admire the brand new and fiery Forged in Flame cover!

Forged in Flame Cover!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRE-ORDER:  https://amzn.to/3RJYJk3

RELEASE DATE: June 30th

SIGN UP TO BE AN ADVANCE READER: ARC Form

Forged in Flame:

Ava Flynn never meant to awaken the dragon inside her—until betrayal and a dangerously seductive stranger ignite a power she can no longer deny. When billionaire dragon shifter Dalton Rosetti crashes into her life, their instant, scorching attraction leaves both of them burned by secrets, pride, and a single unforgettable night.

Three years later, Ava is hiding more than a broken heart. She’s raising a fire-breathing daughter while hiding from everyone, including the dragon slayers who murdered her father and want her next. Dalton’s discovery that he has a child changes everything—and he’s determined to protect what’s his, no matter the cost.

With enemies closing in and passion rekindling, Ava and Dalton are forced back together in a deadly game of magic, loyalty, and desire. Forged in Flame is a sizzling paranormal romance of dragonfire, second chances, and a love powerful enough to change destiny.

How Does a Dragon Work?

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A Working Dragon

In my 2026 series of paranormal romances, each stand-alone novel is linked through the character of Dante Montanari—a mysterious dragon shifter whose interference in the lives of other characters causes the romances of each book to develop. Ultimately, the plan is to have a book devoted to Dante and his own romance, but that’s currently plotted for book 8, and we’re only on number 2. Usually, when I develop my characters for mysteries and contemporary romance, I only have to worry about the everyday getting to know you stuff—like where a character works, what they’re passionate about, why they keep finding dead bodies—that kind of thing.  But with paranormal romance, there is the added layer of world-building, which means I need to decide how dragons and any other fantasy creatures actually function. And then, even worse, I have to abide by those rules (yes, the ones I just invented) in future books.

Playing by the Rules

Once the rules are set, my life is both harder and easier.  The more I know about each character, the less I have to think about some of the background noise of setting a scene.  And this applies across all genres. In a mystery, if I know that my character doesn’t drink coffee, then I don’t have to think about their order if there’s a scene in a cafe.  In a fantasy novel, some things become more complex. For instance, if a shape-shifter changes, do their clothes shift as well?  (And we will pause here for you to have this argument amongst yourselves.) I have decided that we cannot have proper werewolf-type transformations without tearing clothes, and have chosen to have clothes NOT transform.  But that means that you have to keep track of things like “where did his shoes go” in those scenes. And inevitably, no matter how carefully I establish my rules for this creature or that, I run into a scene where I wish I’d done something else.

Choosing a Course

As it turns out the easiest way to figure out the rules is to do the most horrific of all writerly tasks… write. By writing a character and working through a story, I can stress test my rules and figure out how they apply to the world and other characters.  However, since my big dragon character doesn’t have his own story until much later, that left me with specifically dragonish questions that need to be answered NOW.  Which is why book 2 of the series focuses on Dante’s nephew – Dalton Rosetti.  Dalton and Ava’s romance was the perfect opportunity to find out what makes dragons work and how their world, magic, and culture function. And also, allow me to daydream of a vacation in Hawaii. Because in my world dragons love heat and volcanoes, so of course, they would love Hawaii. This romance was fun to write because (as with all my books) it includes a heavy dose of action and danger and that meant I had to watch Hawaii 5-0 for inspiration.  Yes, I know either iteration of the show is ridiculously not true to Hawaii, but the scenery is still great.  (I may or may not be referring to Daniel Dae Kim as scenery in this sentence.  Language is always open to interpretation.)  What do you think?  What other Hawaii specific shows should I have added to my “research”?

Forged in Flame Promo Graphic with a dragon flying over a beachForged in Flame

Ava Flynn grew up unaware of her dragon heritage, raised by her human mother and stepfather. That changes when Dante Montanari’s nephew, billionaire dragon Dalton Rosetti, arrives—and sparks ignite. Their one night of passion leaves Ava with a secret baby and a future she must face alone. But when deadly enemies close in, Ava and her child are thrust back into Dalton’s world. To survive, she must decide: can she trust a bond forged in flame?  Learn More: bethanymaines.com/catalog/sirena-corbeau/

Interested in being an Advance Reader of Forged in Flame?

Sign up here: ADVANCE READER SIGN UP FORM

ARC readers get a free copy of the book in exchange for leaving a review on one (or more) of the common review sites (Amazon, Bookbub, Goodreads).

 

Welcome to Spring

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Spring . . . ing into Overcommitment

As I note in this month’s newsletter, I may have overcommitted myself a tiny bit this month. Between work, writerly events, taxes, my child’s spring break, work events, and writing itself, I find that I have had to put aside several axillary goals. In fact, I’m reminded of a quote I saw once from Nora Roberts who said something to the effect that some of the balls you are juggling are glass and some are plastic — the trick is to only drop the plastic ones.

Glass doesn’t Spring

The items that I can’t drop are the items with deadlines.  Forged in Flame, book 2 of the Montanari Universe series, is out in June. So all the editing associated is at the top of the list.  I’m excited for this book as it expands the universe and introduces new characters.  Each book is a stand-alone, meaning that you do NOT have to read the first one, but the stories are linked through the character of Dante Montanari.  But that means I have to figure out his character without the benefit of having an entire book of him to explore what’s going on with him. There has been lots of ruminating and for the last two weeks, a lot of furiously fast editing, to get everything buttoned down before Forged in Flame goes up for pre-order.

I also can’t drop my mom duties, so those items are at the top of the list.  And work has some deadlines that also can’t be moved. So it looks like some late nights for me to make sure that everything gets done.

Spring break photo of the Vashon Island lighthouseSo which Spring goal is plastic?

My long-term goal of becoming a better watercolorist is definitely something that I can drop for April. On one hand it is a goal that I feel like I have put off for over a decade because of motherhood and focusing on writing, so it feels sad to set aside yet again. But on the other hand, I have made several efforts this last few years and I know I can come back and pursue it more fully this summer when I will be working a little less to be with my kiddo for “Art Fridays.” (She also loves to paint and craft.) When I come back, I’ve got several new paintings planned, including this one of the Vashon Island lighthouse.

Also, on the list of things I will drop like a hot potato are other people’s problems. Do you want me to get you files because you’re going on vacation and you would like them so everything’s tidy for when you get back? Gosh… that just sounds like a you problem. Your vacation is not my emergency.

But as I juggle my way toward May, I know that someday there will be a summer. And hopefully it will be a lot less busy.  Now if I could just remember to say no to a few things…

***

Forged in Flame Promo Image of Dalton, Nina, and Ava with a dragon flying over a Hawaiian beachForged in Flame – Releasing June 4

Ava Flynn grew up unaware of her dragon heritage, raised by her human mother and stepfather. That all changes when Dante Montanari’s nephew, billionaire dragon Dalton Rosetti, arrives—and sparks ignite. Their one night of passion leaves Ava with a secret baby and a future she must face alone. But when deadly enemies close in, Ava and her child are thrust back into Dalton’s world. To survive, she must decide: can she trust a bond forged in flame?

Learn More: https://bethanymaines.com/catalog/sirena-corbeau/

Want to be an Advance Reader for Forged in Flame?

Fill out this form with your name and preferred email address and get an email with a download link in May.  Advance Readers get an early copy of the book and promise to leave a review on Goodreads, BookBub, or Amazon by the first week of publication.  (You will get a reminder email with links.) Reviews may be as short as one sentence.

Every Little Thing

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Quarter 1 had a lot of things…

And Thing 1 and Thing 2 were not blue-haired pranksters. The things were both writing.  Last year, I blithely signed a contract with Varus Publishing to provide 4 books in 2026.  I had exactly 1.5 books of those four written when I signed.  Well, if you want to meet editorial and layout schedules, then you must turn in your manuscripts at a date that is not the last minute.  Then I took on teaching a new writing workshop (which means developing the workshop), being the Treasurer for the Mystery Writers of America Northwest Chapter, volunteering my design skills to a worthy-cause website, supporting my brother’s new business, and oh, yeah, my daughter’s birthday is in a week. Keep reading for the news breakdown.

The Workshop Thing

The workshop “Murder Boards & Master Plans: Brainstorming Your Mystery” went from being hybrid to being all virtual due to the possibility of snow in the forecast.  While a bit of a curveball, the workshop still went well as we discussed how to pick which information we need to start outlining (or if you’re a “pantser – how to just start writing) and then broke it down to have some fabulous shared moments and help each other move our stories forward. It was so fantastic to see attendees have a lightbulb or a breakthrough moment on their plot.

The Treasury Department

Being a Treasurer is not particularly difficult.  What’s challenging is the bank who, despite non-profit boards routinely rotating all across the US, seem shocked that there is a new treasurer literally every time.  But it’s not my first time being a treasurer so I just gathered up all my bits and went down to the bank and talked to real person until it was mostly straightened out.  Sadly, I’ll be doing it again this week in order to set up online banking.  It never seems to happen all in one visit.  However, the rest of the job is going fine, and we’ve already started our programming for the year – Check out Mystery Manon as she discusses social media for mystery writers!

New Website Thing

As part of our MWA Chapter’s mission to support writing, this year we took on the support of Noir at the Bar Seattle. While a fixture on the Seattle literary scene since 2014, NATB has never had it’s own website. Until now.  With some graphic design wizardry and a little tech know-how, I was able to put together a NATB website.  It’s main goal is to share news of upcoming events, and keep track of past performers.  You can also sign up for the mailing list and listen to recordings of previous readings.  To learn more visit: https://www.noiratthebarseattle.com/

Birthday Wishes

My daughter’s birthday is on St. Patrick’s Day and as per usual, we have picked out and tested a green dessert. This year it’s… Greenies.  Because they can’t be brownies if they’re green. If you’re interested in getting the recipe (and news about new books, giveaways, and author spotlights) then sign up for my once a month newsletter!  Visit: https://bethanymaines.com/connect/

 

And now… The Book Thing!

Book 1 of the 2026 novels is now out in the wild and being read and reviewed by real human beings – ack!  Look for Book 2 – Forged in Flame – June.  This one is a perfectly delicious second chance romance with dragons because… of course there are dragons in Hawaii — it’s got a volcano.

Heart’s Curse

Writing under the pen name Sirena Corebeau for Varus Publishing, Heart’s Curse is about Lucas Kane, a hotel boss who’s on his way up the ladder and his first shot at the big time in Vegas is The Lucky Heart Hotel & Casino.  There’s just one tiny problem… it’s cursed.  Charlotte “Charlie” Auvray has always been told she’s nothing special—just the magicless daughter of a powerful witch family. But when a disastrous spring break lands her in Las Vegas, she stumbles into the path of Lucas Kane, a dangerously magnetic casino boss with secrets of his own. Lucas is juggling mob ties, a cursed hotel, and powers he can never reveal. What he doesn’t need is a heartbroken college girl counting cards at his tables… or kissing him in front of her cheating ex. But when blood rains from the showers and guests descend into madness, Charlie proves she sees what no one else can—the curse that haunts the Lucky Heart’s Casino. To break it, she’ll have to embrace her hidden magic and trust Lucas with her heart. Because in Vegas, the stakes aren’t just money—they’re life, love, and destiny.

ORDER NOW: https://amzn.to/49fdeli

Heart’s Curse Release Day

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It’s release day for Heart’s Curse!

I’m so thrilled to see book one of the Montanari Universe – Heart’s Curse – finally in the hands of readers.  This is my first foray into using a pen name and I’m excited to see if Sirena Corbeau with her horror-tinged take on paranormal romance can connect with readers.

The Montanari Universe

Each book in this series is connected through the character of Dante Montanari—a wealthy CEO and dragon-shifter whose actions impact everyone around him.  And while some of his decisions are benign, others have unintended consequences, and yet still others can spell for trouble.  You can expect 3 more books in this universe in 2026 – Forged in Flame, Curselocked, and Swamp of Shadows. This fun, steamy series will serve up the Hawaii based dragon-shifter (+baby!) romance in June—perfect for summer beach reading.  Learn more: Sirena Corbeau

Heart’s Curse

In Heart’s Curse, Lucas Kane has worked for Dante Montanari ever since the day he tried to pick the dragons pocket.  But with the acquisition of the Lucky Heart Hotel & Casino, this one time street kid is now poised to be the head of the Montanari Corporation’s Vegas division.  There’s just one teeny tiny little problem… It’s cursed.  Fortunately for Lucas, there just happens to be a gorgeous witch checked in on the third floor.  Too bad for him Charlotte “Charlie” Auvray has no magic. But as the curse sends guests running and blood pouring from the faucets, Charlie may be the only one who can save them.  In Vegas, the stakes aren’t just money—they’re life, love, and destiny.

BUY NOW: https://amzn.to/49fdeli

Thanks so much to all my readers for their support!