Jacob, thank you very much for having me on your blog! I appreciate having the chance to get to know some of your readers.

My new novel, a shape-shifter romance, called Secret Chemistry released today. I’m—naturally–very excited about it!

I don’t know about you, but coming up with titles isn’t exactly my strongest suit. Whenever I start a new story the folder usually just gets labeled with the main character’s name. Sometimes it stays this way until the book is finished (worst case scenario). Most often I get some ideas soon after I start writing but nothing really seems to fit. It usually takes me a long time to settle on one title idea and become comfortable with it. I wonder how the process is for other authors?

I like my books to have short titles—it’s just a personal preference—so I try to limit myself to two or three words for the title. On the other hand, I want the title to reflect some of the book’s content or message. In my last release A Purrfect Match the title was a playful hint on Jim’s ability to shift into a cat. I also seem to have a thing for titles that start with the letter S. Secret Chemistry is already the third book to start with this letter. 😉

Secret Chemistry is pretty self-explanatory, I think. Tim and Jay, the main characters, are mates and therefore pulled together by a secret force, a certain kind of chemistry that’s characteristic for mates.  At first they don’t realize what’s going on but at least one of them understands it pretty soon. The secret part in the title stands for various things: their shape-shifting is a secret to the outer world, and their relationship has to stay a secret because Jay’s not a pure-blooded werewolf. He’s a hybrid between wolf and fox and others detests him because of that. Not only do they detest him, no, some of Tim’s pack even go so far as to hunt him solely because he’s not a pure-blooded werewolf.

If you like you are most welcome to participate in the GoodReads giveaway for the paperback version of Secret Chemistry here: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/40767-secret-chemistry

 

Blurb:

Not all werewolf societies are created equal. The one Tim Evans grew up in detests those not of “pure blood”—so when Tim discovers his mate is Jay, a male fox-wolf hybrid ten years his junior, it shocks him, to say the least. Too young to claim his mate and too weak to protect him from the rest of the pack, Tim fears for Jay’s life. When a human gets hold of Jay, Tim believes he has lost him forever.

The next eighteen years are hell. Tim devotes his life to his family and running their stable, but anger and depression threaten to consume him. Then fate brings Jay back into his life. Tim knows Jay feels the same attraction he does—mates always do. So why won’t Jay act on it?

 

Excerpt: From Secret Chemistry, Chapter Two. Tim is waiting for his parents, together with his four siblings.

 

Tim stood at the large windowpane in the living room, gazing outside. Dusk had begun to settle. Shadows crept toward the house, dipping it into darkness. Even the flowers seemed to fold in on themselves. Their bright colors receded to dull variations of gray.

There was no sign of their mother or father.

Tim started to pace the living room. He’d tried settling down with a book like Daniel had done, but to no avail. Nervously, he paced through the room again and again.

That scent kept pushing its way into Tim’s nostrils, growing more intense by the minute. He wanted to howl in frustration but kept his voice to a low persistent grumble. At least he had deduced that the scent came from another wolf, a male wolf. He had to be quite young because he smelled vaguely like Robin.

First, the scent clearly spoke of a male wolf. Second, it had to be a pup. Third, something unknown lingered in that scent, calling out to Tim like nothing had ever done before.

Tim couldn’t deny his interest in other boys. He had tried liking girls, like his buddies did, but no girl had ever aroused him. Some of the other boys, though… yeah, he had jerked off at the thought of some of them.

He knew he was different and had to come out to his family at some point. He preferred that point to be in the future—a future far, far away. His parents would love him, no matter what, but they would be disappointed in him.

Tim shivered slightly. He hated disappointing his family; he valued their opinion and their respect and feared losing that.

That scent kept luring him. It confused him even as it touched something primal deep within him. It wasn’t sexual, more… spiritual, maybe? Tim didn’t know. A low, pained groan escaped his mouth.

“Tim? Are you okay?” Daniel asked, looking up from his book.

Tim startled and almost tripped over his feet. “What? Yeah, sure.”

“Really? You’re… skittish.”

“Skittish?” Tim snorted. “I’m just burning off some energy.”

“You’ll burn a hole in the carpet if you keep pacing back and forth on the same path for much longer.”

Debra, Laura, and Robin interrupted their play to look at Tim. He flushed, and before he could process what he was doing, he snarled at them. Debra cried out, whereas Laura pulled a baffled-looking Robin on her lap.

“Leave me alone!”

“Hey, hey, stay calm, Tim.” Daniel said, setting his book aside.

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Tim shot back hotly.

Annoyed, he wiped sweat away from his forehead. It was hot in the room, intolerably hot.

That scent filled his nose completely now, and nothing else registered. Tim staggered; he couldn’t think straight anymore. He could only think of hunting down the originator of the scent, burying his nose into the other one’s fur and never letting him go.

A yelp tore free when Daniel grabbed his shoulders to stop his pacing. Wild-eyed and panting, he looked at his brother. Daniel’s eyes widened before he whispered, “Oh shit!”

“What? What’s going on with him?” Laura demanded to know.

“He made Robin cry!” Debra added.

“He did not!” Laura replied. “Look, he’s quiet but not scared.”

A harried smile crossed Daniel’s face. To himself, he muttered, “That’s because he’s not only cute, he totally gets what this is about.”

Tim didn’t have a clue what Daniel was talking about, but the urge to run was too strong now. “Daniel, I have to get out. I can’t stay inside.”

“Tim, I can’t let you go outside. Neither Dad nor Mom would ever forgive me if I let you go outside now.”

“Please, Daniel!” Tim pleaded.

He needed to get out, to get to that enticing scent. Whoever the originator was, Tim knew he was in trouble. Tim needed to get him away from the fights; he needed to protect him, no matter what.

“No, Tim.”

Tim shifted, fast. Leaving Daniel no chance to intervene, Tim ran. He jumped over the tea party on the floor, which elicited a laugh from Robin and a terrified cry from Debra. Tim couldn’t stop.

No way could he stop now.

The scent pulled and Tim had to follow.

At the front door, he shifted only partway, so he could open the door. Outside, Tim completed the shift. An eerie howl came from the clearing a few miles away, stopping Tim on the porch. Another howl answered, then more swiftly followed. The wolves had gathered to start a hunt, a deadly hunt.

Tim’s tail tucked itself between his hind legs of its own accord and his fur stood up. That scent became even stronger.

Tim glanced over his shoulder and saw his siblings’ frightened faces, but knew he couldn’t stay at home. Daniel would stay with them and keep them safe; he was sure of that.

I have to go. I’m sorry.

“Tim!”

Author Bio:

Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there’s any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks, or crafts.

Blog: http://christikat.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/christi_kat

GoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/ChrisTKat

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChrisTKat

 

Buy link for Secret Chemistry:

e-book: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3520

paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3521