Please allow me to introduce myself (and yes, this is a Guns and Roses/Rolling Stones/Interview with the Vampire reference.), I am Shirley McCoy, paranormal romance author/audiobook narrator.
How did I get started writing? I have always been very verbal and began writing early. At age eleven, I wrote my first story, inspired by my favorite author, Laura Ingalls Wilder. Over the next twelve years, I wrote bits and pieces of various stories as ideas struck, but I did not finish anything until I was just out of college. I read a book about Screenplay writing by Syd Field and wrote several screenplays of my own over the next several years. In 2010 I decided to switch to novel writing and self-published my first two novels, The Smoke and the Flame and The Wind and the Fire as well as my novella, Awake. Next, I published If the Shoe Fits, The Crystal Flame and Dragon Song with The Wild Rose Press. In between and since, I have self-published several other novels and, in short, have the privilege of being a hybrid author.
I soon discovered I love to create my own world when writing and so, I gravitated to paranormal romance. I basically adore anything and everything that is not your normal, average, day to day sort of story. Time travel, fantasy, historical romance, vampires, genies, dragons, fairy tales, and the world behind the mirror are all things I love to read about and so also love to writeabout. Some of the best writing advice I ever heard was, if the book you want to read doesn’t exist yet, write the book you want to read. That is definitely what I did with my first book, The Smoke and the Flame, its sequel, The Wind and the Fire, about a genie, and Mirror World, about a girl trapped in a mirror. At the moment I am working on a novel tentatively titled, Welcome to Niceville. A girl finds herself in a typical 1950’s American town with no memory of how she got there. Think Stepford Wives meets Back to the Future meets Wanda Vision.
Some years ago I discovered that I also love to narrate. I greatly enjoy telling my own and other author’s stories using my voice. I love listening to audiobooks myself while I am in the stacks at my local library working my day job and wanted to provide this option to my readers. I have narrated my books, The Crystal Flame, The Last Descendant, Awake and All I Want for Christmas and hope to soon have all my titles available in audio. I have also narrated two books for other authors, Courir De Mardi Gras, by Lynn Shurr and A Hasty Grave, by Jo A. Hiestand. I complete all of the process, from beginning to end, myself and love every minute. Okay, well, maybe not every minute of the editing, but mostly I love it.
I was born and raised in south Louisiana. The climate is, in my opinion, the best because it’s so nice and warm. In addition, I am pleased to note that the Louisiana Book Festival is one of the top ten book festivals in the country. In 2017, I was honored that my book, If the Shoe Fits, was featured along with many other great titles. Finally, in spite of the fact that I grew up in Louisiana, I do not eat seafood but I do love Jambalaya.
As for what else I do in my spare time? I love to read, watch movies, spend time with my family and travel when I can. I love movies so much that I even watch the Oscars and, in fact, watch all of the nominated films I can get my hands on. Recently, I have become obsessed with figure skating. I’ve always enjoyed it, but now I have a deep desire to learn all I can about it. I think part of this is because I really wish I could do a triple Axel.
So, that’s a little about me. I hope to get to know some of you potential readers out there. If you are so inclined, feel free to explore my website, sign up for my mailing list or purchase my books in your favorite format. Thanks so much for your time and I hope you might one day take a little trip out of the ordinary and try one of my paranormal romances.
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Title Dragon Song
Author Shirley McCoy
Genre Paranormal Romance
Publisher The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
Dragons rule the world. Princess Morgan Talbot of Esterhaven knows one rules her. Rownar, the most powerful dragon of all, forced a magical bond with her at a tender age. He intends to corrupt her soul, then consume her body. Now of age, Morgan knows she must take back her life and defeat Rownar, and all his kind.
Connor O’Malley is the greatest dragon slayer alive. He spends one memorable night with Morgan, never thinking to see her again. Until he does. He is deeply shaken to learn the woman he fell for is a princess and determined to conquer Rownar herself.
When Connor offers to train her, Morgan reluctantly accepts. Now an epic battle will begin, for a princess’s life, her soul, her kingdom, and the world.
Excerpt
As they cautiously navigated through the hoard, Morgan detected a slight glow in her peripheral vision. It flared up, then subsided. As they stepped forward, she discerned it again, and this time she whipped around quickly enough to see a small magical symbol etched in the floor behind them light up, then dim.
“Oh no,” she murmured.
“What’s wrong?” Connor demanded in a sharp tone.
She paced further and showed him. “I think if Meglos doesn’t already know we are here, he will soon.”
As if on cue, deep within the cave, the sound of an almighty clang of metal meeting metal filled their ears. Then came a roar, the kind which could only be made by a dragon.
Morgan knew her eyes must be wide as saucers, but she couldn’t seem to help it or move at all, in fact. Horror rooted her to the spot, unable even to speak, much less move.
“Connor was not so afflicted. “Run!”
When she didn’t twitch so much as an eyelash, he yelled, “Run, Morgan!”
The volume of his words, his manner, and most of all, the use of her name, snapped her out of her panicked shock at last. She went from utter stillness to moving faster than she ever had in her life.
The dragon, shrieking and breathing fire all the while, flew after them.”
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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196928355-dragon-song?from_search=true&from_srp=yaTMzO5ZwN&qid=7
Author Biography
Shirley grew up in Baton Rouge, LA and started writing at an early age. Always talkative, when she was eleven she began to put her thoughts on paper, writing stories inspired by some of her favorite writers, Laura Ingalls Wilder and Madeline L'Engle. As she grew older, she developed a love of romance and in 2009 she decided to try her hand at paranormal romance. The result was The Smoke and the Flame and its sequel, The Wind and the Fire. The Smoke and the Flame is the first novel she has ever completed, although she has written several unpublished screenplays.
Shirley graduated from Nicholls State University where she majored in History and minored in English. Since graduating (she doesn't like to think about how long ago that was) she has worked at some of the best libraries in the Baton Rouge area. She makes her home there and enjoys spending time with family members that live in town as well as with those that live out of town. She also loves seeing movies, reading, and going to the park with her niece in her free time.
Currently, Shirley is hard at work on her newest venture, tentatively titled Welcome to Niceville.
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Title The Last Descendant
Author Shirley McCoy
Genre Paranormal Romance
Book Blurb
Dr. Thomas Avery is the last direct descendent of Merlin the magician. He is the most powerful mage on the planet, but is he the only one? Thomas enlists scientist, Dr. Jessilyn Matthews, to help him find out. Yet, it is not just a desire to discover whether he is the only person on earth with magical power that drives him. Baylor, ruler of demons and all that is dark, is rising after 1000 years. Only Merlin was able to defeat Baylor and his dark forces, but at the price of Camelot’s destruction and the death of King Arthur. Thomas dares not face Baylor alone. He must find others, others with power, give them training and convince them to fight. It is the only way to push back the dark, restore the balance and ensure that light rules for the next millennia.
When Dr. Jessilyn Matthews got a call from Dr. Avery asking if she was interested in doing some research together, she had no idea what she would be getting into. Founding a magic school? Building an army? Starting a passionate affair? These possibilities never occurred to her. Yet, for Thomas she embraced them all, for Thomas and the light. With Baylor holding ever more sway over the students attending the newly founded Avery Institute, and with the dark rising, she can only hope her faith and the faith of the other descendants will be enough to defeat Baylor and his dark forces once and for all. Enjoy the romance, fantasy and adventure of The Last Descendant.
Excerpt
Widening her eyes, she asked, “You’re who?” “I am the last direct descendent of Merlin, the magician. As such, I was born with certain abilities.” Jessilyn laughed outright. She couldn’t help it, but she soon sobered. “Right. Let’s be serious please. Why did you contact me? Why did you want to meet me? Why the hell did you insist on dragging me all the way out here from Princeton?” “I am serious, doctor. I can prove it to you.” In spite of the fact that alarms were starting to ring in the distant recesses of her head, she decided to play along for the time being. “Okay. How? Wait, back up. First, what abilities?” “Telepathy, telekinesis, precognition, and clairvoyance. At its base, it all comes down to being able to manipulate both matter and energy. Put simply, synapses fire in the brain when I want to do even something as simple as scratch an itch. When I read a person’s mind, I am manipulating energy, electrical impulses. Each person’s brain functions on a very specific, unique wavelength. Using my own energy, I tap into a person’s particular wavelength or brain pattern, first to become aware of and then to interpret and finally perhaps even influence that energy, to, in essence, effect the thoughts of others, in theory. Telekinesis is a bit different. With that, I am using my energy to influence matter, but the basic principle is the same. To sum up, I have limited control over objects down to a molecular level. Scientifically speaking.” Fury erupted within Jessilyn without warning and she could not contain it. “Dr. Avery, I don’t know what sort of game you are playing, but no matter what it is, I do not appreciate you wasting my time.” Then as she gathered her things she muttered, more to herself than to him, “I traveled over 1500 miles for this?”
As she started to rise, he placed a hand over hers. “I told you I can prove it, remember? Please sit down.” She assessed him. He did appear to be serious as well as convincing. Although, if he weren’t he would hardly be a good con artist now would he? Yet there was an air of sincerity she found hard to ignore. Against her better judgment and praying she would not regret it, she returned to her seat. “I’ll make you a bargain. If after I have given you a little demonstration, you still don’t believe me, you can go and I’ll never bother you again. I swear. But, if I do manage to convince you, then you stay and hear the rest of what I came to tell you.” Jessilyn glanced around the diner. While it wasn’t exactly doing a brisk business, nor were they alone, so her safety wasn’t an issue, just her sanity. She sighed and responded, “All right, you have five minutes, Dr. Avery. Dazzle me.” He did dazzle her with his grin, but it was fleeting. A moment later he was concentrating, his entire focus directed inward and his pupils dilated so much his eyes were almost black. She waited with increasing impatience as nothing happened. When she was about to give it up as a bad job, the iced tea he had earlier ordered for himself heated then boiled. All she could manage to do was gape. After a long moment, she did succeed in finding her voice. “How did you do that?” This time his smile encompassed his eyes. “I told you. I have abilities.” “No,” she shook her head and gestured at the glass. “No, that cannot be what it looks like.” He made no reply. Instead, he regarded her with his steady gaze.
When she made no further comment, he asked, “Do you want to see more? There are other things I can do.” Like a puppet on a string, she bobbed her head. After he checked to be certain no one was paying them any attention whatsoever, cream and sugar floated through the air to her outstretched hand. Jessilyn gripped them in her now trembling fingers then returned both to the tabletop with great care. “Still not convinced? Think of a number between one and one million.” “What?” “Think of a number and with your permission, I will read your mind and tell you what number you chose.” “You have got to be kidding me. Anyway, that’s an old trick.” “For some,” he agreed. “Your number was 175,868 by the way.” When her expression remained stony, he sighed. “Okay, then how about this? I want you to relax and think of your childhood home.” Shaking her head in disbelief, she complied nevertheless. He got that focused look again, only more so. A few seconds later he murmured, “I see a pretty farmhouse painted yellow with a field of tall green grass surrounding it. It has white shutters and a red door. Inside there is a staircase with a bannister of smooth wood under my hand as I head upstairs. To the right is your room. It’s painted a light green with pink roses climbing up the wall. The view from the window is of the cornfield behind the house. I see a pretty little girl about eight years old in her nightgown curled in the window seat looking up at the stars, so hopeful and –”
Abruptly, he stopped speaking and came back to the present.
“I’m sorry. I did not mean to delve that far into your memories. Your
mind is very open.”
Lips stiff, mind and body rigid with shock, she managed a few
words at last. “It’s all right. It was a little… disconcerting, but I’m fine.”
“So do you believe me now?”
“I think I’m starting to.”
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Title Mirror World
Author Shirley McCoy
Genre Paranormal Romance
Book Blurb
Kate Lawson never believed in the myth. Then she found herself proving it. One little car accident and she emerged into a darker world, into a land behind the mirror. A world where everything was backwards, murkier, and more opaque than anything she could ever have imagined. With her soul trapped behind the mirror, she vowed to keep searching for a way out, no matter how hopeless it seemed.
Winchester Scott thought his life had already changed as much as it was going to, what with the cancer, its remission and all. Until the day he saw a woman in his bathroom mirror. Kate Lawson, was in a coma with her soul trapped in a place arguably worse than hell. Determined to get her out, Win located her body and did a spell that freed her then closed the portal to Mirror World. Game over, with Kate the winner, right? Wrong.
Mirror World wants Kate back and will stop at nothing to pull both her and Winchester in. But accomplishing that feat will not be as easy as before, because Win and Kate are ready this time. They are determined not only to remain in the real world, but they also intend to free every trapped soul and close every portal for good. Join the fight and become trapped in Mirror World.
Excerpt
Chapter One
Kate Lawson never believed in the myth. That one simple fact came back to bite her in the ass. She never believed a person’s soul could be trapped in a mirror. In fact, she was barely even aware of the lore and knew very few of its details. Aside from a broken mirror bringing seven years’ bad luck and the slumber party game Bloody Mary that is. Then she found herself proving it. One car accident and she emerged into a darker world. A world where everything was backwards, murkier, and more opaque than anything she could ever have imagined.
The sounds of the car crash filled her head then her entire field of vision went white. The next thing she knew, she was flat on her back on a solid surface of some indefinable texture. Her head pounded like the beat of a drum. As sound resonated all through her, she remained still and kept her eyes closed. When, after a few… minutes? Hours? she opened them, her first thought was something was wrong with her vision. Everything was gray. Had she somehow gone colorblind? The light, even dim and defuse as it was, sent sharp pain reverberating all through her. That alone convinced her she wasn’t dead, or at least not gone. If she were dead and in heaven, there would be no pain. If she were instead in hell, there would be a lot more. So, where was she? What was this place?
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Title The Crystal Flame
Author Shirley McCoy
Genre Paranormal Romance
Publisher The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
Finn Hale has fire in his blood. He is its lord but not its master. If he can’t learn to control his power, he will go insane. For years, he has searched for someone who will restore the balance and peace he and his kingdom once had. Now Finn has found her. And she is more beautiful than he could have imagined.
Lyssa Jensen was born with a dangerous ability; she can create snow and ice. When she caused an unnatural winter to fall, she fled her fractured kingdom. Now known as the Snow Queen, Lyssa lives alone in her frozen mountain palace. Until he came, rash as he is handsome, with a mad proposal…
Fire melts ice and ice douses fire. Any feelings between them could have deadly consequences. How will Finn and Lyssa learn to control their powers when they can’t even control their own hearts?
Excerpt
Even Finn Hale, strong as he was, fire lord of Ravenstone though he was, could not withstand such bitter cold for long. If only he could sleep, just lie down and sleep. No. From somewhere deep inside, his indomitable will conjured that one word. Right now, sleep was death to him so he had to keep going. He must reach her, the beautiful snow queen. Failing that, he had to find shelter, but there was nothing, had been nothing, not for miles. He might well die, but he swore he would die fighting. He would not give up until his very last breath. Clinging to consciousness, he wrapped his heavy wool cloak about him and stumbled on. Though it hardly seemed possible, the snow increased while the temperature decreased. Visibility dropped from slight to nil, presenting a whole other host of problems. It would be very easy for him to walk right into a tree or place one foot wrong and end in a crevice with a broken leg. Worse yet, he might even fall right off of the bloody mountain. It focused his mind a trifle to concentrate on her, his possible future wife. The fact that she was surely aware of his presence and was clearly trying to keep him from going any farther motivated him more than a little. Well, by all the gods, he had come this far and he would not be deterred. Yet even his resolute spirit could not resist the inevitable. His sense of reality began to waver then it fractured.
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Title All I Want For Christmas
Author Shirley McCoy
Genre Seasonal Short Story
Book Blurb
Seven-year-old Casey Lillian Ingram wants one thing for Christmas. Her mommy and daddy back together. She never expected to meet Santa, but when she does, she seizes the opportunity to ask him for the one present she has to have. When he tells her that such a thing is beyond his power, Casey does not take it well. Not at all used to hearing the word no, she steals his sleigh and heads to the North Pole, knowing her parents will follow. Also hoping they will rediscover their love for each other and for her along the way.
Casey’s parents, Holly and Sam, are desperate to find her and with Santa’s help the three of them travel to the North Pole. Will Holly and Sam find Casey? Will Casey return home? Will the Ingram family reunite? Join Casey on an exciting Christmas adventure in All I want for Christmas.
Excerpt
Casey had no idea what woke her, but she was not happy about it. She glanced at her princess castle clock and groaned. One minute after midnight on the worst Christmas day ever. Suddenly, a strange noise came from up above. What was that? Her heart beat triple time because the sound was like nothing she had ever heard before. It made her a little afraid, but mostly excited. Casey listened hard. There it was again. It was… Was it jingle bells? For the third time the sound filled the room. It was jingle bells! Not just any jingle bells either, only Santa could have jingle bells like that. Casey hopped out of bed, put her red Santa hat on her dark brown head of hair, pulled on her reindeer robe, and matching slippers, and raced to her window. Her window was the best window in the house, in that it opened straight onto the roof. Right outside of that perfect window was the perfect spot for Santa to park his sleigh and she wasn’t going to miss it. She was not going to miss her chance to ask Santa, the real Santa and not some mall substitute, for the one thing she wanted for Christmas, for her parents to be together. Casey stepped out and almost slipped in the frost coating the shingles, but she grabbed onto the eaves of her dormer window just in time. Peeking past the window, she saw him. “Santa,” she whispered, eyes wide to take in everything. She was pleased to discover he looked exactly as she had always pictured him, just like the poem about Christmas Eve described him. As she watched, he grabbed his bag of toys and was walking to her chimney. What was she doing just standing here? She had to talk to him before it was too late. “Santa,” she whispered again. Then louder, “Santa, please wait.” He turned and smiled at her. “Well, hello, Casey. It’s lovely to meet you, but you really aren’t supposed to see me you know.” His tone was a little stern, but his eyes twinkled, then he smiled.
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