Synopsis

Being the first female Navy SEAL is no easy job, but someone’s got to dismantle the patriarchy. Rachel Ryker, call sign ‘Skylark,’ can outrun and outgun just about anybody, and with her second in command, Christopher Williams, by her side, she’s practically unstoppable. Christopher would follow Rachel to hell and back… or maybe just to the Middle East. When a top-secret malware code is stolen from the CIA, Rachel and Christopher lead their SEAL team through the Middle East in an attempt to recover it.

They both have their own reasons for fighting, but as the team gets closer to finding the stolen malware, Rachel discovers that the man they’re looking for may be closer to her than she thinks. Will Rachel’s obsession with completing their mission override her common sense and cause her to lose sight of what is really important- keeping women and children safe from the oppressive patriarchy they are all living in?

With secrets, pride, and a strict no-fraternization policy keeping them apart, falling in love would mean sacrificing everything Rachel and Christopher have worked for. But when Rachel gets injured in combat, everything changes. Now Rachel will have to choose: does her devotion to the Navy outweigh her love for Christopher?

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Guest Post

Writing During Times of Stress: Tips & Insights

There are two different types of stress. The big, life changing things that force us to adapt and evolve. Things like death, childbirth, getting diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. The big things often push us off a ledge and launch us into creativity. We’re forced to adapt. We become more resilient, and with resiliency comes creativity. I wrote my debut novel, Skylark, after having undergone open heart surgery. I was recovering in bed, off heavy pain killers, but still not able to do much. Lying in bed forced the day-to-day stress to melt away. I had bigger problems, and my mind had to find a way to cope. Skylark playing in my head kept me going in one of my darkest times.

Day-to-day stress is what most writers contend with. Balancing a 9-5 job with your writing, relationship tension, paying bills, they all add up and none of us can escape them. We can, however, mitigate them. Establishing a routine can be crucial. Finding time to write can be a struggle, but communicating you’ll be writing during certain times of the day to your family and friends is important so that they don’t disturb you and so they can encourage you to keep going.

Reducing stress in general is also a good idea. Long walks help to break down cortisol, one of the main stress hormones in the body. Walking can also help clear your head. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been out for a walk and character dialogue or a new scene pop into my head! I don’t always know where in my book or series that scene will fit, but I always pull my phone out of my pocket and write it down. I also try to end my day with a guided meditation or sound bath to reduce my stress, relax, and shift my brain and body into rest. It helps to improve sleep, too, which is important for optimal brain health and functioning. Then there’s exercise. I can already feel you all rolling your eyes at me, but yoga, Pilates, and strength training are all great ways to reduce stress, improve your overall health and fitness, and get some endorphins going, which will improve your mood and general outlook on life. Talking to friends is also key as socialization has been shown to reduce stress and increase problem solving skills. Who knows, maybe one of your friends will have a great idea to fix that plot hole you’ve been struggling with?

I know first-hand that none of these things are easy, but making yourself, your health, your number one priority doesn’t make you selfish. It makes you smart. I was lucky to be forced to have open heart surgery. It gifted me my novel and forced me to establish an exercise and stress management routine. It taught me to never take my body for granted. That being said, I’m overly ambitious and always doing too many projects at once. In the words of my best friend- It’s okay to rest.

About the Author

Megan Michelle writes dark romance for the fearless women who are ready to reclaim their power and confront the shadows of their past. Her stories blend the raw emotions of military life, the strength of feminism, and the passion of forbidden love, all while guiding readers on a journey of self-discovery and healing. Through dark romance, she explores the complexity of love, power, and identity. Her stories invite you to dive deep into the hearts of women who don’t just survive—they thrive, reclaiming their power and rewriting their stories on their own terms.

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