by Sarah | Jun 25, 2013 | Books, Changing Tracks, Dark Territory, Derailed, Hump Day Hook, Publishing Credits, Secret Cravings Publishing, Writing
Another Hump Day Hook!
Tricksy, though I would reveal my cover this early? Not a chance. It will come soon, though. I’m in the midst of revisions of Dark Territory and Derailed doesn’t come out until next week…so you get a little bit of 3. Just a little bit.
Cole is missing Jane a lot (can’t tell you why, or I’ll ruin books 2 & 3 lol):
Being apart from Jane got worse each minute.
Not just because he ached for her.
Not just because every thought was of her.
No.
Because she was a part of him. Deep inside to his very soul. He was consumed by her, he always had been. In a way no other woman had managed to consume him before.
If he still believed in it himself he’d call it love.
*~*
Hump Day Hook asks authors to post one paragraph of one of their stories, whether a WIP, one contracted, or already published. Please visit and comment on the participants – you might just stumble on the next great read for your library! To see more participants, click on the HDH banner below:
by Sarah | Jun 24, 2013 | All of Us, Guest Authors, Guest Post, Random
I’m very happy to have author Tina Gayle here today. Once again, I’ve had an author deliver a great post that can span both sides of my blog, so it’s posting across the board. Come see what she has to say about empty nests, how to prepare for them, and learn about her books in The Executive Wives Club series
*~*
Every mother faces the day, her children leave the nest. Some are better prepared than other.
If you are a stay at home mom like me, you might not be looking forward to the day when you don’t have daily contact with your children. After all, you have devoted a large portion of your day for a number of years to caring for them.
Years before my child even thought about leaving, I started preparing. Did it make it easier? I can’t say because it was still difficult. Though, I must say I had a number of things to distract me.
So what did I do?
First, I looked around and pick something that interested me. I enjoyed reading romance for years and decided since I had some time in my day to give writing a shot.
While they were away at school, I learned the craft and worked on developing my skill.
As they entered high school, I published and worked on writing more during my free time.
Once they left for college, I found I needed to work on promoting my books which required I learn more about social media sites.
Now, I spend most of my day in front of my computer. Writing, promoting on line, keeping my different sites updated. I sometimes complain that I don’t have enough hours in the day.
Do I have time for my kids?
Always, but I’m working to build my career. Just like they are working to build theirs.
What can you do to prepare for an empty nest?
- Ask yourself a few questions
- What are your interest?
- Do you want to make money?
- Social sites do they satisfy your need to stay connected?
- Spend time while you’re children are still at home developing what you want to do later.
- take classes
- meet new people in your chosen field. – gardening club, golf group, etc.
- Let your kids know you have a life too and that it’s not only about them.
- Your devotion to your goal can help teach them to follow their own dreams.
As you can see it can take years to plan or a few short months. At any point you can prepare for the future and map out a new course of action. Don’t let the empty nest get you down. Look around and find something that can become the hallmark of defining who you are.
*~*
Blurb for CFO’s Affair
Sylvia Sullivan is emotionally wounded from the unexpected death of her husband and still haunted by their last conversation: his request for a divorce and his confession of love for another woman. Her husband gone, her only daughter off to college, Sylvia faces the challenges of learning to live alone and move on with her life.
Vince Wilshire, enchanted with Sylvia, is more than willing to do what it takes to capture the heart of the hurting and untrusting Sylvia.
Can he help her forget the past and make her believe in love again?
Excerpt
A knock sounded on the window beside her and she jumped. Her head swiveled around and she stared at the man looking at her through the window.
Vince Wilshire’s handsome face could make any woman melt with desire. With it so close to hers—the glass being the only thing separating them—a rush of adrenaline swept into her system. She leaned sideways in her seat and knocked her hand against the steering wheel. The horn beeped and she muttered, “Damn it, Knox, why did you…”
The sound of his laughter sent anger flooding through her, the muscles in her arms tightening with the need to strike out. She lowered the phone and clicked the disconnect button in retaliation to his attempt to manipulate her.
Vince opened the driver’s side door and cold air rushed into the car. “Hey, beautiful, are you heading inside?”
“What is this? Are you guys ganging up on me?” Sylvia ignored the man beside her and glanced in the rear view mirror, checking to make sure her tears hadn’t caused any lasting effect.
A warm hand landed on her shoulder and Vince toyed with her hair. “Not at all, I like the idea of entering the building with a gorgeous woman on my arm.”
“Right,” she protested and stuffed her phone into her purse before turning to stare into his bedroom-brown eyes. The spark in their depths had her reevaluating her impression of the man. Yes, he had the face and body to rival every other Casanova in the world, but he also had a sense of humor. That alone sent a shiver of awareness through her.
She fought the desire gathering in her stomach and waved her hand at him so he’d move out of the way, letting her exit the car. “Did Knox make you wait out here in the parking lot to make sure I would come inside?”
Vince grinned and held her door open while she stepped onto the asphalt. His gaze fell to her legs.
She stared at her new, high-heel, red pumps and silently prayed she wouldn’t land face first in the dirt when she tried to walk across the pitted parking lot in them.
A low whistled sounded beside her. “Man, are you ever hot.”
She ignored the comment and didn’t turn until she heard the car door slamming closed. “And there’s not a woman you’ve ever met you haven’t wanted.”
*~*
A CFO’s Affair is not available for sale until July 1st, but you can pick up the other two books in the series here:
Marketing Exec’s Widow (Use Promo Code EP25Q)
IT Exec’s Baby (Use Promo Code QK33H)
Home – www.tinagayle.net
Blog – www.tinagayle.blogspot.com
Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTinaGayle
Goodread – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1641826.Tina_Gayle
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/tina.gayle
Google + – https://plus.google.com
Linkin – http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tina-gayle/11/689/759
by Sarah | Jun 23, 2013 | Books, Tuesday Tales, Writing
The prompt this week is Hand.
This week you get the start of a new story for me. It’s definitely going to be a sexy little short, it might be a prequel of a series…This is really rough, but we’ll see where it goes. First drafts are always interesting. 🙂
As always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors. :
Jayde drew the bow across the strings in a long, slow motion. The note resonated low and shivered through her body. It still didn’t match the shift she’d felt in her future hours ago. She set aside the violin and rose, dragging the bow behind her.
Eyes closed, she focused on the magic. Around her the strings of life fell into place, each vibrating with its own ever-changing future. To the untrained Player the chords overwhelmed and clashed into chaotic dissonance, at least that’s what she’d been told.
There hadn’t been a day she could remember that she’d heard anything but the sweet orchestral sounds of life. Playing the chords were trickier. According to the other Player she’d met, each Player saw the future in different ways. Whatever they carried in their soul influenced what they saw.
For her it was strings, infinite beautifully colored strings all around her, each persons set up like the neck and bridge of her favorite instrument. She walked on them, even. It was hard for her to imagine how anyone could get through life not seeing and hearing the beauty of the future.
She frowned, brushing aside the stray thoughts to focus. In her right hand she still held the bow, so she raised it up. Rarely did she use the bow, her hands sufficed, but this was a special case. The next hour would be filled with much confusion and chaos and she would need to be able to find the note of her destiny easily amid the symphony.
With the fingers of her left hand, she strummed the threads of fate until she got to her own. She plucked them several times as she would her violin, the pizzicato overpowering the sounds of all other fates. One last pick of the strings left the music shimmering in the air like a thousand aqua dust motes.
She lifted the bow and in one sinuous movement, began to play her own fate. The familiar notes played easily and she kept the tune lively. Within two bars a new, deep tone joined in with hers. Not willing to let go just yet, she moved quickly into a spiccato run, bouncing the bow rapidly over the strings until she found the one the new tone was tied to.
At that she stopped and grabbed the string, rolling her finger over it until she touched the string tied to hers. In one quick motion, she flipped her own fates fingerboard over to find the one hidden just beneath it.
Unlike her own aqua, this was a dark midnight blue, with flecks of silver mixed in. For reasons she didn’t understand, it made her insides shiver in anticipation. This person would change her life.
Soon.
Her keen ears picked up a note of discord entering her personal song. She didn’t have much time, she had to get to the roof. Without further delay she set her bow down and ran to the door.
A battle would happen soon and she wouldn’t battle in her tiny little apartment. She loved the city for the sheer volume of people and their songs all around her, but it sucked for actual living space.
She tore down the hall and shoved open the door for the stairs. Below her life carried on as normal, the familiar music of her fellow tenants carried on. She chuckled. They’d never be aware of what was about to go down.
With a deep breath, she made one last check to make sure her weapons were in place. Two sonic guns, one sword and three knives. Yup, she was set.
Up two flights of stairs, the door to the roof already sat open. Her next door neighbor had spent the afternoon sunbathing and failed to close it on her way back down. Jayde could still smell the sunscreen in the air.
The cool dusk air enveloped her with its false promises of peace and quiet. Her feet were silent on the rubber surfacing just installed last month. Horns honked all over the city. People shouted, radios blared, and she could distinctly hear someone in the next building having a wonderfully good time in the bedroom. Some people didn’t bother to close their windows.
None of that was out of the norm, and easy to tune out.
She stopped in the middle of the rooftop, turning a full circle to gauge the oncoming attackers positions. Her fate had yet to show up, but she’d do well enough on her own until then.
At the moment there were seven attackers close enough she had reason for concern. She ran her fingers along the hilt of the dagger at her hip, and took hold of it when the colors around her shifted and dispersed.
One of her attackers was attempting a blocking spell. Jayde laughed and spun toward the root of the spell, releasing the dagger into the dark. Before she could hear the satisfying thunk of its impact, she folded her knees and dropped down straight to the ground.
The hum of the oncoming spell passed right over her belly. She straightened her legs and rolled to the right, then immediately to the left. An enormous man landed on the rooftop where she’d just been so hard the entire roof trembled.
*~*
Hope you enjoyed it! Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!!
*~*
by Sarah | Jun 21, 2013 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
| [amazon_link id=”B00DGDZK58″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | ARe | Secret Cravings Publishing |
BLURB-
Military grade weaponry is disappearing from bases all over the world, only to end up in the hands of terrorists and dictators.
Governments are helpless as the threats of being overthrown mount. As a last resort the world leaders turn to The Consortium to bring the biggest arms dealer to justice. They set Special Operative Jessica Sale on the trail of Justin Grey.
Portraying herself as the go to person when a buyer is looking for quantity and quality Jessica easily instills herself into his organization.
Buried deep within the mountains of Wyoming she finds her target and something she didn’t expect-a traitor in the guise of her boyfriend.
With personal feelings aside she charges ahead with the mission. Flying to New York Jessica arranges for monies to be transferred and weapons shipped. Pleased with her work he invites Jessica back to Wyoming except he never makes it home.
*~*
Excerpt for Ice Queen-
With a mental brain shake, she lifted her head. As their gazes met she leaned back only to settle her elbows on the bar top. The effect was damn near instantaneous as it helped stretch the flimsy material over her breasts.
His heated smile of approval, she saw, confirmed the distraction was working. While part of her kept him occupied she positioned her booted right foot against the front of the bar. “You got it?” Her voice was soft with a touch of sensual huskiness.
“And more, if you want,” he replied, as he leaned forward to close the distance.
From the bottom of her vision she caught movement as he lifted a hand. She fought back a cringe when he brushed the tips of his fingers along the side of her breast.
“Nope, just what I ordered.” She paused to look him down and up. “Don’t see anything else that I could use,” her voice hardening ever so slightly.
“You sure?” he asked before his thumb drifted toward her peaked nipple.
“Yep, and if you don’t want to sing with the Vienna Boys Choir, I’d suggest you remove your hand. Oh,” she paused to let the words sink into his lecherous brain, “and look down if you don’t believe me.”
Never one to doubt or underestimate a dangerously beautiful woman he dropped his eyes. He could feel them open even wider when he saw a knife point glisten in the weak light of the room, a centimeter from his groin.
“You really are the Ice Queen everyone says you are.” He stepped back, taking his hand with him. “You have the money?”
“Sure am. That’s why I’m so good at what I do.” She saw he was about to say something but silenced him with a glare. “And don’t ask what I do—you might not like the answer.”
When he wouldn’t step back any farther she knew he was someone who liked to be control, not just people but situations. The problem was that wasn’t on her agenda. She had to make him know who was the boss. Without her connections he’d be just one of hundreds of weapons dealers. The only thing he had going for him was his inventory and ease of delivery.
With a menacing gleam in her eyes Jessica brushed the flat side of the tanto blade against the bulge in his pants. She watched as his eyes took on a panic-stricken glaze. Then, with a slow deliberate motion of her hand, more for her pleasure than his, she withdrew the instrument of torture.
She knew round one was hers when she heard a soft sigh of thankfulness that he was still intact slip from between his lips.
With victory hers, confirmed by the unconscious relaxing of his shoulders, in one fluid motion she sheathed the weapon. From the way his eyes still took her in she suspected Justin knew what would happen, especially if he made any sudden movement toward her, the blade would once again appear and cut off more than his manhood.
by Sarah | Jun 21, 2013 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Kennedy, All About Molly, All of Us, Autism, Cystic Fibrosis, Failure to Thrive (FTT), Special Needs
In the land of skinny genes, cystic fibrosis and oral aversions – we’ve got three kids rocking the low end of the growth chart. The words “Failure to Thrive” are bandied about on a regular basis and we are constantly checking little one’s diets to make sure they aren’t just getting calories, but healthy fats and plenty of vitamins and minerals too.
The universal consensus for adding all of these things to help my kids grow & gain weight like they should?
Doctors across the board have pushed us to full-fat Vitamin D milk. It’s all we’ve got in the fridge, and we go through 3-4 gallons a week between the kids and hubby.
Before this FTT world hit my life I knew so very little about milk because I wasn’t allowed to touch the stuff (still can’t) due to an allergy (allergy, not intolerance). These days I’m learning a lot about milk beyond my family’s obsession (seriously, the husband can’t stop drinking it)…because I like to know about what goes into my family’s bodies – especially if it’s meant to promote their health.
One thing that I love learning is how drinking milk is likely to help my own state and community. After all, Indiana is home to over 1200 dairy farms – 97% of which are family owned (and I’ve met some of those families). I was also surprised (and happy) to learn that most milk travels less than 100 miles from the farm to the grocery store.
Of course, the biggest thing I made sure to learn about and know really well is that both plain and flavored milk contain nine essential nutrients, including calcium, potassium, phosphorous, protein, riboflavin, niacin and vitamins A, D and B12. Considering my kids needs, this is of utmost importance. It means that they’re getting vitamins and nutrients that either they refuse to eat, or that their bodies are leeching from them.
And the only factor that matters to me, personally? Indiana – well, it ranks second in the nation for ice cream production. Because, I can only tolerate 1 serving of dairy a day…and you better believe it’s in the form of ice cream.
*~*
*Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Indiana Dairy. This means I was paid for it, however all opinions are mine and true based on my own experience. You can’t pay me to lie about my family’s health…it’s too important to us all.
