by Sarah | Sep 1, 2013 | Books, Holiday, Secret Cravings Publishing, Tuesday Tales, Writing
The prompt this week is Building.
Back with Deep Fried Sweethearts.
I’m going back in time again…back to right after the first post where we met Tag and Michaela. This week we learn a little more about Tag and what he’s come from and what he thinks about Michaela.
As always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors:
The Diner was almost empty of customers by the time Tag made it there. Inside a woman wiped down the counter, her graying blond hair edging out of the bun she always put it in to start her day. Short and slim, she still looked young despite years of hard work. His aunt had worked almost every day of his life, even as she’d raised him while first serving at, and then owning The Diner.
He entered with a sheepish duck of his head. “Hey Aunt Myrtle.”
“Tag, my boy.” She set down her rag and grabbed a glass. “Your usual?”
“I can’t get it myself Auntie-M.” He teased as he took the glass and went to the pop machine. “Was it real busy today?”
“Blessedly so, son. We were packed most of the afternoon. Surprised you didn’t see from where you were.” Myrtle nodded toward the front windows where there was a clear view of the auto shop across the street. “Any luck rebuilding that hunk of junk?”
“Not much.” Tag swirled his drink around in its glass and frowned. “I couldn’t seem to focus today anyway. I think I just got in Clay’s way. He gave up about two and went to work on paying repairs. Not that I blame him, that old Nova might be beyond hope.”
“Why you want to rebuild it anyhow? It’s been sitting around my barn for years.”
It was the last, and only, thing he remembered about his parents. He could still hear his mom teasing his dad about the “no go” car. When he was four he didn’t understand, but he did now. He sighed and set down his glass. “I just needed a project, I guess.”
She patted his hand, and then resumed wiping the counter. “That’s more than a project, it’s a life sentence. It’s you money and time, though. I can’t fault you there.”
He cleared his throat and down his drink. As he refilled it, he said over his shoulder, “I turned in my resume at The Midway today.”
“Good boy. What did Mikey have to say?”
“Ugh. I hate that name.” He wrinkled his nose and sat at the counter. “She looks nothing like a Mikey. She’s sure not a tomboy, she’s all elegant and womanly.”
“That so?” Her brow arched and her lips twitched. “Are you crushing on an older woman?”
Truthfully he’d had a crush on her for years. Since his babysitter, Wendy, had brought Michaela over to do homework one night. He’d not yet hit puberty, but he still thought she was pretty. “I’m trying to get her to hire me, not date me.” Not yet, anyway.
“So you are still crushing on Mikey O’Keefe. I thought you’d stopped that years ago.” She chuckled and shook her head. “Boy, you are in for a heap of trouble if you work there. Are you sure it’s smart?”
“Well you won’t hire me.”
“No sir. You’re making your own way just fine. I intend to keep it that way.”
“I can’t keep doing the odd jobs, and I know I can do the job she needs me to do.” He twirled his glass in the condensation circle it had created on the counter. If he met his aunt’s eyes now he’d be caught. He did like Michaela, had for years, but he also really wanted this job. “I’ve wanted to work at The Midway since day one. I thought I could bring in Grandma’s candy recipes, but she wasn’t looking for anything but part time help, and I had enough part time gigs.”
“Defensive.” She leaned on the counter across from him. “Alright, mister. I’ll leave you be, but you still haven’t told me what she said.”
“She agreed to an interview, but she didn’t sound very positive.”
“You’ll just charm her like you always do.”
Tag wrinkled her nose when she tapped it with her finger. “I’d rather get hired because I can do the job, not because I can charm someone.” Although he didn’t imagine with Michaela it would take much. He could still picture her deep red blush that had so easily filled her cheeks and seeped down her elegant neck.
His aunt was right, he was in a heap of trouble.
The doors to the kitchen swung open with a bang when Myrtle walked back into the kitchen. “Just remember to dress right and shave that scruff off your face.”
“I like my scruff.”
“Fine, be a ragamuffin,” she hollered from the back.
He laughed and finished off his drink. After a moment he brushed his fingers along his chin and wondered if Michaela liked the scruff. “Yeah. I’m in a heap of trouble.”
*~*
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*~*
by Sarah | Aug 30, 2013 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Saturday Spotlight, Writing
Howling at the Moon a Mystic Museum novel
Minerva’s Mystic Museum is located in New York City. Every full moon the “powers that be” choose someone from the visitors of the museum. This someone, known as the mystic walker, will be the hero/heroine of the novel. The “powers” select someone they feel deserves a second chance, or just a chance to follow their destiny. Minerva, the curator and caretaker of the museum meets the chosen mystic walker. Through the magic that has been entrusted to her, Minerva supplies them with the opportunity to change their lives.
Blurb:
Carolyn, lonely and heartbroken after being dumped by yet another boyfriend who told her she needs to loosen up in bed, escapes her empty apartment. On the night of a full moon she visits Minerva’s Mystic Museum.
Minerva recognizes her pain and provides her with the opportunity to change her life. The full moon has chosen Carolyn as a mystic walker.
Carolyn’s dormant sexuality is awakened by three handsome shape-shifters. Jacob, caring and nurturing, lures her into his world. Milo, impetuous and rough, awakens unknown desire. Sven, cold and reserved, tests her mettle. Will she choose to walk on the wild side with the wolf pack and become their female? Will she be able to convince Sven that she is worthy and should be given the opportunity to join the pack? Will Sven’s fear of losing another mate destroy the future of the pack? Or will Carolyn choose to return to the normal life she’d come to see as her due?
Story Excerpt:
Carolyn walked up the steps to the museum. She’d left her apartment to avoid being alone. She’d walked without a destination, walking just to walk. A month had passed, and Randy’s cruel words still rang in her head. “Loosen up, Carolyn. Christ, do you even like sex? Making love to you is frustrating. How can I feel like a man if I can’t make you feel like a woman?” He’d left her that night
Randy wasn’t the first man that had called her frigid. She was afraid he wouldn’t be the last. She liked sex well enough. A man wouldn’t respect her if she acted on the primal urges she sometimes felt. A normal woman didn’t feel the hunger she experienced. It took all her control to keep it at bay, so she appeared cold and lifeless.
She pulled the imitation fur collar of her coat tighter around her throat. She raised her chin and tilted her neck so she could look at the sign above the door. Minerva’s Mystic Museum, it proclaimed.
The room she entered was quite large, but the subtle lighting made it feel much smaller and intimate. Pictures hung on some of the walls. Beautiful murals were painted on others. Seating was provided here and there for the patron’s viewing ease. A musky yet relaxing aroma permeated the air, strong but not overpowering. Soft music and sometimes chimes filled the space with a comfortable, warm vibration.
Her body began to release tension she hadn’t known she held. She felt very tired. She sat on a bench in front of a mural. The weight of her troubles filled her heart.
She’d just focused on the mural in front of her when a woman stepped into her line of vision.
“I am Minerva, curator of this museum.” Her slim hands were clasped in front of her. “May I sit down?” she asked motioning to the bench.
Carolyn moved over. “Yes, please do.”
“It’s called Howling at the Moon. It’s one of my favorites,” Minerva said.
“He seems so lonely,” Carolyn said. Her gaze fixed on the mural.
“Yes, he does.” Minerva looked at Carolyn intently.
“I know how he feels,” Carolyn sighed. She fought back the tears that threatened to unleash themselves.
“I believe you do.” Minerva put her hand on Carolyn’s shoulder.
Carolyn looked into Minerva’s eyes. Those dark orbs searched her soul. After what seemed an eternity, Minerva smiled and stood.
“You have the power to change your loneliness.” Minerva placed her hand on Carolyn’s heart. “Trust what you feel in here. Your love, in all its manifestations, is a good thing. Safe journey. May the goddess grant your hearts true desire.”
Minerva moved away and she returned her attention to the mural before her. The scene it depicted tore at her heart.
The full moon hung in a cloudless starry night sky. The moonlight bathed the landscape in a silvery glow. A wolf sat howling at the moon from its place on the mountain ledge. Trees blanketed the mountain. The mountain rolled down and changed into the low hills of the valley where the trees thinned. The valley changed into a meadow covering the lower portion of the mural.
She watched the wolf turn its head. She felt as if it was looking at her. She held her breath. Her heart began to pound. She felt a connection with that wild beast beyond anything she’d ever experienced. The wolf turned and disappeared from the scene in front of her. She released her breath. She slowly searched the landscape. Her nostrils flared, she could almost smell the night air, could almost smell him. Where had the wolf gone? Was he as lonely as the mural depicted him to be? A moment later the wolf appeared at the tree line in the valley.
She watched the beautiful beast leave the dark safety of the Evergreen trees. Its body grew larger with each step. Fifty yards from her, near the mural’s edge, she watched it morph from a wolf into a man. The man stood there as naked as the day he was born. His muscled body bathed in moonlight. His golden eyes bore into her soul. He stretched out his arm and opened his hand. “Come,” he said.
Visit my Website http://www.LocGlin.com You’ll find the first chapter for Howling at the Moon and my other novels.
[amazon_link id=”B00CXYP3PS” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] / Barnes&Noble /
Or visit my Blog
by Sarah | Aug 28, 2013 | Character Interview, Guest Authors, Thursday Tell All, Writing
What is your story?
I thought my life was set. My career as a financial analyst was secure, and I was engaged to be married, living in New York. However, it all fell apart when the market crashed and I lost my job. Thoughts of all I gave up for my job, the betrayal I felt at being discarded washed through me. I couldn’t continue in that line of business; I wanted something less demanding. Not sure what I wanted to do I began researching different careers. But when Porsha, my fiancé, found out she flipped and left me. There went my chances of starting a family; all the time I invested in our relationship was gone. So, that’s when I decided, if I couldn’t have a family of my own, I’d care for someone else’s.
Do you embrace conflict?
Well, I definitely don’t run from conflict. I feel like I handle conflict on an as needed basis. If I’m the one that needs to confront it, I do. However, if Mia needs to go off the handle, it’s my job to ground her. Mia is very protective of her family and strong headed, but I’m also a protector by nature. We balance each other and take care of each other and that means all conflict.
What in your past would you like to forget?
I think past mistakes are important to our futures. They teach us things and, hopefully, in the end make us stronger. Regretting things gets us nowhere really and it is an opportunity to learn and grow. So, I wouldn’t change anything from my past.
Who was your first love?
Kristen Montgomery, we were in the ninth grade. At the time, I loved her so much, well, as much as a thirteen year old could. We dated for two weeks before she left me to go out with some kid, Chaz. My heart was broken for ages.
Who is your true love?
My true love and soul mate is Mia Balducci. From the moment we met, I knew she’d be a part of my life forever.
Was there ever a defining moment of your life?
Yes, the moment I lost everything I thought I wanted and decided to become a manny. It all brought me here.
What one word best describes you?
Loyal
Who was your best friend when you were growing up?
My brother was/is my best friend. We’ve always been really close, and never had any animosity toward each other.
What is the perfect romantic date?
I’m not sure if it’s the perfect date, but it’s a great one. For our anniversary, I’ve scheduled to have limo pick us up at home and take us to an Italian restaurant in Long Beach. After the romantic dinner we will be taken to the canals in Venice, which look just like the canals in Venice, Italy. Once there we’ll get to take a gondola ride with some wine and wonderful singing. Then I’ll take her home and ravish her.
What is more important – sex or intimacy? Why?
Being a guy, you all probably think I’d say sex. Well, yes, I think sex is important, but without intimacy there’s no relationship. Sex without intimacy is what people who don’t love each other do. And a relationship without intimacy is a friendship. We need the intimacy more than anything and the rest will come and bring it all together.
Is it okay for you to cry? When was the last time you cried?
Men don’t cry. But Mia thinks she saw me cry when we watched The Notebook. I wasn’t, really.
*~*~*~*
| [amazon_link id=”B00ES4ZSP6″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | BN |
Blurb:
Mia Balducci misses her childhood days and yearns for the big, Italian family that she left behind in small town Massachusetts. At the tender age of sixteen, Mia moves with her bachelor father to Los Angeles, but no matter how many years pass, it never becomes home to her. The years spent living with her father aren’t easy, especially since she can’t stop thinking about what she once had. Her enrollment in the University of Southern California promises to bring exciting changes to her life, but Mia winds up with big problems instead. When she runs into an old friend from her old hometown of Winthrop, she gets swept up in nostalgia, and she soon loses herself in a quickly-progressing romance. When the fantasy falls apart, she is left to raise her precious little girl, Lucia, on her own. The demands of Mia’s work schedule and Lucia’s needs increase, and their lives become increasingly hectic. It is soon clear to Mia that she needs help. Luckily, her life-saving cousin saves the day and brings the mother and daughter a male nanny – their new “manny.”
After losing his high-pressure job on Wall Street, Dominic Roberts wants to follow his dreams to have a family. He’s already one fiancée down, and there are no likely prospects for another. In order to find the family he so desperately wants, he finds himself getting into the manny business. Since he is fully qualified to provide child care and is eager to leave New York City behind, his sister-in-law is able to land him a job in California working for his first client – the beautiful and intriguing Mia Balducci.
Will Lucia like the new man in her mother’s life? Will Mia? And will this new trio discover the happily ever after they all so desperately seek?
Excerpt:
I had never seen this man undressed before. Standing in my room, feeling shy all of a sudden, I watched while he removed his clothes and unveiled his beauty. In all honesty, I didn’t know what to expect. I had seen glimpses of him, small parts here and there, while we groped like kids on the sofa during our movie nights. When his shirt went over his head, I savored every toned muscle and found myself eager to touch every part of him. Anxiety ran through me while my eyes bounced over every bare piece of his skin. I felt the instant need to skim my fingers through the light scatter of hair on his chest that disappeared into his jeans. I wanted to taste the salt on his skin when I licked the “v” at his hips.
The confidence I had in the living room faded when we faced each other. I wanted to close the distance, to touch him, but my nerves set in. My mind was running with different, crazy thoughts. What if he didn’t like my body? I had a baby, after all. What if he didn’t find me experienced enough? What if I couldn’t please him? I steeled myself and began to undress alongside him. My body shook with nerves and anticipation, and I couldn’t wait to feel him. My body begged for fast and rough, but my heart yearned for soft and sensual.
“Whoa, not so fast, baby. I want to do that,” he said in a playful tone that relaxed me and made me giggle.
Standing back, I watched when he let his pants drop to the floor so I was able to appreciate his strong legs. They were long, with defined muscles covered in black wisps of hair. He placed his pants on the chair behind him, and I caught a look at his tight ass in his dark gray boxer briefs. As a full package, Dominic was complete perfection. Hell, even in parts he was beautiful. When he turned back toward me, he looked right into my eyes, and I let out a shaky breath. My eyes were sucked in by his, and I watched while they changed color, turning darker. In the look we shared, our souls just spoke—connected. It was the kind of moment I had read about in fairy tales; it was not something that happened in real life, but it happened now. It happened for us.
Author Bio:
Jennifer Garcia’s (aka Forbes Arnone) love of travel began when she went to the West Coast to visit her father at the age of three. Her home until she was sixteen was a small coastal town near Boston. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, two sons, and two dogs.
Her lifelong love for reading and writing was put aside for many years while she made her way in the world and nurtured her young family. Even though she is older, and life never seems to settle, she’s finding her way while attending college full-time in pursuit of a B.A. in English Literature. She also runs a business, and is still caring for her family. Believing she can do it all, with the help of her family, she worked on her first novel during the late hours of the night while balancing the rest of her life during the day. Her hard work paid off, as her first novel, My Mr. Manny, will be published August 27, 2013.
Find Jennifer on:
Facebook
Goodreads–Forbes Arnone
Goodreads–Jennifer Garcia
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Blog
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by Sarah | Aug 27, 2013 | Books, Dark Territory, Hump Day Hook, Publishing Credits, Secret Cravings Publishing, Writing
Another Hump Day Hook!
It’s your first glimpse at the third (& final – for now) book in my Dominion Falls series! I’m in edits right now, and still haven’t even revealed the blurb yet (because I’m evil that way)…but you’re getting a glimpse now!
Here Kat, Jane’s best friend, has gone to try to get answers from the town slime, Jackson Krenshaw…and finds something far worse than an egomaniac waiting on her:
“He didn’t leave them.” A voice colder than any Kat had ever heard spoke directly behind her. “I did.”
She was afraid to move, and Jackson’s pupil blown fear didn’t help ease the rising panic. Her fingers flexed around the horseshoe. “Wh-who are you?”
“I have no name,” the stranger replied.
*~*
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 | Aug 25, 2013 | Books, Holiday, Tuesday Tales, Writing
The prompt this week is Wave.
Back with Deep Fried Sweethearts. Due to circumstance, my hero has undergone a bit of a name change. He is now Owen Montague – aka Tag. He’s still the same cute, sweet guy that applied for a job last week.
This week I jump to a bit later in the story…I haven’t written this far, but with the prompt of “wave”, this was one I got inspired by in not the usual way.
As always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors:
Michaela gripped the phone buried in her coat pocket. She had no idea why she’d agreed to this. Her nose was cold, her toes were frozen, and she was nervous and fidgety and really, desperately wanted to check in on the shop again. Even though the game hadn’t started yet, the crowd in the arena performed the wave all the way around. She couldn’t bring herself to take part, though, her mind was back on The Midway.
“Here you go. One light beer.” Tag handed her a drink. “I got some nachos, a couple of hot dogs, some cotton candy and—”
“My God, Owen. What did you do, buy out the concession stand? I can’t even see your face.” She set down her beer in the cup holder and rose. From the top of the stack in his arms she grabbed the unsteady hot dogs and nachos off of the huge tub of popcorn.
He grinned and shrugged, nearly knocking over the popcorn and his own beer in the process. “I wanted to make sure we were set for the rest of the game. Now we just have to catch a beer vendor if we want more. I even got some subs in this box.”
When he lifted his hands she could see the box under the popcorn tub. In spite of herself, she laughed. “You’re insane, you know that?”
“I do. At least I know you can smile. I haven’t seen that in weeks.”
“Valentine ’s Day is in two weeks and I still haven’t come up with a good special candy for the holiday. Speaking of which, I should call.”
“No. No shop talk tonight. You agreed. You can’t call, you can’t text, you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself. I mean, come on. Look at these seats. Jake has the best season tickets, right in the neutral zone.” He managed to sit and settled the popcorn on the floor between them. “Now let me see your phone.”
“Oh no. You aren’t taking my phone.” She stuck her hand back in her pocket. “Not a chance. What if something happens?”
“Betty has my number, she’s going to call me.”
“No.”
“Kayla.”
Her protest died on her lips, and her heart skipped a beat of its own accord. “What did you call me?”
“Sorry.”
“No. Don’t be.” The familiar heat of a blush crept up her neck and she lifted her beer as a distraction. At least it was cold, and she could pass off the blush to the cold. “I just don’t know anyone that’s ever called me that before. It’s always Mikey.”
“I never liked that.”
“And I never liked Tag.” She sighed and leaned back in her seat.
“I promised you a night off, a night to relax. That’s what this is supposed to be about. You haven’t had a night off in three years. You’ve barely slept in the past year. Will you please give me your phone?”
“I don’t like this.” She begrudgingly pulled the phone out of her pocket. “But I do like the thought of relaxing for a change.”
“Good.” He took the phone and set it in his own pocket. When he opened his mouth next, the loud blare of the goal horn got the crowd on their feet to welcome the teams onto the ice. He shrugged and leaned in. “It’s not my favorite way to relax, but it’ll do.”
This time the fire of embarrassment climbed up her cheeks. Michaela ducked down in her seat and pulled the collar of her coat up high to cover it as best as she could.
*~*
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*~*
by Sarah | Aug 23, 2013 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Saturday Spotlight, Writing
Wild West Promise ~ book 3 in the Double D Ranch Tales series ~ a contemporary, western, erotic romance story with a hint of the supernatural set in Nevada and written for Evernight Publishing’s Romance on the Go line
~ Blurb ~
| [amazon_link id=”B00EDZQSEK” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | ARe | Evernight |
In life and the afterlife, on the Double D Ranch, one belief holds true—the power of desire changes lives.
* A rugged wrangler. A feisty Irish woman. A day full of promise. Times are wild on the Double D, and one ranch hand is in for the ride of a lifetime.
* Little does Maggie O’Hurley know her life is about to change. She visits the ranch to attend a friend’s bachelorette party and meets a wrangler named Kent. Her immediate attraction to him revs up her libido, and she plans to do what’s needed to snag the sexy cowboy…including making a decision she never thought she’d deal with again.
* As a workaholic, Kent Samuels hasn’t been with a woman in ages. When a bewitching redhead steps into his path, his world tilts, and she’s all he can think of. He doesn’t know if he’s able to give her forever, but he will give her what time he has. Once he does, he knows he can’t let her go.
* Past experiences war with ideas for the future, but can the pair make promises they can keep?
~ Excerpt ~
* The entrance to the cave had the most vivid red rock she’d ever seen. Cascading colors of orange, dark brown, and shades of grey slipped by beneath her as she climbed the ladder after Kent. When they’d reached the inside, he walked to a plywood wall that read Boys Only in big black letters. He opened a makeshift door, then slipped to the side allowing Maggie to enter full center.
* In awe, she cradled her sore thumb with her other hand and surveyed the space. “It’s quite the bachelor pad, wouldn’t you say?”
* Kent set the picnic satchel on a wooden table near a painted sign on the wall stating, ‘Girls stay out! This is the Dougan brothers’ place!’
* To the left of the table an array of ropes and riding crops of different shapes and sizes hung on the wall. Beneath them sat a chest with an engaged lock keeping it closed to inquiring minds. In the corner, a plastic crate full of flashlights and batteries lay next to a small generator. Something purple and wrinkly looking poked out of a hole of the bin. She screwed her mouth to the side and furrowed her forehead. Homing in on the item, she gained a better look and made an O shape with her mouth as understanding dawned.
* Kent glanced her way, down at the realistic looking dildo, and back at her. “The place caters to the grown Dougan men now.”
* No doubt. She advanced to the wall and ran her fingers through the dangling ropes. Stealing a look at Kent, she raised a brow. “I guess the stories about the Dougan men are true.”
* “They’re a feisty bunch for sure,” he muttered under his breath but loud enough for her to hear.
* “Feisty is good for the soul.” She made sure to lock gazes with him after the words left her throat.
* And finally, something she’d tried worked. Kind of. He stared at her, the amber in his brown eyes sparkling with untold secrets. A flutter started in her stomach then fanned out through her entire body. She ached to wrap her arms around him and kiss his lips. But she wouldn’t because, other than the passion in his gaze, the tell-tale signs that he thought of her in a sexual way were non-existent at the moment.
* Stubborn man. Still running hot and cold. I’ll have to rethink what I need to do to snag him.
* Resigned to enjoy their excursion as just a friendly gesture on his part, she sighed and moved to the back of the cave to survey the other goodies.
* A section of bottled water and a variety of other drinks caught her attention. Before she could open her mouth and comment, strong arms wrapped her body from behind silencing her mind and voice.
* “I struggled last night, and I’ve fought my feelings all morning to keep my hands off you,” his deep voice murmured against her ear. He pressed his pelvic region against her ass. “And as you may notice, I’m losin’ the fight.”
*~*
Bio: An eccentric and eclectic writer, C.R. Moss pens stories for the mainstream and erotic romance markets, giving readers ‘Worlds of Possibilities.’
Find C.R. Moss and her social links at http://crmoss.com/
~ Come out to the hottest readers’ conference in the west, Hot Mojave Knights, and meet C.R., RM & other great authors ~ Las Vegas, NV – October 2013 ~ http://www.hotmojaveknights.com/
The prompt this week is Building.
