Author Archives: Alicia Dean

Please welcome Lynda Kaye Frazier whose debut novel, Rescued from the Dark, has just released from Black Opal Publishing. Soooo exciting!

Thank you for being here, Lynda. Let’s get to the questions and learn a little about you.

What book have you read that you wish you would have written?

Twilight or Harry Potter of course.  🙂

Well, sure. Who wouldn’t?

What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?

I really can’t think of anything quirky. I love coffee; really love coffee and going to the beach but so do others. I guess the only strange things my family can’t understand is that I love to drive. I could get in my car and drive for hours. Put in an audio book and I’m in heaven. I also put mustard on my steak. I do not like steak sauce, barbecue sauces, but I love mustard and horseradish sauce mixed. Great on steak or even chicken. 🙂

That actually sounds kind of good. I love horseradish. I’ll have to try that. Not a fan of the driving, although I will admit an audio book makes it bearable.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

My day job. I work in the medical field and love what I do, but I love writing more.

I totally get that.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why? What’s your favorite childhood book?

My favorite childhood book is by Dr. Seuss, All the places you shall go. Now favorite book of all time I don’t have just one. I read every day and each new book becomes one I add to my favorite list.

Yes, that is a tough question, I’ll admit. 🙂

What do you want readers to come away with after they read, Rescued from the Dark?

I want them to want more. This is the first in a series of eight. The series is called Guardian’s of Hope. It is about a group of eight men, made up of Special ops, Navy seals and FBI agents that form a group that the government sanctioned to do rescues they can’t, or won’t. I leave you with a HEA but it also gives you a little insight to what the next book will be about and who’s story it will be.

Hmmm. I want more already. Sounds great.

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

No writer likes bad reviews but since I’m new if I get a bad one I want to make sure it’s from someone who actually read the book and why they didn’t like it. I review for magazines and read outside of the genre I prefer and can still like the story.  But there are serial reviewers that spend their days cutting books; I prefer to have no review if it’s from one of them.

I totally agree. I can accept criticism, but please make sure you’ve read the book first.

If you could change something about one of your books that’s already released, what would it be?

That’s easy, nothing. This is my first full length novel.  🙂

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

I write Romantic Suspense and have a contemporary I’m working on. I like to read sci-fi/shape shifters, books like that. I have an outline for one but not sure if I could actually write it. I have a hard time writing about different worlds, species, things like that. I can’t wrap my mind around it enough to get it to sound right.

It can be quite challenging. I’m not all that great at world building, but it’s a nice skill to have when writing paranormal.

If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be?

Coffee, unending supply, kindle, and a magic bottle with an unending supply of wishes.

Uhm. I think that’s cheating. I’ll check with the judges. 😉

What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?

Too many to choose from, that’s where the gene bottle comes into play. I can change them as I get finished with them.

Gotta admit, it’s a good plan.

What is your favorite…

Movie: Too many to choose from. I love romance and suspense but will not see anything scary, horror or Zombies. I go to the movies every weekend. My kids say it’s for the popcorn.

Music: My iPod is filled with everything from classical to country. I’ll listen to anything as long as I can make out the words.

Place you’ve visited: Japan, their beaches are amazing.

Place you’d like to visit:  Hawaii

TV show from childhood:  Lost in space, Gilligan’s island

Food: Mexican

Sports team: College football teams, UT and LSU Schools my children attended

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? Card Games, love poker 🙂

I’ll have to agree on the Mexican and Gilligan’s Island. Good choices. Thank you again for joinging me. It was fun chatting with you.  Now tell us a bit about your new release:

BLURB:

She has no memory of their love…

Kidnapped by terrorists and sent into a drug-induced coma, FBI intern Mercedes Kingsley awakes with no memory of her ordeal—or the intimate interlude that left her pregnant. Convinced her child was fathered by her ex-fiancé, she walks away from the only man she has ever loved, determined to make things work with her ex, a man the FBI suspects is implicated in her abduction. 

He knows the truth, but no one will listen… 

FBI undercover agent Jason Michaels remembers what Mercy can’t and those memories are breaking his heart. Forced to keep his distance from his lover and their unborn child, Jason risks his life to protect Mercy from a cell of international terrorists who have vowed to get the secrets locked in her memory, no matter the cost. Can Jason convince Mercy to trust him until she remembers their past, or will he lose her to a man who will trap her in a nightmare world of darkness from which there is no escape?

E-book teaser: 

He had to get her out of there, but with all the drugs in her system, would she even remember who he was? 

Mercy was lying on the bed. Even in the dim light, he could tell she was pale. Her clothes were wrinkled and her shirt caked with what they forced her to eat. From the looks of the room she fought hard. Damn, he needed to get her out before the drugs took her from him.

“Mercy, wake up. Come on, open your eyes.” Nothing. She didn’t move. Okay, she’s not going to like this. “You need to wake up and take a shower, so let’s get both done at the same time.”

He took the chair into the shower and turned it on then went back to the bed. He picked up Mercy, and placed her under the fine mist of cold water. Just what she needed. He held her in the chair as the water flowed over her head, soaking her hair and drizzling down her shoulders. His back was pelted by the spray as he knelt in front of her, but he didn’t care. He shook her shoulders, and she stirred.

“Good, Mercy. Come on, open your eyes.” He struggled to hold her slippery, wet body in the chair. The T-shirt was soaked and her thin bra could not hide the effects of the cold water. He clenched his jaw tight at the thought of never being able to touch her, love her. She has to remember him, remember them. She struggled against his hold as she started to wake. “I’m not letting you up until you open your eyes. Come on, look at me.”

Her eyes flew open. They were filled will fear and confusion as she frantically searched the room. Then her head dropped and their eyes met and he knew.

EXCERPT:

An explosion ricocheted behind Jason Michael’s eyes as the pressure mounted in his head. The rush of panic consumed him. He struggled to move, tried to swallow, but nothing. His throat burned as the flames engulfed his lungs. He needed to breathe but couldn’t. Shit. He strained to make out the muffled voice, but the pounding in his ears erased all hope. His head started to spin and he succumbed to the realization, this was it, the end. He won. The flames dampened and his heartbeat slowed as the drums subsided, then the voice became clear.

“Give it to him now you son of a bitch. What were you thinking? We still need him.”

In a split second, Jason sucked in a breath, causing stabbing pains to shoot through his chest. Every muscle fiber burned as the cold blast of air shot through his lungs releasing the oxygen his body craved. He arched his back, raising his chest up to pull in more air when his head snapped to the side and the crack from his neck echoed in his ears. The pain ripped through his jaw, racing across his cheekbone. Before he could gather his senses, intense burning set his face on fire. What the hell?

The slap against his cheek stung, and his eyes snapped open. He wrenched upright, hitting his head on the roof of the SUV. His gaze darted back and forth looking for something familiar until he locked onto the ice-cold stare of the devil himself, Shaun Flanagan.

Damn, that was close. Jason could not blow his cover, even if it meant he would die as David Logan and not Jason Michaels.

“You’re finally awake, my boy. We almost lost you,” Shaun cold, emotionless laugh caused Jason’s blood to boil. “You stopped breathing, I think. It’s hard to tell with this new stuff. I hope you’re not too injured. We’ve got work to do.”

Jason’s vision blurred, but his other senses were sharp. Shaun had known exactly what the drug would do and the burn in Jason’s throat was a harsh reminder. Shaun’s sarcastic tone spoke volumes to him. He was evil and did not play by anyone’s rules but his own. Jason had spent the last two months undercover, playing their games and doing their dirty work to buddy up tight to this family. He’d earned his spot with Thomas Flanagan, but his son Shaun had issues trusting anyone, even his own father.

Jason’s anger burned inside of him, but he couldn’t afford to make mistakes, not now. He was too close. It’s time to step it up, but first the drugs had to stop. He rubbed his aching jaw with one hand, clenching his other into a fist to hide his visible shaking. He had to get control of this game before he lost everything.

Buy Rescued from the Dark:

Amazon   Barnes and Noble

Find Lynda at…

http://lyndafrazier.blogspot.com

www.lyndakayefrazier.com

Facebook-   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lynda-Kaye-Frazier/189048967838229

Twitter-  lynda_kaye 

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B009L7TK04

Publisher:  www.blackopalbooks.com

e-mail- lyndakayefrazier@yahoo.com

I am happy to introduce fellow Crimson Romance author, Nora Snowdon, as my guest today.

Nora has agreed to answer a few questions. Nora, enquiring minds want to know…

What’s the main thing you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

Procrastination. I love writing when the story is flowing and I am being surprised by what happens next, but many times I just get stuck. Then I’ll find myself doing practically anything to avoid staring at my accusing computer. When I pull out the vacuum, the cat knows I’m near the end of my rope.

I am sure most writers struggle with that very thing.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why?

I have different books that have called to me at different stages of my life. “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole was my fave in 1980. “Midnight’s Children” by Salmon Rushdie in the 90’s. Alice Brookner and Anita Shreve also have written many books I’ve loved. I seem to be reading mostly Romantic Comedies these days; Jane Fallon, Anne Charles, early Marion Keyes. All books are escapism for me, but where I want to escape to seems to change periodically.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read your books?

I’d like them to be thinking, ‘Oh I have to remember that line.’ several times throughout the book. Afterwards, I hope they feel the fuzzy warmth of a good romance with a few chuckles.

Good answer. That would mean your story really stayed with them.

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

A best seller.

LOL. Wouldn’t we all? From our keyboards to God’s ears.

If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be?

A lot of wine, chocolate and, of course, a friendly volleyball.

Right, because who could ever be lonely with a volleyball friend. 🙂 Or with wine or chocolate come to think of it.

Thank you again for agreeing to be my guest. I enjoyed chatting with you.

Nora is giving away a copy of Accidental Arsonist to one commenter, and that same commenter will get their choice of any Alicia Dean title for the Kindle or Nook. Drawing to be held this Wednesday, February 13. Be SURE to leave your email address in your comment.

Now, for a glimpse into Arsonists Anonymous…

Blurb

Arsonists Anonymous

What’s a girl supposed to do when she finds herself inadvertently starting fires? Lucinda Dawson becomes a firefighter to help mitigate her guilty conscience. But she gets more than she bargained for when she signs on with the Seattle Fire Hall headed up by the ruggedly handsome Captain Josh Reynolds. 

To make matters worse, she is assigned part time to work with Arson Inspector Byron Morgan. A man used to making his own rules, Byron both threatens and thrills her. But is his interest in her merely a ploy in his own game to beat out his old rival?

Lu must fight more than fires in her struggle to keep her secret safe and her heart secure.

Excerpt:

Red continued along the right wall to a locked door. He raised the Halligan, using the adze side to pry the door open. 

Lu sensed the danger a little too late. “No!” she shouted over the splintering of metal and wood. Red half-turned to her with a look of confusion. Lu reached out and yanked him backwards. He lost his balance and crashed to the floor as a fireball barreled past him from the gaping doorway.

The fire was accelerating way too fast.

Lu grabbed his arm to help him scramble to his knees. She could still hear the woman, only she seemed to be in the next room over. Red started back down the hallway, but Lu ignored him, instead crawling toward the woman.

“No. That beam is coming down!” Red grabbed Lu, jerking her back the way they’d come.

“The woman—”

A loud crash cut her off and she turned to see a burning hunk of beam from the ceiling had crashed to the floor where she’d just been. Red pulled her arm again and she followed him. They neared the splintered door. Reynolds’ voice on the radio ordered them to evacuate. As they ran outside Reynolds grabbed her other arm and the two men pulled her clear.

“Open up the deck gun,” Reynolds shouted over the radio.

“Roger.” Ace’s response crackled back. There was the air horn warning blast, immediately followed by a thick stream of water arching onto the top of the building.

“Break open the west windows to vent,” Reynolds pointed to the least damaged side of the house.

That was it then. Lu’s stomach twisted. Once they were blasting the fire with water, there was no way anyone could go back inside to rescue the woman. It’d be too dangerous. And the woman was too far inside for them to cut through from the outside walls to reach her. The wailing of Bellevue 2 truck and the ambulance cut through the cacophony. For a brief moment Lu wondered if the second crew could help get them inside. Then she realized that she no longer heard the screams. Shit.

 ************************************************************************************************

Arsonists Anonymous is available in print or e-book at:

Amazon                                    Barnes&Noble

Author Bio:

Living in New York and Toronto, Nora Snowdon was a jerk of all trades—one week hawking toys at major toy conventions, the next in a high end jewelry store pandering to the rich. She worked in the financial market, environmental protection biz, gambling dens, food service industry and sold shoes. During these years she also either appeared in or directed over twenty five plays.   

Then Nora moved to the wet coast, took up health foods (dark chocolate and red wine) and became a Writer of Elegant Smut. Her ambition is to become a crazy cat lady and wine hoarder, not necessarily in that order. 

Read more about Nora at www.norasnowdon.com

Welcome, Jessica…I am so happy to have you as a guest on my blog. Jessica is a fairly new author friend, but she’s a sweetheart, and I feel we’ve bonded already. 🙂

Please tell us about your new release, Accidental Romance.

First of all, thank you so much for having me on your blog, Alicia! It is a pleasure to be here.

Accidental Romance is part of the new The Challenge series at Decadent Publishing. Here’s a little bit more about the series:

Challenge: A test of one’s abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking.

In every life, there are challenges, boulders in the flowing stream of existence. From the physical, to the psychological or emotional, nobody is immune. No one gets through life intact, but the challenge is not to avoid damage, but to work through, past or around the things that make life so difficult.

We all know people who do this—live fulfilling lives in spite of the difficulties they are forced to deal with.

The Challenge series is about characters who do just this—and the people who love them. Challenge is a romance series with a twist. The “challenge” takes a central role in the characters’ romance.

Sounds fascinating. I love the premise of the series. Very unique.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

For me, it’s not so much getting rid of anything, but keeping my mind focused. If I have something else that I’m supposed to do, whether or not I have to do it right away, it’s hard to stay focused on writing my stories. Once I get a certain amount of housework or promo done, I am able to focus better on my writing.

I understand. It’s almost like you have to declutter your mind a bit.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Accidental Romance?

As with any of my romance stories, I want readers to feel happy after they’ve finished reading them. And in Accidental Romance, I want people to know that life is full of challenges. If we remain determined to overcome them, we may just find our happily ever after.

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

Oh, I love to read young adult novels, and want to write one, but I worry about writing in first person. That is a struggle for me. I once read a book in second person, and I totally admire the author for writing an amazing story, but that’s one POV, I don’t want to try.

I am not a fan of second person. Not all YA’s have to be first person, though. You should give it a shot.

What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?

That’s an easy one. Will Smith. Not only does he seem like such an awesome person, but he’ll know how to survive. He’s proved it in many of the movies he’s been in, including I Am Legend, and the upcoming release, After Earth.

🙂 Glad there was some logic in your decision, but then, since you like sci-fi, I guess logic is a given.

Share with us your favorite…

Movie – Star Trek (2009) though there are some great Sci-Fi movies releasing this year that may take it’s place.

Music – I like pop and dance music. My fav song right now is Clarity by Zedd ft. Foxes

Place you’ve visited – Any place with a waterfall.

Place you’d like to visit – Hawaii and Alaska

TV show from childhood – Space: Above and Beyond

TV show from adulthood – What is Jeopardy?

Food – pasta

Sports team – Ottawa Senators

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? I don’t watch a lot of television, even though it’s often on as background noise. So, I guess that would be board games. Especially the classic ones. As a child, we used to play Aleeo, which is kind of like Trouble, but on a big wooden board, and with marbles.

Thank you again for joining me, Jessica, and for letting us get to know you better.

Now tell us a little more about Accidental Romance…

Blurb:

At twenty-two, Leanne Declan has graduated from college and hopes to take over the family farm until a tragic accident changes her life forever. Unable to do the simplest everyday chores, she must depend on her family and friends as she learns to face life’s challenges. But when her fears threaten to destroy her future, can an unexpected love be strong enough to help her dreams come true?

Excerpt:

A million needles pierced her wrist. She had to get away from the fire. Leanne flicked open her eyes, screaming, longing for the agony to stop.

White walls surrounded her. Machines beeped. Taking in the new scenery, she closed her mouth, the pain forgotten. Bags filled with clear liquids as well as blood hung from a metal pole. She followed the tubes from the bags into her left hand. Was that where the burn came from? She glanced at the other arm, the end of which was wrapped in thick bandages. The image of spinning blades and her mangled flesh flashed before her eyes. She screamed again, tears falling down her cheeks. This can’t be happening.

Bodies rushed into the room, many in scrubs. With her vision blurred, she didn’t recognize anyone. All strangers. She was in the foreign place by herself. A nightmare. Has to be.

“Shh, calm down, sweetie. You’ll be okay.”

A familiar voice. She glanced to her other side to see her mom standing beside her, her eyes glassy. She held her hand, but Leanne couldn’t feel it, only the throbbing which had returned to her other one, the one that was…gone? She groaned, turning on her side, and pulled her knees up to her chest.

“Mom, is it really…?”

She brushed her fingers over her forehead. “Don’t worry about it right now. You need to rest.”

“It hurts so bad.”

“I know.” Her mother stroked her face again. “But the nurses will help it go away.”

“Leanne,” one of the nurses hovering around her said. “I want you to take deep breaths and count backward from ten.”

“Ten.” She sucked in air and cried out in agony.

Between clenched teeth, she continued. Anything to stop the pain. “Nine.”

Ice traveled through her veins. “Eight.”

The throbbing slowly ebbed away. Seven.

Darkness swept over her and pulled her down with it.

Wow…very vivid, very intense. Definitely leaves me wanting more. Great job!

Readers, here is where you can buy Accidental Romance:

Amazon (Canada/US/UK) | Decadent Publishing | All Romance | Barnes&Noble | more

And you can find Jessica at:

Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Authorgraph

And the winner is…

Karielle Stephanie Gam!!!

Her name was drawn for the Vampire gift pack. Congratulations, Karielle!

Thanks a bunch to all of you who commented. I had a blast.

No, I am not giving away an actual vampire. If I had one, I’d keep him–or her–for myself. 🙂 I am, however, giving away a fantastic Vampire Gift Pack. I will draw one name from those who comment on this blog post during the month of February. The drawing will be held in early March, and I will announce the winner here and contact you by email.

A few rules (very few):

1) You must answer at least one of the questions
2) You must leave your email address in your comment
3) Entrants who are out of the United States will receive a $40 gift card from Amazon or B&N if their name is drawn since there are all these pesky issues with mailing international packages

That’s it…

NOTE: Answer one or more question to be eligible for the drawing and PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS. In addition to answering the question, feel free to tell us a little more about your VL (Vampire Love), if so compelled (wink, wink)

Now for the questions:

What do you love about Vampires?
Who is your favorite? (television, book, or movie vampire) Why?
What is your favorite Vampire book? Movie? Television show?
Have you ever been bitten by a Vampire? Would you like to be? Would you like to be turned or just used for Vampire sustenance?
For True Blood fans…if you could, would you be a Fang Banger?

Thanks…can’t wait to hear from all of you. Remember one lucky commenter will win…

Gift Pack includes…

-Immortality (Wait. I can’t promise that. Sorry! Scratch that)
-Your choice of ‘Vampire Diaries’ Seasons 1, 2, or 3 on DVD
-You can name a character in my third installment of Isle of Fangs and I will give your name and the name you chose in the acknowledgments
-You choice of a $20 gift card from either Barnes and Noble or Amazon
-Free ebook version of Isle of Fangs Book 2 for the Kindle or Nook (Available in early March)
-A dozen Alicia Dean ink pens
-A bonus gift surprise

Check out my Young Adult Vampire Novella…Liberty Awakened (Isle of Fangs Book 1)

Evil lurks beneath the surface in the beauty of the tropics…

After graduation from her small, Oklahoma high school, Liberty Delacort is looking forward to a fun-filled summer before college. But when the people she trusts the most betray her, and a letter arrives claiming the father she thought was dead is still alive, she jumps at the chance to travel to an exotic island to meet him.

But her excitement is short-lived. Her father is dying, and he doesn’t want her around. In spite of its outward tranquility, the island is filled with danger and ominous secrets. Before long, the secrets begin to unravel. She learns she is a descendant of Van Helsing, the vampire hunter, and she must fulfill her destiny in order to save humans from a faction of vicious vampires. The only man who can help her learn the skills she needs is a volatile, hostile, vampire who wants her off the island.

Will her inexperience lead to her death—and the death of others—or will she rise to the challenge and realize her full potential as a Hunter?

[The winner of Wednesday’s drawing for free books was Taylor Anne! Thank you all for commenting.]

I am pleased to introduce my friend, Martini Club cohort, and fellow author, Kathy L Wheeler. Welcome, Kathy. Thank you for joining me today. Let’s get started learning a little bit about you…

What book have you read that you wish you would have written?

My favorite all time author is Jayne Ann Krentz; Amanda Quick; Jayne Castle (all one in the same) so anything she writes I read, then I laugh. So anything she writes, I wished I’d written. So, now, while that is totally unrealistic, Susan Elizabeth Phillips has a terrific Chicago Star Series on the NFL. And EVERYONE knows how much I love the NFL. . .

Darn…if only.

What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?

Ummm. . .my husband? He can be a very difficult irritant at times, and I don’t think many people see beneath the surface. So he is a VERY lucky man.

Hahaha. Al’s a good guy. But sometimes all men are hard to love.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

My current full time job. Oh, wait! It pays my travel. And I love my friends. And I like the corporate environment. . .good setting info.

Good point, but income aside, full-time job is a good answer. 🙂

What’s your favorite book of all time and why? What’s your favorite childhood book?

My favorite all time book. . .hmm. . .Well, I love Lady Rogue by Suzanne Enoch. My favorite childhood books were from 5^th grade. The adventures of Betsy and Tacy.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Maybe It’s You?

That even through your greatest insecurities, you, as a person, are strong enough to sustain. And kick some ass.

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

Eeek. Okay, I’d rather have a review, but I don’t want to read the bad review. I’m trying to come away with the message I wrote about in the question above. . .

Well, getting a bad review can help you learn to sustain and rise above insecurities, right? No…?

If you could change something about one of your books that’s already released, what would it be?

Perhaps I would deepen The Color of Betrayal, one reviewer said the characters weren’t deep, even though it is only 16k words.

It’s difficult to develop characters in a story that short, but I thought you did an excellent job. A short story is just that…a short story. You only get so much character development. I thought your characters were very real and relatable, so that’s a plus.

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

I might like to try my hand at Paranormal someday. My true love is historical.

Hmmm. I had no idea. (about the paranormal thing, that is) Well, you’re in luck. A couple of your critique partners happen to write paranormal. 🙂

If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be?

An anthology with Teresa Medieros, Jayne Ann Krentz, Suzanne Enoch and Elizabeth Boyle (oh, and blank pages in the back so I can still write), a toothbrush, and sunscreen a (large, long lasting) pen. 

You can make a tooth brush out of coconunt fronds, didn’t you watch Gilligan’s Island?

Speaking of islands…what celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?

Someone young and strong so they can do the hunting for food. . .maybe Nick Collison; although that’s really selfish, because Thunder Basketball needs him under the rim.

You would sacrifice for your beloved Thunder? True fan.

Your most prized material possession? Why?

My laptop computer, of course, so I can still write.

Your favorite…

Movie: How to lose a guy in 10 days

Music: Jekyll & Hyde

Place you’ve visited: London

Place you’d like to visit: Ireland

TV show from childhood: HR Puffinstuff

TV show from adulthood: Sports, NBA; NFL

Food: spinach salad with strawberries and blue cheese. And a good vinegarette

Sports team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? Board games.

Thank you, Kathy. I actually learned some new things about you. I thought we’d covered everything on trips and at the Martini Club. Guess not.

Tell us about Maybe It’s You…

Blurb:

How can a girl who’s been rejected by Once Upon A Time ever believe that happily-ever-after even exists?  Co-bookstore owner Lorianne Gentry is branded by deep-seeded insecurities.  Abandonment issues surface when she finds herself falling in love—totally pissing her off. 

Ashton Turner III is nobody’s Knight-In-Shining-Armor.  He’d jumped off that horse a long time ago­—the sex, however, was damn good.  And when Lorianne’s grandmother delivers Ash life-altering news, his past explodes into the present.

GIVEAWAY: On Wednesday, we will draw a name from one of the commenters and that person will win a copy of Maybe It’s You and their choice of any Alicia Dean title in either Kindle or Nook format. BE SURE to leave your email address with your comment.

You can find Kathy at…

Kathylwheeler.com (blog)

http://klwheeler.com

@kathylwheeler

Kathy@klwheeler.com

[I am pleased to announce the WINNER of Sandy Bruney’s random blog drawing…Randy Rayfield!  He has won a copy of THE ALMOST BRIDE and a choice of any of my titles (click on ‘BOOKS’ to see the entire list – NOTE: Lady in the Mist is only available on the Kindle at this time).]

Thank you, Alicia, for letting me visit you today. I have enjoyed browsing your site and meeting so many new authors. 

You’re welcome, Sandy. I’m happy to have you today as my guest.

I’m excited about my latest release, “The Almost Bride.”

Lily isn’t exactly a character you love at first, but she has her reasons for not talking to her younger sister for fifteen years. The problem is, her reasons are all wrong. 

Jill not only stole the man Lily loved, but also the future Lily imagined for herself—the husband, the daughter, the comfortable life style. So when Jill leaves Paul and comes to Lily for help, Lily has to examine her motives for taking Jill in. Does she hope for a second chance with Paul? 

But little by little, Lily learns that Jill’s life was more a nightmare than paradise, and her loyalty to her sister triumphs over her misplaced dreams. Free of her obsession, Lily finds love where it has always been—right beside her. Grady has been her employer and best friend for years. But now there is a new problem: Grady seems to be in love with someone else. And Lily is afraid that someone might be Jill.

What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?

Most people don’t understand why I write. They view writing as they did essay questions in high school—something they’d rather avoid. When I tell them it is fun and fulfilling they look at me as if I’d confessed to witchcraft.

Ah, so true. Only another writer truly understands why we do what we do.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why? What’s your favorite childhood book?

That’s tough, because I’ve read so many books over the years. I guess my favorite was “Prince of Tides” by Pat Conroy. His descriptions of the Carolina Low Country are lyrical. My favorite childhood book was “Little Women” by Louisa Mae Alcott. I so wanted to be Jo!

Yes, it is tough. I wouldn’t be able to answer with certainty. 🙂

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

Another hard question! A bad review at least shows someone has actually read the book. If it’s really bad, people might wonder if there is something personal involved and read it to see for themselves. I think the worst review would be a lukewarm one. Let’s have some enthusiasm one way or the other!

Very well said. I like that attitude.

If you could change something about one of your books that’s already released, what would it be?

I was talking to a book club about “The Lunch Club” when someone mentioned I didn’t describe the characters’ physical appearances until the last chapter. It was then I realized that when I cut the first chapter (on my publisher’s urging) I’d forgotten to add the descriptions to the rewrite. Having done that, I shouldn’t have described the characters (through the eyes of a newcomer) at the end and thrown off my readers’ already formed interpretations.

Ugh. Yes, sometimes when we rewrite or take out a chunk, something important gets lost that we don’t notice until it’s too lage.

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

I have been playing with a Steampunk story that has been fun to write, but I realize I need to do more research to create a believable alternate world. Just sticking a few airships and steam carriages in the story doesn’t work. I’m not giving up, though!

Best of luck with that. I would be terrified to tackle Steampunk

Your most prized material possession? Why?

I don’t have a prized possession. In fact, I have been giving away things I love in the past few years just to make sure they go to people who love them as I do. After a bout with breast cancer 11 years ago, I realized nothing is as important as health, family and friends. All else falls away.

Good for you. And I’m so happy you beat breast cancer. My best friend of forty years battled it, and I know how frightening it can be.

Your favorite…

Movie:                                Lawrence of Arabia

Music:                                Andrew Lloyd Webber

Place you’ve visited:       Barcelona, Spain

Place you’d like to visit:  San Francisco

Wonderful and interesting answers. Thank you again for joining me.

Now, a peek into The Almost Bride: (LOVE this cover)

Chapter 1 

The rain had been threatening all afternoon. With diabolic timing, the first drops began falling just as I flipped the “Open” sign to “Closed.”

“Hope it clears off for your date tonight. Did Ethan make reservations?” Grady’s voice came from behind me.

I debated answering, but it’s rude not to answer a direct question, especially from your boss. I turned and faced him. “We’re not going.”

“But Lily—” Grady’s soft brown eyes blinked behind his wire-rimmed glasses. “You’ve been planning all week on dinner at Wisteria. For your anniversary? A year to the day since your first date?” He made each statement sound like a question.

“We were. But now we’re not.” My throat tightened and I couldn’t explain why I had called the celebration off. That instead of anticipating the evening I had felt a trap slowly closing. I truly hadn’t wanted to hurt Ethan, but I hadn’t seen any other way.

I could hear Grady sigh in disappointment behind me. He’d liked Ethan. So had I. I still liked him. Just not enough.

A peal of thunder split the skies and I jumped.

“Great,” I muttered. My car was in the garage, only a few blocks away. Ordinarily the walk wouldn’t have bothered me, but now I remembered my umbrella was in the car.  I should have gone to pick up the car at noon, when the first flimsy clouds had appeared, but no. I’d spent my lunch hour pleading with Ethan. He hadn’t understood my decision, either.

“Maybe it’ll let up in a few minutes,” Grady said hopefully. “If not, I can give you a lift.”

“Thanks, Grady,” I said, my tone turning the words into a refusal. “I’ll just make a dash for it. I won’t melt.”

“Maybe not, but you could catch your death of cold.” Grady came from behind the counter, shrugging himself into his raincoat. Grady was always prepared. It was no surprise to me when I had learned he was an Eagle Scout.

“You can borrow my umbrella,” he offered.

I considered this. Grady was protected by the long, yellow slicker that made him look like some kind of public service officer. And if his dark curls got wet they would only get curlier, whereas my hair would only get limper.

“All right,” I agreed, not being able to think of a valid reason to refuse.

“Well, then,” he said, and proffered the umbrella. Not a blue one with Matisse-like water lilies around the rim like my own, but long and black and somehow reminding me of Sherlock Holmes or some other Victorian character.

Just then a loud roll of thunder rattled the windows, and the rain came down even harder, if that was possible. A sheet of water ran down the middle of the street, which was devoid of traffic. Smart people were inside. Smart people remembered their umbrellas and parked closer to where they worked.

There was a long silence, interrupted only by another reverberating boom of thunder. One car, its headlights on, passed slowly in front of the store. The beams illuminated the books arranged enticingly in the window, their jackets the only color in the dim light.

“I think the rain might be letting up a little,” Grady said, thankfully ending the awkward wait.

I opened the door and looked out. “Letting up” was the overstatement of the year, but I seized on it. “I’m gone,” I said, slipped out the door and shot the umbrella open.

“See you Monday,” Grady called after me as I splashed my way down the sidewalk.

By the time I got to the garage, I was soaked to the skin. It didn’t help my mood any that by the time I paid the bill and started for home, the setting sun was sending feeble rays across the horizon. The only evidence of the storm was a few puddles and the oily sheen on the road that reflected my headlights.

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I am happy to announce the WINNER of Cait O’Sullivan’s random blog drawing…R.T. Wolfe!  She has won an ebook copy of ROMANCING THE SEAS and a choice of any of my titles (click on ‘BOOKS’ to see the entire list – NOTE: Lady in the Mist is only available on the Kindle at this time).

Congratulations, R.T.!

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I am pleased to introduce author, Cait O’Sullivan…Welcome, Cait!

Hi Alicia, thanks so very much for having me on your blog today! I’m really rather excited as my debut novel, Romancing the Seas, is released tomorrow 🙂 Happy Days!

I am delighted to have you, and so glad that it coincides with your release. Thank you for traveling all the way from the U.K. to guest on my blog. Now, my readers would like to learn a little more about you…

What book have you read that you wish you would have written?

Lord of the Rings. The Hobbit. Fat Chance. No that’s not a book, just a statement LOL.

I’ve never read the Lord of the Rings books, but only because fantasy isn’t my thing. However, it takes a brilliant writer to come up with a story like taht, and to write it so well.

What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?

The rain 🙂  I know some people who when the sun shines it gives them a new lease of life. For me, it’s the rain. If it’s raining outside, I get my house clean, I work well and I enjoy my walks outside too. It was Roger Miller who said ‘Some people feel the rain, others just get wet’. I am Irish though, so I guess if I didn’t like the rain, I would never have gotten anything done when growing up! Although I have met a fellow author who likes rain too.

I LOVE the rain. Rain makes me feel content, excited, energized. I love that quote by Roger Miller. I’d never heard it.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

Housework and cooking. If I had a housekeeper, now that’d be just perfect!

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

Fantasy, definitely! I’m even thinking of giving it a go, too.

I think you should. As much as you love it, you would probably be very good at it.

If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be?

iPod and speakers, kindle and a laptop. Although where does the electricity come from?! I guess the first thing would be a book on how to make energy on a desert island, then my ipod and speakers (counting that as one, that’s okay, right?) and a laptop/desktop.

LOL. This is a ‘fantasy’ wish, so I’ll give you electricity.

What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?

Aragorn. Not Viggo Mortenson, but Aragorn. Yummy. I’m really looking forward to this desert island now, sounds heavenly. When can I go?

Trust me, if I knew the answer to that, I’d be there, too. Not the same island, though, we’d each have our own. I would not say no to Viggo. Since I’m not acquainted with Aragorn, I can’t judge you.

Thank you so much, Cait. I enjoyed visiting with you. Best of luck on your release.

Blurb:

Sous-chef Pippa Renshaw thinks a change of scene will mend a bruised heart, so she swaps her job in a prestigious London restaurant to head-chef on a cruise ship sailing around New Zealand. A great plan until she meets her new CEO, the delectable Jonathon Eagleton, and discovers she has to share a suite with him.

Even though sparks fly whenever they are together, Jonathon steadfastly keeps her at arm’s length, which suits Pippa just fine because she’s still getting over the betrayal of the last time she had a relationship with the boss.

The situation is starting to feel like solitary confinement until a thunderstorm traps them in a tramper’s hut while hiking. Suddenly a different kind of storm unleashes inside the hut.

But will they be able to go back to their previous status now the line has been crossed?

Excerpt

As they entered the small canteen, a babble of noise greeted them, and Fiona stood on her tiptoes to look around and waved to someone she spotted. “Come and meet my boyfriend, David. He’s the head chef for the Chinese restaurant, and the steakhouse.”

David stood as the girls arrived. “Hello, Pippa, I’m pleased to meet you. Do let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you settle in.” He slipped an arm around Fiona’s waist. “Hey, sweetheart, have you heard who’s on board yet?”

“No?” Fiona glanced at Pippa, eyebrows raised.

“Well … ” said David, teasingly drawing it out. “You’ll know the daughter from all the celebrity magazines you buy. Our new, esteemed CEO is wining and dining her family.”

“Who is it?” demanded Fiona.

“It’s the Stevensons, from Stevenson Hotels!”

Fiona shrieked. “I don’t believe it, no way, not on board here! How cool! Is Juliet here?”

Juliet Stevenson, the heiress, was always gracing the magazines with her nonchalant style and not-so-nonchalant escapades.

David nodded.

“Wow,” breathed Fiona, yet to return to earth. “I can’t wait to see her. I wonder what she’ll be wearing.”

So that was who Jonathon was going to be entertaining. Good luck to him. Juliet was, if the magazines were anything to go by, notoriously high maintenance. Oh God. What if he had plans to entertain her in the suite they were sharing? She could just imagine coming in after her shift, greeted by low lights, sultry music, and him moving in for a kiss. Could this get any worse?

“Onto even more exciting things.” David leaned across the table with a gleam in his eyes. “I hear you’ve got some great accommodation, Pippa!”

Pippa opened her mouth to answer when she heard a commotion at the door. One of the commis chefs she’d met earlier in Corals kitchen came in, calling for her.

“I’m here,” she called, nerves starting anew.

“Hi,” he called, and made his way over, stopping to say hi to a few people on the way as Pippa’s heart skipped several beats. “I’ve a message for you from Mr. Eagleton. He’s having the Stevensons to dinner in the executive dining room and wants you to cook.”

Pippa stared at him. “What, tonight?”

“He wants to meet you in the kitchen now.”

 ***********************************

Romancing the Seas is now available for pre-order from Amazon.

Learn more about Cait:
FACEBOOK – Come by and ‘like’ me to stay updated with my news.
TWITTER
WEBSITE/BLOG

 12 Authors – 12 Books

FREE on Kindle December 25 & December 26:

(Click on the covers to order the books from Amazon)

FBI agent and psychologist investigate the murder of an FBI recruit and come face to face with the victim’s spirit

Historical Romance

Erotic Paranormal Romance

When the kink most forbidden is the monster that satisfies.

A psychology student takes a job caring for a mentally unstable young man on a remote coastal island and becomes embroiled in a deadly mystery

Her daughters wanted a daddy…She wanted her old life back…All he wanted was the three of them…

The duke fired the annoying governess; his mother re-hired her as a companion. Now she’s driving him crazy.

Contemporary Romance

A broken promise has consequences… (NOTE: The Dream Jumper’s Promise is free through December 27)

Payback is a bitch

Best friends turn into deadly enemies for the love of one woman

After her patrician husband sells her to a fate worse than death, Aelia must learn that in Amalfi you live by your heart, not by Rome’s laws

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Enjoy!

Feel free to leave a comment if you’d like. We love hearing from readers.

I am very honored to present a dear friend who also happens to be a wonderful author. I met her online years ago and had the privilege of meeting her face to face this past October. She was so much fun…such a delight, even more so than I expected. Now, you can meet her too. Without further ado…the fabulous Desiree Holt…

First of all, a huge thank you to Alicia for hosting me today. I hope you’ve read every one of her books. I have and they are truly fabulous.

What happens when you get seven wild and crazy erotic authors together with unlimited chocolate wine and whipped cream vodka? You come up with a series and an event. The event? The Sassy Seven Naughty Sleepover, the ultimate girls night out weekend. When? February 22-24 at the historic Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. What do we have? How about hilarious erotic games? A Dom and his sub? Male dancers? An adult toys party.  Prizes galore and loads of laughs. All for the attending erotic authors and readers. Where can you find out about it?

www.sassyseven.com/naughty-sleepover. Go on. Take a peek! You won’t be sorry.

One of our first ventures as The Sassy Seven was a series called Toys 4 Us, about seven women who attended an adult toys party and what happened afterwards.

My contribution? Bound and Determined. Hope you’ll enjoy this taste enough to read the entire story. OH, wait! The entire series. As well as our Naughty Sleepover series that takes place at the Menger.

Blurb:

Alix Townsend, uptight, high-powered litigation attorney, has a wild side she rarely unleashes. Deep inside, beneath her tailored suits and frosty image, beats the heart of a woman who dreams of the kinkiest kinds of sex. Preferably with her next door neighbor,  Mack Taylor. Relaxing on her patio after a wild girls only weekend, she opens the bag of sex toys she purchased at her friend Petra’s birthday party. And who’s there to see it? None other than hot hunk Mack. Who promptly invites her over for dinner–and the night. Along with her toys. After a hot weekend Alix knows things will never be the same for her again, but is Mack in it for the long haul or just for the incendiary sex?

Excerpt:

Taking a sip of her wine, she set the glass on the concrete next to her, lifted the pink bag into her lap and began to take out the contents. Everyone had made their individual choices in private with Gianna. For Alix, her goodie bag contained two new dildos–one pink, one purple, nipple clips, lotion to stimulate her nipples and clit, a tiny butterfly clit vibrator and just for giggles, a pair of fleece-lined leather handcuffs. Not that she’d ever have a chance to use them, but she could dream, right?

“Those look interesting,” a deep voice drawled. “Planning to demonstrate them?”

Startled, Alix jerked at the voice, spilling the toys everywhere and knocking over her wine.

“Damn,” she swore and looked over to see her neighbor, Mackenzie “Mack” Taylor, leaning on the fence that divided their yard and grinning at her.

“You didn’t answer my question. Should I get a beer and settle down for the show.”

Heat crept up her face and Alix knew she blushed furiously. Damn it all anyway. Mack Taylor was one very fine specimen of man. Well over six feet tall, his body was lean and hard-muscled, and well on display since at the moment he only wore a pair of cutoffs. Dark hair worn just to his shoulders framed a rough-jawed face and accented the thick lashes that framed hazel eyes. The same dark hair was sprinkled liberally over his chest, arrowing down past his abs and disappearing in the waistband of his shorts.

Alix’s mouth watered at the site of him. She wanted to lick every delicious inch of his exposed skin.

Down, girl. I really do need to get out more.

She also wanted to run into the house and hide. Of all people to see her new playthings. She and Mack had been neighbors for two years, but they’d never done more than chat over the fence or in the driveway. There was definitely some chemistry between them but nothing either of them had ever indicated a desire to act on.

They were each busy with their own lives. She knew he was single and worked for the DEA, many times on an undercover assignment. Sometimes he’d be gone for weeks at a time. And she was always busy with one high profile client or another. Her big secret was that he had a starring role in some of her over-the-top fantasies and each time she saw him it was harder and harder to remain casual.

Like now.

Especially with his interest in her little pink bag of toys. Not that she wouldn’t like a chance to try them out with him. She ducked her head in case her thoughts were written on her face.

“It’s…nothing for you to look at,” she stammered, pressing the Velcro tab on the bag closed and setting it on the ground beside her chair. She needed to get something to clean up the spilled wine, but somehow she couldn’t make herself move. Her body seemed disconnected from her brain.

“You look like you need a little help,” Mack teased. “Hang on.”

He vaulted lightly over the fence, pulling a rag from his back pocket as his feet touched the lawn and jogged over to where she was sitting. In seconds he had the wine blotted up and tossed the rag aside. Alix thought he’d say something else smartass then go back to his own yard, but instead he sat down on the side of her lounge chair, facing her.

“Thank you,” she told him. “I’m not usually so clumsy.”

“No problem.” His eyes landed on the pink bag next to her. “As my reward maybe you could show me all those goodies in that bag again.”

His grin could best be described as erotically lethal, she thought. Slightly crooked with–oh, god–a dimple at the left corner of his mouth. Reflexively she squeezed her thighs together. Unfortunately Mack noticed that tiny flexing of muscle and widened his grin. His big hand rested on her leg just below the knee, his fingers stroking lightly.

At once the air around them was charged with so much sexual electricity Alix wondered it didn’t incinerate them. From the look on Mack’s face she realized he felt it, too.

Uh oh.

http://www.amazon.com/Bound-and-Determined-Toys-4-Us-ebook/dp/B0062UD0FY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355506770&sr=8-1&keywords=Bound+and+Determined+desiree+holt

Where can you find me?

www.desireeholt.com

www.desireeholttellsall.com

Facebook: desireeholtauthor

Twitter: @desireeholt

And you can follow me on Pinterest and LinkdIn, too.

Email me at desireeholt@desireeholt.com

First, thank you so much, Alicia, for having me on your blog today and giving me the opportunity to share my latest news!

You’re most welcome. You know you’re one of my favorite writers. I’m pleased to have you on my blog, and to help spread the word about your wonderful new book.

What made you decide to depart from your usual genre, and for a holiday story at that? What do you like most about Christmas Dance? What do you think will appeal to readers about it?

I love stories of romantic love. I love reading them and writing them, but for a while now, I’ve felt constrained by the formulaic nature of the romance genre, as defined by the industry (meaning the main story must revolve around the characters falling in love, there must be an emotionally satisfying/HEA ending, etc.). There are so many great love stories that don’t fit into the genre’s definitions: Gone with the Wind and Casablanca, just to name a couple. At the same time, I love exploring the intricacies of relationships, and the modern husband/wife relationship is one of the most complex. So many things can affect how happily that “ever after” becomes for a couple: finances, children, caring for elderly parents, whether one or both work outside the home. It’s easy (so easy) to become overwhelmed, to look at someone else who might offer what you find missing in your life, sometimes to the point that you decide to chuck what you have. I decided I wanted to write a story that acknowledges and tackles those challenges, and expresses love at the same time.

 Christmas Dance is about a man and a woman (each married to other people) who meet at a church dance during Christmas, and struggle against their attraction. I set it during Christmas, at a church, to put a laser beam on the moral issue, and because I like torturing my characters. 🙂

The story takes at least a glancing look at those thorny issues of marriage, like money (the power struggles, who makes it, who spends it), the way children take over your lives (if you let them), and how easy it is to miss the blessings right in front of us.

I think it’s unique because the “romance” is told from the perspective of “the other man” and ‘the other woman.” I think it will appeal to women (and possibly men) who may relate to what this woman and man experience.  Hopefully, in the end, it’s a story of hope and finding your way back to that HEA spark.

It is definitely unique. And gripping. I was drawn into these characters and their emotions and dilemma from the start. 

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Christmas Dance? 

That when you’re unhappy in a committed relationship (marriage or otherwise), sometimes it helps to step back and do a mental role-reversal, try to see through your mate’s perspective. I don’t mean to imply that sometimes marriages/relationships simply don’t work for many, many reasons. I know far too many women who have stayed with a spouse/mate for financial reasons, or because of children, when leaving would have made their lives far better. But if that love, that spark, still exists, if there’s respect and honor on both sides, the relationship might be worth fighting for, and stepping outside the box of our own perceptions can help.

What book have you read that you wish you would have written?

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I’m awed not just by Stockett’s story-telling, but by the way she wrote each character’s voice, so unique and perfectly consistent, from beginning to end. I laughed, I cried, and by the time I finished, I felt like I’d made a couple new best friends. As a reader, what more could I ask?

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

Can I say I’d rather have all good reviews? No, huh? 🙂 I suppose I’d have to say a bad review because you can learn from it, if it’s written with the intent of pointing out flaws as the reviewer sees them. My goal as a writer is to get better with each book, each story. So as much as they hurt, if the “bad” reviews are done honestly, I appreciate the lessons they bring. That’s presuming the reviewer knows what he/she is talking about though, and that’s not always the case! 🙂

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

Last Christmas, my office “adopted” a little girl to provide gifts from her mom and dad who were down on their luck, and all we knew about our little girl was her first name, her age, her clothing sizes, and that she loved princesses. Being the mother of two boys, I jumped on the chance to shop for a girl, especially one who liked princesses, and a bunch of women in the room jumped in too. Soon we had an accumulated a pile of clothes, dolls and toys that glittered and sparkled, but I thought it would be fun if we could do something personal for her. Since I work at a newspaper, in the newsroom (full of writers), I asked if we could write a story, design it on a front page (with a fun news headline), then print it out and frame it for her. Everyone said, “Sure, Leah, go right ahead.” So I wrote a story based on her name and enlisted the help of our page designer to add illustrations and put the page together, and someone else who has craft-y skills to frame it. (It looked wonderful!) The main character was a princess with our little girl’s name (of course), and there were fairies and even a young prince who becomes her friend. (I just can’t stop with the budding romances!) I had such a good time, I thought it would be fun to write children’s stories like that. Who knows, maybe someday I will!

I bet you will! What a fantastic story. How rewarding that must have been. Thank you again for being a guest on my blog. I enjoyed getting to know things about you that I didn’t before. Readers…rush out and get a copy of Christmas Dance…you won’t regret it. Wait…you don’t have to ‘rush out,’ you can get a copy right in the comfort of your home. 🙂

Blurb

Christmas Dance

Alexandra Anderson has a loving husband who provides for her every need, a beautiful home in the suburbs, and money to fulfill her slightest whim. But after a lonely childhood, what she wants more than anything is a baby, a family of her own. 

Sam Herrmann is married to his college sweetheart, and together they have three healthy, boisterous boys. Sam spends his days running numbers as a government accountant, and his nights and weekends trying to keep up with the grueling family schedule set by his wife – a wife he can barely remember.

 What happens when two married people take a look at the perfect lives they’ve created and decide it’s not enough? What happens when those same two people catch the eye of a stranger, and like what they see?

Excerpt:

Her voice had risen to something close to a shriek, and she knew she was perilously close to hysteria. Worse, she didn’t give a flying fuck.

“What the hell is wrong with you people? It’s Christmas! Supposedly a time of giving, joyfully, to others. Peace on earth, good will toward men, and all that horse hockey. Animals are God’s creatures, too. Open up your frickin’ wallets.”

That she’d managed to control the “f” word, at least to some extent, pleased her, despite the realization that she’d ranted herself far over the line of grace. If her own internal barometer hadn’t told her that, the screaming silence that met her outburst did. She gulped and viewed the group. Some frowned, looking even angrier than before she’d opened her mouth. Some averted their gazes, as if they’d been caught in the act of something foul and dirty. And others moved to escape, probably off to buy their own wrapping supplies.

“Good going, Alex,” her booth-buddy said. “You chased them away.” And she didn’t sound the least bit grateful.

Before Alex could respond, she heard a chuckle, low and sinful-sounding, from the back of the dwindling crowd, followed by, “Bravo. Well done.”

Her gaze raced to find the source, although she’d already recognized the voice. Then she found him. Sam Herrmann, leaning against a fake potted tree that dripped twinkling white lights that made him look like he was wearing a halo. He stood in a relaxed pose, his legs crossed at the ankles, his arms crossed over his chest, like he felt easy, and happy to be there. One of those half-smiles that did funny things to her stomach deepened the dimple on the right side of his face, and she felt her mouth curl in response.

Until she remembered what she’d just done, and what he’d just seen.

Oh Lord, he’d seen her melt down in the most un-Christian, ungracious manner, and he was laughing. At her. Shame nearly flattened her, and she slapped her palms to her face and said, “I am so sorry. I don’t know what’s come over me. I’ve never done anything like that.”

“We believe you, Alex. But why don’t you take off now? We’ll get someone to cover your shift. I’ve already placed the call for a replacement.” This from their shift leader, Ellie, an older woman who’d probably seen it all, although certainly not done it all, if Alex guessed correctly.

Alex removed her hands and attempted to smooth her face, tried to retrieve some of the dignity she’d had when she arrived that morning, then pivoted to face the booth. Ellie’s brows were scrunched in a frown, her mouth twisted at one corner, and she was breathing so fast little gusts of air were coming out of her nose like she was a bull getting ready to charge.

Another bubble of hysteria moved through Alex, but she managed to swallow it while she grabbed her purse from under the booth. “I am so sorry. I don’t know what’s come over me,” she said as she stood. “Maybe it would be best if I called it a day.”

She removed her wallet from the purse, thumbed through the bills she’d stuffed in there earlier, and pulled a couple out. “I hope this will help defray some of the trouble I’ve caused.” She passed the notes to Ellie, whose eyes rounded as if it had been million instead of a couple hundred.

“Thank you,” Ellie said, then paused as if debating what to say next. “That’s very generous of you, Alex.”

“Thank Ben. He makes the money.”

Alex hadn’t intended to make such a snarky remark, but there it was, the root of her marriage problems. Ben made the money and didn’t much care about anything else, except maybe looking like a good provider and righteous man.

Her head throbbed now, along with her neck and feet, and she could feel Sam Herrmann’s stare as surely as if he’d pointed a laser beam at her skull.

Figuring it was always better to meet a challenge head on, she turned, and there he was, closer than ever and looking as if he could eat her for lunch.

The air sucked from her lungs in one giant squeeze, and her heart dropped like it was on a one-way trip to hell.

Stop it! she scolded herself as she tried to force air back into her body. She was imagining things. The notion had been only frustration talking. Frustration, and disappointment that despite all the money, all the trappings of wealth, she wasn’t happy. Unhappy didn’t even cover it. Lonely. Miserable. Those might do. But that’s what she got for placing all her hopes on another human being, her husband, to bring her that happiness.

Everyone knew another person couldn’t make you happy. And if that’s what you were waiting for, you’d have a long wait.

Still, the lure of this new hope drew her, like a kid to a lit firecracker, and she found herself moving in his direction, one tentative step after another until they stood face to face, inches apart, so close she could see the dilation of his beautiful green eyes, the quickening of his breaths, as if she affected him the same way he affected her.

“What are you doing here, Sam?”

“I came for you.”  

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Christmas Dance

A story of love and marriage. A story of hope.

To learn more about Leah, please visit her on the web at www.LeahStJames.com, or catch up with her on Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads (Leah St. James) or Twitter (@LeahStJames).