Edward Hoornaert's Blog, page 3

The towel dangled like bait for a trap #mfrwhooks

I’m continuing with a sneak peek at the opening of my WIP — the third and final book in the Passion Island trilogy, Triple Wedding.

Teegan, who gets a shock when she gets home from work — a stranger is in her house, wrapped only in a towel. He claims to be the brother of her roommate, but she’s never heard of him.

He sighed. “I arrived in Eastcott this afternoon with only a rucksack and the clothes on my back, so she said I could stay here awhile. She gave me the teal room…if that’s all right with you.”

Although Teegan kept most of her consternation inside, she let her face show a bit of it. Any friend—or brother—of Mercedes was a friend of hers. That went without saying.

But if he was destitute, could he be trusted not to steal?

The fact that Mercedes was honest proved nothing. Just look at her own family. Teegan’s sister Pandora was an immoral disgrace, but that proved nothing about her.

“Do you want your towel back now,” he said, “or can it wait until I’m dry?”

“Very funny.” At least she hoped he was joking. “It can wait.”

She shouldn’t feel the heat of blood suffusing her cheeks. Addoray’s colonists had left most of Earth’s nudity taboos behind. Bathhouses were coed, public—and clothes-free. It was a signpost of her success that she had a tub large enough to share with all the friends she didn’t have time to make.

Nudity was acceptable in the controlled environment of a bathhouse, but she was alone in the house, chatting with a naked guy in the close quarters of the hallway. The air seemed to tingle against her flesh, reminding her of the situation’s intimacy. She was way too tired for flirtation, though not as tired as when she’d come through the door.

“Nice to have met you, my sister’s extremely generous roommate.” He inclined his head in a deep nod, an unusual but gallant note of politeness, and then went into the teal room. Before he shut the door all the way, he looked out and met her gaze.

The door hid him, except for a now-naked hip…and a tantalizing bit more. He extended his arm through the opening. The towel dangled from his hand like bait for a trap.

When she didn’t take it, he dropped it and closed the door.

Be sure to visit the other great writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

Effing Feline comes out on top #wewriwa

I, Effing Feline, gave my cousin Lee the lion a piece of my mind for making friends with Twiggles the dog and ignoring me. It took a lot of scolding, but Lee finally asked the perfect question: What can I do to make it up to you.

Heh, heh, heh.

I’ll tell you what I did after this word from my sponsor, Ed’s most recent release, Pandora Uncaged, Pandora is surprised by a visit from Aidan, an old friend from her teenage years. In this snippet, she’s taking Aidan to see the  mobeave.

Sending Aidan in there without warning was a nasty trick to play on her old friend. At the same time, it really was the best way to grasp the essence of the mobeave…and anyway, she had to do something to even the scales after his talk of getting her with child.

He peered in before entering. The room was lit an aquatic blue-green that made vision difficult. As soon as he entered, the mobeave leaped at the cage wall, getting its nasty, sharp teeth right at jugular level and glaring malevolently with its small, intelligent eyes.

She expected Aidan to yelp and jumped back, but not him. “Wow,” he said while the mobeave snarled at him, “what a beauty.”

Pandora sighed heavily and followed him in. “You’re no fun, you know that?”

And a few more lines. Not too many, though, because I know you have lots of other snippets to get to.

The mobeave didn’t like strangers, except possibly with ketchup, but he knew Pandora was his source of finger fish. He climbed out of the pond that filled most of his cage and stood on his hind legs, wobbling precariously and then stretching up until he was as tall as a short woman. Nearly Pandy’s height, in other words. He pawed the air as though waving hello, keeping his inches-long claws sedately retracted.

Effing Feline here again. What did I ask of Lee? A piggyback ride, so I could get a picture of me taming him.

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

Pandora Uncaged

Book Two in the Passion Island Trilogy — A friends-to-lovers future romance

Pandora Dayle is her family’s disgraced black sheep. Ten years after running away from home, she’s rebuilt her self-respect at an isolated facility for saving animals native to the colony’s planet. Her redemption feels as fragile as a dream, but she’ll be okay if nothing traumatic happens.

But when the best friend from her innocent youth arrives, her insecurities mushroom.

Aidan used to be Pandora’s best friend. Since his teen years, he’s held heroic jobs—police officer and now Search and Rescue leader. He adored innocent young Pandora so much he compares every woman to her idealized memory, and finds them wanting.

But when he rediscovers the real thing, she’s not at all what he expected.

Booker, a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret organization, receives his second assignment: get Pandora and Aidan to mate. They’d been close friends, so his strategy is simple: He flies Aidan to her island and tells him to impregnate Pandora.

What could possibly go wrong?

Pandora Uncaged is available at these fine sites. Order yours today.AmazonSmashwordsAppleBarnes and NobleKobo BooksScribd

You’re attractive when angry #mfrwhooks

I’m continuing with a sneak peek at the opening of my WIP — the third and final book in the Passion Island trilogy, Triple Wedding.

It stars another of the Dayle sisters, Teegan, who gets a shock when she gets home from work — a stranger is in her house, wrapped only in a towel.

“Mercedes trusted you enough to leave you here alone?” Teegan intended it as a statement but it came out a question.

“Of course.”

Teegan saw no of course about it.

“She thought you’d still be at work until after she got home,” he explained. “She says you’re always at work and you really ought to cut back your hours. But as you see, she’s not here.” He spread his hands, which emphasized his biceps and triceps.

She forced herself to relax. “Then I guess I trust you, too.”

He grinned. “You’re just as loyal and generous a roommate as Mercy says.”

The compliment really shouldn’t feel as good as it did, but since it was accompanied by a smile and a bare chest, warmth washed over her. Mercedes chose very well. Teegan just wished she’d said something about this Sterling Peters beforehand before inviting him home.

“Do you have everything you need?” she asked. “Toothbrush, food…clothes? I can get some things and leave them outside her room.”

“Oh, I’m not sleeping with her,” he said with a laugh. “That’d be weird. I’m in the room with teal walls.” He gestured at her blouse. “You really like teal, eh?”

The edges of the blouse had strayed open. She clutched them closed. “If you aren’t sleeping with Mercedes, I ask again—who are you and why the—” She choked back a swear word. She trusted him, remember? “Why are you in my house?”

“Wow, your eyes really do flash when you’re halfway to losing your temper.”

Her eyes flashed again, probably. “You already said that.”

“Did I?” He pursed his lips and cocked his head to one side. “No, I merely said you were attractive when angry. I made no mention of your eyes. But before you explode, Teegan, I’m Mercy’s brother. I’m sure she’s mentioned me.”

“Not a word.”

Be sure to visit the other great writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

Effing Feline hates cheerleaders #wewriwa

I, Effing Feline, spent last night in Twiggles the dog’s doghouse. At first I was terrified of fleas, but I didn’t get bitten. Then I was afraid of ticks. But then I heard something that drove all fears out of my cunning feline mind — the coo-coo-ca-choo of a mourning dove..

As you know, I’m a house cat who watches bird only through a window. I’ve never tasted one, nor caught one, nor even smelled one. And now one was right if front of me, in dining distance.

I’ll tell you how I fared after this word from my sponsor, Ed’s most recent release, Pandora Uncaged, Pandora is surprised by a visit from Aidan, an old friend from her teenage years. He asks about a new creature he’s heard about, called a mobeave.

A couple of the syllabahs were blooming. The flowers were brown and insignificant to look at, but the smell! In the words of an Eastie poet, To smell the syllabahs is to partake of heaven.

“I’m sorry, Aidan, but pretty much everything about the mobeave is a secret until folks with more political savvy than me decide the best way to spread word of their existence.

“According to Booker, I’m now Westerlin’s official representative here at Quak.”

“Really? Then you’ll be here a while.” Her brow wrinkled as though trying to decide if this was welcome news. She smiled. “I’m glad, I think, but don’t do anything to make me regret it. If you promise not to blab, I’ll show you the mobeave.”

Effing Feline here again. Cousin Lee, who’s a lion, was watching from inside the house as I crept stealthily toward the dove, who just pecked at the ground. A few more steps and I can pounce. I’m there. Ready.

Set . . .

Cousin Lee urged me on. “Go get ’em, Effing! You can do this!”

Being a lion, the words came out as an ear-splitting roar, which frightened away every dove and gila woodpecker and mockingbird. They all flew away . . . including my dinner.

Sigh.

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

Pandora Uncaged

Book Two in the Passion Island Trilogy — A friends-to-lovers future romance

Pandora Dayle is her family’s disgraced black sheep. Ten years after running away from home, she’s rebuilt her self-respect at an isolated facility for saving animals native to the colony’s planet. Her redemption feels as fragile as a dream, but she’ll be okay if nothing traumatic happens.

But when the best friend from her innocent youth arrives, her insecurities mushroom.

Aidan used to be Pandora’s best friend. Since his teen years, he’s held heroic jobs—police officer and now Search and Rescue leader. He adored innocent young Pandora so much he compares every woman to her idealized memory, and finds them wanting.

But when he rediscovers the real thing, she’s not at all what he expected.

Booker, a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret organization, receives his second assignment: get Pandora and Aidan to mate. They’d been close friends, so his strategy is simple: He flies Aidan to her island and tells him to impregnate Pandora.

What could possibly go wrong?

Pandora Uncaged is available at these fine sites. Order yours today.AmazonSmashwordsAppleBarnes and NobleKobo BooksScribd

If you value your happy home #mfrwhooks

I’m continuing with a sneak peek at the opening of my WIP — the third and final book in the Passion Island trilogy, Triple Wedding.

It stars another of the Dayle sisters, Teegan, who gets a shock when she gets home from work — a stranger is in her house, wrapped only in a towel.

Half a lifetime ago, she’d been accused of trying to steal her sister’s high school boyfriend. That shame had lodged in her self-image, because she hadn’t just tried. She’d succeeded. At the time of Ember’s accusation, she was in bed, naked, with said boyfriend. She remembered his name but not what he looked like. What she remembered best were her sister’s screams of betrayal, followed by a lifetime of estrangement.

Thinking of that horrific scene, Teegan’s neck and face flamed. Never, ever, ever again. Not ever. Not even if Mercedes’ tattooed hunk with the gorgeous mane of dark hair flirted with her while wearing only a towel.

She drew back farther and crossed her arms protectively over her belly. “May I ask who you are?”

“Sure.”

She waited, but he said nothing more.

Oh, joy. Just what she needed, a comedian. “Name, please?”

“Sterling Peters.” He thrust out his hand again, but jerked it back when his towel — no, her towel — started to slip. He had lightning-fast reflexes, for which she was grateful.

Not knowing if her roommate was nearby to overhear his flirting, she lowered her voice to a whisper. “Where is Mercedes?”

Please don’t say ‘Right behind you.’ And towel, if you value your happy home, don’t fall.

Be sure to visit the other great writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

Effing Feline cries #wewriwa

I, Effing Feline, am leaking tears. My cousin Lee, whom I admire and aspire to become, adopted Twiggles the Dog as his new best friend — just because she gave him a 50-lb bag of dogfood!

There’s only one thing for a self-respecting cat to do.

Goodbye (sob) cruel, cruel world. (Wahhhh!)

In Ed’s most recent release, Pandora Uncaged, Pandora is meeting with Aidan, an old friend from her teenage years. To escape the four workers she supervises, she says she needs to go check the weather report for tropical storms.

“I’ll come with you,” Aidan said.

Raising a fuss would’ve run the risk of giving away too much of her emotions, so she just shrugged and walked out into the hot sun. As long as he didn’t talk about pregnancy, or sex, or ask her too many questions about what she’d done with her life, he’d be welcome to join her.

The early afternoon heat slammed her the moment the sun hit her. To get it out of her face, she went to the shade of a stand of syllabah trees then wished she hadn’t. Beyond the syllabahs lay the mobeave’s enclosure, and she had enough things she wanted to avoid talking about without adding one more.

Or did she? Aidan already knew the mobeave existed. The predator was a fascinating creature, and she could easily spend a couple hours’ discussing it without getting personal.

“I’m sorry my coming here made you uncomfortable with your friends,” Aidan said.

And a few more but not too many. I know you have a lot of snippets to get to.

Coworkers, not friends.”

“Don’t let me sour you on them. I’m sure they meant well.”

“Tell me, what are the pavers on the freeway to hell made of?”

Effing Feline here again. No, I didn’t kill myself. I just left the cruel world of Ed’s house . . . but I think Twiggles’ might be worse.

Sigh.

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

P.S. Even though I’m not a mother, happy Mother’s Day.

Pandora Uncaged

Book Two in the Passion Island Trilogy — A friends-to-lovers future romance

Pandora Dayle is her family’s disgraced black sheep. Ten years after running away from home, she’s rebuilt her self-respect at an isolated facility for saving animals native to the colony’s planet. Her redemption feels as fragile as a dream, but she’ll be okay if nothing traumatic happens.

But when the best friend from her innocent youth arrives, her insecurities mushroom.

Aidan used to be Pandora’s best friend. Since his teen years, he’s held heroic jobs—police officer and now Search and Rescue leader. He adored innocent young Pandora so much he compares every woman to her idealized memory, and finds them wanting.

But when he rediscovers the real thing, she’s not at all what he expected.

Booker, a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret organization, receives his second assignment: get Pandora and Aidan to mate. They’d been close friends, so his strategy is simple: He flies Aidan to her island and tells him to impregnate Pandora.

What could possibly go wrong?

Pandora Uncaged is available at these fine sites. Order yours today.AmazonSmashwordsAppleBarnes and NobleKobo BooksScribd

Cancel the Party #mfrwhooks

I’m continuing with a sneak peek at the opening of my WIP — the third and final book in the Passion Island trilogy, Triple Wedding.

It stars another of the Dayle sisters, Teegan, who gets a shock when she gets home from work — a stranger is in her house, wrapped only in a towel.

His grin was so wide, involving all of his face, that she could only classify it as joyous. An infectious smile was such an odd reaction to getting caught trespassing that she reassessed her reaction. He was either mentally deranged or—

Oh. Of course.

“You’re with Mercedes, right?”

Still grinning, he nodded. Teegan’s anger ebbed several notches.

Mercedes Wen had been Teegan’s friend and roommate for nine years. Ever since success inundated Teegan with money and work, she charged Mercedes nominal rent in order to keep her around. They’d lived together so long some assumed they were a couple, though she preferred to think of them as sisters.

With luck, this was the guy for Mercedes.

Teegan flicked on the hall lights then widened her eyes in surprise. He was not Mercedes’ type. She went for artsy guys with impractical gleams in their eyes. This tough-looking stud was more to Teegan’s tastes.

Carefully reining in that thought, she shook his hand. Calluses—yummy. She admired men who did real things in the real world, rather than just sit at a desk. “She should’ve told me first, but I’m glad to meet you. I’m Teegan Dayle.”

She waited a moment, but he didn’t supply his name. She wanted to ask how long he planned to stay, but politeness demanded it could wait until he was dressed. “I’m sorry for threatening you with the police.” If Mercedes liked him well enough to bring him home, it was cause for a party, not a confrontation. She leaned her head forward, urging him to accept her apology. “Please forgive me.”

“You’re forgiven.” He leaned forward to study her face. “Wow—you’re extremely attractive when you’re angry, you know that? Every muscle in your face gets in on the action. Beautiful.”

“I beg your pardon?” Teegan took a step back. He was flirting with her? Mercedes’ new boyfriend was flirting with her?

Cancel the party.

Be sure to visit the other great writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

Effing Feline watches Youtube, too late #wewriwa

I, Effing Feline, told you last week that instead of eating Twiggles the Dog, my cousin Lee adopted her as his new best friend just because she gave him a 50-lb bag of dogfood. I guess that proves that if blood is thicker than water, kibble is thicker than blood. Sigh.

In, my most recent release, Pandora Uncaged, Pandora is meeting with Aidan, an old friend from her teenage years. Now the four workers she supervises barge in. One of them, Su Yung speaks first.

“We won’t stay long,” Su Yung said. “Being stuck here on the edge of nothing, we never get to see anyone new, and we already know everything there is to know about each other.”

“Except Pandora,” Desmond teased. “None of us know much about her.”

“That’s not true,” Su Yung said. “We know she’s hardworking, a tough but fair boss, and she loves these animals more than any of us do. That tells a lot about her.”

Tough but fair? Su Yung really thought that, or was she just sucking up?

And a few more but not too many. I know you have a lot of snippets to get to.

“Also,” Desmond held up a finger, “she likes ochre. Don’t look at me like that Consuela, it’s true. That’s her favorite color.”

“No, it’s blue,” Aidan said. When the volunteers gaped, he looked at Pandora and backtracked. “At least it used to be.”

Eyebrows raised, Desmond leaned toward him. “And you know this because…?”

“We grew up together.”

“Pandora Dayle was once a child?” Desmond acted amazed. “I thought she might be one of those people who were born a responsible adult.”

Effing Feline here again. I got a chance to talk to Twiggles alone. When I asked her how she’d managed to get on good side, she responded by sending me several e-mails showing how well canines get along with lions. Here’s one of them:

I wish I knew this before I invited Lee to stay with me!

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

Pandora Uncaged

Book Two in the Passion Island Trilogy — A friends-to-lovers future romance

Pandora Dayle is her family’s disgraced black sheep. Ten years after running away from home, she’s rebuilt her self-respect at an isolated facility for saving animals native to the colony’s planet. Her redemption feels as fragile as a dream, but she’ll be okay if nothing traumatic happens.

But when the best friend from her innocent youth arrives, her insecurities mushroom.

Aidan used to be Pandora’s best friend. Since his teen years, he’s held heroic jobs—police officer and now Search and Rescue leader. He adored innocent young Pandora so much he compares every woman to her idealized memory, and finds them wanting.

But when he rediscovers the real thing, she’s not at all what he expected.

Booker, a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret organization, receives his second assignment: get Pandora and Aidan to mate. They’d been close friends, so his strategy is simple: He flies Aidan to her island and tells him to impregnate Pandora.

What could possibly go wrong?

Pandora Uncaged is available at these fine sites. Order yours today.AmazonSmashwordsAppleBarnes and NobleKobo BooksScribd

Naked in her house #mfrwhooks

I’m continuing with a sneak peek at the opening of my WIP — the third and final book in the Passion Island trilogy, Triple Wedding.

It stars another of the Dayle sisters, Teegan, who gets a shock when she gets home from work.

When she finally got inside, she shook off her shoes and leaned back against the door. She needed a vacation. And a bath.

Her company grew houses by filling mesh molds with sawdust from clearing the native forest surrounding Eastcott and then injecting the molds with her secret ingredient—the spores of a rare Addoray mushroom. The mushroom’s silvery roots, called mycelium, spread quickly through the sawdust, binding it into a durable mass that solidified still more when the mycelium finished its short lifespan. The result was a non-combustible, organic wall or building block that looked almost like marble.

Another result, however, was clothes that smelled of eau de mushroom—in plainer words, rot—so she couldn’t wait to change. Although these days she mostly worked in the office, she still kept her fingers in the nitty-gritty warehouse work several times a week.

She removed her suit jacket and undid the Windsor knot of her conservative black necktie. After tossing the garments onto the table by the door, she unbuttoned her blouse—but then jumped when the bathroom door opened. Her nerves were always wound so damned tight these days.

She expected her roommate, Mercedes. Instead, she got a tall, dark, and virile stranger wearing only a towel monogrammed with her initials—TAD. The hall was the only part of the house with no natural light, yet she could tell that his dark, curly hair was so wet it dripped onto her floor.

“I didn’t hear you come in,” he said. “Hi.”

Body rigid, Teegan held the edges of her blouse together as she drew herself up to full height. It took a couple seconds to find her voice. “Who in black holy hell are you? How dare you prance around naked in my house, borrow my towel, and get my floor wet? Tell me what you’re doing here before I call the police.”

Be sure to visit the other great writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

And now the moment none of you have been waiting for — the cover for Triple Wedding!

Effing Feline and the 50 pound bag of dogfood #wewriwa

I, Effing Feline, told you last week that my cousin Lee ate every last bit of my cat food and then stared at me while licking his chops. It was easy to realize he was wondering how I’d taste.

What did I do? I introduced Lee to Twiggles the dog. Let her be Lee’s midafternoon snack.

How did it turn out? Sigh. I’ll tell you about it after this word from my sponsor, Pandora Uncaged.

Certain she’d heard wrong, Pandy replayed his words in her mind. “Pardon me? For a moment, I thought you said pregnant.”

She waited for him to explain. When he didn’t, she prodded him. “What did you actually say?”

He shrugged. “Pregnant.”

“Only after you marry her,” Booker added.

Pandy shot to her feet and glared at Aidan. “Are you insane?”

“His idea,” Aidan repeated. “Not mine.”

And a few more but not too many. I know you have a lot of snippets to get to.

“Oh yeah, sure.” But his gaze was direct, his voice sincere, and Pandy believed him. He’d been her best, most trusted friend. In all the years since, she’d never had a better one. And in a way, this weird discussion was a continuation of their teenage friendship. Had Aidan wanted to go all the way with her back then?

Absolutely, yes.

Had he ever pressured or tried to force her?

Absolutely not.

Effing Feline here again. Twiggles and Lee. Lee and Twiggles . . . You know how dogs are so stupidly eager to please? So what did Twiggles do? She got into that playful Downward Dog pose, hoping Lee would play. And then she led him to her stock of dry food . . . a fifty pound bag.

They’re now Best Friends Forever!

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

Pandora Uncaged

Book Two in the Passion Island Trilogy — A friends-to-lovers future romance

Pandora Dayle is her family’s disgraced black sheep. Ten years after running away, she’s rebuilt her self-respect at an isolated facility for saving animals native to the colony’s planet. Her redemption feels as fragile as a dream, but she’ll be okay if nothing traumatic happens.

But when the best friend from her innocent youth arrives, her insecurities mushroom.

Aidan used to be Pandora’s best friend. Since his teen years, he’s held heroic jobs—police officer and now Search and Rescue leader. He adored innocent young Pandora so much he compares every woman to her idealized memory, and finds them wanting.

But when he rediscovers the real thing, she’s not at all what he expected.

Booker, a naïve Apprentice Cupid for a secret organization, receives his second assignment: get Pandora and Aidan to mate. They’d been close friends, so his strategy is simple: He flies Aidan to her island and tells him to impregnate Pandora.

What could possibly go wrong?

Pandora Uncaged is available at these fine sites. Order yours today.AmazonSmashwordsAppleBarnes and NobleKobo BooksScribd