Nicole R. Locker's Blog, page 13

Flash Fiction for Romance Writers 9/21/16

Prompt: Aww, you’re so cute when you…

“I don’t get paid enough for this,” Corinne mumbled to herself as she wiped mashed potatoes out of her hair that the brat at Table five had just flung in her direction when she had stopped to refill their drinks.  She was thankful her shift was finally over for the day, and didn’t feel the least bit sorry that Mia would be the one to get the tip from them.  Corinne had a feeling Mia would earn it.

“Don’t tell me ya didn’t see that one coming,” Sammy scolded in her raspy, New York accent.  She leaned her tired, overweight body against a food-prep counter as she chewed a wad of gum with an open mouth.  “That kid’s a nightmare.  Louie sat them in my section last Friday.  I slipped on the green beans he threw on the floor.  Damn near broke my hip, I did.”

“Lucky me.  Regulars,” Corinne snarked, rolling her eyes.

“Aww, you’re so cute when you act all cynical.  You ain’t been around enough blocks to catch that attitude just yet.  Give it another thirty years.  Then we’ll talk.”  Sammy straightened and her hand went to a sore spot on her lower back.  She winced before spitting the wad of gum into a nearby trash can.

“You’ve been around here that long, Sammy?” Corinne asked in disbelief as she removed her apron and hung it on a hook by the swinging door that the other waitstaff were coming in and out of.

“Honey, I lost count a long time ago.  Do yourself a favor and go back to school.  Ain’t nothin ‘round here for a pretty young thing like you,” Sammy advised.  

Just then, the bell on the entrance door jingled announcing a new customer.  Corinne and Sammy both turned to look out the two-way mirror that separated the floor from the kitchen.

“Except for maybe him,” Sammy added as she motioned her head to point at the tall, dark, and handsome gentleman who Louie seated in Sammy’s section.

Corinne looked back at Sammy with wide eyes.  “Who is that?”  There was no point in trying to hide her attraction.  The guy was gorgeous.

“That’s Aidan Burt.  Some type of P.I. or military type.  Wouldn’t I like to be twenty years younger,” Sammy teased, elbowing Corinne jokingly in the ribs.

“Tell me he’s a regular,” Corinne said, mostly to herself, as she stared at the Adonis at Table 17, admiring his svelte yet muscular body and the immaculate features that graced his face.  Tattoos lined both of his muscular arms, giving him an almost menacing look if not for the half-smile he wore as he sat.

“Oh, he’s a regular alright.  But he won’t be sitting there by himself for long.  If you want a shot at that guy, you take it while you got the chance.  He’ll have ten women following him out the door when he leaves this place.  You hide and watch.  Better yet, put that apron back on and go take his order.  Guarantee ya, that one’s worth your while.”  Sammy winked and nudged Corinne in the direction of the swinging door.

Corinne thought for a moment before a smile spread across her face, letting on that the challenge was accepted.  She grabbed the apron, tied it back around her waist, and passed Mia coming in on her way out.  

“Tall drink of water?” Corinne asked once she approached.

“Excuse me?” Aidan asked, looking up at the young waitress he’d never seen before.

“What can I start you out with tonight?”  She smiled.

He looked down for another glance at the menu Louie had given him.  He closed the menu and sat it on the table before looking up at Corinne.  “Surprise me,” he said.

“Adventurous type, huh?”  Corinne observed.

“Usually,” he replied with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

“I like that in a guy.  Alright.  One surprise order, coming right up.”  Corinne winked, then turned back toward the kitchen.

Aidan’s eyes followed her as she walked away, admiring her curvaceous derriere before she disappeared behind the door to the back.  

“Sammy, what’s this guy like to drink?  He told me to surprise him,” Corinne said once she was safely out of hearing distance.

“Surprise him?  That’s a new one,” Sammy admitted.  “He usually orders iced tea.”

Corinne got his iced tea and took it out, setting it on the table in front of him.  “An iced tea for the handsome gentleman,” she said.

“Handsome?  Baby doll, you don’t have to work that hard for a tip,” he laughed, brushing the stubble on his chin.

“Oh, it’s okay.  I got off ten minutes ago.  I’m not really working for a tip at all at the moment,” she informed him.

“Is that so?” he said, as he raised one eyebrow.  Corinne nodded.

“Are you ready to order, or do you want another surprise?” she asked him, her hand now resting on her hip.

“Give me your best shot,” he said with a smug grin.

“You won’t be disappointed,” Corinne told him confidently, and headed back to turn in an order.  

She ordered her favorite item off the menu that definitely didn’t include the mashed potatoes.  When she brought it out to him, he gave her a nod of approval before motioning her to sit in the chair in front of him.  Sammy and Mia watched from the opposite side of the mirror as Corinne slunk into the seat with nervous skepticism.

“I haven’t seen you around here before.  What brings you to the Big City?” he asked before stuffing a bite in his delectable mouth.

Corinne looked down into her lap.  “I guess you could say I needed a fresh start,” she said, hoping she wouldn’t have to elaborate, but expecting he didn’t really care anyway.  Most men didn’t think too much into those kinds of things.

He nodded with a knowing look.  “Two types of people come to live in this city.  Those running toward something, and those running away.  I take it you’re the latter.”  

Corinne squirmed in her seat beneath his stare, but remained silent.  

“I can help you forget, if that’s what you’re looking for,” he offered, and the suggestive innuendo was unmistakable.

She was tempted to take him up on his offer.  The problem was, it wasn’t the forgetting she needed help with.  It was the remembering.

First Impressions Audio Book Now Available!

For all of you audio book fans, I'm excited to announce that my first romance novella, First Impression is now available on Audible, Amazon, and coming soon to iTunes for your listening pleasure!

Audible $4.86
Amazon $5.95
iTunes (coming soon)
Customer ReviewsAverage Customer Review  (7 customer reviews)7 Reviews5 star71%
4 star29%
3 star0%
2 star0%
1 star0%1 of 1 people found the following review helpful I liked this book a lot, May 30, 2016By isa - See all my reviewsThis review is from: First Impressions: A Novella (Kindle Edition)I liked this book a lot! Do you know how you are watching a movie and you are so emotionally invested in a character ... and she is so oblivious to what's happening around her? That's what I felt like with Zia. (In my head) I was yelling, "ZIA! DYLAN!! DUH!" And then there's that little scary twist that makes everything come to a head. All in all, I thought it was a good short little romance novel. I will definitely be interested in reading "Second Thoughts"!! I loved Dylan's character. It is nice to see a main man who isn't an a-hole ;)Help other customers find the most helpful reviews   Comment1 of 1 people found the following review helpful Great rainy day read!!!, May 31, 2016By Sarah Johnson - See all my reviewsThis review is from: First Impressions: A Novella (Kindle Edition)I really enjoyed the characters in this book. The main character didn't always do what I thought she should which was frustrating but I got so attached that I couldn't put it down. I look forward to reading future books by Miss Locker. I highly recommend this book.Help other customers find the most helpful reviews   Comment Super cute college romance from the heroine's perspective, July 12, 2016By Annie Arcane - See all my reviewsThis review is from: First Impressions: A Novella (Volume 1) (Paperback)Initial thoughts: Well-paced college romance with a cute premise. Part one, told from the heroine’s perspective.

What I loved: The pacing was perfect. I’d wager a bet that Locker did some meticulous planning to map out this story because it kept on moving and didn’t drag even once. No easy task, especially in the short scope of a novella.

Even though this book is told from Zia’s POV, the few glimpses into Dylan’s thoughts were sheer brilliance. They conveyed his emotions in so few words and made me believe in their chemistry. The scene where he offered to treat her to a burger? I grabbed my pom-poms and joined Team Dylan.

Chapter nine was wonderful. The dynamic between Dylan and Zia was so crystal clear that I couldn’t help but root for them.

My favorite paragraph:

(SPOILER!) With the feeling of his warm hand in mine, his warm jacket around me, I looked up at his achingly beautiful face and...Read moreHelp other customers find the most helpful reviews   Comment
Share your thoughts with other customers:  › See all 7 customer reviews...

Flash Fiction for Romance Writers 9/13/16

Prompt: There was nothing left
The following night, Melissa again found herself seated at a wooden table in the corner of O’Shea’s.  That night, the bar was a little more crowded than the night before, being a Friday.  Melissa stifled a laugh after her southern comrade had accidentally spilled beer down her shirt as she brought it to her lips to take a drink.  

“What, do you have a hole in your lip or something?” Melissa giggled as she traced her fingers over the carved scribbles etched into the table top.  It was all she could do not to turn her head toward the bar where that delicious, Irish bartender stood behind his counter serving a group of women she guessed were probably in their twenties and were entirely too underdressed to be out in the frigid temperatures of a late November evening.
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Book Review – Just Juliet by Charlotte Reagan

Book Title: Just Juliet
Indie Author: Charlotte Reagan
Genre: LGBT/YA/Teen Fiction
Length: 348 pages (full length novel)
Price: $2.99

Book Synopsis
Lena, a 17 year old high school student, finds herself strangely intrigued by and drawn to Juliet, the beautiful new girl in class.  Being Lena’s first experience with having real feelings for a girl, she finds herself trying to figure out what these feelings mean for her, and comes to the realization that she is bisexual, something she has kind of always known but has never acted on until now.  Lena must come to terms with what it means to be in the closet and figure out how and when to come out to her family and friends as her relationship with Juliet deepens.  Will they be accepting of her unexpected new life choice? With the end of senior year looming, will things even work out between Lena and her new love interest with Juliet?

My Review
3.5 STARS

What Worked
I found this book to be very well-written in most ways.  It had good pacing, the story propelled forward and didn’t really lag in any places other than a few areas on Chapter 1 that I will list below.  


It almost felt like I was reading the journal of a 17 year old’s life like it was really happening, as though this were a non-fiction book as opposed to teen fiction.  I can see how LGBTQ youth will relate to and appreciate this book.  


I also found an exceptional balance between action and exposition, which I think is a hard balance to maintain when books are written in first person like this one.  Very well done.


I also found many of the minor characters in this book to be well-written and interesting.  I would really like to see a story written about Lakyn, Juliet’s cousin, who lives with Juliet and her father after being disowned by his own parents after they found out he was gay.



What Could Use Some Work
The main thing I think would pretty much fix everything lacking in this book is, that I really wished all the chapters in this book had the same depth of emotion that I found in the book’s epilogue.  As I was reading through, I kind of kept thinking… gee, there’s not a lot of conflict in this book.  Even when it seems like things are kind of thrown in that you’d normally think would be a big deal for an emotional, hormonal, 17-year-old girl, especially one with a crush on someone, everything just seemed to be taken with a grain of salt and then they moved on.  I think there were a lot of missed opportunities for conflict within this book.



Overall, I think this book was well-written and will be very well-received by its intended audience (YA and LGBT).

Disclaimer: I received a free Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review - Just Juliet by Charlotte Reagan

Book Title: Just JulietIndie Author: Charlotte ReaganGenre: LGBT/YA/Teen FictionLength: 348 pages (full length novel)Price: TBD (Release date 9/21/16)
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Flash Fiction for Romance Writers 9/5/16

Writing Prompt: “Please,” she begged.

Melissa sat on the bench of her second-story bay window and stared out into the dark night that cloaked her city in its quiet solitude.  She saw no stars shining through, but flurries of snow drifted lazily down from the heavens, reflecting the light that shone from nearby streetlamps and the strands of twinkling bulbs that already wrapped the trunks and lower branches of the elms that lined the streets and sidewalks below.  The snowflakes melted the moment they hit the pavement, but Melissa suspected by morning it would have covered the ground.

Although her bedroom was cozy and warm, she wrapped a throw blanket around her as she hugged her arms to her aching and hollow chest.  It had been a long, excruciating day, and the memories of it replayed in her mind, the sound of Roan’s voice following her in haunting recollection.
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Flash Fiction for Romance Writers 8/30/16

It's been a pleasure doing business.Clara strolled down the sidewalk past the shops that lined the street parallel to the university.  It was a cool, autumn evening, and the wind was starting to pick up a chill now that the sun was setting behind the campus buildings and trees in the west horizon.


A cold breeze whipped past her, causing a shiver to trail through her body.  I should have brought a jacket, she thought, still wearing the short-sleeved top she had put on earlier that afternoon.  It was just then that she passed a clothing shop with a mannequin in the window wearing a dark-red zip up with three-quarter sleeves.  Feeling like she had hit the jackpot, she popped inside in search of a rack that held the garment in her size.  Read more »

Author Interview - P.J. Benney

I just finished reading an excellent time-travel fantasy novel by UK based Indie Author, P.J. Benney, and through the magical platform they call Twitter, I was able to score myself a one-on-one Author Interview.

Read my Five Star Review for the book, Déjà Moo: A Lawnmowers, Inc. Novel, here.

The Interview Meet P.J. Benney (Photo courtesy of GoodReads)
1. How long have you been writing?The first big project I ever saw through to completion was during November 2009 for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). I think that's the point at which I realised writing was more than something you did at school when you were told to. The book was awful - it was a historical novel about the lost city of Atlantis that ended with everyone drowning - but it was a start!

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Book Review - Déjà Moo by P.J. Benney

Book Title: Déjà Moo: A Lawnmowers, Inc. Novel
Indie Author: P.J. Benney
Length: 395 pages (full length novel)
Price: $2.99 Kindle Edition (£2.28 on Amazon UK)

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Flash Fiction - Taboo

“The dreams have started again,” Rachel said, sitting upright on the pristine sofa.  Her hands clasped together, resting in her lap and she tried to hide her fidgeting, scraping one thumb nail over the other in repetitive fashion.



She looked straight ahead at the balding, middle-aged therapist who leaned back in his own chair with ease and comfort, holding his yellow legal pad.  He looked