Kelly Oram's Blog, page 2

teaser tuesday

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HEA Delay

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Hi there, Kelly Oram fans! This is Karie, Kelly’s intrepid personal assistant. (Ha! I love being in charge of writing the blog posts. I can call myself all sorts of wonderful things. )

So, an announcement: Happily Ever After has been delayed until further notice. Kelly hit a snag and she has gone dark to get some time and space to work it all out. She’s coping, her family is fine, and a meteor did NOT hit their house. Just in case you were wondering.

I have no further information, except to say that while you, dear fan, may feel some disappointment, complaining on Kelly’s various social media pages will not speed up the production process. In fact, it may very well slow it down. Hugs and positive thoughts, on the other hand, are ALWAYS welcome and very uplifting.

Thank you for your patience and concern and for showing Kelly so much love. I will keep you all updated. Promise.

 

Exclusive sneak peek of Happily Ever After!

As a special Christmas gift, I’m offering a limited time exclusive sneak peek of Happily Ever After to all of my newsletter subscribers. Those who are already subscribed to my monthly newsletter, along with those who subscribe during the month of December, will receive the first TWO chapters of the new book. And just in case you missed it at the Cinder & Ella anniversary party back in October, I’ll add the 30 Cinder & Ella bonus pages from Brian’s point of view!

Happily Ever After isn’t up for preorder yet, so make sure you sign up for the newsletter so you’ll be notified as soon as it’s available. And remember, my email subscribers and Reader Squad members get fist dibs on launch team opportunities!

ALSO, I’m shouting out to all the bloggers out there–if you’re interested in helping me with promotions and the such, and haven’t signed up already, please sign up for my blogger email list. This email list is for book bloggers who would like to be notified when I have advanced reader copies of my books available for review (DIGITAL COPIES ONLY), and also when I have things like cover reveals, blog tours, and author events coming up. I will never give out your email to anyone, and I will only contact you for these types of events. Thank you for all your support! SIGN UP HERE.

All right, I’m done with the shameless plugging. How about I leave you with a Happily Ever After teaser!

Interview the stars of Cinder & Ella !

FEBRUARY 14TH is not that far away, so mark your calendars now. Not because it’s Valentine’s Day. Pssssh. Don’t be silly. February 14th is the day that Happily Ever After (Cinder & Ella 2) releases. That’s right, Brian and Ella are coming back for more shenanigans and romance!

To gear up for the release of their sequel, Brian and Ella are personally kicking off the press tour. They’re teaming up with the good people at Characters Magazine for an in-depth interview, and they want YOUR questions. If you have a burning desire to know about Brian’s favorite pair of shoes or Ella’s secretly hip taste in music, NOW is the time to ask. Go fill out the Google form and maybe your question will be featured in the magazine!

You only have a couple days to get your questions in, so do it now. Thursday, Dec. 1st is the last day to submit questions for the interview. Have fun, and We’ll see you all VERY SOON with some more EXCITING Happily Ever After news!

 

It’s November! You know what that means…

Happy Noveling Everyone!!

November 1 = Day 1 of National Novel Writing Month. I participate in the Nanowrimo challenge every year, which is to write at least 50k words this month. (The length of a short novel.) Nanowrimo is a program that encourages people to just shut up and write. No more TALKING about writing that novel you’ve always wanted to write. No deleting and rewriting that same beginning scene over and over. It’s just a mad dash to get words on paper. If you haven’t heard of this wonderful program, check out the website at nanowrimo.org.

This year for my goal, I’ll be tweaking the challenge just a little since I’m under a deadline. (This is pretty standard for me.) I’ll be working on two projects instead of just one, and one of them is already in progress. Technically, this makes me a Nanowrimo Rebel, but I’ll still be aiming for that word count, and actually, I’ll be aiming to finish a novel all the same. I’ll just have to squeak in at a higher word count than 50k to manage it.

Anyway, for those of you who like to follow along and track my progress, or even write along with me, here’s my profile on nanowrimo. Follow me and if you’re participating, leave your handle in the comments and I’ll follow you too.

My NaNoWriMo Profile

Here’s a little about the two projects I’ll be working on this month:

Nanowrimo Project #1:

Title: Happily Ever After

Series: Cinder & Ella #2

Author: Kelly Oram

Publisher: Bluefields

Release Date: February 14, 2017

Buy Links: Signup to Kelly Oram’s NEWSLETTER to be notified upon release.

Summary: The end of one story is often the beginning of another. Hollywood heartthrob Brian Oliver and his Cinderella princess Ellamara Rodriguez have finally found love outside the digital world. But leaving their anonymity behind creates a whole new set of obstacles for the nation’s new favorite sweethearts. With the stress of Brian’s fame and the pressures of a new relationship weighing down on them, the It Couple quickly begins to wonder if they can hold on to their newfound joy, or if maybe happily ever after is only a fairy tale.

Yep. You guys have heard of this already. I’m currently working on getting the sequel to Cinder & Ella finished and my main NaNoWriMo goal this year is to get a first draft of this one finished.

Nanowrimo Project #2:

Working title: SNOW

This is a young adult romantic comedy retelling of Snow White, except it’s the evil queen’s story. I’m co-writing this one with the brilliant Cassie Mae. We don’t have any other info about this project at this time. It’s a side project for both of us and will be slow int he works, but we’ll keep you updated on our progress.

This lovely lady pictured here is my character inspiration for Evie Queen. I’m excited about this story. It’s shaping up to be a lot of fun!

 

Anyway, that’s all for now. It’s already November 1st, which means I’ve got a word count to get started! Happy Noveling Everyone!!! *crawls into writing cave for the next month*

Give a little love, laughter, and happily ever after this holiday season!

Hey guys! The holidays are already around the corner, and do you know what makes an awesome gift for that special bookworm in your life? Signed Books!

The cut-off date to order signed and personalized Kelly Oram books in time for the holidays is NOVEMBER 28TH.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR SIGNED BOOKS!

Sixteen Kisses Free!

Hey guys! Now you can get my novella Sixteen Kisses free when you sign up for my monthly newsletter. If you haven’t read this yet, it’s totally worth it! (She said, ever so humbly…)

Plus, then you’ll get my monthly newsletter, which is also good to have! Facebook never shows you all my posts, so if you don’t want to miss out on anything cool like sales, bonus material, new releases, giveaways and events, then sign up and stay connected with me!

This is a monthly newsletter, so you’ll only get an email from me once a month, with the exception of a book release day or an author appearance in your area. I’ll never give out your email address, and never spam you.

Exciting CINDER & ELLA news + Giveaway !!!

Exactly two years ago, a little book titled Cinder & Ella made its way onto Amazon. And then it exploded, making its way to # 1 on Amazon in all of its categories and even hitting the top 20 on all of Amazon. (Way to go, Cinder & Ella!)

And nearly every day of the two years since its release, I’ve received requests for an epilogue or a short story or something–anything–that would give readers more of their beloved Brian (aka Cinder) & Ella.

It may have taken me 2 years, but I’ve finally decided to grant all of those requests, which means:

Cinder & Ella is getting a SEQUEL!!

That’s right people, there’s a whole second book coming! But that’s not all. Not only has the book been announced, it’s less than 5 months away, and today we’re revealing the cover and blurb!

Along with this cover reveal the first book, Cinder & Ella, is also getting a new look. They’ve re-designed the cover to match the sequel.

THIS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

IS NOW THIS:

Title: Cinder & Ella

Author: Kelly Oram

Publisher: Bluefields

Pages: 312

Buy Links: AMAZON & KINDLE UNLIMITED

 

 

Written by the inestimable Kelly Oram, Cinder & Ella is a contemporary Cinderella re-telling set in present day Hollywood.

4.8 out of 5 stars with over 1,500 reviews on Amazon!

 

 

 

Summary: What would you do if your anonymous Internet best friend turned out to be Hollywood’s hottest celebrity?

Cinder458: Your blogaversary is coming up, right?

EllaTheRealHero: Do all those Hollywood friends of yours know you use words like blogaversary?

Cinder458: Of course not. I need your address. Got you a blogaversary present.

Cinder got me a gift?

My heart flipped.

Not that I was in love with my Internet best friend or anything. That would be utterly ridiculous. The boy was cocky and stubborn and argued with everything I said just to be infuriating. He also had lots of money, dated models—which meant he had to be hot—and was a closet book nerd.

Funny, rich, hot, confident, book lover. Definitely not my type. Nope. Not at all.

It’s been almost a year since eighteen-year-old Ella Rodriguez was in a car accident that left her crippled, scarred, and without a mother. After a very difficult recovery, she’s been uprooted across the country and forced into the custody of a father that abandoned her when she was a young child. If Ella wants to escape her father’s home and her awful new stepfamily, she must convince her doctors that she’s capable, both physically and emotionally, of living on her own. The problem is, she’s not ready yet. The only way she can think of to start healing is by reconnecting with the one person left in the world who’s ever meant anything to her—her anonymous Internet best friend, Cinder.

***

Hollywood sensation Brian Oliver has a reputation for being trouble. There’s major buzz around his performance in his upcoming film The Druid Prince, but his management team says he won’t make the transition from teen heartthrob to serious A-list actor unless he can prove he’s left his wild days behind and become a mature adult. In order to douse the flames on Brian’s bad-boy reputation, his management stages a fake engagement for him to his co-star Kaylee. Brian isn’t thrilled with the arrangement—or his fake fiancée—but decides he’ll suffer through it if it means he’ll get an Oscar nomination. Then a surprise email from an old Internet friend changes everything.

With a heartwarming online celebrity romance reminiscent of Jennifer E. Smith’s This Is What Happy Looks Like, bestselling young adult author Kelly Oram has struck gold with her new adult contemporary retelling of the timeless fairytale classic Cinderella.

“A story that has it all: tears, laughs, sparks and a drop-dead swoonworthy hero. Give it a while and DreamWorks will pick up this story for a movie adaption, no doubt.” Anna Katmore, Author of Play With Me & Neverland 

“Both funny and heart-wrenching, Cinder and Ella will give you all the feels. It’s the best twist on the Cinderella tale I have come across. I am not just a fan of Kelly Oram. I am an addict.” Cassie Mae, author of Switched & How To Hook A Bookworm 

“Cinder & Ella is a beautiful modern-day fairytale with a great cast of characters that made me laugh and swoon. It had me staying up late at night to read just one more chapter, and at the end, I was left with a big grin on my face.” Cindi Madsen, USA Today Bestselling Author of Falling For Her Fiancé & Cinderella Screwed Me Over

If this hasn’t convinced you to check this book out, you can preview the prologue and first chapter by reading along with Kelly Oram.

And now for the moment you’re all really waiting for…

 

Are you ready…?

 

Okay…here it is!!!

 

Title: Happily Ever After

Series: Cinder & Ella #2

Author: Kelly Oram

Publisher: Bluefields

Release Date: February 14, 2017

Buy Links: Signup to Kelly Oram’s NEWSLETTER to be notified upon release.

Summary: The end of one story is often the beginning of another. Hollywood heartthrob Brian Oliver and his Cinderella princess Ellamara Rodriguez have finally found love outside the digital world. But leaving their anonymity behind creates a whole new set of obstacles for the nation’s new favorite sweethearts. With the stress of Brian’s fame and the pressures of a new relationship weighing down on them, the It Couple quickly begins to wonder if they can hold on to their newfound joy, or if maybe happily ever after is only a fairy tale.

***Sign up for Kelly’s newsletter to be notified when Happily Ever After releases!***

Enter this RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY to win a signed copy of Cinder & Ella with the new cover!

Author Info & Links:

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen—a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She’s obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and her cat, Mr. Darcy.

Don’t miss the latest news from Kelly Oram! Sign up for her newsletter to receive e-mail notifications for all of her new releases, events, sales, & giveaways. This is a monthly newsletter often with exclusive giveaways and freebies from some of her favorite authors.

Connect with Kelly:

Website * Newsletter * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads * Google+ * Reader Squad/Street Team * GR fan group 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every Good Book Needs a Narrator

Kirsten Leigh was the narrator for Cinder & Ella. She graciously agreed to an interview as part of the 2nd Anniversary party. Thanks for giving us some insight into what you do, Kirsten!

 

How did you get started in the narrating business?

I went to school for acting and have both a BFA and MFA and one of my grad school classmates was working at Brickshop narrating books and asked if I’d be interested coming in for an audition for a book they were having trouble casting. So I sat down in front of a mic and read the audition and booked the job. And I booked the next job and the next one, etc…. It’s pretty much turned into my life.

What advice would you give to folks just getting started in audiobook narration?

The advice I’d give is to constantly be talking to yourself. Say things in different voices. Listen to the way other people sound and what makes their voice distinct. Try to mimic them. Talk along with the TV or other audiobooks. Don’t be afraid to sound like an idiot. Most of the business is acting out love scenes with yourself in different voices in a dark box. It’s weird. Embrace it.

How do you prepare for a book narration?

I prepare by reading the book (I use an iPad and the program GoodReads), marking notes where needed and recording each new character’s voice on an audio note on my phone. That way I have a point of reference, especially if the book is a part of a series and characters return.

How many hours a day can you perform?

I’m usually good recording 4 hours at a time. I reach my limit at 5 hours. It’s a lot of work for your vocal cords and brain.

How do you keep your voice healthy and happy?

I drink a LOT of water. Like, a crazy amount. I steer clear of yogurt and cheese and anything creamy before recording because I get phlegmy, and I try to keep a full stomach so it doesn’t growl while I’m recording.

What is the funniest thing that’s happened while recording?

OOOOOHHHHH man. so much funny stuff happens in that booth. In one of my first books I had to narrate a love scene in which a man lovingly licked his partner’s armpit. That was fun. I’m constantly snickering and the types of food used on people’s bodies while “making love.” The many words used for genitals still make me giggle.

What was your favorite scene in Cinder & Ella to narrate?

Oh man. It’s really hard to pick a favorite scene in this book. It has very special meaning to me. My mother, whom I was very close with, passed away unexpectedly last summer. She was an avid audiobook listener. I never told her my pseudonym because I’ve read some pretty hot and heavy stuff, but Cinder & Ella was recommended to her by Audible and when she called me to tell me that in the first minute she knew it was me, and absolutely loved the book and was so so proud of me, I was really glad she got to hear something I’d done. So yeah, this book holds a pretty special place in my heart.

Do you have any favorite audiobooks?

I actually like Jon Krakauer’s audiobooks. Into This Air is amazing. I know, I know, I guess because I read romance all day, I listen to the opposite. But reading off the page is my all-time favorite.

Which book that you’ve narrated is your favorite?

Like I said, Cinder & Ella is very special to me. I also really enjoyed reading Staci Hart’s Bad Habits series, and anything Sawyer Bennett writes is fun/steamy to read.

What are you working on now?

Right now I’m in the middle of The Price Family books (a series) by Nadia Lee and the Please Series by Willow Summers as well as the verrry end of the In The Shadows series by PT Michelle. All fantastic reads.

Who is your favorite narrator?

Favorite narrators have got to be Lee Samuels and Ryan West. I am paired with them a lot and I love their voices and styles. They perfectly complement mine…

Cinder & Ella Deleted Scene

Hey everyone, I’ve got a special treat for you because my reader squad is awesome and they have earned it!

In case you aren’t aware yet, in less than 2 weeks I’ll be celebrating the 2nd anniversary with a day-long Facebook event. It’s going to be awesome. We’ll be doing games and giveaways. We’ll have some exclusive bonus content. I’ll be revealing a BRAND NEW COVER for Cinder & Ella. (That’s right, the book is getting a makeover!) And of course this…

I will be announcing some big exciting huge awesome fantastic Cinder & Ella news during this party. If you want to know what it is, you gotta come party with us! (And I mean us because Brian Oliver himself is hosting the party and I know at least he and Ella will be there.)

Click HERE to join the party!

Click HERE to join the party!

 

Now… on to the DELETED SCENE GOODNESS!!!

You’re all getting this deleted scene today because I started a Thunderclap campaign for the 2nd anniversary event and I promised my reader squad if they got me to at least 100 supporters, I would give them this little gem I found on my laptop the other day.

A thunderclap campaign is like a social media flash mob. If you “support” my campaign, then you will be one of my mobbers. No sign up or creating any accounts is required, you simply click the support button for twitter, Facebook, or tumbler, (or all three if you use all three platforms). Then on the day my campaign is set for, a single post that I created about the anniversary party will get posted to all of my supporters’ profiles. Awesome, right? And EASY. Takes 10 seconds. SO, we reached out 100 supporters, but the more we can get, the bigger the flash mob and the more people hear about this awesome party and hear the awesome amazing huge fantastic announcement about Cinder & Ella.

If you’d like to join my social media flash mob and help me spread the Cinder & Ella news, you can do that here: SUPPORT KELLY

or here:

https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/47426-cinder-ella-cover-reveal/embed

 

Thank you so much for all the support! Can’t wait to see you at the party! Until then, enjoy this deleted scene.

 

A little setup: A I was explaining to the Reader Squad in our Cinder & Ella read-along last week, the original first draft of Cinder & Ella didn’t have Brian’s perspective. It was told completely from Ella’s point of view. Needless to say, that version was lacking something. It took me a while to figure out what I needed, but once I added Brian’s POV, everything changed. It became a whole new book and was finally the story I’d been trying to tell all along.

When I added in Brian’s chapters, there were some scenes that had to be cut from the original draft that were told in Ella’s POV because with Brian’s POV in there they’d become repetitive. The following deleted scene is one of those instances.

 

****SPOILER ALERT****
If you haven’t read Cinder & Ella yet, I suggest you stop reading here!!!

 

This is the scene at FantasyCon that originally took place immediately after Brian and Ella met. I like it, but when I went back and was finding places to add Brian’s POV into the book, I decided we REALLY needed to hear his thoughts after he met Ella. We got to hear her thoughts while they were meeting, so it was his turn. However, since I cut to him, and he took us to the restaurant where he and Ella talk, the following scene was deleted from the book.

(also… this was like a RAW first draft. Like ZERO revisions… as in… not polished and up to my usual writing quality yet…please keep that in mind!!!)

Enjoy!

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

The doors to the conference room where the panel discussion took place hadn’t even fully shut behind us before Anastasia stepped in front of me, a scathing look of pure hatred on her face. “What the hell was that?” she demanded.

“What was what?” I wasn’t trying to play dumb. I was just still too dazed to think straight.

“She means why did Brian Oliver look like he wanted to take you home and make you his eternal love slave?” Rob grumbled, grimfaced.

I blushed so hard it hurt.

“Because it’s him!” Juliette squealed. To me she said, “Can you believe it?”

Anastasia stomped her foot, annoyed that she was still in the dark. “Him who?”

“Cinder,” Vivian said with a dreamy sigh. Obviously she’d picked up on the connection too. “It all makes so much sense now.”

I watched realization hit Anastasia like a pile of falling bricks. “The Internet guy?” she cried. “Brian Oliver is your Internet boyfriend?”

“Why don’t you announce it to the whole convention?” Vivian hissed, ushering us away from a group of water sprites who’d been in line behind us to meet Brian, and were now obviously eavesdropping on our conversation.

When we got back to the main exhibitor hall, we stopped. Rob looked around. “Where to now, birthday girl?”

“Ugh,” Ana groaned. “We met Brian Oliver already. Can’t we just go home now? We’ve been here all day!”

I looked down at the instructions on the photo in my hand again and my heart wrestled with my head. Go home where it was safe and things could go back to normal, or stay and let everything change?

Could I really meet Cinder? Could we really be normal real-life friends now? Friends who did things together, and hung out at each other’s houses?

The word beautiful jumped out at me over and over again, and I remembered the look I’d seen in Brian’s eyes right before he’d written it. Had he really been attracted to me like Rob said? Could we be more than just friends now?

The idea of someone like Brian Oliver wanting someone like me was too insane to accept even if I could make my brain understand that he was the guy I’d known for years.

“Hello? Ella?”

Vivian snapped her fingers in my face and then plucked the photo from my hands because I’d been staring at it. Her eyes got huge as she read the inscription. She pinned me with a determined look and wordlessly handed the photo to Juliette. Juliette promptly squealed. “Oh my gosh! We have to! What’s the Dragon’s Roost? Where is it? Find it on the map!”

Vivian was already looking at the map. “It looks like it’s a restaurant in the South hall.”

“Dinner!” Juliette shrieked. “He wants to take you to dinner! It’s a date! Ella, you have a date with Brian Oliver!”

“Juliette, stop informing the whole world!” Vivian hissed. “I’m pretty sure he wanted to keep it private since he wrote it like a freaking secret code instead of just asking her.”

Juliette immediately tried to put a lid on her excitement. “Right, sorry.”

Ana snatched the photo from Juliette and then gaped at me with scorn. “Are you going to meet him?”

Well, now that was the question of the hour wasn’t it?

“I—”

“Of course she’s going to meet him!” Juliette said.

Anastasia looked as if she were about to scratch my eyes out. “Last night at dinner you said you wouldn’t want to go out with Brian Oliver. You’re here on a date with Rob!”

Juliette rolled her eyes. “Oh stop being jealous, Ana. You know exactly why she’s changed her mind, and you can’t blame her. Even Rob can’t blame her. Can you, Rob?”

[ROB REACTION… WHAT IS IT?]

She checked the time on her phone then scanned the large room for signs of the South Hall. It was all the way at the opposite end of the building. “Come on, we only have fifteen minutes to get her there.”

I let them drag me across the convention center without much fuss, but the second I saw the banner of a fire breathing dragon hanging over the restaurant’s normal sign, my heart tried to punch its way out of my chest. I froze, attempting to stave off the panic I felt.

It took everyone a few steps to realize I’d stopped walking. Vivian was the first to notice my absence. She whirled around frowning, but smiled sympathetically the moment she saw my face. I must have looked pretty bad. I felt sick and was starting to sweat.

“What’s wrong with you?” Anastasia asked. It was the first thing she’d said to anyone on the entire walk over. She was doing some serious pouting.

My eyes drifted back up to the restaurant. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

Anastasia scoffed.

“Of course you can,” Vivian said.

Juliette just frowned at me as if I’d grown a third eye. “Why not?”

A crazed laugh bubbled up from my throat. “Why not? Because he’s Brian Oliver! He’s America’s favorite Bad Boy! He’s dating Kaylee Summers for heaven’s sake!”

Vivian snorted. “Oh, yeah, because that was obviously a healthy relationship.”

“Guys like him do not hang out with girls like me, Vivian.”

“But he’s Cinder! He’s your best friend.”

“Because he doesn’t know me!” I let out a long breath. “It’s different online. If I meet him now, everything changes. What if he’s disappointed and I end up losing my best friend?”

My eyes started to burn. I swallowed a wave of emotion but everyone realized how close I was to crying anyway. Ana rolled her eyes, but Vivian put her arms around me. “There’s no way he’ll be disappointed,” she promised, “but if he is, then I’ll be your new best friend and we can feed him to the flesh eating worms.”

I smiled a little at that and took another calming breath. It sounded good in theory, but it was still terrifying.

“The guy’s obviously nuts about you.” Juliette added. “He was flirting like crazy with you even before he figured out who you were.”

I groaned. “He flirted with everyone. It’s his job to be friendly with his fans.”

This time the scoff came from Rob. “That was way beyond friendly, Ella. The guy was seconds away from jumping over the table and punching me in the face just for standing next to you.”

As if Rob’s accusation hadn’t made me blush enough, Ana muttered, “You mean hanging on her. You may as well have peed on her.”

I blanched.

“Ana, don’t be such a bitch!” Juliette yelled.

“I’m not the bitch here! Ella’s been stringing Rob along for weeks because of her precious Cinder, and now she doesn’t even want to meet him!”

“Of course I want to meet him!” I snapped.

“Then what’s your freaking problem? Obviously he wants to meet you too or he wouldn’t have asked you to come.”

“I hate to agree with Ana,” Juliette said, “but he did ask you to meet him, and he didn’t have to do that. If you don’t talk to him, you know you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

I finally gave up. It was hard to keep fighting the idea when I wanted it so badly. “Okay,” I said, trying to calm myself down. “Okay.”

“Good girl,” Vivian teased and then gave my head a patronizing pat. “Go in there and win your man.”

“What about you guys?”

Juliette answered before Vivian could, and her wicked smile made me nervous. “We’ll just head home. You can take as long as you want. I’m sure Brian won’t mind driving you home in that beautiful Ferrari of his.”

For a second I was surprised to hear that Brian Oliver drove a Ferrari, because that was what Cinder drove too and what were the odds? Then I mentally smacked myself upside the head for being an idiot. It was going to take a while to get used to Cinder being Brian.

Then I realized what Juliette said and I freaked out all over again. “No! You can’t do that. Please don’t leave me! I swear I won’t be long. Can’t you guys just have dinner here too and we can all leave after? That way, if things don’t go well, I’m not stranded.”

“How could things possibly not go well?” Vivian asked. “There were so many sparks flying at that meet and greet I started to wonder if the panel discussion had it’s own fireworks show.”

I blushed at that but the knot in my stomach was too big to let her distract me. “He doesn’t about know me. I’ve never gone into detail about my accident. He doesn’t know I’m… I’m…” Monstrous. Hideous. Deformed.

I’d shocked everyone into silence. The looks on their faces ranged from pity (Juliette), to sad (Rob), to sympathetic (Vivian), and then of course there was Ana’s very satisfied smirk (bitch).

“You never told him?” Vivian asked quietly. “Even after all this time?”

I wanted to cry as I shook my head. “Cinder was the one person who I never had to talk about my condition with, so I didn’t. I didn’t think it would matter. I didn’t think I was ever going to meet him.”

Juliette shook her head. “It won’t matter,” she decided. “He’s going to love you anyway.”

Anastasia laughed. “Sure he is! He’s going to give up Kaylee Summers for you. It’ll be the real life version of Beauty and the Beast only backwards.”

Everyone yelled at her, but it was Rob that silenced her. “Shut up, Ana! I’m so sick of your shit!”

Anastasia looked so shocked to be yelled at by him that I wondered if any guy had ever dared do it before. Probably not. Only Rob didn’t stop there. “You want to know why I didn’t ask you to the dance? It’s because it doesn’t matter how hot you are, every time I look at you all I see is a cold-hearted bitch!”

All of us were stunned stupid. We were helpless to do anything but stand there and watch Anastasia’s eyes fill with tears. She stalked off without another word. I almost felt bad enough for her to chase her down, but I never got the chance. The second she left Rob whirled around and took my face in his hands. His touch was surprisingly soft considering he still looked so angry. It took him a minute to drop his glare, but the passion didn’t leave him. “You are beautiful, Ellamara,” he growled. “And I am jealous as hell right now because you are going to go in there, and make Brian Oliver fall madly in love with you. I have no doubt.”

Rob stared into my eyes as if willing me to believe him. Then he crashed his lips onto mine in a short but passionate kiss. When he pulled back he didn’t explain himself or apologize. He just smiled and said, “Go get him.” Then he gave me a gentle nudge toward the restaurant.