Jean C. Joachim's Blog: Stories of Love and Passion, page 24

TUESDAY TALES - RUTHLESS

Welcome! This week's prompt is "ruthless". I'm continuing my nameless story that will become the fifth book in the Dinner Club series. It's Kate's story. Thanks for coming. Click HERE to return to awesome Tuesday Tales writers.  ******** “Take him for every cent he has,” Rory advised her friend.
All the Dinner Club women advised Kate to be ruthless. Tracy’s the one who broke her heart. After twenty-five years, he wanted out. She had been stunned. Hurt and anger accumulated like a poison inside with no way out. Miranda encouraged her to join a gym. Kate went every day, not to run or lift weights, but to abuse the punching bag. She’d hit and hit and hit until she was exhausted.
After a three weeks, she stopped fighting and left the gym. She met her new friends for dinner at Bess’s house. Sharing a bottle of wine, the women asked Kate for an update. “Ruthless? You want me to be ruthless and my lawyer does, but it isn’t in me.”
“But you have a right to things. Stuff. Money. After all those years,” Brooke said.
“I do. Only my fair share. I just want what’s mine and to be left alone. The pain is beyond bearing.” Kate took a large sip of her Cabernet.

Bess put a small bowl of artichoke tip and some cut up pita in front of her friend. “Try this. Food heals.”“So what’s the latest?” Brooke asked.
“He wants to switch apartments.”
“Switch? I thought you only had that one place?” Miranda asked.
“So did I. He had a love nest. A studio, on 77th. He’d meet her there. Now he wants to give me that and keep our two bedroom.”
“A love nest? The rat. Give me ten minutes with him,” Rory said, her voice seething with anger.
Kate patted her friend’s hand. “That’s okay, Rory. I get it. I told him if he clears everything out of there and gives me money to furnish it, then okay.”

“That’s a rotten deal. The two bedroom is worth a fortune and a studio? Not much.”“I don’t care. I just want this to be over.”
“Ruthless? Seems to me, he’s the one being ruthless,” Bess said, as she stirred her spaghetti sauce.
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AFI MOVIE QUIZ - PUT THE MOVIES IN THE RIGHT ORDER

The American Film Institute (AFI) ranks movies.  Here is their list of the top ten. Oops, something's wrong. The list is out of order! Can you put it in the proper order? More on book of the week and the correct order below. 

AFI'S  LIST OF THE TOP TEN MOVIES (Hint: one movie is in the right place.) 1)     THE WIZARD OF OZ 
2)     GONE WITH THE WIND 
3)     CASABLANCA
4)     CIIZEN KANE
5)     LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
6)     THE GODFATHER
7)     RAGING BULL
8)     SCHLINDER’S LIS
9)     SINGING IN THE RAIN 
10)   VERTIGO
BOOK OF THE WEEK
 NAF1, a Love Story, it's FREE! Here's a bit about the book:

Can Callie Richards turn her life of tragedy and heartache around on the campus of Kensington State University? Braving the school on her own, Callie meets the handsome dean, Mac Caldwell. 

As she and Mac draw closer and she makes new friends, a deadly campus drug ring sets their sights on her with heart-breaking results.  An emotional story, this is not a cookie-cutter romance. You’ll laugh and cry as Callie struggles to make a new life, and find love.The book is still FREE, click HERE . 
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Oh, yes, you're looking for the correct list of AFI movies?  Scroll down.







Here you go?

1) CITIZEN KANE 2) THE GODFATHER 3) CASABLANCA 4) RAGING BULL 5) SINGIN' IN THE RAIN 6) GONE WITH THE WIND 7) LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 8) SCHINDLER'S LIST 9) VERTIGO10) THE WIZARD OF OZ

STATE CAPITALS - A QUIZ - HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR STATE CAPITALS?

 How well do you know your state capitals? Take this quiz and find out. Which city is the correct capital?
1)  California                             a) San Francisco  b) Sacramento
2)  Delaware                               a) Wilmington  b) Dover
3) New Jersey                            a) Trenton   b) Newark
4)  New York                              a) New York City  b) Albany
5) Florida                                    a) Tallahassee    b) Miami
6) Georgia                                   a) Atlanta   b) Macon
7) Arizona                                   a) Tucson   b) Phoenix
8) Ohio                                        a) Columbus  b) Cleveland
9) Kansas                                    a) Kansas City  b) Topeka
10) Maryland                              a) Annapolis   b) Baltimore
11) Missouri                               a) Kansas City  b) Jefferson City
12) Texas                                    a) Austin    b) Dallas
13) Minnesota                            a) St. Paul   b) Minneapolis
14)  Maine                                  a) Portland   b) Augusta
15) Washington                          a) Seattle       b) Olympia
Scroll down for the answers
New feature: Book of the Week           Since I'm going to see Hugh Jackman in The River this week, I picked Now and Forever, a Love Story to be the book of the week. Why? Because Mr. Jackman was the inspiration for Mac Caldwell, main hero in four of the five books in the Now and Forever series. Meet Mac Caldwell
 Mac is a man's man. He's chivalrous, smart, protective, hard-working and dedicated to the welfare of his son. He's divorced and although he was a bit of a player before his marriage, he's changed. Now he's a little awkward and shy about dating, conscious of being a role model for his toddler.    When he falls for Callie Caldwell, a new girl at  Kensington State University, he's not sure how to get close to her without being inappropriate. Oh did I mention he's gorgeous & sexy as hell, with bright blue eyes. If you want to read about him, the book is FREE! Click HERE . 
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Answers to the state capital quiz:
1)b 2)b 3)a 4)b 5)a 6)a 7)b 8)a 9)b 10)a 11)b 12)a  13)a 14)b 15)b

SECRET CRAVINGS ANNIVERSARY BLOG HOP!

Welcome! I'm Jean Joachim. I write contemporary romance and romantic suspense just skirting erotic at a three flame level. Writing, losing myself in a story is my favorite thing to do. 
One of the happiest days of my life was when I received my acceptance letter from Sandy Sullivan back in 2011 for Now and Forever, The Book of Danny. I was on top of the world, knowing that someone else loved my story and that I had found a home for my work. I have had story after story published there ever since. Thank you, Sandy, and SCP, for making my dream come true.

* * * * * * In honor of my publisher's anniversary, I'm giving away fridge magnets (4.5" x 5.5") to 10 lucky commenters (US only) and a $10.00 Amazon gift card (worldwide)! Here are the magnets and a bit about the books they represent:
LOVE'S LAST CHANCE

Questioning her decision to leave each of three attractive men five years ago in New York, Dorrie returns to the Big Apple for one more day with each. Was she hasty in her decisions to leave them behind? Will one of these men make her change her mind? Will her return to the past bring the love she is seeking or will loneliness propel her back into the arms of the one man who broke her heart?



LOVERS & LIARS Alone in the world, Erica Wheeler needed a job or face eviction. The aspiring actress harbored a lifelong dream of movie stardom. She knew she had the talent, all she needed was a chance. Her roommate, Amy, plotted revenge on her former boss, sexy, bad-boy producer, Gunther Quill, for firing her. Together she and Erica bent the truth like a pretzel to get her a job working for Quill. He surprised her. Was he the same meanie Amy described or was he simply a smart, ambitious man on his way to the top?
One thing Gunther Quill hated was a liar. Tough, seductive and brilliant, he prided himself on being truthful. With his sharp, new assistant, Erica Wheeler, he’d soon be the most powerful producer of musicals in Hollywood and on Broadway. Nothing could get in his way, except maybe, falling in love. 
* * * * * *  To receive advance info on my books and special offers and freebies, sign up for my Newsletter  Don't forget to leave a comment with your email address to be entered to win the magnets. Click HERE to hop to the blogs of our fine authors. Thank you for stopping by. Check out my website . Click HERE for my free books.

TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "GRAY"

Welcome! We have more of Buddy's story this week. I'm posting it here as I'm writing it in my new book. Well, not all of it. But some. Here we go. Thanks for coming. Head back to some awesome authors with the link at the bottom. 
*****  When he entered the woods and a comfortable lope, Buddy let out a breath. Escaping the news media camped on his doorstep, ready to pounce with personal questions about his relationship with Emerald was like escaping a cobra ready to strike. He shook his head. He’d be happy to oblige them if he had any answers. He didn’t know any more than they did where he and Emerald were going. The wide receiver cut his loop short and headed back home. The sky was turning gray, the sun blocked by clouds. He smelled rain in the air. Too dangerous to run in the rain. Buddy protected his career by being careful in his daily life. One broken ankle could sideline him for months and maybe wreck his career. As he rounded the last neck of woods, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He stopped to catch his breath, leaning his hands on his knees, perusing the street. All the news trucks and reporters were gone. It was quiet. Too quiet. With one deep inhale, he straightened up and headed for home, glancing from side to side to quell the unease inside.
   He closed and locked the door. Once he was in the house, Buddy blew out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He popped open a bottle of water and wandered over to the picture window in the living room. It looked out on the street. Then he heard them. Pop, pop, pop, gunshots and the shrieking of glass shattering.
Buddy hit the floor. A few shards rocketed toward him leaving small cuts on his arm. Blood trickled down in a thin stream. “I know she’s in there. Send her out. I don’t want to hurt anybody. I just want Emerald. I promise not to hurt her. But she’s mine.”

Buddy picked his head up slowly until only his eyes were above the sill. “She’s not here!” He shouted, then ducked.
“Liar! I saw the news trucks. I know she’s there. Send her out.”

Again, Buddy called out.“She left. She’s not here.”
A spray of bullets flew into the room, over his head. Buddy flattened himself on the floor. He fished his cell out of his pocket and dialed 911. They’d better get here before he comes through the window.
“Emerald! I’m here. Come on out, baby!”
Anger seized the footballer. One foot into my house and I’ll kill him with my bare hands. In the distance a siren wailed. Inching to the side of the window, Buddy took a chance and looked out. The lunatic on his front lawn put his rifle on his shoulder and sprinted for his car. 
******* Thanks for stopping by. Click HERE to return to Tuesday TalesClick HERE for my website.  
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TUESDAY TALES - NEW YEAR

Welcome! Today's post continues with Buddy and Emmy's story to be published in the First and Ten series. 

*****

“Those assholes chased her away, didn’t they?” Buddy turned to Gert. “Guess so. She was mighty upset. They kept bugging her.”
“Emmy hates bad publicity.”
Gert patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Mr. Buddy. She loves you.”
He smiled. “Ya think so?”

Gert picked up her bag and hoisted it to her shoulder. “Damn right I do.”
He laughed and walked her to the front door.
Watching her fight her way past the reporters, Buddy sighed. It will always be like this for us, won’t it? Always be people prying into our lives. Will we ever have a life?
Buddy finished the last of his coffee and stepped away from the window. He placed his cup in the sink and changed his clothes. After stretching to loosen his muscles, he opened the door.

He jogged past the newsmen and women who chased after him for a few feet. Buddy stepped up his pace, leaving them in the dust. He focused on the changing leaves on his neighbors’ trees as he zipped past, heading for the trail in the woods. Once he was out of sight of the nosy news teams, he slowed. Stopping to catch his breath, he cleared his mind, preparing to think about the new plays Coach Bass and Griff had cooked up.
But thoughts of Emmy returned, crowding out football. He leaned on his knees, dropping his head. The feel of her skin made his fingertips tingle, the sound of her laughter echoed in his brain. He resumed his run. Getting into his stride, thoughts of the new play the Coach had named “panhandle” returned. I need to forget her. Focus on football. Who knows if we’ll be together when the new year comes? No time for love now. 

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STUFF YOUR KINDLE BLOG HOP

Welcome! I'm Jean Joachim. I write contemporary romance from the sets of Hollywood to Broadway stage to the football gridiron. My stories are set in small towns and the Big Apple.

Looking for books to fill up your Kindle? How about a series about the men and women of Hollywood? 



 Here's the series starter. It's' free.

 Fresh-faced quarterback Mark thinks he’s scored a touchdown after winning actress Penny Thatcher’s affection. But a public revelation soon threatens his chances…. Is love the one game he can’t win? A charming will-they-won’t-they romance.Find it HERE
  Here's a bit about the first book in the series. 


Does love always mean total truth? Successfully shunning the limelight was one way for Megan Davis to keep her family secret. A successful financial advisor, Meg was shocked when she was selected to launch a celebrity division for her investment firm.
Gorgeous, magnetic movie star, Chaz Duncan, wary of women who wanted to bask in his fame or sell his secrets to the media, valued privacy above all else. Would he continue his high profile but lonely existence to keep his secret safe? Jealousy, deceit and scandal threaten two careers and the quest for true love and trust in this roller-coaster-ride contemporary romance. Leave your name and email address in a comment and I'll pick one person to win a signed, paperback copy of IF I LOVED YOU on Monday morning. (US only, ebook for those living abroad)  ******    Sign up for my newsletter HERE 

My website HERE

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO THE HOP! THANK YOU FOR COMING. 

Welcome! I'm Jean Joachim. I write contemporary romance f...

Welcome! I'm Jean Joachim. I write contemporary romance from the sets of Hollywood to Broadway stage to the football gridiron. My stories are set in small towns and the Big Apple.

Looking for books to fill up your Kindle? How about a series about the men and women of Hollywood? 



 Here's the series starter. It's' free.

 Fresh-faced quarterback Mark thinks he’s scored a touchdown after winning actress Penny Thatcher’s affection. But a public revelation soon threatens his chances…. Is love the one game he can’t win? A charming will-they-won’t-they romance.Find it HERE
  Here's a bit about the first book in the series. 


Does love always mean total truth? Successfully shunning the limelight was one way for Megan Davis to keep her family secret. A successful financial advisor, Meg was shocked when she was selected to launch a celebrity division for her investment firm.
Gorgeous, magnetic movie star, Chaz Duncan, wary of women who wanted to bask in his fame or sell his secrets to the media, valued privacy above all else. Would he continue his high profile but lonely existence to keep his secret safe? Jealousy, deceit and scandal threaten two careers and the quest for true love and trust in this roller-coaster-ride contemporary romance. Leave your name and email address in a comment and I'll pick one person to win a signed, paperback copy of IF I LOVED YOU on Monday morning. (US only, ebook for those living abroad)  ******    Sign up for my newsletter HERE 

My website HERE

LICK HERE TO RETURN TO THE HOP! THANK YOU FOR COMING. 

A TOUCH OF CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK CITY

Welcome to NYC at Christmas. Let's start with the Museum of Natural History and their origami Christmas tree. All the animal
ornaments are made from folded paper - origami. 



Let's head downtown to Lord & Taylor's, where they have festive windows of holiday scenes with moving figures, music and a charming story. 
Here are a few scenes from those windows.









 It looks real, but it's only a department store window.



















Another scene from Lord & Taylor's



















Charming, isn't it?

















One more. Now let's head down to Rockefeller Center and take a look at a few life-sized angels.



















Beautiful.



















Now a bit from my book about Christmas in New York City, Champagne for Christmas.



Nina closed her eyes and ran her hands up his pecs and over his shoulders. When he lifted his head, her lips closed over his. As she pushed her breasts up against his chest, he bore down on her, his tongue stroking hers, his big hands trapping her small ones, pushing them above her head and into the pillowy softness. Nina felt desire rise in her body, coursing through her veins, landing in her core, pooling between her legs.
“I love you.” His words were raspy and breathy.
Clint shifted his weight to his side, freeing up his hand to glide down Nina’s body. He started at her shoulder, stopped to squeeze her breast gently, then continued down her hip to her thigh. Nina opened her legs. He moved his hand to her inner thigh then up into her slick heat and closed his eyes.
“Oh, God,” she moaned, almost paralyzed by the need * in her. She slid her hand down his hip and closed her fingers around him.
His eyes popped open. “Oh, baby!” He eased two fingertips into her in response.
She gasped, her hips instinctively arching toward him, wanting more. He pumped in and out of her slowly, making her body rise and fall with him. Her hand tightened on him, moving along with his rhythm.
“Ready?” he whispered.“God,” she muttered, her eyes closed.
 ******************   
Champagne for Christmas is ON SALE for $.99 until January. What people are saying:
“Ms. Joachim`s holiday book is a joy to read from beginning to end. I was instantly swept up and into the story. Many a time I could imagine myself standing on the streets of New York and seeing what had been so wonderfully described…” V.L.

 “This is a wonderful, feel good story.” Amazon review
About the book: Can a craving for mint chip ice cream and a passion for the theater keep a summer romance hot through an icy winter? Champagne for Christmas is a story with a happy ending you’ll never see coming.
Also available in print! Buy it here:   Amazon Amazon, U.K.

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Thank you for coming. I hope your town puts on a beautiful show for the holidays. 

MISTLETOE BLOG HOP - PRIZES - ENTER FOR AMAZON GIFT CARDS!

  Welcome! How about a holiday gift?  Leave me a comment, follow this blog, pm me with your snail mail address and I'll send you this fridge magnet with my new book cover on it. 
I'll also be drawing one commenter to win a $5.00 Amazon Gift Card, too, on Monday morning. So don't forget your email address.  
Scroll down for rafflecopter 
   **************Here's a bit about  the book. Can a craving for mint chip ice cream and a passion for the theater keep a summer romance hot through a freezing winter? Clint is a high school English teacher and a budding playwright. Nina, a former actress, is now a beautiful and wealthy widow.    A chance meeting brings them together. Their passion for the stage joins their minds while love blossoms, despite their age gap. The theater, that once united them, may be the one hurdle they can’t clear. It's a steamy romance in the glorious and glitzy Big Apple at Christmas with a happy ending you’ll never see coming. 
Stand under the mistletoe with me and receive a delicious kiss from one of my sexy elves.
A wintry excerpt from the prologue. 

Wrapped in a luxurious mink coat and nothing else, Nina Wells stood, alone, on the terrace of her lavish New York City apartment, watching snowflakes fall. Even the Christmas lights, blinking at her from Fifth Avenue across the park, didn’t melt the frost surrounding her heart. The wind gathered strength, whipping tiny, icy bits into her face, stinging like a million needles. The blowing sent the chill factor plummeting to zero. With a little shiver, she flipped up the collar to cover her bare neck.

Will I ever see Clint again? Probably not. A heavy sigh escaped her lips. I’m too old for him, anyway. How stupid to fall for a younger man. I should’ve known better. She blew out a breath then returned to the warmth her tony place.
How about a sale on this book? ONLY  $.99 FOR A LIMITED TIME.FIND THE BOOK HERE:
AMAZON
AMAZON U. K.
 Eye Candy, Anyone?   DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A COMMENT, FRIEND ME AND PM YOUR SNAIL MAIL. 
LEAVE A COMMENT AND BE ELIGIBLE TO WIN A $5.00 AMAZON GIFT CARD!


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