Lisa Worrall's Blog, page 27

UNOFFICIAL SIX FOR SUNDAY

UNOFFICIAL SIX 
I CAN SEE FOR MILES 
“Just listening to your voice, I can see everything you just described, and more besides, you know? Like all the little things I probably wouldn’t have ever noticed if I could see for myself.  You’re so lucky, Charlie.” He reached out and his heart leapt with hope when Charlie put his hand in his. “The people that come through this camp would give their eye teeth to have the sights you have stored away in that beautiful head of yours.  Whether your vision is at forty, twenty or zero, all you have to do is close your eyes and you can see for miles.”  


Available at Silver Publishing on 16 February 2013.

HEARTS OF ENGLAND - AVAILABLE NOW!

From the wilds of the Brontes' bleak moors, to soft summer nights in Stratford upon Avon, and chance meetings in a cosy tea shop, join us for a delightful journey through the romances of England.

Six stories full of desire, of men loving men, written by English authors known for their passionate tales of love, lust, and rekindling romances.

Stories included in this Anthology:

*   Child of the Storm by RJ Scott
*   William's Heart by Meredith Russell
*   The Cameraman's Tale by Chris Quinton
*   By Design by Lisa Worrall
*   This Morning by Sue Brown
*   A Good Feeling by S.A. Meade
RELEASED TODAY - BUY HERE!

CHECK OUT THE AUTHORS' LATEST RELEASES!
Riley and Jack Campbell-Hayes are doing well. Jack is expanding the Double D, Riley is close to his first ethical based contract, and Hayley is nearly ten and happy as all get out.Jack hires Robbie, who is recovering from a loss, as his right-hand man. Riley's photographer friend, Eli, decides the Double D is perfect for a cowboy-themed model shoot and falls in lust with Robbie. Everyone except Robbie sees how perfect Eli is for him.Against the backdrop of twenty half-naked male models on Double D land, Texas Heat is the story of one hot summer with a Gay Rodeo, a bar fight at the Rusty Nail, and a love between two men that grows stronger every day.
GET YOUR COPY HERE!



A deadly virus rages indiscriminately across the United States and then beyond. The survivors face a new terror--the undead creatures created in the wake of the infection.Devin Reid is part of a group surviving out of a high-security penitentiary near Kansas City. Resources are limited and it's down to a handful of people like Devin to meet the demands on food and supplies. The newly-made monsters are hungry, and the survivors risk their lives scavenging the cities and highways.On one fateful venture, Devin finds something, someone, with the potential to change a dark future, destined for blood and heartbreak, into one of hope and second chances. He finds Noah Weber.
HERE'S WHERE TO FIND IT!


Coming off a high-pressure undercover job for his company's covert Retrievals Department, and despite being on the edge of burnout, Jeff is thrown straight into another mission: set a trap for illegal metal detectorists who'll be planting a priceless reliquary in a field.To be in the right place at the right time, Jeff seduces Alan, son of the farmer who may or may not be in on the million-dollar scam. The job should be straightforward, easy, and it is--except that Jeff's usual guard is down, and he finds himself falling for Alan. Still trying to shake off an obsessive ex-lover Alan doesn't want commitment, just a no-strings, friends with benefits relationship. But events have a way of changing minds.
HERE YOU GO!



After a car accident which left him scarred and his best friend dead, Mitch Spencer retreats to his family’s vacation home to heal. He has no idea the turn his life is about to take when there’s a knock at the door.Kade Lewis is good at one thing, and one thing only, theft. The Spencer house was supposed to be empty so now he needs to rethink his game plan. After years of keeping others out, it’s Mother Nature herself who throws an unexpected obstacle in his way; in the shape of Mitch Spencer.Forced to spend time together when they’re cut off by flash floods, will the two men be able to vanquish their inner demons and find each other? Or will their pasts be too much to overcome?

COME AND GET IT!


When Liam Marshall’s best friend, Alex, loses his fight with colon cancer, he leaves Liam one final request: buy a ticket to Ryde, on the Isle of Wight, and scatter Alex’s ashes off the pier. Liam is tired, worn out, and in desperate need of a vacation, but instead of sun, sea, sand, and hot cabana boys, he gets a rickety old train, revolting kids, and no Ewan MacGregor. 
Liam would have done anything for his friend, but fulfilling Alex’s final wish means letting go of the only family Liam had left. Lost, he freezes on the pier… until Sam Owens comes to his rescue.

Sam’s family has vacationed on the Isle of Wight every year for as long as he can remember, but he’s never met anyone like Liam. Determined to make Liam’s vacation one to remember, Sam looks after him—in and out of the bedroom. He even introduces Liam to his entire family. But as Sam helps Liam let go, he’s forced to admit that he wants Liam to hang on—not to his old life, but to Sam and what they have together.     YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!
Book one in The Endersley Papers series
Will the passion ignited during a violent uprising survive the rigid confines of Victorian society?
Jacob Endersley is glad to escape the confines of his family home for the exotic and dangerous beauty of India during the glory days of the Raj.
Marcus Billington, an Army officer, is tired of the stifling social mores of life in a British enclave. When the Sepoy Uprising o 1857 leads to chaos and bloodshed, the two men seek the safety of Agra and find refuge in each other.
Once the rebellion is quashed, Jacob returns to England while Marcus remains in India. They have no hope of a future together until Jacob learns that Marcus has returned to England. When they meet again, Marcus makes it clear there can be nothing between them and Jacob returns to Endersley resigned to a solitary life until Marcus arrives out of the blue and then everything changes.   GO ON... IT'S JUST A CLICK AWAY!

SILVER BULLETS - PATRICIA LOGAN

BLURB:


Sexy, selfish Michael Francis has hit rock bottom. His boyfriend has dumped him, stolen all his money and his career as a super model has come to a screeching halt. Tyler Winston, macho Texas lawman, has lost the only love he’s ever had and the shocking memories of his long buried past have come back to haunt him. Set on a collision course, can these two broken men find common ground and begin to heal each other or will a ruthless killer part them forever?

GET YOUR COPY HERE!




EXCERPT:
“Look Ty,” Jake murmured around the bite in his mouth. “You gotta live your life the only way you see fit. If it’s with another man, so be it. You only get one shot at this. You gotta live it out and proud of whom you are. That’s my humble opinion. I know I couldn’t hide in the shadows or deny who I am. That would be like saying, Cade is my big secret. He gives me that special loving that I can only get from a man. For me the decision was simple. I didn’t care anything about how the world saw two men together. I did care that my kids were okay with us because they are first and foremost in my life but the rest of the world could be damned.” 

Tyler listened, taking in every word. Of course it was easier on Jake than it would be for Tyler. For Jake and Cade and their kids, there were five of them against the world. That was a foolish thought, Tyler realized almost immediately. Jake had almost lost his life at the hands of prejudice when a few ignorant people had cast their judgments on him. Easy wasn’t the way of life was it? Doing what is right for both parties was the right thing, not ease of the process. Everything that Tyler had accomplished in his life beginning with making the elite SEAL team, required hard work. There was no luck about it and definitely no easy way. Tyler was very happy that he’d asked Jake to lunch. Listening him talk about his struggle with coming out, really helped him to put things into perspective.

“Thanks Jake,” Tyler said, reclining back on the padded oak booth and patting his full belly. “You’ve helped me more than you know. It takes courage to live as an openly gay man. Of course, watching Cade deal with it over the last twenty years should have been a lesson to me.” Jake reached across the table and covered Tyler’s hand, meeting his eyes as he became very serious.

“It’s always a struggle, Ty. Whatever has meaning in life is a struggle. Whatever has a great pay off in the end requires hard work and a struggle. Hell, even people who hit the lottery begin a life of struggle. Think about having to sort out the real friends from the “lottery” friends or having family that you haven’t thought of in thirty years, suddenly showing up on your doorstep wanting to be family again just because you are worth several million bucks overnight. All of life is a struggle. It’s how you deal with the struggle that makes you the kind of man you are Tyler. And I know this; you are the best type of man. My Cade wouldn’t have stayed brothers with a man who was not the best type. All you can do now, is decide, do you want this man enough to go for a future with him or not? It’s really pretty basic.” He smiled and Tyler nodded, letting his hand slip away from Tyler’s. 

“I have no idea if I want this man or not Jake. I thank you for talking to me so frankly about it. It does help to know that I’m not alone in my confusion, well, you’re not anymore, but it’s good to know that you were… oh hell, I’m babbling.” Jake laughed and finished off his beer.

“So, tell me about him,” he said. Tyler could see the glint of humor in Jake’s teasing expression. He couldn’t keep a straight face. He looked down at the table top where his beer rested and grinned, feeling like a school kid.
“He’s a lot younger, Jake.” Tyler looked up and Jake, though trying to hide his surprise, was grinning. He set his elbows on the table and rested his cheeks in both palms. 
“Do tell,” Jake said, waggling his eyebrows as he gave Tyler his full attention.
Tyler threw him a dirty look. “You’re an asshole you know that?” Jake laughed out loud.
“So Cade tells me every day. Spill, I want all the horny details.” 
Tyler rolled his eyes and he suddenly pictured Michael’s beautiful body, his cock long and thick standing away from his body as Tyler prepared to suck it. 
“Oh shit, there really are horny details,” Jake said and Tyler knew that he watched the expression on his face. Tyler frowned.
“There may be Jake, but I’m not prepared to tell just yet. You’ll be the first to know when the time comes,” Tyler growled.
“Mmm, territorial much?” Jake laughed. “This is a side I’ve never seen in you Tyler. I think this ‘coming out’ is going to be worth its weight in gold.” 

HEARTS OF ENGLAND - 15 SEPTEMBER 2012

From the wilds of the Brontes' bleak moors, to soft summer nights in Stratford upon Avon, and chance meetings in a cosy tea shop, join us for a delightful journey through the romances of England.

Six stories full of desire, of men loving men, written by English authors known for their passionate tales of love, lust, and rekindling romances.

Stories included in this Anthology:
 *   Child of the Storm by RJ Scott
*   William's Heart by Meredith Russell
*   The Cameraman's Tale by Chris Quinton
*   By Design by Lisa Worrall
*   This Morning by Sue Brown
*   A Good Feeling by S.A. Meade
GET YOUR COPY HERE!


EXCERPTS:

*   Child of the Storm by RJ Scott
Ben Hyland shifted in his seat as they passed signs for M1 North. They were about twenty miles into their journey and they had left London where tangled roads had given way to endless motorway. The guy in the driving seat hadn't said much so far. Then again the hired car, a brand spanking new Ford Focus, was right-hand drive and given his companion was American there had to be a lot of concentration going on behind his hazel eyes.

The very last thing Ben wanted to do was snag the driver's attention by talking needlessly. Still, they had a long way to go up the spine of the UK and to have silence for hundreds of miles would definitely grate on him. Ben Hyland liked his quiet times with his books and his academic study, but when in social situations he hated the dreaded dead parts. That was why he had a reputation as being the one who spoke before he thought. Just to fill the empty space. He searched his brain for the right thing to say to A, an American, and B, possibly the most gorgeous guy he had seen in years, perhaps ever.

"What film is it that we are scouting locations for?" Ben finally asked. Breaking the silence felt good. "Am I allowed to know now that we are in the car?"

His companion Cory mumbled-surname, the aforementioned American with the blond hair and the come-to-bed eyes, flicked a glance at him. He looked so damn serious and there was a definite frown line marring his otherwise smooth forehead.

Eyes back on the road he answered. "It's not a secret. Of course you're allowed to know. It was all in the briefing pack that my company emailed you." Unspoken was the added 'didn't you read it, you idiot'.

"I didn't get an email," Ben defended himself.

The frown briefly reappeared on Cory's face.

"I'll follow that up," he said. "You should have received the full confidential file for all film details." Cory's company was scouting for more than the one film location and Ben was just one of four lecturers at South Bucks University that had applied to assist. He bet every one of the other three had received their briefing information. Bloody BT Mail. "The short straw we pulled is a costume drama set in Yorkshire."

"Yorkshire? I love Yorkshire." Ben was excited, certainly not feeling for one moment he had drawn the short straw.

"You mean you didn't even know where we were going?"


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


*   William's Heart by Meredith Russell

"Nana, come and see!" The young child tugged at the sleeve of her grandmother's coat and shifted impatiently from one foot to the other. She waved toward the river, excited to see two large swans standing at the water's edge. One of the swans stood to its full height and spread its wings out wide. The elegant bird let out a throaty noise as it flapped its wings, causing a plume of soft, white feathers to fall away and float to the ground.

Jude Jennings pointed his Nikon camera at the girl and digitally captured the moment. The young girl was wide-eyed in awe of the oversized birds, and he admired her innocent fascination. Briefly, he dipped the camera and smiled. The world was a magical place when viewed through the eyes of a child.

Looking through the viewer, he slowly adjusted the focus and zoomed in so her face filled the shot. He guessed she was maybe three or four years old as she was out in the middle of a school day. Short blonde curls hung from beneath her pink sunhat and framed her face. Her blue eyes were bright as she laughed excitedly. She was a sweet little thing.

Taking the shot, Jude lowered his camera and looked down at the screen. He took a moment to examine the half-dozen images of the swans, the girl, and her grandmother. The mid-April sunshine provided unique lighting and the warmth of the day radiated from the people within the pictures. April was a strange month for weather and lighting. It was unpredictable at best. In a single month the UK had seen snow, rain, and sunshine. He looked around the park he was sitting in. Today was a brilliant, almost summer-like day, and the weather had brought out an eclectic mix of people.

Both locals and visitors filled the large open space adjacent to the River Avon. Scanning the river bank, he tried to guess a little about his subjects. On the grass, lying on two huge blankets was a group of five scantily-dressed teenagers. He figured, like him, they were from the college. Two of the girls in the group were making notes from an oversized textbook, a third was trying to angle an electronic tablet to read in the sunlight, and the two guys they were with seemed far more interested in getting themselves a tan.

There were teenagers in school uniforms playing football, an elderly couple walking hand-in-hand through the park, each seasoned line on their faces creasing as they stopped and smiled at each other before sharing a kiss.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*   The Cameraman's Tale by Chris Quinton

"I want the girl in the road," Dominic Waldron insisted, slapping the relevant file in the centre of the table. "Fuck it, who's running this bloody show anyway?"

Mark pushed up his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. He wanted to say Goldstream Media, but since Dominic owned at least half of the production company and was the executive producer for his own show, it wouldn't carry much weight. Besides, Mark preferred to keep a low profile around the man. Next to him, his fellow researcher swore under her breath.

"The headless woman has more impact," Jerry Kent said persuasively. Head of Research--and Mark's immediate boss--he also had a good eye for visuals and what the TV-viewing public liked. At least, the preferences of those who avidly watched The Dominic Waldron Experience. "It'd be perfect for the opening show--mysterious inn, hidden cellar, reconstructions with Royalists and Roundheads, the woman in a tight bodice..."

Across the table, Trevor Johnson, the special effects expert, nodded enthusiastically. "We could have cannons, muskets, and pikes, plus the torture chamber in the cellar. The road girl would only have screams and mists and a crashed car."

"There's more in-depth material on the headless woman," Jerry added quickly. Dominic's scowl darkened and Jerry indicated a thick file pushed to one side. "We've put together that much from online research alone. Once Heather gets going on the libraries and Mark chats with locals, there'll be a lot more to play with. And there's a five-star hotel only six miles away. The road girl is out in the back of beyond."

Mark doodled on his notepad, writing his name, then Jack's, and framing the Mark Renfrewand Jack Faulkner in a circle of vine leaves--until he realised the circle looked more like a heart. He scribbled over it, flushing, and tuned back in on the arguments. Being openly gay was one thing, being a soppy romantic was another thing entirely.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*   By Design by Lisa Worrall


"O M G!"

Wincing at the sounding out of the letters, Rob forced a smile onto his face as his client studied the tattoo he had just completed for her. When she'd handed him the design she wanted on her shoulder blade, he'd had to resist the urge to groan. The headstone with the Grim Reaper standing behind it, complete with scythe and glowing eyes, wasn't exactly the first paranormal tattoo he'd undertaken. But then what did he expect? After all, he'd opened a tattoo shop in the centre of York--purported to be the most haunted town in England. Not that Rob had ever seen a ghost himself, but if it kept sending tourists and locals alike into the shop to get their spook on, he wasn't complaining.

"Rob, it's perfect... just perfect," Chloe--he had to search for her name for a moment--squealed. "I'm going to recommend you to all my friends. They'll be fighting to get under your needle."

Rob tried not to flinch as she ran her scarlet red nails through his purple tipped, heavily gelled hair. It had been a long day and he knew it was far from over. He wanted to slip into a nice warm coma, but he had a client scheduled for eight-thirty in the morning that he had to come up with a design for, not to mention the four other tats he had promised to have drawn up for various others. If he got out of here by midnight, he'd be very surprised.

Extricating himself from her talons with as polite a smile as he could manage, he helped her on with her shirt and pointed her in the direction of the reception desk. He held back the chuckle at the annoyance on her face at his dismissal... but she really wasn't his type. True, he could tell her he was gay and had been in a relationship since college; but he knew with one look she was part of the ninety per cent of women who were sure he just hadn't met the right girl yet. And she was, of course, totally convinced she was that girl.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*   This Morning by Sue Brown


At the shrill sound of the alarm clock, Neil automatically hid his face in the pillow to avoid his husband's arm which flew over his head, as it did every morning, to smack the snooze button. Despite Neil regularly pointing out that the clock was on his side and that he was perfectly capable of dealing with the alarm himself, Baz insisted on turning the damned thing off. After ten years, Neil had learnt to keep his head down to avoid being hit in the face.

Still buried in the pillow, Neil heard his husband groan loudly. He raised his head to see Baz rolling onto his back, groaning again as he stretched out the length of the bed, accompanied by the sound of joints clicking and popping. When Baz finally settled, Neil rolled into his side, appreciating the warmth of his body for a few more minutes before he had to face the world.

"Time to get up." Baz yawned as he patted Neil's back.

It prompted an answering yawn from Neil. "Go back to sleep. You don't have to get up today." Neil stroked Baz's furry belly. He grinned at Baz's satisfied hum and his unconscious arch into Neil's caress.

"Still gotta get Alex to school, though. He doesn't get a day off, thank God. Today it's just you and me."

"I'll take him to school. You stay in bed." Despite hating to get up in the morning, Neil thought it was only fair he made the effort this time. As a local GP, the poor man got precious little time off. Normally Baz drove Alex to school on his way to work while, as he was self-employed, Neil got up later and tidied the house when everyone was gone. Neil's commute to work was walking into the back room, his office for many years. He was appropriately sympathetic to Baz's grumbles about the commuter traffic he had to face daily.

"That would be wonderful. Are you sure?"

Neil pressed a kiss to Baz's shoulder. "I'm sure. Go back to sleep." He grinned as Baz murmured his appreciation.

With five more blissful minutes before he had to get up, Neil took the opportunity to snuggle with his husband, pressing in as close as he could. Baz's hand slid down Neil's bare back to cup his arse.

"Mmm, this is nice," Baz murmured. "I could get used to this."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*   A Good Feeling by S.A. Meade

He wasn't the usual weekday afternoon customer. Normally, by three, the lunchers had gone and the blue-rinse brigade moved in, lingering over pots of tea and slices of cake.

He was a good thirty years younger, for starters. He sat in the corner, chin on hand while he stared out the window. The late afternoon sun touched his short brown hair with fire. His face was turned away from the room while he watched shoppers drift by on their way to or from the Wednesday market. He was a study in stillness and silence while the old biddies, trading recipes and knitting patterns, chattered around him. It was rare for anyone to walk into the tea shop and make me look more than once. This one made the breath catch in my throat.

I inhaled deeply, picked up a menu and walked toward his table.

He glanced up and grinned when I approached.

I gave him my best smile and handed him the menu. "Good afternoon. Can I get you something to drink?"

"A cappuccino, please. A large one."

I scribbled the order down on my pad. "Would you like anything else? There's the menu and there's also the daily specials on the board." It was the same spiel I gave to everyone. There was nothing I could put into the words to let my interest slip. Anyway, I'd promised my brother that I wouldn't chat up the customers. I wasn't about to start now, not while Liam was letting me hang my paintings on the walls of the cafe. I needed all the sales I could get.

He glanced past me to the board.

"Can I have the lemon cake?"

"I think we have a slice or two left. Anything else?" I wanted him to order more, give me something nice to look at for longer than it took to drink a large coffee and eat a wedge of cake.

He looked at the menu once more. "All right, you've talked me into it. I'll have a piece of the stilton and bacon quiche as well."

"Good choice." I offered him another smile. "I'll go and get your coffee."

"Thank you." He smiled back, his eyes warm.

I lost a little bit of myself at that moment.

"I won't be a minute." I headed back to the kitchen, stopping only to tidy an empty table and take a payment at the till.

"I saw you." Hayley, my sister-in-law, glanced up from the sink.

"Saw me what?" I took the quiche from the fridge and set it on the counter.

"Chatting up the bloke by the window." She smiled. "Not that I blame you. He's hot."

"And probably straight." I cut a slab of quiche and placed it on a plate. "They usually are."

IT'S HERE! JUST ONE MORE SLEEP!

I can't believe it's almost here.

7 and a bit weeks since they piled out of their classroom, every drawing, every piece of writing, every piece of paper they'd even scribbled on stashed in a bag.

7 and a bit weeks since they threw their book bags and PE kits at me for the last time.

7 and a bit weeks of good days, fun days and days when I wanted to roast them over a barbecue pit.

7 and a bit weeks of Mummy... Mummy... *pulls out hair and thinks of changing name* blood MUMMY!

But it's almost over. One more sleep (as with most parents, time is measured in sleeps in this house) and they'll be gone. They'll be tippy-tapping into the school playground and I'll be running like the wind back to a silent house. Well... for six hours at least.

So what do we do the day before the return to school? We rush around making sure everything is pressed, that we know where the school shoes we bought 6 and a bit weeks ago are. We head to the shop for the final bits, such as new water bottles because the dog chewed the new one that came with the new lunch box. We make sure we have enough lunch box fillings to fill said lunch box and we hope beyond hope that we'll not sleep through the alarm in the morning.

We know that when we awake at 7am in the morning and poke and prod the children into joining us in the bright sunshiney morning that there'll be tears. There'll be different renditions of "But I'm tirrrreeedd" all in that charming little whine, growing louder with each one. We know that someone will be distracted by the TV and as you walk out the door they'll have forgotten to put their shoes on, brush their teeth, comb their hair.

But I don't care! All of the above will be done with a smile on my face because... although I love my kids and would gladly kill for them... one more day of the Summer holidays and I might just kill THEM! I want the silence. I actually want to watch Maury instead of Spongebob. I want to write without someone coming in with a grazed knee or a complaint that "he did this" or "she did that".

So I'll hand them over with a serene smile and a wicked gleam that clearly says, "Good luck. They're yours now. For six hours I have no idea who these children are... never seen them before in my life." Then I'll go home and close the front door... pump up the volume and sing and dance all around the room... something I have most definitely not been allowed to do during the last 7 and a bit weeks... because according to THEM, I can do neither.

SUMMER HEAT - AVAILABLE NOW

BLURB:
After a car accident which left him scarred and his best friend dead, Mitch Spencer retreats to his family’s vacation home to heal. He has no idea the turn his life is about to take when there’s a knock at the door.
Kade Lewis is good at one thing, and one thing only, theft. The Spencer house was supposed to be empty so now he needs to rethink his game plan. After years of keeping others out, it’s Mother Nature herself who throws an unexpected obstacle in his way; in the shape of Mitch Spencer.
Forced to spend time together when they’re cut off by flash floods, will the two men be able to vanquish their inner demons and find each other? Or will their pasts be too much to overcome?

BUY HERE!
All Romance EBooks
Amazon
Smashwords

SUMMER HEAT AVAILABLE 5 SEPTEMBER

BLURB:

After a car accident which left him scarred and his best friend dead, Mitch Spencer retreats to his family’s vacation home to heal. He has no idea the turn his life is about to take when there’s a knock at the door.
Kade Lewis is good at one thing, and one thing only, theft. The Spencer house was supposed to be empty so now he needs to rethink his game plan. After years of keeping others out, it’s Mother Nature herself who throws an unexpected obstacle in his way; in the shape of Mitch Spencer.
Forced to spend time together when they’re cut off by flash floods, will the two men be able to vanquish their inner demons and find each other? Or will their pasts be too much to overcome?




EXCERPT:
The wind whipped at his hair, sending the short strands in all directions around his head, its grabby fingers stealing the very breath from his lungs. He’d been jerked awake by the first deafening crack of thunder and his eyes widened as another flash illuminated the dark. The lightning split the sky in two and the rolling thunder shook the world before he’d even managed one, one thousand—not that one needed to be a genius to know the storm was directly overhead. Mitch’s entire body thrummed with the ferocity of Mother Nature in full force as he leaned out of the window in total awe. The lake and rolling hills around his remote home were lit up in stark relief against the velvet sky when another flash of lightning forked across the darkness. Then came the rain. Sheets of water fell from the sky and bounced off the ground, turning the lake into choppy surf. Drenched in seconds, he snatched the cast iron latch and pulled the window closed.Great idea, Mitch. Hanging out of the window in a thunderstorm in the middle of the night. One of your best. He turned on the light and padded along the hall to the bathroom and opened the linen closet. He stripped off his T-shirt and grabbed a towel, rubbed it over his face and across his hair before turning his attention to his naked chest. Mitch wandered back into his room and paused, his attention suddenly caught by the creaking sounds of the house under assault by the storm. He yawned widely, nonplussed. He’d spent half his life in this house and knew every moan and groan of its old bones. His parents had bought the house when Mitch and his twin sister were five and they’d vacationed here every summer, reveling in the secluded countryside and beautiful scenery of the Virginian farmhouse, making the old rooms ring with their laughter.Not that they rang with much right now, because he was alone. He’d moved to the summer house after the accident six months ago. After quitting the job his firm had held open for him, he had retreated to the one place where he knew he would feel safe, and there would be no reminders of all he’d lost. His parents hadn’t been so sure it was a good idea to shut himself away in the middle of nowhere, but they’d acquiesced. He knew they hoped that the familiar comfort of the farmhouse would soothe his soul, although his father had to practically drag his mother to their planned three month vacation in France, stating that the last thing Mitch wanted was her buzzing around him for the entire summer. Mitch froze in the midst of pulling a dry T-shirt over his head and listened intently. He was sure he’d heard something, but now all he could catch was the incessant moan of the wind. Shrugging he smoothed the material down over his stomach—there it was again. Faint, but definite. A banging at the front door.Frowning, Mitch crossed to his bedroom window and pulled back the curtain. He couldn’t see anything past the rain the wind threw against the glass. Damn it. Mitch squinted into the darkness but there were no vehicles at the front of the house. The knocking must have been his imagination. The house was miles from anywhere and only accessible by car. The nearest neighbors were the Hendersons and they were eleven miles away on foot. He was obviously still half asleep. How could there possibly be anyone out there?The knocking was louder this time, as if whoever held the brass ring firmly ensconced in the mouth of the lion’s head door knocker, was getting angrier with each bang. “What the fuck?” he mumbled, picking up his cell, though why he wasn’t entirely sure, and headed down the stairs. The faint sounds of his bare feet on the rugged and quarry-tiled floor of the hall were smothered by the raging elements outside. He turned on the lights and cautiously approached the door. Rising onto the balls of his feet, Mitch peered through the small stained glass window set into the wood. He cursed softly; all he could see was driving rain and darkness. There’s nobody there, idiot. Mitch ignored the derisive sneer of his inner voice and narrowed his eyes, staring out into the night. Yeah, real genius. Cut down your field of vision. That’ll help you see the monsters better. Mitch shook his head at his wandering imagination and turned away from the door. There was nobody there. It had probably been the wind lifting the knocker and slamming it back down.“Jesus!” The heavy slam of the knocker tightened his bowels and had his balls trying to creep back up inside his body, his heart pounding in his chest and blood rushing in his ears. Pressing his hand against the sleek wood, he swallowed hard.“Who’s there?” He cursed inwardly, wishing his voice sounded a little more quarterback and a little less band camp. “Who’s out there? I’ve got an—” He gazed around and grabbed the first thing to hand. “Umbrella?”

Sin...spiration!

Back from my holidays and ready to get back to work, I thought it might be nice on this Friday morning to have some inspiration for the day ahead ;)

What do you think?









Yep... I think we can find something amongst that lot.

Happy Friday and enjoy your weekend what wonderfully wicked things you are planning to get up to.

UNOFFICIAL SIX

BLURB:

Evan Griffin moved into his remote country house with all the excitement and promise of a new start. He thought he'd found it until the strange noises began… When the attacks became physical, he was left bruised and battered and desperate for help.

When Evan walks into the offices of paranormal investigators, Knight & Stone, Ross Stone is dumbfounded by the injuries the man bears. Injuries Evan insists were caused by an unseen assailant in his own home. Something in the man's eyes tugs at Ross's heartstrings. Does he dare risk getting close to Evan when he is fighting his own demons?

GOING UNDER IS AVAILABLE NOW AT SILVER PUBLISHING
This week's six...
"Would you think I was totally insane if I asked you to kiss me?""Evan," Ross's voice was gentle and soothing as he took the other man's slender fingers in his. "You're under a lot of pressure and I'm not going to take advan—" His flow was cut off by the sudden press of Evan's mouth to his. His immediate thought was how soft Evan's lips were, quickly followed by a half-hearted attempt to tell himself that he should stop this. But then Evan's tongue teased along the seam of his lips and he was unable to form a rational thought beyond, more right now.

REVIEW: DEAD THINGS BY MEREDITH RUSSELL

A deadly virus rages indiscriminately across the United States and then beyond. The survivors face a new terror--the undead creatures created in the wake of the infection.

Devin Reid is part of a group surviving out of a high-security penitentiary near Kansas City. Resources are limited and it's down to a handful of people like Devin to meet the demands on food and supplies. The newly-made monsters are hungry, and the survivors risk their lives scavenging the cities and highways.

On one fateful venture, Devin finds something, someone, with the potential to change a dark future, destined for blood and heartbreak, into one of hope and second chances. He finds Noah Weber.




RATING: 4.5 LULU'S

REVIEW:

Those that know me are aware I have a little passion for the horror genre, so when Meredith promoed her new book, I was excited. I can't lie. Well I could.. but I'm not very good at it, so there's no point.

Anyhoo, I opened the book and from the first page I was transported into a post-zombie apolocalyptic world of survivor and predator. Within moments you feel like you are in the world Russell has built, surrounded by zombies ringing the dinner bell. You know what it reminded me of? A scintillating cross between The Stand and the Walking Dead. Yes I know The Stand didn't have zombies in it, but it's all about the survival and the way they come together to try and build a new life.

Devin was the perfect hero. Handsome, strong, determined, but oh so broken. *le sigh* And Noah has been alone for so long, wondering if he is the only one left and not even knowing he could be the answer to everything.

I admit there were a few dicey moments there when I thought I was going to have to bring down a world of pain on the lovely Ms Russell's head... after all she was the one who lifted me up and threw me into zombieland - and I really don't do enough cardio to outrun supercharged pitbulls in human form. 

But this is a wonderfully written helter-skelter ride with twists and turns that leave you reeling. And beneath it all, Devin and Noah try to find out if they can have a future, together, when any future at all seems so unlikely.

Bloody loved it. The total dogs bollocks! Go get your copy now!

DEAD THINGS IS AVAILABLE HERE AT SILVER PUBLISHING