Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 278
March 8, 2018
Seelie Kay: A little bit of this, a tiny pinch of that… (Recipe)
When I am not writing, I bake. Quite simply, baking relaxes me and helps clear my mind. I have charted many a character’s path while separating eggs and creaming butter!
Taught to bake at the knee of my Slovak grandmother, I began taking formal cooking classes at age 10. Since then, no one and nothing has managed to keep me out of my kitchen! (If I had not begun writing at a much earlier age, I may have become a pastry chef rather than a writer.)
My two favorite recipes are turtle brownies, basically your standard fudge brownie recipe with a swirl of caramel, pecans, and mini-semi-sweet chocolate chips, and three chocolate mousse cake, which is a luscious four-layer devil’s food cake with white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate mousse in between the layers. When feeling particular ambitious, I might even encase this chocolatey confection in whipped cream!
And when I want the sweet smell of fall, I make an apple-pie-in-a-bag, a local favorite in southeast Wisconsin, or a no-knead bread, made with good old Wisconsin beer!
While I bake everything from scratch, I have learned a few short cuts over the years. For example, when pressed for time, I may substitute a box mix for the brownies or cake, and simply add the extras. And sometimes, I may even make the mousse from store-bought faux whipped cream and mix it with pudding rather than melted chocolate. And I make apple pies two at a time, so I always have one in the freezer. Of course, when I am feeling the need to cut back on the sugar and/or fat, I may utilize natural sugar substitutes or pureed fruits. (Who knew Gerber’s pureed prunes worked so well as a fat substitute in brownies?)
When I am in a reading mood, I am likely to brew some cinnamon hazelnut coffee and bake one of the most mouth-watering coffee cakes I have ever eaten. It’s a recipe passed on to me by a librarian from the Missouri Court of Appeals when I was a law clerk. She spoiled us by bringing in baked goods at least once a week, and the recipe we loved most was her Cinnamon Coffee Cake. When you have the urge to curl up with a good book and a hot cuppa, this sweet treat will provide a nice little slice of heaven!
CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE
1/2 cup margarine 1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar 2 eggs
1 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour, sifted 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream margarine, shortening and eggs. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Spread it in 9 x 13 pan. In a separate bowl, mix:
1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine 2 cups chopped nuts
Layer on top of cake batter, swirl in slightly with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
KINKY BRIEFS, QUATRO
(released 2/9/18)
Take another kinky voyage through Lawyerland!
Indulge in a walk on the wild side with these sizzling short stories about lawyers in love, with a dash of kink. From painting well-hung nudes at a networking event or thwarting terrorists intent on harm to finding love despite a chronic illness or exploring kink on a train, these lawyers pursue love with a vengeance. And while affairs of the heart may come in all shapes and sizes—a law school ménage a trois, a middle-aged A.G. and a law firm associate, and a new marriage suddenly threatened by a spouse long believed dead—these relationships thrive despite the odds. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and yes, the resultant loin heating might even make you blush, but in the end, you’ll run out and buy a set of handcuffs. Because that’s the only way to defuse the sizzle created by these hot, sexy stories.
Buy Links:
Extasy Books: https://goo.gl/t6cCm8
Amazon: https://goo.gl/qtz4er
Barnes and Noble: https://goo.gl/s3svp2
Kobo: https://goo.gl/CtKrZE
Smashwords: https://goo.gl/rA8N7h
DAGGER is here! Get your copy now!
Former Army Ranger, Daniel “Dagger” Renfrew, has been a lot of things—an Army Ranger, a Seattle beat cop, a PI, and now, a bounty hunter, which, so far, suits him just fine. In his job, he doesn’t look for easy takedowns. He likes lying in mud or snow with his binoculars trained on a window, hoping for a glimpse of the dirtbag whose mugshot he carries in his hip pocket. If they’re badasses—all the better. Dagger prefers when assholes try to run, because then he has an excuse to mix it up, get physical, and blow off steam in an all-out brawl—when the situation warrants, of course. One morning when he’s working his side gig, repossessing cars, he discovers the car he’s taking belongs to his old high school sweetheart, and there’s nothing like sweet revenge…
Lacey Jones is furious when she finds a very large, scary dude trying to steal her car. It’s the last straw. She’s lost her job and is about to lose her apartment, so there’s no way in hell she’s letting him take her damn car! When she discovers its Dagger, her old beau, she jumps into the car with him. When she learns how he makes a living, she’s curious…and then determined to become a bounty hunter herself. How hard can it be?
If you want more stories featuring Montana Bounty Hunters,
check out these titles…
March 7, 2018
Lizzie Ashworth: Check out these F*R*E*E Reads!
Hi Delilah Fans!
Great news today—lots of free reads, yours for the taking. These freebies are at Smashwords, Amazon, and Instafreebie. Download any format anytime but for today, the link takes you to Instafreebie. And there’s more free reads than those listed below, so check out Liz’s Author Page for more. Looking forward to your review!
Here’s the rundown (Click on the title at the top!):
Hers to Choose
Cannon Cousins Book I in this newly revised and expanded series
Bryn McClure is running out of time. With foreclosure in the last stages, she’s about to lose the beloved twelve-hundred acre Ozark farm she inherited from her grandparents. Her desperate last hope is to sell hunting rights for deer season.
Alex Cannon is running out of options. His cousin and property development business partner Dan has spiraled into a life-threatening depression. Alex hatches a brilliant idea of what might help Dan, and on advice from an old friend, contacts Bryn. A hunting trip might be the perfect route to a new outlook for Dan, especially with the extra touch Alex wants from Bryn.
When Bryn agrees to Alex’s special request, she’s thrilled not only with the promise of badly needed income, but also with the prospect of sexy kink. Her social life has languished during her lonely year of rural living. It seemed like such a good idea when she agreed to it.
But standing on her porch watching these two gorgeous men climb out of their truck and walk toward her, she thinks maybe she hadn’t fully appreciated how complicated things could become. Alex stuns her with his warmth and charm, but the cold and angry Dan is the one who expects her submission. By the second day, when the first spanking sparks her passions, she realizes she may be in for a lot more than she expected.
Dare to Ask
In this sexy novella, a spur of the moment dare forces a woman to blurt out an invitation to a younger man. Instantly regretful, she wants to drive away and never come back. Worse, he accepts. Now what?
Tess and the New Year
Short story spinoff from the House of Rae series.
When Tess answers her door, the last person she expects to find is Josh Carter. He comes on a mysterious mission. What a way to start the year!
This short story forms a new chapter for Josh and the House of Rae series, a continuing collection of stories that plunge deep into a near-future world of devastated landscapes, religious terrorism, legalized prostitution, and a spreading plague of brown death. Backed by desperate governments, a network of psions organize energy grids to distribute the healing effects of pleasure energy harvested from dance centers and sex houses. But that’s not all that comes to be expected of these native-born Indigos. Slowly the curtain pulls back to reveal dark energy rising from the ground and the dimensional shift that empowers them. Still learning the skills of his mysterious talent, Josh and his brothers in light gain strength from sex. Now it’s Tess’s turn to enjoy what Josh has to offer.
A Gift for Jarrod
Erotic Novella, the opening to the Jarrod Bancroft story
It started innocently enough. A rich young man in search of adventure in sadistic humiliation. An older woman intent on her profession as dominatrix. Their crossed paths should have been six weeks of a purely business relationship.
But things never go as planned.
His Only Love
An Erotic Gay Romance Novella. A spinoff to the Caerwin of Britannia series
As Saturnalia dawns and Rome’s Legio XIV Gemina prepares for the midwinter celebration despite their station on the far western border of Britannia, Greek slave Antius faces the disaster he set in motion involving his beloved master and legion commander, Marcellus. He takes refuge with his young lover even as an intimate betrayal unfolds between trusted friends.
Enjoy!
March 6, 2018
Those Triplehorn boys are here! (Contest)
The first installment in the Triplehorn trilogy arrived today! If you love stories about brothers, who also happen to be cowboys, this series is for you! All three brothers reunite with women from their pasts—the ones that got away. Plus, you won’t have to wait long to read the next two stories!
And if you have time, tell a friend about this story and, maybe, write a review. Readers trust other readers to let them know whether they should take a chance on a their next book boyfriend…
Enjoy! ~DD
Laying Down the Law
The Triplehorn Brand, #1
A teller implicated in a bank robbery seeks sanctuary from small-town sweetheart she left behind—who happens to be the new sheriff in town.
A lifetime ago, Zuri Prescott kicked the dirt off her boots and fled her small-time, small town, but lived to regret choosing a glam city life over her high school sweetheart. When she’s framed for a bank robbery, she flees to her home town, seeking refuge with her old flame while she figures out her next steps—only to discover he’s the last man she can confide in.
Sheriff Colt Triplehorn knows trouble when he sees it, especially when it’s one familiar naked trespasser, caught between an angry bull and her underwear. Sure she’s up to her usual no good, he grants her sanctuary at his ranch where he can keep an eye on her while he purges her from his system once and for all. When he realizes she’s involved with a robbery, he has to make a career-compromising choice between following the letter of the law and his heart…
Here’s what’s coming next…
In Too Deep
The Triplehorn Brand, Book #2
Coming March 20th!
Some things never change. And some things change everything…
Gabe Triplehorn can think of no better getaway from his heavy responsibilities at the ranch than to go back to a time and place where he didn’t have a care in the world. When there was just a campground, a river, and a girl. When he gets to Red Hawk Landing, the campground and the river are still there. He just never expected the girl would still be there, too. Only now she runs the place.
Lena Twohig can think of no better place to raise her young son than the family-owned campground that holds so many memories. Especially, the romance with Gabe that lit up one long-ago summer like a wild electrical storm. Now he’s back with a ranch-hardened body she knows she shouldn’t want so badly.
No amount of lies, or the years that have passed, can tame this tidal wave of passion.
A Long Hot Summer
The Triplehorn Brand, Book #3
Coming April 3rd!
When two lonely hearts collide, age becomes just a number…
Sarah Colby’s marriage was over long ago, but she’s never shed the scars her abusive husband left behind. One shameful indiscretion, an affair with a younger man one long-ago summer haunts her.
Tommy Triplehorn is happy his brothers have settled down and started families of their own, but he’s feeling a little smothered by all that domesticity. Carousing and drinking no longer provide him any thrills, and he thinks he knows the reason why. He’s waited long enough for Sarah Colby to get over being ashamed of their past. He’s old enough to know what he wants, and he wants her.
Contest
Win your choice of one of my recent releases (not
Laying Down the Law!
)!
All you have to do is tell me what you want me to write next!
March 5, 2018
Desiree Holt: Without Warning (Contest)
Without Warning! (Vigilance #2)
Now up for preorder!
Releases March 20!
Leave me a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of Book #1, Hide and Seek.
“The agents of Vigilance return to protect another high-profile target and capture hearts in the process. The stakes are somewhat higher when the history between the bodyguard and client dates back to high school. Clearing the air of past misunderstandings is almost as important as keeping the client safe. This is a fast-paced page-turner that makes for a quick and entertaining read.”– RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars
When you don’t know how the story will end . . .
After years of hard work honing his craft, Blake Edwards is now an international bestselling author. But one thing he never imagined was that his fictional world would become all too real. When a stalker turns Blake’s latest book tour into a treacherous and nearly deadly trap, it’s time for Blake to hire protection. But the body assigned to keep an eye on him is someone he never wants out of his sight . . .
As a bodyguard for Vigilance, the private security agency in Blake’s hometown of Arrowhead Bay, Samantha Quenel has found the perfect outlet for her military experience. But her latest client is also a former high school flame, which might explain her willingness to protect Blake at all costs—even if that means staying in the same room with him, on the same bed, under the same torrid sheets . . .
***check out this picture of where Blake Morgan lives in Tampa, Florida.
Excerpt:
Blake Morgan parked his car behind Slater’s Books and took a minute to gather himself together. Another note had shown up today, this one under his windshield wiper when he retrieved his car in the parking garage at the hotel. No one would have paid any attention to someone leave a note under his windshield. Why would they? He wondered, though, how whoever this was had known the car was his? It was a rental.
Crap.
Three weeks. That’s how long ago this started. In the beginning he’d thought it was a joke. Or maybe even a case of mistaken identity. But after it happened so many times he got the message someone was definitely on his case. And he had no idea who or why? Was it his sudden celebrity? He’d heard war stories about obsessed fans stalking authors, but usually they left love notes.
After slogging in the trenches with his first three books, he’d finally hit the best seller lists with Number Four and Number Five. This one, Deep Cover, had been in the Top Ten for five straight weeks. Apparently someone was determined not to let him enjoy it. Today’s incident was another in a long string that rattled his cage, despite his best efforts to ignore them.
It started with one note, sent to him in the mail. One sentence on a plain sheet of paper, typed on someone’s computer
I know what you did.
He had no idea who it was from. The postmark was Boston, but he was pretty sure none of the people he knew in that city would be sending him a message like this. He had a lot of readers from that area but he never gave out his address to them.
I know what you did.
What he did? What in hell had he done? He couldn’t think of anything so terrible someone would attack him this way.
That note was the beginning. In the past three weeks he found notes left every place for him. When he checked in at one of his hotels they had one waiting for him that had been left there at the front desk for him in an envelope. No, no one could remember who left it. In a restaurant he went to the rest room and when he came back there was a note at his place setting. And of course no one had noticed anyone leaving it. Then came two emails. When he tried to reply to them they bounced back.
This week he twice received a text on his cell phone. On his publisher’s advice he had two cell phone, one for business and one for personal. This came in on the personal one. How the fuck had anyone gotten that number? But again, when he tried to reply to see who this was came back undeliverable.
They all carried the same message: I know what you did.
He wasn’t a man easily intimidated but too many incidents in such a short time could sure make a person uneasy. Who the hell was doing this to him and why? Sure, he’d made his share of mistakes in life. Pissed some people off. But he didn’t think anything he’d done was bad enough to provoke this kind of stuff. And he realized someone was going to a lot of trouble to find out his schedule so they could do this.
He picked up the crumpled piece of paper he’d stuck in the console cup holder earlier, smoothed it out and looked at it again. None of the notes were hand written. They were either printed with marking pen or typed on a computer like this one.
I know what you did.
*~*~*
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March 4, 2018
Kryssie Fortune: Character Interview – Lady Elizabeth Blayneton from Wickedly Used
1. If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?
I’d visit all the sights in London that I’ve heard about but never seen. I’m not allowed out the house, you see. My Uncle August keeps me isolated in the hope that I’ll marry his son Frederick. The man stinks of hounds and gapes like a fish. I’d rather die a spinster than marry him.
2. What impression do you make on people when they first meet you? How about after they’ve known you for a while?
I don’t make an impression. I’m invisible, little more than a servant in a household that exists because of my fortune. I only have threadbare gray gowns. When visitors call on my cousins I’m banished to either my room or my stillroom. What with my silver blonde hair and my hideous gowns, I sometimes think my whole life is gray
3. What’s your idea of a good marriage? Do you think that’ll happen in your life?
I can’t marry without my uncle’s permission or until I turn thirty. Since I won’t marry Cousin Frederick, I’ll be an old maid before I can wed. If I ever find the opportunity, I’ll gladly give up virginity while I’m young enough to enjoy it.
4. What are you most proud of about your life?
My herbal skills. Before my parents were killed in a carriage accident, mama and I studied plants and their uses. Even my cousins want my potions. The good thing about that is I’m allowed out at dawn to collect herbs.
5. What about on a personal level?
Some people think my stubborn streak’s a bad thing – Uncle Augustus and my cousins among them. I don’t. I keep refusing to wed Frederick. Nothing could make me take him into my bed.
6. Do you think you’ve turned out the way your parents expected?
No. Papa made his will when my aunt was alive. She’d never have let Uncle Augustus treat me the way he does. Mamma and I were planning my come out when their carriage overturned and killed them. They wanted me to enjoy a couple of London Seasons, but obviously that never happened.
7. What would you like it to say on your tombstone?
She lived well, had fun, and helped those in need. It hurts that I can’t do any of that until I turn thirty and inherit my fortune. The only men who will want me then are fortune hunters. I want to live now, not in seven years’ time.
8. Describe your ideal mate.
I’d like a husband who sees me as I am and loves me for it. I don’t want my fortune to matter. I’d like him to be tall and dark-haired. Someone unafraid to stand up to Uncle Augustus. A dashing soldier maybe.
9. What are you most afraid of?
Dying a virgin – unloved and unwanted by anyone.
10. Are you lying to yourself about something? What is it?
I keep telling myself everything will work out find. Only deep down, I know it won’t. My solace is my herbs. If I concentrate on them and ways to heal people, then I can get through each day as it comes.
Wickedly Used
While he is no stranger to pleasurable company from ladies of the night, Major Richard Rothbury of the royal dragoons is not the kind of man who will stand idly by as a woman is taken against her will, and when he witnesses a disreputable cad attempting to force himself on a girl in a back alley, he does not hesitate to intervene.
But after the grateful young woman offers herself to Rothbury, he is shocked to discover that not only was she no harlot, she was a maiden and he has deflowered her. Furious at the girl’s scandalous behavior and her carelessness with her own safety, Rothbury chastises her soundly.
Though she is due to inherit one of the largest fortunes in England, the fact that she cannot touch the money until she marries or turns thirty has kept Elizabeth completely at the mercy of her cruel uncle, and for years she has been treated as if she were a servant. Her encounter with Lord Rothbury is by far the most exciting thing that has ever happened to her, but while he shows great concern for her safety, he refuses to believe that she is anything more than a serving girl.
Despite having made it clear that he doesn’t consider a match between them to be possible, when Elizabeth disobeys him Rothbury proves more than ready to strip her bare, punish her harshly, and then enjoy her beautiful body in the most shameful of ways. But can she dare to hope that he will one day make her his wife, or is she destined to spend her life being wickedly used?
March 3, 2018
Dagger — Read the opening pages! (Contest)
Dagger releases next week, and wouldn’t you know I’m running up to the last possible moment to get it finished and uploaded into KDP! Wish me luck! I’ll be writing my little fingers off today! Family obligations, which I’ve talked about here, put me way behind my schedule on EVERYTHING, so I’m scrambling, working long hours, and hoping I don’t let anyone down. In the meantime, I thought I’d share the opening “meet-cute” between my hero and heroine in the latest installment of my Montana Bounty Hunters series. Hope you enjoy! And there’s a contest—a bribe to make sure you read to the end! Want to win an Amazon gift card? Be sure to read on… 
Enjoy the excerpt!
Daniel “Dagger” Renfrew had been a lot of things—an Army Ranger, until he’d mouthed off one too many times to his CO and decided mustering out was better for his long-term aspirations than spending time in Leavenworth; a Seattle beat cop, until he’d gotten bored spending his nights sitting in a squad car in front of corner gas stations; a PI, until he’d informed the wife of the man who’d hired him that hubby was looking for the goods to violate their pre-nup, so she better sue for divorce first; and now, a bounty hunter, which, so far, suited his ADD proclivities. And, in his job, he didn’t look for the easy takedowns. He liked lying in mud or snow with his binoculars trained on a window, hoping for a glimpse of the dirtbag whose mugshot he carried in his hip pocket. If they were badasses—all the better. Dagger preferred when assholes tried to run, because then he’d have an excuse to mix it up, get physical, and blow off steam in an all-out brawl—when the situation warranted, of course.
However, he hadn’t had a job like that in a while. So, in his off-hours, he looked for cheap thrills—sweet-talking easy women out of their clothes or taking repo jobs from the local car dealership.
This morning, he was “reacquiring” a 2014 silver Nissan Altima with a fluffy steering wheel and pom-poms hanging from the rear-view mirror. After verifying the make and model, he strolled as nonchalantly as a man in black tactical pants and boots and a black GORE-TEX jacket could toward the vehicle parked in a condo driveway. Once past the driveway, he ducked low, out of sight of the bay windows in the front of the unit, and sidled up to the Nissan, close enough he could dart up, clear snow from the front windshield, and read the VIN number etched into the corner of the dashboard. After checking with the VIN in the cryptic text message from the dealership’s finance department, he ducked again and reached into his pocket for the key fob he’d picked up from Stuey Higginbotham, who’d called him about the job. He pressed the button, wincing when he accidently hit it twice, beeping the car alarm loud enough a dog in the distance began barking.
So now, stealth was out the door. Dagger cussed, hoping the woman who owned the car didn’t have a boyfriend with a shotgun beside the bed. He straightened, opened the car door, and shoved a small suitcase from the front seat to the passenger side and slid quickly into the car. Not a good move, because the woman who drove the car was obviously short, and his knees banged the dash as he felt for the sliding button to move back the seat and lower it. Seconds ticked by, and he riveted his gaze on the condo’s front door.
A curtain shifted in the window next to the door. A woman’s face, framed by something, maybe a towel, peered through the glass.
“Sorry, sweetheart.” He grinned and punched the ignition.
The door slammed open.
He pushed the gear shift into reverse, but not before he noted she wore a bathrobe that parted as she ran down the front steps, exposing well-toned legs clothed in skin-tight black leggings. Brown and cream polka dots spotted her face in a pattern. Her large blue eyes delivered a glacier glare.
Something about her…
His eyes narrowed, and his foot remained on the brake a second too long.
She slapped the hood of the car then came up beside the driver’s side window, her hands clapping against the glass. “No, you don’t, you bastard. That’s my car!”
He took a second. The towel around her head masked her long blonde hair. The creamy polka dots distracted from her lovely cheekbones and stubborn chin, but those eyes and those legs…? He hit the button to lower the window. He knew the moment she recognized him.
Her jaw sagged. “Dag? What the hell are you doing in my car?”
“Not your car anymore, Cupcake.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t call me that. And what do you mean it’s not my car?”
“It’s the dealership’s? Or the finance company’s. Don’t care which.”
“But it’s my car, Dag. You can’t take my car.” Her eyes widened.
Dag saw the shimmer of tears. But he knew that tactic. Knew how often she’d gotten out of speeding tickets and detention hall throughout high school, just flashing those big baby blues and adding a chin wobble that made most men turn to mush.
The wobble started.
At the sight, he nearly groaned. “Take it up with Stuey at Higginbotham Used Cars.”
Her hands fisted on her hips. “And just how the hell am I supposed to get there?”
He shrugged. “Not my problem.” He broke from her glare and adjusted the rearview mirror, any excuse to avoid looking at the woman who’d been the Prom Queen to his Prom King. Back then, they’d had the world at their feet.
She clutched the edge of his window in a white-knuckled grip. “Stop, you can’t leave without me. I have to talk to Stuey. Give me a minute to change.”
“No can do. I have to drop off the car then head to the day job.”
Her eyebrows rose. “This is your side gig?”
Giving a shrug, he let his foot off the brake, and the car inched backward. “Have to go, Lace.”
Her hands curled into fists, and she ran around the front of the car, circling to the passenger-side door.
Afraid he’d run over her pretty heeled boots, he stopped. She tugged on the door handle, but he stared through the glass, schooling his expression, careful not to give her a clue what he was thinking. Certainly not the fact he was enjoying the heck out of seeing her this rattled.
Again, she tried the handle, and then slapped the glass. “Let me inside!”
Maybe she saw that he wasn’t giving an inch. Again, she ran—this time to the back of the car. She spread her arms wide and leaned over the trunk, her tiny frame so short only the top of her face appeared in the rear window.
Exasperated now, Dagger glanced around the quiet street. Doors were opening.
A large man in a grimy wifebeater and jockey shorts strode out of his door, wearing a dark scowl.
Dagger knew he had to get the hell out of the neighborhood. And he also knew he’d blown a clean getaway. Stuey would have his ass for bringing Lacey to the dealership before it opened, but Dagger could tell from Lacey’s steady glare she wasn’t moving any time soon. He tapped the door lock.
Lacey came around the side and slipped into the passenger seat, lifting the suitcase onto her lap and holding it against her chest.
As he pulled out of the driveway, he let out a big breath. Sitting next to his ex was not how he’d planned to spend his morning. Picking up a check from Stuey, heading to the Bear Lodge Bakery for a fresh kolache and a cup of coffee while he flirted with the seventy-year-old owner, Gladys Morton, and then making his way to the office—those events had been the plan.
From the corner of his eye, he watched Lacey as she drew calming breaths, her chin tilting high. He’d bet anything she’d forgotten about the towel and the polka dots.
“Almost didn’t recognize you,” he drawled.
Her chin jutted higher. “I don’t think I’ve changed all that much. You obviously haven’t.”
He shot her a glance, pointedly staring at the towel and the cream globs.
“Oh!” She flipped down the passenger-side sun visor to look into the mirror. “Damn, can you slow down? I need about ten minutes to fix this.”
“Like I said… Not my problem.” He pressed on the gas pedal and turned onto Main, passing the bakery and the scent of fresh bread. His stomach growled as he glanced into the shop window and spotted Gladys behind the counter.
“Yeah, you haven’t changed a bit,” she said under her breath, turning the case and flicking open the locks.
When she opened the top, he realized it was a makeup case crammed full of what had to be her “essential” beauty products. From the corner of his eye, he watched as she picked up an odd-shaped sponge and began to work on blending the light cream dots under her eyes and across her brow bone. Then she sought a brush and worked on the darker dots, swiping them under her cheeks and under her jaw. When she finished, her skin looked as flawless as a doll’s. Thing was, the woman had never needed all that goop on her face. Lacey Jones inherited her mother’s looks, and Dorothea Brownfield-Jones was still a beautiful woman. He’d seen her around town.
As Lacey continued to don her “armor”, Dag thought back to the countless times he’d watched her touch up her makeup before he’d dropped her home after a date. Flushed face hidden behind powder, swollen lips masked by a swipe of nude lipstick…
When she was satisfied with her face, she unwrapped the towel from her hair, combed her fingers through the long, wheat-blonde strands and pouted her lips to apply a “friendly” peach shade. Then she wrestled off the bathrobe, revealing a soft powder-blue sweater underneath. One that lovingly hugged her curvy chest.
He forced his sideways glance to her face again. “Practicing that pout for Stuey?” he murmured.
“Girl’s gotta use what God gave her,” she muttered.
He frowned as the question niggling at the back of his brain wouldn’t let him go. “So, Lace, why did I receive a repo order for your car?”
Her lower lip protruded before she glanced away.
Realization dawned, and he nearly crowed. “Baby, what happened? Did Daddy finally cut you off?”
She placed the case at her feet on the floorboard. “Your turn’s coming up.”
Her deflection answered his question. Well, well… He’d never thought the judge would show the backbone to teach his little princess a life lesson. “You went to college. Why can’t you make your own payment? You went where? Northwestern? Fancy college like that, why are you back here in Bear Lodge, anyway?”
“My situation is none of your business, Dagger Renfrew. And you have no room to judge me. We share the same damn zip code.” A sudden frown marred her brow. “You missed your damn turn.”
Dagger shook his head. “I don’t remember you having such a potty mouth—outside of sex, that is. Still haven’t answered my question. Why are you back in Bear Lodge?”
Her mouth pursed. “I went to Northwestern—I just didn’t…finish.”
Better and better. Keeping amusement from his voice, he asked, “You flunked out?”
Her face reddened.
He smacked his hand on the steering wheel. “You did! Huh. I’m surprised. You were always on the honor roll. What happened? You enjoy the Greek life a little too much?”
Her shoulders slumped. “I got bored.”
She said it in such a little voice, he almost didn’t hear her. She got bored? She’d had a free ride to college, and she blew it. No wonder her daddy wasn’t happy. “But that happened years ago. What have you been doing since?”
“Enough about me.” She turned her head to give him a steady glare. “What about you? What are you doing back in Bear Lodge? Thought you were eager to see the world. Thought that was why you joined the Army.”
He shrugged. That was only part of the reason he’d left. “I saw part of the world.”
“Heard you were in Iraq.”
He tightened his jaws. “Yup. Not gonna talk about it.”
“And you’re back now. In Bear Lodge.”
Christ, she was like a pit-bull tugging a rope. “I’ve got a job. One I like. I’m getting reacquainted with old friends. Funny who you run into when you’re bounty hunting or repossessing a car.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “You’re a bounty hunter?”
“Uh huh.”
She paused for a few seconds. “Does it pay well?”
“Does, if you’re willing to go after the worst of the worst and don’t mind getting dirty.” He turned into the used car lot. “We’re here. Better get those tears going, sweetheart.”
Stuey Higginbotham’s jaw sagged as Lacey sauntered through the back door leading into the office area.
The fluffy blue sweater hugged her assets and ended at the top of her hips, which were displayed in skintight leggings that didn’t hide the sweet curve of her bottom or the shape of her femininity in front. An attribute Dagger enjoyed viewing in other women, but for some reason, seeing her sex outlined irritated him. He wanted to reach past her and grip Stuey by the neck until his gaze lifted to meet Lacey’s eyes. Eyes she’d coated in sparkly blue and outlined in black eyeliner that extended beyond her lids like Cleopatra’s.
“Hi, Stuey,” she said.
Her voice was as soft as a shy little girl’s and slightly breathless. Oh, brother. Already, Dagger watched Stuey’s face flush and his pupils overtake his mud-brown irises. And was that a touch of drool at the corner of his mouth?
“Good morning, Miss Jones.” Stuey swallowed. The son of the owner, he had plenty of power to decide which way this situation would go.
Dagger was pretty sure Lacey had already won.
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March 2, 2018
Kate McKeever: Libraries
When was the last time you went to a library? And for what purpose?
Like most readers, I love libraries, but at one point began to worry that the institution of libraries would become extinct, what with the advent of ebooks and news and information literally at our fingertips via computers. News stories also hinted at the likelihood of libraries closing their doors, limiting their hours or becoming obsolete. But, with great ingenuity, the libraries in my area have reinvented themselves.
Libraries of earlier centuries may have provided access to newspapers and books but these institutions were only accessible to paid subscribers. Then public libraries started popping up in cities, followed by more rural areas. In my neck of the woods, librarians carted books in saddlebags and rode mountain trails to deliver books to families in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Then, as roads became more widespread and reliable, book mobiles started their routes, bringing books to people who might not be able to make it to town and the local library.
Nowadays, libraries offer so many programs, including literacy programs, crafts and afterschool activities, as well as computer time and, of course, books and news through papers and magazines. Most of this is a result of industrious librarians finding out what the public needed and wanted from them and finding ways, including funding, to provide.
As a writer, I obviously hope that readers will buy my books, but to be honest, one of the greatest thrills I had when I first started publishing was finding my book in a public library. So, even while I purchase my books and ebooks, as well as audio, I will continue going to the library on occasion, whether it’s to research a topic, try out a new author or to simply smell the aroma of books!
About the Author
Kate McKeever was born and raised in the south and spent her childhood rambling in the woods and reading, often at the same time. She spent a lot of time in libraries as a volunteer and reader, then as a perennial student, so her mother thought. She tried several careers before settling down on her current one. Writing is a passion and joy. Kate loves to write sweet contemporary and paranormal romances. Check out her books at Amazon!
March 1, 2018
Victoria Pinder: Character Interview from Secret Tryst (Contest)
Damien Morgan and Serenity Hanscom were asked a few questions before I wrote Secret Tryst so these are their answers when I was getting to know these characters and why they were going to be perfect for each other.
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Serenity: To be left alone. Growing up it was my favorite time when my parents or sister were so self involved that no one cared what I did. As a spa owner, I teach people how to be alone in their thoughts and to let perfect happiness in. We don’t need anything in life and expectations are often what hurts. I wish more people understood this.
Damien: Being with my family, winning the game against my brother or anyone who thinks they can challenge me. Life is about winning in all things. I hated my father but he knew how to win, and perfect happiness comes from proving yourself the best.
2. What is your greatest extravagance?
Serenity: It’s probably my pretty pocketbooks. A friend of mine designs shoes for fun but when she makes me a pair, I just need to find the perfect compliment. Most of my clothes are single color but the pop of life my pocketbook and shoes brings always helps me feel fashionable. My mother wanted me to be a debutante so this is my ode to her I guess.
Damien: Let’s see. I own a plane, multiple properties around the world, but at least four times I year I still crave to be in Paris so I fly back.
3. What is your current state of mind?
Serenity: I don’t want to own it but I am stressed. My father was arrested for crimes he absolutely committed. My sister chose to follow in his path and she’s in jail, awaiting trial. She tried to kill a woman named Alice Collins because she had some vendetta against the Morgans. My mother is in the hospital and I’ve been invited to a Morgan wedding. I probably shouldn’t go, but my spa could use the publicity.
Damien: Current? I’m good. I moved to Miami to stay close to my family. I bought a mansion near my old man’s old place to show him that even the boys from the wrong side of the bed deserve the best. I have everything I want. Nothing could go wrong.
4. What is the quality you most like in a man or woman of the opposite sex?
Serenity: Reliability and honesty. My partner in life if I ever find him doesn’t have to be handsome or rich. He needs to have a job and respect that I own my business without being jealous, but honestly I’d like to just come home to some guy and be in his arms and know he’s there for me, no matter what happens.
Damien: The perfect woman would of course be beautiful on the outside but she’ll accept my family and get along with my mother. I don’t believe love exists or that there is one man for every woman. I’m not a fool. But I guess if there is one quality I’d like besides beauty it’s compatibility. She’ll need to accept my life style.
5. When and where were you happiest?
Serenity: Opening my first spa on my own. I worked and saved every dime I ever made. Fortunately I was able to do that because when the Feds came after my father, I kept my spa free and clear of any of his criminal activities. No one thought a spa would ever be a good investment but I’ve proven that very wrong.
Damien: I guess as a boy in Paris, before my sister was kidnapped. I remember a few Christmas’ where I believed in family and that life was beautiful.
6. Where would you most like to live?
Serenity: I don’t know. I’ve lived in 10 cities in 3 years opening spas. I would like to settle down and not travel so much, but I don’t want to just move home to Georgia either. So I’d just like to be somewhere where I can have my feet up and not stress.
Damien: Near my brothers and mother. Right now that’s Miami and I bought my new home. They are the only people I’ve ever been able to ever have my back, and I can go to Paris anytime I wish.
7. What do you most value in your friends?
Serenity: Their integrity and honesty. Kiwi, my best friend, is super talented and smart as a whip. But it’s her belief that we need to be honest even with ourselves and everyone we meet that I really admire.
Damien: My best friend is probably my brother Galen. He’s cynical I suppose, but he’s also the most trustworthy person I ever met.
8. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Serenity: I guess off the top of my head it would be Florence Nightingale. She helped people physically and I hope my spas help people relax mentally. I don’t know if I’d be a very good nurse during a war, but she was smart enough to see how to help people and to keep things sanitary. So I admire her.
Damien: John D. Rockefeller. He was a self made man, believed 100% in himself and proved he was capable of anything. He was smart enough to own every piece of the oil processing field, though my father would say we were somehow related to JP Morgan. Perosnally though, Rockerfeller’s strong belief in himself really tugs at my heart.
9. What is your greatest regret?
Serenity: I guess letting my parents control my life when I was younger. I wanted to please them when I should have focused more on pleasing myself.
Damien: That I didn’t have a chance to murder my father myself. We now know he was the one that kidnapped my baby sister and took her away from us. If he wasn’t already dead, he’d absolutely be now.
10. What is your motto?
Serenity: My motto? If you are peaceful within, you are peaceful in life.
Damien: Strange question. Winners prove themselves successful without talking about it. So just do it.
And this character interview really helped me understand my two characters. They had commonalities but they had a lot of differences. ~VP
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