Addison Moore's Blog, page 55

The Tuesday Tease plus a special preview of my New Adult book!

Welcome back to the Tuesday Tease!
I’m still waiting on edits for TOXIC Part Two so I’ve been keeping busy with edits for SOMEONE TO LOVE. Ack! I didn’t post a special tease this past week—please forgive! I swear that book is so freaking hot I’m afraid to touch it half the time. Honestly, if Marshall offends you in the least, you’ll want to steer clear, because my new male MC, Cruise, brings the heat in a big way. It’s definitely not young adult. As for TOXIC 2 I’m expecting it to land in my hands any minute now and when it does I’ll polish around the clock and begin my marathon read-thrus. I really hope I’ll get this book to you exceptionally soon. I long to give you the complete TOXIC experience!
Off to the teasers!!
(Skyla with Logan and Gage)
We drive through miles of fresh paved asphalt—the black tongue of Paragon unspooling itself for an eternity. It feels like this could easily be last year. That I had just arrived on the island and started going out with Logan—that Gage was here posturing with his pent up feelings and a poem at the ready, warm in his pocket. It’s funny how life comes full circle sometimes. Funny thing is, it’s not the beginning, it very much feels like the end of a very long season in my life. It breaks my heart just to think about it.
(Skyla, Logan, Brielle, and Gage)
Logan casts a glance from me to Gage with a look that could transform butter knives into lethal weapons. Not even the deafening waves can penetrate the silence.“Did I say something wrong?” Bree knots up her lips trying to decipher what the deal is. Hell if I know. Gage is a liar, and Logan is the thief that took off with my heart—jammed a war between the two of us because it was the only logical solution. Nothing ever makes sense on Paragon. 
(Lizbeth and Marshall talk about the party he’s going to throw)
“I can hardly wait.” Mom sags into him dreamily as if he had offered to inseminate her himself. “Demetri sort of opened the season and now you’ll usher us out.”“In style. This is no bikini romp by the pool. Prepare to be dazzled. The menu will astound you.” He washes his eyes over me as if I were the main course. It’s a betrothal ceremony, Skyla. A coming out of sorts to Sector society. And you will dazzle them all, of this you can be certain.

A brief introduction to my New Adult book: 
                  SOMEONE TO LOVE
What happens when two people who don’t believe in love happen to fall madly, deeply into the most beautiful relationship they could ever imagine? A train wreck.
Twenty-year old Kendall Jordan devises a seat of the pants plan to “play the player.”
When Kendall spots gorgeous Cruise Elton from across the room, something in her burns to have him. There’s only one problem; Cruise likes the ladies, a lot, and Kendall has never shared so much as a decent kiss with a guy.
Kendall has long since come to discover that love is an illusion that never lasts and Cruise couldn’t agree more. So when Kendall proposes that Cruise tutor her in becoming a female version of himself, Garrison Universities own man-whore, he’s more than happy to comply. But when real feelings begin to emerge, and neither Kendall nor Cruise know how to classify them, everything they once thought they knew is redefined as they discover in one another, Someone to Love.

* The book alternates POV between Kendall and Cruise.
(Kendall and Cruise at a bar) 
Cruise
She frowns and scans the room. “I don’t know. I was thinking about having a fire sale with my virginity. You know, get it over with so I can start mishandling the boys at Garrison.” She gives a quick wink. I shake my head at her. I think we both know she’s not that person—that she never really was. But maybe all she needs is one more push in the wrong direction to realize it. I just hope once she does she also realizes she might have feelings for me. Because what I’m feeling is too wonderfully large, too fucking fantastic too ever be one-sided. “Body shots.” I pull my cheek back no smile. “Lesson for the day is letting some slopped up, drunk, virally hormone induced frat boy lick your stomach clean.” I try to hold back a laugh but my back shudders. If that doesn’t send her running for the hills I don’t know what will.


***Thank you for reading~! Please feel free to leave a comment here or facebook~! I look forward to chatting with you!

Tuesday Teasers + TOXIC Part Two News

Welcome back to the Tuesday Tease~! TOXIC Part Two has landed on my editor’s desk!!! *breathes* *jumps up and down* Hopefully she’ll pull off a miracle and get it back to me around the weekend. Once I hit publish on TOXIC 2, ETHEREAL KNIGHTS (Ethereal from Logan and Gage’s perspective) is ready for final edits. The boys are patiently waiting for a chance to speak.  Questions? Since I’m getting ready to pen the final Celestra book I thought this might be a good time to get any questions you might want answered. If you have a burning question that you’d like to see addressed in the last book, feel free to post it on my FB wall, or my blog, or you could private message or email me. Any of those avenues is fine.Ezrina speaks this Thursday~! She’ll be on another blog to help usher in Halloween and what’s scarier than our own little hatchet princess? I’ll be sure to leave a trail of links. It’s too fun to miss, I promise.I’ll be doing a special teaser later this week for my new book Someone to Love and I cannot wait to share Kendall and Cruise with you! It’s a college setting and life is a little naughtier there, be warned. But for now, here are the teasers:
Enjoy~!
TOXIC Part Two (Sorry if there are repeats. The "used" file has left me to my own devices. It's corrupted.)  (Skyla trying to get Marshall to find a head in the woods)
“I don’t know. Aren’t you equip with some kind of spiritual sonar? Use your infrared graveyard vision and look for a skull or blood—go.” I bat at him. “Go get her. I’m sure there’s at least a ten mile radius of forensic evidence.” Freaking Chloe. I’d like to reduce her to a head—mount her in my bedroom and throw darts at her nose every single night.“Sonar? Infrared graveyard vision? Perhaps you’ve mistaken me for the crime investigations chapter of Sector P.D. a rather elite group of graveyard go getters.”

(Skyla and Gage)
“You’re a real inter-planet ace,” I say, breathless from his display of teleportation prowess as I take in the dark brooding scenery of the Cape. “And all that in under a minute.”“I can’t wait to show you what I can do in one night,” he says it serious, shakes his head just barely as if pleading for the opportunity.

(Skyla and Logan)
The moon pours its beams over us and dusts the water with a reflective luminescent bloom. “Girls’ tents,” Logan points to the left, “boys’ tents.” He crimps a smile. “That lasts for about an hour.”

Thank you for all the kind comments and reviews, you've left, regarding TOXIC Part One ~! I really appreciate them. 
Have questions you'd like to see answered in the series? Feel free to ask!

Tuesday Teasers + TOXIC Part One is available~!

Welcome back to the Tuesday Tease~!  TOXIC Part One released a little earlier than expected!
Amazon,  Barnes and Noble, Smashwords  


What happened, right? Well, sometimes babies arrive early and I guess in this case book-babies are no different.
When I uploaded EPHEMERAL I uploaded 3 days in advance for Barnes and Noble and two days in advance at Amazon, and they both ended up loading late. SO, trying to circumvent that from happening, I loaded both books even earlier, 4 days out for B&N and 3 days out for Amazon. Well, Amazon loaded in just over an hour. Go figure, right? B&N also loaded shortly thereafter. I guess it’s better early than late. So there’s that.
News! I’m on track with edits for TOXIC Part Two and should have them back for a final review to my editor next Monday. *squeals*
*TOXIC Part Two is a fun, freak-fest, and the ending… well, it’s heart-stopping in nature. But that’s just my humble opinion. ;)
News: Ezrina MacHatter speaks! That’s right , our hack attack princess gets her very own POV. I hope you’ll join me in traveling back to 1692 and seeing the world through Ezrina’s warped lenses. I’ll be sharing a scene from Ezrina’s yet untitled book from a chapter called, The Season of The Witch. It’ll be up on a friend’s blog sometime this month and I’ll give you the link once it comes out.   
Questionable News: (LOL) Christmas story! Will it be out in time for the holidays? I hope so, but I wouldn’t count after the New Year out of the running either. I’m going to try super hard to push SOMEONE TO LOVE out in time for the holidays since there is a touch of Christmas in it. (This isn’t my adult romance. That one is safely nestled on my editor’s desk.) SOMEONE TO LOVE is not quite a warm and fuzzy delight as it is a lusty romp of a ride—reader beware. This is not young adult. ;)
I’ll be giving an extended preview of SOMEONE TO LOVE next week, with or without a cover. I cannot wait to share this new book with you~!

On to the teasers!
Here’s the preface to TOXIC Part One:
 Preface
Love can play host to rich delusions. It stifles reality and skews the truth to meet our insatiable desire to be wanted, longed for, needed. It waxes poetic on destiny and soul mates with thoughts of forever and happily ever after pinned high on its wings. Love affords you the luxury of a unique brand of trust, an intimate level of confidence that solidifies two souls as one. It unifies them under the false banner of all things holy and right. I gave my heart away in exchange for beauty and a song. I put a hook through my nose and leashed it, handed the reins to the one who held my affections and gave him permission to lead me astray. It was the scourge of my youth that bore a thousand different sorrows.  Deceit. The grey clouds of deceit clotted my world. The battlefield moved from heaven to my heart. It came at me from all directions at once—an entire landscape of smoke and mirrors. Deception in acres spawned heartache for miles. This was no ordinary illusion. This was the severing of a lover’s cord. The death of a pure and righteous love I believed in.I bought into the calm still waters that surrounded the one that I loved and entered in, but the current pulled me under and swept me away—dangerous—inescapable. A rainbow of truths finally emerged. It pushed the darkness away and thrust us back into the light.We held our faces to the sun only for a moment before death clapped over us like a bridegroom snatching away his betrothed. Death is a promise incapable of deception.  It tells the truth. You were destined to die from the moment you were born. It makes no promises, holds no delusions. Your corporal form was never meant to linger—only love, in theory, is capable of withstanding time and memoriam.Love promises happily ever after, it boldly professes forever—but delivers only one thing—a reckless brand of hope.


***TOXIC Part Two (sorry if there are any repeats my “used” file is corrupted)***

(Skyla thinking about Logan)
“I still love you, Logan,” I press the words out with my heart. “I will never stop. I don’t know what you did to me that day I met you in the bowling alley—or before that in my dreams but you shifted my entire existence on its axis. I will never recover. I will always need you, deeply—completely.”
(Skyla in a pickle)
Trust only your heart, my mother’s strange words come back to me at this odd hour, and strangely enough, right about now, my heart is saying don’t trust your mother. 
*(Skyla to Marshall)
“So where are you going to sleep?” I already know the answer but I figure we should have our first lovers spat while I’m still bright eyed and bushy tailed and not wait until I’m so exhausted I don’t care whether or not his heavenly bod is snuggled up to mine.
(Skyla and Gage)
“What was that about?” Gage digs his dimples in and slays me without trying. “You tell me.” I try not to get caught up in the fact he just wrapped his arms around me, that he’s dotting my neck with a series of molten hot kisses. Gage Oliver doesn’t fight fair, that’s for damn sure.

(Wes and Skyla in the Tenebrous Woods)
Wesley dreams of his Laken—her long wavy hair, the barely there skirt of her cheer uniform. She sways her hips for him on the football field. She’s not good by the way. Brielle could have aced those moves in her ninth month of pregnancy if she wanted.She’s very good, he corrects.


***Thank you so much for your outpouring of support for TOXIC Part One all over Facebook and Twitter. You made me cry in a good way. If you enjoyed Book 7, please consider leaving a brief review, even a sentence is so very much appreciated! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ~A

TOXIC Part One arrives a bit early!

Amazon rolled it out in an hour~! (It took days last time!)
Link: TOXIC Part One

Barns and Noble is on the ball, too~!
Link: TOXIC Part One

Smashwords
Link: TOXIC Part One

Tuesday Tease + Toxic Part One release date~!

Welcome back to the Tuesday Tease! TOXIC Part One is FINISHED. Finally! Right?  The official launch date is… ~**Thursday October 11th!**~

I’ll be loading the book to Amazon and Barnes and Noble days ahead of time, because it takes days and days for them to aggregate it into their system and I’m trying to avoid the loading issues I’ve encountered in the past. Smashwords and itunes takes a little longer so it won’t be available there on the 11th.  Just a refresher, TOXIC as a whole was far too long for just one book (it mostly has to do with paper books of which I do plan on creating in the near future ;). My editor informed me (once she finished laughing) that I had two books on my hands so we chopped it in half. Well, mostly in half. I ended TOXIC Part One where I thought it was best. Anyway, it’s on its way!TOXIC Part Two has already been through the ringer as far as edits go it needs just a little more work before I can push it out and I’m hoping *crosses fingers* before Halloween but don’t hold me to it. It might be way sooner if Skyla and friends don’t make things difficult for me. Both TOXIC Part One and TOXIC Part Two are book 7. They are not the end of the Celestra series. Once I push Part Two out the door I’ll start penning the end. And, if I end with another monster on my hands I’m giving them separate titles and numbers because quite frankly the idea of having another part one and two fries my brain. But anyway, after Celestra concludes I’m moving Skyla to another series. More on that next year. ;)On to the teasers…
(*Skyla and Ellis)
“So now I guess I’m screwed.” I give a hard sigh, bringing my hands to my ears because I can’t take much more of this.“There is a way.” Ellis comes over and drapes his arm over my shoulder. “I’ve got an idea.”“What’s that?” I look up at him with an intense measure of hope. The fact the prospect of my future lies in the hands of Paragon’s most notorious stoner makes me sway slightly on my heels.   
(Skyla thinking about Gage)
Gage swoops in. His cologne reduces me to cinders without even trying. Every fiber of my being cries foul. This is mutiny on a cellular level. I forbid my body to act so viscerally toward someone who I willfully despise on a cerebral level. Back off hormones, I reprimand. I will go Celestra all over your estrogen ass if you even think of surging with excitement.I’ve just threatened to kick my own ass and yet somehow this doesn’t alarm me. With the scope of insanity that’s gripped my life as of late, providing myself with a substantial beating seems both mandatory and necessary at this point.
*(Skyla and Lizbeth (mom)
“What’s cooking?” I ask, peering over Mom’s shoulder at a bubbling brew in what honest to God could double as a witch’s cauldron. Witchcraft, poison cuisine, her insatiable lust for Demetri the Celestra hunter—all clear evidence that my mother ditched her sanity once my father died. Her union with Tad should have tipped me off that permanent placement in a psychiatric facility was completely necessary.  

*(Skyla and Marshall)
I needed to kiss him. I was going to explode if I didn’t kiss Gage, splatter over all four corners of the island if I didn’t jam my tongue down his throat just to satisfy my parched affections for him. It’s me, Skyla, do try to focus on the suitor at hand,Marshall suggests while pleasuring me with a kiss I wont soon forget.

*(Skyla and Logan)
Logan cradles my face in his hands and pulls me in. I can feel his ache to kiss me deeply. His entire being draws me in and I give. There’s not one cell in my body that suggests otherwise, just the sweet anticipation of his precious lips as I wait for them to fall over mine.
Hope you enjoyed!
Also, thank you for all of your wonderful support and awesome reviews for EPHEMERAL (The Countenance). I can’t wait to dive back into Laken’s world.If you haven’t read it and you’re interested it’s available at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords and also on itunes.

The Tuesday Tease plus Logan Oliver's POV

Welcome back to the Tuesday Tease! Guess what? TOXIC Part One is back in my hands! And shockingly, the edits are less than minor. It’s going to be ~quick~. Then all I need to do a series of psychotic read-thru’s. That’s where I lose sleep and forego food so I can marathon read until my eyeballs bleed. And guess what else? My husband came through and finished the covers for both Part One and Part Two~! I should be debuting both those in the next few days. *happy dance* It’s all finally coming together. As soon as I kick Part One out the door I’ll attack Part Two (it’s mostly all edited).  Okay, I have a really BIG surprise and I’m hoping you’ll love it as much as I do. I’ve completed one of my secret projects…ETHEREAL KNIGHTS (The Olivers). It’s ETHEREAL retold from Logan and Gage’s perspective and it’s…well, a bit steamy. I let the boys run wild so turn up the AC ladies, Gage is not shy. I’ll send it to my editor as soon as I can. It’s a full-length novel and ideally I’d like to put it out back to back with TOXIC Part Two.BTW, my contemporary romance is with one of my editors as we speak and hopefully I’ll do a jacket blurb and cover reveal soon. On to the teasers! Here’s one Marshall tease and then an entire scene from ETHEREAL KNIGHTS from Logan’s perspective. It’s the scene where he and Skyla visit the Falls of Virtue. It falls right after this scene: click here.Enjoy~!
(Skyla and Marshall discussing her biological mother )
“She is insane,” I scream, standing in the middle of Marshall’s living room.He jabs a finger in the direction of the fireplace and it roars to life in one giant blaze. “Of course she’s insane. That would be your genealogy by the way.” Marshall points to the ceiling and the lights dim, music filters in through the air. He holds out a hand and I absentmindedly take it.“She just basically declared open season on my vagina,” I say, leaning into Marshall’s chest as we begin to slow dance. “I mean one conjugal visit and we’re as good as married?”“It needs to be consensual.” He insists. “Of course, the bride price still needs to be paid but these days all that amounts to is a clerical fee at the county court house,” Marshall rambles.

ETHEREAL KNIGHTS (An Oliver Novel)
Logan’s POV

The Falls of Virtue are a testament to the Master’s glory like nothing else I’ve ever seen—until I met Skyla.The fog skirts by our feet at this heightened elevation as I lead us down to the waterline where the view is best. There they are—three falls, each perfectly spaced across the back of the hillside. We watch as they rain down with fury and passion into the open mouth of the lake. It’s a heated exchange, pulsating and throbbing, something just this side of erotic. It’s so blatantly beautiful here. It makes you feel as if you’ve accidentally landed in paradise.“Wow.” She looks up at a rainbow just beyond the peak and a laugh gets trapped in her throat. “It’s…” Skyla struggles with words. Her lips part. It takes all of my self-control not to dive down over her mouth and cover it with my own.“You have unicorns here too?” She laughs.“Not at this location. They prefer the higher elevations where it snows.” I bite my lip until it feels like I might draw blood. I’m having serious withdrawals from kissing her, and yet, I don’t want her to think I dragged her all the way up here to maul her. But God, how I would love to maul her. “So that’s where the water comes from?”“Year round.” I knock my head back trying to ignore the fact I’m starting to get the shakes just looking at her.She heads out toward the edge of the lake, the water nearly lapping over her shoes. I step beside her and wrap an arm around her waist, safely from her skin so she doesn’t feel like I’m trying to listen in.“This is where I want to get married someday.” Her face ignites with color. She swallows hard as if realizing what she just let slip. “Gage said I was going to marry him.” She averts her eyes as if the theory were more than laughable.Everything in me goes numb—the expression bleeds from my face.A thousand thoughts assault me all at once.  “So it must be true,” I whisper. Gage—this was his girl—his dream come to life. He knew it and he didn’t tell me. He gave her the knife and she gutted me without even knowing. But this is Skyla, the Celestra that stole my heart with one bat of her lash. The minute she set foot on Paragon, she lit up my universe with her smile. To hell with Gage and his weepy eyed dreams. I’m not letting go. If he wants her—if he wants his unblemished “prognosticating” track record to continue, he’ll have to go through me to get her.  “I’m not marrying Gage.” She spits it out as if it were a fact—as if she had any say in it at all. “I thought it was funny,”—she shakes her head—“Brielle thinks maybe he has a crush on me.”“He does.” I can’t seem to break my deer in the headlights gaze. “Anyway,” she breathes, “I’m not into him.” She pauses, waving her hand over my face to capture my attention. “I’m into you.”And there it is. Just the words I needed to break the spell. A smile curves on the edge of my lips and everything in me aches to kiss her. “I’m into you,” I say, pulling her in close. Skyla with her out of the box wicked beauty. I want to run my tongue over every inch of her, devour her in one quick bite—swallow her down. I sweep my lips over hers and an involuntary groan wrenches from me. We kiss in waves of heated passion. We drink down the wine of new love by the vat full. This is meaningful. This is right, and for damn sure it’s meant to be. Every angel on earth and in heaven can testify to the truth of what’s unfolding between us. I love kissing Logan, Skyla’s mind reels with lust. Kissing Logan at the Falls of Virtue is like stepping into a fairytale. Suddenly I’m transported to a land with dragons and villains. Of course, I’m the princess, which in turn makes Logan the perfect prince. I pull back and dot the tip of her nose with my lips. “You up for a swim, princess?” Her mouth falls open at the realization I read her thoughts. “I don’t have my bathing suit.” She gives a sexy as hell smile and the bulge in my jeans rises to salute her.“Swim in your underwear, or without. Your choice.” Choose without. I relax my grip around her sweater, too bad she didn’t hear my preference. “I don’t have a towel.” It comes out pressured and gives away the fact she’s not so hot on the idea. “I have a few in the truck for emergencies.” No point in letting her off so easy. I try to hide the grin wanting to take over.Skyla licks her lips, slow in one clean sweep, like she’s trying to seduce me. “Does this qualify as an emergency?”“It’s the only one I know of.” My jeans tighten just below the hips and I turn slightly so I don’t stab her in the leg with my newfound protrusion and send her running for the hills. “I’ll stay in my boxers.” I hold up a hand, swearing to my declaration. She takes a heated breath as if a preview of what’s to come just swirled through her mind like some wild porno flick. Not that I plan on doing anything wildly pornographic with her. In fact, I plan on taking it slow—doing things right. This isn’t some dime a dozen girl I’ve latched onto at one of Ellis’s VD Petri dish get-togethers. Skyla is special—a princess, someone to build a life with.   “Sure.” She finally concedes and starts heading toward the truck.I whip out my cell to send a big FU to Gage and my thumb hits “camera” instead of messages, so I go with it. I aim high and snap of picture of Skyla’s arms in the air, her sweater knotted up by her wrists.I’m mesmerized as her golden hair falls against her bare skin. Her pink bra straps set my body on fire, and I groan pushing off my jeans. I’m already testing the resolve of my boxers. I’d better get control, and fast. I land my phone and jeans on the hood of the truck, take off my T-shirt and hook it over the windshield so it doesn’t fly away.Skyla walks over slow and methodical, swiveling her hips like a well-polished vixen. Her pink toenails call to me like candy. Her tans legs rise like skyscrapers that I long to climb. I ride my gaze up her body and trace out her yellow lace underwear, her hot pink bra with a diamond cut jewel shining between her cleavage. If I didn’t know better, I’d think swimming in our underwear was a well thought out plan on her part. Her face turns ten shades of red as she sweeps her eyes over me, she blinks down at my boxers and bounces her gaze right back to my face. I pull her in by the hand, pressing my lips against her and land her stomach over mine. My body seizes with the touch of her hot skin and a strangled sound of pleasure gets trapped in my throat. “You think the water’s cold?” She lands her cool hands over my chest and pushes me back a good twelve inches.“I hope so.” For the sake of my sanity it’d better be. I walk her over to the “diving board”, a granite ledge that hangs over the top of the falls, and smile over at her as we jump in hand in hand. The lake swallows us down, engulfs us with its sharp icy sting—fire and ice all in one. This is what it feels like being with Skyla, a delirium of sensation, the logic of up and down, hot and cold is all erased in her bewitching presence.  Skyla and I cement our feelings for one another under each of the three falls by way of our lips, our arms—her legs riding over my back. These are lust-born kisses, mysterious kisses that stretch back and forth in time, explosive lingual exchanges that just might be illegal in all fifty states. We set the water on fire—turn the entire lake into a boiling cauldron as we drop beneath the surface, our mouths interlocked, exchanging the air from our lungs like currency. Skyla coils her legs around me. Her fingernails dig into my back as she pushes in with great intensity. There’s no way I would ever become Gage’s anything. Logan has me totally and completely. This is something that surpasses the length of years, the ladder of time. We’re building something eternal. I can feel it.We pop to the surface and gasp for air as laughter trembles from our lips.Something catches her attention off in the ebony pines and I follow her gaze. Nevermore.I let go of her for a minute and dive back under. Gage won’t let her out of his sight and I finally know why.I’m about to prove Gage and his gift of knowing wrong. I’ll be damned if I let him get in the way our love. Skyla and I will get our happily ever after, with or without destiny’s approval.

***I hope you enjoyed it~!***
And I still can't thank you guys for all of your support for EPHEMERAL! 
Here are the links if you need them:
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, it's also on iTunes!

Tuesday Teaser with Gage Oliver's POV!

Welcome back to a special POV edition of the Tuesday Tease!First, I really want to thank all of you for your amazing support with EPHEMERAL (The Countenance). Several characters from EPHEMERAL are in both parts of TOXIC, so I’m thrilled that you’ve had a chance to get to know them. I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed your feedback and reviews as well. So, a BIG hearty thank you FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!TOXIC is due to land back into my hands from the editor this week! And as soon as I get it I’ll start in on marathon edits until that bad boy is polished.  Here’s a quick Marshall snippet, then I’m offering up a Gage POV. It’s the scene from EXPEL where everyone is shown the infamous DVD. I’ve included Skyla’s POV from the book just after his in the event you’d like it for reference. Logan’s POV is next!Happy reading~!
*(Marshall speaking with Skyla)“I’m amused by your show of prowess—and by the way, do feel free to bring such heated aggression into the bedroom. In fact, I say we establish the first rule of our union—spirited disagreements are only to be conducted sans clothing and held underneath the sheets.” He picks up my hand and gives a kiss as if to sound the gavel on his pornographic solution to martial discord.


GAGE’S Point of View:Chapter 31 (EXPEL)Full Disclosure
Skyla and I pull up in front of Chloe’s house in the middle of a downpour. It seems to rain harder here than any other place on the island. Figures. Probably due to some demonic force field residing above the Bishop house. Wouldn’t surprise me.I look over at Skyla. We set the bowling alley on fire tonight with those hotter than hell kisses she kept delivering. The girl can melt a glacier with just one look.Her hair is still beaded with rain from getting in the car and her eyes glow like street lights. We should be anywhere but here. If Skyla hasn’t learned her lesson about “befriending” Chloe by now—one of these days Chloe is going to lead her into a dumpster and set the damn thing on fire before bolting down the lid. “Are you sure this is how you want to spend Saturday night?” I ask, turning off the engine.“I’m sure. Besides, Ethan begged me to come, so did Brielle. Ethan’s got something up his sleeve,” she whispers. “He’s not as quick to forgive as Chloe believes.”“And why are you?” I lean into her, soaking wet and in the mood to continue the conversation our bodies were having at the bowling alley. The last thing we need to be doing is hanging out with Ethan and Chloe. We should be doing other things, like showering together. “I’m not,”—she exhales—“I just, I think deep down inside I want to believe her. Everyone’s redeemable right? We all make mistakes, huge, horrible mistakes and in the end when we wake up to what we’ve done—most of us are sorry.”“Chloe doesn’t have a heart, Skyla.” I offer a kiss to try and change our plans for the evening. “And the fact yours is too big is the reason I love you most.” She leans in and melts her lips over mine. She flicks her tongue against mine until I catch it gently with my teeth—she chases my tongue until she does the same. I like these little games we play. She moans when we kiss like she wishes it would string out forever. She pulls back slowly and swallows hard. Her eyes widen as she takes me in. She presses her lips to my ear and whispers, “I love you so much. I don’t think I could breathe without you.”
***
No sooner do we step through the door than the smell of chocolate chip cookies light up our senses.I take in a deep lungful and close my eyes a moment wishing away the next hour. The last place on earth I want to be is at Bishop’s house with Skyla by my side. Feels wrong, like running through a thorn bush naked. Makes me feel as if my balls are in jeopardy, they probably are.Logan nods over at me while Michelle wraps herself around him like a serpent. I pump my lips at him without the benefit of a smile. It’s weird watching Miller drill her tongue in his ear—something’s off about him lately. He would have welcomed Michelle on her knees once upon a time, but with Skyla in his sights I’m not buying it. He’s been a dick so I’m leaving it alone for now.    Skyla detours us into the family room where Drake and Brielle treat us to a demonstration of how they made their baby. Everyone’s here, but it still doesn’t make me want to stay. Chloe snags my eye. She glances my way before dipping her hand between Ethan’s leg and I avert my gaze. We both know who she’s really propositioning. Chloe’s goal in life is to give me a hard on. Pierce struts by and Skyla goes rigid. I wrap my arms around her waist and drop a kiss into her neck until she relaxes into me. Her whole body sighs when I touch her. I run my tongue up to her ear and feel her shudder, her neck rolling back with pleasure. We could be doing so many mind-blowing things right now. What the hell are we doing at Bishop’s? She turns her head into me. “Guess what?” Her voice is low and husky, and the bulge in my jeans perks up to attention. “I want to talk to you later about something super important.” Talk? We’re definitely not on the same page. “Does this ‘super important’ topic require a hotel and protection?” My lips curve as I try to hide the fact I’m hopeful. “No.” She lowers her lashes. “But we could talk about that, too.” Skyla crashes into me with a kiss. She dives her tongue deep into my throat, washes in and out of my mouth like a promise, a preview of things to come, and God I want things to come. “All right,” Ethan booms. I bet Chloe wrenched his ball sack until he interrupted the love fest between Skyla and me. It was either him or a bullet. Ethan continues, “Let’s get this movie going before it gets too late.”Chloe twitches a smile in my direction. She thinks I’m in too deep with Skyla and it pisses her off brilliantly. “Brace yourselves girls.” She pops a DVD into the player. “It’s three glorious hours of battleships and tanks—Ethan’s pick. He won the wrestling match.” I’m sure it was more like a cage fight. “Next time, I assure you, the cover will be pink, and there will be hot shirtless man-candy to drool over for two hours straight.” She licks her lips while looking right at me.“I’ll give you some man-candy to drool over.” Ethan knocks into her with his hip before gnawing on her face.  “I think he’s chewing on her,” I whisper to Skyla. “He is. But in his defense, one doesn’t get a whole lot of practice kissing when they’re dead.”She’s got a point. I, for one, am definitely not dead, and I plan on blowing Skyla’s mind later with some smooth moves of my own. I take in the scent from her hair, cinnamon and roses. I press my face into her curls before lacing our fingers together. “Let’s do this.” Pierce lands a hand over Nat’s shoulder before reaching down and tweaking her boob. Nice. Rounding out second base in front of a dozen different people. It’s Kragger’s pornographic fantasy—we’re all just living in it. I would never do that to Skyla. And she would never dive her hand into the front of my jeans like Chloe’s done to Ethan twelve times already. Skyla and I know better. We respect one another. She’s fallen in love with me, so deep and so hard there’s nobody else for her. I can feel it.  The lights dim. The monster television that expands across the wall, flickers on and off like a flare.Skyla pops on the screen, smiling her gorgeous smile while music blares in the background. Knew it. Chloe’s got it locked and loaded to humiliate. I squeeze Skyla’s hand and start lifting us up to get the hell out of here.   Skyla sucks in a sharp breath. “What the—” Dudley explodes on the television and I fall back into my seat. He’s got his mouth over Skyla’s like he’s giving her CPR and her shoulder is turned into him like she’s enjoying it. “This one’s for you, Gage,” Chloe spouts off.   It goes on for what feels like hours. Dudley on Skyla—Logan with his face pressed into hers, his hands locked over her bottom, fingers digging in. Ellis springs on the screen with his jeans twisted down by his ankles and Skyla on her knees in front of him.What the? Harrison? Holy shit. Skyla freezes solid as I let go of her hand. Neither of us moves, we just watch the train wreck unfold at record speed. My body explodes with heat as Skyla wrenches a knife in my gut with her actions. And here I thought she only wanted me—loved me. What a joke.Dudley and Skyla light up the room, going at it in bed. She’s wearing lingerie, and all she ever wore for me was a T–shirt. Then it’s the Logan and Skyla highlight reel, all faces, tongues like leashes, her hands sunk below his waist. No wonder he’s been such a prick. Michelle is a just a ruse, someone to kill time with until I free up Skyla for him. It all makes sense.The music rises in decibel. The grand finale’s coming I can feel it. A part of me says leave now—don’t give anyone the satisfaction. Then I see it. The Mustang gyrating hot and heavy like it was powered by hydraulics. It’s parked in the dark lot just above Devil’s Peak. It looks private, abandoned, perfect place to…The camera zooms in. There they are, Logan’s bare ass is pumping into Skyla with his arms above her shoulders like he’s strangling her with passion. Skyla bites her lip as Logan buries his face in her neck. Her lids tremble. Her lashes blink open—her eyes roll back into her head just the way I imagined they would if she ever gave me the chance to love her like that—the way she looks in my dreams when I do.The television fades to black before a loud pop goes off and smoke blows from the back of the unit.Figures. Logan and Skyla were too hot to handle, literally. I guess not even technology can deny chemistry like that. She probably uses Dudley and Ellis for target practice. And, Ellis? Really? I'm numb. My heart is drained from every emotion I ever let it feel, shredded to pieces in less than a few minutes.A roll of nausea pushes through me as I head for the door. I had a feeling I’d have my balls handed to me on a silver platter if I showed up tonight, I just never imagined it’d be from Skyla.If Chloe’s intent was to teach me a lesson for getting too close to her pet project, she wins. Chloe was right. Skyla was never that into me.  


SKYLA’S Point of View: Chapter 31Full Disclosure
***

  Inside, the Bishop home holds the scent of fresh baked cookies. The dim lighting and consistent spasm of cackles give the night that Ellis-esque feel. It feels quasi-safe with Brielle and Drake here. Emily, Lexy, Michelle and faux Logan add a certain air of comfort to the environment. The roll call of bitchiness is complete with Nat as the honorary member, and Pierce, who has become as his namesake suggests, the constant thorn in my side. Michelle is joined at the hip with Logan which weirds me out because despite being Holden, in nature, he’s still staunchly locked in Logan’s congenial framework. I know deep inside that in no way what Holden does with Michelle reflects on Logan, but I can’t help but feel a stab of jealousy at the same time. It looks like Chloe was right. Holden is a lust slave to Michelle. He follows her around like a Golden Retriever, happy to fetch her every need. Pierce glares at me from across the room. I’ve been carrying that stupid cease and desist letter around in my purse to circumvent it from accidently landing in Mom and Tad’s hands. Of course Pierce doesn’t want to go to juvy over the stupid shit I accidentally did while hopped up on Michelle’s rose of terror, but then, really, neither do I. Holden pats him on the back as he makes his way into the kitchen. I’m sure Pierce has been apprised of the fact his brother incarnate is in the vicinity. I think the entire Kragger clan owes me big time, and I don’t mean by way of threatening legal action at every turn. Pierce should cease and desist his presence from my life as a thank you even if Holden’s state of being is temporal.   I pull Gage deeper into the family room, wrap my arms around his waist and swoon into him dreamily. We’re here together at Chloe Bishop’s house of all places. It all worked out on its own. I didn’t have to sleep with Marshall to get Chloe off our backs. Of course, we could have done without the Mustang turning his insides to pulp and killing Logan. I’m still convinced Chloe was behind the scene of that crime. Speaking of which, I haven’t heard Gage cough all night. I bet he’s plenty recuperated for me to fill him in on the bizarre turn of events regarding his dearly departed uncle slash cousin. I hate keeping secrets from Gage. “Guess what?” I whisper into his ear.He moans into me while massaging my back. It feels so good I can melt into a puddle right here at his feet.“I want to talk to you later about something super important,” I breathe it hot in his ear. “Does this super important topic require a hotel and protection?” A devilish smile plays on his lips.“No, but we could talk about that, too.” I tweak my brows. I press a heated kiss into Gage right here in Chloe Bishop’s living room and miracle of all miracles I don’t end up with a knife in my back. “All right,” Ethan begins corralling everyone into the family room. “Let’s get this movie going before it gets too late.”God—he even sounds like Tad. “Brace yourselves girls,” Chloe warns as she makes her way over to the entertainment unit. “It’s three glorious hours of battleships and tanks—Ethan’s pick. He won the wrestling match.” An image of the two of them going at it bounces through my mind. “Next time, I assure you,” she continues, “the cover will be pink, and there will be hot shirtless man-candy to drool over for two hours straight.”“I’ll give you some man-candy to drool over,” Ethan bumps her with his hip. Ethan and Chloe really do look and act like a couple. They shared a soda at dinner, and she ate his pizza crust. Now they’re nauseating us with an awkward display of questionable kissing.“I think he’s chewing on her,” Gage whispers.“He is. But in his defense, one doesn’t get a whole lot of practice kissing when they’re dead.”“Let’s do this,” Pierce barks, wrapping an arm around Nat. I feel Kate’s absence most when Nat’s around. It infuriates me that Marshall used me to do his dirty work. Chloe is right. We’re nothing more than pawns on some giant celestial chessboard. Gage and I sit on the loveseat, squeezing in next to Brielle and Drake while Chloe dims the lights.The television in Chloe’s family room eats up an entire wall. I have to say I’m impressed with this rather odd gathering. It’s sort of a nice break from Ellis’ rambunctious affair with nary a red Solo cup in sight, which most likely implies there won’t be any puking later with the exception of maybe Brielle. The TV blinks, and my smiling face pops up on the screen. A sappy country song aggregates through the speakers and offensively begins twanging in our ears.“What the—” Before I can get the words out, Marshall ignites the screen with his lips secured over mine.Chloe glares in my direction. “This one’s for you, Gage.”  An entire montage of me kissing Marshall—kissing Logan enfolds. Even Ellis is thrown into the mix with his pants down, me kneeling before him. Never mind the fact he was putting out the fire on my hand, it looks entirely lewd from the angle the video was taken.I’m frozen. A stale breath is caught in my lungs that I may never let go. Gage sinks limp into the seat beside me. I’m too afraid to look at him, to look at anyone.It goes on for an eternity. Marshall and me, rolling around on the bed at the Pine Pole Lodge—me in my corset, his hands caressing my bare waist. Logan loving me at the bowling alley, the house, the school—everywhere a lip-lock. The lust written over the two of us could combust the room into flames.The music comes to a roaring crescendo, the Mustang gyrates overlooking Devil’s Peak.Time feels as though it’s picking up speed. My stomach does a hot revolution because I know what’s coming. The camera pans in a tight clear shot of Logan writhing over me, the haunted dress Marshall gave me for the winter formal, bunched in a mess around my hips. The passion on my face is undeniable. My lust for Logan burns a hole through the air, electrifies the atmosphere until the universe sizzles from our searing affection. A stone sinks in my chest, obliterates my heart to nothing. It’s over between Gage and me. What I’ve done is unforgivable. I glance over at Chloe in disbelief. My sins recanted for everyone to see. This was her plan, her pleasure.She hid the blade in her tongue—in her deceit to lure me over. I was the enemy, the feast, the sport—the entertainment.And I never saw it coming.     
Hope you enjoyed it~! Logan’s up next! 

EPHEMERAL has arrived!

Mostly!

Amazon link: click here

Smashwords link: click here

Barnes and Noble : click here


Two years before Skyla set foot on Paragon, there was EPHEMERAL...



Happy reading~!

Ephemeral releases tomorrow!!!

Two years before Skyla set foot on Paragon, there was EPHEMERAL.




Can you tell I'm excited? I cannot wait to share Laken's world with you! Here's a snippet from the jacket blurb:



The last thing Laken Stewart remembers is the oncoming car, then bursting through the windshield.
Two months dissolve without her knowledge and she finds herself in unfamiliar surroundings with strangers who not only profess to know her but insist she’s someone else entirely.
Laken Stewart knows she died on that hot July afternoon, but now she’s alive—or is she?

Hope you enjoyed!

I'll give the links once they're live.

Happy reading~!

Tuesday Teaser/ EPHEMERAL to release Friday!

Welcome back to the Tuesday Tease!
Yes, I’ve moved the content to my blog for now. Strange right?
There was some talk of content issue and who owned what once I put it on Facebook so until I figure it out I’ll keep the teasers here for a while. Hope you don’t mind!
*** UPDATE: EPHEMERAL will release this Friday September 14! I'm SUPER excited to share this book birthday with you! ****


GREAT news from my editor! TOXIC Part One should be back in my hands by the end of the week, or early next week. In truth, this final stage of edits is my favorite part so I’m super excited!
EPHEMERAL is done. As in laid to rest, finished—forever to be left alone. It’s going through some last minute formatting issues. Anyway I had SO much fun with Laken, Wes, and Cooper. I can’t wait to share them with you!
On to the teasers!
EPHEMERAL (The Countenance Book 1) Fun Facts about the Countenance series:
*Skyla’s original name was Laken but I didn’t think it fit her.
*Skyla was originally going to have an older sister named Jen, but when I moved Laken I moved Jen along with her.
*EPHEMERAL takes place two years before Skyla sets foot on Paragon.
*The Countenance storyline eventually converges with Celestra. Characters from EPHEMERAL are in TOXIC Part One and Part Two.
*The second book in the Countenance series EVENESCENT will most likely be in 3 POV (point of views) Laken, Wesley, Cooper unless of course my editors decide it is totally botched. In that event I will happily blame Wes and Cooper.
*There were a few scenes I refused to edit before bed because I'm a big chicken. (I’m looking at you- end of chapter 39 beginning of chapter 40)
*I’ve been doing Tuesday Teasers for EPHEMERAL longer than most Celestra books combined. True Story.
Anyway, hope to get the book to you SOON!

TOXIC (Celestra Series Book 7)
*Just a tiny fun fact for both parts of TOXIC: On a few occasions Marshall says the most outrageous things that I would never dare put on my blog or facebook. I blush just reading them.

 *(Skyla speaking with Marshall while Gage is present)
“I can’t wait until our honeymoon,” I say with the last bit of energy my body is able to dispense. I have high hopes of Gage having a coronary episode while envisioning my post marital vacay with our math teacher—how apropos for him to succumb to his demise in the morgue of all places. And with no Dr. O around to save him—tsk, tsk.
*(Skyla about to witness an encounter with her two mothers)
Then it happens.“Lizbeth?” My mother, the one who gave birth to me, the one who bears my striking resemblance and has long since passed away, approaches the partially clad woman I now call Mom. Candace wears her signature I’ll cut your throat smile. Honest to God, she might have been better suited as Chloe’s mother than mine.

*(Skyla and Gage)
“Are you a liar, Gage?” It comes out lower than a whisper.He holds my gaze much longer than he ever should have to. His left eye twitches as if he were weighing his options.“No, Skyla.” He takes up my hand and dips my finger into his mouth as if it were a confection. “I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a liar.”It makes me wonder what exactly those things might be.
*(Skyla and Logan at a secret location)
“Skyla,” Logan shouts victoriously. He lands a kiss over my cheek and holds me while tumbling us down the hillside. He kisses my lips, my nose, my eyelids. “We're here. We made it.” He jumps to his feet and pulls me up.
*(Extra tease: Skyla yelling at Gage in front of Chloe, Drake, Brielle)
“Oh, my God. She did see your baseball bat!” I scoot my chair the hell away from him in the event his pants decided to catch on fire because he is so a liar. “Dude.” Drake marvels. “You’ve got a baseball bat down there?”Brielle walks in and breezes over.“Talking about Gage?” She says it so nonchalant and so correctly pegged the phallus in question all eyes redirect themselves to her. “What?”
Hope you enjoyed the teasers!I’ll give you the heads up for EPHEMERAL’s release as soon as I can!
*If you would like, you can leave comments either here or on FB. Either are appreciated!