Rebecca Zanetti's Blog, page 11

FREE Excerpt: Wicked Ride Released Today – Read Chapter 1

The Realm Enforcers #1
ASIN: B00ONTR7I2
ISBN-13: 9781601834133

Hi All!  I’m so excited to announce that WICKED RIDE released today and thought I’d share chapter 1 with you.  Here it is!

 WICKED RIDE

Chapter 1

Kellach Dunne held his fire and turned the corner, keeping his prey in sight. Rain smattered the concrete sidewalk in a weary Seattle fashion, while garish lights from bars and massage parlors marred the comforting darkness of the midnight hour. He stepped over the legs of a bum and ignored the stench of piss, absently wishing for his bed and a good night’s sleep.

He’d left his Harley parked in a side alley to follow the bastard who stalked a woman through the city’s underbelly.

The woman scurried ahead, glancing over her shoulder, her instincts obviously kicking in. Her tight neon blue mini-dress hampered her movements, but he could appreciate the outfit—the kind that curved in just under the ass. The woman had a hell of an ass. Too bad she tottered in five-inch heels and from what smelled like Fireball whiskey.

He opened his senses to the night and the universe, scenting what humans couldn’t even imagine. Yep. Fireball and tequila. Dangerous combination. Although a lingering smell, just under the surface, sped up his blood.

Woman. Fresh and clean . . . all woman.

The man ahead of him stank of body odor, dime store cologne, and cigarette smoke. And something else, something that made Kellach’s temples pound.

Damn it, hells fire, and motherfucker. The bastard had taken the drug. The human had somehow ingested the drug right under Kell’s nose.

Kell had hung out in the Seattle underground bar for nearly a week, and somehow, the dealer had gotten past him. No wonder the foul smelling human was hunting the woman. He wouldn’t be able to help himself.

She broke into a run, surprisingly agile on the heels. As she reacted to the imminent danger, she leaped over a mud puddle and turned down a barely lit alley.

Why the fuck did they always run down an alley? Shaking his head, Kellach increased his strides while the human male in front of him did the same. Idiot didn’t even know Kellach tracked him.

Dim light from the upper apartments filtered down through the fog to light barely light the way, although Kell could see fine in the dark.

The woman ran by two overflowing dumpsters, a couple garbage cans, a cardboard box housing a vagrant smelling like marijuana, and an odd arrangement of yellow flower pots perched on the back stoop of a porn shop. She reached the end of the alley blocked by a brick building and whirled around.

Gorgeous. Meager light shone down, highlighting a stunning face. Even with a ridiculous amount of blue eye shadow, pink blush, and bright red lipstick, she was a looker. Deep blue eyes, the color of the witching hour, stared out from a fine-boned face.

A woman like that not only didn’t belong in a fucking alley . . . she didn’t belong in the bar she’d just left.

The human male slowed and let out a low chuckle that sounded slightly manic. He towered over the woman, even in her heels, and before Kell’s eyes, his shoulders seem to broaden in his flannel shirt. “Looks like you’re at a dead end,” the guy said.

The woman sucked in air, her chest moving nicely with the effort. “W-what is wrong with your eyes?”

The human shrugged.

Kell gave a slight nod. Yep. His eyes should be all sorts of crazy at this point.

The skin down Kell’s arm sprang to life and the hair rose in warning. The atmosphere changed.

Flames, an unhealthy dark blue and morphing, danced down the human male’s right arm. He gasped and shook out his wrist. Then he threw back his head and laughed. “Did you see that?”

The woman gaped and then slowly shook her head. “Did you just set your arm on fire?”

“No. I am fire.” He held out his arm again, and flames licked down.

The woman inched to the side of the alley and stumbled over a loose brick. “What drug are you on?” Her focus narrowed as she regained her footing.

“Who cares? I’m invincible. I can create fire.” More flames danced. The guy formed a ball in one hand. “Take off the dress, or I’ll burn it off.”

“That’s not garing ta happen,” Kell said, moving to the side, opposite of the woman.

The guy whirled around, fire whipping. “What the hell?”

“Been following you.” Kell kept his hands loosely at his sides while fighting back the urge to alter matter with quantum physics and create his own fire. Just being in the same vicinity of another fire starter, one who didn’t have a clue what to do, made him itchy. “Get lost, lady. I have business with the gent here.”

The guy squinted. “You Australian?”

“No.” Kell drew himself up. Australian? Fucking moron. “Move. Now,” he ordered the woman, who’d frozen in place.

The guy shook his head. “If she moves, I’ll burn her. Even through the rain, I’m all powerful.”

“W-what’s your business?” asked the woman as she took a tentative step along the building. Water sloshed up her shapely leg, and she had to shove short wet hair away from her face.

“Doesn’t concern you.” Kell angled deeper into the alley so the guy would have to partially turn to keep him in sight, thus giving the woman a chance for freedom. Rain splattered into his eyes. “Just get moving, would you?”

“No.” The guy shook out both hands, and fire flickered. Blue and yellow stripes cut paths through his brown eyes, and red bloomed in the white parts. “I’ll kill you both.”

Kellach sighed. “How much of the drug did you take?” If the guy had only taken half a dose, he might live.

“The whole damn thing.” The guy spun around, and plasma fire sailed into a dumpster, ripping a hole in the metal. “They said I’d be a god. I’m a fucking god.”

The woman cringed against the brick building. “I don’t understand. What kind of a weapon throws fire?”

Kell shot forward and slid an arm around the guy’s neck, spinning him into a headlock, their backs to the woman. Fire burst along the guy’s arms, burning Kell. Pain dug under his skin. With a low growl, Kell allowed his own fire free. Deep and green, it crackled along his body, shielding him from harm. With a puff of smoke, Kell’s fire quelled the human’s.

The human convulsed. Hard and fast, he shook against Kell, who held him upright. It was too late to help the guy—he had taken too much. Way too much. A wretched scream spilled from the human’s throat.

Kell released him and stepped back.

The guy fell to the wet ground, still convulsing. Red poured from his ears, his eyes, and then his nose. The rancid stench of burned flesh filled the alley. He hit hard, shook, and then went still. His eyes retained the bizarre colors, and he looked sightlessly up at the cloudy night. The rain mingled with blood across his face.

Kell sighed and pushed wet hair out of his eyes. Another dead end, and he’d wasted more time, which he absolutely did not have right now. He needed to get rid of the body and then somehow convince the woman she hadn’t just seen what she’d just seen. Plastering on his most charming smile, he turned around and froze.

“Seattle PD. Freeze, asshole,” she whispered, her stance set, a Sig Subcompact in her hands and pointed at his head.

*******

Detective Alexandra Monzelle kept her balance on the ridiculous heels and her gun pointed at the definite threat.

Well over six feet tall, muscled, graceful as hell . . . the guy facing her showed no fear. No emotion, really. Black hair fell to his broad shoulders, the darkness a perfect match for his eyes. Chiseled face, huge-ass hands, and feet big enough to waterski on. Yet he moved with the smoothness of a trained soldier.

He lifted one dark eyebrow. “Seattle Police Department?”

She nodded and tried to stop shaking from the chill in the air on her bare skin. Way too much bare skin, but she’d been undercover. “Get on your knees.”

Intrigue leaped into his glittering eyes. “Not garing ta happen.”

Was that a true Irish brogue? It fit him somehow. “I will shoot you.”

He shrugged a massive shoulder beneath a leather duster. “That’s your choice, lass.”

Did he just fucking call her lass like some lady from a century ago? “Oh no, Irish boy. Get on your knees. Now.” She put every ounce of command she possessed into her voice.

“Well now. At least you knew I was from Ireland.” He glanced down at the dead man and his foot slid forward as if to kick. Then, apparently changing his mind, he focused on her again and smiled. “As opposed to Australia.”

Okay. She really didn’t want another body on her hands, but in the dress and heels, she was at a physical disadvantage. The last thing she needed was to spend all night filling out more paperwork than had already been created. “Down. Now.”

He cocked his head to one side. “I can’t help but ask where you were keeping your weapon.” His gaze, dark and intense, roved over her entire body.

Tingles. Damn weird and very unwelcome, tingles cascaded wherever his gaze landed. She might just have to shoot the bastard and fill out the paperwork anyway. “I don’t want to shoot you, but I can live with the decision. Get on your knees or say a quick prayer to your maker.”

He glanced over his shoulder. “I don’t suppose you have backup coming?”

No. Her backup had followed the dealer. She shook her head to provide warning and lowered her aim to his right leg. “I guess losing one leg won’t kill you.”

His focus returned to her. “You shoot me, and we’re going to have a problem.” He spoke slowly and clearly, without a hint of distress.

A chill wandered down her back. The man was damn serious . . . and damn scary. Yet she couldn’t let any fear show. She sighed and tightened her arms to shoot. “If you’d just get on your knees, this night would go so much more smoothly.”

“Say please.”

She blinked. Seriously? Hell, if it got him to cooperate, she’d chirp a Haiku. “Please.”

“As you wish.” Graceful as any dancer, he dropped to his knees. Water splashed up.

Funny, but the guy didn’t seem any less dangerous. She cleared her throat. “Cross your ankles.”

He sighed and crossed huge boots behind him. “Why were you trying to entrap this guy?”

Her handcuffs were in her purse in the bar, and she hadn’t had a chance to grab it before rushing out so the junkie would take the bait and follow her. Her gun, on the other hand, had been strapped to her inner thigh. “Clasp your hands together on the back of your head.”

He kept her gaze and clasped his hands on that thick black hair. His shirt pulled tight over defined muscles in his chest, and he seemed more in control of the situation than ever. “You don’t have cuffs.”

Yep. Might just have to shoot him. “My partner will be here soon.” She hoped Bernie would be there soon.

“Aye, I’m sure.” The man glanced at the body. “Do you know how he died?”

Duh. “Overdose. What’s your name?”

“Kellach.” He lifted both eyebrows. “What’s yours?”

“Detective Alexandra Monzelle.” Everyone called her Lex. Between the disappearance of her adrenaline rush, the chilly rain, and her aching arms, the gun became heavy. Yet she didn’t twitch. “What do you know about the drug?”

“What drug?” The man’s eyelids half-closed as if she were boring him to sleep.

Heck, she’d like to plug him one in the leg just to get his attention. “You asked about the drug. It’s too late to play dumb.”

He shrugged.

“Okay, then how about explaining all that fire. Did you douse yourself with some weird accelerant?” She couldn’t quite come up with a reasonable explanation for the strange glow over his skin and the corpse’s, so he’d better damn well explain, because she hadn’t gotten a good look with their backs turned to her. “Where’s the weapon?”

“No weapon. It’s a chemical that looks like fire but obviously isn’t.”

True—no burn marks marred his skin or the dead guy. Who was Kellach? Was he a rival dealer or something else? He wore a leather duster, flack boots, and faded jeans. Motorcycle gang member?

His head lifted, and his nostrils flared just like a German Shepherd she’d seen scouting for drugs once.

Long shadows mingled on the alley floor, and two men drew nearer. Deep blue flames morphed along the arm of one of them. More of the damn weapons?

“Ballocks,” Kellach muttered before launching himself off the asphalt and right at her. He cleared the dead body, wrapped himself around her, and tackled her to the ground. One hand cushioned her head, while a rock-hard arm banded around her waist and kept her from injuring, well, anything. He rolled, released her, and jumped to his feet in front of her.

The scent of salt, ocean, and pine surrounded her.

No way. No way should he have been able to move so quickly when she’d had him contained on his knees. Shock made her hands tremble. She shoved herself up and kicked off the heels. Shit. She still held her gun in her hand but was acting like a rookie.

“Gentlemen?” Kell asked, his stance casual. “Can I help you?”

The guy with the blue arm glanced down at the corpse and hissed. “We came to help Chuck.” His face contorted and turned an ugly red. “You killed him.”

“No. The drug he took killed him.” Kellach’s stance widened. “How much of it did you take?”

Lex peered around the solid brick of the man toward the two guys. The light illuminated them from behind, so she couldn’t see their eyes. What was Kell seeing?

“Enough to be a god.” The first guy lifted his hand and threw what looked like a ball of fire at Kellach.

A massive fireball instantly crackled from Kellach, and he threw it toward the other ball. They smashed into each other with an unholy bellow of steam, fire, and energy. Kellach’s ball encircled the other ball and snuffed it out before disappearing.

What the holy fuck? The damn criminals did have some new weapon that threw fire. She hadn’t had a chance to frisk anybody to see what her assailants might be carrying.

Lex slid to the side to keep every man in sight while lifting her weapon. “Everyone get down on your knees.”

Kellach shook his head. “Not again. Just stay out of the way, darlin.”

Oh. He. Did. Not. She focused the gun on him.

The first guy raised his arm again, and fire slammed her way. She pivoted, turning and catching her foot in a pothole. As she started to go down, another ball flew toward her head.

“Enough.” Kellach jumped in front of her, his right shoulder slamming into her cheekbone.

Stars exploded behind her eyes, and she hit the ground.

He groaned, and the scent of burning flesh filled the rainy evening.

She blinked, her brain fuzzing and her body going numb. He’d saved her. Unconsciousness tried to claim her, and she fought against the darkness with her remaining strength.

Kellach straightened to his full height, and balls of what truly looked like green fire shot out, but with his back to her, she couldn’t see the weapon. The fire hit each of the men dead center. They both flew back about three yards and crashed to the ground.

Lex groaned as rain continued to beat down on her face. She couldn’t pass out. If she passed out, she’d be dead. Her hand trembled on the asphalt. Where was her gun?

Kellach turned and started toward her—a massive hunter in a darkened alley.

“No,” she whispered just as the darkness won. Drugs had nearly ruined her childhood, and now, the search to destroy the new drug on the street was going to end her. The last thought she had as she succumbed to oblivion was that she was about to be killed by a predator with the face of a fallen angel.

Romantic Collections

Guest Blogger-Audra North

Hi all! I’m Charly, Rebecca’s assistant. We thought it’d be fun to do a ‘Romance: The Good, the Bad, and the Disastrous’ theme with guest bloggers throughout the summer months. Every Monday and Thursday, we’ll have a guest blogger talk about fun stuff like horrible dates, good dates, etc. Some bloggers will have a contest, and some won’t – it’s totally up to them. If there is a contest, I’ll randomly draw a winner from the post comments, send the winner’s email address to the guest blogger, and they’ll take it from there. Rebecca will jump in and blog when she can. For now, enjoy as we play!



I confess to not dealing very well with summer weather in the Northeast. Having grown up in a part of Texas where summers were so dry that my legs would be covered in dust after walking for just a few minutes outside, the muggy damp yuck of Boston still baffles me. It’s invariably so humid that all I want to do is build a blanket fort around the air conditioner, crawl inside, and refuse to come out until September. So it’s no surprise that I often find myself escaping to the beach almost daily during July and August. There are some gorgeous stretches of coastline along the Atlantic, with beaches ranging from tide-pool-strewn rocky to shining-white sandy.

The water is cool and the air is fresh along the shore, but the best part about going to the beach is that I have an opportunity to add to my Collection of Creepy Things. That’s what my husband calls it, anyway. I think my assortment of crab shells, bird bones, and polished rocks is actually pretty awesome! And my kids think it’s cool, too. We love picking up strange-looking items from the beach and taking them home to display on a special shelf. One time, we even found some fish teeth!

Right, so…at this point you’re probably either completely grossed out, or you’re just kind of wondering what this has to do with books. (Or both.) Well, another thing I like to do at the beach is read romance novels, of course! And this year, I’d love to get some recommendations for romances that feature characters who collect things. Maybe it’s shells, or rare coins, or beer bottles. Maybe it’s cats. Or even books (that person would be my instant BFF)!

But no matter what the collection entails—even if it’s creepy—I’d love to hear your suggestions for good romances in which a character is a collector of something. I’m looking forward to taking those books to the beach…maybe it’ll even inspire me to start a bookmark collection!

AudraNorth.com

twitter.com/AudraNorth

facebook.com/AudraNorthAuthor

 ABOUT AUDRA:

Audra North fell in love with romance at age thirteen and spent the next twenty years reading as many romance novels as she could. Even now, after having read over one thousand of them, Audra still can’t resist the lure of a happily ever after, and her collection continues to grow. She lives near Boston with her husband, three young children, and a lot of books.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“He ignored the temptation to reach out and touch her, to show her that his hands weren’t soft, but if she begged nicely, they could be gentle in just the right ways.”

~Excerpt from IN THE FAST LANE, upcoming release by Audra North

UPCOMING RELEASE:

IN THE FAST LANE:

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

Racing cars is in Kerri Hart’s blood–literally, since it’s the family business. But Hart Racing is in dire financial straits, and as the only female rookie driver, Kerri’s sponsorship offers always tend to be of the unzipped racing-suit variety. It’s a message she’d rather not sell to her young fans. But how can she afford not to?

LOVE ON OVERDRIVE

Ranger Colt knows how to make a woman’s heart race. But when his voice pops up on Kerri’s headset–while she’s in mid-tailspin–she’s in no mood for his charms. Colt Hardware now has a significant stake in the Hart family business, and Kerri has no choice but to work with him. But when her ex-boyfriend makes a very public, tabloid-fodder scene that threatens to tarnish her image, it’s Ranger who comes to the rescue. Pretending to be engaged to generate some good publicity seems like a good plan. In fact, it works–all too well. What begins as a ruse is revving up to feel a whole lot like the real thing. Will Kerri and Ranger’s fake-lationship take a wild turn. . .and lead them toward the finish?

“The type of book that keeps you up late into the night, In the Fast Lane is utterly addictive and completely satisfying. Audra North has her finger on the pulse of contemporary romance-flawless writing, smart heroines, and sexy-as-sin heroes.”- Lauren Layne, USA Today bestselling author

Big Tone’s odd present for Father’s Day this year

Hi all!  Happy Father’s Day!!!

I hope you all are having time to celebrate a father today – those dads are so important!  Although…is it just me, or is it all but impossible to find a father’s day gift usually?  Man.  Seriously.  Last year I bought Big Tone a bunch of new shorts for summer.  This year, he doesn’t need shorts.  Or another golf shirt.

The best present I ever found for him was right after we’d had Tackle.  We had just finished college, had student loans, had a new baby, and were broke.  Big Tone likes cars and always has, and he takes good care of his cars.  So that year, I gave him two rolls of quarters to make it easy to hit the car wash.

He was so thrilled.  Seriously.  It was the best present ever. 

But now, we’re older, we have our own businesses, and we have accounts at a car wash.  So…no dice.

I was getting my hair cut by Niki at Shape salon last week, and Heather, who owns the awesome place, mentioned what she was getting her husband.  And it was freakin awesome, so I totally copied her.

Big Tone isn’t one for desserts, except for…cheesecake.  Plain cheesecake with no toppings.

And Heather told me about a monastery in Vermont where nuns create the best cheesecakes ever.  Yeah.  I know.  Nuns in Vermont and cheesecake.  LOL!  So I ordered Tony a cheesecake made by the nuns in Vermont.  Yes, the shipping cost as much as the cheesecake, but man, it looks good.

He’s at the lake right now, and I’ll give it to him later, but I’ll let you know what he thinks. 

Isn’t life fun?

For my dad…well, he doesn’t need another golf shirt, either.  (And I think that’s what Deb got him, anyway, so I can’t get that).  I found a couple of books for him, one about what dogs think.  LOL!  My dad and his dog, Sammy, are very close.  Sammy even goes to the office with him and also celebrates Cheeseburger Thursday way too often. So I think Dad will be amused.

Anyway, I hope you’re having a lovely day, wherever you are. 

Just a quick note that WICKED RIDE releases on Tuesday.  It’s the first book in the Realm Enforcers, which is a Dark Protector spinoff.  (Yes, you’ll see some Dark Protectors in there.)  I’m posting Chapter 1 early Tuesday morning.

Have a great week, and I hope you’re enjoying the guest posts we have going on here this summer.   XO  Rebecca

Guest Room Nookie

Guest Blogger-Avery Flynn

Hi all! I’m Charly, Rebecca’s assistant. We thought it’d be fun to do a ‘Romance: The Good, the Bad, and the Disastrous’ theme with guest bloggers throughout the summer months. Every Monday and Thursday, we’ll have a guest blogger talk about fun stuff like horrible dates, good dates, etc. Some bloggers will have a contest, and some won’t – it’s totally up to them. If there is a contest, I’ll randomly draw a winner from the post comments, send the winner’s email address to the guest blogger, and they’ll take it from there. Rebecca will jump in and blog when she can. For now, enjoy as we play!

Hey all! *waves* I’m so excited to get to hang out with y’all today. When Rebecca said I could write about anything, my mind immediately went to two things: coffee and sex.Hey, I never said I was one of Rebecca’s classy friends.

But then my doctor lost her mind when I honestly answered how much coffee I drink (Note to self: Never tell your doctor the truth about coffee again.) so I ended up cutting back to only a few cups a week. Let’s have a moment of silence about that, shall we? *Silence. Thinks of hot dudes.*

Oh yeah, so that totally brings me to sex. *Insert dirty, dirty thoughts here.* But the e-mail about this guest post said it could be funny or sweet or heartwarming and well…sex didn’t seem like the right topic so I was banging my head trying to think about what to write about because unless you want to talk about the wonders of yoga pants, I’m kinda boring (Read: Very boring).

Then I read a post at Jezebel asking if it was okay to have sex when you’re an overnight guest at someone’s house. Now I’m not talking about getting it on in the closet during a New Year’s Eve party or getting some nookie while you’re sharing a guest room with other people beyond those you are nookie-ing it up with, this is straight up in a guest room with the door locked and somewhat quietly giving each other the special hug. (Note to self: Writing hot sex scenes has ruined me for talking about sex and not using THE WORDS.)

I couldn’t get over how many commenters at what I consider to be a pretty sex-positive website were adamant about a no sex in the guest room rule unless it is specifically okayed in advance by the home owner. I don’t get this. They change the sheets after they visit, right? I’m assuming the couple (or more) boning are not trying to set a scream-a-thon record. I’m assuming these are all consenting adults behind a closed door. I just don’t get it.

 ABOUT AVERY:

Avery Flynn is an award winning romance author. She has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. She loves to write about smartass alpha heroes who are as good with a quip as they are with their *ahem* other God-given talents. Her heroines are feisty, fierce and fantastic. Brainy and brave, these ladies know how to stand on their own two feet and knock the bad guys off theirs. She’s all over social media talking about shoes, books and bizarre news stories. Contact her at avery@averyflynn.com. She’d love to hear from you!

LATEST RELEASE:

The Layton serIes by Avery Flynn Steamy Romance At Its Best! Three steamy stories full of Avery Flynn’s signature sass and heart-pounding action. What’s the danger in one little kiss? Clair Layton finds out in Dangerous Kiss. What’s so hot about his little sister’s best friend? Hank Layton finds out in Dangerous Flirt. Why is it always the quiet ones? Sam Layton finds out in Dangerous Tease.

CONTEST:

So what say you? Is sex in your guest room verboten or approved? Sound off in the comments (feel free to add in your own funny stories) and you’ll be entered to win a digital book of your choice from my backlist. But don’t read it if you’re staying in someone’s guest room. I don’t want to be held responsible for you getting in trouble.

Jenn Burke vs. Roller Coasters

Guest Blogger-Jenn Burke

Hi all! I’m Charly, Rebecca’s assistant. We thought it’d be fun to do a ‘Romance: The Good, the Bad, and the Disastrous’ theme with guest bloggers throughout the summer months. Every Monday and Thursday, we’ll have a guest blogger talk about fun stuff like horrible dates, good dates, etc. Some bloggers will have a contest, and some won’t – it’s totally up to them. If there is a contest, I’ll randomly draw a winner from the post comments, send the winner’s email address to the guest blogger, and they’ll take it from there. Rebecca will jump in and blog when she can. For now, enjoy as we play!

Ah, summer—when the thoughts of at least a portion of the population turn to vacation and amusement parks. It’s hard not to be seduced by the thrill of rides when little fairs pop up all over the map on random weekends. Who doesn’t like the rush of riding roller coasters?

Me. Well, sort of. See, roller coasters and I have come to something of a truce in recent years. I’ve agreed to try them out occasionally and they’ve agreed not to kill me. So, you know.

My history with roller coasters goes way back, to when I was a toddler in Newfoundland, Canada. I don’t remember a whole lot about my time in Newfoundland—we moved when I was four—but I do clearly recall four events: learning the f-word, seeing an iceberg, getting a sunburn bad enough to require a trip to the hospital, and screaming so loudly on a kiddie roller coaster at a local fair that the operator stopped it in the middle of the ride, lifted me out, and gave me back to my parents.

That was probably a good hint that me and roller coasters just don’t mix.

When I was six, my parents and I went on a trip to California. Of course we had to visit Disneyland, where my mom and dad saw this really neat-looking ride called “Space Mountain”. Flying through space sounds like fun, right? I was a Star Wars–era kid! To this day, I don’t know how they missed it was a roller coaster. I looked around, wide-eyed, at all the pretty stars as the car went up…and up…and then suddenly it was screaming downwards and I was screaming too, just as loud as I possibly could, begging my dad to make the ride stop, please, let me off!

Then…silence. Dad has told me many times that he thought I’d passed out. No, I’d just needed to suck in more air so I could keep screaming.

Fast forward a couple of years. We were driving home from Calgary to Edmonton, Alberta, and we decided to stop in at an amusement park called Calaway Park. It was a hot day, gorgeous and sunny, and I really wanted to go on the log water ride. It wasn’t a roller coaster, right? I’d be fine, I told my parents. Besides, the ride had two hills—a small one was first, which would help me gear myself up for the larger one. I think my parents had some reservations by this point about me and anything even remotely resembling roller coasters, but I’m an only child and I can be really convincing. So we climbed into the log. Up and up we went. Down and down we went. And…yep, screaming ensued. I didn’t like it, I wanted off, let me off!

So, as we puttered along in the stream toward the next hill, Dad picked me up and tossed me out of the log onto the grass.

I stood there, stunned into silence. Oh my god, had I finally tipped Dad over the edge with my roller coaster aversion? Instead of putting up with my screaming, he’d just decided to get rid of me?

Then he hopped out of the log ride, too. Mom sat at the back of the log, looking about as shocked as I felt, then she clearly muttered to herself “screw this” and jumped out to join us.

For the record, getting off a ride halfway through has a tendency to panic park administrators. I don’t recommend it.

I finally conquered my dislike of roller coasters as a teenager, thanks to an overnight trip to Canada’s Wonderland in Toronto. I don’t know if it was because I was punch-drunk with fatigue at 2 a.m. or what, but my friends convinced me to try out the Vortex, an under-track roller coaster. I’m still not a fan of that initial drop, but otherwise it was like being in an airplane. Which, apparently, I can handle no problem. Go figure.

Since then, I’ve also experienced roller coasters with loop-de-loops (which are fun!) and coasters where you’re sitting on a seat under the track with your feet dangling in the open air (not so much fun). I refuse to go anywhere near drop-zone-type rides. Ever. But even though my truce with coasters seems to be holding, for summer vacation, point me at a quiet cottage and a beach—I’ll save the thrills and excitement for my books.

ABOUT JENN:

Jenn’s always been drawn to weird and wonderful stories, particularly those juxtaposed with our normal, boring world. Her love of the written word prompted her to get a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Ottawa, and she’s spent the years since working in corporate and web communications—and dreaming up weird and wonderful stories of her own. She currently lives outside of Ottawa, Ontario, with her husband, two kids, and her writing helper, Alenko the husky.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

These were the best moments. The kisses that just happened—that could only happen with Zed, the only man he felt fully comfortable with. Kisses were intimate and personal. They were promises without words. And, really, who needed words? Felix’s tongue never got him into trouble when he was kissing.

~ Excerpt from Lonely Shore, book 2 of the Chaos Station series

UPCOMING RELEASE:

LONELY SHORE-the second book in the Chaos Station m/m sci-fi romance series:

All they can do is live day to day…

Felix Ingesson has returned to his duties as the Chaos‘s engineer with Zander Anatolius, his ex-boyfriend-turned-broken-super-soldier, at his side. Hope means something again. But there’s nothing Felix can do to battle the alien poison flowing through Zander’s veins, or his imminent mental decline. With each passing day, the side effects of Zander’s experimental training are becoming more difficult to ignore.

When the ruthless Agrius Cartel seeks their revenge—including an ambush and an attempt to kidnap the Chaos‘s crew—Zander is pushed over the edge. He can no longer hide his symptoms, nor does he want to. But hurting Felix when he’s not in control of himself is Zander’s worst nightmare—when it nearly happens, he agrees to seek help. Even if that means trusting the unknown.

As Zander places his life in alien hands, Felix appoints himself his lover’s keeper. And though he tries to be strong, he can’t ignore the fact that he might lose Zander…forever this time.

 CONTEST:

Leave a comment below for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card. One winner will be chosen randomly at the end of the day Wednesday, June 17.

Win Books and Goodies at a TWITTER PARTY happening right now…

Hi all!  We’re having a fun twitter party right now!  (4pm PST and 7pm EST) I’m answering questions, and we’re giving away Sin Brother books.  If you’d like to join in, just tweet something to me @RebeccaZanetti or to anybody, really…and make sure you use the hashtag:  #TotalSurrender

So, say you tweet to me – here’s an example:

@RebeccaZanetti Do you think Audrey has a boy or a girl? #TotalSurrender

@RebeccaZanetti Will Chance get his own book? #TotalSurrender

Or if you tweet to somebody else:

@MomJones  Have you read Jory’s story yet? #TotalSurrender

@SisterFran Do you like super soldiers? #TotalSurrender

See?  It’s easy.  You can do it!

 

Win fun prizes at the Total Surrender Blog tour!

Hi all!  So, here’s one of the prizes for the Total Surrender blog tour going on right now:

Isn’t that fun?  You can enter at any of the stops, and here they are:  (I’ll update with links as posts go live.  Right now, this is what is live.)  Good luck!

Monday, March 30

No BS book Reviews

Ramblings From This Chick

The Book Pushers

Oh My Growing TBR

Love Affair with an E-Reader 

KT Book Reviews

Adria’s Romance Reviews 

Reading Between the Wines Book Club  

Tuesday, March 31

Reviews by Tammy and Kim 

Abigail Books Addiction

Reading Shy with Aly 

Fictional Candy 

Erin Burns Bookshelf

Bitten by Love Reviews 

A Bluestocking’s Place 

Shut Up & Read Blog 

Wednesday, April 1

Nose Stuck in a Book 

Art, Books & Coffee 

Twin Sisters Rockin’ Book Reviews 

First Page to the Last

Kimmie Sue’s Book Review 

Thursday, April 2

Hannah’s Words 

The Reading Café 

Delighted Reader

Kindle and Me

Paranormal Book Club 

Friday, April 3

Paranormal Haven 

Fallen Angel Reviews 

Mrs B’s Books 

Booklover Sue 

Talking Books Blog 

The Readdicts 

Grave Tells 

Saturday, April 4

A Bookish Escape 

InnerGoddess 

Smut and Bonbons 

To Each Their Own Reviews 

Cat’s Reviews

Sunday, April 5

Blogging Along With 

Romance Junkies 

Once Upon an Alpha 

Give Me Book 

Dirty Girl Romance 

Total Surrender – Jory’s story – is Now Available!

Hi all!  I’m so excited that Jory’s story is finally here.  It’s available now in both ebook and print, and I truly hope you enjoy it!

Here’s a brief excerpt:

“Piper?” Jory asked.

Damn. She leaned forward, pressing her mouth to his. Just for saving her from the river, just for being somebody she wished she could know better. Just to quench the fire crackling in her nerves.

He inhaled, going still.

Possessed by something unreal, she flattened her hand over his chest and molded her lips to his.

With a sound of torment, his mouth moved, and he took over. Completely. Cupping her head, he held her in place, going deep. His tongue played with hers, while his body enfolded her.

She kissed him back, fire lighting down her spine. So much need.

The kiss went on forever until she was writhing on his lap, needing more than anything to get closer. So much closer.

Finally, he broke the kiss, levering back to study her.

They both breathed heavily, and lust had turned his eyes a dangerous midnight-filled smoke.

An Excerpt from Total Surrender!

A soldier entered the room outside Jory’s glass-walled cell first, followed by a woman in her mid-twenties, who slid out from behind him.

Jory’s breath caught in his throat. Exquisite. For once, that word could be applied accurately. She stood to about five foot six in black boots wearing a matching leather jacket. Light mocha-colored skin, curly black hair, and eyes greener than the most private parts of Ireland.

She took one look at him and stepped back.

He moved forward in the cell and flashed a smile that made her eyes widen. If he had to scare her to make her leave, he’d do it. Anybody seeing him in captivity would be killed by the commander after serving their purpose. So he forced sexual tension to filter through the room.

How he could do it, he wasn’t sure. Maybe pheromones and bodily heat waves, and the ability came easier now than it had before the coma. It was a hell of an advantage to use sometimes, and he ignored Madison’s quick intake of breath when he employed it.

“Is she for me?” he asked, forcing his gaze to run over the newcomer’s body and surprising himself when he hardened in response. God. He’d been on a mission and then in a coma for two years before spending time in captivity recuperating. When was the last time he’d gotten laid? Way too long ago.

He’d always liked women, although he’d never gotten close to one. Not really. They were either part of a mission or worked as doctors in the facility, and those certainly couldn’t be trusted.

This one was petite with delicate bone structure and clear, intelligent eyes. Whatever her purpose, she sure as hell didn’t belong in the dismal place. Hopefully she’d turn on her heel and get out since he’d leered at her.

Instead she lifted one eyebrow. Her face flushed. “So that’s him.”

Well, damn. Another angel with the heart of a demon. A pang landed squarely in Jory’s chest. Beauty should never be evil. “Yeah, that’s me,” he murmured, dropping the sensual attack. “Who are you?”

She opened her mouth and shut it as Dr. Madison shook her head. “It doesn’t matter who she is,” Madison muttered. Grasping the woman’s arm, Madison led her over to a computer console. “Get to work, and remember the rules.”

The woman jerked free and stepped away from Madison. She eyed Madison like an opponent in a boxing ring—with wariness and determination.

Jory frowned, and his instincts started to hum. Was the woman a prisoner, like him? Maybe he could gain them both freedom, with her help. She was outside of the cage, now wasn’t she? He smiled.

Dr. Madison glanced back toward Jory, her gaze narrowing. “Leave her alone to work, and I won’t have you tranquilized again.” With that, she allowed the soldier to escort her from the room, and the door nicked shut behind her.

The woman sat at the console and turned toward him. “Piper. My name is Piper.” She eyed the partition. Her voice was smooth and sexy…feminine. She guarded her expression well. “They didn’t give me your name.”

Yeah. They wouldn’t have thought to give his name. “Jory.” He really liked the way her tight jeans hugged her curves, and he appreciated the intelligence sizzling in those spectacular eyes. She’d have to be smart to help him escape. “Why are you here, Piper?”

She exhaled slowly and stretched out her fingers. “I’m here to save you, Jory.”

She’s Popular Because She’s Skinny

Hi there!  Welcome to my blog for the Beauty of a Woman Blog Fest! 

I recently had a car full of 12-13 year old girls, and they were chatting away about school, friends, and sports.  One of them talked about a girl they knew, and somebody said, “She’s really popular.  She’s so skinny.”

As a mom driving, I have to say:  RED LIGHT, CLANGING WARNING SIGN, REVERSE.  But I kept my cool.  Honest.  I did.

And I didn’t hit them with a…it matters what’s inside.  Nope.  Not the cool mom.  Not this time, anyway.  (That is usually met with an eye roll, BTW…even though it’s true).

I think it’s important to note here that all the kids in my car were healthy and in great shape from a myriad of sports.  ALL of them.

So what I did was ask about the girl.  Was she nice?  Yes.  Smart?  Yes.  Confident in talking to people, especially boys?  Yes.  So maybe that’s why she’s popular?  (I’ve already learned not to question who is popular, what it really means, and who decides who is popular.  That, too, is met with eye rolls.  Instead, subtle questions about personality seem to help.)

So there was a general consensus that maybe the girl was popular because she was happy with herself and confident talking to people.  But one girl connected dots…you see where this is going, right?  Maybe the girl was confident because she’s skinny.

Crap.  She was probably confident because she was comfortable with how she looks.  And to everyone in the car…she looked skinny.  RED LIGHT, BACKTRACK, SAY SOMETHING.  So we talked about feeling good and what makes them feel good.  (The answers ranged from spiking volleyballs to getting a good grade to boy stuff).  Not once did they mention weight.

So I (very subtly) pointed that out and fell silent.  (You can’t say too much.  Trust me).

I hope the point was made a little bit.  But in today’s society, with photoshop and air brushing, even the people we see in magazines aren’t real.  It’s hard to be a parent now (as I’m sure it was when we were kids), but what I’ve noticed is that kids are smart.  Really smart.  And when you point out the flaws in thinking…then they really start thinking.

Even so, I wish parenting was easier and not full of landmines.  I hope honest discussion helps, and I hope blog fests like this that celebrate real beauty gets us all talking…and listening. 

There are TONS of fun prizes, so make sure you head over to the main page and enter the contests by clicking here!  The contest opens at 7:30am PST and runs until March 1st.  Good luck!