Jamie DeBree's Blog, page 36
August 22, 2012
Serial Story: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 5
New chapters posted every Wednesday in draft form.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 5
“Wow,” Anna said, lowering the cup and hoping Will didn’t notice how badly her hand was shaking. “You’re right - that is amazing! I think I’ll have another cup with lunch.” She smiled and turned toward the door, waiting for something to happen. Something bad.
“Glad you like it,” Will called after her. I’ll see you in awhile then, right?”
“Absolutely!” She nodded, intent on getting out of the shop quickly. If she had been poisoned, she wanted to get to Erik. If not, she still needed to let him know, so he didn’t freak out about her taking a drink when he’d very specifically--
“Oomp!” The air rushed out of her lungs and she had a hard time breathing as something thick and heavy hit her square in the torso. Or had she walked into it? Several sensations collided in her mind all at once - the spicy scent of her tea, a painful heat on her chest and down her stomach, and a familiar musky male fragrance that she wanted to wrap herself up in.
“Anna? Are you okay?” Strong hands grasped her upper arms and pushed her back a step as she looked down in dismay.
“What the hell, Detective? You couldn’t just say my name or something?” She dropped the empty cup and swiped ineffectively at her jacket as the last drops of tea slid down. Glancing up as he released her arms, she noted his irritated look.
“I told you not to drink it,” he said, brushing liquid off his own jacket. “I thought you were in trouble, so I was coming to rescue you. You’re sure you’re okay? Do you feel queasy or anything?”
Anna shook her head. “I’m fine. I don’t feel weird or anything, but I thought you might want to test it at least. It sure tasted good.” She looked back at The Trusty Mug, wondering how weird it would look if she went back right away. She could see the counter behind the windows, but Will wasn’t in view. He must have gone in back after she left.
“So does this mean Will didn’t do it, because I’m okay? Or do you need another cup of tea to test? Because I told him I’d be back later for more. I could go now and just tell him I spilled it...”
Erik looked over her shoulder and then grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the windows and toward her car.
“I think Will’s probably okay, though I’d still like to come with you later, just to make sure. For now, you need to just go to the office, like always. I’ll meet you there in a little bit.”
“Fine. See you later.” Anna sighed and got into her car, the spicy flavor still lingering on her tongue. She tried to remember if there were any other coffee shops in the area where she could get a replacement. Facing the day without caffeine wasn’t an option.
She pulled out of the drive and turned right, back-tracking three blocks to a small coffee kiosk that inhabited the corner of a grocery store parking lot. Pulling up to the window, she ordered a tall Chai from the handsome young man inside, admiring the muscles that rippled under his tight t-shirt as he worked. She wondered if he’d ever considered underwear modeling...
He gave her the cup as she handed over the money, and she took a small sip as she waited for her change. It was good. Maybe even better than what Will had made. Another, bigger sip, and she held out her hand, surprised when there were two identical men swaying in the window, rather than one.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 5
“Wow,” Anna said, lowering the cup and hoping Will didn’t notice how badly her hand was shaking. “You’re right - that is amazing! I think I’ll have another cup with lunch.” She smiled and turned toward the door, waiting for something to happen. Something bad.
“Glad you like it,” Will called after her. I’ll see you in awhile then, right?”
“Absolutely!” She nodded, intent on getting out of the shop quickly. If she had been poisoned, she wanted to get to Erik. If not, she still needed to let him know, so he didn’t freak out about her taking a drink when he’d very specifically--
“Oomp!” The air rushed out of her lungs and she had a hard time breathing as something thick and heavy hit her square in the torso. Or had she walked into it? Several sensations collided in her mind all at once - the spicy scent of her tea, a painful heat on her chest and down her stomach, and a familiar musky male fragrance that she wanted to wrap herself up in.
“Anna? Are you okay?” Strong hands grasped her upper arms and pushed her back a step as she looked down in dismay.
“What the hell, Detective? You couldn’t just say my name or something?” She dropped the empty cup and swiped ineffectively at her jacket as the last drops of tea slid down. Glancing up as he released her arms, she noted his irritated look.
“I told you not to drink it,” he said, brushing liquid off his own jacket. “I thought you were in trouble, so I was coming to rescue you. You’re sure you’re okay? Do you feel queasy or anything?”
Anna shook her head. “I’m fine. I don’t feel weird or anything, but I thought you might want to test it at least. It sure tasted good.” She looked back at The Trusty Mug, wondering how weird it would look if she went back right away. She could see the counter behind the windows, but Will wasn’t in view. He must have gone in back after she left.
“So does this mean Will didn’t do it, because I’m okay? Or do you need another cup of tea to test? Because I told him I’d be back later for more. I could go now and just tell him I spilled it...”
Erik looked over her shoulder and then grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the windows and toward her car.
“I think Will’s probably okay, though I’d still like to come with you later, just to make sure. For now, you need to just go to the office, like always. I’ll meet you there in a little bit.”
“Fine. See you later.” Anna sighed and got into her car, the spicy flavor still lingering on her tongue. She tried to remember if there were any other coffee shops in the area where she could get a replacement. Facing the day without caffeine wasn’t an option.
She pulled out of the drive and turned right, back-tracking three blocks to a small coffee kiosk that inhabited the corner of a grocery store parking lot. Pulling up to the window, she ordered a tall Chai from the handsome young man inside, admiring the muscles that rippled under his tight t-shirt as he worked. She wondered if he’d ever considered underwear modeling...
He gave her the cup as she handed over the money, and she took a small sip as she waited for her change. It was good. Maybe even better than what Will had made. Another, bigger sip, and she held out her hand, surprised when there were two identical men swaying in the window, rather than one.
Enjoy
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Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
August 20, 2012
Weekly News, Goals & Prompt - August 20, 2012
Prompt o' the Week: It's cold and snowy as a
woman sits down at the base of a tree, not really sure where she is. She
walked out of the holiday dinner when her boyfriend decided to break up
with her and now she wasn't really sure where she'd been going - or how
to get back. Bushes rustled to her left, and she jumped...
Alrighty then. Everyone up? Bright? Ready to Shine?
Yeah, me neither (sure, I'm writing this the night before, but I'm
confident about that), and "morning people" completely mystify me. I
suspect I mystify them too - by the time you read this, I'll have gotten
up far too early for a mandatory staff meeting at the day job half an
hour earlier than my normal start time (which means my alarm went off at
5:45am instead of 6am, which is bad enough). The morning people on our
staff will be perky and ready to face the day. And they'll look at me in
shock and awe, either from amazement that I'm actually at work that
early, or fear/amusement at my bleary-eyed, zombie-like state (or both).
Then they'll ask me to do things that no respectable night person can
perform mistake-free before 10am, and I'll have to muddle through and
pretend that I'm not longing for my cozy mattress with every fiber of my
being....
If any of those morning people were awake past 10pm, the tables
would be turned. Then *I* would be the perky, ready-to-go person (okay,
I'm hardly ever "perky" under any circumstance, but just go with it,
okay?), and they'd be the bleary-eyed zombies. And then when I told them
everything I normally get done between 10:30pm and 1:30am, they'd look
at me like I was absolutely nuts, and they could experience first-hand
exactly how I feel when they hit me with a barrage of tasks to complete
before 10am.
Aw...dreams of retribution. Unfortunately, I rarely see or speak to
a morning person past 10pm at night. Pity, really. Ironically, I just
miss them on the weekends when I'm up doing my nails until 4am...
Anyways.
Last week was productive, though not so much as I'd have liked.
So, tossing that list out the window, here's what I need to get done
this week:
- Four serial scenes
- One extra scene
- Edit requests for the anthology stories
- Print formatting for RMSM
- Cover art for one serial story (seriously!)
If I get all that done, I'll call it good, though there's a bunch
more I'd *like* to do. One must pace themselves though, which is
something I'm not terribly good at.
Here's to another productive, fiction-filled week, eh?
woman sits down at the base of a tree, not really sure where she is. She
walked out of the holiday dinner when her boyfriend decided to break up
with her and now she wasn't really sure where she'd been going - or how
to get back. Bushes rustled to her left, and she jumped...
Alrighty then. Everyone up? Bright? Ready to Shine?
Yeah, me neither (sure, I'm writing this the night before, but I'm
confident about that), and "morning people" completely mystify me. I
suspect I mystify them too - by the time you read this, I'll have gotten
up far too early for a mandatory staff meeting at the day job half an
hour earlier than my normal start time (which means my alarm went off at
5:45am instead of 6am, which is bad enough). The morning people on our
staff will be perky and ready to face the day. And they'll look at me in
shock and awe, either from amazement that I'm actually at work that
early, or fear/amusement at my bleary-eyed, zombie-like state (or both).
Then they'll ask me to do things that no respectable night person can
perform mistake-free before 10am, and I'll have to muddle through and
pretend that I'm not longing for my cozy mattress with every fiber of my
being....
If any of those morning people were awake past 10pm, the tables
would be turned. Then *I* would be the perky, ready-to-go person (okay,
I'm hardly ever "perky" under any circumstance, but just go with it,
okay?), and they'd be the bleary-eyed zombies. And then when I told them
everything I normally get done between 10:30pm and 1:30am, they'd look
at me like I was absolutely nuts, and they could experience first-hand
exactly how I feel when they hit me with a barrage of tasks to complete
before 10am.
Aw...dreams of retribution. Unfortunately, I rarely see or speak to
a morning person past 10pm at night. Pity, really. Ironically, I just
miss them on the weekends when I'm up doing my nails until 4am...
Anyways.
Last week was productive, though not so much as I'd have liked.
So, tossing that list out the window, here's what I need to get done
this week:
- Four serial scenes
- One extra scene
- Edit requests for the anthology stories
- Print formatting for RMSM
- Cover art for one serial story (seriously!)
If I get all that done, I'll call it good, though there's a bunch
more I'd *like* to do. One must pace themselves though, which is
something I'm not terribly good at.
Here's to another productive, fiction-filled week, eh?
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
August 17, 2012
Recommended Read: The Doctor Wears A Stetson by Anne Marie Novark
You were wondering when I'd finally get around to reviewing a romance
novel, weren't you? Fear not - I may read rather widely, but romance in
its many forms does make up the bulk of my library.
[image error]
As for The Doctor Wears a Stetson
by Anne Marie Novark - I'm kind of kicking myself for not picking up
one of her books earlier, to be honest. I don't know Anne, but she's a
member of a forum I lurk around and occasionally post on, and it was
there that I clicked on one of the books in her signature at random. I
was looking for a good romance novel, and she has a *ton* of them out,
so I grabbed this one and started reading.
Cowboy
stories are always fun - I have a hard time writing them because I'm
too cynical (and I prefer the fictional version over many of the cowboys
I've met in real life). But I love to read 'em, being a Montana girl,
and this one certainly didn't disappoint. It takes place in a small
town, where life happens much like you'd expect it to, aside from the
sports car that the town's prodigal son drives into town one night. What
eventually happens to the car...well, that just cracked me up, but
suffice it to say, our awkward heroine (Jessie) has a lot to do with it.
And it's not what you're thinking, it's far better.
There's
also an...issue that Jessie has to deal with that stems mainly from a
lack of education (as well as fear), and I like how that particular part
of the book was dealt with as well.
Overall,
the story is a pretty basic small town "second chance at love" tale that
is sweet, poignant and a little sad in spots. It's the characters that
make it excellent - normal people who have sort of lost their way, and
need each other to find it again. If you're looking for a nice, quick,
romantic read, don't hesitate to pick this one up. I'll be looking into
more of Anne's work very shortly myself.
I'm not a
professional reviewer, I don't accept offerings direct from writers or
publishing houses (so don't email asking me to review your book - that's an
excellent way to ensure I never read it), and there's a very good chance
I know the authors of over half the books I'll recommend, so my opinion
is likely biased on any given day. This is just me telling you about a
great book I recently read. Nothing more, nothing less.
novel, weren't you? Fear not - I may read rather widely, but romance in
its many forms does make up the bulk of my library.
[image error]
As for The Doctor Wears a Stetson
by Anne Marie Novark - I'm kind of kicking myself for not picking up
one of her books earlier, to be honest. I don't know Anne, but she's a
member of a forum I lurk around and occasionally post on, and it was
there that I clicked on one of the books in her signature at random. I
was looking for a good romance novel, and she has a *ton* of them out,
so I grabbed this one and started reading.
Cowboy
stories are always fun - I have a hard time writing them because I'm
too cynical (and I prefer the fictional version over many of the cowboys
I've met in real life). But I love to read 'em, being a Montana girl,
and this one certainly didn't disappoint. It takes place in a small
town, where life happens much like you'd expect it to, aside from the
sports car that the town's prodigal son drives into town one night. What
eventually happens to the car...well, that just cracked me up, but
suffice it to say, our awkward heroine (Jessie) has a lot to do with it.
And it's not what you're thinking, it's far better.
There's
also an...issue that Jessie has to deal with that stems mainly from a
lack of education (as well as fear), and I like how that particular part
of the book was dealt with as well.
Overall,
the story is a pretty basic small town "second chance at love" tale that
is sweet, poignant and a little sad in spots. It's the characters that
make it excellent - normal people who have sort of lost their way, and
need each other to find it again. If you're looking for a nice, quick,
romantic read, don't hesitate to pick this one up. I'll be looking into
more of Anne's work very shortly myself.
I'm not a
professional reviewer, I don't accept offerings direct from writers or
publishing houses (so don't email asking me to review your book - that's an
excellent way to ensure I never read it), and there's a very good chance
I know the authors of over half the books I'll recommend, so my opinion
is likely biased on any given day. This is just me telling you about a
great book I recently read. Nothing more, nothing less.
August 16, 2012
Writer's Notes: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 4
Suddenly I'm not sure how short these stories are going to be...but
I guess we'll see. They'll be as long as they need to be, but I was
really hoping to keep them down around 10k or so. You know...short story
length.
Erik screwed up. Big time. I don't think Anna's going to appreciate
that much. And now I wonder how Erik's going to explain what happened
to his chief.
Wait a second though - what if he gets pulled off the case? How
would he help Anna? Would they do that? It's not like he shot anyone.
Not yet, anyways. He just put a civilian into the hands of a serial
killer...
Huh. We may have a bigger problem here...
Well, unless there wasn't anything wrong with the tea. I mean, he
could be overreacting. It could just be regular old Chai tea. In which
case Erik would look like an idiot. But Anna would be safe.
Or would she?
Hmm...
I guess we'll see. They'll be as long as they need to be, but I was
really hoping to keep them down around 10k or so. You know...short story
length.
Erik screwed up. Big time. I don't think Anna's going to appreciate
that much. And now I wonder how Erik's going to explain what happened
to his chief.
Wait a second though - what if he gets pulled off the case? How
would he help Anna? Would they do that? It's not like he shot anyone.
Not yet, anyways. He just put a civilian into the hands of a serial
killer...
Huh. We may have a bigger problem here...
Well, unless there wasn't anything wrong with the tea. I mean, he
could be overreacting. It could just be regular old Chai tea. In which
case Erik would look like an idiot. But Anna would be safe.
Or would she?
Hmm...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
August 15, 2012
Serial Story: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 4
New chapters posted every Wednesday in draft form.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 4
“Are you ready?” Erik asked Anna the next morning as they stood in the parking lot at The Trusty Mug. He’d arrived early and ordered a coffee, timing his exit so it would look natural for him to run into Anna coming in as he was leaving.
Anna nodded. “I guess so. What do I do?” She rubbed her hands together nervously, shifting from foot to foot. He reached out to steady her, squeezing one arm.
“Relax,” he said, smiling when she looked up at him. “Just be yourself, and order a tall Chai latte. Smell it just like you would any other morning but don’t taste it - it’s normally too hot, right?” He waited for her nod before continuing. “That’s good. Tell him what you think, and take it to your office. I’ll meet you there. Easy.”
She thought for a moment. “So you think the tea might have something in it? Is that why I shouldn’t drink it?”
Erik shrugged. “Like I said, I doubt he’s our guy, so it’s probably perfectly safe. But we’d like to test it just in case. I’ll bring you a cup to trade when we meet up. Wouldn’t want you to go without your caffeine fix just for helping me out.”
“Smart man.” She chuckled, glancing around him at the coffee shop. “I’d better get in there - he’s watching us. Probably worried that you’re going to kidnap me or something.”
She waved and smiled, and Erik turned in time to see Will wave back before he returned to the counter. He seemed like a nice kid. For Anna’s sake, he hoped he was right and Will was just a college kid making a little cash. There was something about him that didn’t sit quite right with Erik, but it was probably the way he looked at Anna with those puppy love eyes. Poor kid was way out of his league there.
Erik watched Anna walk into the store and fell back to the vantage point he’d chosen earlier. With a clear view of all the exits he waited for her to emerge. It shouldn’t be too long. Pulling a set of binoculars out of his jacket, he trained them on the big windows and scanned the main counter. Anna was chatting with Will as he made her drink and pushed it across the counter to her.
She lifted it to her nose, and breathed in deeply. The sensual way she moved was unexpected, and Erik sucked in a breath as she opened those gorgeous brown eyes and turned a full smile on Will.
“Damn,” he whispered as he watched her turn to leave. Then she stopped, and he frowned as she turned back toward the counter with an odd look on her face. Erik panned the binoculars toward Will, who was still behind the counter, saying something Erik couldn’t make out lip reading.
Moving back to Anna, Erik’s heart jumped as she lowered the cup from her lips.
Son of a bitch.
Shoving the binoculars back into his jacket he sprinted for the door, praying he wasn’t too late.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 4
“Are you ready?” Erik asked Anna the next morning as they stood in the parking lot at The Trusty Mug. He’d arrived early and ordered a coffee, timing his exit so it would look natural for him to run into Anna coming in as he was leaving.
Anna nodded. “I guess so. What do I do?” She rubbed her hands together nervously, shifting from foot to foot. He reached out to steady her, squeezing one arm.
“Relax,” he said, smiling when she looked up at him. “Just be yourself, and order a tall Chai latte. Smell it just like you would any other morning but don’t taste it - it’s normally too hot, right?” He waited for her nod before continuing. “That’s good. Tell him what you think, and take it to your office. I’ll meet you there. Easy.”
She thought for a moment. “So you think the tea might have something in it? Is that why I shouldn’t drink it?”
Erik shrugged. “Like I said, I doubt he’s our guy, so it’s probably perfectly safe. But we’d like to test it just in case. I’ll bring you a cup to trade when we meet up. Wouldn’t want you to go without your caffeine fix just for helping me out.”
“Smart man.” She chuckled, glancing around him at the coffee shop. “I’d better get in there - he’s watching us. Probably worried that you’re going to kidnap me or something.”
She waved and smiled, and Erik turned in time to see Will wave back before he returned to the counter. He seemed like a nice kid. For Anna’s sake, he hoped he was right and Will was just a college kid making a little cash. There was something about him that didn’t sit quite right with Erik, but it was probably the way he looked at Anna with those puppy love eyes. Poor kid was way out of his league there.
Erik watched Anna walk into the store and fell back to the vantage point he’d chosen earlier. With a clear view of all the exits he waited for her to emerge. It shouldn’t be too long. Pulling a set of binoculars out of his jacket, he trained them on the big windows and scanned the main counter. Anna was chatting with Will as he made her drink and pushed it across the counter to her.
She lifted it to her nose, and breathed in deeply. The sensual way she moved was unexpected, and Erik sucked in a breath as she opened those gorgeous brown eyes and turned a full smile on Will.
“Damn,” he whispered as he watched her turn to leave. Then she stopped, and he frowned as she turned back toward the counter with an odd look on her face. Erik panned the binoculars toward Will, who was still behind the counter, saying something Erik couldn’t make out lip reading.
Moving back to Anna, Erik’s heart jumped as she lowered the cup from her lips.
Son of a bitch.
Shoving the binoculars back into his jacket he sprinted for the door, praying he wasn’t too late.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
August 14, 2012
Re-Post from Routinely Yours: Finding My Routines
Finding My Routines: Documentation
I seem to have forgotten that the more organized I am, the more
time I have to do nothing (or fun, non-scheduled things). It doesn't
*seem* like it should work that way, but it really does. At the moment,
something non-scheduled or fun (like the new episode of Grimm last
night) just ends up making me feel guilty, because there are other
things that should be getting done but aren't. Organization and routine
makes the guilt go away, because whether things are done or not, I know
there's a time and place for them. I so want to get back to that
place...
This week, I'm in documentation mode again. I'm keeping track of
everything I do throughout the day, even at work, so I can develop some
new daytime and evening routines that will help me be more productive
and give me more guilt-free play time. This is kind of an intense
process, but well worth it because it's hard to see your natural
patterns when you're actually living them. Documenting them so you can
look at everything at once makes it easy to see when during the day you
naturally gravitate towards certain activities, or even parts of the
house. That makes it far easier to set up routines that are virtually
seamless and easy to adopt.
If you want to do this, I'd encourage you not to get hung up on
format. Just grab a sheet of paper (or an empty digital document,
preferably something you can access anywhere - I'm using Evernote, but
Google Docs or any online calendar program will work too), and write
down everything you do by hour or half hour for a week.
...
The quickest way to fail is to try to make yourself do something at a
time when your body/mind isn't up to the task.
This is an excerpt from one of my non-writing blogs...if you're interested, you can read the rest at Routinely Yours.
I seem to have forgotten that the more organized I am, the more
time I have to do nothing (or fun, non-scheduled things). It doesn't
*seem* like it should work that way, but it really does. At the moment,
something non-scheduled or fun (like the new episode of Grimm last
night) just ends up making me feel guilty, because there are other
things that should be getting done but aren't. Organization and routine
makes the guilt go away, because whether things are done or not, I know
there's a time and place for them. I so want to get back to that
place...
This week, I'm in documentation mode again. I'm keeping track of
everything I do throughout the day, even at work, so I can develop some
new daytime and evening routines that will help me be more productive
and give me more guilt-free play time. This is kind of an intense
process, but well worth it because it's hard to see your natural
patterns when you're actually living them. Documenting them so you can
look at everything at once makes it easy to see when during the day you
naturally gravitate towards certain activities, or even parts of the
house. That makes it far easier to set up routines that are virtually
seamless and easy to adopt.
If you want to do this, I'd encourage you not to get hung up on
format. Just grab a sheet of paper (or an empty digital document,
preferably something you can access anywhere - I'm using Evernote, but
Google Docs or any online calendar program will work too), and write
down everything you do by hour or half hour for a week.
...
The quickest way to fail is to try to make yourself do something at a
time when your body/mind isn't up to the task.
This is an excerpt from one of my non-writing blogs...if you're interested, you can read the rest at Routinely Yours.
August 13, 2012
Weekly News, Goals & Prompt - August 13, 2012
Prompt o' the Week: It's the perfect day for a
wedding, and the perfect way to start a new year and new life at the
same time. But as soon as the groom places the ring on his bride's
finger, he's absolutely sure that the woman standing next to him isn't
the one he originally proposed to...
[image error]
First off, while Rock Me, Stalk Me has been available
since sometime Saturday afternoon, today is the official release day. To
everyone who's already bought a copy - thank you! It's available for
the introductory price of 99 cents for the next couple of weeks, and
then the price will go up to $2.99. You'll find all sorts of nifty
purchase links with the official release announcement on the BSB Snake Bites blog
- or you can just click the "romantic suspense" link below this post.
One of these days (soon, I hope) I'll even get my web site and banners
updated. The paperback will be available in a week or so as well.
Last week I added a whole bunch of stuff to my plate...and didn't
do too badly, really. I managed to get all of my serial chapters done
and up, which is the important part - and more difficult when I'm trying
to get a book released. So I feel pretty good about that.
I also feel pretty good about the fact that I finally moved my
stereo back into the living room this weekend, after months of having it
tucked away in the office due to the Great Carpet Debacle of 2011. I'm
happy that I can use the stereo for music now when I'm cleaning or when
we need noise for the dogs during a thunderstorm (not that we get many
of those...). For the last several months if I wanted music without
using my MP3 player, it was the laptop speakers - and they aren't nearly
as good as my stereo speakers.
This weekend I decided to get my Halloween Village out of storage
and display it permanently (or until I get tired of it). I'll be
discussing this more on my Routinely Yours blog this week...and I'll
re-post that here tomorrow. And we went to our County Fair this weekend
as well, which was fun (and fry bread-filled - yum!).
This week, lots to do and many words to lay down:
- Finish guest post for #Amwriting.org (will post tomorrow!)
- 4 serial chapters
- Print formatting for RMSM
- First read-through/edit mark-ups of submissions to the fall BSB anthology
- Cover art for one serial story
And a bunch of housework...laundry catch-up, find the dining room table, vacuum, stuff like that. You know, boring.
Here's to a productive week for all of us, eh? Any goals you'd like to share? Feel free to post 'em here...
wedding, and the perfect way to start a new year and new life at the
same time. But as soon as the groom places the ring on his bride's
finger, he's absolutely sure that the woman standing next to him isn't
the one he originally proposed to...
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First off, while Rock Me, Stalk Me has been available
since sometime Saturday afternoon, today is the official release day. To
everyone who's already bought a copy - thank you! It's available for
the introductory price of 99 cents for the next couple of weeks, and
then the price will go up to $2.99. You'll find all sorts of nifty
purchase links with the official release announcement on the BSB Snake Bites blog
- or you can just click the "romantic suspense" link below this post.
One of these days (soon, I hope) I'll even get my web site and banners
updated. The paperback will be available in a week or so as well.
Last week I added a whole bunch of stuff to my plate...and didn't
do too badly, really. I managed to get all of my serial chapters done
and up, which is the important part - and more difficult when I'm trying
to get a book released. So I feel pretty good about that.
I also feel pretty good about the fact that I finally moved my
stereo back into the living room this weekend, after months of having it
tucked away in the office due to the Great Carpet Debacle of 2011. I'm
happy that I can use the stereo for music now when I'm cleaning or when
we need noise for the dogs during a thunderstorm (not that we get many
of those...). For the last several months if I wanted music without
using my MP3 player, it was the laptop speakers - and they aren't nearly
as good as my stereo speakers.
This weekend I decided to get my Halloween Village out of storage
and display it permanently (or until I get tired of it). I'll be
discussing this more on my Routinely Yours blog this week...and I'll
re-post that here tomorrow. And we went to our County Fair this weekend
as well, which was fun (and fry bread-filled - yum!).
This week, lots to do and many words to lay down:
- Finish guest post for #Amwriting.org (will post tomorrow!)
- 4 serial chapters
- Print formatting for RMSM
- First read-through/edit mark-ups of submissions to the fall BSB anthology
- Cover art for one serial story
And a bunch of housework...laundry catch-up, find the dining room table, vacuum, stuff like that. You know, boring.
Here's to a productive week for all of us, eh? Any goals you'd like to share? Feel free to post 'em here...
Enjoy
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Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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August 10, 2012
Recommended Read: Robyn's Egg by Mark Souza
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I really can't say I "enjoyed" this techno-thriller from Mark Souza, much as this feature is supposed to be about books I enjoyed. I really, really didn't though. And I mean no offense to the author by that at all - some of the best books I've read I didn't exactly "enjoy". So why am I recommending it?
Because
as uncomfortable and disquieting as it is, it really made me think. For
one thing, the basic plot starts off with this all-consuming need to
procreate...and I don't have a bone in my body telling me I need to have
kids (never have, that's why I don't). Because of the way procreation
is handled in Souza's post-apocalyptic (for lack of a better term)
world, this need pervades every single part of the character's lives.
People want a child so badly they will actually steal one right out in
public...and I have absolutely no way to relate to that kind of
all-consuming hunger to be a parent. Those who are parents or have that
desire to be parents won't have such a difficult time identifying with
that part of the book, methinks, though the opposite view is represented
as well (sort of). And the whole thing is...well, I really can't say more than that without spoiling the tension that builds while you're reading, so you'll have to just read it.
The other
part of this book that really shook me to the core was the societal
set-up, and the way people just accepted it, even if they didn't
particularly like it, for a good portion of the book. I kept screaming
in my head, "Leave! Just leave! Why do you stay?!" As an extremely
independent individual, I was completely unnerved at the thought that
perhaps there was really no where else to go, and that the existence
described was all there was. Which made me okay with other parts of the
book I normally wouldn't have been. Funny how the mind works, isn't it?
But that's exactly what would happen in Souza's world, so it was spot
on, as much as it made me itch.
To
make a rather vague review even more vague, hard and harder choices are at the heart of
this book. There often are no "good" choices in the lives of these
people, and so they have to do as well as they can within exceedingly
tight boundaries, even at the end. As usual, Souza does a great job of
keeping his characters authentic all the way through, and really that's a
big part of what makes it easy to slip into their heads and see the
journey as they see it, feeling what they feel.
This
should be required reading for everyone, IMO. It's not your average
two-hour escape fest, but rather a complex and terrifying prediction of
how our world could be someday if we align everything just right. Or
wrong, as the case may be.
As a point of disclaimer: I've been a fan of Mark's work for awhile now and while I don't know him all that well, I do enjoy chatting with him from time to time.
I'm not a
professional reviewer, I don't accept offerings direct from writers or
publishing houses (so don't email asking me to review your book - that's an
excellent way to ensure I never read it), and there's a very good chance
I know the authors of over half the books I'll recommend, so my opinion
is likely biased on any given day. This is just me telling you about a
great book I recently read. Nothing more, nothing less.
I really can't say I "enjoyed" this techno-thriller from Mark Souza, much as this feature is supposed to be about books I enjoyed. I really, really didn't though. And I mean no offense to the author by that at all - some of the best books I've read I didn't exactly "enjoy". So why am I recommending it?
Because
as uncomfortable and disquieting as it is, it really made me think. For
one thing, the basic plot starts off with this all-consuming need to
procreate...and I don't have a bone in my body telling me I need to have
kids (never have, that's why I don't). Because of the way procreation
is handled in Souza's post-apocalyptic (for lack of a better term)
world, this need pervades every single part of the character's lives.
People want a child so badly they will actually steal one right out in
public...and I have absolutely no way to relate to that kind of
all-consuming hunger to be a parent. Those who are parents or have that
desire to be parents won't have such a difficult time identifying with
that part of the book, methinks, though the opposite view is represented
as well (sort of). And the whole thing is...well, I really can't say more than that without spoiling the tension that builds while you're reading, so you'll have to just read it.
The other
part of this book that really shook me to the core was the societal
set-up, and the way people just accepted it, even if they didn't
particularly like it, for a good portion of the book. I kept screaming
in my head, "Leave! Just leave! Why do you stay?!" As an extremely
independent individual, I was completely unnerved at the thought that
perhaps there was really no where else to go, and that the existence
described was all there was. Which made me okay with other parts of the
book I normally wouldn't have been. Funny how the mind works, isn't it?
But that's exactly what would happen in Souza's world, so it was spot
on, as much as it made me itch.
To
make a rather vague review even more vague, hard and harder choices are at the heart of
this book. There often are no "good" choices in the lives of these
people, and so they have to do as well as they can within exceedingly
tight boundaries, even at the end. As usual, Souza does a great job of
keeping his characters authentic all the way through, and really that's a
big part of what makes it easy to slip into their heads and see the
journey as they see it, feeling what they feel.
This
should be required reading for everyone, IMO. It's not your average
two-hour escape fest, but rather a complex and terrifying prediction of
how our world could be someday if we align everything just right. Or
wrong, as the case may be.
As a point of disclaimer: I've been a fan of Mark's work for awhile now and while I don't know him all that well, I do enjoy chatting with him from time to time.
I'm not a
professional reviewer, I don't accept offerings direct from writers or
publishing houses (so don't email asking me to review your book - that's an
excellent way to ensure I never read it), and there's a very good chance
I know the authors of over half the books I'll recommend, so my opinion
is likely biased on any given day. This is just me telling you about a
great book I recently read. Nothing more, nothing less.
August 9, 2012
Writer's Notes: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 3
Why don't you guys just clear off Anna's desk and have at it?
That's pretty much what was going through my head toward the end of
this scene. I predict some good sack time toward the end of this
story...
The rest of the scene...well, it pretty much speaks for itself, don't you think?
And yes, the biker-detective-hot-butt-in-jeans is sort of cliched.
So sue me. He's hot, he's amusing, and he's a fantasy man who doesn't
actually exist in nature (which is why we read and write guys like him!). If you're looking for reality,
you're in the wrong place...
That's pretty much what was going through my head toward the end of
this scene. I predict some good sack time toward the end of this
story...
The rest of the scene...well, it pretty much speaks for itself, don't you think?
And yes, the biker-detective-hot-butt-in-jeans is sort of cliched.
So sue me. He's hot, he's amusing, and he's a fantasy man who doesn't
actually exist in nature (which is why we read and write guys like him!). If you're looking for reality,
you're in the wrong place...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
August 8, 2012
Serial Story: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 3
New chapters posted every Wednesday in draft form.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 3
Anna thought about that for a moment. What could this man possibly do for her? Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, she mentally rolled her eyes.
Down, girl. He didn’t mean what you’re thinking.
Except when she looked in his eyes, she could swear that was exactly the implication he’d meant to give. Cruel man. Anna nearly sighed, wishing she was the kind of girl who could ask for exactly what she wanted. Her gaze drifted to a thick square envelope on her desk, and she smiled. Close enough.
“Okay, Detective,” she said, holding up the envelope. “I need a date next Saturday to this networking function for our local association that will be so boring they require formal attire. I’m fairly certain it’s so we’re all uncomfortable enough not to notice the boredom so much. You be my date for the evening, and I’ll allow you to use me as bait for a potentially dangerous serial killer. Fair enough?”
The biker-detective chuckled. “I think you’re getting the raw end of this deal, but I’ll take it. I’m not sure why you need a date though - I bet guys are falling all over themselves to talk to you at those things.”
Anna shrugged. “Hence the problem. Have you ever dated an accountant, detective?”
“It’s Erik,” he said with a wry smile. “And no, I don’t believe I have. This will be a first.”
She nodded. “Well I have. They’re - we’re - boring dates. The last thing I need is to get involved with someone as patentedly mundane as I already am. With you by my side, the accountants will leave me alone, and I won’t have to make any false promises about calling men I have no intention of calling, or give out wrong numbers. It’s a win-win, really.”
“So I’m a human cock-blocker.”
“Crudely put, but yes.”
He grinned, leaning forward far enough to make Anna scoot back a bit more. “How do you know I won’t make a play for you, Ms. James?”
She laughed, a nervous sound even to her own ears. “Did you miss the part where I said accountants are boring? You’ll be more than ready to get rid of me by the end of the evening. Trust me.”
He reached out to stroke the back of her hand with his index finger, the movement sending delicious and alarming signels through her body all at once as his knees bumped lightly against hers.
“Don’t be too sure about that, Anna. I’m not sure you could bore me if you tried.”
Anna had no idea what to say. Her cheeks burned as Det--Erik stood up and swaggered to the door. Damn. Even the man’s butt looked satisfied as it swayed in those well-worn jeans.
She shifted her focus upward as he turned back, embarrassed at the knowing grin on his face as he caught her checking him out. She really wanted to just crawl under her desk and pretend that none of this had ever happened, but she forced herself to meet his eye instead.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” he said with a wink, and then walked out, closing the door behind him.
It took a minute for his words to process, and then Anna slumped back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling.
“Good lord, what have I done?” she murmured.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 3
Anna thought about that for a moment. What could this man possibly do for her? Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, she mentally rolled her eyes.
Down, girl. He didn’t mean what you’re thinking.
Except when she looked in his eyes, she could swear that was exactly the implication he’d meant to give. Cruel man. Anna nearly sighed, wishing she was the kind of girl who could ask for exactly what she wanted. Her gaze drifted to a thick square envelope on her desk, and she smiled. Close enough.
“Okay, Detective,” she said, holding up the envelope. “I need a date next Saturday to this networking function for our local association that will be so boring they require formal attire. I’m fairly certain it’s so we’re all uncomfortable enough not to notice the boredom so much. You be my date for the evening, and I’ll allow you to use me as bait for a potentially dangerous serial killer. Fair enough?”
The biker-detective chuckled. “I think you’re getting the raw end of this deal, but I’ll take it. I’m not sure why you need a date though - I bet guys are falling all over themselves to talk to you at those things.”
Anna shrugged. “Hence the problem. Have you ever dated an accountant, detective?”
“It’s Erik,” he said with a wry smile. “And no, I don’t believe I have. This will be a first.”
She nodded. “Well I have. They’re - we’re - boring dates. The last thing I need is to get involved with someone as patentedly mundane as I already am. With you by my side, the accountants will leave me alone, and I won’t have to make any false promises about calling men I have no intention of calling, or give out wrong numbers. It’s a win-win, really.”
“So I’m a human cock-blocker.”
“Crudely put, but yes.”
He grinned, leaning forward far enough to make Anna scoot back a bit more. “How do you know I won’t make a play for you, Ms. James?”
She laughed, a nervous sound even to her own ears. “Did you miss the part where I said accountants are boring? You’ll be more than ready to get rid of me by the end of the evening. Trust me.”
He reached out to stroke the back of her hand with his index finger, the movement sending delicious and alarming signels through her body all at once as his knees bumped lightly against hers.
“Don’t be too sure about that, Anna. I’m not sure you could bore me if you tried.”
Anna had no idea what to say. Her cheeks burned as Det--Erik stood up and swaggered to the door. Damn. Even the man’s butt looked satisfied as it swayed in those well-worn jeans.
She shifted her focus upward as he turned back, embarrassed at the knowing grin on his face as he caught her checking him out. She really wanted to just crawl under her desk and pretend that none of this had ever happened, but she forced herself to meet his eye instead.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” he said with a wink, and then walked out, closing the door behind him.
It took a minute for his words to process, and then Anna slumped back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling.
“Good lord, what have I done?” she murmured.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
