Jamie DeBree's Blog, page 74

Serial Novel: The Biker's Wench, Chapter 23

This serial novel is posted in draft form every Tuesday and Friday.



Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7| Ch. 8 | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10 |Ch. 11 | Ch. 12 | Ch. 13| Ch. 14 |Ch. 15 |Ch. 16 |Ch. 17 |Ch. 18 |Ch. 19 |Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22




The Biker's Wench










Chapter 23

"Saloon girl," Monica corrected automatically, guilt edging in as she remembered she had been scheduled to work this morning. It hadn't mattered when she'd thought she wasn't coming back. "Just let me change..." She turned to go, halted by warm fingers closed lightly around her upper arm. Looking up, she met his concerned gaze.

"Are you sure you're up for this? I could call someone else instead."

Swallowing hard, she nodded. "It will be good to do something mundane for awhile. Everything's been so...intense," she said, pulling gently out of his grasp.  "I could use the break."

He nodded, stepping aside. "I'll take you down on the four-wheeler. I have some things to get done this afternoon, but I'll be back in time to bring you home."

"Thanks." She went down the hall to her - his room, and after a brief search found the costume hanging in the closet right next to all of his things. Whoever had washed her underthings must have cleaned it too, and she was grateful. Shimmying out of the jeans and shirt she'd put on just under an hour ago, she dressed quickly, then used the bathroom mirror to fluff her drying hair. As she lowered her hand, a glint of gold flashed in the mirror, and she looked down to examine the ring Harley had given her. It was probably the most symbolic thing she'd ever owned, and yet it seemed to mock her from it's place on her finger.

Staring into her own eyes, she waited for the urge to run, the one she would have listened to last night if she hadn't been so tired. She held up her left hand, wiggled it in the mirror to remind herself she was well and truely married. Trapped. Caged, even if it was only supposed to be short term.

Nothing.

Fear prickled under her skin as she contemplated what that meant. She couldn't afford to be comfortable, to settle down. To trust. This feeling of belonging couldn't be real, she wouldn't let it. Belonging to someone, with someone always ended badly. Always. 

She went back to the bedroom and laced her feet into the tall leather boots, then went to find Harley, skirt swishing around her ankles. As she neared the kitchen, the sound of his voice drifted through the doorway.
"No, Burns specifically said not to use a room near his. Use three-twelve. It should be clean and empty. I'll be there in about 20 minutes."

Monica entered in time to see him hang up the phone, and shot him a questioning look. "My father is still here?"

"Only for tonight," Harley said, looking her up and down. "Nice," he said, a grin playing at his lips. "Very nice."
She shook her head, trying to hold back a smile. "Don't even think about it," she said, following him to the front door. "Why is my father still here?"

Harley pulled the door shut behind them, his expression stiff as he walked past her down a long, undecorated hall. "Apparently he booked a dinner party here at the mansion for tonight before he knew you were here," he said, leading the way to a small bank of elevators and pushing the call button. "Some conference his company was hosting in Reno. That's why your ex was here too - he skipped out on a couple meetings to scout out our security ahead of time. It was just chance that he decided on the saloon to drink in that night instead of the Double D."

"He's not my ex." Monica stepped onto the elevator, only vaguely remembering having been on it the night before. "I guess he was bound to find me anyways then, from the sounds of it. The universe is trying to tell me something. Maybe I should have just gone--"

Harley pushed the hold button and the elevator jerked to a stop. Wary, Monica backed away as he advanced, until her shoulders were pressed into the corner. Heat radiated off his body as he braced his forearms on either side of her head and leaned in. "The universe isn't telling you anything. Common sense is telling you it's time to quit running and fight back, so fight, damn it! Don't let him or anyone else tell you how to live your life." He leaned closer, his breath hot on her face and she knew in another second, he'd be kissing her. And she wouldn't be able to resist.

His muscles flexed instictively under her hands as she looked him in the eye and pushed him away.  "That's rich coming from someone who lives his life on the advice of his lawyers."

Weekly News & Goals - 11/22/10

Can you believe Thanksgiving is this week here in the US? Crazy. Time flies when you're having fun...or busy, in this case. The holiday season is coming up quickly, and after all that lovely food on Thursday comes the mad shopping rush of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I'll be at the day job for both of those, thanks. Not much of a shopper.

But for those who are – the digital version of Tempest is on sale for $.99 at Amazon , Barnes & Noble and Smashwords from now until November 30th. Amazon has just rolled out a very cool feature too – you can now give ebooks from the Kindle store as gifts! From what I hear, they're also working on a lending library similar to Barnes & Noble, so watch for that as well. For a list of some other books on sale for $.99 for Black Friday, click here – and remember, most ebook stores have free samples available, so you can download a few pages to see if you want to keep reading or not. I make very good use of this feature myself.

Also, last week I mentioned that Variety News is moving back to an exclusive email format, and then didn't give you the link (not sure what happened there). So here it is – sign up here to receive Variety News via email. It will be sent out on the last Sunday of every month, with the rare special edition sent out to announce a book release or major contest. Why email only? So I can give newsletter subscribers special sneak-peeks, discount coupons, advance buying options, and other fun stuff. And because some people simply prefer a monthly email over a blog post, Facebook update or Tweet. I like to be accommodating when I can.

This Week at The Variety Pages

Tuesday: Ch. 23 of The Biker's Wench

Wednesday: Everyday Romance – Giving Thanks

Friday: Ch. 24 of The Biker's Wench

Friday at Beyond the Words

Sales & Marketing Report

Goal Reports

Last week's writing goals went swimmingly – the only thing I didn't manage to get to was the edits for Desert Heat. There's still time though, so no worries. Anytime I start before December will be ahead of time for that. The new writer's group meeting was much fun...I think I'll really enjoy working with these two gals. One has even been reading this blog – hi Loree! Local writers who might be interested, shoot me an email and we'll chat.

On my business goals, I've updated all my various blogs/sites with links back to Brazen Snake Books, and finally got all the purchase links pointed that way as well. As noted above, Tempest is uploaded to B&N again, and on sale now 'til the end of the month. The only thing I didn't get done was work on the promo shop – so that will carry over.

And for personal – the great office project is nearly done, but not quite. I have a ton of stuff in there that needs to be donated elsewhere, but it's simply too cold/snowy to pack it all up and drive it around, so we'll wait until it's a little warmer. I worked out three times – I've been doing yoga in the mornings before work, which seems to help a lot with my ankle issues. As for getting to bed at 12:30...well, a girl can dream, right?

Goals for the Week

Writing

Keep up with online serials (4 scenes total)

Start Desert Heat edits

2k more words for The Minister's Maid

Business

Fix up promo shop and link it to the web site.

Order promo items

Create direct order links for ebooks from the site.

Personal

Get the house shaped up by Thursday for Thanksgiving company

Use whatever time is left on Thursday for writing

Get laundry caught up with one load per night

Be sociable on Saturday for second holiday dinner

Read & review A Sordid Situation by Vivian Kees

That's my week this week – what's on your plate? Read any good books lately (and have you "hugged" the author by leaving a review)?

Happy Thanksgiving to all in the US!

Serial Novel: The Biker's Wench, Chapter 22

This serial novel is posted in draft form every Tuesday and Friday.



Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7| Ch. 8 | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10 |Ch. 11 | Ch. 12 | Ch. 13| Ch. 14 |Ch. 15 |Ch. 16 |Ch. 17 |Ch. 18 |Ch. 19 |Ch. 20 | Ch. 21




The Biker's Wench










Chapter 22

Monica released her grip on his arm like it was a hot pan, pulling as far away from him as she could get within the confines of the chair. "No," she said, her arms crossed over her chest. "Hell no. I'm not having kids, ever. So he can just go straight to hell. Straight. To. Hell."

She was trembling, hot red anger rising in her face. Harley was glad he'd decided not to tell her the rest for now. He'd known she'd react badly, but this was far more dramatic than expected. He wondered if she knew more about her father's criminal activities than she let on.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he said softly, reaching out to lay one hand on her knee.

She brushed it aside, launching herself out the chair and slipping past before he could blink. "There's nothing to talk about, I just don't want kids." She walked over to the fireplace, then turned suddenly, her intense gaze burning into him. "You said you had a plan?"

He nodded. "Like I said, I've almost got enough saved up to pay off the ranch. I say we play along for six months. Then when I've got the money, we trade the ranch for our silence and your freedom."

"It seems too simple." She frowned, shaking her head. "I just don't know...something's off about all of this. Why didn't he just call in the note? Why play with us like this? It doesn't make any sense."

Harley felt a twinge of guilt as he watched her pace with furrowed brow, trying to make one plus one equal three. Burns had no intention of ever giving up the ranch - he was certain of that. Harley had been about to tell him just where he could stick his demands regardless of the consequences when one of Burns' bodyguards had interrupted them. Burns stepped out of the room to answer a call, and the bodyguard left behind had identified himself as undercover FBI agent Austin Daniels. He'd asked Harley to play along and find out exactly what was in those packages. The FBI suspected he was abducting and smuggling women out of the country to sell as sex slaves, but he normally stayed far enough away from the day-to-day operations that Daniels hadn't been able to connect him to it. Yet.

He wanted Harley to confirm his suspicions and collect any evidence that might connect Burns to the smuggling ring. Since Monica was at the ranch, there was a possibility that Burns would spend more time there now, having expressed an interest in getting to know his daughter better again. If he happened to oversee a hand-off or two, that would go a long way toward putting him behind bars.

Daniels had assured him the ranch would be turned over free and clear after Burns was taken into custody, and Harley had reluctantly agreed. He hadn't really seen a choice, since any legal proceedings against Burns at this point could close down the ranch for months or even years, and this way, they had a chance to get Monica's father out of her life forever. Not to mention the women, if that was indeed what Burns was smuggling.

He stood up, meeting Monica's troubled gaze. "I don't know, sweetheart. But like I said before, I'm working on a way to get us out of this mess, and get your father out of your life for good, if that's what you want."

She hesitated, then nodded. "What do we do now?"

A loud buzzing from Harley's pocket filled the space between them, and he dug his phone out of his pocket to answer. He listened intently to the frantic voice on the other end, feeling her tension surround him as she watched and waited. "Just hang on a few more minutes, if you can. We'll be right there," he said and disconnected the call. She raised her eyebrows, and he grinned.

"Ready to play the wench again, darlin'?"

Everyday Romance: Working Together

Do you work well with your significant other? On anything, I mean. Home improvement projects to dinner to day job type stuff…it's not always easy to work as a team, even when you know the other person as well as you know yourself, but it's hardly unavoidable when you live together (unless you can afford to hire things done, in which case I'm jealous. So is my husband.).

My husband and I each have our quirks when it comes to working together – sometimes, such as last weekend when we pulled the office apart to remove the carpet – it works just fine. Other times (Halloween decorating, anyone?), it gets a little…weird. We have completely different styles of approaching projects (household projects, to be specific), and sometimes we aren't efficient because we're trying to stay out of each other's way.  Obviously the key to working effectively on any project with anyone is communication. More often than not, if we run into problems it's a lack of communication that causes them.

 

What gets in your way when you and your spouse work together? Or do you just avoid the issue and work on projects separately as much as possible?

Serial Novel: The Biker's Wench, Chapter 21

This serial novel is posted in draft form every Tuesday and Friday.



Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7| Ch. 8 | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10 |Ch. 11 | Ch. 12 | Ch. 13| Ch. 14 |Ch. 15 |Ch. 16 |Ch. 17 |Ch. 18 |Ch. 19 |Ch. 20




The Biker's Wench










Chapter 21

"Why don't you sit down."

Monica almost protested on principle, but the serious look in those dark, brooding eyes convinced her otherwise. She chose a dark green overstuffed armchair, thinking as she sank into the plush cushions that it would make a wonderful spot to read under more favorable circumstances. Harley sat across from her on a matching sofa, perched on the edge with his forearms braced on his knees. She frowned.

"I'm sitting, now spill. Did something happen to my father? Is he okay?" She leaned forward, gripping the edge of the seat with her hands. Waiting.

Harley shook his head. "He's fine," he said drawing out the words longer than necessary. "We came to an agreement of sorts, but you're not going to like it. And I'm already working on a way to get out of it, so don't overreact, okay?"

She threw her hands up and fell dramatically back against the chair. "An agreement? Of course. I sure know how to pick 'em, don't I?" Raising her head she settled more comfortably in the chair, wondering if she would be using that secret tunnel tonight after all. "Do tell, Harlan. What did you and my father decide about the rest of my life?"

Pushing his hands on his knees, he stood, pacing between the couch and the coffee table. "It turns out that your father owns the company that holds our mortgage to this place. When things got heated last night, he threatened to call in the note. I'm close to being able to pay it off, but just not quite there yet." He moved over to the cold, dark fireplace and propped one arm up on the mantle. "I didn't have any choice. It was either agree or lose the ranch. I can't lose this place, Monica. It's my life."

She nodded, her heart beating faster at his words. Stephen Burns was a powerful guy, and he'd been holding things over people's heads since she was just a child. Disappointing as it was to hear, his treatment of Harley wasn't really surprising. "It's obviously something pretty bad, so you might as well get it over with." She reached out as he paced close, and took his hand, pulling him to sit on the large ottoman in front of her. "We'll figure out a way to deal with it."

"It's two things, really," he said, his voice low with that raspy quality she found so sexy. "First, I have to transport packages to one of his offices in Reno. He'll have one dropped off here once a month."

Monica's frown deepened. "What's in the package?" she asked, even though she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"Drugs or cash is my guess. I'm not supposed to look or ask questions."

She nodded, oddly energized by the possibility of seeing just what her father wanted moved. It could be something they could use as leverage later. "And the second?"

"He wants grandchildren, Monica. A boy and a girl at least two years old before we can divorce, or he'll take the ranch away."

Weekly News & Goals - 11/15/10

Last week was going pretty well, despite my realization that I may, in fact, not reach 50k this month, and even more shocking, that I was okay with that. And then things went south at the day job, throwing me off my overall groove. I hate when that happens. Which is my way of apologizing for not getting back to comments last week, and telling you I may not get to them this week either, depending on how things go. Hopefully they'll go better than expected...

Yesterday I posted the last bi-weekly newsletter – you can view it here. The big news is that I'm moving the newsletter back to email only, and it will now be a monthly update (along with the occasional "extra" edition to announce a new release or contest). Sign up for Variety News here – the first monthly edition will go out on November 28th.

This Week on The Variety Pages

Tuesday: Chapter 21 of The Biker's Wench

Wednesday: Everyday Romance – Working Together

Friday: Chapter 22 of The Biker's Wench

Thursday at Beyond the Words

Marketing Plan for January

Goal Reports

The only writing goal I didn't meet last week was 2k on The Minister's Maid daily. This is just not going to happen, mainly because I'm not willing to give up either of my other serials, or TV. I probably won't make the 50k this year, and I'm okay with that, mainly because these other projects that I don't want to give up are important to me, and part of my long-term business plan. In light of that (and the fact that I really, really want to start the final edits on Desert Heat), I've revised my writing schedule a bit to accommodate my different projects. I realize that this would be a nightmare for some other writers, but variety is what keeps me "on" and engaged.

I'm a wee bit behind on ye olde business goals, but will catch those up this week. And last week's personal goals were simple – I did workout twice, the office is completely redone and just needs a bit more work on the organization, and I did focus as well as I could on my writing, considering outside stress & all. Not a bad week, to be sure.

Goals for the Week

Writing

Two more chapters/sections for each serial project

Two night's work on The Minister's Maid (and whatever other time I can scrounge up)

Start final edits for Desert Heat

Attend new local writer's group meeting Saturday to see what I think.

Business

Add links to the BSB site on all my other sites.

Convert & upload/update Tempest on Barnes & Noble

Work on the BSB gift shop and order promo items

Put Tempest on sale this Sunday for 99 cents.

Personal

Finish the great office remodel project.

Workout three times

Get to bed no later than 12:30am (early for me at this point)

That's my week – what's yours look like? Read any good books lately? I highly recommend Karen Fenech for romantic suspense – her book "Gone" has me enthralled at the moment...

Serial Novel: The Biker's Wench, Chapter 20

This serial novel is posted in draft form every Tuesday and Friday.



Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7| Ch. 8 | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10 |Ch. 11 | Ch. 12 | Ch. 13| Ch. 14 |Ch. 15 |Ch. 16 |Ch. 17 |Ch. 18 |Ch. 19




The Biker's Wench










Chapter 19



The urge to close the distance and kiss him was almost too strong to resist. Instead Monica leaned back and pulled a pillow across her lap, needing some sort of cover to make sure Harley's focus was on her words rather than her body.

"What exactly are you saying?" she asked, a shiver running through her skin. "Are we renegotiating the marriage contract?"

He shrugged, his expression thoughtful. "The damage is done as far as I'm concerned. We might as well enjoy ourselves for the rest of the year."

"Damage? Is that what we did?" How on earth could having sex with me 'damage' you?" Monica swung her legs off the other side of the bed and grabbed a throw blanket off a chair near the window to wrap sarong-style around her body. She turned to face him, hands on her hips as he sat watching her from the bed. "You didn't honestly think that people would assume we weren't sleeping together after you married me..." 

"I expected them to assume we were, actually." He stood, the towel at his waist slipping an inch lower on his hips. He didn't fix it. "But you don't want to be married and I don't really want anyone falling in love with me, so staying away from each other would have been the safer option." He crossed his arms over his chest, muscles flexing in a way that would have made her drool two minutes ago.

Now she was just mad. "So you think if I sleep with you, I'll fall in love with you. Just like that." She spied the bathroom door and walked toward it, stopping in the doorway to look over her shoulder at him. "Well screw you. Or not, in this case. Our original deal stands - no more sex." She stepped into the generous room and closed the door, reaching back to flip the lock before the tears started to fall.

"Monica?" He knocked on the door, twisting the knob back and forth. "Open the door, dammit."

She walked over to the shower and turned on the spray, then draped the blanket over an empty towel rack and stepped in. Letting the spray run down her face she wept. Everything was such a mess. How had it gotten so complicated?

The answer was the same as it had always been. Her father. He was the reason she'd married Harley, and the reason she'd been running in the first place. And in all the personal drama, Harley hadn't told her how he'd delt with her father, and suddenly she really needed to know.  She used his shampoo to wash her hair, then quickly soaped and rinsed her body. Swearing under her breath when she remembered her lack of clothing, she wrapped the throw around herself again and cautiously opened the door. Relieved that no one was there, she padded over to the freshly made bed where she found a small stack of folded clothes and a note. Unfolding the paper, she scanned the lines.

"I hope these fit - they belong to my sister. I'll be waiting in the living room. H"

She pulled on her own bra and panties, which appeared to have been washed. Betsy had loaned her a super-soft pair of jeans that would work if she rolled them up, along with a fitted white cashmere sweater that clung in all the right places. Not half bad, she thought as she checked herself out in the freestanding mirror and fluffed her still-damp hair. Unable to wait any longer she retraced last night's route back to the front door, and turned to see Harley waiting for her on one of two plush overstuffed couches. He stood as she approached, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"What happened with my father last night?"

Everyday Romance: Healthy Space

A few weeks back, I posted about couples sharing – or not sharing – a bed at night. Reactions were mixed, and I was actually kind of surprised that keeping separate beds or bedrooms isn't as uncommon as I'd thought. One commenter posited that it's healthy for individuals to have their own space – which, while I don't necessarily agree with in the context of the bedroom, I absolutely agree with in general terms.

My husband is my best friend, hands down. I'd rather spend time with him than anyone else. But there are times I need "space" – time away from everyone/everything, including him. Sometimes it just sort of happens – I workout in the basement, and he goes to the gym. I spend two hours every Sunday making dog food (often listening to music), and sometimes he heads off to visit his parents. Late at night while I'm writing, sometimes he's in the living room with me, and sometimes he goes to read in bed. I'm sure he needs his own space sometimes too…and I tend to think of the billiard room downstairs and the garage as his personal "spaces" to retreat to.

We don't seem to need a lot of time apart…I know for me, the little bits here and there are plenty. I know that some couples tend to need more space than others though – my parents don't tend to have the same interests, so while they do spend time together, they seem to spend more time apart than my husband and I.

How do you take time away from your spouse? Do you feel like you get enough? What are some of the things you do to work in "alone time"?

Serial Novel: The Biker's Wench, Chapter 19

***If you are under 18 years old, do not read further. ***




This serial novel is posted in draft form every Tuesday and Friday.




Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7| Ch. 8 | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10 |Ch. 11 | Ch. 12 | Ch. 13| Ch. 14 |Ch. 15 |Ch. 16 |Ch. 17 |Ch. 18




The Biker's Wench










Chapter 19




Harley woke several hours later to a soft, warm body tucked against him, a plump breast filling the palm of one hand. His body came to life as he remembered the events that had transpired earlier, and Monica shifted against him in her sleep, nestling her backside more firmly against his stiffening cock. Stifling a groan, he carefully moved his hand and began rolling to his back.



"Please," she whispered, her voice groggy with sleep. "Not yet."



Not sure whether she was awake or dreaming, he stilled for a moment and listened to her slow, even breathing. Moving slowly he got out of bed and tucked the covers in around her before heading to the ensuite bathroom for a shower. He stood under the lukewarm water, willing his body under control as he soaped up and rinsed off, trying to prepare for whatever would come next. He'd just wrapped a towel around his waist when a piercing scream sent him running back to the bedroom.



Monica flailed on the bed, her arms and legs tangled in the sheet as the bedspread fell to the floor. Thrashing her head back and forth she cried, her eyes tightly shut. "No! Please! I'm not ready...please not yet. Not him--let me go!"



Swearing under his breath he went to her side. "Monica, wake up." He hoped the loud, commanding tone would be enough to wake her, but she cried out again, rolling too close to the edge of the bed. Left wtih no choice, he grabbed her wrists, setting off a frantic fight response he regretted immediately. Holding tightly even though he knew she'd have bruises, he pulled her close, whispering softly into her ear. "Open your eyes, sweetheart. You're dreaming." He placed a light kiss a little lower on her neck as she stopped struggling, then leaned back, studying her face intently to make sure she was fully awake. Satisfied, he released her wrists, leaning back to give her some space. "Sorry about the grip - you were headed for a nasty fall."



She glanced past him, her eyes widening as she rubbed her arms and scooted back a few inches. Glancing down at herself she seemed to realize she was naked, and he watched a pretty pink blush spread over her chest and up into her cheeks as she grabbed for the sheet, trying to cover herself. "Um...thanks," she said quietly, wiping her eyes though it looked as if she wasn't done crying yet. "Sorry about that - I get those sometimes."



"No need to apologize," Harley said, laying a hand over her thigh and stroking his thumb in what he hoped was a soothing back-and-forth motion. "Wanna talk about it?" He tensed up, waiting to hear what possibly could have happened to cause such violent nightmares. Then he was going to go break someone's neck.



Monica shook her head, surprising him again. "I'd rather not, if you don't mind." She glanced at his towel, then looked quickly away, her shyness bringing a grin to his lips. "I could use a shower though, if you're done..."



"I've seen you naked, you know." He pulled the sheet away from her with a flick of the wrist. "And I'm not opposed to seeing a lot more of it." She hugged her knees to her chest, the sadness in her eyes replaced with a curious look.



"I thought you didn't want sex," she said, absently running a hand over the front of her calf. "Well, not with your wife, anyway. I take it you've changed your mind?"



Harley ran a hand through his hair, remembering his first proposal. Then he remembered her reaction. "You objected," he said, a knowing grin spreading over his face. "You wanted to sleep with me. Admit it."



"I never pretended otherwise," she said, her tone matter-of-fact as she scooted closer to him on the bed. "But I was willing to go along with your rules since you seemed so set on them. And then you kissed me..."



He reached out, trailing a finger down her arm. "Yes I did. You were very convincing." He grasped her hand, pulling her to sit beside him on the edge of the bed. "You may have noticed I have a hard time resisting women..."



"All women?" She raised an eyebrow, the corners of her lips lifting the tiniest bit. "And here I thought I was special."

 

He laughed, pleased when her eyes followed his hands as he stood to readjust the towel at his waist. "I love women, sweetheart. That's why my lawyers were ready to marry me off. Less expensive staying with the same one, even if she does try to take my money." She was staring at him, both eyebrows raised now as he took the two steps back to the bed. He leaned over, his face just inches from hers and gazed into her pretty brown eyes. "But you're the only one I ever married, so that should count for something."

Weekly News & Goals 11/8/10

Whew! Are you all ready for a brand new week? Last week was crazy, but I managed to get all the blog posts up without too much trouble. Hopefully this week will go smoothly...but I am writing this particular post at 1:30am. With any luck, all the rest will be written much earlier. With all the holiday stuff my weekends have been too full to write my posts ahead of time, unfortunately.

Did I mention I'm doing a giveaway for Tempest over on Goodreads? Two winners will each get two print copies of Tempest, one to keep, and one to gift (early Christmas shopping, anyone?). If you're interested, enter here . And don't be shy – friend me over there too!

In any case, I'm in NaNo mode, which means basic fare for this week. I do have another author interview coming up, but I'm not sure when it will be ready. Stay tuned...

This Week on The Variety Pages

Tuesday: Chapter 19 of The Biker's Wench

Wednesday: Healthy Space

Friday: Chapter 20 of The Biker's Wench

Thursday at Beyond the Words

Marketing Plan – December

Saturday at Snake Bites

Weekly Rattler - for those of you who want links to all the serial reads for the previous week, any contests or sales news, and announcements for all aspects of my book business, this is the blog to watch. Naturally anything pertaining romance will be posted here too.

Goal Reports

Last week was kind of a whirlwind. Two days off the day job, Halloween clean-up and trying to keep up with my normal routines were nearly my undoing, but I managed to meet my obligations and get a little NaNo writing done on the side. This week should be a little easier to keep up with things as my routine will be mostly back to normal. Aside from Thursday, which is a holiday so I'll be at home. Hopefully writing.

Goals for the Week

Writing

2000 words per day on The Minister's Maid (NaNo)

2 new chapters for TBW

2 new installments for pen name project

Business

Link everything up to the BSB site

Update and conversion of new digital Tempest files

Personal

Workout twice

Start cleaning out office

Focus on writing.

That's it for me – what's on tap for you this week? Read any good books lately?