Liv Rancourt's Blog, page 46

The Octopus Knows - Round Robin #2

So this is a rare Thursday post. Actually, it's part of a series of posts, a round-robin of storytelling that would make the most hard-core pantser proud. I'm one of a group of bloggers telling the story of, well, I'm not entirely sure what. You can check out the first installment on Laird Sapir's blog. She'll also be collating the installments as they come in, so eventually it will be possible to read the whole thing in one play. But where's the fun in that? Follow along as we go....wherever it is we're going.;)Liv
The Octopus Knows #2
He reached into the closet and fingered the heavy zippered garment bag. The white suit. The one with the sparkly lapels. Perfect.
Though upon his arrival, he saw that the outfit wasn't perfect at all. Marguerite was dressed to fade away, wrapped in a worn trench coat with her brilliant ginger hair obscured by a heavy  taupe scarf. She sat shrunken in the corner booth, a half-empty glass of water the only indication the waitstaff at La Boulangerie had paid any attention to her.
And the damned white leather pants were so tight Simon could barely breath. A year spent living off of Pringles and cognac was having its revenge.
 "Well isn't that just a cat pageant." Her eyes shredded his suit, though her voice barely made it past the edge of the table.
"Darling Marguerite, it's so good to see.."
She cut him off before he could finish. "Sit your prissy butt down. I feel like hell and your jacket looks like it was attacked by fireflies."
He slumped into the other side of the booth, discretely flipping open the top button of his pants. As soon as he could, he took a deep breath. "Alright then, we'll play it your way."
A waiter appeared, the high ruffled collar of his shirt holding his chin like a cup. His eyes were narrow and black and his beard was trimmed in a sharply pointed goatee.
"Hi. I'm Braden, and I'll be your server today."  The waiter set a wine glass in front of Simon.
"I'd like a Coke."
Marguerite groaned. "I thought you'd given that up."
"Mr. Jones wants the octopus back." The waiter picked up the wineglass and turned to go. Simon stared at Marguerite, unsure he had heard the words correctly despite the man's pristine diction. She had covered her mouth with one hand, as if to hold in words she shouldn't say. Simon didn't breath until the waiter was out of sight.
"So that's what this is about." Simon popped open the second button. He wasn't sure he'd be able to get them done up again before standing. Maybe Marguerite would lend him her coat. Losing his pants in a restaurant was sure to draw unwanted attention.
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I hope this has intrigued you. Look up Laird's post, and then in a few days installment #3 will be available on the blog of the wonderful Jennifer Oliver. Thanks for playing along!

Twisted Reflections with Shay Fabbro

[image error] Today I'm very happy to introduce the amazing Shay Fabbro, multi-published author of the Portals of Destiny, a sci-fi series, and of the young adult series, The Adventures of Alexis Davenport. Here she's going to tell us about Alexis' newest adventure, Twisted Reflections. Okay, Shay, it's your turn...
;)

 
I have always been fascinated with the idea of timetravel. It would be so amazing to travel back in time and observe how peoplereally lived. It's one thing to use archaeological evidence to hypothesizeabout how people lived in the past, but to actually be able to observe themgoing about their daily lives, or to see what their homes looked like and whatthey ate would be so incredible.
Ah, to see Rome and watch the gladiators performin the Coliseum, or walk through the streets of an ancient Egyptian city, orwatch as druids built Stonehenge. How many mysteries would be solved if only wecould travel back in time? Kind of makes me wish that Dr. Who would arrive withhis TARDIS and whisk me off to see something no other modern human has everseen.
Of course, there is always the danger of screwingup the time line. It could spell disaster if an innocent act by a time travelerinadvertently altered the course of history. The repercussions could bedisastrous. This is what makes me thankful that no one has managed to invent atime travel device.  In my Adventures of Alexis Davenport series,fifteen-year-old Alex has the unsavory task of protecting the time line fromsomeone trying to alter the past. Not only that, she also has to deal with allof the other things a teenager has to deal with. This poor girl has a lot onher plate! But she's spunky with a side of sass thrown in for good measure andcan handle anything that comes her way.
Thanks so much, Shay! I hope you guys all check out her book ... You can find Twisted Reflections on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. Peace,Liv
Shay is a Colorado writer with a doctorate in Human Genetics. She teaches Biology at Mesa State College and can recite whole passages from the original Star Trek from memory. You can find Shay on her...WebsiteFBpageTwitter;)

Monday Morning Quarterback: Team Sophia recap

So when I put the first Team Sophia post on the blog on March 4th, there was about $35 in the donations-only bank account that's dedicated to her. Right now, there's just under $1750. And I'm not even joking (to borrow a phrase from my daughter). That's huge, people. Like, we've covered two airfares for the nurses Sophia needs to make the trip to Hawaii. Some of the people who donated know Sophia and her mother Stacey, but just about as many do not. You've read about Sophia here, and felt motivated to do something to help. That's about as awesome, and humbling, as anything I can imagine.

Thank you.

Peace,
Liv

Book Addict

Actually, I was going to title this post Book Whore, but didn't want you to get the wrong idea. Honestly, though, when it comes to buying books, I'm incorrigible, and getting a Kindle has made it worse, because now no one can see the stacks that are coming into the house. 
You think I'm kidding? In the last week - since 3/24/12 - I've downloaded samples for the following books:
This Brilliant Darkness     by     Red Tash
The Alchemist of Souls    by    Anne Lyle
Caught (Gemini Men)      by    Jami Alden
Wicked As They Come    by    Delilah S. Dawson
The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe by Jeff Bennington
Midnight's Sweet Kiss      by    Ann Cory
And those are just the samples. They're more like bookmarks, things that caught my eye, reminders of what I want to take a closer look at. And I will take a closer look. 

I also downloaded Her Heart's Desire by Adriana Ryan, and the short story Witch Upon A Star by Deborah Blake, which is a follow-up to her novel Witch Ever Way You Can (a book that totally rocked).

And then, because life is always better when you go to a bookstore, on Thursday night I picked up the following titles at Elliot Bay Books:
Tales of the City                by     Armistead Maupin (because it's a great book and I haven't read it in years)
The Once & Future King      by     TH White (because I've never read it and feel like I should, and I love the King Arthur myth)
The Maltese Falcon             by     Dashiel Hammett (because it's such a great example of a mystery, worth studying, and I've never read it)
The Virgin's Lover              by     Phillipa Gregory (because I recently tried my hand at writing a historical short story and thought I might learn from someone who's really good at it - this is a novel not a short story, so I'll be looking for how she handled the time period)
Discount Armageddon         by     Seanan McGuire (because I love the author's October Daye series and hadn't seen this one before)

Clearly I have a bias towards fantasy & paranormal. I figure if I want real-life drama, I'll go to work. When I read, I want something fun, something that takes me out of the real world.  And if you follow me on twitter, you'll know I frequently tweet that it's raining in Seattle, so I should have plenty of time to lounge around with a book or my Kindle in my hands.

Not exactly
The problem is I'd need about 37 hours in a day to get to all the books I want to read. But I will get to as many of these as I can - along with the 60 or so other books on my Kindle, and the stacks of books around the nightstand in my bedroom. Because there was something about each one that intrigued me. I know how much time and effort went into the creation of every last one, and I may not end up liking all of them, but I appreciate the fact that someone had something to say, and they put it down on paper. Or, e-paper, for us modern kids.
Peace,
Liv

(photo from Cavalier)

Friday Fun

Noni came home from Hawaii all excited because she'd found a new video for this week's post. Are you wondering why she was trolling the internet looking up videos during her week in Maui? So was I, but then I decided we should just be thankful that she had our best interest in mind.

Last Saturday night she came over for dinner. Noni's a helluva cook, and we're always happy when she shows up with her apron on. She keeps the husband from getting too Lutheran with the barbeque. While the coals were getting hot she and I sat down over the laptop so she could show me her discoveries. 

The hands-down winner of the Friday-Fun sweepstakes shows what happens when a toddler has one too many. In addition to being painfully funny, it's in keeping with our recent tropical theme. Real alcoholic beverages were not consumed in the making of this video, but it's hard to remember that as you watch it. In fact, it occurs to me that Noni and I might occasionally resemble this kid by the end of the night. 
Not really.
Well, maybe when we were younger. We've got more class than that now.
Right?
Anywhoodle, enjoy the video and have a great weekend. If you have an extra minute, take a look at my Team Sophia page to keep up to date on our fundraising progress.
Peace,
Liv

Murder In Devon - An Interview with Maggi Andersen

This week my guest is multi-published romance author Maggi Andersen. Her newest book, Murder In Devon, is a solidly entertaining story, and I was so glad that I had the chance to read it while preparing for this post. I liked the main character, Casey, and thought it was very well-paced and suspenseful. I'm excited to introduce Maggi, so she can tell you more about this book and writing in general.
    
      LR: So how long did you live in London? :) For a girl from Sydney, youdid an amazing job of creating a realistic setting.
MA: I have agood friend in England, in Richmond actually, which features in the book. Ivisited her for short stays of about six weeks at a time. That gave me enoughtime to travel around the country. Years of reading books set in England helpedas well.
      LR: As I mentioned earlier, I enjoyed the pacing of the story, the wayevents were spread out over weeks to months. It felt real to me. So many booksseem to try to cram a lifetime into 72 hours and I end up more exhausted than thecharacters. What's your strategy for organizing a story so that events unfoldat such a realistic pace?
MA: I don'thave a strategy. I have a timeline in my head I suppose and try to make itclear on the page. I like to write a few quiet reflective scenes in among theaction scenes, where a reader has time to consider what has happened and whatmight happen next. That gives an idea of time passing. I don't enjoy full onexhausting pace from beginning to end. I realize that many people do though.
:     LR: You clearly know a lot about art history and how WWII changed somuch. Is that your background, or did you have to do a lot of research? And howdid/do you approach research when you're preparing to write?
MA: My motherwas an award winning artist and I grew up with the smell of oil paint and bookson art filling the shelves. After studying fine arts at university I becameinterested in art history. I tried painting too, but found I sadly hadn'tinherited my mother's talent. I prefer to paint scenes with words. Reading myfather's thrillers as a teenager sparked an interest in the Nazis and WWII. Afterwatching a neo-Nazi march in Munich on television it occurred to me that an evilgroup could be gaining strength and planning to cause chaos in the world. I wrotea synopsis for the book just before September 11.   
      LR: Describe the perfect writing environment. Do you like quiet ormusic or a certain chair, or do you like to write in a coffee shop? What's thebest place for you to create?   MA: I marvel that writers can produce work in a coffee shop, I'd befar too distracted. I have my corner in the house, a small study area off thekitchen. My research library is growing daily, crowding me out, and I mighthave to move to a larger area in the house soon. I often write with Fox News onin the background. Music can put me in the right mood for a scene, but I preferto write without it playing in the background.

      LR: Okay, so an on-line friend of mine from Melbourne wrote a blogpost recently about the wonders of Vanilla Slice. Do they make that in Sydney,and if so, where's your favorite place to get Vanilla Slice (or other favedesert) and coffee?
MA: I lovevanilla slices! There's an award winning French bakery in my small town whichmakes superb ones. It's one of my favorites along with black forest cake, and Ialso love a good apple pie with cream. These are delights I seldom indulge inthese days. I put on weight just looking at them. We have a fabulous coffeeshop here called Elephant Boy. The walls are lined with old books and picturesof India at the turn of the last century. Very charismatic. I may be able towrite there now that I think of it. The coffee is excellent. What a temptation!
        LR: What's next for Maggie Andersen? Historical? Contemporary? How doyou decide?
     MA:  A reader asked if I planned to write a historical spy series and Ithought it a good idea so that's my next project. My first book: A Baron in HerBed comes out in September. Regency spies and romance is a lot of fun to write.I'm submitting another romantic suspense to Black Opal Books soon. It's set inIreland and outback Australia.
      LR: Aussie-rules football or American? ;) MA: I have toconfess knowing little about either, but American football is fantastic towatch.
Thanksfor inviting me to your blog, Amy. 
And thank you for posting, Maggi! It's been fun.Peace,Liv   MURDER IN DEVON
She wantsthe truth, but it may cost her more than she thinks...

An ex-patriot-American living in England, magazine reporter Casey Rowan wakesto find one best friend murdered and another seriously injured. Casey isdetermined to find the killer, despite running afoul of the detective in chargeof the case—a blue-eyed Scot named Rod Carlisle, who considers her a primesuspect. As Casey gets closer to the truth, losing her heart to the sexy copisn't the only thing she risks. Now her life is danger, too.

He wants her, but he may have to choose between love and duty...

Rod has no patience with civilians who interfere in police matters, even hotlittle numbers like Casey. Though he tries to keep things professional, Casey'sbeauty and spunk are hard to resist. He warns her that what she's doing isdangerous, but he only succeeds in alienating her. She refuses to listen andgoes off on her own with disastrous results. Now Rod's in a race to find thekiller before the woman he loves becomes the next victim.
Available from Black Opal Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords
Excerpt
"Are you with me, Ms. Rowan?" The words pulled Casey's attention backinto the room. She took a sip of cold, sweet tea from the mug. Someone's handreached for her cup, and she moved her gaze up to a pair of concerned blueeyes."Ms. Casey Rowan? I'm Detective Chief Inspector Carlisle, of theDevon and Cornwall Police." He squatted beside her. "I realize you're in shock.Is there someone I can call?"She bit her lip hard, needing to feel something. She wanted to screamand cry, but a cold vacuum seeped through her insides, and a sharp pain at theback of her throat sealed the scream inside. She'd stayed by Tessa's side untilthey'd taken her away. Don was gone too, packed into an airless bodybag, zipped up tight. "I have to go with Tessa," she begged him."Will you take me to the hospital, Inspector...""Carlisle, Ms. Rowan. There's no point in going to the hospital rightnow. And you can't stay here. Is there somewhere we can take you?""I have to know if Tessa is going to be alright.""The hospital will ring you." He looked down at her left hand, whereshe clutched her mobile so tightly her knuckles were bloodless."Is there somewhere you'd like to go, Ms. Rowan?"Casey shook her head. The tears flowed and eased the pain in herthroat a little. She sniffed and wiped them away with the sleeve of herdressing gown. "Someone has to take care of Soc." She struggled to gain a holdon herself, not recognizing the strange, high-pitched voice."Who's Soc?" A policewoman came to stand beside the man."Socrates is Don's cat.""I see." The policeman stood and spoke into the policewoman's ear.Casey didn't try to listen, her attention drawn to another policeman securingtape to the sitting room door. A fourth packed away his video camera. Becareful of their things, she wanted to say, pick up the cup I dropped.The blue-eyed man left the room."Come on, love." The policewoman took Casey's arm."Now, don't you go worrying about the puss. We'll find someone totake care of him. First, we'll go up and get dressed.Detective Chief Inspector Carlisle has found somewhere for you tostay."Casey opened her mouth to protest. "Right near the hospital."She shivered and wondered ifshe'd ever feel warm again.
AUTHOR BIO: MAGGI ANDERSEN
Maggi Andersen lives in the countryside outside Sydney,Australia, with her lawyer husband and their cat. Her study overlooks the creekat the bottom of the garden where ducks gather. Chickens peck around the yardand cockatoos call from the trees. After gaining a BA in English and an MA inCreative Writing, and raising three children, Maggi now indulges her passionfor writing. She writes in several genres, contemporary and historicalromances, mysteries and young adult novels. You'll find adventure and elementsof danger in everyone. More information on her website: http://www.maggiandersenauthor.com

Monday Morning Quarterback: Mash-up Edition

Hmm...it's Monday evening, which kind of puts an interesting slant on the blog post title. I'm looking around the living room, wondering if anyone's fed the cats and if it's time to take the white tulips that were so pretty on St Patrick's Day and lay them to rest in the compost heap (YES!). One kid is practicing her cello & the other is off with the husband at a Boy Scout meeting. I can hear the pink cat clock ticking and the G-scale, over & over again...
Kit-Kat Clock 
All of which has left me in a contemplative mood, though it's possible a severe case of sleep deprivation and the lovely glass of Hedges pinot grigio at my side is helping that along. I've read a whole lot of blogs over the last couple of weeks, and, while my evaluative faculties might be a little foggy. I thought I'd pass along a few that were worth a second look.

(You guys would totally laugh if you could see how long it's taking me to get this post done. I keep getting distracted by FB & Twitter & Pinterest. Sigh.)

Back on task. The first post I want you to check out is from blogger and writer Sidney Bristol. She and her friend Suzan are doing a series of posts in which they share their on-line dating ups & downs. And it's mostly downs, if this post is any indication. 
Be careful out there, ladies. Sidney Bristol's Flirty Fridays

Next, you should definitely check out Proudly Paranormal, Baby!, by blogger and writer Adriana Ryan. Not only did she coordinate the Proudly Paranormal Blog Hop, which was a hole lot of fun for everyone involved, she's celebrating the release of Her Heart's Desire . It's her first book, and looks like a whole lot of fun.


For those of you who were paying attention, the interwebs have been buzzing with talk about employers who are demanding Facebook log-ins as a precondition of employment. Check out my friend Amanda's take on the subject, in her post Privacy? What's that?

Then here's a link for those of you who never met a four-letter-word you didn't like. The author describes what it's like to go back and take the SAT as an adult. It's killer funny, but it does make me feel kinda guilty for putting the daughter through the private-school testing rigamarole. And of course, she doesn't know any of those words....
What happens when a 35-year-old man retakes the SAT?


And finally, you'll have to indulge me a little by checking out a link to my very favorite Pinterest board, Johnny Depp & Stuff ... The common denominator is magic. Yes, it's my own board, but I gave it a tag-line that I really like, and I found some really cool pins in the last couple weeks. Give it a look, and follow along if you like it.
Peace,
Liv

Johnny Depp in Black & White

Team Sophia: The Hats

 I promised that I'd periodically check in with Sophia and let you know how she's doing. The short answer is, she's hanging in there. She's undergoing chemo to treat a Wilm's tumor and as a result, she lost all of her beautiful blond hair. While that's a huge drag, Sophia, her Mom, and her amazing nurses just took it as an opportunity to grow a hat collection. Here are some pix of Sophia, in some of her many new hats! (Sophia with a pink bug above, & Sophia in sparkles below)
 

The picture to the right might be my favorite, because since before she was born, pink and brown were Sophia's fave colors. Here she's got a little teddy bear & roses action going on, and I just love it!

Stacey says Sophia's handling the chemo fairly well. She's had some tummy problems, but she's been stable. According to Stacey, she has... 
3 more sessions each 3 weeks apart. Her tummy will dictate how much of a dose she will get. We have started ordering and shipping supplies to HI. She has been looking really good. Lots of energy, long awake days, and good sleep.


 Sophia knows how to rock the glitter, too. Here she's got a flowery bonnet that just couldn't be any cuter. Remember that the purpose of these posts is to help raise money to get Sophe to Hawaii to visit Grandma & Grandpa. There's a PayPal "Donate" button to the right of this post, and if you would give just a little, we'll get the job done. So far this community of blog readers has raised almost $900, which will do a lot to get plane tickets for the team of nurses that Sophia needs to travel with. We're not asking for a lot. If each reader donated the cost of a double mocha frappucino, it would give us a huge boost!


 Bye-bye!And thank you SO MUCH for your generosity. Sophia and Stacey REALLY appreciate it.

Friday Fun

I should know better than to try to write a blog post after working all night. Just because I should know better doesn't mean I won't do it anyway...
 

Last week I told you my girl Noni (and yes, we're back to the original spelling) was on Maui. Sigh. She posted pictures of beaches and sunsets and swimming pools, the brat. One picture showed a table in the sun with a Manhattan frosty beverage and a travel Scrabble game on it. Clearly she was suffering.


Not. 

She emailed me last night in a panic because she hadn't helped me pick a Friday Fun video. It was okay, though, because I had two in mind. While she was working on her tan, I spent the week keeping the kids pointed in the right direction, getting to work on time, and oh yeah, visiting Honolulu my own way. 

I worked on the X-teenth revision of a short story I call Honolulu City Lights.  It's about a girl and a boy and a beach - well, and this iteration had a hula dancing doll in the mix. It's a fun little read, if I do say so myself. And in honor of sending it off to see if it finds a home, I'm posting Bing Crosby's version of the song the doll dances to, The Hukilau Song. This particular version works for me on a couple of different levels, and I hope it makes you want to jump on the next Hawaiian Air flight out of town.
Peace,
Liv
 
Oh, and for good measure, here's the song that inspired the title of my short story...

Second Chances with Krista Ames

We have another guest today! It is writer and blogging enthusiast Krista Ames, who's here to talk about her new release, Second Chances. She was gracious enough to answer my interview questions, and I hope you enjoy getting to know this very talented woman. 
LR: In looking over your blog, A Passion For Romance I see you've written short stories for a number of different anthologies. Do you prefer writing short to writing longer pieces, or is that just how things have worked out so far? KA: I think that's just how it has worked out so far. I already had my first piece written when I met up with the publisher so when she did a submission call I just submitted it and there you have it, my first published work. I like writing shorts because they're so easy and they fit in when I have a lull but it's not what I want to ultimately do.
LR: Why romance? What attracts you to the genre, and have you tried to write in other forms?KA: Well that's a really good question. I fear the main reason I was attracted to Romance was a failed marriage. I was looking for romance in my life and at the time, reading was the next best thing. I guess it all went from there. I read so much that I started to create my own ideas. Now I can't imagine not having books in my life. I haven't tried to write other genre's yet but I would definitely love to because my reading genre has definitely widened. I also love paranormal/shifter stories, historicals and my favorite is westerns, both modern and historical.
LR: Describe a perfectly romantic day... KA: My perfect romantic day would be spent with my husband. We don't get enough time together these days with 4 kids so I don't even care where we are as long as it's the two of us. We love to drive through the country on a beautiful day just sightseeing. Grab dinner when we feel like it and even stay somewhere on a whim.
LR: Where do you want your writing to be in a year? In five years?KA: Whether it be 1 year or 5 years, basically I want it to still be consistent. I don't have a specific number to be published but I just want to still be publishing at either of those marks. I'd love to have branched out from Romance into other genres but otherwise as long as I'm still writing, I'll be happy.
LR: I know some authors create playlists or have certain types of music they listen to while they write. Are you in that camp? Is there anything in particular that inspires you while you're writing?KA: I don't have a literal play list but some of my favorites do get me in the mood for writing. I have a couple Bruno Mars and Michael Buble favorites that normally do the trick but I get so excited when all the kids are off to school and the house is quiet, I even dig through the stack of romance movies I have and play those while I write. I don't watch the movies but just hearing them gets my head in gear.
LR: These days developing an on-line platform is almost a necessity for writers. How do you see that? A hardship? A necessary evil? An entertaining way of connecting with people?     KA: Oh I totally agree that's it's necessary for writers these days. It is a necessary evil and I say evil because while there is no better way to get your name out there whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads or Triberr, the evil part comes when you feel like you could sit on those sites all day promo'ing or chatting. It sucks down way more time than I'd like some days but it definitely gets the attention needed to connect with the readers.
LR: It's almost the start of baseball season. Are you as excited about this as I am, and if so, which team is your fave?KA: I am definitely excited for baseball season and that's probably the one sport that will interrupt about anything else I am doing. I love to watch baseball. I am totally a Detroit Tigers fan :) My son even has his room painted blue and orange. I get such a kick out of watching my husband yell at the TV.
Gotta love a baseball fan. ;)  Thanks, Krista, for playing along. And now I hope the rest of you keep reading about Krista's new release, Second Chances. Peace,Liv
 blurb:If you could get a Second Chance...When the love of Dana's life leaves without a word, she is forced to move on with her life. Despite loving him, she believes she will never see him again but, little does she know, she's being set up for a night that will change her life forever.Nicholas, A Navy man, did the only thing he could to save the woman he loved. Driven by a secret, he disappeared and now returns, years later, with hope for love. With one opportunity, will he be able to make things right, or is it just too late? Will she deny any desire for Second Chances?

excerpt:He watched her knees buckle a bit as Dana clutched at Amy's arm, never taking her eyes off him. She said something he couldn't make out—he never was good at reading lips. He was good at reading body language, however, and he knew in an instant what she meant to do just as she turned and made a dash for the patio door. Instinctively, he propelled himself forward, his body miraculously unfrozen. He had to go after her. He was the reason she was bailing after all. He knew from the look on her face. He passed Dave and Amy and shook his head when Dave tried to speak.
"Don't. I'm sorry. I have to go after her."
He closed the sliding door behind him and stood on the deck, searching the darkness. She wasn't there. She couldn't have gone far. She didn't know anyone else here, and he doubted she was familiar with the area. He descended the stairs and walked out onto the yard along the water's edge. Where'd she go? He started walking and, with relief, caught sight of a silhouette against the water toward the end of his property.
He approached her quietly. She stood, arms hugging tightly around her middle, and held her shoes in her hand while the gentle waves splashed up and over the seawall. Damn, he wanted to touch her. It'd been so long. He couldn't deny the growing ache pushing against his heart and a sudden tightening of his groin at the sight of how well that dress fit her curves, but this definitely wasn't the time for his libido to come to life.
He wanted to turn her, hold her in his arms, and nuzzle her beautiful neck just below her ear like she'd always loved. Would she still like it? Maybe she wouldn't. Maybe he didn't know her anymore, but he couldn't stop himself. God, he wanted this woman still. He wanted her to know how very sorry he was for hurting her, and why. But she wouldn't welcome his touch, especially now. He was certain of it. She'd likely administer a low blow, which he would totally deserve, and bolt. She was unpredictable that way. He loved that about her, too.
He was only human, however, and he couldn't not touch her. She knew he was there—he'd seen her form go stiff at his presence. Careful not to scare her, he slowly ran his fingertips over her bare shoulders and down her arms, feeling her shiver at his touch before she took a step away. "Don't, Nicholas," she said in a low, shaky whisper.
Buy Links: Amazon Ruby Lion Press Smashwords  allromancebooks Barnes & Noble
bio:Born and raised in Northern Indiana, Krista now resides in Northern Lower Michigan. (apparently she wasn't getting enough snow in Indiana:)) She is married to a very supportive man, Chip, who allows her to follow her true passion of writing and never complains when she is parated away on her computer for hours. He even helps with proof-reading and is her "in-house" editor and her idea sounding board. She is also a mother of 4 ornery children who keep her plenty busy. With an addition of 2 beautiful chocolate lab sisters and 2 playful cats, there is never a dull or spare moment in her household.
Krista has always loved to read and would often sit up for hours into the night not able to put down a book until she was finished. She still reads when she can but her main focus is creating her own stories to share with the world.
She loves to communicate with her readers so please feel free to drop her a line anytime at  krista@kristaames.com  or visit her at  http://www.kristaames.com  orhttp://www.apassionforromance.blogspot.com.