M.J. Kane's Blog, page 14
June 23, 2015
#PRE-RELEASE Mania!!! Nobody’s Business Is Up For Sell!!!
If you’ve been reading CROSSROADS, the in-depth backstory of Trevon Campbell that has been featured on my website for the past nine weeks, you’ve anxiously awaiting the final chapter which will be available on Sunday. Release day for the full novel, NOBODY’S BUSINESS, is set for July 2, 2012….
Is you ONE-CLICK trigger finger itching in anticipation?
WAIT NO MORE!!! NOBODY’S BUSINESS is available for PRE-SELL on Amazon!!! Click now and it will be delivered to your Kindle AS SOON AS IT’S PUBLISHED!!!
What are you waiting for? ONE-CLICK NOW!!! 
Trevon Campbell’s world changed the moment his ex-girlfriend announced he was a father. Determined to make up for his past mistakes, he gives Trina what she wanted before their breakup, what feels like his soul, which means forgetting the woman he had a one-night stand with, the woman who stole his heart.
Kai Malone doesn’t want to play by her family’s rules. Instead of working for the family business, she became a firefighter. Being a female of multicultural descent, working in a field dominated by men, Kai focuses on her job to ignore the infidelity of her fiancé. Tired of his deceit, she gave in to a one-night stand with a complete stranger, someone she’d never have to see again…or so she thought.
When tragedy strikes, their worlds collide, leaving them no choice but to deal with each other again. It doesn’t take long for them to realize the attraction that brought them together the first time is stronger than ever, forcing Trevon to make the biggest decision of his life.
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June 21, 2015
#FREE READ Sunday! Crossroads…a Butterfly Memoir Mini- Chapter 9
Well, surprise, surprise, surprise! Trevon didn’t see what happened last week coming! So now with a lack of appetite and a much needed breath of fresh air, it’s time to see what happens next…
Just tuning in? Catch up by following these links to the previous chapters!*
Previous Chapters:
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Trevon
“Don’t say a word,” Andre said as he backed out of the driveway.
It was easy to comply because I didn’t know what to say.
Scratch that, yes I did, and it was colored with a ton of expletives.
We’d pulled out of his subdivision and turned on to the main street when he spoke again. “That’s not how you know her.”
I felt his glare, but stared ahead.
“I know you, and I know her. Either Malik doesn’t give a damn or missed it completely. What aren’t you telling me?”
My jaw clenched, I chose my words carefully. “Is her name really Kai?”
“Yeah, so?”
I exhaled and shook my head. “When we met, she told me her name was Devon.”
“Okay…”
“She also told me she’d broken up with her fiancé.”
“O-kay…and when was this?”
I closed my eyes and rubbed the bridge of my nose. “Last Saturday.”
Andre was silent for all of thirty seconds. “Saturday? The night we played basketball and Malik was supposed to meet us?”
I nodded.
“That’s impossible. Malik ditched us to spend the evening with her.”
I huffed. “Apparently he lied to somebody. I was at the bar near my house when she showed up, dressed to impress. She was pissed off, Andre. She kept sending text messages before slamming her phone in her purse. When she sat down next to me, she asked me why men lie. The conversation went from there.”
“The conversation?” He sucked his teeth. “From the look you guys had, it must have been more than conversation.”
I didn’t respond.
“Hold up, you didn’t…”
I cleared my throat and looked out the passenger side window.
“You hit that?” he asked in disbelief.
I faced him. “I didn’t know she was Malik’s girl, I swear, Dre. If I’d known, I would have walked away.”
“Damn!” Andre’s hand went to his mouth as his eyes grew wide. “Mother─”
“Hey, it was consensual, believe me. In fact, she’s the one who instigated it. We connected, for real, man. I would have been happy getting her number and taking her out on a date. She wanted…insisted that we have sex.”
Andre squirmed in the driver’s seat. “That’s all I need to know, man. I refuse to get caught up in this shit.”
“Wish I wasn’t in it, either.” My attention went back to the landscape as we drove down the street.
We rode in silence for a few minutes. “How are you going to handle it?”
“I have no idea.”
****
Back at the house, I found an excuse to keep my distance from Devon.
Or was it Kai?
How in the hell had I managed to sleep with the one woman in Atlanta who was connected to a friend? The messed up part was I didn’t feel guilty.
It wasn’t like he was one of my boys. His younger brother, Andre, just happened to be a really good friend. Malik and I hung out from time to time through association. Shooting hoops and sport parties were the extent of our time dealing with each other.
Though we often compared notes on the women we were with, I was a player. He was a straight dog.
The day he told us he was engaged and within two weeks he told us about this hot number from work he’d screwed, I’d felt bad for his fiancée, even though we’d never met.
And when we met, I unknowingly slept with her.
And connected with her on a level that made me contemplate being involved in a real relationship again.
And it all was a lie.
Damn.
I walked down the short hall to the guest bathroom to wash BBQ sauce off my hands. The door was closed, so I knocked.
“I’m in here!” My sister yelled through the door.
“Oh, sorry, Ebony. You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good! You’ve got some great friends, Tre!”
“Glad your enjoying yourself. I’ll use bathroom upstairs.”
“Okay!”
I jogged up the steps to the hallway bathroom, washed my hands, and took care of business. I washed again, dried my hands on my pants, then opened the door.
Devon/Kai stood on the other side.
“We need to talk.” Her voice was low as she backed me into the confines of the restroom, closing us in. The door clicked.
My eyes trailed over her as an instant memory of our night spent together hit me in the chest. The passion. The conversation.
The disappointment.
“Let me explain,” she said as I opened my mouth to speak.
“Yeah, I think you owe me.” I shook my head. “This is fucked up, Devon…or is it Kai?”
She sighed. “Both. My middle name is Devon.”
“Finally, something that’s not a lie. Or is it?” I stared her down and forced the frustration aside.
“I didn’t lie to you that night, Trevon.”
My eyes narrowed. “You didn’t tell me your real name.”
“Devon is─”
“I get it,” I huffed. “You lied about your relationship, though. You are engaged, for crying out loud!”
Kai held up a finger. “That wasn’t a lie, either. I’d broken things off with Malik. We were supposed to meet that night to work it out, but he blew me off. I was pissed, remember?”
I crossed my arms and leaned against the sink. “But you’re not now.”
She sighed again. “After the night we…met, Malik caught up with me again, apologized and yes, we made up.”
I cringed and rubbed my brow. “Are you really a florist?”
Not like it mattered.
“Okay, that one was a lie, but not completely. My family owns a floral shop and I am a trained florist. I just chose to do something else with my life.”
“What?”
God, why did I care?
She leaned against the door, obviously in no hurry to leave. “I’m a firefighter.”
I didn’t see that one coming.
Impressed, my first instinct was to ask her why she chose that field of work. As beautiful as she was, she could have done anything with her life besides risk it.
Damn…this was not good. Regardless of the circumstances of our meeting and the lies told, the attraction felt the night we met was still there, at least on my side of things.
And she was completely inaccessible.
“What do you see in him, Kai? I’ve always wondered what kind of woman would put up with his bullshit. I never imagined it would be someone like you. You’re selling yourself short. You deserve…” I shook my head and looked away.
What was I doing? Telling her to break up with Malik and get with me?
I closed my eyes and massaged the bridge of my nose.
“…better. You deserve much better.”
“Trevon─,”
My cell phone rang, cutting her off. Glad for the distraction, I answered on the second ring.
“Hello?”
“Hey, boss, there’s a woman at the restaurant asking for you,” Gary, the bartender at the Applebee’s I managed said.
“Your kidding me. It’s my day off. Put Tom on it. He’s there, right?”
“Yeah, but the lady says it’s important and will only talk to you.”
I sighed, checked my watch. “It’ll be an hour before I get there. I’m in Decatur.”
“I’ll let her know, but believe me, boss, she’s rooted in with no plans to leave.”
The call ended.
I slipped the phone into my pocket. When I looked up, Kai’s eyes were on mine.
Those dark cat-shaped orbs that had stared down at me as she took me to the heights of pleasure that…I rubbed my eyes, forcing the memory to leave. “I gotta go.”
She nodded. “I’m sorry, Trevon. I didn’t mean to use you.”
I looked at her, dead on. “Yes, you did. Hope it was everything you were looking for.”
Her mouth opened as if to reply, but closed again before she stepped out of the way.
My hand on the knob, I looked over my shoulder. “I’d wish you the best in your relationship, but that wouldn’t be true. You see…all men don’t lie.”
####
The conclusion to Crossroads is coming next Sunday! Don’t miss it!!!
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June 17, 2015
LONELY HEART is #99Cents for the First Time, EVER!!!
Amazon B&N
LONELY HEART is the story of a woman who dreams of having the perfect family. After watching her two best friends find love, Kaitlyn Rodgers is sure she’d found the man of her dreams. Unfortunetly, he’s not moving fast enough. When she finds herself alone and pregnant, she pushes her dreams of family aside and focuses on becoming a single mother…until car trouble leads to an unexpected friendship.For one week only, LONELY HEART is on sale for .99 cents! You guys have supported me so much for the last two sales that I am excited to repay you with these two great opportunities to say THANK YOU!!!!
First, there is a $20.00 AMAZON GIFT CARD awarded for sharing the news via Facebook, Twitter, ‘Liking’ M.J. Kane Books on Facebook or following me on Twitter! Feel free to share this link with friends and fellow readers. There is no limit to how many times you can enter. Remember, the more times your share, the more chances you’ll have to win!
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5 Prince Publishing
June 16, 2015
I want to meet YOU!!!
Are you a fan of The Butterfly Memoirs and live in or will be visiting Atlanta, Georgia in July?
I want to meet YOU!!!
![20150430_175653[1]](http://mjkanemedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/20150430_17565311-e1430960347512.jpg)
Barnes & Noble is hosting a book signing event on July 25, 2015 from 2:00-4:00 PM. Do you have an ebook version of the books, but would love to have an autographed paperback to display on your book shelf? Paperback copies of all the novels, including the upcoming release, NOBODY’S BUSINESS, will be on hand to fill your reading needs! Do you have a paperback copy and want to have it signed? Bring it! Or heck, bring your reading device and get that signed, too! As much as I love chatting with readers online, I’m looking forward to taking pictures and meeting you face-to-face! See you soon!!
Here are the details….and P.S….this event is FREE!!!!
Book Signing- July 25, 2015
2:00-4:00 PM
Barnes & Noble- Southlake
1939 Mount Zion Road
Morrow, Ga. 30260
Phone: 770-471-2227
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Thank you for stopping by! I love to make new friends. Got questions or comments? Leave a comment, or connect with me online! If you’ve enjoyed this post, sign up for the monthly newsletter and follow this blog!
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June 14, 2015
#FREE READ Sunday! Crossroads…a Butterfly Memoir Mini- Chapter 8
Welcome back!
As you see, the countdown clock to the release of NOBODY’S BUSINESS is sitting on the right side of the website….it won’t be long now! In the meantime, that leaves chapters 8,9, and 10!
So, no need to recap what happened last week because as you know, Trevon got his happy ending (yep, pun intended! LOL!) But is it really a happy ending? Let’s find out….
*Just tuning in? Catch up by following these links to the previous chapters!*
Previous Chapters:
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Trevon
“Trevon, are you sure you’re okay?” Ebony’s voice cut through my thoughts. “You’re not your jovial self. I just made the second crack about you and your car, and you’ve barely acknowledged the fact I was speaking, much less in the car.”
“Sorry, Ebony. What were you saying?”
Her eyebrows pulled together. “The wisecrack was to see if you were listening. What I said was I think Brian wants to have a baby.”
That got my attention. “Really? How long have you guys been married?”
“Nearly a year and a half.”
I looked away from the road as we stopped at a red light. “You don’t sound that excited.”
Ebony looked out the window. “I have mixed feelings. Part of me wants to have a baby; another part feels like it’s too soon. My career is starting to take off, so is Brian’s.” She sighed heavily. “Am I selfish for not wanting to have the same thing as my husband?”
I huffed. “Eb, I’m the wrong person to be asking. Call LaShana if you want that type of feedback.” My attention went back to the road.
“I thought about it, but since she’s already pregnant, she’ll be pretty biased on the subject. So will mom.”
“And I’m the one you thought was your best choice to play sounding board? Don’t you have some female friends? What happened to them?” I pulled off when the light turned green.
“Both of them have kids, too.” She sighed. “Anyway, back to you. You’ve got something on your mind. Want to talk about it?”
“Not really.”
“Look, Tre, you’re taking me to a party to meet some of your friends. The last thing I want to do is walk in with a brother who has an obvious chip on his shoulder.”
I blew out my breath. “Ebony…”
“Tre.”
I glimpsed over to see raised eyebrows. Once she started questioning me, there was no way to get her to back down.
My attention went back to the road. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“So.”
“So…,” I blew my horn in frustration at the idiot who pulled in front of me. “Women are complicated. Let’s leave it at that, okay?”
I could feel my sister’s stare, but refused to look her way again. Then I felt her hand on my bicep.
“Yes, we can be…complicated. If there’s something you need to talk to me about, you know I’m here.”
“I know. Thanks, but I’m good for now.”
“Okay, then let’s lighten the mood. Tell me about these friends of yours.”
I took Ebony’s cue and dismissed the irritation that had been building for the past few days.
Ever since the night I had the best sex of my life.
With Devon.
The woman who challenged me mentally and physically.
And left me alone in bed the next morning.
The only evidence of the night of passion was my sheets strewn across the floor and the light red marks left on my skin from her nails.
And a note with two words…
Thank you.
And the lipstick kiss left on the corner of the paper. Can’t forget about that little detail.
It was hard to tell what disappointed me more. The fact she left or the feeling that I had been used.
There was an obvious attraction between us. The way we connected at the bar and the conversation that lasted for hours…
And the kiss that rocked my world. She’d felt it too.
Everything after that had been mind-blowing.
Where did I screw up?
Maybe the idea of getting to know each other, as I had so eloquently put it between the hot rounds of sex, had scared her off.
Maybe I should have ignored my libido and the flirty look in her eyes and kept our conversation going at the bar. The evening could have ended with an exchange of numbers and promise of a date.
Damn. Hindsight sucked.
“Uh…hello?”
“Sorry,” I mumbled. “Andre and Sharice, right. I’ve known Andre since college. He’s a good friend. His wife, Sharice, just had a baby a week ago and is dying to show him off, thus the reason for the dinner invitation.”
“She wants to have people over after a week?”
I nodded. “Sharice is rather possessive, but not in a bad way. Andre’s already got a daughter by another woman, some girl he dated back in high school. She’s still trying to get with him even though he’s been married for nearly four years. He’s a good father and takes care of his daughter. Though I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes. There’s a fine line between having two women with your baby on their list of claim to rights.” I chuckled. “I don’t know how he manages.”
Ebony laughed, too. “You’re lucky. All these years and the crazy women you’ve hooked up with, you have no kids.”
Suddenly, confiding in my sister about my past relationships seemed like a bad idea, twin or not.
“Why couldn’t you have been a boy?”
Ebony reached over and punched my shoulder.
I laughed.
When we arrived at Andre’s house, several cars sat in the driveway.
“Packed house. Come on so you can meet the gang.”
Andre greeted us at the door with an unlit cigar wrapped in blue cellophane. ‘It’s a Boy!’ was printed in big letters.
“Congratulations!” I gave him a brotherly hug, then introduced my sister.
“Come on in. Sharice and everyone else are in the living room.”
We entered and found the room packed with family.
Andre introduced Ebony, and I leaned over to see the baby and kiss Sharice on the cheek.
“Food is in the kitchen. That’s the great thing about having a baby, all the women in the family show up with all kinds of free food.” Andre rubbed his stomach.
Sharice rolled her eyes.
“That’s my cue to leave the women in here.” I followed Andre to the kitchen and left Ebony to admire the newborn.
I was filling my plate from the generous spread when the front door opened. Andre’s brother’s booming voice announced his presence.
“Malik brought his fiancée, so you’ll finally get a chance to meet her,” Andre supplied as he plopped a generous helping of potato salad on his plate.
I smirked. “I’d love to see what kind of woman in her right mind would stick around for his foolishness.”
Andre chuckled. “You’d be surprised.”
Then, I heard her. That laugh. My attention went to the doorway.
“I’m grabbing a plate,” Malik said as he entered the kitchen. “Kai, are you coming?”
“Sure, I’ll put this dessert in the kitchen.”
I knew that voice. My mouth went dry as my attention went to the woman walking in behind him.
And there she was, the woman who rocked my world and left me without leaving a number or email address. The woman I’d been searching for for days…
The woman who told me her name was Devon.
“Kai?” I blurted out.
The woman froze, her eyes widening in recognition.
Malik’s attention was trained on the table and was oblivious to me or his fiancées facial expressions.
Andre, on the other hand, was taking it all in.
“Trevon, right?” She recovered faster than I did.
I was about to open my mouth when Malik looked up. “You know him?” His eyes shot from me, to her, then back at me.
The woman with two names laughed. “Not really. We met once before. I didn’t realize you were friends.”
Try as she might to hide it, I still saw the shock in her eyes.
I forced my mouth shut. ‘Not really?’
“Where did you meet?” Malik pressed.
In my peripherals, I saw Andre put his plate down on the table, no doubt in response to my balled up fist.
Devon replied, “It was at Barnes and Noble, I think. We were on the same aisle, looking for the same book. He was nice enough to let me get the last copy.”
“Is that right?” Malik looked my way.
I forced my eyes to look at anything but her. “Something like that,” I mumbled.
Malik laughed. “Yeah, well, don’t be making moves on my woman. I’d hate to kick your ass and end a friendship.” His attention went back to the food on the table.
When I looked back, Devon was avoiding my gaze.
Andre, on the other hand, starred at me. The look in his eyes read as though he had an epiphany and needed an answer.
“Yo, Tre, I’m about to go to the store and get some ice. Wanna roll?” He gestured towards the door with thumb.
“Yeah,” I slipped my plate in the microwave. “Let’s do that. I need some air.”
####
Chapter 9, coming next Sunday!
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Thank you for stopping by! I love to make new friends. Got questions or comments? Leave a comment, or connect with me online! If you’ve enjoyed this post, sign up for the monthly newsletter and follow this blog!
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June 10, 2015
Countdown Clock and Book Signing at B&N!!!!!
Countdown Clock…
Today is June 10th, that means there are 24 more days until NOBODY’S BUSINESS hits the book stores! I cannot believe it! While this is the fourth book in The Butterfly Memoirs series, this writing journey has taken on a whole new light for me, presenting a different set of writing challenges I didn’t have to face when writing the first three books. When I started writing in 2009, I was a stay-at-home mom who had a ton of time on my hands after getting the kids out of the door and off to school. A quiet house, one dog that kept me company. Easy!
Now its 2015…
Two of my kids have graduated high school, two are now home schooled, one dog has turned into four, and I have taken on a part-time job, working as a librarian. Can I just say, BEST JOB EVER????
And that’s where the writing challenge began.
Learning how to balance being a wife, mother, author, and now working again has seriously pushed me to find the time to write. It hasn’t been an easy. I have succeeded and failed on all fronts along the way, but the passion for what I love doing, writing, has kept me going. As much as I’d loooovvvee to say writing comes easily (it does when the characters start talking!), it takes time to develop characters, their stories, research, and let’s not even get started on the editing process! Every story I tell is a labor of love and the rewards when I hear readers say how much they enjoy them are fulfilling. Because of that, this time around, I found myself writing a prequel to NOBODY’S BUSINESS, CROSSROADS, before I’d even finished writing the novel.
I did mention that I’d started working, right?
Lunch breaks and arriving to work before the front doors opened became my main writing times. Throughout the day, scenes played in my head like a DVD stuck on replay as I fleshed out the story, imagining it as if watching a movie until I could find the time to grab pen and paper and start writing. Somehow, I managed to make my deadline! (Believe me, it wasn’t easy!!!) And now, after rounds of edits, the main story is ready to share. The short story, CROSSROADS, is the extended backstory, one that is full of details and updates on previous characters and will leave you wanting to know what happens next.
To those who have taken the time to stop by my blog every Sunday to read CROSSROADS, thank you! I hope you’ve found this story to be entertaining and a warm up to what’s coming next!
To those who have taken the time to drop me a line and share your thoughts, comments, or grievances on Ebony’s behalf (lol), thank you! It lets me know that the effort put into seeing this through has been worth the long days, sleepless nights, and TV deprivation! (Because the hardest thing to do was to come home and focus on storytelling after watching everyone on Facebook talk about what was happening on Scandal, How To Get Away With Murder, and Empire!)
If you’ve missed the first seven chapters of CROSSROADS, you can find them here! There’s only three more to go before release day! Enjoy!!!
And since we’re talking about release day, I have to tell you about this….
***My First Book Signing at Barnes & Noble!!!!***
Now that my paperback books can be found in my local Barnes & Noble store, I am excited to announce that my first, major, big time, book store book signing has been scheduled!!! If you are in, or will be in, Atlanta, Georgia on July 25th, please put this date on your calendar! I will be there to autograph books and there will be paperback copies on hand of the previously released titles, as well as the new release, NOBODY’S BUSINESS! I look forward to taking pictures and talking about the books characters, and upcoming plans for the series. If you come by, please be sure to introduce yourself! I look forward to meeting you in person!!!
Book Signing- July 25, 2015
2:00-4:00 PM
Barnes & Noble- Southlake
1939 Mount Zion Road
Morrow, Ga. 30260
Phone: 770-471-2227
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Thank you for stopping by! I love to make new friends. Got questions or comments? Leave a comment, or connect with me online! If you’ve enjoyed this post, sign up for the monthly newsletter and follow this blog!
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June 9, 2015
A New Release from Wordsmith Writer, Chelle Ramsey!
Hosting a writers group that is filled with talented authors who encourage one another is part of the joy I have from being an author. With that said, it is my privilege to share my fellow writer’s new release! Congratulations, Chelle!!!
BEJEWELED: WHAT A TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE
Olivia’s dreams have finally begun to come true, as she marries the man who’s held her heart for twenty years. Her beauty salon is prospering, and she has begun rebuilding her team, after seeds of discord were sowed and bonds were broken. Everything is beginning to look up, or so she thinks. When a scandal is leaked to the media, Olivia’s dream of expanding is in jeopardy. She must step up and play hard ball in a game with which she’s unfamiliar.
Nikki had dreams of building a beautiful family with a loving husband. But after looking at the shattered pieces of her broken life, she is losing hope and desires more. She wants more than the shame of barrenness, and more than physical abuse from his drinking binges. One phone call gives her courage to escape the deadly clutches of her husband. Yet, when she finds strength in another’s arms she finds herself spinning more lies. Nikki’s web of deceit is going to cost all those who are close and it could just cost her, her life. When deception is the name of the game, who all will have to share the pain?
EXCERPT 1:
The pain was easing up somewhat as Nikki and Wesley entered the breezeway at his apartments. Unlocking the door, his eyes softened when he looked at her face once again.
She saw a mixture of anger and compassion nestled there.
“What?” she asked when he continued to stare at her longer than what she deemed comfortable.
“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head. Wesley led her into a galley kitchen and pulled a sandwich bag from one of the cabinets, filled it with ice, and then wrapped it in a paper towel before applying it to her face.
She was in awe at the tenderness with which this man handled her. Every time he touched or said a word to her, it was with such protection, like she had never known. This was a side of Wesley that she had not seen in the five years of knowing him.
“Come on,” he said, grabbing her by her free hand and leading her to the back of the apartment. She looked around at his bedroom; not at all what she would have expected for a single man. Decorated in oranges, greens, browns, and yellows, it had a Caribbean look and feel to it. The room was small, but neat and exhibited a nice décor. The full-sized bed sat directly opposite the black-framed, chestnut-colored dresser. To the right of his bed was a small nightstand in the same black framing and chestnut top as the bed and the dresser. To the left of his bed was a double-paned window, with orange, brown, and green curtains blocking out the midday sun. He walked over to the window and opened the curtains halfway and then opened the blinds to allow the sun to stream through.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?” she asked with a look of apprehension in her eyes.
His eyebrows lifted slightly. “Just to the bathroom, Nikki. I’ll be back.”
Exhaling a deep breath, she realized that a new fear had come over her. In all the altercations she had endured with Carlos, he had never left her for dead. Why did he leave like that? What if the neighbors didn’t come? I could’ve died in that bathroom, she thought.
She tried to fight back the tears, but they betrayed her. Sucking in her sobs, she stood and walked to his dresser and began looking at his pictures, anything that would take her mind off her problems. There were a couple of him and his father at various stages of his life, a few of some children, and one of a lady she assumed to be his mother. She stood up and walked to the bed, staring at the amazing likeness he had to this woman.
“That’s my mom.”
She jumped at the sound of his voice; she hadn’t heard him return to the bedroom.
“Oh, I didn’t hear you come up. Are you always so quiet?” she asked as he came and stood beside her. She still had not looked at him, wishing she could make the tears disappear from her eyes and face.
“No. Are you always so scary?” he teased. He regretted the words almost the moment he said them. Her body tensed up, and she looked down. Her fear had come as a result of the relationship she was in. She was always tense and on edge, because she never knew what fuse Carlos was about to blow.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m sorry. Here, look at me,” he said, turning her face up towards him. “Why are you crying?” he asked as he wiped her tears away with his fingers.
“I’m sorry. I just…I don’t know.” She couldn’t explain if she wanted to. No one would understand her confusion or pain. She could forgive Carlos if he just had not left her. Didn’t he love her? Didn’t he want to work things out? Maybe he didn’t love her, after all. If he did, he would not have left her there like that.
“Don’t be sorry. You haven’t done anything wrong. I have the feeling you have spent many years apologizing,” Wesley stated.
He lovingly caressed the bruise that had formed on the right side of her face.
“Too beautiful,” Wesley said, being drawn into the power of her presence in his bedroom.
“Huh?”
“You. You’re too beautiful for this. I don’t want you to be scared every time people come near you. Relax, okay? Just be…I promise I won’t ever do nothing to hurt you,” he said as he drew her nearer to him. Looking down into her big, dark brown eyes, he felt himself getting lost.
Nikki didn’t know what she was feeling or what was happening between the two of them. And she couldn’t contain herself as he pressed his full firm lips against her soft, lush ones. As their foreheads touched, he continued to gently apply pressure to her lips, asking for permission to enter in.
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About the Author:
An original Georgia Peach, Chelle Ramsey is the author of five published and several waitingon-the-shelf contemporary fiction books, with a focus on women’s fiction. Many of her stories are based in her birthplace of Atlanta or her husband’s hometown of Cincinnati, where readers can relate to local hot spots and events. Chelle wants people to become empowered to rise above life’s adversities, with faith in God, and belief in themselves. She sprinkles words of encouragement and inspiration throughout all of her real life fiction novels.
Chelle holds an MBA in Human Resource Management, which she puts to use in her property management role by day, while she writes her fiction novels by night. Her most important roles are those of a wife and mother of three. During her “me time,” she loves listening to music, and becomes enraptured with the enthralling stories of Terry McMillan, and Nora Roberts. She especially enjoys trying to solve the engaging mysteries of James Patterson and Stuart Woods, while eating a bowl of butter pecan ice cream. Chelle resides in a rural community of Atlanta, GA and enjoys writing, family time, ministering through dance at church, and watching NBA games with her husband.
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June 7, 2015
#FREE READ Sunday! Crossroads…a Butterfly Memoir Mini- Chapter 7
Welcome back!
Well, well, well, it seems as though Trevon has made a friend. 
May 31, 2015
#FREE READ Sunday! Crossroads…a Butterfly Memoir Mini- Chapter 6
Welcome back!
We’ve passed the halfway point in the tale! Now, with only four more chapters to go, that means we are now FIVE WEEKS away from the release of NOBODY’S BUSINESS!!!
Last Sunday we found Ebony a bit uncomfortable with the the attention she’s been receiving from Kenneth, a man in charge of training her and her manager on the mating habits and care of pandas. He’s handsome, smart, and wayyyyy too friendly! With Ebony far from home and struggling to ignore her dreams of babies and the signs her husband Brian has been giving of wanting to start a family, she is once again faced with deciding which path her life should take…career, or family.
Trevon, on the other hand, has something else going on completely….
*Just tuning in? Catch up by following these links to the previous chapters!*
Previous Chapters:
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Trevon
“Celine, Bud Ice, please.”
“Sure thing.” The bartender winked, then sashayed her nearly naked bottom behind the bar.
I angled my head to get a look at what she obviously wanted me to see and shook my head. Wearing clothes that tight demanded a man’s attention, and in that shade of cream, you didn’t have to imagine too hard about what she looked like naked.
“Here you go.”
“Thanks. Keep the change.”
She looked down at the amount of money I gave her and smiled. “Let me know what else I can do to service you.” Celine gave me a once over, licked her lips, then went to help another customer.
My attention went to the other patrons lining the bar railing as I savored my beer.
A flash of deep purple caught my eye at the opposite end of the long counter.
A woman took a set at the end nearest the wall. From what I could see in the dim light, she was very attractive.
Long tendrils of jet black hair framed a face that was perfect, while the rest was piled high on her head. Sharp cheekbones accentuated pouty lips. When she looked my way, eyes shaped like those of a cat took my breath away. The contact lasted for a second, but felt like hours.
Her eyes diverted in annoyance as she dug into her purse and retrieved her phone. Her brow knitted into what appeared to be anger as her fingers flew across the keys. She shoved the phone into her purse, then slammed it onto the bar. She closed her eyes, nostrils flaring as if taking a deep breath.
When they opened again, they connected with mine, but this time, the contact was longer.
I inclined my head to acknowledge the connection. She looked away.
Not sure how to take the response, I distracted myself with my phone, checking for new emails or text messages. Seeing no update from Andre about Sharice’s condition, I flipped over to the Facebook app. It too was dead for a Saturday night.
I slid the phone back in my pocket. When I glanced up again, my gaze went to the opposite side of the bar. Her seat was no longer occupied. Not that I had plans to talk to her, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
My bottle empty, I signaled Celine for a second.
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
I looked to my left and what do you know? The missing woman was now next to me.
“I went to the bathroom and when I came back, my seat was taken.”
I looked across the bar; someone else occupied her chair.
“Please do.” I hopped off my stool and pulled the seat out for her.
She eyed me, as if my gesture was the craziest thing in the world for a man to do. “Thank you.”
I appraised the body of this woman as she settled in her seat, and man, she was breathtaking. Her bare shoulder brushed mine as she got comfortable. A hint of perfume hit my nose. Her scent was intoxicating. I had to compose myself while standing behind her.
“Bartender,” she called.
I took the opportunity to check out her attire as she spoke to Celine. The deep plum fabric of her dress was seductively wrapped around her neck, leaving her shoulders and back bare. Large earrings dangled, drawing my attention to a slender throat. A dangling pendent lay flush between cleavage begging for attention in the peek-a-boo, crisscrossed opening.
My imagination went in the gutter.
Her head angled slightly, studying me, a slight smile spread on her face. She opened her mouth as if she were about to say something, but her purse vibrated. The smile on her lips, that were the color of her dress, dropped into a thin line.
She retrieved the phone, read what was on the screen, then cursed under her breath. “That no good son-of-a─,” Instead of responding to the text, she hit a button, then shoved it into her purse. The second her drink arrived, she gulped.
My eyebrows rose. “Bad night?”
Instead of a reply, my barstool companion shot me a look of hatred as if I were the one who’d sent her the message.
I put my hands up. “Hey, I didn’t do it.”
Those catlike eyes narrowed slightly as she shook her head. “But you are a man. All men are─”
“Hold on…” I pointed to her purse. “Whatever he did had nothing to do with me. All I did was pull out your chair. I mean, I could have been saving that seat for some other unbelievably fine woman in the bar tonight. I saw you when you came in. It was obvious you were angry. I’m all ears if you want to talk about it. Just don’t blame me for some other guys issues. Deal?”
Those sexy eyes looked me up and down. “No deal.”
I shrugged and turned back to my drink.
The silence lasted for all of two minutes.
“Why do men lie?”
I chuckled. “Sure you want me to answer that? I’m a man and could be lying.”
The woman next to me kept her face straight for a moment before letting a light laugh pass her lips. “This is true.” She sipped her fruity drink, then sighed. “Look, I’m sorry for acting that way, but my…ex is a pain in the ass. We were supposed to meet tonight and talk things out, but I guess that will never happen. I’m done.” She made a show of wiping her hands.
Interesting.
“With men, or just him?”
She looked me up and down again, this time taking her time. “With him.”
I smiled, my confidence boosted.
Her attention went back to her drink. “I’d rather be at home than here.”
“At home, huh, doing what, I wonder?” I slid a glance over, waiting for her to take the bait.
She laughed. “Sorry, probably not what you’re thinking.”
I faced her directly. “Try me.”
She sat back in her seat, sliding the straw up and down in her drink. “Bubble bath, wine, and a good book.”
“Ah, so you love to read. Let me guess, some sappy romance novel where the hero whisks the lady off for a hot night of passion while promising forever?”
She laughed and shook her head. “Uh, no, not my speed. I gave up those when I graduated high school and discovered that kind of love is all make believe. These days, I’m all about action and adventure.”
My brow rose, interest peaked. “A woman after my own heart. I’m a Sci-Fi man.”
“Me, too, well, girl that is.”
Her smile was mesmerizing, so was her laugh.
She sipped her drink. “What are you reading?”
“A Star Wars novel.”
Dark brown eyes lit up in excitement. “Me, too! Which one?”
I feigned a heart attack. “Be still my beating heart. You know about the Expanded Universe?”
She scoffed. “Every Star Wars’ fan knows! I’ve read like eighty of them.”
I named the book and held my breath.
A manicured hand swatted the air. “Finished reading that one a week ago.” She chuckled when my mouth fell open. “And no, I’m won’t spoil it for you by telling you what happened. Just know this, the next book in the series is going to be an eyeopener for sure.”
I leaned forward and rested my elbow on the bar, pointing a finger in her direction. “Ok, see… That right there is not right.” I lifted my bottle to my lips and discovered it was empty. I signaled for Celine to come our way.
The bartender walked over, a look of irritation on her face. Apparently the sight of me giving another woman my attention instead of her hit a few buttons.
I ignored her, entranced with my new found friend. “Let me get another beer. Would you like another drink? My treat.”
“Sure.”
“And another one of whatever she’s drinking.” I gave her a twenty. “Keep the change.” The large tip put the smile back on her face. My attention went back to the woman beside me who was not looking at me with a seductive gleam in her eye.
If I played my cards right, I wouldn’t be going home alone tonight.
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Chapter 7, coming next Sunday!
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May 27, 2015
Home School Year in Review….2014-2015
Well, what do you know, the school year is over! Unlike last year, I didn’t have time to write a monthly update on what was going on in our homeschool adventure. Between leaving the status of being an at home mom and author, I rejoined the working ranks and took a part-time job at the beginning of summer. In the process, I started writing the next novel in The Butterfly Memoirs series as well as a short story. Then the school year started and it was nothing but working, writing, and trying to stay on top of the kids. Needless to say, life was hectic, I was tired and well, we decided that with kids being the ages of 13, 14, and 17, it was time for them to take control of their school experience.
After all, if they were still in a brick and mortar school, would I be sitting there holding their hands every day, making sure they did their homework or stayed awake in class?
Nope.
They were told that this year was going to be on them…what they got out of this year’s school experience would be all about the amount of work they put in…or avoided.
So where did that leave us?
What’s the best way to explain it…hmm…
Frustrated, annoyed, aggravated, disappointed…and that wasn’t all about the kids work ethics!
Middle School Madness…
The 2014/15 school year was the first time my middle school kids completed the entire program, from the first day of school until the last. Last year, we came in after Christmas Break and they had a learning curve to get in and learn the new system of instruction. In the end, they finished strong and we were happy.
This year….well…let’s just say the homeschool experience was a new learning process for them and for us parents.
First, there were changes in the way they received their daily work assignments. Last year, teachers sent out weekly calendars with an outline of what they needed to accomplish each day in each subject in order to stay on track. This year, they sent calendars out for each subject for the month. This was both good….and bad. It was good because it gave the kids a chance to work at their own pace. If they completed the week’s classes, they could jump ahead and keep working. The negative: my kids found it a bit overwhelming, meaning that instead of staying on task, they jumped around to the easier stuff and avoided the hard stuff, or decided to focus on one subject only, then got behind and the next thing you know it was a new month, new calendar…repeat. Then there was the influx of books that kept coming and coming and coming….and I swear never got used.
Senior Blues…
This year, my oldest daughter decided to complete her final year of high school in the Ga. Cyber Academy. Her 11th grade year of high school, even though she had been attending a magnet high school for art, was stressful. If it wasn’t teachers who were conducting classes that were so frustrated with some of the students that they took out their irritation on those who wanted to learn, then it was school lock downs, pat downs by officers, a weapon brought to school, and being forced to stay in their classrooms due to a bomb threat. Not to mention issues with some of the other students.
Finishing her education in a homeschool environment should be a piece of cake, right????
Sigh…
Well, for starters, she was unable to start her class work on the first day of school because from the get go, she was given 11th grade classes, even though she was a senior. After tracking a counselor down and some investigation, it was determined that someone else’s transcript was entered under her ID # which is what gave her the 11th grade curriculum. By the time this error was found, corrected, and the new class load uploaded, nearly three weeks had gone by and she was already behind. Because the high school curriculum is set up differently than the middle school, it took a minute to realize the way she was supposed to keep up with her classwork, practice test, regular test, and miscellaneous assignments. Not to mention learning that some of her work was being done on platforms outside of the OLS, and as a new student, she wasn’t aware of this, until her grades were failing.
And then there was a bit of slacking…
Needless to say, by the time we got down to the final weeks of school, she was hustling like a mad woman to bring up her grades, for which she did for all but one: Pre-Calculus, which meant she would have to take the 12th grade all over again.
To our surprise, her math teacher reached out and said that Seniors with failing grades were being given seven days to get access to the class they were failing in hopes that they would take the time to bring their grade up to passing. My daughter, having learned the error of procrastination during the year, was all over this opportunity. Six days of lack of sleep, working all day and into the night up until the last possible second proved to be worthwhile. SHE IS GRADUATING!!!!!! Hallelujah!
To this I have to say a major life lesson about putting off what needs to be done today, proper time management, and realizing that you can’t get time back, was learned. I hope it’s a lesson that stays with her through life!
While the Ga. Cyber Academy holds a formal graduation, complete with cap and gown, she has opted to receive her diploma in the mail and to celebrate her hard work with family and friends. Either way, we are very proud!
Technical Glitches and other Electronic Woes…
Computers, computers, computers…
While they are wonderful for convenience, they can be a pain in the $%^!
Is it anyone else or just my family, but is seemed like every computer virus known to man kept hitting our computers! At first it seemed as though it was the kids logging into websites or downloading programs instead of doing school work. But, once one of my students got on to her father’s computer, the main hub for the house, and most protected from viruses, it became evident that the problem itself was coming from links through the K12 platform. We had everything from random ‘commercials’ popping up when they clicked a link to go to an OLS class, to the OLS window changing from K12 to some other website for coupons and god knows what else! Computers started freezing, Blackboard stopped working, OLS would just freeze up completely and well, that of course did not help with staying on task. Unfortunately my work schedule didn’t make it easy to get in touch with anyone regarding these issues and we started doing a computer swap around the house or the kids would come us public computers at the library while I worke. Somehow we found a way to make it work, but it was not without headaches!
Now that school is officially over, I’m turning the computer we have back in and requesting another one for next year! Hopefully we won’t have these issues in the fall.
In a nutshell….
Am I disappointed with the K12 program this year? Honestly….no. I still prefer knowing my kids are at home where I left them versus worrying about what they are being faced with on a daily bases at school. Bullies, bad teachers, bad food, public safety issues, gangs…
One of my co-workers son is attending the school where my daughter would have completed her senior year. He called his mom at work to say that they were being evacuated due to a bomb threat and told to not stand in the parking lot, but to march half a mile away to a gas station before being re-directed to the Performing Arts building across the street where they sat in the performance hall until the end of the day. All the while, all I could do is be thankful of the decision we made to homeschool.
Lessons Learned…
What this year has taught us as parents is this: Just because they are at home, it does not make us accountable for everything they do or don’t do. Just like when they were in regular school, their education is what THEY make of it! As long as we make sure they have internet, access/completion of all mandatory testing or any other mandatory requirements, be they online or at a public venue, and we make sure their hours are adding up and attendance entered daily, there’s nothing else we can do. This is an opportunity for our kids to get the best of their education that they can get. It is also instilling work values and lessons that they will need to be successful as adults. Namely, you get in what you put in, and sometimes, you make life harder on yourself when you don’t do the work.
Another lesson we learned this year as parents is that just because they are homeschooled, it does not mean they have to be up at 8 and finished by 4. As long as they put in 4-6 hours a day of productive school work, and go back to watch the recorded videos from the live classes, as well as watching each tutorial video in the class before doing the test and not skipping the written work, they will and can be successful!
So for the 2015-2016 school year we say, BRING IT ON!!!!
*Pray for me people, just pray…lol!
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