M.J. Kane's Blog, page 23

#8Sunday Sample: New Release!!!! LONELY HEART (Book 3 of The Butterfly Memoirs) –Meet the Mechanic

Kaitlyn’s day is looking up! She’s got a life changing decision to make regarding her career, but the reality of life can’t be ignored. Her car is on the verge of  breaking down and needs to be put into the shop. The minute she leaves work, she goes to an auto shop recommended by her neighbor. Little does she know the man she’s about to meet will play a dramatic role in her her future…

Excerpt:

“Excuse me, do you have a bathroom?” I yelled.

I spied the service bell and banged on it, praying someone in the garage would hear me over the racket of machinery.

Words I didn’t understand were yelled as a man in overalls covered with grease and grime walked around the corner. The fresh wave of fumes made me gag; I automatically stepped away from the counter and held my nose.

Reddish brown eyes framed in a young face streaked with grease from his forehead to his chin, topped off with thick jet black hair apprised me. His overalls appeared to have been gray once, but were now black.

He wiped his hands on an equally dirty rag. “Can I help you?”

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Look for the The Butterfly Memoirs Series and the latest release, Lonely Heart !

 

Instead of planning her wedding, Kaitlyn Rodgers is facing motherhood alone, the pressures of a new job, and caring for her rebellious younger sister. What should have been the happiest time of her life turns into one stressful event after another.

After watching his father struggle to raise a family by himself, auto mechanic Antonio Rodriguez refuses to follow his father’s footsteps…even if it means a lifetime of loneliness.

When Kaitlyn’s car breaks down, though, Antonio goes beyond auto repairs to take care of her needs. An unexpected friendship begins, allowing them a glimpse of happiness…until the father of Kaitlyn’s child returns, ready to offer her marriage and a future. But at what cost?

 

Amazon      B&N      iTunes      Smashwords      All Romance      5 Prince Publishing

 

Follow this link for more #8SundaySamples!

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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!

MJ

Website     Twitter     Facebook    Pinterest     Instagram  Google+      Goodreads     Linkedin     Email

 

 

Graded Assignments, Projects, Teacher Meetings…I think we’re finally getting it!!!- February 17th to March 21st, 2014

Science Project- Learning about the phases of the moon.

So another month has gone by, and with that, more experiences to share about our home school journey. Forty-five days in, and nearly 200 logged school hours. Where did it all go???? So, here’s what we’ve achieved:

Our Daily Check Lists: Well, I’ve FINALLY gotten this down! In order to avoid confusion as to what assignments are to be done that day and where the offline information can be found, I’ve invested in ink and plenty of printer paper. Each of my children receives a checklist of what work to complete during the week. For my son, who struggles with staying focused and getting sidetracked from time to time, his is set up as a to-do list for each day (per his teacher). For my daughter, who had AP classes in the brick and mortar school, her checklist is set up as a to-do list for the week. Each subject has specific courses to be taken and she can do them at her leisure throughout the week. It’s cool how this works. They are responsible for managing their time (and I see to it that the work is done), but having their schedules set that way keeps them focused.  My son is working his list Monday thru Friday. My daughter has managed to complete all of her tasks by Thursday for the last two weeks, and be able to spend Fridays doing art.)

Every morning, or evening, depending on my schedule, I review their individual checklist and go online to print out the Student Study Guide for each course and any worksheets needed in order to complete the assignment. Each Study Guide has a layout on how students should do the work. Any books needed are listed as well as what pages they need to review. They are told when to go online to follow the online work, and when to log off and focus on worksheets. As the Learning Coach, my job is to make sure they do the worksheets and review them by using the Answer Key. If I see they don’t understand something, I send them back to review, or sit with them and go over the correct answers and try to help them understand exactly what the questions are asking for. A majority of the assignments have a Check Point or Assessment online which is scored by the computer. When they reach the end of a unit (just like they do with the text books) there is a prompt that lets me know a specific test is needed to be completed, then scored by me, and the grade entered into the computer.  How has that been working? Honestly, not bad, once I realized it had to be done! Now that I know when to look for them, I make sure they do them and that I impute the score. I can’t lie, there have been a few that have been missed, as well as missed practice sheets, but from what I’ve been told during teacher conferences, we’re doing pretty good for only being in the program for 45 days!

Class Projects: This has been tricky! The projects have been in Science and involved me going to the store or searching the house for miscellaneous items to use. That isn’t the hard part. The hard part has been scheduling the time to actually do the project. This is due to the amount of time it takes for my children to complete a class assignment. Unlike regular school, where the teacher must pay attention to the amount of time spent on a subject before moving on to the next, the kids can take as long as they need.  Sometimes, depending on the subject, work sheets attached, and amount of time it takes to learn, there have been some projects that have been postponed or not completed. Doing the project is not part of the grade, but for the purpose of doing hands on learning. Fun, of course, but when you’ve spent several hours trying to master a math assignment, and have three other subjects to be completed after spending three hours in online live classes…and well…time flies and before you know it, it’s dinner time. Yes…yet another thing to learn to work into the program. But I’m happy to say we got in at least one of the experiments this month!! (See attached photo)

Upcoming CRCT Testing and Field Trips: Just like brick and mortar schools, in the state of Georgia, all kids are required to take the CRCT test. A majority of the class work and online live classes over the past two weeks have been geared towards preparation for the test. After hours coaching has been set in place for the evenings and weekends where students can contact their teachers and seek extra help. Now to get my kids to actually participate! Sigh… We have signed up for a CRCT in-person review course that will be taking place this week and I am excited to take them there. For a few hours they will be able to associate with their teachers, classmates, and get a chance to get some practice in before taking the test after Spring Break. The CRCT exam will be given at a location which will be assigned in the next few days, and it will be my responsibility to have them there every day. Look for information about how this is handled in next month’s blog post.

And yes, we are going on our first field trip on Friday!! The Atlanta Botanical Gardens is going to be fun! I’m not sure how this is going to work out, other than the fact we’ll be meeting up there, but either way, we can’t wait! I’ll be sure to share information about that as well.

2014-2015 GCA Enrollment: March began enrollment into next year’s program. My oldest daughter, who will be starting her senior year, has requested to finish her school career in the home school program instead of continuing to attend her high school. I have signed her up, and pray she will be accepted. Fingers crossed!

Well, that’s all for now. Stay tuned for next month’s post.

 

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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!

MJ

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My Writing Process Blog Tour…Yep, this is how I roll!

I’ve been tagged by two of my favorite fellow authors, Carmen DeSousa and Synithia Williams (at two different times!) to participate in a blog tour where I share a little bit about my writing process. This is nothing new to me since I’ve blogged about it in the past. But, hey, there’s always something new to share! So, here we go!

What am I working on?

I’m taking a brief break from writing after publishing the third novel in The Butterfly Memoirs Series, Lonely Heart, on March 6, 2014. That doesn’t mean I don’t have the next book on the table! Before I start that manuscript, I actually have a teaching series that will be shared on my YouTube channel in the next few months. I’m putting the finishing touches on it now, so stay tuned for the release date!

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Good question! First of all, my writing isn’t found in just one genre. My stories are Contemporary Romance, but can also be found in Women’s Fiction and Interracial Romance. While I follow the rules of the genres, I also bend them, yeah; I’m a real bad girl! LOL! Instead of focusing on the female leads as the center of the story, I bring in the arm candy, the men in their lives, and give their journey just as much attention as the heroine’s. I prefer readers to watch my characters grow as individuals pursuing their own dreams and then as a couple. I focus on the reality of life, love, and relationships and not just the fantasy of falling in love. My characters relationships are organic, growing slowly over time, and are not love at first sight. And while each story has a satisfying ending, the journey there isn’t full of rainbows and happy moments. Love and relationships are tested. And when it’s all said and done, you feel confident that they will stay together.

Why do I write what I do?

Simply put, I write what I want to read. Before writing romance novels, I read Science Fiction, Mystery, and Action. I stumbled into reading Romance, and while I found stories I liked, I felt there was always something missing. When my journey to becoming an author began, I realized writing fantasy stories or whodunit’s weren’t for me. Real life, or Reality Romance, as I like to call it, is what came to mind and it’s what my stories are about. My goal is to entertain readers with characters they can relate to in stories that provide encouragement. I touch readers emotions…they laugh, cry, curse, and cheer for the characters, and in the end are satisfied with the journey.

How does your writing process work?

I’m meticulous and very detailed when creating my stories. I plot, a lot! There are specific steps that are taken to build the layers of not only the story, but more importantly the characters themselves. If you don’t put in the work needed to develop your characters, regardless how great of a story you may have, flat characters will kill it. Follow this link to find post I’ve shared over the years as I’ve developed my writing process, and stay tuned for the YouTube series where I will go into more depth about what I do.

 

So, that’s a bit about me. Now…who will I tag in this wonderful writing process game? *insert evil laugh….*

Tia Kelly, Chicki Brown, and Nia Forrester, you’re it! Look for post from these wonderful authors next week!

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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!

MJ

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#8Sunday Sample: New Release!!!! LONELY HEART (Book 3 of The Butterfly Memoirs) -Enter the Matrix…

I know, crazy reference to a wonderful movie, but it means the same. There comes a time in life when a path is set before us and we must decide which way to go. What will be the outcome? Can we live with the repercussions of our decisions? Kaitlyn’s decision to leave the father of her child is just the begining. Now her boss hands her a blue pill and a red pill. Which one will she choose?

Excerpt:

“This,” she indicated the files with a wave of her hand, “…is your Matrix moment. I have two packets with your name on them; one holds a contract for another year of working as Assistant Costume Designer on this show. With the ratings being what they are, it’s possible there are two or three more years in the works. The other holds a contract for a brand new show.  The pilot and first few episodes will start filming in five months. As of now, there’s no idea how it will be received or how long it will last. The cast is made up of fresh new faces, and the studio needs a young, but experienced, person for the Head Costume Designer position. When the studio asked for my recommendations, your name was the only one I gave.”

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Look for the The Butterfly Memoirs Series and the latest release, Lonely Heart !

 

Instead of planning her wedding, Kaitlyn Rodgers is facing motherhood alone, the pressures of a new job, and caring for her rebellious younger sister. What should have been the happiest time of her life turns into one stressful event after another.

After watching his father struggle to raise a family by himself, auto mechanic Antonio Rodriguez refuses to follow his father’s footsteps…even if it means a lifetime of loneliness.

 When Kaitlyn’s car breaks down, though, Antonio goes beyond auto repairs to take care of her needs. An unexpected friendship begins, allowing them a glimpse of happiness…until the father of Kaitlyn’s child returns, ready to offer her marriage and a future. But at what cost?

 

Amazon      B&N      iTunes      Smashwords      All Romance       5 Prince Publishing

 Enter for a chance to win an ebook copy of Lonely Heart! Contest ends April 1, 2014! 

Follow this link for more #8SundaySamples!

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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!

MJ

Website     Twitter     Facebook    Pinterest     Instagram  Google+      Goodreads     Linkedin     Email

 

 

The Butterfly Memoirs Blog Tour Stops drops in on Tia with a Pen….

Today, The Butterfly Memoirs Tour stops at my good friend, Tia Kelly’s blog. Take a moment to get to know the REAL Kaitlyn Rodgers. She’s not the same girl you thought you knew….

 

special guest… author M.J. Kane brings us Kaitlyn Rodgers.

 

 

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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!

MJ

 

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#8Sunday Sample: New Release!!!! LONELY HEART (Book 3 of The Butterfly Memoirs) Work, Stress, and Baby…

Excerpt:

Alexandria held the door of her office open as I walked in and settled on the edge of the seat across from her cluttered desk. My baby kicked hard; I put my hand on my belly to massage the spot. It was probably a result of my sudden emotional change. I noticed over the last few weeks any time I got upset or excited about something, my baby would react by kicking. I promised myself I’d stop stressing. Stress mixed with my high blood pressure problem wasn’t a good thing.

Thankfully, the show was going on hiatus for the next few weeks. The break would allow me the down time needed until I gave birth.

 

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Look for the The Butterfly Memoirs Series and the latest release, Lonely Heart !

 

Instead of planning her wedding, Kaitlyn Rodgers is facing motherhood alone, the pressures of a new job, and caring for her rebellious younger sister. What should have been the happiest time of her life turns into one stressful event after another.

After watching his father struggle to raise a family by himself, auto mechanic Antonio Rodriguez refuses to follow his father’s footsteps…even if it means a lifetime of loneliness.

When Kaitlyn’s car breaks down, though, Antonio goes beyond auto repairs to take care of her needs. An unexpected friendship begins, allowing them a glimpse of happiness…until the father of Kaitlyn’s child returns, ready to offer her marriage and a future. But at what cost?

 

Follow this link for more #8SundaySamples!

#####

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!

MJ

Twitter     Facebook    Pinterest     Instagram  Google+      Goodreads     Linkedin     Email

 

 

5 Prince Publishing New Release: The Copper Witch by Jessica Dall

Romance/Historical/Alternative History

“Ambition or Love”

 Adela Tilden has always been more ambitious than her station in life might allow. A minor nobleman’s daughter on a failing barony, Adela’s prospects seem dire outside of marrying well-off. When Adela catches the eye of the crown prince, Edward, however, well-off doesn’t seem to be a problem. Thrown into a world of politics and intrigue, Adela might have found all the excitement she ever wanted—if she can manage to leave her past behind.

Amazon     5 Prince Publishing 

Excerpt: 

Adela Tilden held as still as she could force herself to be, her eyes sliding over every now and again to study the man sitting in front of her.

Antony looked up from the easel and released a breath through his nose. “Hold still.”

“I am,” she said, barely moving her mouth.

He gave her a dark look.

Adela exaggerated a sigh, dropping her eyes again to the side, staring at the same patch of grey stone as she had been for what felt like years. “I want to see what you’re doing.”

“You’ll see when I’m done.”

She fidgeted, glancing at her dress. “Can’t we make the neckline just a little lower?”

“Your grandmother doesn’t like it as it is,” Antony droned, the same answer yet again.

“Well, of course she doesn’t,” Adela said, barely refraining from rolling her eyes and getting yelled at again.

“Drop your shoulder a little,” he directed, “and hold still.”

So she’d get yelled at either way, it seemed. Adela shifted, still attempted to freeze.

Antony shook his head, running a frustrated hand through his brown hair. “No, drop…not… You know what?” He moved to her.

Adela watched him carefully, making no effort to help as he straightened the line of the dress where it stopped around her shoulders. If a little too thin to be called well built, she had to admit Antony was an attractive man with his dark eyes and square jaw. It was a shame he had staged her looking away. She wouldn’t have minded the excuse to spend her time studying him right back.

He pressed her shoulder down lightly with the end of his paintbrush. “Can you hold that now?”

Her eyes remained on his face. “It’s hardly acrobatics.”

Antony’s eyes flicked up as he offered a weak smile, sliding away just as quickly as he adjusted the oblong pearl in the headpiece Adela’s grandmother had pulled out just for the occasion. He paused, finally moved a strand of the hair that had been left out of the braids at her crown and placed it over her shoulder. He stepped back, looking at her just a little bit too long, starting when he met her eyes. “There. Much better.”

The way he backed away, almost making it look like a retreat, made Adela smile. She watched Antony settle himself before tilting her head back the way it had been. “I don’t understand why Grandmamma wants a portrait of me anyway. It’s not as if anyone is going to see it. No one ever comes out here, you know. I’m surprised you’re here and you’re paid to be.”

“She’s trying to make sure that no one gets any funny ideas about your financial situation, I believe, Miss Tilden.” Antony didn’t look away from the easel.

“Even if they’re completely correct.” Adela heaved a sigh.

“Stop moving.”

She couldn’t help glancing again, looking away when he glared. “How old are you, Antony?”

He paused momentarily. “Does that matter?”

“I was just curious,” she said. “You’re much younger than the painters we used to have come here.”

“I’m not as well-seasoned as them, I would think,” he said. “And I imagine I’m quite a bit cheaper.”

“Oh.” She fought away a smile. “So I shouldn’t be surprised when my nose comprises the better part of my face, then?”

“I think I’m skilled enough to keep that from happening,” Antony answered, continuing under his breath, “Anyway, if I were going to make a feature too large it would much more likely be your eyes.”

Her eyes slid over to him again.

He met them for a second before looking away sharply. “Stay still.”

“You just started painting, then?” She looked down and away again.

“I’ve been painting my entire life,” he said, seeming relieved. “Just finished my apprenticeship a year or so ago.”

“So you’re what then?” Adela did the math in her head. “Twenty? Twenty-One?”

“Something like that.”

She smiled. “You don’t know which one?”

“Relax your face.”

She took a breath, forced off the smile. “Is it a secret?”

Exasperation leeched into his voice. “Is what?”

“Your age.”

He released a breath. “I just don’t see how it’s relevant.”

“I asked,” she said. “That doesn’t make it relevant enough?”

“I don’t believe that’s the way it works, Miss Tilden.”

She shifted. “Can I please move?

I’m going to freeze in this position if I have to keep it up much longer.”

Antony set down his brush, holding his hands up, motioning his surrender. “We can take a break.”

Adela rolled her shoulders, standing quickly to stretch her legs. She turned. “Can I see now?”

He looked up from straightening his paints.

“I’d like to see how you’re painting me,” she continued at his silence.

Antony hesitated. “I prefer people not to see what I’m painting until I’m done.”

She moved closer. “I’m paying for it. I’d think you’d want to know if I’m unsatisfied in any way.”

He opened his mouth, cleared his throat before starting. “Your grandmother’s paying for it, Miss Tilden. Maybe I should show her.”

Adela pouted. “Please?”

He looked at her for another moment. Finally, sighing, he backed up for her to take a look.

Adela moved quickly, her soft slippers barely making a sound on the stone floor. And the painting slid into view. Unlike the other china-doll portraits in the manor—with every inch of the women in them softened, pale—the picture in front of her looked as though he had taken her reflection and pressed it onto the canvas.  She studied herself, fascinated for a moment before collecting herself. She pulled herself straight. “You’re using a lot of red in my hair.”

His eyes lifted to her scalp. “Well, there is a lot of red in your hair, Miss Tilden.”

She twirled a strand absentmindedly around her finger, and didn’t dispute it.

“Satisfied?” he finally asked.

“You are quite talented,” she said, looked from the painting to him. “I don’t think you have my lips quite right, though.”

“No?”

She picked up the mirror on the mantel, studying her face before looking back at him. “Don’t you think? My bottom lip is fuller.”

He looked at her lips for a moment, slid his eyes away, nodding. “I’ll fix it when you sit back down.”

She looked at her reflection for another moment before tilting the mirror down to fix the neckline of her dress. “This was the dress I wore to my mother’s funeral, you know.”

Antony started, mouth working as he searched for something to say. “Oh.”

“It’s been altered, of course.” She played with the gold thread that had been used to embroider the swirling pattern along the bodice. “But Grandmamma insisted that black was the proper color for a portrait, and I doubt we would have been able to get new silk, so she recycled this one.”

“Oh,” Antony repeated.

“I have to say, I like it better this way.” She leaned back against the wall sliding her hands down the skirt.

Antony coughed, looked at the windows. “We’re not going to have the light much longer. As soon as the sun…we’ll have to stop for the night.”

Adela sighed dramatically, looking at the high windows around the gaping hall. “How much longer do you think it’s going to be?”

“Not long. I’m almost done with what I need you for. I can do the background alone.”

She nodded slowly, studying him.

He met her eyes before once again looking away. “What?”

“Where did you learn to paint?”

He shook his head. “I told you, I’ve always painted.”

“Was your father a painter?”

Antony pressed his lips together. “Soldier, actually.”

“Ah,” Adela said. “Second son?”

Antony shrugged.

“What’s your last name?”

“I don’t think I was hired to help you figure out my life story, Miss Tilden.” Antony finally looked back at her.

“I’m just curious.” Adela shrugged innocently. “If you were able to apprentice as a painter obviously you aren’t from a farming family.”

He shook his head, straightening his brushes awkwardly. “Fletcher.”

Adela tilted her head. “Any relation to Thurston Fletcher?”

“None,” he said, voice curt. “Think you’ve stretched out enough to let me finish?”

She smiled at the joke he didn’t seem to catch. “Maybe.”

He motioned to the stool. “Whenever you’re ready, Miss Tilden.”

All business once again, Adela’s smile dropped as she settled on her stool. “You could call me Adela, you realize. No need for all the formality.”

“I’m more comfortable with ‘Miss Tilden’ if it’s all the same to you,” he said, jaw tight. “I wouldn’t presume the familiarity.”

“You wouldn’t be presuming anything. I said you could,” she said. “I call you Antony. I didn’t even know your last name until a few moments ago.”

“Your family is quite a bit more important than mine, Miss Tilden.” He took his seat. “There’s no reason for you to know my family.”

She scoffed. “I’m living in the middle of nowhere, alone, save my grandmother who hasn’t been further than our front gates since my mother passed.” Adela looked up at the ceiling. “God rest her soul. I’m surprised anyone remembers us at all.”

“You do own Penrith,” he said.

“Also known as the entirety of three-dozen people and five-thousand sheep.” She let out an exasperated sigh when he didn’t answer. “Am I sitting properly?”

“Turn a little towards me,” he directed, finally looking up. “Relax your hand.”

“Like this?”

He nodded. “Head down. Right there. You can hold that?”

She rolled her eyes. “I have been for two days.”

He didn’t answer, returning to the painting.

“Whom have you painted before?” she asked.

“Mostly models,” Antony said.

“Were they pretty?” Adela asked.

Antony’s cheek twitched. “If you want me to get your mouth right you’re going to have to stop moving it, Miss Tilden.”

She released a breath, froze, staying still as long as she could stand the silence. Her eyes flicked toward him. “Well, were they?”

“Miss Tilden,” he snapped.

“It’s just a question, Antony.”

He groaned, the sound coming from the back of his throat before he finally answered in a more civilized, if still strained, tone, “Were they what?”

“Pretty,” she said. “The models.”

He painted a few more strokes. “I suppose. Some of them.”

“Only some?” she asked.

“Well, we need to know how to paint non-pretty people too.”

“That can’t be fun.” Her nose crinkled. “Staring at ugly people for days on end.”

“Hold still.”

She sighed, complying for barely a second before continuing, “Do you think I’m pretty?”

He frowned. “I hardly think I’m qualified to judge, Miss Tilden.”

“You’ve seen plenty of both, I’m sure,” she said. “Am I closer to the pretty models or the ugly ones?”

He released a slow breath. “You are attractive, in my opinion, Miss Tilden.”

She smiled.

“Miss Tilden,” he snapped.

The smile dropped without having to be told. She tapped her foot under her dress for a moment. “What’s it like having a job, Antony?”

He let out a loud, exasperated sigh, resting his pallet in his lap. “What?”

“I’ve never worked,” she said.

“You’re young.” He waited, only continuing when she didn’t speak again. “And I doubt you need to.”

“It probably wouldn’t hurt around here.” She puffed out her cheeks, stopping before he could snap again. “Though my grandmother would rather die in the poorhouse than let me work, I’m sure.”

He hummed, eyes back on the painting.

“And I’m not that young,” she added.

“Young enough,” he said.

She studied him out of the corner of her eyes, glancing away each time he looked up. The brush moved quickly, Antony barely seeming to think before he made the next line. She half wanted to be on the other side of the easel watching how he painted rather than stuck on her stool across the room. The silence stretched on, every movement of the brush seeming amplified as he refused to speak. “You’re rather boring, you know that?”

“I’m not paid to be entertaining,” Antony answered quickly.

“Obviously.”

The silence returned, long enough this time Adela began to doubt he would answer at all, then the sound of brushes being set on his small table. Adela turned her head to look at him.

He didn’t look back. “I think I have what I need.”

She frowned. “You’re sure?”

“Very.”

She stood, looking at him for a long moment. “Do I make you uncomfortable, Antony?”

He glanced up, then away. “No. Why?”

“You never look me in the eyes.”

“That’s a sign of respect, isn’t it?”

“Maybe a hundred years ago.” She scoffed. “Seems dishonest to me.”

He looked at her, straight on, nearly seeming to squirm. “You have very…interesting eyes, Miss Tilden.”

She smiled. “Runs in my family, don’t you know? My mother’s side.”

“I know, in…” he led off.

“You can say it,” she said. “Just because we’re far enough removed that they forget about us doesn’t mean we don’t talk about our dear royal family.”

“Your mother,” he said. “From a long line of mothers.”

“Yes, it’s all very maternal,” Adela droned. “And why I’m out here on a small tract of nothing rather than in Carby.”

“You’re still nobility,” Antony said quietly.

“But not noble enough to even be called ‘Lady’.” Adela pouted. “I’m just ‘The Honorable Miss Tilden’.”

“Most people would be thrilled at being able to put ‘honorable’ in front of their name,” Antony said.

“In all due respect Antony.” She crossed her arms. “I’m not most people.”

He looked at her, finally managing to hold her eyes with some degree of fortitude. “So what’s your plan then, Miss Tilden? Find yourself a prince to marry?”

Her smile returned. “I’d be happy with a marquess. Maybe an earl in a pinch. No need for a prince.”

“Well, you have that royal blood. You have that going for you.” He looked at the portrait.

“True.” She looked at her wrists, studying the blue veins just under the skin. “Just not nearly enough of it to be of any use to me.”

Antony tilted his head to the side, looking at the painting from another angle before looking back up at her. “I mean no offense, Miss Tilden, but I don’t think I’m the one to whom you should be complaining about your family.”

“You could always claim you’re related to Thurston Fletcher,” Adela said. “He was knighted recently.”

“I’m sure he’d love that.”

“Or you could make friends with someone important and see if they could get you knighted,” she suggested.

“I have no desire to be Sir Antony Fletcher, Miss Tilden” Antony said. “I’ll leave such ambitions to you.”

“I don’t want to be a knight.” Adela smirked. “That would be a step down.”

He frowned. “You know what I meant, Miss Tilden.”

She still smirked, looking him over. “You have no ambition then, Antony?”

He shook his head, wiping off one of his brushes.

“None whatsoever?”

“I’m quite content as I am, Miss Tilden.”

“Would you turn it down if someone offered it?”

“There are already two Sir Fletchers in my family.” He gave a tight smile. “I believe my father and brother have that title more than covered.”

“You can’t seriously tell me you would turn down the chance for the title,” Adela insisted.

“You don’t need to sit around here, Miss Tilden.” He went to straightening his paints, not looking at her. “I can finish this simply enough.”

“I don’t have anywhere better to go,” Adela said. “Sadly you’re some of the most interesting human interaction to be had around here.”

“Lucky me,” he said, sarcasm breaking through. He quickly reined himself back in. “You really don’t have anything better to do?”

“I’d just be in my room, reading or sewing more than likely.” Adela picked at a piece of lint on her hip. “And as much as I do love Lettice, there’s only so long one can talk to the same person before everything becomes a chore.”

“Lettice?” he asked

“My chambermaid,” she said. “Though these days she’s somewhere between a lady’s maid and chambermaid. She’s the one who did my hair.”

Antony nodded, silent.

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About the Author: 

Jessica Dall finished her first novel at age 15 and been writing ever sense. She is the author of such novels as Grey Areas and The Bleeding Crowd and a number of short stories which have appeared in both literary magazines and anthologies. When not writing, she works as a freelance editor and creative writing teacher in Washington, DC.

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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!

MJ

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#FeatureFriday- Creatus by Carmen DeSousa…Get Your Copy for FREE!!!!

In celebration of the release of the second novel in the Creatus Series, Creatus Rouge, Carmen is offering the first novel for FREE!!!

Romance/Paranormal, Suspense/New Adult/Vampire

 

In every myth there is a modicum of truth…

Creatus

The reason we believe in Fairy Tales—and Monsters.

 As the sun’s rays peeked above the horizon, lighting the abyss below her, she inhaled a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped. She didn’t scream; she didn’t look down. As much as she hated her life, she hoped it wouldn’t end this way. She’d really like to see him one more time.

 Her life didn’t flash before her eyes as she’d always heard. Just an image of her mother covered in blood and her Dark Angel telling her he was sorry.

 Creatus by best-selling author Carmen DeSousa is a new romantic-suspense novel with a supernatural edge that answers the myths and fairy tales you’ve heard about preternatural sentient beings.

Prepare yourself to believe.

 Download Creatus:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

 ***VISIT HER SITE FOR MORE INFORMATION!****

What reviewers have to say:

Ever wonder where the ancient ideas of supernatural creatures came from? How did the legends of beings among us who posses extraordinary strength and longevity begin? In this latest novel by Carmen DeSousa, those questions are answered in a very unique and interesting way.

One young woman, tormented by tragic events in her past, is about to be introduced to a world she never knew existed. A group of people who are the root of our fairy tales…and nightmares.

As you follow alongside Kris and her new romance with Derrick, one of the Creatus, you are mesmerized by the style and pace of the story. Full of romance, intrigue, suspense and the paranormal, this truly unique story will keep you glued to the pages as Kris and Derrick struggle with their relationship and all the problems that arise when an outsider is brought into the Creatus fold.

As Kris becomes a member, she soon discovers that, along with the good, comes evil. And not everyone is happy with her inclusion into their secret world.

A great read for anyone and a book I highly recommend.- Amazon

 

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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!

MJ

Twitter     Facebook    Pinterest     Instagram  Google+      Goodreads     Linkedin     Email

Book Three of the Butterfly Memoirs is Here, but I Have Moved!!!

Yes, once again I have moved to a new website with a new URL….and man am I loving it! But don’t worry, all the blog posts have come with me, so have the characters of The Butterfly Memoirs. Join is as we celebrate the release of Kaitlyn’s story, Lonely Heart. See you there!!!! MJKaneMedia.com MJFiled […]

New Release- Captivated by Stacy-Deanne

When she first lays eyes on Mya Riley’s slashed up body, Baltimore Detective Lisa Swanson is certain that the Sandman, a ruthless serial killer from her past has reemerged. Lisa dives headfirst into the case with her partner Dee, and lovesick Winston Lewis, a detective who grows more captivated with Lisa by the day. The […]