M.J. Kane's Blog, page 4

It's Definitely NOT A Date!

No matter what they say, the customer isn't always right. As the Manager for a computer store, Zachariah knows this for a fact. Though his interaction with Yasmine has tried his patience, there's something about her that makes him willing to do more to please her. Excerpt: Zachariah I walked to the nearest computer and input the specification of the model. “We’ve got something else that will fit your needs. An older model on clearance. That will leave some breathing room in your budget.” I explained the details of the computer and watched her zone out when she stopped listening. She waved her hand. “It’ll do everything I need and save money, too?” “Exactly, and we have three in stock.” “I’ll take them.” She dug into her oversized purse. With the size of that thing, I expected a poodle or some other small dog’s head to pop up. “Do you accept American Express?” I nodded. “Of course.” She handed me the card and waited for me to type up the paperwork. “Will this be a self-installation or do you need a professional install? There’s an additional fee per computer.” “Professional install. Since they’re clearance items, do they still come with warranty?” “Yes, and there’s an additional discount from the warranty from your previous computer, which will increase your savings.” “Thank you. Now, I need them tonight, and—” “We don’t have an installer available tonight. I can put you on the schedule for tomorrow morning.” Her face went from the softened look of relief, to angry again. “No, I need it tonight, not tomorrow. In fact, I need an entire hard drive saved so I can retrieve some important work.” I glanced at Ralph, who’d finally completed his phone call and looked worse for wear. As great as he was at his job, sending him to handle a triple install with a woman like Ms. Phillips would probably send the poor guy home crying. “I don’t have anyone available tonight. Ralph can come tomorrow morning. He’ll get you taken care of and see what he can do about your hard drive.” She glanced at Ralph, who looked like he was quivering in his boots, and shook her head. “No, I want you, Mr. Givens. I don’t trust anyone else.” “Unfortunately, as store manager, I don’t do customer installations anymore.” “That’s not going to work for me. I need you.” Her gaze softened slightly, almost like a plea. I loved my job and the money was good, but a day hadn’t gone by when I didn’t miss going on service calls and working alone. I reviewed my options. Dale and Stephanie would be here in the morning and both were great techs. I studied Ms. Phillips. Her cat-like stare bore into me, waiting for my reply. She was determined to have her way. If I said no, I was sure she’d have a challenging remark to convince me to get the job done. I liked challenges. Working with Ms. Phillips would definitely be a challenge. Since tomorrow was my day off, ensuring she was a satisfied customer wouldn’t be a problem. I could handle this job off the clock. It would be a great change of pace. “How about this… I’ll do the install myself in the morning. When’s the earliest I can arrive?” “I’ll open for you any time.” I swallowed hard. Her statement, coupled with the I need you, was not helping. I ignored my thoughts, chalking it up to more than a year of celibacy—and the presence of a fine woman. How the hell did she manage to stir me up on so many levels? “How about six a.m.?” I asked. She grimaced. “I’m not a morning person, but I need this done. Six, it is.” I finished writing up the sale, processed her payment, and handed her the receipt. She held out her hand to shake mine. “Thank you, Mr. Givens. You have no idea what this means to me.” With that, she disappeared out the door and into the cool evening air. #### -From Jaded (A Butterfly Memoir), Chapter 2 A devastating breakup leaves Yasmine Phillips in shambles. Unable to trust another man with her heart, she focuses on the one thing she can control — starting her own business. When her computer crashes, taking months of hard work with it, she must rely on computer genius Zachariah Givens to save her. A complete opposite of the men from her past, she doesn't expect the passion that ensues. But just as she finds happiness, she learns the truth about the other woman in Zachariah's life. Buy now! Amazon Nook Kobo Google Play iBook Smashwords _________________________________________________________________________________ Be sure to follow my website, newsletter, and connect with me on BookBub in order to stay in the loop for contests, giveaways, and sneak peeks of other works to come! -MJ #MJKane #MJKaneMedia #TheButterflyMemoirs #Writing #Life #Books #Authors #NewReleases #Blogging #Bloggers #Blog #AHeartNotEasilyBroken #Jaded #Shattered #SundayBlogShare

#TBT- My Straightjacket is Purple…How About Yours?

A recent trip down memory lane led me to a file on my flash drive with old blog posts. When I say old, I'm talking about 2009/2010 old...when I was an aspiring author, two years before I published my first book. These were my most commented on and shared posts. Unfortunately, they were lost and I've had to start over with my website. I decided to share my favorite ones for the next few weeks as my #ThrowBackThursday blog share. Check them out, hopefully you will find information that you can use or share! ##### I know, it’s a crazy statement, but as an author, we all have an element of crazy in us somewhere. How can we not? We have to balance our lives, family, and day to day responsibilities with the art of storytelling. We create lives, personalities, likes, and dislikes. It’s like giving birth without the added weight gain and late night bottle feedings. Or is it? If we don’t watch it, we drink coffee, eat snacks, and are glued to our computer screens for hours on end. Thus the weight gain. Late night bottle feedings come in the form of waking up in the wee hours of the night, turn on the bedside light or computer to jot down notes or write a scene that’s been plaguing us all day. How do we stay sane? Where do these fictional people come from? Why are we not wearing straight jackets????? My best guess is because we’ve learned to blend in with the rest of society. Thankfully people are intrigued by our stories and want to be entertained. Thus the reason why the straight jackets stay tucked in the corner and the psychiatrist keeps the crazy pills at bay. But, all jokes aside, it is my opinion that writing is the truest form of self-expression, of healing, and finding a way to cope with whatever ales you. Whether you write in a diary, write a memoir, or take the experiences of your life or pull from those around you. No matter what avenue you decide to take, writing can help you make it through. How well you write is another story. I love to create the characters in my stories. As an only child, I spent a lot of time alone, playing with my baby dolls, stuffed animals, and Barbie’s. Each had a name and a voice of its own. I spent hour after hour making up stories and creating adventures to entertain myself. Each story had a Happily Ever After. From time to time I would get the tape recorder (remember that ancient form of electronics?) and make cassette tapes of these little adventures to share with my parents. They, of course, thought they were funny. Little did I know that form of storytelling would eventually lead to me putting stories down on paper. I still use a recorder – digital that is – and the stories are the ones from my books. No dolls allowed; I leave that to my daughter. Now the stories are not about princess riding horses and marrying the prince. Now it’s stories dealing with real-life experiences. Not all are my own, but they are real, they do happen, and there is heartbreak and pain. But through it all, there is happiness and love. As I create the heroines in my I’ve come to realize something. In each character - as different as they are - there is an element of me. The woman I once was, the woman I am, the woman I secretly wish I could be, and the woman I aspire to become. Multiple Personality Disorder at it’s best. By telling these women’s stories I’ve found a way to work through pain in my past and to find happiness in my family and the ones I hold dear. Along the way made friends I never would have known, and gained knowledge I never would have attained. In short, I’ve not only learned how to become a better writer, but I’ve also learned more about me. Writing has allowed me to make a mark of my own outside of being a wife and a mother. After thirty-six- years I have finally discovered something I love, something I’m good at, and something that unless I actually lose my mind, no one can ever take away from me. There’s not a morning I don’t get up with an idea in my head and am anxious to get down on paper. Seeing my first story, A Heart Not Easily Broken, go through several different stages of evolution over the past two years has taught me so much. I can already tell the difference in my writing of the second book. I’ve reached the end of Act 2 and my characters are alive inside of me, and their story is as close to my heart as Ebony and Brian’s. Once the first draft of the story is completed, I will still have a ways to go. Adding too, taking away, fine-tuning and finessing…it’s all the part of telling a story the way it should be told. With heart, care, and attention to detail. To all of you who are on various stages of your writing path, I wish you the best journey. Write your heart, write what you feel, let those characters out and onto paper. Just do me a favor, watch your back. If you don’t tell the story right, the men with those special white coats just might change their mind and take you for a ride! By the way, my straight jacket also has butterflies! LOL! To learn more about the main characters of A Heart Not Easily Broken, read the Chapter One excerpt. Until Write On! MJ ________________________________________________________________________________ Be sure to follow my website, newsletter, and connect with me on BookBub in order to stay in the loop for contests, giveaways, and sneak peeks of other works to come! -MJ #MJKane #MJKaneMedia #TheButterflyMemoirs #Writing #Life #Books #Authors #straitjackets #TBT #NewReleases #Blogging #Bloggers #Blog #AHeartNotEasilyBroken #Jaded #Shattered

#TBT- My Straightjacket is Purple…How About Yours?

A recent trip down memory lane led me to a file on my flash drive with old blog posts. When I say old, I'm talking about 2009/2010 old...when I was an aspiring author, two years before I published my first book. These were my most commented on and shared posts. Unfortunately, they were lost and I've had to start over with my website. I decided to share my favorite ones for the next few weeks as my #ThrowBackThursday blog share. Check them out, hopefully you will find information that you can use or share! ##### I know, it’s a crazy statement, but as an author, we all have an element of crazy in us somewhere. How can we not? We have to balance our lives, family, and day to day responsibilities with the art of storytelling. We create lives, personalities, likes, and dislikes. It’s like giving birth without the added weight gain and late night bottle feedings. Or is it? If we don’t watch it, we drink coffee, eat snacks, and are glued to our computer screens for hours on end. Thus the weight gain. Late night bottle feedings come in the form of waking up in the wee hours of the night, turn on the bedside light or computer to jot down notes or write a scene that’s been plaguing us all day. How do we stay sane? Where do these fictional people come from? Why are we not wearing straight jackets????? My best guess is because we’ve learned to blend in with the rest of society. Thankfully people are intrigued by our stories and want to be entertained. Thus the reason why the straight jackets stay tucked in the corner and the psychiatrist keeps the crazy pills at bay. But, all jokes aside, it is my opinion that writing is the truest form of self-expression, of healing, and finding a way to cope with whatever ales you. Whether you write in a diary, write a memoir, or take the experiences of your life or pull from those around you. No matter what avenue you decide to take, writing can help you make it through. How well you write is another story. I love to create the characters in my stories. As an only child, I spent a lot of time alone, playing with my baby dolls, stuffed animals, and Barbie’s. Each had a name and a voice of its own. I spent hour after hour making up stories and creating adventures to entertain myself. Each story had a Happily Ever After. From time to time I would get the tape recorder (remember that ancient form of electronics?) and make cassette tapes of these little adventures to share with my parents. They, of course, thought they were funny. Little did I know that form of storytelling would eventually lead to me putting stories down on paper. I still use a recorder – digital that is – and the stories are the ones from my books. No dolls allowed; I leave that to my daughter. Now the stories are not about princess riding horses and marrying the prince. Now it’s stories dealing with real-life experiences. Not all are my own, but they are real, they do happen, and there is heartbreak and pain. But through it all, there is happiness and love. As I create the heroines in my I’ve come to realize something. In each character - as different as they are - there is an element of me. The woman I once was, the woman I am, the woman I secretly wish I could be, and the woman I aspire to become. Multiple Personality Disorder at it’s best. By telling these women’s stories I’ve found a way to work through pain in my past and to find happiness in my family and the ones I hold dear. Along the way made friends I never would have known, and gained knowledge I never would have attained. In short, I’ve not only learned how to become a better writer, but I’ve also learned more about me. Writing has allowed me to make a mark of my own outside of being a wife and a mother. After thirty-six- years I have finally discovered something I love, something I’m good at, and something that unless I actually lose my mind, no one can ever take away from me. There’s not a morning I don’t get up with an idea in my head and am anxious to get down on paper. Seeing my first story, A Heart Not Easily Broken, go through several different stages of evolution over the past two years has taught me so much. I can already tell the difference in my writing of the second book. I’ve reached the end of Act 2 and my characters are alive inside of me, and their story is as close to my heart as Ebony and Brian’s. Once the first draft of the story is completed, I will still have a ways to go. Adding too, taking away, fine-tuning and finessing…it’s all the part of telling a story the way it should be told. With heart, care, and attention to detail. To all of you who are on various stages of your writing path, I wish you the best journey. Write your heart, write what you feel, let those characters out and onto paper. Just do me a favor, watch your back. If you don’t tell the story right, the men with those special white coats just might change their mind and take you for a ride! By the way, my straight jacket also has butterflies! LOL! To learn more about the main characters of A Heart Not Easily Broken, read the Chapter One excerpt. Until Write On! MJ Be sure to follow my website, newsletter, and connect with me on BookBub in order to stay in the loop for contests, giveaways, and sneak peeks of other works to come! -MJ #MJKane #MJKaneMedia #TheButterflyMemoirs #Writing #Life #Books #Authors #straitjackets #TBT #NewReleases #Blogging #Bloggers #Blog #AHeartNotEasilyBroken #Jaded #Shattered #SundayBlogShare

Zachariah: The Manager

Providing good customer service can be rewarding. But when the customer is annoying and sexy as hell? That can be a challenge, especially when you've crossed paths before and she wasn't easy to forget... Excerpt: Zachariah Ralph, a gangly-looking college kid, knocked on the glass surrounding my office. “Mr. Givens, there’s a customer on the line asking for you.” “Thanks, Ralph.” I studied the flashing lines and sighed. I needed someone who could handle the in-store portion of the job. Ralph made an excellent technician, but his customer-service skills were seriously lacking. “Which line?” He shrugged sheepishly. I glanced at my watch, 4:25, not long before quitting time. Perfect. With any luck, I could shortcut traffic, take my mother something for dinner, talk, and be home by seven. That would leave plenty of time for exploring the benefits of my latest high-tech gadget. The new Tablet offered me everything I wanted and more. First, I needed to send this week’s timesheets to the corporate office, then take my tour around the store and turn off the display computers for the night. I snatched up the phone and handled three of the five calls; none of them were the customer who’d asked for me. Ralph was still on the original call. I answered the next call in time to hear an angry curse and the phone disconnect as soon as I spoke. At the same time, the door to the shop flew open and a light-skinned woman wearing heels, a skintight skirt, and a loosely buttoned shirt stormed up to the counter. She didn’t appear pleased. “First of all, the customer service phone etiquette here sucks.” She glared at poor Ralph, who appeared to shrink two inches from her glare. Then she zeroed in on me. She squinted in recognition. I remembered her as well. How could I forget a woman with eyes the color of steel and skin the color of coffee with too much cream? Her body was worth every ounce of admiration. “You…” She pointed a red fingernail at me. “You’re…” she referred to a paper she held, “Zachariah Givens?” “Yes,” I said, ignoring the flash of heat running to my groin. The woman was sexy and annoying at the same time. Unfortunately, it was difficult to appreciate her looks while she shot daggers at me. “You came to my hotel two months ago and said I needed to upgrade my computer when it crashed. You patched it up—thanks again—but now I need a new one. Like, yesterday. I need what you listed here, but instead of one, I want three of them. I don’t have time to waste doing this again.” She waved the paper in front of my face. My hands remained gripped on the counter top as I counted to ten, and then to twenty. Patience. Let her vent, get it out of her system, and then we could move on. “Well, aren’t you going to look at this?” She waved the paper again, sending a slight breeze of perfume. Damn, she smelled good. I counted to thirty, then reached out and waited for the paper to settle in my hand. Our eyes held for a moment before I looked at the sheet. Yasmine Phillips. That’s right. Hers was one of the last jobs I did as a technician before my promotion to store manager. I studied my notes. “Do you still need authorization to place this order?” “No, my father has no choice because the computer didn’t just crash, it burned. I still have the metallic taste in my mouth.” I glanced up. Bad idea. Her tongue ran over pale pink lips. Another shot to my groin. I adjusted my stance, glad to be standing behind the counter. “We don’t have three of the computer systems I listed. We have two of them—” “Two? That’s not enough.” I glanced up. “I can get a third one from our sister store, but it will take a day or two.” “Not acceptable.” She chewed on her bottom lip. I looked at her mouth. Focus, man. Why did this woman turn me on? She was nothing like anyone I’d ever dated. Then again, dating was the last thing on my mind since Melissa left. I did not want to think about Melissa. Not now, not ever. #### -From Jaded (A Butterfly Memoir), Chapter 2 A devastating breakup leaves Yasmine Phillips in shambles. Unable to trust another man with her heart, she focuses on the one thing she can control — starting her own business. When her computer crashes, taking months of hard work with it, she must rely on computer genius Zachariah Givens to save her. A complete opposite of the men from her past, she doesn't expect the passion that ensues. But just as she finds happiness, she learns the truth about the other woman in Zachariah's life. Buy now! Amazon Nook Kobo Google Play iBook Smashwords Be sure to follow my website, newsletter, and connect with me on BookBub in order to stay in the loop for contests, giveaways, and sneak peeks of other works to come! -MJ #MJKane #MJKaneMedia #TheButterflyMemoirs #Writing #Life #Books #Authors #NewReleases #Blogging #Bloggers #Blog #AHeartNotEasilyBroken #Jaded #Shattered #SundayBlogShare

Zachariah: The Manager

Providing good customer service can be rewarding. But when the customer is annoying and sexy as hell? That can be a challenge, especially when you've crossed paths before and she wasn't easy to forget... Excerpt: Zachariah Ralph, a gangly-looking college kid, knocked on the glass surrounding my office. “Mr. Givens, there’s a customer on the line asking for you.” “Thanks, Ralph.” I studied the flashing lines and sighed. I needed someone who could handle the in-store portion of the job. Ralph made an excellent technician, but his customer-service skills were seriously lacking. “Which line?” He shrugged sheepishly. I glanced at my watch, 4:25, not long before quitting time. Perfect. With any luck, I could shortcut traffic, take my mother something for dinner, talk, and be home by seven. That would leave plenty of time for exploring the benefits of my latest high-tech gadget. The new Tablet offered me everything I wanted and more. First, I needed to send this week’s timesheets to the corporate office, then take my tour around the store and turn off the display computers for the night. I snatched up the phone and handled three of the five calls; none of them were the customer who’d asked for me. Ralph was still on the original call. I answered the next call in time to hear an angry curse and the phone disconnect as soon as I spoke. At the same time, the door to the shop flew open and a light-skinned woman wearing heels, a skintight skirt, and a loosely buttoned shirt stormed up to the counter. She didn’t appear pleased. “First of all, the customer service phone etiquette here sucks.” She glared at poor Ralph, who appeared to shrink two inches from her glare. Then she zeroed in on me. She squinted in recognition. I remembered her as well. How could I forget a woman with eyes the color of steel and skin the color of coffee with too much cream? Her body was worth every ounce of admiration. “You…” She pointed a red fingernail at me. “You’re…” she referred to a paper she held, “Zachariah Givens?” “Yes,” I said, ignoring the flash of heat running to my groin. The woman was sexy and annoying at the same time. Unfortunately, it was difficult to appreciate her looks while she shot daggers at me. “You came to my hotel two months ago and said I needed to upgrade my computer when it crashed. You patched it up—thanks again—but now I need a new one. Like, yesterday. I need what you listed here, but instead of one, I want three of them. I don’t have time to waste doing this again.” She waved the paper in front of my face. My hands remained gripped on the counter top as I counted to ten, and then to twenty. Patience. Let her vent, get it out of her system, and then we could move on. “Well, aren’t you going to look at this?” She waved the paper again, sending a slight breeze of perfume. Damn, she smelled good. I counted to thirty, then reached out and waited for the paper to settle in my hand. Our eyes held for a moment before I looked at the sheet. Yasmine Phillips. That’s right. Hers was one of the last jobs I did as a technician before my promotion to store manager. I studied my notes. “Do you still need authorization to place this order?” “No, my father has no choice because the computer didn’t just crash, it burned. I still have the metallic taste in my mouth.” I glanced up. Bad idea. Her tongue ran over pale pink lips. Another shot to my groin. I adjusted my stance, glad to be standing behind the counter. “We don’t have three of the computer systems I listed. We have two of them—” “Two? That’s not enough.” I glanced up. “I can get a third one from our sister store, but it will take a day or two.” “Not acceptable.” She chewed on her bottom lip. I looked at her mouth. Focus, man. Why did this woman turn me on? She was nothing like anyone I’d ever dated. Then again, dating was the last thing on my mind since Melissa left. I did not want to think about Melissa. Not now, not ever. #### -From Jaded (A Butterfly Memoir), Chapter 2 A devastating breakup leaves Yasmine Phillips in shambles. Unable to trust another man with her heart, she focuses on the one thing she can control — starting her own business. When her computer crashes, taking months of hard work with it, she must rely on computer genius Zachariah Givens to save her. A complete opposite of the men from her past, she doesn't expect the passion that ensues. But just as she finds happiness, she learns the truth about the other woman in Zachariah's life. Buy now! Amazon Nook Kobo Google Play iBook Smashwords

Be sure to follow my website, newsletter, and connect with me on BookBub in order to stay in the loop for contests, giveaways, and sneak peeks of other works to come! -MJ #MJKane #MJKaneMedia #TheButterflyMemoirs #Writing #Life #Books #Authors #NewReleases #Blogging #Bloggers #Blog #AHeartNotEasilyBroken #Jaded #Shattered #SundayBlogShare

Solution To The Problem

A computer crash has taken the family business files- and Yasmine's business plan- and not only crashed...it burned. Failure to back up her computer leaves her in a terrible predicament. With her parents waiting for the information needed to meet their accountant and nothing to show for it, Yasmine's back is against the wall; she needs to get a new computer and retrieve the missing information. Fortunately, she knows exactly who to call. Excerpt: Yasmine I needed to fix this screwed-up situation. The computer had crashed two months ago. The technician who serviced it had recommended a replacement, even though he’d gotten it up and running again. My parents hadn’t wanted to spend the money. Securing the permits, licenses, and the renovations of the third location had tied up the budget. The need for a new computer couldn’t be avoided. Making an executive decision, I retrieved the warranty paperwork from the file cabinet. Sal-U-Tek had serviced our computers for years. The technician they sent over was considerate, knew his business, and was not bad on the eyes. I dialed the number listed on the receipt and waited impatiently for someone to pick up. “Thank you for calling Sal-U-Tek, can you hold?” said a squeaky voice, and then put me on hold without waiting for my reply. I cursed, hung up, and called again. I cut off the guy before he spoke. “I need to speak to—” I looked for the name on the work order. His handwriting was hard to read. “Zachariah Givens.” “Oh, Mr. Givens is on another line right now. Can you hold?” “What choice do I have?” Cheesy elevator music played. I spent the time trying to remember what the guy looked like. He was black and, if I remembered correctly, he was a few inches taller than I was, but not by much. I was five-seven, making him short for a man, in my opinion. If I wore my favorite stacked heels, I’d probably tower over him. He had a nice body and wasn’t skinny or overweight, though. His eyes were what I remembered most. I envisioned his dark hazel eyes framed by black square frames. They were the sexiest eyes I’d ever seen on a man. Not that it mattered. A relationship of any kind was the last thing on my mind. Minutes ticked by. It was nearly four o’clock. According to the paperwork, the store closed at five. I didn’t have time to wait. I hung up the phone and dialed the number on my cell. The same voice answered and put me on hold again. I gathered my purse and headed for the door. “Where are you going?” Brandon called after me. “I’m not waiting for him to come to the phone. I’m going over there and bringing that Zachariah-guy back with a new computer." “Good luck with that,” he said, opening my office window to let in fresh air. “Thanks.” I needed all the luck I could get. #### -From Jaded (A Butterfly Memoir), Chapter 1 A devastating breakup leaves Yasmine Phillips in shambles. Unable to trust another man with her heart, she focuses on the one thing she can control — starting her own business. When her computer crashes, taking months of hard work with it, she must rely on computer genius Zachariah Givens to save her. A complete opposite of the men from her past, she doesn't expect the passion that ensues. But just as she finds happiness, she learns the truth about the other woman in Zachariah's life. Buy now!
Amazon Nook Kobo Google Play iBook Smashwords Be sure to follow my website, newsletter, and connect with me on BookBub in order to stay in the loop for contests, giveaways, and sneak peeks of other works to come! -MJ #MJKane #MJKaneMedia #TheButterflyMemoirs #Writing #Life #Books #Authors #NewReleases #Blogging #Bloggers #Blog #AHeartNotEasilyBroken #Jaded #Shattered #SundayBlogShare

Yasmine: The Entrepreneur

Yasmine is all about business. Growing up watching her parents start and run their Bread and Breakfast Inn made her proud. She couldn’t wait to be old enough to help out. And she has, for years working as Manager of one of their locations. With a third location about to open and being put in charge of training her brother to run it, Yasmine struggles to balance the family livelihood with dreams of her own. Excerpt: Yasmine “Dad is going to kill you for being late with this week’s report again, Yasmine.” My younger brother’s words went in one ear and out the other. I spared him a glance as I typed furiously. “Why don’t you do it then, Brandon?” He sat in the chair opposite my desk with one leg across his knee and tapped an impatient rhythm on the bottom of his shoe. When he frowned, he looked like our father did when he was disappointed. “It’s not in my job description. As Assistant Manager, my job is to—” “Assist the manager, which is me,” I said, cutting off his rambling. “I’m busy. Therefore it would be in both of our interests if you performed your job duties and assisted me.” Most people would have cowered under my glare; Brandon ignored it. He sighed heavily. “Yasmine, I love you and would do anything for you, but this is ridiculous. If you were working on anything else, I would help. This…” He waved his hand at the papers scattered across my desk. “What you’re doing has nothing to do with the hotel and everything to do with you. I’m not covering your ass this time.” I stopped typing and glared at him. “If you’re not helping me, then stop bitching about it and get the hell out of my office.” Brandon shook his head in what I imagined was disappointment. “Yasmine, you have family obligations. Mom and Dad put you in charge of this hotel because of your superior business and customer-service skills. You’re supposed to be training me to manage the new location.” I groaned. Hearing about the third Phillips’ Family Inn was not on the top of my list of things to talk about. I appreciated the family business, especially since we’d sacrificed so much to open the original location twelve years ago. Since graduating college, I’d been in charge of the daily ins and outs of the second location. I ran the place as if it were my own. It was not, however, what I saw myself doing five years from now. My dream didn’t have anything to do with hotel management. For the past year, arrangements to expand the Phillips’ Family Inn Bed and Breakfast chain had been in the works and were now months away from completion. I applauded their work. In fact, my parents’ example inspired me to follow my own dream. Besides, after all the pain I’d experienced in the past two months, I deserved to have something that was mine. Lately, it seemed no matter which way I turned, everything dealt with someone else’s wants and needs. The phone in my office rang. Both of us stared at it. Brandon checked the time on his watch, a smug expression on his handsome face. “Are you going to answer that?” I love my brother, but sometimes, I wanted to slap him silly. Instead, I rolled my eyes and answered, “Phillips’ Family Inn, this is—Oh, hi, Dad.” “It’s after three-thirty. You’re late again,” my father said, irritation in his voice. Brandon mouthed, I told you so. I ignored my brother, focusing on the phone call. “I know. I spent most of my day trying to locate someone to cover Ms. Rose—again.” Brandon muffled a laugh. Okay, so I’d embellished. Ms. Rose has been a family friend since before I was born. She’s in her mid-sixties and in no hurry to retire. My father met her thirty years ago when he worked as a bellhop at one of L.A.’s oldest hotels. Ms. Rose had worked in housekeeping, which is the same thing she does here. When my parents opened the hotel, they offered her a job as head of housekeeping. She did a great job … when she came to work. My father sighed. “What’s the problem this time?” “Oh, where to begin? Apparently, a pipe burst in her apartment building, flooding the apartment next door. The apartment complex manager advised her to keep an eye on her floors in case it spread to her place.” “Humph!” was all my father said. “I called everyone who was scheduled off, but no one was available. In the end, Susanne came in, even though she’s on vacation. It’s going to cost us, though.” “How much?” “Time and a half pay in addition to her vacation pay. She worked six hours.” My father groaned. Personally, I didn’t understand why we kept Ms. Rose in our employ. Whenever I suggested she retire, my parents shot me looks as if I’d suggested firing grandma. I love Ms. Rose, but constantly re-writing the schedule because of her absences took up too much of my time and was unfair to the other employees. “Sorry, Dad, I did what I thought was best. The other option involved Brandon carrying a bucket and doing the job himself.” I smiled. My brother’s expression screamed, Yeah right. “I need those reports ASAP. Your mother has an appointment with the accountant in the morning. She needs to review everything before the meeting. If the report doesn’t get here soon, she’s going to be upset.” Oh boy. Dealing with my mom when she was upset was not a pretty sight. I could already imagine her gray-blue eyes staring at me in disappointment if she needed to reschedule. “Yes, sir. You’ll have them tonight.” Brandon shook his head when I hung up the phone a few minutes later. “It’ll be there.” I ignored him and typed up the last few lines of my business plan and hit save. My attention went to the research information on my desk. The plan was for my business, Dreams. For as long as I could remember, I lived for fashion. I stopped dressing up Barbie dolls and started designing outfits for my cousins. The ones I could visit, that is. It was a shame; I was nearly twenty-eight years old and rarely visited my mother’s side of the family. Because of their intolerance, we spent more time with my father’s family. They welcomed Brandon and me with open arms. As we got older, I spent hours styling hair for my cousins, marveling at the difference in texture from my own. Make-up followed. Before long, I offered tips on how to dress for their dates and the prom. Even now, years later, I was the go-to person for fashion advice. Why should I continue to do what I love free? My research showed the demand for fashion consultants was on a rise, especially in Los Angeles, my hometown. My paperwork filed away, I settled at my desk and opened the hotel’s accounting program. The screen went blank. “Oh, shit,” I groaned and covered my face with my hands. “Shit, shit, shit!” I sat up and flipped the power switch on the computer tower. A spark flashed and the smell of smoke permeated the air. Brandon and I jumped. He lunged for the power cord while I ran for the fire extinguisher in the hall. By the time I returned, the flames had died down. Brandon whistled and fanned the smoke-filled room. “I hope you saved that information on a backup drive.” I grimaced. “No, I never got around to it.” Not only were the hotel spreadsheets lost, my business plan was gone, too. I was on the verge of tears. He reached over and patted me on the shoulder. “So far, I don’t like the idea of being manager at the new location.” “At this rate, you’ll probably replace me here.” #### -From Jaded (A Butterfly Memoir), Chapter 1 A devastating breakup leaves Yasmine Phillips in shambles. Unable to trust another man with her heart, she focuses on the one thing she can control — starting her own business. When her computer crashes, taking months of hard work with it, she must rely on computer genius Zachariah Givens to save her. A complete opposite of the men from her past, she doesn't expect the passion that ensues. But just as she finds happiness, she learns the truth about the other woman in Zachariah's life. Buy now! Amazon Nook Kobo Google Play iBook Smashwords Be sure to follow my website, newsletter, and connect with me on BookBub in order to stay in the loop for contests, giveaways, and sneak peeks of other works to come! -MJ #MJKane #MJKaneMedia #TheButterflyMemoirs #Writing #Life #Books #Authors #NewReleases #Blogging #Bloggers #Blog #AHeartNotEasilyBroken #Jaded #Shattered #SundayBlogShare

Is Finding Love Worth Losing Yourself Again?

A devastating breakup leaves Yasmine Phillips in shambles. Unable to trust another man with her heart, she focuses on the one thing she can control — starting her own business. When her computer crashes, taking months of hard work with it, she must rely on computer genius Zachariah Givens to save her. A complete opposite of the men from her past, she doesn't expect the passion that ensues. But just as she finds happiness, she learns the truth about the other woman in Zachariah's life. What Readers Are Saying... ★★★★★ “This story touches on topics like trust, love, acceptance and death and when M.J. put them all together you get a beautifully written love story.” ★★★★★ "Be ready for a great story plot with characters that were so captivating. I simply wasn't able to put the book down after I started reading it." ★★★★★ "My words fail me at how good this book was. Finding love when you aren’t looking is how it happens. Yasmine and Zack just jumped off the page. I felt like I knew them personally." Buy Now! Amazon Nook Google Play Books iBook Smashwords Kobo

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-MJ
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The Challenge...

Ebony said she wanted a man who challenged her mind and body….be careful what you wish for because you just might get it! Excerpt: Ebony “Brian.” I forced myself to stare at the men bagging lawn clippings. “I went home.” “Why didn’t you stick around? You could have left your number if you needed to leave.” Brian regarded me intently while waiting for my reply. His scrutiny made me nervous. I took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before blowing it out. “Why do you care? Plenty of women were ready to jump at the opportunity to be with you. Why are you interested in me?” “Why not? I’ve seen most of those women before.” He laughed as I twisted my mouth. “That didn’t come out right. What I mean is they are all the same. None of them have caught my attention like you do.” My mind went back to the buffet of women available at the bar, the brunette who gave me the evil eye, red heads, a few blonds, women of every size, shape, and race. “So you saw me wearing a tight dress and figured you’d get me in bed as a trophy. You know, sex with a black woman?” I rolled my eyes. “I’m an educated black woman with a good head on my shoulders, not some ho from the hood. If that’s what you want, then I suggest you go take a ride down−” Brian’s dimples popped as his lips pulled back in a hearty laugh. He shook his head. “I knew there was something about you I liked.” Confused, I stared at him. Was he serious? “You’re feisty and don’t hold back, I like that. And yes, the color of your skin did have something to do with it.” I pointed a finger at him. “See, that’s what I thought.” I moved to march back inside, steam practically blowing from my ears. “No, I’m pretty sure you’re thinking the wrong thing. Your skin is beautiful. And by the way, I’ve dated black women before.” That comment put the brakes on my exit. “You’re kidding.” “No, I’m not. But the color of your skin is not why I want to take you out.” His head cocked to the side as if remembering something. “Wait a minute, you’re avoiding my question. Why did you stand me up?” “Stand you up? We weren’t on a date. You assumed I’d come running because you bought me a drink. Was I supposed to be impressed?” A roguish grin appeared as he shrugged. “Most women would have been. Honestly, I’m glad you didn’t. It makes you more interesting.” I tilted my head. “Interesting, yeah right. Would I have been this interesting if we never saw each other again?” He shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not, I guess we’ll never know. What I do know is we’re here now. It’s a second chance to get to know you. I already know your name, where you live…” He wagged his eyebrows in an attempt to make me laugh I suppose. It didn’t work. My internal alarm began to chime. If he didn’t like my answer, would he start stalking me? He raised a hand to tick off fingers. “You’re educated, you have a smart mouth, and you’re not supposed to be attracted to me.” He creased his eyebrows in thought. “That’s not enough, I’ve got more questions.” Vexed beyond belief, I threw my hands up in surrender. “Okay, fine. If it will save money, I’ll play along. What’s the question?” He grinned in victory while I closed my eyes and massaged the bridge of my nose. “Do you have a problem going out with me because I’m white?” he asked, straight to the point. “What?” My eyes flew open. It was the last thing I expected him to ask. His hands went up in defense. “Hey, you’re the one who made a big deal about it. Me? I see a sexy woman who’s got more to offer than just her looks and a body that’s…well, there’s a lot more going on, I’m curious. So what do you say?” That was unexpected. It took several tries before I could open my mouth. “No, I don’t have a problem with you being white.” One of Brian’s dark-blond eyebrows rose as if he didn’t believe me. “It’s true. One of my best friends and roommate is white,” I said in defense. “Good. Since race is not a problem, go out with me tomorrow night.” #### - From A Heart Not Easily Broken (A Butterfly Memoir), Chapter 2 ****FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!**** Ebony Campbell is a smart, sexy career-oriented black woman who wants nothing more than a summer fling with a man who challenges her mind and body. What she doesn’t expect is Brian Young, a blond-haired, blue-eyed bass player to step up to the challenge. Despite negative reactions, their fling develops into a deep relationship, and Ebony discovers juggling love, family, and career are nothing compared to the ultimate betrayal she endures. Now her dreams spiral into lies and secrets that threaten her future and the trust of those she loves. Buy now! Amazon Nook Kobo Google Play iBook Smashwords Be sure to follow my website, newsletter, and connect with me on BookBub in order to stay in the loop for contests, giveaways, and sneak peeks of other works to come! -MJ #MJKane #MJKaneMedia #TheButterflyMemoirs #Writing #Life #Books #Authors #NewReleases #Blogging #Bloggers #Blog #AHeartNotEasilyBroken #Jaded #Shattered #SundayBlogShare

FREE BOOKS, a KINDLE, and an AMAZON GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!

CHECK THIS OUT! From FREE books to .99 cents, one-click these best sellers, then enter for your chance to win a KINDLE FIRE HD 10 or an AMAZON Shopping Spree! Enter here! #MJKane #MJKaneMedia #AHeartNotEasilyBroken #GBGD #GreatBooksGreatDeals #ebook #giveaways #FREE #99cents #Kindle #Amazon #Giftcard