June Gray's Blog, page 2
April 27, 2016
ILLICIT is live!
I never meant to be the other woman…
Jake and I felt a connection the moment he walked into my life, an attraction both of us tried so hard to deny. Still, I found myself longing
for the very thing I couldn’t have.
I didn’t set out to fall in love with Jake. Not when he clearly wasn’t mine.
He was my mother’s.
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* Illicit is a full-length standalone novel told in five parts. It contains strong language and sexual content and is recommended for readers 18 and over. *
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AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING RETAILERS:
Amazon: http://goo.gl/7GzfaM
Kobo: https://goo.gl/WtCkcs
iTunes: https://goo.gl/DfZXs6
B&N: http://goo.gl/5tEFsi
April 21, 2016
ILLICIT pre-order links
EDIT: Pre-order offer is now over.
Take advantage of the special pre-order price of 99¢ before it goes up to the regular price of $3.99
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November 17, 2015
ILLICIT: a new June Gray story
I've been teasing about my newest story for some time now. And what the hell, here's the first chapter for you!
ILLICIT by June Gray
Chapter One
I never meant forit to happen, to fall in love with a man who wasn’t mine. I was justreading on my bed one Sunday morning, completely lost in a different world,when my mom came into my room and said, “I want you to meet someone, Joss.”I looked up frommy book so fast, I almost got whiplash. “Who?”“Jake Mitchell.”“And who is thismysterious Jake Mitchell?” I set the open book on my chest, my interest fullypiqued. My mom was a serial dater, so busy with work travel that she didn’thave time for anything more than dinner or drinks. And she certainly never hadtime to bring them home. She bit her lowerlip, a move that made her look younger than her forty-one years. “Just someoneI’ve been seeing.”“You’ve beenseeing someone? And you want me to meet him?”“Don’t sound sosurprised.”“Well, I am,” Isaid, scrambling off the bed and following her down the hall. “This is thefirst guy you’ve brought home since that Joe Incident.” Nine months afterthe divorce with my dad was finalized, my mom had gone on a date with a mannamed Joe. The date had gone well so Mom invited him over to our house inPembroke Pines, Florida, for a nightcap. I had had the unfortunate luck to walkin on them making out in the kitchen and, apparently still secretly hoping my parentswould get back together, had freaked the hell out. As a result, Mom no longerbrought men home and only ever mentioned them in passing, never even givingthem a name. Until today.I didn’t knowwhat I was expecting when I turned that corner; maybe someone with a Jerseyaccent who looked suspiciously like Bob Hoskins in Mario Brothers. Or maybe adebonair, silver-haired fox in a suit. But this Jake Mitchell took mecompletely by surprise. He was really a looker, with his short brown hair,square jaw, and the bluest eyes I’d ever seen. Nor was he wearing red overallsor a pin-striped suit. No, he was just casually put together in his dark jeansand blue button-up shirt. And he was tall, fit, and… quite a bit younger thanmy mom.“Hi. You must be Jocelyn,”he said, getting up from the couch and offering his hand.I shook it,trying to hide my surprise at the roughness of his palm. “Nice to meet you.”He flashed me asmile that lit up his face and crinkled the corners of his eyes. “You are thespitting image of your mom.”“Thank you. Ihear that a lot.” Ever since I could remember I’d been told that I looked justlike my mother. Tall and lithe, with natural honey-blonde hair and bright greeneyes, Amanda Blake was the kind of effortless beauty that garnered jealousyfrom women and attention from men. When out together, people always assumed wewere sisters rather than a woman and her twenty-year old daughter.I glanced at Mom buther gaze was fixed firmly on her new man. I couldn’t really blame her; this guywas seriously handsome in an easygoing kind of way.My eyesgravitated back in his direction. “Where did you two meet?”“Blind date,” hesaid in his deep, slightly coarse voice, his warm gaze directed at my mother.“Our mutual friend set us up, we hit it off, and now here we are.” “And you’ve beentogether how long?”“Almost threemonths.”My eyebrows shotup.Mom noticed thelook on my face and burst out laughing. “Well, don’t look so shocked. I am capable of a relationship.” Shewalked over to Jake and slipped her arm around his waist. “I just had to findthe right man first.”I grinned as Icontemplated the pairing. Her pale skin and blonde hair was a nice contrast tohis tan skin and dark features. They looked so good together I felt almostenvious. Someday, I told myself, I’ll find a guy like that.“Well, I need toget going.” Jake tucked some hair behind Mom’s ear then pressed a soft kiss onher lips. “I’ll be back tonight.”She beamed up athim—I swear I’ve never seen her look this happy—then she uttered the words thatsealed the deal, proving once and for all she was dead serious about this Jakeguy: “I’m cooking steak and vegetables.”“But you don’tcook!” I blurted out. My mom laughed.“I will for the right man.”He chuckled,pressing a kiss to her temple before heading to the door. “Nice to meet you, Jocelyn.”After he left, Istared at Mom in bewilderment. To her credit, she managed to keep a straightface for a whole three seconds before the joy exploded all over her face. “He’s a keeper, Itake it?” I asked, her smile infecting me as well.“I think so.”“But how old ishe? Like, twenty seven?”She bit her lipstogether. “Thirty.”“Youcradle-robber!” I teased, pinching her side. “He’s only ten years older thanme.”She giggled—yes,my mom actually giggled—and ruffledmy hair. “Honey, sometimes age is only a number, not a state of mind.” Shewrapped an arm around my shoulder and leaned her head on mine. “Besides, Jakemakes me feel young again.”“Are you happy?” Iasked, but one look at her gave me the answer. Her entire face glowed, her eyesbright and cheeks flushed. She let out asigh and squeezed me. “I am, Joss.”I hugged her.Goodness knew, after an ugly divorce and struggling as a single parent forseven years, she deserved a little bit of happiness. “I’m happy for you, Mom.”
~
Jake came backfor dinner that night bearing a bouquet of roses for my mother and a smallerbouquet of daisies for me.“You didn’t haveto get me anything,” I said, lifting the flowers up to my nose anyway. I mean,daisies weren’t really all that fragrant, but it seemed like the thing to do. “Thanks.Now, can you educate the guys at my school on how to treat a woman?” “I don’t thinkthey’d listen to an old geezer like me,” he said with a good-natured chuckle.I flashed him amischievous smile over the flowers. “I wouldn’t call you old. Geezer maybe, butnot old.”He chuckled, andit was then I noticed the corners of his eyes crinkle when he’s happy.We went out tothe back patio to start setting up for dinner. Mom and I rarely dined outsideas we found South Florida weather to be too humid for comfort, but I guesstonight was a special exception, frizzy hair be damned. “So what’s yourmajor?” he asked, following me with the plate of raw steaks.I bent down toturn on the gas and start the grill. “Undeclared.” Mom joined us afew moments later with the vegetables. “If it was possible to major in reading,Joss would have a PhD by now.” “What kind of booksdo you like to read?” Jake asked. “Twilight? Hunger Games?”I shrugged.“Those were entertaining, but I go through phases. Lately I’ve been reading biographies.”One dark eyebrowrose. “Oh?”“Right now I’mreading about Margaret Thatcher.”“Really.” He heldout his hand, asking for the spatula. “May I?”I handed it overand stepped aside. “Uh, sure.” I watched as he set the steaks on the grill, hisentire demeanor one of self-assurance. It wasn’t his finest moment, to be sure.“I think grillingis in every man’s DNA, don’t you agree?” he asked, glancing at me.I almost snorted.“I read an article recently about caveman instincts that still linger today,” Isaid in a forced nonchalant manner. “How even the most progressive men stilldisplay latent alpha male tendencies, especially around females who are morethan capable of taking care of themselves.”He stilled, studyingme for the longest time. I waited for him to back down, to apologize for takingover, but he surprised me by lifting an eyebrow. “I guess we’re not as evolvedas we think. Our instincts still dictate our actions.” He held up the spatula,amusement in his eyes. “Now, how do you like your steak?”
Regular dinner atthe Blake house usually consisted of me eating ramen noodles or mac and cheesein my room while mom worked. But we had a longstanding date every Sunday, when we’dgo to a restaurant and spend hours catching up over dinner. I always lookedforward to that time together, talking about our week, chatting away likegirlfriends, and ordering way more dessert than we could ever eat. It wasn’t atraditional kind of family setup, but it was our way and we made it work.So to have allthree of us sitting together that Sunday, using the wrought iron dining setthat we’d only used a handful of times, was unusual and slightly awkward.“Jocelyn, we havesomething to tell you,” Mom said during the meal.My ears perkedup. She rarely ever called me by my whole name. Unless… “Is everything okay?”Jake reached formy mom’s hand across the table and nodded for her to continue.My heart startedto thump hard in my chest. “Are you getting married?”“No,” he saidwith a nervous laugh. “Nothing that monumental.”“I’ve asked Jaketo move in with us,” Mom said.An incredulouslaugh escaped from my mouth. “And that’s not monumental?” “Joss,” Mombegan. “I know it’s a bit of a surprise, but—”“A bit! I justmet him today,” I said, trying to keep my voice a few octaves below hysterics.“You just met him three months ago.”The news workedlike acid; the longer it seeped in, the more it burned. Here they were, holdinghands at the table, addressing me like parents explaining something complicatedto a child. I turned to my momwith hurt in my eyes. Used to be it was the two of us against the world. Now Iwas the outsider, and my opinion was no longer needed when it came tolife-changing decisions.“Joss, saysomething,” Mom said. I took a long sipof water, swallowing down the angry words that were threatening to spew out. Istood up, the iron chair scraping loudly against the brick patio. “I need to domy homework,” I said and left.
I heard them comein the house a half hour later, talking in hushed, muted tones. And not toolong after, someone knocked on my door.“Can I come in?”asked a deep voice that was definitely not my mother’s.I wiped at mycheeks with the sheet and sat up. “Fine.”The door crackedopen and Jake’s concerned face peered in. He entered cautiously, casting a longlook around. “Nice room.” “I haven’t had achance to clean it up,” I said, wishing I’d at least taken the time to put mydirty clothes in the hamper instead of throwing them in the corner of the room.He walked over tothe books piled in front of the overfilled, sagging bookshelf. I’d long ago runout of room for my books and had taken to stacking them on the floor. I was atseven teetering towers and counting. He pulled out abook from the bookshelf and held it out. “Everyone says their favorite book isTo Kill a Mockingbird, but I don’t know.”“What? You didn’tlike it?” I asked, momentarily setting aside my resentment to talk books.“I did. It’s agood story, just not my favorite,” he said with a shrug. “In fact, I can’treally choose one favorite.”“You like to readas well?”He slid the bookback in place and stuck his hands in his pockets. “I believe voracious is the word,” he replied. “Sowhat’s your favorite?”“If we basefavorite on how many times I’ve read it, I’d say Jane Eyre.”“Ah, the classicyoung girl falling for the older man.”I smiled, thinkingthat maybe Jake had some redeeming qualities after all. At the very least, heknew a little about the classics. “So are you going to do it, then? Are youmoving in with us?”He sat on the endof my bed, oceans of blanket between us. “That depends.”“On?”“You.”We locked eyesacross the bed, his gaze so direct that I found myself first to look away. “Doyou want to move in?”“Yes.”“Do you love mymom?”He didn’t even blink.“Yes. I know three months doesn’t seem all that long, but this feels right.”I picked at aloose thread on my blanket, at a loss for what to say.“Jocelyn, I justwant you to know, I have no plans of acting like the Big Man of the house,” hesaid. “I’m just here to share a life with the woman I really care about. Andmaybe with her daughter, if she’ll let me.”I studied hisface, looking for telltale signs of insincerity. “All right, you can move in,”I said when I saw none. “But don’t think you can leave hair all over thebathroom sink or anything.”His eyes crinkledat the corners. “No problem.”“You can’t hang asinging fish or anything with antlers on the wall either.”His lipstwitched. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”“And you have tokeep your books sequestered.”He laughed, deepand rich. “Of course. Can’t have our books fraternizing.”“It would bechaos.”“Pandemonium.”
Once again, our eyes locked across the room, but this time there were noexpectations or disappointments between us, only the first sprouts of a growingfriendship
Copyright © 2015 by June Gray. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form orby any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage andretrieval systems, without permission in writing from either the author or thepublisher, except by a reviewer who may quote a brief passage in a review.
----
Pre-order now at the following ebook retailers:
Amazon: http://goo.gl/7GzfaM
Kobo: https://goo.gl/WtCkcs
iTunes: https://goo.gl/DfZXs6
B&N: http://goo.gl/5tEFsi
ILLICIT by June Gray
Chapter One
I never meant forit to happen, to fall in love with a man who wasn’t mine. I was justreading on my bed one Sunday morning, completely lost in a different world,when my mom came into my room and said, “I want you to meet someone, Joss.”I looked up frommy book so fast, I almost got whiplash. “Who?”“Jake Mitchell.”“And who is thismysterious Jake Mitchell?” I set the open book on my chest, my interest fullypiqued. My mom was a serial dater, so busy with work travel that she didn’thave time for anything more than dinner or drinks. And she certainly never hadtime to bring them home. She bit her lowerlip, a move that made her look younger than her forty-one years. “Just someoneI’ve been seeing.”“You’ve beenseeing someone? And you want me to meet him?”“Don’t sound sosurprised.”“Well, I am,” Isaid, scrambling off the bed and following her down the hall. “This is thefirst guy you’ve brought home since that Joe Incident.” Nine months afterthe divorce with my dad was finalized, my mom had gone on a date with a mannamed Joe. The date had gone well so Mom invited him over to our house inPembroke Pines, Florida, for a nightcap. I had had the unfortunate luck to walkin on them making out in the kitchen and, apparently still secretly hoping my parentswould get back together, had freaked the hell out. As a result, Mom no longerbrought men home and only ever mentioned them in passing, never even givingthem a name. Until today.I didn’t knowwhat I was expecting when I turned that corner; maybe someone with a Jerseyaccent who looked suspiciously like Bob Hoskins in Mario Brothers. Or maybe adebonair, silver-haired fox in a suit. But this Jake Mitchell took mecompletely by surprise. He was really a looker, with his short brown hair,square jaw, and the bluest eyes I’d ever seen. Nor was he wearing red overallsor a pin-striped suit. No, he was just casually put together in his dark jeansand blue button-up shirt. And he was tall, fit, and… quite a bit younger thanmy mom.“Hi. You must be Jocelyn,”he said, getting up from the couch and offering his hand.I shook it,trying to hide my surprise at the roughness of his palm. “Nice to meet you.”He flashed me asmile that lit up his face and crinkled the corners of his eyes. “You are thespitting image of your mom.”“Thank you. Ihear that a lot.” Ever since I could remember I’d been told that I looked justlike my mother. Tall and lithe, with natural honey-blonde hair and bright greeneyes, Amanda Blake was the kind of effortless beauty that garnered jealousyfrom women and attention from men. When out together, people always assumed wewere sisters rather than a woman and her twenty-year old daughter.I glanced at Mom buther gaze was fixed firmly on her new man. I couldn’t really blame her; this guywas seriously handsome in an easygoing kind of way.My eyesgravitated back in his direction. “Where did you two meet?”“Blind date,” hesaid in his deep, slightly coarse voice, his warm gaze directed at my mother.“Our mutual friend set us up, we hit it off, and now here we are.” “And you’ve beentogether how long?”“Almost threemonths.”My eyebrows shotup.Mom noticed thelook on my face and burst out laughing. “Well, don’t look so shocked. I am capable of a relationship.” Shewalked over to Jake and slipped her arm around his waist. “I just had to findthe right man first.”I grinned as Icontemplated the pairing. Her pale skin and blonde hair was a nice contrast tohis tan skin and dark features. They looked so good together I felt almostenvious. Someday, I told myself, I’ll find a guy like that.“Well, I need toget going.” Jake tucked some hair behind Mom’s ear then pressed a soft kiss onher lips. “I’ll be back tonight.”She beamed up athim—I swear I’ve never seen her look this happy—then she uttered the words thatsealed the deal, proving once and for all she was dead serious about this Jakeguy: “I’m cooking steak and vegetables.”“But you don’tcook!” I blurted out. My mom laughed.“I will for the right man.”He chuckled,pressing a kiss to her temple before heading to the door. “Nice to meet you, Jocelyn.”After he left, Istared at Mom in bewilderment. To her credit, she managed to keep a straightface for a whole three seconds before the joy exploded all over her face. “He’s a keeper, Itake it?” I asked, her smile infecting me as well.“I think so.”“But how old ishe? Like, twenty seven?”She bit her lipstogether. “Thirty.”“Youcradle-robber!” I teased, pinching her side. “He’s only ten years older thanme.”She giggled—yes,my mom actually giggled—and ruffledmy hair. “Honey, sometimes age is only a number, not a state of mind.” Shewrapped an arm around my shoulder and leaned her head on mine. “Besides, Jakemakes me feel young again.”“Are you happy?” Iasked, but one look at her gave me the answer. Her entire face glowed, her eyesbright and cheeks flushed. She let out asigh and squeezed me. “I am, Joss.”I hugged her.Goodness knew, after an ugly divorce and struggling as a single parent forseven years, she deserved a little bit of happiness. “I’m happy for you, Mom.”
~
Jake came backfor dinner that night bearing a bouquet of roses for my mother and a smallerbouquet of daisies for me.“You didn’t haveto get me anything,” I said, lifting the flowers up to my nose anyway. I mean,daisies weren’t really all that fragrant, but it seemed like the thing to do. “Thanks.Now, can you educate the guys at my school on how to treat a woman?” “I don’t thinkthey’d listen to an old geezer like me,” he said with a good-natured chuckle.I flashed him amischievous smile over the flowers. “I wouldn’t call you old. Geezer maybe, butnot old.”He chuckled, andit was then I noticed the corners of his eyes crinkle when he’s happy.We went out tothe back patio to start setting up for dinner. Mom and I rarely dined outsideas we found South Florida weather to be too humid for comfort, but I guesstonight was a special exception, frizzy hair be damned. “So what’s yourmajor?” he asked, following me with the plate of raw steaks.I bent down toturn on the gas and start the grill. “Undeclared.” Mom joined us afew moments later with the vegetables. “If it was possible to major in reading,Joss would have a PhD by now.” “What kind of booksdo you like to read?” Jake asked. “Twilight? Hunger Games?”I shrugged.“Those were entertaining, but I go through phases. Lately I’ve been reading biographies.”One dark eyebrowrose. “Oh?”“Right now I’mreading about Margaret Thatcher.”“Really.” He heldout his hand, asking for the spatula. “May I?”I handed it overand stepped aside. “Uh, sure.” I watched as he set the steaks on the grill, hisentire demeanor one of self-assurance. It wasn’t his finest moment, to be sure.“I think grillingis in every man’s DNA, don’t you agree?” he asked, glancing at me.I almost snorted.“I read an article recently about caveman instincts that still linger today,” Isaid in a forced nonchalant manner. “How even the most progressive men stilldisplay latent alpha male tendencies, especially around females who are morethan capable of taking care of themselves.”He stilled, studyingme for the longest time. I waited for him to back down, to apologize for takingover, but he surprised me by lifting an eyebrow. “I guess we’re not as evolvedas we think. Our instincts still dictate our actions.” He held up the spatula,amusement in his eyes. “Now, how do you like your steak?”
Regular dinner atthe Blake house usually consisted of me eating ramen noodles or mac and cheesein my room while mom worked. But we had a longstanding date every Sunday, when we’dgo to a restaurant and spend hours catching up over dinner. I always lookedforward to that time together, talking about our week, chatting away likegirlfriends, and ordering way more dessert than we could ever eat. It wasn’t atraditional kind of family setup, but it was our way and we made it work.So to have allthree of us sitting together that Sunday, using the wrought iron dining setthat we’d only used a handful of times, was unusual and slightly awkward.“Jocelyn, we havesomething to tell you,” Mom said during the meal.My ears perkedup. She rarely ever called me by my whole name. Unless… “Is everything okay?”Jake reached formy mom’s hand across the table and nodded for her to continue.My heart startedto thump hard in my chest. “Are you getting married?”“No,” he saidwith a nervous laugh. “Nothing that monumental.”“I’ve asked Jaketo move in with us,” Mom said.An incredulouslaugh escaped from my mouth. “And that’s not monumental?” “Joss,” Mombegan. “I know it’s a bit of a surprise, but—”“A bit! I justmet him today,” I said, trying to keep my voice a few octaves below hysterics.“You just met him three months ago.”The news workedlike acid; the longer it seeped in, the more it burned. Here they were, holdinghands at the table, addressing me like parents explaining something complicatedto a child. I turned to my momwith hurt in my eyes. Used to be it was the two of us against the world. Now Iwas the outsider, and my opinion was no longer needed when it came tolife-changing decisions.“Joss, saysomething,” Mom said. I took a long sipof water, swallowing down the angry words that were threatening to spew out. Istood up, the iron chair scraping loudly against the brick patio. “I need to domy homework,” I said and left.
I heard them comein the house a half hour later, talking in hushed, muted tones. And not toolong after, someone knocked on my door.“Can I come in?”asked a deep voice that was definitely not my mother’s.I wiped at mycheeks with the sheet and sat up. “Fine.”The door crackedopen and Jake’s concerned face peered in. He entered cautiously, casting a longlook around. “Nice room.” “I haven’t had achance to clean it up,” I said, wishing I’d at least taken the time to put mydirty clothes in the hamper instead of throwing them in the corner of the room.He walked over tothe books piled in front of the overfilled, sagging bookshelf. I’d long ago runout of room for my books and had taken to stacking them on the floor. I was atseven teetering towers and counting. He pulled out abook from the bookshelf and held it out. “Everyone says their favorite book isTo Kill a Mockingbird, but I don’t know.”“What? You didn’tlike it?” I asked, momentarily setting aside my resentment to talk books.“I did. It’s agood story, just not my favorite,” he said with a shrug. “In fact, I can’treally choose one favorite.”“You like to readas well?”He slid the bookback in place and stuck his hands in his pockets. “I believe voracious is the word,” he replied. “Sowhat’s your favorite?”“If we basefavorite on how many times I’ve read it, I’d say Jane Eyre.”“Ah, the classicyoung girl falling for the older man.”I smiled, thinkingthat maybe Jake had some redeeming qualities after all. At the very least, heknew a little about the classics. “So are you going to do it, then? Are youmoving in with us?”He sat on the endof my bed, oceans of blanket between us. “That depends.”“On?”“You.”We locked eyesacross the bed, his gaze so direct that I found myself first to look away. “Doyou want to move in?”“Yes.”“Do you love mymom?”He didn’t even blink.“Yes. I know three months doesn’t seem all that long, but this feels right.”I picked at aloose thread on my blanket, at a loss for what to say.“Jocelyn, I justwant you to know, I have no plans of acting like the Big Man of the house,” hesaid. “I’m just here to share a life with the woman I really care about. Andmaybe with her daughter, if she’ll let me.”I studied hisface, looking for telltale signs of insincerity. “All right, you can move in,”I said when I saw none. “But don’t think you can leave hair all over thebathroom sink or anything.”His eyes crinkledat the corners. “No problem.”“You can’t hang asinging fish or anything with antlers on the wall either.”His lipstwitched. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”“And you have tokeep your books sequestered.”He laughed, deepand rich. “Of course. Can’t have our books fraternizing.”“It would bechaos.”“Pandemonium.”
Once again, our eyes locked across the room, but this time there were noexpectations or disappointments between us, only the first sprouts of a growingfriendship
Copyright © 2015 by June Gray. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form orby any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage andretrieval systems, without permission in writing from either the author or thepublisher, except by a reviewer who may quote a brief passage in a review.
----
Pre-order now at the following ebook retailers:
Amazon: http://goo.gl/7GzfaM
Kobo: https://goo.gl/WtCkcs
iTunes: https://goo.gl/DfZXs6
B&N: http://goo.gl/5tEFsi
March 8, 2015
I'm back in black!
I hit the sack. I've been too long, I'm glad to be back.
Whew, feels good to get that out of my system! Now back to business...
I guess by now you've figured out that I'm back from my publishing hiatus and I'm ready to rock and roll. I spent the last several months just spending time with family, reading, and writing at my own pace. But even with my self-imposed publishing break, I always knew I'd keep writing. Storytelling is in my blood. I feel incomplete and unproductive when I go a day without visiting my characters.
So what have I been working on? Here's what I have planned to release in 2015:
• NORTH STAR: (the third novel in the True North series). I know I teased this novel all over the place last summer, but it's almost, finally ready. It's the story of Franny, the waitress, and Drew, the sheriff of the little town in Alaska.
• ILLICIT | COMPLICIT | EXPLICIT: a trilogy of novellas about forbidden love. I can't say much about it yet but know that I've had an absolute blast writing it!
• THE UNTAMED SERIES (4 novellas in total): I know I released Untamed, the first novella, late last year then pulled it from publication a few weeks after. Unpublishing it was a tough move, and one that I didn't want to have to do, but I think it was the right choice given the circumstances. Truth was, because of holidays and birthdays, I just didn't have the time to finish the series. This time, I will make sure the whole thing is complete before publishing so that you only have to wait a week or so between each installment.
• I'm also planning on publishing a few short novellas throughout the year, those standalone stories that capture my imagination but just aren't long enough to turn into a novel. Hopefully you enjoy those as much as I enjoy writing them.
And if you're really curious, you can take a look at my Pinterest board. There you'll see most of my story visual boards (save for a few that I'm keeping secret! ;) ).
That's it for now! Hope you're all doing well!
December 3, 2014
What's up, June?
So I've taken some time off lately, mainly to celebrate the holidays and birthdays, but also to give myself space from writing. You see, this past year has been hectic for me. All three of my Berkley books came out in the U.S., I self-published Heading East (sequel to Finding West) and the first part to the Untamed serial, and was published in two anthologies. In between, I started several stories, almost finished two or three, and my busy brain is cooking up more.
In other words, I'm a little tired.
I'm burned out on writing at lightning speed, but mostly I'm fed up with marketing and the nowhere roads it leads me. Amazon changed their algorithms due to Kindle Unlimited, which resulted in sales dropping drastically. Add to that Facebook and their new policy that only a small fraction of my friends/likes see my posts, and you've got the makings of a really sad author.
So I've decided to take a hiatus from publishing. How long, I'm not sure. But don't worry, I'll be writing in the mean time so that when I come back I will hopefully have several things ready to publish. I'll be around on social media, so I won't be gone completely. Please keep in touch. :)
I hope you all have a great holiday season.
In other words, I'm a little tired.
I'm burned out on writing at lightning speed, but mostly I'm fed up with marketing and the nowhere roads it leads me. Amazon changed their algorithms due to Kindle Unlimited, which resulted in sales dropping drastically. Add to that Facebook and their new policy that only a small fraction of my friends/likes see my posts, and you've got the makings of a really sad author.
So I've decided to take a hiatus from publishing. How long, I'm not sure. But don't worry, I'll be writing in the mean time so that when I come back I will hopefully have several things ready to publish. I'll be around on social media, so I won't be gone completely. Please keep in touch. :)
I hope you all have a great holiday season.
November 13, 2014
Chapter One
So I asked my FB followers if they'd hate me if I postponed the Untamed series to start on a new project that I've been obsessing over. Most people said I should do what I wanted, to let the proverbial writing sails take me where they may.
So here is the first chapter of that (yet untitled) new series. Tell me what you think!
CHAPTER ONE
Hannah’s awake.Logan sped downthe white-tiled halls of the hospital, his heart lodged in his throat. He’dspent the past week keeping vigil by her bedside, it figured that she’d wake upfrom her coma the one time he actually left her side to grab some non-hospitalfood and a shower. On the bright side, at least she’d wake up and find herboyfriend clean.Eight days ago, hewas doing this very same thing, rushing through the hospital, though it hadbeen under very different circumstances. Last week, the phone call he’dreceived from her parents had been one of utter hopelessness and despair, theirvoices so mangled that it had taken him a few seconds to grasp what they weresaying.“But she’s on herway home,” Logan had said, staring at the romantic spread he’d laid out on thetable on the patio. For some reason, he hadn’t been able to take his eyes offthe flickering flame of the candle on the table while Hannah’s dad once againtried to explain the situation.“She was in a caraccident,” Dan said. “She hit the concrete median and her car flipped.”“But Hannah’s anexcellent driver.” The flame danced around, threatening to blow out with theevening breeze as Logan struggled to hold the phone up to his ear. “What thehell?”He didn’t know howhe made it to the hospital or how he even managed to remember the floor androom number. All he could recall was walking in that small room and finding thelove of his life laying on a hospital bed surrounded by various machines andtubes, her head wrapped in white gauze. As he crept closer, he saw that hernormally light mocha skin was bruised all over, that her right arm was in acast of some sort, that her chest was barely rising and falling.“She hasn’t wokenup,” Cheryl, her mom said. “She’s in a coma.”For the very firsttime in his twenty-three years, Logan was completely at a loss. He had no ideawhat to do next. In the past, when he and Hannah would get into trouble, he’dalways come up with a solution to get them out of it. Standing there at thefoot of her hospital bed, grasping the metal railing tight, he had absolutelyno clue how to fix her. For the next eightdays, he sat by her bed and prayed. Still, the feeling of helplessness didn’tabate because even as her bruises began to fade, she was still trapped in aplace he couldn’t reach.Now she was awake,and the rope that had wrapped itself tight around his lungs for the past weekwas finally loosening with each step he took to her room. He didn’t botherknocking on the door; he just turned the knob and went right inside, unable towait a minute longer to see her.She was sittingup, taking a sip from a cup that her mother held. Her dad stood on the otherside of the bed, looking on with a strange look on his face.Dan looked up asLogan entered the room, his expression gluing Logan’s feet where he stood. Something waswrong, Logan could feel it in the pit of his stomach. “Hannah?” At the sound ofhis voice, Hannah and her mother turned to him, but whereas Cheryl’s face helda welcoming expression, Hannah’s face was completely blank.Hannah looked backto the woman beside her. “Who is he?” she asked in a roughened voice.Cheryl cast aquick glance at Logan before turning back to her daughter. “He’s Logan Pierce,your boyfriend.”It took Loganlonger than it should have to piece together the information. In his mind,there was absolutely no way Hannah could ever forget him. They had been a partof each other’s lives since they were born. He couldn’t even remember a timewhen she didn’t exist in his life.He stared atHannah from across the room, unable to move. She met his eye for a few momentsthen turned away, looking at anything else but him. “What’s going on?”he asked, the need for an explanation finally spurring him to move closer tothe bed. God, he wanted to hold her, to kiss her and make sure she was well,but something held him back, the fear that she’d shrink away from his touch.Logan started whenDan touched his shoulder.“Because of thebrain trauma, she is suffering from retrograde amnesia,” Dan began. “She can’tremember a thing. Not even us.”Logan never oncetook his eyes off Hannah, the girl he’d loved for as long as he could remember.“How long do the doctors expect it to last?” he asked nobody in particular,though he was really expecting the answer to come from Hannah. “They don’t know,”Cheryl said. “Could be hours. Could be months.”“We’ll give youtwo some time to talk,” Dan said, walking to the door.Cheryl gazed downat her daughter and touched her shoulder. “Will that be okay?”Hannah nodded,still evading Logan’s gaze. “I’ll be fine.”After her parentsleft, Logan came closer, his fingers grazing the blanket at the foot of thebed. “So you don’t remember me?”Finally she lookedup and fixed those big hazel eyes at him. “I don’t remember anyone,” she said.“Those two people out there claiming to be my parents. I have no clue who theyare. I have to just believe them when they say they’re my parents.”“You seem to becomfortable with them.”“What choice do Ihave?” Her eyebrows drew together and she bit her lips together; telltale signsthat she was trying to keep her tears at bay.“Hey, don’t cry,” hesaid, coming even closer. He fought the instinct to soothe her by rubbing hispalm in circles on her back like he used to do. “Your memory will return andeverything will be just as it was.”She inhaleddeeply. “I hope so.” “At least you’reokay, physically.”She held up her armthat was confined in plaster to a ninety-degree angle. “Mostly.” She studied mefor a long, quiet moment. “So you’re my boyfriend?”Logan nodded.“How long have webeen together?”“Well, we wereborn a day apart and grew up together. But as boyfriend and girlfriend… sincewe were sixteen.”“Long time.”“Yeah.” He wantedto tell her that they’d planned on the rest of their lives, but thought itmight have been too much too soon. One day at a time. “Our parents are bestfriends, and we grew up next door to each other.”“Did I love you?”Her question,asked so innocently, was like a punch to the gut. “I’m sorry. Youdon’t have to answer that if you don’t—”“Yes, you did,” hesaid, turning away to rub at the corner of his eyes.“Did you love me?”She gave a weak wave with her hand, swatting the question away. “You know what,don’t answer that. That was a stupid question.”“Yes,” I said, myeyes fixed on her face even as her image was starting to get a little blurry aroundthe edges. “You’re the only girl I’ve ever loved.”She lay back ontoher pillow and closed her eyes, her lips pinched together once more. “I shouldget some sleep.”It was only aftershe turned away that he allowed his face to crumple.
----
Some details:- It will be released in installments, much like the Disarm series. - I believe there will be four novelettes overall- If I can keep up the rate at which this story is flowing out of me, I'd say each installment should be released within 10-14 days of each other.
So... what do you think? Tell me in the comments which one you'd rather read first: Untamed or Hannah & Logan's story.
* This excerpt is copyrighted and cannot be copied or otherwise used without express permission from the author.
So here is the first chapter of that (yet untitled) new series. Tell me what you think!
CHAPTER ONE
Hannah’s awake.Logan sped downthe white-tiled halls of the hospital, his heart lodged in his throat. He’dspent the past week keeping vigil by her bedside, it figured that she’d wake upfrom her coma the one time he actually left her side to grab some non-hospitalfood and a shower. On the bright side, at least she’d wake up and find herboyfriend clean.Eight days ago, hewas doing this very same thing, rushing through the hospital, though it hadbeen under very different circumstances. Last week, the phone call he’dreceived from her parents had been one of utter hopelessness and despair, theirvoices so mangled that it had taken him a few seconds to grasp what they weresaying.“But she’s on herway home,” Logan had said, staring at the romantic spread he’d laid out on thetable on the patio. For some reason, he hadn’t been able to take his eyes offthe flickering flame of the candle on the table while Hannah’s dad once againtried to explain the situation.“She was in a caraccident,” Dan said. “She hit the concrete median and her car flipped.”“But Hannah’s anexcellent driver.” The flame danced around, threatening to blow out with theevening breeze as Logan struggled to hold the phone up to his ear. “What thehell?”He didn’t know howhe made it to the hospital or how he even managed to remember the floor androom number. All he could recall was walking in that small room and finding thelove of his life laying on a hospital bed surrounded by various machines andtubes, her head wrapped in white gauze. As he crept closer, he saw that hernormally light mocha skin was bruised all over, that her right arm was in acast of some sort, that her chest was barely rising and falling.“She hasn’t wokenup,” Cheryl, her mom said. “She’s in a coma.”For the very firsttime in his twenty-three years, Logan was completely at a loss. He had no ideawhat to do next. In the past, when he and Hannah would get into trouble, he’dalways come up with a solution to get them out of it. Standing there at thefoot of her hospital bed, grasping the metal railing tight, he had absolutelyno clue how to fix her. For the next eightdays, he sat by her bed and prayed. Still, the feeling of helplessness didn’tabate because even as her bruises began to fade, she was still trapped in aplace he couldn’t reach.Now she was awake,and the rope that had wrapped itself tight around his lungs for the past weekwas finally loosening with each step he took to her room. He didn’t botherknocking on the door; he just turned the knob and went right inside, unable towait a minute longer to see her.She was sittingup, taking a sip from a cup that her mother held. Her dad stood on the otherside of the bed, looking on with a strange look on his face.Dan looked up asLogan entered the room, his expression gluing Logan’s feet where he stood. Something waswrong, Logan could feel it in the pit of his stomach. “Hannah?” At the sound ofhis voice, Hannah and her mother turned to him, but whereas Cheryl’s face helda welcoming expression, Hannah’s face was completely blank.Hannah looked backto the woman beside her. “Who is he?” she asked in a roughened voice.Cheryl cast aquick glance at Logan before turning back to her daughter. “He’s Logan Pierce,your boyfriend.”It took Loganlonger than it should have to piece together the information. In his mind,there was absolutely no way Hannah could ever forget him. They had been a partof each other’s lives since they were born. He couldn’t even remember a timewhen she didn’t exist in his life.He stared atHannah from across the room, unable to move. She met his eye for a few momentsthen turned away, looking at anything else but him. “What’s going on?”he asked, the need for an explanation finally spurring him to move closer tothe bed. God, he wanted to hold her, to kiss her and make sure she was well,but something held him back, the fear that she’d shrink away from his touch.Logan started whenDan touched his shoulder.“Because of thebrain trauma, she is suffering from retrograde amnesia,” Dan began. “She can’tremember a thing. Not even us.”Logan never oncetook his eyes off Hannah, the girl he’d loved for as long as he could remember.“How long do the doctors expect it to last?” he asked nobody in particular,though he was really expecting the answer to come from Hannah. “They don’t know,”Cheryl said. “Could be hours. Could be months.”“We’ll give youtwo some time to talk,” Dan said, walking to the door.Cheryl gazed downat her daughter and touched her shoulder. “Will that be okay?”Hannah nodded,still evading Logan’s gaze. “I’ll be fine.”After her parentsleft, Logan came closer, his fingers grazing the blanket at the foot of thebed. “So you don’t remember me?”Finally she lookedup and fixed those big hazel eyes at him. “I don’t remember anyone,” she said.“Those two people out there claiming to be my parents. I have no clue who theyare. I have to just believe them when they say they’re my parents.”“You seem to becomfortable with them.”“What choice do Ihave?” Her eyebrows drew together and she bit her lips together; telltale signsthat she was trying to keep her tears at bay.“Hey, don’t cry,” hesaid, coming even closer. He fought the instinct to soothe her by rubbing hispalm in circles on her back like he used to do. “Your memory will return andeverything will be just as it was.”She inhaleddeeply. “I hope so.” “At least you’reokay, physically.”She held up her armthat was confined in plaster to a ninety-degree angle. “Mostly.” She studied mefor a long, quiet moment. “So you’re my boyfriend?”Logan nodded.“How long have webeen together?”“Well, we wereborn a day apart and grew up together. But as boyfriend and girlfriend… sincewe were sixteen.”“Long time.”“Yeah.” He wantedto tell her that they’d planned on the rest of their lives, but thought itmight have been too much too soon. One day at a time. “Our parents are bestfriends, and we grew up next door to each other.”“Did I love you?”Her question,asked so innocently, was like a punch to the gut. “I’m sorry. Youdon’t have to answer that if you don’t—”“Yes, you did,” hesaid, turning away to rub at the corner of his eyes.“Did you love me?”She gave a weak wave with her hand, swatting the question away. “You know what,don’t answer that. That was a stupid question.”“Yes,” I said, myeyes fixed on her face even as her image was starting to get a little blurry aroundthe edges. “You’re the only girl I’ve ever loved.”She lay back ontoher pillow and closed her eyes, her lips pinched together once more. “I shouldget some sleep.”It was only aftershe turned away that he allowed his face to crumple.
----
Some details:- It will be released in installments, much like the Disarm series. - I believe there will be four novelettes overall- If I can keep up the rate at which this story is flowing out of me, I'd say each installment should be released within 10-14 days of each other.
So... what do you think? Tell me in the comments which one you'd rather read first: Untamed or Hannah & Logan's story.
* This excerpt is copyrighted and cannot be copied or otherwise used without express permission from the author.
