Twinkle (Sugandha) Varshney's Blog, page 72
April 30, 2018
Flash by Malorie Verdant
Title: Flash
Series: The Penmore Series #2Author: Malorie VerdantGenre: College/Sports Romance
Release Date: April 30, 2018
Blurb
My life is a living nightmare.
Everything that matters to me always gets taken away.
He was only eleven and I still couldn’t protect him.
I won’t let her matter.
The girl with mermaid eyes and flashy red hair.
I won’t be the reason heaven meets hell.
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Author Bio
Malorie first started reading romance books when she was twelve years old.
Her mother handed her a copy of Nora Robert’s Midnight Bayou and with resignation said, “Here you’ll love it, just skip the sex scenes.”
It was the only time she ever got to rebel as a kid, because after that day she spent her entire adolescence (and a lot of her adulthood for that matter) sitting inside devouring every romance book ever written.
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Hotel O by Clarissa Wild
Title: Hotel OAuthor: Clarissa WildGenre: Erotic RomanceRelease Date: May 1, 2018
Blurb
Pleasure is business.That’s our motto here at Hotel O.No strings attached gratification is what we provide. Nothing is off limits.And all of it stays within these walls.My job as the organizer of these events requires a personal sacrifice.Girlfriends are a liability I can’t afford.So I get my own satisfaction somewhere else.Online.Anonymous.Nothing beyond a one-night stand …And I’ve found the perfect toy to play with.A persistent, equally wicked girl that I can’t say no to.The girl who’s going to make me risk it all.
Welcome to Hotel O … Enjoy your stay.
Author’s Note: Hotel O is complete and utter filthiness. Expect lots of debauchery … with multiple people. Please do not read if you’re easily offended or do not enjoy romances that explore the boundaries of depravity … Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
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Within seconds, the door handle clicks, and I hold my breath in anticipation.A man in a black suit and a red tie steps in. The door shuts behind him.My eyes glide over his body, and his glide over mine. His face is also hidden behind a mask.He’s tall, and his hair is thick and dark, just like his voice when he says, “Hello, Kitten …”I’m struck with awe at the sound of his voice. It’s real. It’s him.That same shiver runs up and down my spine as he approaches me slowly.In a split second, images of violence flash through my mind. All the possible things that could happen. All the things he could do to me.We’re alone, in a hotel room, and neither of us know each other by name.He could do anything he wanted.Take me. Use me. Lock me up.Kill me.And no one would ever know it was him.The perfect setting for the perfect crime.Yet I’m not afraid of him.I’m only afraid of my own reaction to what’s about to go down.Meeting him was the only thing I wanted, and now that it’s finally happening, I wonder if it’ll be enough. If I can satiate my needs without crossing the line.He comes even closer, but I don’t move an inch. I don’t know if it’s because I’m scared, or if it’s because my body feels as if it’s made of rocks and ice.I shudder when he stands across from the bed, leans against the dresser, and casually slides his eyes from the tips of my toes hidden in black heels all the way up to my high ponytail without any shame.His tongue dips out to wet his lips, and for a second there, I wish he licked mine instead.He cocks his head. “So this is what you want?”I nod and part my lips to say something, but nothing springs to mind. Nothing important … except for the fact I want him to fuck me raw.
Author Bio
Clarissa Wild is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of Dark Romance and Contemporary Romance novels. She is an avid reader and writer of swoony stories about dangerous men and feisty women. Her other loves include her hilarious husband, her two crazy but cute dogs, and her ninja cat that sometimes thinks he's a dog too. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, playing video games, reading tons of books, and cooking her favorite meals.
Want to get an email when my next book is released? Sign up here to receive 4 FREE short stories: http://eepurl.com/FdY71
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April 28, 2018
Creole Moon
FantasyDate Published: February 2018Publisher: Toplink Publishing
Creole Moon Book of Roots by S T Holmes is a fantasy fiction set in the early 1900s. Mamuska, the voodoo priest, needs to return to his home in the Louisiana swamp to renew his strength and vigor, but Ayida, serpent goddess and mother of the demi gods, forbids him to take his wife, Ophelia. They argue until Ayida becomes angry and conjures a storm as a warning to Mamuska, but he doesn’t heed the warning and slips his wife out of their cosmic home and back into the swamp.
It is Mardi Gras in New Orleans and the year of the Luperci festival, a time for forgiveness in the magic world and correcting wrong doings from magic to right. Unite with our hero, George Genois, from Creole Moon The Betrayal, as he finds his way back into the city at just the right time. He is befriended by a witch named Sephora who gives him shelter and protection, and in return is looking for help from the Luxican, George’s alter being in her quest for the source of all magic. He reluctantly agrees to help her as long as it doesn’t interfere with his plans of revenge and setting things right again, but unknown to him, she is in a battle with her goddess sister who wants to find the coveted Book of Roots first.
The treasure hunt ended in the swamp at the hut of the voodoo priest and priestess. Ophelia had control of a portion of the book of roots but she had no idea of its value as a whole. She only wanted to keep it away from everyone including her husband, Mamuska. As hard as the others tried to resurrect the book, Ophelia was working equally as hard to keep it hidden, but her powers were no match for the Luxican. Finally, the Luxican was able to succeed in breaking through the magical portal and the precious book dropped to earth next to the heads of the Luxican and Sephora. Before the purification ceremony could take place, the witch’s sister intervened and a fight broke out between them. This is sibling rivalry at its finest as the sisters fight to win control of the book, but only one will prevail.
George is pulled into the middle of a turbulent battle that draws him deeper into the realm of magic with exceptionally powerful wizards and high priests as allies fighting against dark spirits and other forces of good and evil. The pagan purification ceremony begins but is fraught with a number of interruptions from Drumangos, dark spirits from the tombs to Sephora’s royal family. It is not until the end of the ceremony that the Luxican realizes he is the key to finding the book of roots and saving the world of magic and all of it must be done before Mardi Gras day ends and the last toll of the midnight cathedral bell is sounded.
This Mardi Gras festival is like non ever seen before or will ever see again in the future.
Other Books in the Creole Moon Series:
Creole Moon: The BetrayalPublisher: Xulon PressPublished: September 2015
Sgt. George Francis Genois is an officer in the Confederate army. He returns to his hometown in Louisiana to celebrate the wedding of his twin brother Gerald. Mystical events throw him in the path of Jewella Du Viller, a fiery rebellious young woman standing at the river bank stirring the slaves to fight for their freedom. George whisks the woman away from perceived danger and escorts her to her carriage. He discovers later that she is the sister of a childhood friend. He falls madly in love with her and proposes marriage. Before the wedding can take place, she is arrested for treason. George is forced to abandon his military aspirations in order to save the woman he loves. He seeks the aid of a sorcerer, Mamuska and his wife Ophelia. Under a creole moon, the fates of George and Jewella as well as Mamuska and Ophelia are sealed.
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Excerpt
Chapter 1
A Small Corner of Mt. Olympus
It was a picture perfect day in the eastern corner of Mount Olympus. Giant white clouds lazily drifted pass each other flashing peeks of a brilliant blue sky in between each cloud puff. The sun’s rays provided welcomed warmth to the residents from the previous night’s chill. It was otherwise, a beautiful, serene day in the region of the demi gods, with the exception of a heated conversation that ensued between Ayida, goddess of the demi gods and mother of the great serpent god Dumballah, and Mamuska, the voodoo high priest of the swamp. Mamuska always went to Ayida for guidance. Usually, she was supportive of his activities, but this time she was angry with him and argumentative. Nothing he could say would improve her disposition.
“You can’t take her back to the ssswamp with you.” Ayida hissed. Her serpent traits were more pronounced when she was upset, and right now, she was not happy with a number of issues in the demi god’s world. Mamuska’s insistence of taking Ophelia with him was adding to her discontent.
“Ophelia isss uncontrollable, essspecially in the mortal world. You promissssed me you would control her and you have not fulfilled that promissse,” Ayida replied.
“I-I know,” Mamuska said, “I really have tried to rein her in, but she has ways of making me do what she wants.” He held his head down and shook it from side to side.
“If allowed to accompany you, ssshe will only bring more unwanted attention to usss. We can’t have that. All of the magical creaturesss are under a watchful eye right now. Thisss isss too sssignificant of a year for the magic world. We ssshouldn’t have to deal with her ssshenanigansss, too. Ssshe mussst ssstay here.” Ayida said softer now but still forceful enough to get her point across, but Mamuska was determined to sway her to his way of thinking. Without much thought or concern for his own safety, he continued.
“You know I have to go back. Look at me. I am weak and I need to be rejuvenated. Only Dumballah and his wife Aeida Weido can make the exchange when I am in this depleted condition. Ophelia can help speed up the process if they don’t want to spend too much time down there among the humans. We won’t have to be there for very long. Once the transfer takes place, we will return here, to our celestial home where you can keep an eye on her.”
Before Ayida spoke again, dark clouds lined overhead, a crack of lightening flashed through the sky and low sounds of thunder rumbled through the air. Her long, silky white hair flew out and around her head and face with the rhythm of the wind. The sky-blue eyes that once looked at him in admiration were now turned into dark, black pools of fury. Mamuska knew he had pushed too hard and had angered her beyond control. He decided to remain silent before she unleashed her full power on him. When she finally spoke, the cloud that was her home began to dissipate.
“YOU are allowed to return to the mortal world, but your wife, Ophelia, must remain here with usss. No further discussion and NO negotiation. I am unyielding on this point.”
The words were said with such force and vileness that even Mamuska began to shake a little. Ayida flew away from him before she did something she would regret later. She had always liked Mamuska, but he was weak when it came to THAT woman, and it disgusted her. It would take some time but she would reveal her true self to him and when she did, he would be free of her forever.
About the Author
S. T. Holmes was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and began creative writing in high school. She has a master’s in Business Management from St. Edward’s University of Austin, Texas, a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Biology from universities in North Carolina. She is currently working as a chief financial officer in Texas but finds time to indulge in her passion for writing. She says that writing provides a creative outlet and stress relief for her. To share your comments or ask questions about her books, you may write to Suzon via e-mail at suetropez@yahoo.com Creole Moon The Betrayal published October 1, 2015 by Xulon Publishing.
Under the name of Suzon Tropez, she has published: Dynamite Resume Your Calling Card to Success – August 17, 2011 - Dorrance Publisher and High Waters – October 24, 2005 – Publish America.
Visit her social media pages at Facebook, Tweeter, Tumblr and website, www.stholmes.com.
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April 27, 2018
Unforgivable by Isabel Love
Title: UnforgivableAuthor: Isabel LoveGenre: New Adult RomanceRelease Date: April 26, 2018
Blurb
There are certain things that are unforgivable…Falling for your brother’s best friend is one of them.
That isn’t the worst thing I’ve done, though.Not even close.
Shame and guilt follow me everywhere.Except when I’m with him.
With him, I can breathe again.Smile again. Love again.
But he has no idea what I've done...
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“Would you mind keeping this piece steady while I attach it?” he asks, interrupting my reverie. “No problem.” I take my position opposite him, holding the piece of trim in place against the dresser as he drills screws into the underside so that they remain hidden from view. It’s like magic. I study him as he works. He tilts his head this way and that to make sure the piece is level before he starts. Then, he lifts the drill, and taut muscles shine with sweat as he drives each screw into the boards with purpose. His forearms flex and jump with every movement. And his tattoo calls my eye to follow the bumps and dips of his biceps and triceps. Wesley Scott is a perfectly sculpted specimen of man. He’s strong. Confident. Capable. He catches me staring and winks, rewarding me with his rare, crooked grin. I feel myself flush as I quickly look away, totally busted.
No, I don’t mind helping him one bit.
Author Bio
Isabel Love is a hopeless romantic. She loves reading about two people falling in love, overcoming whatever obstacles they may face, and finding their happily ever after. A husband, two kids, and a full-time job keep her busy by day, but by night, she can be found with her Kindle in hand, reading “just one more chapter”.
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Best Evidence
PoetryDate Published: January 2018
Evocative, deceptively straightforward and wry poetry that delivers a shock to the system.
Poet Mark S. Osaki covers a number of poignant topics in Best Evidence. Each poem in the four sections gives you a glimpse of a formative moment in Osaki’s life or expands your viewpoint on conflicts in the world. Some poems, like the powerful “Chinese Camp, California,” speak of a larger cultural experience and the nuances of navigating identity as an Asian American. Others still, like “Gun Song,” show the psychological and cultural impact of war. In each new work, Osaki captures powerful moments of longing and loss.
Praise for Best Evidence:
“Mark Osaki has shown himself to be one of the best poets of his generation.” - David Rains Wallace, Author, The Klamath Knot: Explorations of Myth and Evolution
“I have found the poetic voices of Asian Americans to be among the strongest and most original in contemporary English literature. Among those writers, none impress me more than does Mark Osaki.” - Joseph Bruchac, The Greenfield Review Press
“Mark Osaki belongs to no school, follows no master, and has stayed on the far margin of the business part of poetry. His spare style is a vehicle for an outsider’s view of our world. His poetic toughness is not for those who regard poetry as comfort. He is paring his experiences closer to a powerful reporting, as only poetry can report.” - Leonard Nathan
Mark S Osaki undertakes to illuminate the difficulty of establishing one's home in a nation not one's own. These often soulful poems speak to us as members of families, as lovers, as travelers, journeys a reader is rewarded for taking. - Carole L. Glickfeld, Author, Swimming Toward the Ocean.
“Mark Osaki brings a rich poetic voice to his collection of poems in his recent book "Best Evidence". He captures past and present moments, expressing hope through pain and personal loss. His work is subtle in nuances, yet possesses a keen clarity of vision and ultimately celebrates life itself.” - Elizabeth Hack, Artist and Editor, San Francisco Peace and Hope
About the Author
Mark S. Osaki was born in Sacramento, California. He attended the University of California, Berkeley as an Alumni Scholar and went on to do graduate work in International Relations and Security Studies.
His work has appeared in various journals and anthologies, including: The Georgia Review, Carrying the Darkness—The Poetry of the Vietnam War (Avon, Texas Tech University Press), South Carolina Review, Men of Our Time—An Anthology of Male Poetry in Contemporary America (University of Georgia Press), Breaking Silence—An Anthology of Contemporary Asian American Poets (Greenfield Review Press), Onset Review and Báo Gi?y—Vietnamese Poetry.
Mark has received awards for his poetry from the Academy of American Poets, University of California at Berkeley, San Francisco Arts Commission, Seattle Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Romance Between the Pages' Weekly Podcast Interview With Riley J. Ford
Listen on Itunes (Subscribe so you never miss an episode! It’s FREE!)
Ever wondered about the personalities behind your favorite books? Victoria Danann's new podcast with Riley J. Ford has an incredible lineup of authors booked through the spring. No question is out of bounds. Check it out!
THIS WEEK'S PODCAST IS ALL ABOUT...the 1001 DARK NIGHTS authors for 2018!
TANGLED ENDS by Taylor Dawn
TANGLED ENDSMagnolia Series, Book Fiveby Taylor DawnGenre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Liam McDermott of the DEA had one job. Bring the infamous hacker, Kat McCormick to the FBI field office in Biloxi Mississippi. With her secure in handcuffs, Liam finds himself running from the people who want her dead. He must protect her no matter what, but can’t resist the temptation of the pink haired tech wizard. Lives are on the line as he races the clock to help bring down one of the biggest human and drug trafficking rings in the United States. Can he slay his attraction to Kat long enough to get the job done? Or will he end up in an even more tangled web than before?
Kat McCormick has spent her life hiding behind strings of binary code and screen names. Her hacking ability is second to none but soon she finds herself stumbling across information that puts her at the top of someone’s hit list. As she dodges bullets, Kat fights the brewing attraction to the Agent in charge of keeping her safe. Can she open up her heart and mind to help bring down the bad guys, or will she tuck tail and run like she’s done most of her life? Follow Kat and Liam as they try to unravel the truth in the fifth and final book in the Magnolia Series by Taylor Dawn.
“I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING WRONG,” Kat McCormick screamed as the handcuffs constricted around her slim wrists. The grating click of the metal resonated through her entire body as the ramifications of her crimes slammed into her. She had been careful in staying under the radar in the past couple years but now, she found herself with her face pressed against the dusty hood of a DEA agent’s car. Hacking used to be a way to make quick cash but now, it could have her on the hook for murder.
“You’re full of more shit than a Thanksgiving turkey.” Liam snickered. If she thought she was getting off that easily, she had lost her damn mind. “We traced your IP address which was linked to the framing of Agent Remington Archer of the FBI. I don’t know what world you live in, but setting up someone to take the fall for murder isn’t cool.” He added.
“Anyone can piggyback off my IP address. There’s no way you can prove it was me.” She jerked around as he led her to the passenger seat of his new Camaro.
“Then I guess you’ll have to sit in lockup until we can prove it, huh?”
“You’re a dick. Scratch that. You’re a dick that ate another dick and then threw it up.”
“Your insults don’t phase me, Miss McCormick,” he laughed as he opened the car door. “Think you can sit in the front seat and behave yourself?”
“Bite me,” she sassed with a venomous look on her smooth face.
“I’ll take that as a maybe.” He helped her into the seat, grabbed the seatbelt and pulled it across her.
“If you touch my tits, I’m filing a harassment suit against you.”
Placing his face just an inch or so away from hers, he said, “If I intentionally or accidentally touch your breasts, Miss McCormick, I have no doubt that you’d like it.” He smiled.
“Are you trying to make a pass at me while I’m handcuffed?”
“Nope, just stating facts.”
“Whatever. Even if you were the last man on this earth, I would never be desperate enough to go near you.”
“Really?” Liam raised an eyebrow.
“Yep,” she countered.
“Well, judging by your hard nipples, I’d say you’re lying.”
She glanced down at the front of her shirt, then back to his face. “That has nothing to do with you.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Sweet Pea.” Liam stood upright. Shutting the door, he then rounded the hood of the sports car and stood at the driver’s door with his phone in hand. Hitting the speed dial, he waited for an answer on the other end.
“Agent Archer,” the man on the other end said.
“Hey, it’s Liam McDermott from the DEA. I have Kat McCormick in custody, I’ll be dropping her off in about an hour.”
“We’ll be ready.”
He hung up, opened his door and slid behind the wheel. Liam had been keeping tabs on Kat for the past two years. Her genius level hacking skills had landed her in an interrogation room more than once but somehow, she walked away scot-free every damn time. This time, however, he had her, lock stock and barrel. The pink haired hacker was taken down with the help of Caden Madden, one of the best hackers on the entire planet. He also happened to be the younger brother of Agent Ryan Madden of the FBI. McCormick was on the hook for aiding deceased, human and drug trafficking kingpin, Alastair Bordeaux. She was apparently his go-to gal when he needed something done having to do with computers. According to her bank account, he’d paid her well too. Liam hoped the computer techs would be able to pull valuable information off the numerous computers that were seized at Kat’s hideout. With Alastair Bordeaux dead, the focus was shifted to his partner in crime, Dmitry. They still had yet to uncover the last name for the other man which made it difficult to track him down. The human trafficking industry was growing by leaps and bounds in the United States. Cities that were near major ports seemed to be the central hub for that kind of criminal activity. Liam had originally been investigating the influx of heroin in Biloxi Mississippi, with it leading to the discovery of the human trafficking trade. He now worked side by side with the FBI field office to help bring down the culprits. Bodies were piling up and someone had to put a stop to it. Girls as young as thirteen were bought and sold to wealthy individuals and most ended up dead when they’d served their purpose. Kat was in deep shit for the part she played and Liam wanted to see her put behind bars for the rest of her natural born life.
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Blurb for Loose Ends
***Can be read as a stand alone novel***
Ava Greenwood never dreamed she'd be standing at the bus station in Chicago running away from the counterfeit life she'd thought was perfect. On a whim backed by fear, Ava chooses Biloxi Mississippi. Now, the sweet hairstylist must assume a new identity and hope her old life doesn’t catch up with her.
Luke Daughtry has been sent to track Ava down. He has one mission…find the petite blonde and make sure she doesn’t leave the Magnolia State…alive. Everything changes when sparks fly between the two and Luke has doubts about the job he’s been paid to do.
Follow Ava and Luke as they scorch the south and tie up loose ends, in this sweltering romantic suspense from International Bestselling Author, Taylor Dawn.
International Bestselling Author Taylor Dawn began writing as an item to check off her bucket list. She resides in the southernmost part of Illinois, right on the mighty Mississippi river. She enjoys the quiet country life with her husband, son and the many farm animals that make up the rest of the family. Deciding that farm life was just a little too mundane, Taylor began writing romance and fantasy to liven things up, so far so good. Before starting her writing career, Taylor entered the field of cosmetology. When she isn't writing, she can usually be found sitting around a table making people laugh. She has always wanted to be a standup comic. She loves pulling practical jokes, dresses up in a costume every Halloween and believes that dancing is the key to a happy life (even if you aren't a good dancer). She believes that life shouldn't be taken too seriously, we will never get out alive anyway. More than anything, she is a kid at heart, she doesn't believe in bedtimes, eating everything on her plate, or having ice cream only for dessert. Her favorite quote is by Dr. Seuss..."Why fit in, when you were born to stand out."Facebook ✯ Website ✯ Twitter ✯ Goodreads ✯ Amazon ✯ Instagram ✯ Newsletter
April 26, 2018
The Gene Police By Elliott D. Light
The Gene PoliceBy Elliott D. LightGenre: MysteryBefore the words “white supremacy” filled the airways, before we learned of American Nazis and the alt-right, before there was a Muslim ban, before we considered building a wall or knew what DACA stands for, there was eugenics—a pseudo-science that promoted the belief that a race could be improved by controlling who was allowed to mate with whom.
It was eugenics that compelled white doctors to inform Carl and Betty Langard that their newborn baby had died. And it is the cruelest of circumstances—the murder of Jennifer Rice—that fifty years later leads Shep Harrington to search for Baby Langard.
As Shep soon learns, the quest brings him to the top of a slippery slope with an ill-defined edge. Question begets question, and the slide down the slope proves inevitable: What happened to the baby? Who took it? Why was he taken? And who killed Jennifer Rice? When Shep learns that Baby Langard was born at a hospital run by Alton Nichols, a famous Virginia eugenicist, he is drawn into the dark history of the American eugenics movement and its proponents—the so-called “gene police.”
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smalltownmysteriesWebsite: smalltownmysteries.com On Amazon: https://amzn.to/2K78DF8
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LOVE, MUSIC, MADNESS by Tabitha Rhys
LOVE, MUSIC, MADNESSby Tabitha RhysPublisher: Soul Mate Publishing Songwriting partners Lawson Harper and Jessa Warlow’s musical ambitions are derailed when their so-called relationship ends disastrously. However, neither Lawson nor Jessa is willing to give up on the album’s worth of soul-searing songs they wrote together—songs they’re sure are good enough to change both their lives.
Will the chemistry that fuels their creativity drive them to make the record of a lifetime, or only to absolute madness?
CHAPTER 1
I had no idea why Jessa Warlow wanted to meet with me. For one thing, I hardly knew her. She was one of my brother’s friends back in high school, but I hadn’t seen her for years. Besides that, Jessa is what I can only call Gunther, Pennsylvania royalty. It’s not just that she’s pretty in an old movie star kind of way. She’s also an artist, and a singer. Everybody in town always swore she’d be on the radio someday. I couldn’t imagine she’d have time to meet up with an old friend’s kid brother for nostalgic purposes only.
I found Jessa’s choice of location just as perplexing. The windows of the bar were blacked out—porno-shop style—and the only patrons under fifty were some greasy rockabilly kids slinking around by the pool tables. In the back of the room, a massive jukebox threw off a radioactive glow, but even that saving grace had been ruined. The rockabilly bastards were playing Morrissey on loop.
I figured Jessa would clear up all my questions as soon as she arrived. The problem was, I’d been parked on a barstool for nearly twenty minutes and she still hadn’t shown. Chances were, she’d changed her mind. Of course, if she had, I wouldn’t know it. I’d never been able to convince myself to shell out for a cell phone, so any last-minute cancellation messages would only end up on the answering machine back at my mother’s house.
After another five minutes alone in a bar redolent of fresh vomit and ancient cigarettes, all I could do was pull my trusty corduroy jacket over my hoodie and prepare to make my exit. But I was too hasty. The second I touched one foot down onto the stained carpet, a hand locked on my wrist.
I looked up in surprise—and straight into Jessa Warlow’s unmistakable cat-like eyes.
She narrowed them and smiled. “Lawson Harper?”
“At, uh . . . at your service,” I said with only a slight stutter.
“I knew it!” Jessa released me and slid onto the barstool to my right. “Though I must say, you look quite different from the last time I saw you. You know, back when you and your little sister used to sit in the kitchen eating peanut butter sandwiches—while your brother’s friends filled your tiny lungs with second-hand smoke.”
I laughed, careful to keep my mouth closed so as not to reveal a set of teeth nobody would want to show off, and gave Jessa a once-over. She had changed too. Her sandy hair, which once fell in a tangle down her back, was now cut neatly at her shoulders. She was also dressed more smartly than I remembered—in a sweater dress and a military-style coat—but her face was still the same. Heart-shaped, with those feline eyes.
“Going to tell me what we’re doing here?” I asked as I cast my gaze around the bar.
She shrugged. “What can I say? I don’t want to run into any of my old friends tonight.”
I couldn’t imagine why Jessa Warlow would want to hide out. If her friends knew she was in town, I was pretty sure they would roll out the red carpet.
“Of course,” Jessa went on, “you’re probably wondering why I wanted to meet with you at all.”
I was. But I had to wait for my answer because, very suddenly, a bug-eyed bloke of a bartender planted his arms in front of us and raised his brows expectantly.
“Gin and tonic,” Jessa tossed out.
I asked for a rum and cola as smoothly as I could. I’d only been twenty-one for a few months, and I didn’t want to come off like a kid. Or an amateur.
If I did, Jessa—who would have been twenty-five, same as my brother—didn’t appear to notice. As soon as the barkeep moved off, she turned back my way. “The first thing I should tell you is that I’m not here in Gunther for a visit. I quit my job in Philadelphia and moved back home just last week.”
That was a surprise. If I ever found a way to get out of Gunther, I’d never come back. Not in a million years. “Why?”
“I had a good job in the design department of a big company, but it wasn’t creative—and I want to be creative again. Very badly. I also want to take another shot at a career as a musician. A serious one this time.”
When the bartender set down our cocktails, cold and sweating, I reached for my wallet.
Jessa knocked my hand away. “I invited you here. I pay.”
I let her. Mostly because I wanted to hear more. Especially the part that had to do with me. “What do you mean by ‘serious’?” I pressed.
“In high school and college, I was always in a rush, too eager to get out in front of a crowd. This time, I want to build out and polish my songs. I want to record them. Make a real record.” Jessa stirred her drink fiercely. “You still play the guitar?”
I watched her ice cubes chase each other around the glass. “I do.” Work and school kept me running, but most nights I fell asleep playing along to one of the old cassettes my father left behind when he skipped town. Sometimes it was the only way I could get my mind quiet.
“Then perhaps,” she said, “you’d like to help me out.”
It took me a few beats to fully comprehend that Jessa Warlow was asking me to write music with her, when I never expected she would remember I played music at all.
I suppressed a smile. “I want to help,” I told her. “The only problem is, I’m not much of a songwriter.”
Jessa considered. “Well, I’ve got lyrics, melodies, chords. All I really need is a guitarist who can add some interesting leads. Maybe a breakdown or two.” She pointed her plastic stirrer in my direction. “We could always meet up for a session at my place and see how it goes. I mean, if you’re interested.”
“I’m interested,” I said, careful not to sound too interested. You know, not creepy-interested. Or desperate-interested. “When did you want to get together?”
I felt Jessa’s eyes brush over me. “How about now?”
“Now? As in right this minute?”
“Unless you want to stay and finish that drink.” She peered into my tepid rum and cola. “How is it anyway?”
“I haven’t had any.”
“Oh good.” Jessa’s hand locked down on my wrist for the second time that night. “Then you can drive.”
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THE AUTHOR
Tabitha Rhys is a writer and mom with a passion for music, misfits, and subculture. She grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs and now resides in Riverside, CA with her husband and son.
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A PROMISE TO SADIE by JJ Ellis
A PROMISE TO SADIEA Harper's Rock Legacy Series, Book 2by JJ EllisGenre: Young Adult
PLEASE NOTE: This book deals with teen issues and situations. There is mention of rape due to an abusive relationship (nothing graphic). There is also a theme of teen pregnancy and some "fade to black" petting.
Michael Croft, a sensitive, artistic teen, is trying to decipher his father's tragic and complicated legacy.Then, life presents Michael with the opportunity to help his childhood friend Sadie. He agrees, knowing he would do anything for the girl he loves.
When tragedy strikes the young couple, Michael makes a promise that beings to tear his life apart. But he has a guardian angel watching over him. Can his father's broken past help him face life as it should be? Or will Michael turn his back on the lessons of the past and sabotage his own peace?
By the time Thanksgiving rolled around the snow had returned to Northeastern Wyoming and they couldn’t wait to spend the weekend at the Harper Ranch horseback riding and snowmobiling. “So, are you ready for this?” Michael asked Sadie as they pulled into his grandmother’s driveway.
“Yeah, I can’t wait. I love your large, crazy family.”
“And they love you. I personally can’t wait for tonight. You’re going to love the surprise I have for you.”
“You do know that I’m not fond of surprises, don’t you?”
“I know,” he smirked. “But this one is amazing and I gave you a hint.”
“What, that it involves nighttime, a snowstorm, and a snowmobile? That tells me nothing.”
“It’s all you’re getting, SaySay. And I promise you’ll love it.” At least he hoped she would. It was time to confess his feelings and hope for the best. Tonight was the night.
“Well I better,” she teased. “Or there will be hell to pay.”
Michael opened his door and slipped out of the car. When Sadie didn’t follow, he leaned back in. “What, you’ll make me eat your cooking?” Sticking his tongue out at her, he turned and fled into the warm, cozy house. Sadie was right on his heels.
“Whoa you two,” Evie Harper admonished. “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing, Grandma,” Michael said with a big smile. “I was just telling Sadie how much I love her cooking. And she was telling me how sweet I was.”
Sadie’s look was incredulous. “Michael Harper Croft…”
“Well isn’t that nice,” Evie enthused as she pulled on Sadie’s hand. “I was just saying how I wished I had someone who could help cook half of Thanksgiving dinner for me. Come into the kitchen and I’ll get you an apron.”
Sadie couldn't do anything but follow her as she looked back at Michael in horror. “Uh...Mrs. Harper, I really can’t cook.”
“I figured, dear. We’ll just let my naughty grandson stew in his juices for a while.”
Sadie smiled and relaxed. “I can’t cook but I’m a good helper.”
“I was counting on it,” Evie smiled.
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AnguishAmazon ✯ Goodreads
One young manOne desperate decision
Being a teenager is hard enough, but when you have a diagnosis of depression and anxiety life can feel like it is caving in on you. When you add in a new awareness of your sexuality and falling in love for the first time, life can become almost too much to bear.
Ben Harper is determined to make it all work with the help of his best friend and new love, JC Croft. But when his inner demons conspire against him, can he come out on top or will he be crushed by the pressure?
JJ Ellis is first and foremost a mom to five kids, four girls and one boy, ranging in age from 6-22. After that, she is a physically limited wife, blogger and now an author. She holds a degree in Communication Studies (Public Relations) from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas but never thought she would choose writing as a career, especially at the age of 42. She once wanted to be a publicist in the entertainment industry, but never a writer. Then one day when she was in her mid-thirties she was going through what can only be described as an early 'midlife crisis' and ideas just started to come to her and she felt compelled to write them down. She finished her first book relatively quickly, but life got in the way and it took her eight years to revisit it and then publish her first novel. She can honestly say that now she is finally right where she wants to be.JJ has been married to her college sweetheart (and romance novel hero) for twenty-one years and they reside in Casper, WY with their kids and one crazy mutt named Kreuger. She enjoys reading, writing, blogging, computing, and graphic design. She will try anything that will allow her creativity to be released.
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