Tracey Alvarez's Blog, page 13
February 23, 2014
Writing Process Blog Hop
When the lovely Maggie Le Page tagged me to take part in the Writing Process Blog Chain, I was all:
I mean, doesn’t just the word “chain” set you off in a nasty full-body shudder? Maybe only if you’re old enough to remember those dreadful chain letters, or chain e-mails if you’re a bit younger. But finally I succombed, because Maggie Le Page is really cool, and it did sound kind of fun talking about the madness which is my writing process.
You can check out more about Maggie Le Page (who as I’ve said, is super-cool) at her website www.maggielepage.com or find her on Facebook.
Maggie Le Page is a mum, tutor, accounts manager, freelance writer and novelist – in other words, an excellent juggler. She holds an Honours degree in Economics so is also extremely well-qualified to tut-tut about the size of her bank overdraft. She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, with her partner of fifteen years and their two children.
“A Heat Of The Moment Thing” is her debut novel and she is currently working on her second, “Waiting For Faith”.
Here are the answers to the four Writing Process questions:
1) What am I working on?
I’m writing the first draft of READY TO BURN which is the third book in the Due South Series. I’m also editing the second book of the series, MELTING INTO YOU. I’m planning to release MELTING INTO YOU within the next few months. Both books, and the first in the series IN TOO DEEP are set on the wild and windswept Stewart Island at the bottom of New Zealand.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I think my stories have a certain freshness to them, a unique viewpoint and voice that’s part of being a Kiwi (New Zealander). As well as a hot romance (because the books are first and foremost romances), there are strong themes of family, friendship and community woven through their hearts. There’s guaranteed to be a Happily-Ever-After, which is no different to other romances (one of the things I happen to love about the genre) but I hope my readers experience both laugh and tears while lost in the pages of my book. I also hope they’re given a word picture of the beauty of New Zealand which stays with them forever.
3) Why do I write what I do?
I’ve always loved fairy-tales and progressing to romance was only a small step in a logical direction. We don’t always get a Happily-Ever-After in our own lives—bad things happening to good people are a reality of the world we live in. But in the worlds I create, while the path to find love is often dotted with potholes and sharp rocks, love finds and transforms my characters in the end. That gives me hope. And I’d like to think it gives my readers hope too.
4) How does my writing process work?
My writing process is a work in progress! You may have heard of the terms ‘plotter’ and ‘pantser’? Writers who ‘plot’ out their stories before they begin, or writers who start with a very basic idea or character and make up the story as the go (writing by the seat of their *pants*). I’m somewhere in the middle. I usually have the key scenes in mind before I start, with a few ‘Ooh, that’d be cool’ ideas to toss around. I tend to plot a little, pantser a little, freak out that I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, pantser a little more, get stuck, have an eureka moment at in inappropriate time/place which requires frantic scribbling in a notebook that I carry everywhere, plot some more, moan to my patient husband that I’m never going to finish this book and I just want my hero and heroine to be eaten by one of Stewart Island’s Great White Sharks, have another brilliant idea which turns out to suck until I get smacked upside the head by an even better idea at three in the morning, madly finish the first draft, swear I’ll never write a book this way again, wildly celebrate until the euphoria wears off and I realise I now have to edit this mass of 90,000 plus words. Craziness re-ensues.
Now I’m passing the buck to 3 amazing writers, Laura Brown, Amber A. Bardan and Lizzi Tremayne. Check out their blogs next week (3rd March) to see how their writing process works! 
Tracey
Laura Brown
Laura Brown lives in Massachusetts with her quirky abnormal family. Laura and her three cats are “differently abled.” Laura is hard of hearing, her oldest cat is deaf and partially blind, and the other two cats have cerebellar hyplasia (they shake, and they don’t find it endearing). The “normal” members of her family include her husband, who has put up with her since high school, and her young son who enjoys “typing” on Mommy’s laptop and has agreed to take full blame for all spelling errors.
Laura’s first book, ‘Lila’s Choice’ is available as a paperback or e-book. Her mini blurb: A visit from a childhood friend thrusts Lila’s calm world into turmoil, as emotions buried deep inside are dragged to the surface. A scheme is initiated, forcing her to choose between two men.
Click here to buy Lila’s Choice
on Amazon.
You can visit Laura at her website or find her on Facebook.
Amber A. Bardan
WINNER of NTRWA ‘Great Expectations’ Award 2013
2nd Place Winner Charter Oak RWA ‘Golden Oak’ Award 2013
2nd Place Winner GSRWA 2013 Emerald City Opener Contest
After spending years imagining fictional adventures, Amber finally found a way to turn daydreaming into a productive habit. She now spends her days as a graphic designer but her nights writing scintillating tales about heroes with tough exteriors who are warm inside. She lives with her husband and children in semi-rural Australia, where if she peers outside at the right moment she might just see a kangaroo bounce by.
Lizzi Tremayne
Lizzi has just completed her first novel, Express Desired, an Historical Fictional Suspense with Romantic Elements, and is halfway finished with its sequel, A Sea of Green Unfolding. Lizzi says she is rewriting her life. She is the mother of two teenaged boys, a part time hobby farmer, a medieval re-enactor (fencer and horseback archer), a kayaker, a carriage competition driver, a gardener, a singer, a cook and an equine veterinarian with post-doc veterinary certification in equine dentistry. Following an injury, she works part time at equine veterinary dentistry and part time at high school teaching of Science/Bio/Chem. Mostly, though, she’s writing!
You can find more out about Lizzi on her website here. She’d love to hear from you about her writing! She can be contacted via her FB page, Twitter, or About Me. Her veterinary site is here.
February 12, 2014
Release Day: Of Fire & Roses – Danielle Belwater
I’m so thrilled to be part of the Release Day event for Danielle Belwater’s debut YA novel, ‘Of Fire & Roses.’ Make sure you add this book to your Goodreads To-Be-Read pile and pick up a copy off Amazon. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the end of the post! ♥
Nathaniel West’s mother is dead, his father a lost cause. Anger has become a way of life, until he meets and falls in love with Cora Ewell. Only Cora has a secret, one that could kill them both.
An age old dark magic resurfaces and it becomes a race against time for Cora and Nate to find the long buried secrets to saving everyone they love and each other.
After a near fatal accident leaves Nate in limbo, he must find a way to get through to Cora before time runs out and she is forced into life eternal with the evil wizard, Elias Stafford.
Buy OF FIRE & ROSES from Evernight Teen.
Danielle Belwater adores the concept of true love and truly believes everyone has their Prince Charming or Snow White out there somewhere, even if they have to fight demons, ghosts, and wizards to find it.
Danielle has been having a love affair with words since she was young and in primary school, writing some rather imaginative tales. This love has followed her into adulthood.
She lives in rural South Australia with her husband, young daughters and way too many animals to mention. She spends most of her time dreaming up characters, stories, ghostly tales, and watching Firefly re-runs. She also cooks the odd meal for her family to avoid them looking like skeletons at official author functions!
Danielle is passionate about reading and her interests include pretty much anything with words from rolling four volume epics to the daily newspaper.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanielleBelwaterAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DSevenwaters
Website: http://www.daniellebelwater.com
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/DBelwater/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/DanielleBelwater
Wattpad: http://wattpad.com/DanielleBelwater
Blog: http://daniellebelwater.blogspot.com.au
February 9, 2014
Release Day: Lila’s Choice – by Laura Brown
I’m happy to host Laura Brown’s début novel ‘Lila’s Choice’ on my blog today. Laura’s a lovely writer I met via Twitter (isn’t social media awesome for making new friends?!) and I’m so pleased she’s taken the first step into independent publishing after working so hard!
Never let your friends get involved in your personal life.
Lila and Nate learn this the hard way. They are the star-crossed lovers of Glendale High. For three years the students have waited for the two to get together. They begged Nate to put his past relationship behind him, and cringed when Lila started dating Bryce. Just your typical teenage romance, except they’re the teachers.
Lila, a guidance counselor with a sweet demeanor, has an answer for every problem, every problem but her own. A visit from childhood friend Bryce thrusts her calm world into turmoil, as emotions buried deep inside are dragged to the surface. He soon realizes what only a friend can notice and a lover regret, that Lila, unbeknownst to herself, is in love with Nate.
Nate has seen better days. He is a history teacher stuck living in the past. Depression has kept his love for Lila unspoken, his ego frail after being cheated on.
Now Lila and Nate’s coworkers must unleash a scheme and uncover Lila’s true feelings. In a school this nosey what better way to get fast results than to involve the student population? The students are all too eager to get involved.
If everything goes as planned Lila will have to choose between two men. If her friends fail they might destroy these three and ruin their friendship. No wonder the scheme is called Project Torture.
Laura Brown lives in Massachusetts with her quirky abnormal family. Laura and her three cats are “differently abled.” Laura is hard of hearing, her oldest cat is deaf and partially blind, and the other two cats have cerebellar hyplasia (they shake, and they don’t find it endearing). The “normal” members of her family include her husband, who has put up with her since high school, and her young son who enjoys “typing” on Mommy’s laptop and has agreed to take full blame for all spelling errors.
Click here to visit Laura’s blog.
Twitter: @AuthorLBrown
Click here to add ‘Lila’s Choice’ to your Goodreads to-be-read shelf!
February 6, 2014
Cover Reveal: Reckless Weekend (Reckless Beat #2.5) – Eden Summers
Author: Eden Summers
Genre: Erotic Romance
Series: Reckless Beat
Website: Reckless Beat Website
Expected Release Date: 7th March, 2014
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18769743-reckless-weekend
Hosted by: Between the Sheets Promotions
In Vegas, a lot can happen in twenty-four hours.
What do you get when you mix a rock band as hot as Reckless Beat, women strong enough to capture several of the bad boys’ hearts, and a bet that sparks a competitive streak?
Boundaries will be pushed, alcohol will be abused, and loads of sarcasm will be shared.
Once the games are over, it’s time to make a commitment. But love in the limelight is never easy. The past is trying to catch up with the present, and the pressure may be too hard to handle.
Seduction, torment, laughter, and heartbreak—one reckless weekend will test each member of the band and the women who’ve claimed their love.
Reckless Beat Series
To experience the maximum enjoyment, you should read the first two books in the series before starting Reckless Weekend.
Start with Mitchell Davies—lead guitarist with a thing for innocent women. Then move on to our tattooed bad boy, Blake Kennedy.
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes / All Romance Ebooks
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes / All Romance Ebooks
Eden Summers is a true blue Aussie, living in regional New South Wales with her two energetic young boys and a quick witted husband.
In late 2010, Eden’s romance obsession could no longer be sated by reading alone, so she decided to give voice to the sexy men and sassy women in her mind. Eden can’t resist alpha dominance, dark features and sarcasm in her fictional heroes and loves a strong heroine who knows when to bite her tongue but also serves retribution with a feminine smile on her face.
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon / Goodreads
First prize is a $20 Amazon gift card. Second prize is a swag pack filled with loads of goodies, and there are four up for grabs. Included is a Reckless Beat necklace, purse charm, signed postcards, bookmarks, magnets, and even a ‘Reckless’ temporary tattoo.
February 4, 2014
Waitangi Day, A Down-&-Dirty Rugby Game, & A Giveaway
Unique to New Zealand, Waitangi Day (pronounced ‘Why-tung-ee) is a national public holiday – a day to remember the signing of an important document 174 years ago. It’s not a proud day in New Zealand history, but it is a part of both Maori and Pakeha (non Maori) history. If you’re a history buff you can read about it on Wikipedia here.
On Stewart Island where In Too Deep is set, a tradition has started of a friendly but competitive game of rugby each Waitangi Day. Considered by some as New Zealand’s national game, rugby is not among my top 5 favourite things – but I can appreciate a group of large, good-looking men in shorts running around a muddy field. In one memorable moment that will forever go down as a new Kiwi Legend, All Black Sonny Bill Williams removed his shirt during a match in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. You can see a clip of it below – just for historical purposes of course…
Since rugby is such a passion to most New Zealand males, I couldn’t help but recreate my own little twist on the traditional Waitangi Day game in my first book, IN TOO DEEP. Instead of testosterone-charged males slogging it out, I pitted two teams against each other – men vs. women. And instead of normal rugby (which can be brutal), they play a not-so-friendly game of Touch Rugby. Check out the excerpt below.
Muddy hair, muddy face, and mud plastering his shorts and top to his skin. Twenty minutes into the game and all was good with the world.
West swiped a hand across his forehead as a light rain began to fall. A bloom of multi-colored umbrellas sprouted up at the sidelines. He glanced to the other end of the field where the women’s team clustered in a circle, his gaze automatically honing in on Piper’s rangy, thoroughly mud-covered form. The guys’ team was at a serious disadvantage with six hot females in tight, wet clothing running around. Or maybe he was the only one distracted by a certain hot female.
He dragged his gaze away from the curve of Piper’s ass as she bent down to re-lace her boot, and glared at the huddle of men around him.
“Right. Kip and Joe, you’re on the bench until the last ten minutes, then we’ll sub you in to win this thing.”
Opposite him, Gav Reynolds spat on the trampled grass. “Women are kicking our sorry asses out there.”
“Would help if you’d stop getting so many penalties,” Ford said.
Gav swore, his Due South team shirt straining over his puffed-out chest.
Ford’s dad, Rob, grunted and shook his head. “Chill, Gav.”
Ben, complete with his plastic bag covered cast and crutches, elbowed further into the group from where he’d watched the game on the sidelines. “The ref’s already threatened to send you off for misconduct, Gav, so stop acting like such a douche and leave Kezia and Piper alone.”
Gav swung toward Ben. “What business is it of yours?”
“It’s my sister and her friend you’re gunning for.” Ben refused to budge.
So even Ben noticed Gav’s amped-up aggression toward the two women—accidently shoving Piper out of the way, taking the term “touch” to mean grabbing Kezia’s ass. And it hadn’t escaped his attention that Piper kept heckling Gav, putting herself between him and Kezia. Like a rodeo clown distracting a pissed off bull.
The ref’s whistle blew a long continuous blast. End of half-time break.
“Watch your step, Reynolds,” was all West said as they jogged onto the field—when what really burned on his tongue was, “Touch Piper again and you’ll be pissing blood for a week.”
To celebrate Waitangi Day and a down-and-dirty game of rugby, I’m running a giveaway. The winner will receive an e-copy of In Too Deep, an In Too Deep magnet, and 4 Stewart Island note cards/envelopes. Runner up will receive an e-copy of In Too Deep and a $5 Amazon Gift Card. Giveaway is open internationally.
Just a heads up with the Rafflecopter draw – if you subscribe to my newsletter and don’t confirm your subscription (check your spam box if you haven’t got a automated response) then you’re not subscribed and your entry won’t be counted. Bummer. So make sure you click on the confirmation e-mail!
January 26, 2014
Cover Reveal: For Her Protection – Amber A Bardan
So happy to help Amber A Bardan reveal the gorgeous cover to her first Ellora’s Cave book: For Her Protection. It’s the first of a three book series about some ffffzzzzzzzt-pop (that’s the sound of your eyeballs exploding) bodyguards and the women who are more than a match for these Alpha males.
Trust me, you’ll want to add this to your Goodreads To-Be-Read shelf . Oh, and just wait till you see the amazing swag pack she’s giving away to one lucky person (plus a runner up prize of a $100 Amazon gift card) – and it’s open internationally! Whoop!
Charlize Halifax has a big last name and even bigger duty to uphold. Left to pick up the pieces of her family’s haemorrhaging Communications Empire, there’s no time for distractions. But when her take-no-prisoners management style lands her in physical danger, distraction arrives in the form of infuriating body guard Connor Crowe.
Having crossed swords with him that very morning, she knows a man who thinks he can push her around has no place in her life—especially when his cave man heroics kick her libido into hyper drive.
Yet when the threat to Charlize’s safety becomes outright attack, she knows there’s only one man she’d trust with her life.
Resisting Connor’s intrusion into her life is easy, denying his affect on her body, now that’s another thing…
After spending years imagining fictional adventures, Amber finally found a way to turn daydreaming into a productive habit. She now spends her days as a graphic designer but her nights writing scintillating tales about heroes with tough exteriors, who are warm inside.
She lives with her husband and children in semi-rural Australia, where if she peers outside at the right moment she might just see a kangaroo bounce by.
WINNER of NTRWA ‘Great Expectations’ Award 2013
January 19, 2014
Dive in for your copy of In Too Deep! (And win a Gift Card)
Yeah, it’s a cheesy blog title, but I’m so excited about IN TOO DEEP being released today that my brain can’t come up with something better! Anyway – just look at my pretty book baby doing a little twirl on the catwalk. Awww, it’s all grown up and smokin’ hot!
In case you’ve somehow missed the blurb about IN TOO DEEP:
She vowed never to return.
To save her brother from financial ruin, Piper Harland must do the one thing she swore she’d never do—return to the tiny island hometown where Ryan “West” Westlake crushed her heart. Piper is tough, resilient and a little wild—much like the remote and beautiful Stewart Island where she grew up. As a cop who’s part of the elite New Zealand Police National Dive Squad, bringing the dead back to their families still doesn’t stop the guilt she feels over her father’s drowning death. Now nine years later she’s obligated to return to a hostile community as the outsider, and forced to work with the man who was once her best friend and first lover.
She’s a risk he can’t take.
West is an Island man, through and through. As owner of the local pub, he lives and breathes the local community, and sure as hell can’t imagine living anywhere else. But most of all he refuses to ever fall for a woman like his flighty mother. He lost Piper once to give her the chance to fulfil her dreams of becoming a cop. But now she’s back for an unexpected six week visit to help her brother—his best mate. Maybe West wants her a little bit, maybe he can’t resist the temptation to tease and touch her, but can he fall in love with such a flight risk?
Saying goodbye the second time might just destroy them both.
And how about a saucy little excerpt to tempt your tastebuds?:
Red alert. Red alert. Her next inhale stopped halfway down her lungs and her nipples budded into two hard points of Ohmigod-yes-please. She raised the tip of her chef’s knife and pointed it at his nose. “Keep your hands to yourself, Westlake.”
His gaze flared hot. “What if I don’t want to?” He took two slow steps sideways, two steps closer to her. “What if I’m tired of playing your game of ‘there’s nothing going on here.’”
The knife in her hand swiveled to follow his cat-like movements. “I don’t play games. And FYI there is nothing going on here. Nothing I’m interested in pursuing, anyway.”
Another step and he rounded the corner, crowding her backward until her butt hit the counter. He rescued the knife from her shaking fingers, laid it on the chopping board, and left his hand resting there, effectively trapping her.
“Liar, liar, pants on fire,” he murmured.
She shoved a hand against West’s chest to stop him coming closer, but all that achieved was runaway tingles up her arm from the hard, hot muscles beneath his shirt. He leaned into her fingers and the rapid bump of his heartbeat throbbed against her palm. Close enough to see her own reflection in West’s eyes, she froze when his pupils shrunk to tiny dots.
His nose twitched. “Something’s burning.”
Yeah, something was burning, all right. One more touch, one more second of him looking like he planned to do her on the kitchen counter and she would either catch fire or do something absurd like kiss him again.
###
Oooh, oooh! And I forgot to mention that tomorrow (January 21st) is my son’s 17th birthday, and although he only communicates with me in grunts and eye-rolls, he’d like me to pass on that the best birthday gift EVER would be for you to buy a copy of IN TOO DEEP. You believe me, right? :)
So here are the buy links:
Don’t forget to enter below for a $25 Amazon Gift card.
A heads up with the Rafflecopter draw – if you subscribe to my newsletter and don’t confirm your subscription (check your spam box if you haven’t got a automated response) then you’re not subscribed and your entry won’t be counted. Bummer. So make sure you click on the confirmation e-mail!
Tracey
January 16, 2014
Cover Reveal: Finding Evan ~ Lisa Swallow
* Book #2 in the Butterfly Days Series *
She killed a part of me – the part which trusts when someone tells you they love you, and allows you to trust that person with your heart.
Ness and Evan return to Leeds from Europe, and begin their new life together. But the past Evan has buried for years resurfaces and threatens their future.
After fifteen years, Evan doesn’t want any contact with the woman who abandoned him, but is unwillingly pulled into his mother’s life by Lucy.
Feeling pushed aside by Ness’s focus on her studies and new friends, Evan can’t confide in Ness about what’s happening. This return to his old behaviour adds more distance to their relationship. When Ness’s new friend Ollie picks up the pieces because Evan is away, Evan’s insecurities threaten their relationship further.
Ness becomes aware of Evan’s situation, and she questions whether he will ever be able to break his ties to those dragging him down. If he can’t put himself first, and live the life he wants, she is unable to see how their relationship could work. In return, Evan struggles with Ness’s inability to get close to people, and her distance pushes him further away.
The decision about the future of the relationship is taken out of their hands – by something which could end things between Ness and Evan forever.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa was born in the UK and she moved around Europe with her military family before completing a BA (Hons) in English at the University of Leeds. Her home is now in Perth, Australia with her husband and three children. Lisa has written since she was a child – moving from writing poems and short stories aged nine to writing novels in the last few years. With the encouragement of her family and local writers group, Lisa found the confidence to share her latest paranormal romance series with the world.
In between running her home based craft supplies business, looking after her family, and writing, Lisa sometimes finds spare time to do other things. This often involves swapping her book worlds for gaming worlds. She even leaves the house occasionally, enjoying walks with her dog and time with her family. She loves all things from the Whedonverse and preferred vampires before they sparkled.
Lisa enjoys reading both classics and modern fiction. Her favorite genres are gothic, paranormal and urban fantasy, but she also enjoys contemporary new adult. She is currently working on more books in the Soul Ties series, and has other projects lined up waiting.
CONNECT WITH LISA
December 8, 2013
Cover Reveal of In Too Deep (plus a giveaway!)
Designed by the very talented Amber A. Barden of Romance Book Marketing I think she’s done an amazing job. Clean, bright and oh, so pretty!
Below is the blurb for In Too Deep (and also a sexy little excerpt I hope you’ll like), which will be released in January 20th. You can read Chapter One of In Too Deep for free here . Don’t forget to enter into the Rafflecopter draw to win a $15 Amazon Gift card at the end of the excerpt!
She vowed never to return.
To save her brother from financial ruin, Piper Harland must do the one thing she swore she’d never do—return to the tiny island home-town where Ryan “West” Westlake crushed her heart. Piper is tough, resilient and a little wild—much like the remote and beautiful Stewart Island where she grew up. As a cop who’s part of the elite New Zealand Police National Dive Squad, bringing the dead back to their families still doesn’t stop the guilt she feels over her father’s drowning death. Now nine years later she’s obligated to return to a hostile community as the outsider, and forced to work with the man who was once her best friend and first lover.
She’s a risk he can’t take.
West is an Island man, through and through. As owner of the local pub, he lives and breathes the local community, and sure as hell can’t imagine living anywhere else. But most of all he refuses to ever fall for a woman like his flighty mother. He lost Piper once to give her the chance to fulfil her dreams of becoming a cop. But now she’s back for an unexpected six week visit to help her brother—his best mate. Maybe West wants her a little bit, maybe he can’t resist the temptation to tease and touch her, but can he fall in love with such a flight risk?
Saying goodbye the second time might just destroy them both.
(Excerpt)
“Hey,” she shouted. “I wanna talk to you.”
“Leave me alone, Piper,” West’s voice rose above the running water.
He hadn’t told her to “piss off” or “stop bitching at me and go back to the city.” Progress, right?
“Not this time.” Catching West in the shower meant she’d have a captive audience.
Knowing he wouldn’t have locked it, Piper walked inside and shut the door behind her. In her imagined scenario, the steam-filled room would modestly conceal West in the shower cubicle while she talked.
She hadn’t taken into account an extractor fan. No steamed-up mirrors, no fogged-up shower glass, just the whirr of the fan and the hiss of the water. Plus the tanned and very bare length of West’s body. She froze beside the door and gripped the doorknob, her heart hurtling into her throat.
Thank God he faced away from her. The sight of his toned ass turned her breathing into an asthmatic wheeze. She debated a quick, quiet exit, but tossed that idea out—West was on the back foot here, since she had clothes on. Besides, the tension etched across the muscles of his back indicated he knew she was already inside.
Just keep it above neck level, say what you need to say, and get out.
She cleared her throat. “That was a crappy way to talk to your mother. You made her cry.”
West pulled his head out of the spray and scrubbed water off his face. “The woman cries at a drop of a hat. It goes with her artistic temperament.”
Then he turned.
Holy guacamole. Piper nearly wrenched the doorknob off the door. Her brain must’ve missed the memo to keep her eyes above West’s neck because, hello—nicely shaped pecs, washboard flat abs, corded thigh muscles…and then her gaze skipped straight back up to his, er, expanding interest.
“True, buhht…” Her tongue unfurled to her knees when West rubbed a bar of soap over his chest, never taking his direct, blue gaze from her.
“So you barged in here to tell me I was rude to my mother?” Water sprayed over his shoulder, running down his body. His soapy hand slid from pecs to the trail of dark hair low on his belly. A happy, happy trail indeed.
“Well, I…” She licked dry lips, looked at anything other than where his hand headed, and found her mud-flecked, crimson-cheeked reflection instead.
So much for West’s awkwardness at being butt naked—she was the one exposed and vulnerable. Her excuses for being there suddenly seemed lame. Under the circumstances maybe his reaction to Claire was understandable, and though she told his mother she’d talk to him, nothing was so important the conversation couldn’t wait until after West had finished being all wet and hot and naked.
The creak of the shower door made her jump.
“Piper?” His voice, low and loaded with seduction, blazed through her.
West left the shower, water cascading off him and onto the tiled floor. She averted her gaze and turned her back, yanking on the doorknob again. It slipped through her damp fingers.
“Is this really about my mother or did you barge in here for something else?”
The spicy scent of his shower gel curled around her and the heat of his skin singed the fine hairs on the back of her arm, but still she grappled with the stubborn doorknob.
“Like because you’re very, very muddy,” he said.
His breath touched the back of her neck, droplets of water falling on her shoulder. “There’s a clean spot here, I think.”
A thumb traced the sensitive skin behind one ear and her vision blurred.
“And another here.” Warm lips trailed along the curve where the cords of her neck met her shoulder.
“But on the whole—” his hand snaked around her waist, fingers spread wide across her lower belly.
Hot shivers arrowed through her pelvis and struck their target.
“—You’re a dirty girl who should hit the shower—” he pressed her hips back against his body, shifting so his erection wedged intimately between her Lyrca-covered cheeks “—with me.”
Thanks to the other bloggers who are also hosting my Cover Reveal: Amber A. Barden, Riverina Romantics, Beyond the Valley of the Books, Deena Days, Becky on Books, Romancing the Page, The Word Darling, My World…in words and pages, Danielle Sevenwaters, Allthingsbookie
December 3, 2013
Secret Santa
Secret Santa – mawhahaha
Who loves Secret Santa at Christmas parties? Me! Me!
Who hates Secret Santa at Christmas parties? Me also.
That’s right, they can either be fun and you walk away with a fist pump going, “Yes! Score!” or you feel like throwing your Secret Santa gift in the closest incinerator. Some of the most memorable gifts (because they were just, that, bad) were: A plastic cable tidy (to keep computer cables tidy) – whoo-hoo…! Someone’s amateur theatre performance on DVD – Wow. I’m speechless. And a celebrity face clock of Kate Middleton – super. Not. Then of course there are the adolescent jokers that think a box of condoms is just the funniest gag gift EVER. At least it’s practical (and if you do it right, fun.)
At least with the boring but practical wine or chocolates you can get something to celebrate the Silly Season with, but a cable tidy? Seriously?
Being a stay-at-home mum I haven’t had to many opportunities to take part in a Secret Santa Christmas party – but my DH’s work threw a doozy recently. It was one of those open a present from under the tree or pinch someone else’s presents kind of deal. Guess what one of the most popularly stolen presents was. Yep. A dancing cat. I kid you not. This:
And the craziest thing? Even though I knew the novelty would wear off in oh, about 5 minutes after we got it home – I STILL WANTED THAT CAT! Unfortunately so did everyone else, so poor kitty was passed around the room A LOT! In the end I claimed my Secret Santa prize of not one, but TWO panda onesies like these:
His and Hers onesies – SCORE, huh?!
I’d love to hear about your Secret Santa experiences. What was the best or worst gift ever?
Pssst. Check back on Monday Dec 9th for my Cover Reveal of In Too Deep and the chance to win a Amazon Gift Card – now that’s something I’d be happy to find in a Secret Santa gift!
Tracey.
