Heather Osborne's Blog, page 19
October 23, 2015
Learning to Breathe Cover Reveal!
From bestselling author, Marisa Oldham, comes Learning to Breathe: A novel based on the popular Falling Series.
Blurb:
Like the ocean, life is a beautiful force. One that can tear you limb from limb or lavish you in perfect moments.
Michelle Hathaway has it all: a view of the Eiffel Tower from her loft in Paris, a successful career as a fashion photographer, ownership in an up-and-coming art gallery, and jet-setting days filled with excitement. But, even with all that luxury, her life feels aimless.
Over the years, Michelle drifted on the tide of a long distance, on-again off-again relationship with Micah Roberts, a hot bass player in a popular rock band. When he finally asks her to move to Los Angeles to be with him, she risks everything, taking the leap into a new life.
Drowning in the wake of her decisions, she struggles just to breathe as destiny threatens to take everything. As unexpected events devastate her, will Michelle surface from the depths of despair?
Visit Marisa’s website: bit.ly/AuthorMarisa
Join Marisa’s mailing list: http://bit.ly/MOMailingList
Cover design by: Amanda Walker PA & Design Services
https://www.facebook.com/AmandaWalkerPA
Some Teasers :-)
October 18, 2015
Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland
Originally posted on The Freelance History Writer:
Margaret Tudor by Daniel Mijtens (source)
Margaret Tudor was the eldest daughter of King Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York. She was the elder sister of Henry VIII and Mary Tudor. Her marriage to the King of Scotland was to have repercussions for Scottish history down to this day.
Margaret was born November 28, 1489, the daughter of King Henry VII of England and his wife Elizabeth of York. She was named after her grandmother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, Henry VII’s mother. She grew up with her siblings at Eltham Palace under the guidance of their mother. She was educated by tutors and schoolmasters and excelled at music, an interest she shared with her mother. Talk of marriage to the King of Scotland began when she was six years old.
After numerous skirmishes with Scotland over the years, Henry VII negotiated a peace treaty…
View original 1,107 more words
October 14, 2015
Rae Hatting Mysteries Sale Blitz!!!!!
It’s a sale blitz!!!! From today until Sunday, Crushed Gardenias will be FREE and The Fairest of Them will be 99 cents!
Crushed Gardenias blurb and sale links:
Special Agent Rae Hatting has been sent to a small town in Colorado to investigate the disappearance of young girls from several surrounding states. What she finds is not at all what she expected.
Initially submitted to the “Bloody Scotland” crime short story contest in 2014.
Amazon USA: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MX2JYGO
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00MX2JYGO
The Fairest of Them blurb and sale links:
Once upon a time, there was a murder…
Rae Hatting returns in her first, full-length novel, “The Fairest of Them.”
Detective Luke Thompson is a hero cop, with a string of solved serial killer cases under his belt. He comes to California, thinking he can disappear quietly into the forests, isolated from the rest of the world. His expertise is called upon to help with a mysterious serial killer, dumping bodies dressed like fairy tale characters in the woods outside of Mendocino County. With the help of a profiler, Luke finally gets the break he needs, as well as finding romance for himself. Tragedy strikes, and Luke is left despondent, unable to carry on as a detective. Can a fiery redhead from the FBI help him out of the slump?
Determined to leave the life of solving unsolvable homicides behind, Special Agent Rae Hatting tries to settle into a normal life with her adopted daughter, Grace. However, her reputation precedes her, and Rae finds herself back in the fray, called upon to help solve a series of gruesome fairy tale style murders in California. Her only obstacle is Detective Luke Thompson. Broody, stubborn, and an all-around pain in the ass, the pair must work together before another victim ends up never finding their happily ever after.
Amazon USA: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y1JJO9E
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00Y1JJO9E
October 9, 2015
Iron Mike: Blog Tour Post
A few months back, I met a lovely woman on one of my book groups. She had a partially finished novel, but wasn’t sure where to go from there. After reading it, I was blown away and determined to help her publish this awesome book. Editing, formatting, book covers, blurbs, and teasers followed, as well as countless messages of reassurance, going both ways. In the process, I gained a life-long friend. I’m pleased to present the promotional blog tour post for Patricia Rose’s Iron Mike!
Amazon Purchase Link: http://amzn.com/B015ELC31S
Blurb:
They came, but not in peace. They came to destroy us. Our cities crumbled. Our people died by the billions. Their weapons were sophisticated beyond our worst nightmare.
But they didn’t count on our stubborn tenacity or our will to live. We fight back, and we fight dirty.
Mike Sanderlin survived the first attack … but could he survive the war? How will he keep his sister safe in a world where terror swoops from the sky and looters claim the streets? Law and order are as forgotten as the bodies that rot in the sun.
To keep his sister alive, Mike changes. He becomes Iron Mike, a man unafraid of making the hard decisions, a man unafraid of war, of killing or being killed. Iron Mike isn’t afraid, period.
Iron Mike is a survivor.
Excerpt:
She’d driven about ten miles from Malik’s house, wending her way between wrecked vehicles and making it all the way through both of the Shepherdsville traffic lights before the car had started sputtering. Kari had been paying attention to Shepherdsville, not the fuel gauge. She’d been shocked at the state of the small town. None of the businesses had opened, and a lot of the store front windows and door frames had been shattered, contents from the stores strewn about the parking lots. People had already started looting? What the fuck was up with that?
She kept the Sig Sauer in her unzipped pocket, within easy reach. She had gone through Malik’s gun safe and now had three extra magazines in the back pocket of her jeans. She figured if she needed them, she was dead. If eleven rounds of 9mm weren’t enough to protect her, the extra magazines would be no better than paperweights.
Nothing to be done for it. Kari stepped out of the jeep and pulled out her heavy backpack, adjusting it over her shoulders and snapping the straps in front to balance the load. It wasn’t bad, she told herself. She’d seen plenty of soldiers jogging around post in full rucksacks, and a lot of them were women, too. If they could do it, so could she.
Kari squinted at the town of Shepherdsville behind her, then back up State Road 44, which she knew was at least half the mileage she needed to travel to Knox. Once she hit Dixie Highway, it was about another twelve to fifteen miles to the front gates on Brandenburg Station Road. She didn’t even consider cutting through the woods. Kari was a city girl, and she intended to arrive on the post alive, not wander in circles through unfamiliar terrain until she froze to death or got eaten by coyotes. If she stuck to the roads, she would get there eventually.
She walked for more than an hour, almost totally uphill, before hearing the first vehicle. Kari cautiously stepped off the side of the road, her legs backed against the guard rail. S.R. 44 was a two-lane cut-through to Dixie Highway, and it was twisty; with the light layer of snow, it would also be slippery.
The red pickup’s engine roared as the driver downshifted, and passed right by her. Kari pushed off from the guard rail to start walking again – stopping abruptly as she saw the brake lights and backup lights. She leaned back against the guard rail and waited.
She made her decision instantly when the passenger window rolled down, and the man leered at her with what he probably assumed was a pleasant smile. His eyes moved up her body from her heavy boots, jeans, to the shapeless heavy coat she wore and the long braid of brown hair covered with a thick stocking cap.
“Need a ride, sweet thing?” the driver asked, leaning forward so he could see around the passenger.
Kari smiled politely, but it was stiff. The man was smiling, but there was a meanness to his smile that made Kari’s radar go off. His red hair was greasy and unkempt and he looked like he hadn’t showered in a week. “No, thanks,” she replied. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t have far to go now.”
The passenger spoke, his voice making Kari’s skin crawl. “Aw, you really should come with us, miss. A pretty lady like you all alone in this crazy world, halfway up Martin Hill – it ain’t safe.”
“I’ll be fine,” Kari said politely. “Thank you again for the offer.”
She watched the crazy as it happened. The passenger’s pleasant leer fell from his face, and his eyes clouded with fury. “Bitch, you don’t know a good thing when you hear it,” he said, and opened his door, putting one foot on the snow.
Kari drew the Sig and aimed it right between the man’s eyes, thumbing the safety off in one smooth motion. He froze for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he assessed her. “You’re a cute little thing,” he said, a malicious eagerness in his voice. “Mine’s bigger.”
He moved his eyes to the gun rack on the back wall of the pickup where three large shotguns rested. Kari knew he wanted her to look at them, for her eyes to leave his so he could jump her. She didn’t oblige, keeping her eyes dead level on his.
“First shot takes out your rearview.” Her voice was oddly calm and quiet. Maybe all of Dad’s lectures and target practice hadn’t been wasted on her after all. “Second shot goes between your eyes and takes out you. Third shot the driver, if he’s still here.”
For a long moment, it was stalemate.
“Come on, Hank, let’s just go,” the driver whined. It was the wrong thing to say, because Hank was full of crazy, even if the driver didn’t know it, and his friend’s cowardice fueled his bravado. He shifted his weight so he stepped out of the truck.
Kari shot, the sound thundering down the ravine, echoing back to her. She was almost certain the man named Hank felt the bullet pass next to his head. It was a lucky shot. Not only did the rearview mirror break, but it broke cleanly in half, the wiring inside leaving both ends of the mirror dangling impressively and a neat round bullet hole in the windshield. Hank looked back, looking into Kari’s eyes again, his own narrowed meanly.
Kari didn’t react at all. She didn’t let victory or fear show on her face. “That’s one, Hank. Either get back in your truck, or come at me for number two.”
The driver, fortunately, kept his mouth shut this time. With a snarl, Hank shifted his weight back inside the vehicle and pulled his door closed with an angry slam. “I’ll find you again, cunt,” he sneered. “And when I do –“
Kari didn’t get to hear the rest of his threat because the driver peeled away before Hank could finish it.
Kari stood, adjusted her backpack and headed out with quick, confident steps.
She was her father’s daughter. She was nobody’s goddamned prey.
Review:
Dystopian/end of the world books are not my typical genre, so when I was asked to edit this novel, I went in with an open mind. Boy, was I absolutely blown away! Iron Mike is the story of a teenager, Mike Sanderlin, who is forced to grow up before his time when an unknown force wipes out nearly all the people on the planet. Those remaining must fight for survival against an alien race, determined to “harvest” planet Earth.
Wow doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt reading this novel. Instead of focusing on the details of the alien invasion, Patricia Rose brings you into the lives of the people directly impacted. You’ll laugh, cry, and love right alongside these wonderful characters, including an awesome dog named Hershey.
I recommend this book for anyone who wants to try something a little different. I couldn’t put it down, and I’m begging for more! I see many great things coming from this author in the future!
Winter roadAuthor Bio:
Patricia Rose was born a bookworm, and has never outgrown it. Her love of stories started with The Bobbsey Twins when she was five and continues today with the best offerings of science fiction, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance. An avid animal lover, she shares her home with her husband, her spiritual wife, two dogs, four cats, a snake, and a tarantula. Her husband, Kevin, has strongly advised her to put down her hammer, chisels, and stone tablets and come into the digital age!
Connect with Patricia Rose on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorPatriciaRose
September 30, 2015
The Secret King: Lethao Release Blitz!
Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Date Published: September 30, 2015
Kendro, King of the Aonise, can do nothing to prevent their sun from collapsing, consuming their home planet Letháo in a single fiery blast. Running out of time and options, he evacuates the entire population, setting off into the unknown galaxy in four crowded ships. Under constant danger from their ancient enemy, the Zefron, treasonous dissent seeps into his inner circle. Threatened inside and out, Kendro struggles with who to trust, until a mysterious vision finally brings hope to the distraught King. A new home awaits the Aonise, if Kendro can only unite them long enough to survive the journey.
EXCERPT
From Ch 2:
“I can’t help but worry.” Chace’s hands shook as he locked eyes with Octav. “You know we don’t have a destination.”
“You’re privy to that information.” Octav shot him a glare. “Do not speak of it.”
Chace stepped backed, “I’m sorry, Sir.”
Octav stared at Chace’s shimmering forearm where his birthmark betrayed his fear. Wearing their traditional uniforms had been Kendro’s idea. He’d hoped to bring calm to everyone, as their open birthmarks reflected their emotions. Winter wasn’t the time of year to be showing bare skin though, the chill Octav felt inside was almost un-bearable, not all of it from the weather.
Chace’s emotions were there for everyone to see, from the flicker across his striking facial mark, to the swirling pattern of his arm. He was terrified and more.
“Listen to me,” against his better judgment Octav reached for Chace. Pulling his own croex to the surface, Octav allowed it to trickle through into Chace’s skin. “Trust me. We might not know where we’re going, but we will find a new home.”
About the Author
Dawn Chapman has been creating sci fi and fantasy stories for thirty years. Until 2005 when her life and attention turned to scripts, and she started work on The Secret King, a 13 episode Sci Fi TV series, with great passion for this medium.
In 2010, Dawn returned to her first love of prose. She’s been working with coach EJ Runyon who’s encouraged her away from fast paced script writing, to revel in the world of TSK and Letháo as an epic prose space journey.
She’s had success with a web series, co-written with ‘Melvin Johnson’, produced by Nandar Entertainment, and a short film Irobe, also co-written. This year her experience of working with Producers/Directors from the US and AUS has expanded. From Drama, Sci Fi to Action, Dawn’s built a portfolio of writing, consulting and publishing.
Contact Links
Website
Twitter: @TeamSecretKing
Blog
TSK Productions
Purchase Links
Amazon link UK
Amazon US
September 16, 2015
DNF: Is it right to leave a review?
So, you’re reading a book, and by some chance, you DNF (do not finish, for those not in the self-publishing world). What do you do?
Lately, I’ve been seeing more and more of these reviews popping up on Amazon and Goodreads, but a question has plagued me. Is it right to leave a review when you do not finish a book? Let’s explore this.
Consider the following scenario: You’re reading a novel, get about halfway through, and realize the story just isn’t to your taste. There is nothing wrong with the editing or format, but something just doesn’t resonate with you. Do you leave a review?
My thoughts: No, you do not leave a review. It’s not the author’s fault you couldn’t get into the book. Leaving a low rating review will drag down their ranking on Amazon for something that is essentially a personal taste issue.
What would you do?
What about this: You’re reading a book that is quite poorly edited. There is no structure, no storyline, and nothing really of merit at all in the book. Do you leave a review?
My thoughts: Possibly. There is also the option of contacting Amazon to report the book. To me, this is the best thing to do as they can review it and contact the author directly. You might chance contacting the author yourself and constructively explaining what you felt could be improved. Maybe the author didn’t have a lot of support?
Finally: What if you don’t like the author as a person? Do you leave a review with personal attacks?
My thoughts: Obviously, a BIG RESOUNDING NO! No matter what, keep your reviews objective. You are there to critique the work of an author, not pick battles.
Overall, if you don’t finish a book, you have options. Leaving a review saying you didn’t finish and here’s why, isn’t really the best of choices.
I would love to hear some other views in the comments section! What do you do? Do you feel it’s right to leave a review if you don’t finish a book? Why or why not?
Happy reading!
August 23, 2015
Pre Order and Cover Reveal!
An amazing project that I’ve been honored to be a part of :-)
Originally posted on Kanundra's Blog:
TSK Productions Ltd, is so excited today to let you guys see our first book cover – and to show you the link’s for pre-order on Amazon.
A total labour of love. :) Please do let us know what you think
We had such a massive response from facebook tonight, I must admit I celebrated with one or two small drinks, the thing with doing TFR and coming off this diet is I get drunk pretty easily.
I’ve had a fantastic week, and you guys have made me smile all the more, thank you!
~ Dawn
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Secret-King/836723299691777
August 22, 2015
The Boys Club Blitz
A while back, I had the privilege of reviewing Angie Martin’s The Boys Club for Readers’ Favorite. At the time, I didn’t know Angie, but now, she’s become one of my coolest author pals.
Her book is now on sale for 99 cents, and this is a pure bargain, let me tell you!
Here is a little bit about the book:
Growing up a homeless juvenile delinquent left its mark on Gabriel Logan. He lived a throwaway existence until a former FBI agent recruited him for a fringe organization for boys like him, ones who could operate outside the law for the sake of justice. As an adult, he sets an example for the others and is slated to take over their group, until his work results in the murder of his pregnant wife.
Going through the motions of everyday life, Logan does only what’s required of him with one goal in mind: kill Hugh Langston, the man responsible for his wife’s death. When he’s handed the opportunity to bring Langston down, he jumps at the chance, but the job will challenge him more than anything in the past. Not only does he have to save Langston’s daughter from her father’s hit list, but the job seems to have come to them a little too easily. Logan must find a way to not only rescue the one woman who can take down his biggest enemy, but also look into the men he trusts most to discover which one of them is betraying The Boys Club.
Purchase Link:
http://bit.ly/theboysclubnovel
And here is my review:
The Boys Club by Angie Martin is a fast-paced thriller with a touch of romance. Gabe Logan has never been on the right side of the law until at age fifteen he’s offered a chance at turning his life around by a man named Jim Schaffer. Schaffer specializes in working jobs that other law enforcement organizations will not touch. He trains Logan to be one of the best. Then, a job comes along bringing an old nemesis back into Logan’s life, someone who took away Logan’s dearest possession. The daughter of this man, Sara Langston, is wanted by the FBI to testify against her father. Sara has been placed into an arranged marriage to further the career of one of her father’s employees, his right hand man. Will Logan be able to get Sara safely away from the controlling man, or will all the plans fall to pieces?
I really enjoyed reading The Boys Club. The characters were very well-written and relatable. I loved that each had flaws they struggled to overcome. Sara was my particular favorite, and I wanted to know more about her relationship with her mother. The story flowed beautifully, with just the right amount of twists and turns. I thought there could have been a bit more detail about how Logan gains Sara’s trust, but that was really my only possible criticism about the novel. I hope Miss Martin plans to write a sequel because I would very much like to see where the story would go from here. The Boys Club by Angie Martin is a brilliant read, and I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a bit of thriller and suspense.
Happy Reading!
August 15, 2015
Saturday Night Treat: Misfortune CH 1
Tease? I think not!
Chapter 1
Rae
“No way. I don’t believe in any of that stuff.” Luke shook his head as we studied the crime scene photos splayed across the desk.
“I thought you were all about spirits and nature.” I teased, flipping through the reports by local law enforcement.
Luke flopped into a chair, “That’s different, Rae. That can be explained. I think most of these people are just taking advantage of the naïve.”
Our first case together, and he was already skeptical of everything. Great. “You do know if this is going to work, we have to associate with these people, right?”
“Yeah, not by choice, Rae.” He flicked a picture my way.
There certainly was a clear MO to the crimes. All the victims so far had either been positioned like tarot card images, or dumped somewhere that exemplified the meaning of the cards. I wasn’t saying I believed in fortune telling either. The latest victim was clearly positioned like The Hanged Man.
I read a portion of the report aloud. “‘The Hanged Man typically means sacrifice, or giving up on something important. Traitors in Italy were punished by being hanged in this position.’ That’s downright creepy.”
Luke had gotten up by this point, disappearing out of the conference room and heading to the kitchen. I swore under my breath, irritated that he had wandered out while I was reading him something possibly pertinent to the case. When he reappeared with two mugs of coffee, I was tempted to forgive him. Almost.
“Could you please try to focus? I really would like to remain in this division.”
He placed the cups down, and sat again. “Sorry, needed some fuel. Are we travelling for this one?”
“A little, yeah. The majority of body dumps are happening in D.C.” I breathed in the aroma of the coffee, colored perfectly with the right amount of creamer. He was learning, I supposed.
Chuckling, he spun the file away from me again. “Fitting. Loads of traitors in that part of the country.”
I tucked a strand of my auburn hair behind my ear and narrowed my eyes. His flippant attitude was starting to rub me the wrong way. “Hey, mister, we have a job to do. Uphold the Constitution, protect from all enemies, etc., etc.?
Ruffling his own blondish brown hair, Luke fixed those stormy eyes on me and sighed. “I’ll try to behave. Just let it be known I hate those charlatans.”
“Duly noted.” I swiped it out of his hands and buried my head back into the file. All was silent for a few moment until Luke broke my train of thought…again.
He was rocking back and forth in the chair. “So, when do we leave?”
I gritted my teeth. Was he really this annoying before? “Tomorrow morning. We will meet the Metropolitan Police Department as soon as we get there.”
“Right.”
Unable to really sit there any longer, I got up and wandered back to my desk, dropping the folder on the surface. Luke had settled into the division very well. He already made friends with most of the agents. I was baffled by his sudden change in attitude, but attributed it to finally letting go of Melinda.
I smiled briefly up at the agent dropping off a manila envelope with our travel information. I opened up the package, reading over the information for the man in charge of the investigation to this point. Detective Mark Samuels was a career man, no family, divorced twice, and still relatively young by department standards. It was he who pushed for FBI involvement.
“Finally, someone sensible.”
Luke appeared out of nowhere. “Who, Red?”
I scowled. “Don’t call me, ‘Red.’”
“Lighten up, Rae. Now, who is sensible?” He sat on the edge of my desk, thumbing through the papers.
I snatched them away. “Detective Samuels, the lead on the case, and our sole contact while we’re in D.C.” I put everything away and grabbed my bag. “You should go home and pack. I don’t like to be late, Thompson.”
He started to laugh. The jerk started to laugh! I was fuming as I stomped out of the office in a huff. Damn him. I didn’t like to feel so out of control! Well, I was ready to show him what Rae Hatting was capable of, with or without some cowboy cop! I slammed my fist into the elevator button, causing several agents nearby to jump and glance over. I shrunk into my jacket, slightly ashamed of my out-of-control behavior. Calm, collected, pulled together Rae Hatting. That was who I was before all this. I just had to find her again.
Unlocking the door to my house was the nicest feeling in the world. Placing my bag on the hook by the door, I shrugged out of my coat, and thumbed through the mail. “Grace? Are you home?”
“Yeah! Just finishing some homework.” My sixteen year old daughter came out of the bedroom a few moments later, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder. I smiled, but it shrank from my face as she was followed by her current boyfriend, Seth. I knew I had to trust Grace, but having boys in the house alone still rubbed me the wrong way.
“Evening, Agent Hatting.” We had established early on my profession, and that I would take little grief from him. I should be kinder to him. He was a straight-A student, on the high school football team, and had two loving parents. I may have run a background check on him.
“Hello, Seth.” I tried my best to restore my smile. “Have you two had dinner?”
Grace looped her fingers through Seth’s. “No, we were going to see if it was okay to order pizza?”
“Sure. You know I’m going out of town tomorrow, right?” I went into the kitchen and thumbed through the menus.
Seth kissed Grace on the cheek and moved over to the TV, switching it on.
“Yes, Mom. I know I’m going to Cary’s.”
“Good, are you packed? I’m not sure how long I’ll be away, but I will let you know when I do.” I dialed the number, ordering two large pepperoni pizzas and a bottle of Coke.
Grace came over and wrapped me in a hug. “Yes, Mom.” She whispered up. “Seth asked me to the winter formal!”
I squeezed her back. “That’s great, sweetie. It’s not for a few months, so we can go dress shopping when I get back.”
Grinning like she had just won first prize in a contest, Grace went to the living room, curling up on the couch next to Seth. I sighed. Did all moms go through this? I went off to the bedroom to pack for the trip, trying to ignore the couple of hormonal teenagers in my living room.
~~~
Luke
I was left leaning on Rae’s desk, scratching my head in wonder. I got up and meandered back to my desk, pulling on my old, worn leather jacket. I missed my motorcycle, hoping I could get it shipped out soon. Frank was taking good care of her, or so he said. Shoving my hands in my pockets, I made my way to the elevator leading to the parking garage. The used blue Nissan was little substitute for my pick-up, but traversed the streets with ease. I got in, and turned on some Blake Shelton, rolling down the window and driving out, waving to the guard.
I wove through evening traffic, finally making it to the one bedroom apartment I rented. It was hard not to miss the quiet forest sounds, and I made a mental note to get a place as far away from the city as soon as I could. Steering into my numbered parking spot, I got out and climbed the stairs, unlocking the chipped door. Needing background noise, I turned on the TV immediately, finding Monday Night Football with a relieved sigh.
Tossing the remote on the leather recliner, I headed to the kitchen, my stomach growling. I had a carton of eggs and some miscellaneous vegetables. I muttered to myself, “Guess it’s omelette night.” No point in going to the store when I would be gone for a while. Pulling out a frying pan and bowl, I began to crack eggs when my phone rang. I put it on speaker.
“Hello?” I hadn’t checked the caller ID.
“Luke? It’s your mother. Since when do I not get a call from you?”
I made a mental count. Shit. It had been nearly two weeks. “Sorry, Ma. Just getting into all the procedure and that. We got our first case though.”
“And how’s that lovely Agent Hatting? She certainly is something.”
I raised my palm to my forehead, groaning as I got sticky egg white in my hair. I grabbed for a dish towel. “She’s a royal pain in the ass.”
“Language! Anyways, I wanted to see how you are. Are you going out of town?” There was a worried sound to her tone.
I grabbed a fork, whipping the eggs. “Yes, don’t worry, Ma. I’ll be fine. I promise I’ll phone to check in. How’s Frank?” I changed the subject.
“He’s fine! I went up to check on him, and bring him some fresh vegetables. I swear, that man lives on fast food!”
Nothing changes. “Yeah, that’s Frank.” I knew the divorce had hit him hard, so he was grateful to have my cabin now.
“Ginny Hatting has been up a couple of times. She’s so sweet.”
Ginny? Oh, right. Rae’s mom. “She has?”
“Mmhmm. Oh, look, I have to go. You take care, sweetheart.” Click.
I grumbled, grabbing a knife and the cutting board, sufficiently irritated now by the cryptic nature of my ma’s phone call. Finalizing the preparation for my food, the phone rang again. This time, I did check for the caller ID. It was Rae.
“What’s up, Hatting?” We were back to surnames now, based on her recent outburst.
“Just wanted to make sure you were going to be ready at 8am.”
She had forgotten to let me know what time we were leaving back at the office. Must have taken some nerve to call me now. I laughed to myself. “Thanks, Hatting. Hey, did you know your mom visits my ma?” Silence. “Rae?”
“Huh? Yeah, umm, I have to go. See you tomorrow.” Click.
I raised my eyebrows, staring at the phone. What was with these women? I shook my head in awe, finally able to get the eggs and vegetables into the pan. I hummed to myself as I cooked, glancing occasionally at the score. I scooped my monster omelette onto a plate, and took a cold beer from the fridge, sitting down in the recliner. The beer slid down beautifully, along with my hastily prepared dinner.
When I finished, I grabbed my laptop, keen to do some of my own research on this serial killer. There were a few newspaper articles about the killings with vague theories from over-eager reporters. Detective Samuels was tight-lipped, offering little or no comment on anything asked of him. Knowing Rae’s proclivity to take all the paperwork home, I had requested a back-up file before we left. I opened the attachments.
‘The Hanged Man’ was the third distinct body dump to date, but the fourth actual victim. There were a couple of suspected related murders, but nothing could be concretely linked to this killer. I scanned the images of the other victims. The first one was easily ‘The Lovers.’ Heck, I recognized it without the report, chuckling at my memories from Live and Let Die. Jane Seymour as Solitaire was a favorite of mine. Boyhood crush.
Snapping back to reality, I studied the victims’ profiles. There were two bodies, each identified as Georgetown University students, reported missing by their roommates. After investigation, Samuels noted that both were cheating on their respective partners. He interviewed several possible suspects, but none proved fruitful. Another dead-end for the dedicated detective.
I pulled up a web browser and typed in ‘The Lovers tarot,’ yielding a plethora of sites claiming to offer free and cheap readings. I waded through the crap to find the meaning of the cards. I was starting to find interpretations based on different schools of thought. I frowned, thinking finding the one specific to our killer would be a chore and a half. I glanced down, reading the computer clock. It was past eleven, and I hadn’t even packed yet. Reaching for my laptop bag, I stuffed the computer in and stalked to the bedroom.
My trusty duffle bag was waiting at the bottom of my closet. It had traveled with me from Dallas, to Mendocino County, to San Francisco, and then to Quantico. I pulled out the necessary items and stuffed them in, taking a trip to the bathroom to half-fill my toiletry bag. By the time I finished, the red numbers on my alarm clock flashed after midnight. I stripped, and fell into the sheets, setting my alarm for just before seven. I wanted to get in a run prior to leaving.
Waking up in a cold sweat was something I had gotten used to. The nightmares were especially vivid. I squinted over at the clock, noting it was just after five in the morning. Unable to settle my mind down, I went and splashed water on my face, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I turned on the shower and stepped into the spray. There was no point in going back to sleep now, as the demons would be waiting for me. Soon, I could replace the haunting visions with new ones, but in the meantime, I would cope with the old ones the best way I knew how.
August 4, 2015
Execution Style Release!
Title: Execution Style
Series: Code-11 KPD SWAT #4
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Miller Spurlock might seem like a laid back man on the outside, but piss him off, or violate his trust, and he’ll show you the meaning of pain.
He was a Navy SEAL. He could kill a man a hundred different ways and not break a sweat.
He’s also a police officer and member of the SWAT team, which means he has the knowledge and skills to get away with it.
Rage boils in his gut when he witnesses what happens to the beautiful Mercy Shepherd during a SWAT op from hell that even his worst nightmare couldn’t conjure up. And it surprises the hell out of him when she wants him, and him only, to comfort her in the aftermath.
Miller becomes the one shining beacon of light at the bottom of Mercy’s pit of despair.
The one man that could pull her through the rough days ahead and make her whole again.
And during her road back to herself, she realizes that she’s got the one thing she ever wanted in life…a hero to call her own.
I walked beside Viddy as we walked down the hallway from the plane’s exit.
My eyes were on Trance, who was, indeed, drunk. He was barely putting one foot in front of the other, and I honestly didn’t know how he was walking with the amount of alcohol he’d consumed.
He hadn’t looked that drunk when he’d been sitting; although, once he’d stood up that all had changed.
Miller, however, had been expecting it because he caught him before his knees even had a chance to buckle.
“What’s the deal here? Why does he hate to fly so much?” I asked, turning my gaze to Viddy.
Her mouth curled in the corner as she said, “I don’t think he has a ‘reason.’
More, I just think it’s a phobia of his. He says he’s had it since he was a teenager when 9-11 happened. I don’t blame him. That day affected us all.
Some large, and some small. But still just as important.”
I nodded.
I could see how that’d scare him. Hell, I couldn’t say that it hadn’t crossed my mind as the plane started taking off.
We stayed silent as we walked down the hallway, and into the main part of the airport.
I could hear boots clunking behind me, and I looked over my shoulder to see Silas there.
Silas, I’d found out, was the president of the motorcycle club that Trance belonged to.
He was in his early fifties, from what I’d been told, but the man could totally pass for late thirties. I hadn’t realized he was the father of Sebastian. Another man I’d met only today.
Sebastian and Silas looked as if they could be brothers, instead of father and son.
Silas smiled at me when he caught my eyes on him, and gave me a wink.
“You ready to meet the parents?” He asked.
I blinked, then started getting nervous.
Of course, it’d occurred to me that I was meeting Miller’s parents…but I hadn’t thought about how important it was…this initial meeting. I wanted to make a good impression.
Which was why, when I saw the bathroom just before we got to the baggage claim where we were to be meeting, I darted inside and went straight towards a stall. Where I promptly started to hyperventilate.
I sat down and buried my face in my hands, leaning forward to try to circumvent the panic I could feel rising at an alarming rate.
What if they didn’t like me?
Would Miller think differently of me?
Hell, Miller didn’t feel anything for me. How could he?
He hadn’t made so much as an ass grab since I’d forced him to fuck me.
The door to the stall opened and I halted my sobs.
Silent tears tracked down my face as I waited for whomever was outside the stalls to finish the fuck up so I could resume my sob fest.
Except whomever it was didn’t just leave.
“What’s wrong?” Miller said from above me.
I screamed.
Like a little bitch.
“What the hell, Miller! What have I told you about boundaries?” I yelled, yanking my pants up and turning to glare up at him.
He started to grin unrepentantly at me before he saw the tears in my eyes, then he frowned.
“What’s wrong?” He demanded.
Then he literally jumped over the stall.
I wasn’t sure how he did it, but one second he was on the other side, and the next he was gathering me into his arms.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said lamely.
He chuffed. “Get over it and tell me what the fuck is wrong.”
Always so elegant, my Miller.
“What if they don’t like me?” I whispered fiercely.
His eyes softened as he cupped my face. “They’ll like you, honey. You’ve already got my brothers wrapped around your finger. And we’ve got our parents wrapped around ours. Trust me, it’ll all be okay. I wouldn’t have brought you here if I didn’t think they’d like you.”
I closed my eyes and leaned my head against his chest.
“Okay,” I sighed. “Let’s go.”
He took my hand, stopped for a squirt of the hand sanitizer dispenser, and pulled open the door to the bathroom.
I hadn’t even made it out three feet past the threshold when a barrel of energy hit me, gathering me up in her arms and pulling me into her.
“Oh,” the woman, who I guessed was Miller’s mother, said. “I’ve been waiting for you for thirty five years.”
I blinked. “Thirty five years?”
She nodded. “The moment I had Miller, I knew I was only ever going to have boys. But I knew that one day Miller would get married, and I’d have a daughter.”
“Hey, what about me?” Viddy teased from the chair beside Trance’s slumped form.
“I like her,” his mother whispered. “But you are exactly as I’d pictured my daughter in law to be.”
Then she turned around to Viddy. “No offense.”
She smiled. “None taken, Sloan. I know Miller’s your favorite.”
Sloan, Miller’s mother, nodded. “That’s true,” turning back to me. “He is my favorite.”
My jaw dropped. “You have a favorite child?”
She nodded. “He’s the only one that I got drugs with when I was birthing them. I don’t care what the heck you say. You don’t forget. You remember everything about the birthing experience, and those other two kids left me with scars. Horrible, ugly scars.”
My eyes widened and I turned my face up to Miller’s to see him smiling.
That smile was contagious, though.
It caught on my face, and when I turned back to Sloan I said, “I think I’m going to love you.”
She beamed. Positively beamed.
I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 5, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us. I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.
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