Jennifer Senhaji's Blog, page 2
September 21, 2015
Romance for singles and how to meet your mate by accident
Romance and relationships, in my opinion, are not to be found in the local meat market. Maybe you get lucky with a one-night stand that leads to more, but most likely not.I’m not an outgoing person. I'm reserved and friendly to those who know me, but I’m not the type to put myself out there. But I’m married. I’m not single. I was horrible at being single. So how did I find my partner? By accident, when I was least expecting it, on a trip to Morocco. Have I mentioned how much I love to travel?
Okay, so why is a married woman giving advice to single people on romance? Because romance is not just for people in relationships.
It’s for everyone. Single, married, poly, dating, etc.
First piece of advice: Do what you enjoy. Find activities that interest you. If you're into wine, join a wine club. If you're into books, go to book signings. If you're into art, go to gallery showings. If you love to travel, do it. More outdoorsy? Join a hiking or biking club. Sports lover? Go to games or join and adult league sports team. Romantic film buff? Search and find those old movie showings in the park or at your local theatre. Enjoy gaming or cosplay? Find a group in your area and embrace your geek.
See where I’m going with this. Instead of spending your time at bars, waiting to pick up your next regret, get out there and do the things YOU love. Engage in activities or hobbies that interest you. Don’t spend your weekends mopping around the house because you don’t have a date. Go do something. Enjoy yourself. You'll find others that share your interests and have a lot of fun.
Second piece of advice: Self-love is key. Yes, making sure you have the tools or toys to keep yourself satisfied while you wait for the love of your life to appear and rock your world is helpful. But I’m talking about taking time to love yourself in other ways. Pamper yourself. Take a sensual bath. Go get a massage. Get your hair or nails done. Doll yourself up. Treat yourself to an expensive dinner out and take a book to read if you’re self-conscious about sitting alone in a fancy restaurant. Enjoy a nice glass of wine or a cocktail. Take a cab home. Why do you need a date to go out for a nice dinner?
Third piece of advice: Value yourself. Confident, happy people are sexy. Don’t sell yourself short. If you’re a list maker, make a list of your positives. Leave out all the negatives and focus on the things that make you the awesome person you are. Hold your head up and smile. Be friendly and be yourself. No one likes a phony. Sincerity goes a long way.
I was born and raised in San Francisco, CA, and have a husband and two children. Music is an addiction. I can often be found in the car, singing along at the top of my lungs to whatever is playing. I work full time, and I split my spare time between family, reading, blogging, and writing. I’m a habitual quoter. Lines from films and TV shows constantly pop into my head—my kids are the only ones that really get it. I’m an only child, and so of course I married a man who is one of ten children. Other than English, I speak Spanish, Moroccan, and a little French. I love to travel, but don’t do enough of it. Reading has been a passion for most of my life and I now love writing. I’m klutz, and in my own mind, I’m hilarious.
Signup to join My Dream Team: http://eepurl.com/bjAzz1Find me and all my books at http://www.yoursweetandspicyromanceauthor.com/
September 14, 2015
How to find the romance that's missing in your relationship
What does romance mean exactly and how can I find it?
Well, romance is different for everyone. What I find romantic may cause you to gag and vice versa. But the point is to find and implement those romantic ideas into your own relationships or lives.
Why?
Because… in my opinion, love is the meaning of life; to love and be loved. Love is what makes the world go round. You could have money, fame, intelligence, but it all means nothing, again in my opinion, without love.
Love comes in many forms: Love between children and parents, brothers and sisters, our fellow human beings, pets, etc. There is also love for my country, the earth, the wonder that is the universe, and of course self-love.
However, today I’ll be talking about that oh-so-hard-to-find relationship love, between two adults, or more if you are poly amorous. It alludes many people and seems that only a few are lucky enough to find true love; the kind in movies and romance novels.
Romance is not hard to create or find. It all comes down to thoughtfulness. Putting your partner’s needs and feelings above your own. Bring flowers home just because. Give an unsolicited massage or foot rub. Light some candles. Take a drive to gaze at the stars. Cook a sexy meal and eat dessert off of each other.
Take time to observe your partner in a casual setting. On a daily bases, it’s so easy to complain about all the little things that drive us crazy. But what about the reasons you fell in love with that person? If you’re a list maker, make a list, and then tell your partner all the reasons you love them. In a relationship that has expired its “new” stage, like my marriage of fifteen years, it’s important to remember why you chose this person to begin with.
For example: I was at a birthday party recently with my husband. He is very outgoing. The kind of guy that knows everyone and everyone knows. I’m not. I’m friendly to those I’m acquainted with, but much more reserved in social settings than he is. I certainly wouldn’t call myself outgoing by any means. I mingled and talked to those I knew. I played with my nephews and watched my son swimming. At one point, I sat down and observed my husband as he laughed and talked to a few of his friends. He was freaking hot as hell in his element. So handsome and his smile made me light up just watching him. He didn’t notice, but on the way home I told him I had been watching him. When he asked why, I let him know that I was fascinated by how exuberant he was and so damn sexy. It made his day.
On the flip side, my husband is one of those that calls constantly. He doesn’t like to be alone, unlike me who covets my alone time. So when he’s bored, he calls me. At work, at home. All the time. It drives me nuts. I spend most of my time at the day job on the phone, and I can’t stand phone calls. But he never gets tired of calling. Now, I try my best to see it for what it is; not only a cure for his boredom, but that he’s thinking of me and wants to connect. Still frustrates me to all hell, especially when I’m busy, but I love him for the attention. He reinforces this during our time alone by telling me he’s not sure what I’ve done to him, but he can’t get enough of me. Makes me feel like the luckiest woman on earth.
Romance is easy to come by. Stop looking at the negatives and focus on the positives. Take time to focus on your partner’s needs and don’t forget to tell them why you love them. It’s the most romantic thing in the world to hear why someone loves you.
I was born and raised in San Francisco, CA, and have a husband and two children. Music is an addiction. I can often be found in the car, singing along at the top of my lungs to whatever is playing. I work full time, and I split my spare time between family, reading, blogging, and writing. I’m a habitual quoter. Lines from films and TV shows constantly pop into my head—my kids are the only ones that really get it. I’m an only child, and so of course I married a man who is one of ten children. Other than English, I speak Spanish, Moroccan, and a little French. I love to travel, but don’t do enough of it. Reading has been a passion for most of my life and I now love writing. I’m klutz, and in my own mind, I’m hilarious. You can find me and all my books at www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com Signup to join My Dream Team: http://eepurl.com/bjAzz1August 24, 2015
Back in the Saddle
Hey there all you romance lovers, long time no see. I’ve been taking a break; a break from writing, blogging, and marketing. But I’m back in the saddle.My last release, Choosing to Dream, took a lot out of me. I love my book and am thrilled it’s out there in the world looking for love from romance readers like you. But the week I took off from the day job to push the release, left me with a month-long marketing hangover.
Marketing, for lack of a better term, is a selfish bitch. She takes and takes until there’s nothing left, but it’s part of the package when you’re a writer who wants actual human beings to read your work. So, I did it. Yay!
Now what?
Now I’m finally ready to re-enter the writing world. I never left completely, but I haven’t written anything new for quite some time.
Time to face my laptop again and organize all the ideas that have been swimming around in my head for my next book. I have a general outline, but I’ve been thinking a lot about backstory and specific scenes. With the way this book has been coming together in my head, I may end up writing it scene by scene instead of in order. I’ve never written that way before as my stories always come to me in chronological order, but sometimes it’s hard to control the creative juices, and there are scenes toward the end of the book that I want to get down on paper as soon as possible.
So what did I do as soon as I sat down at the park on Sunday with pencil and notebook in hand? I wrote the first draft of chapter one. Go figure.
The truth about my writing life is I don’t write every day. But I wrote yesterday, and am hoping to write another scene out tonight. Time to dust off my riding boots, or writing boots…
Do you find taking breaks help or inhibit your creativity? Sound off.
Signup to join My Dream Team: http://eepurl.com/bjAzz1 Find me at www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com August 2, 2015
A Local Escape
Taking a break from… everything, sure does help a lot. As most of you dear readers know I recently published two books: Sea Breeze and Choosing to Dream. Exciting yet exhausting. As soon as I was done, I cut way back on my writing and marketing efforts. Why?For my own sanity.
I love writing, love learning the ins and outs of the business, but sometimes I just need to get away. Since I recently used my vacation time to publish and market aforementioned books, I couldn’t actually take a vacation. So I escaped into the comfort of reading. I’ve been reading a lot.
It’s no wonder the theme song from that beloved sitcom set in a charming Bostonian bar has been running through my head all week.
Here’s a rundown of what I’ve read over the last ten days:
The Brannock Siblings Series, Books 1-4 by Jessica Wilde. Fabulous romance series, with a touch of suspense. I enjoyed every minute of all four novels. Jessica Wilde really knows how to write a hero. I can't decide which one of these guys I enjoyed most. I highly recommend this series. 
Shades of Blue by Dana Tanaro Britt. A lovely romance set on a tropical island with characters who have a knack for random trivia. Not unlike an annoying yet hilarious mail carrier who could be found at the end of a bar each Thursday night. Coincidently, the hero of this book is the owner of a bar.
Oceans Over You by Melina Gillies. A sweet and quick novella set on the high seas. What do you do when you get a second chance with your first love? Great read.
Lost and Found by Kay Blake. Another quick read set on the high seas (my way of escaping on a cruise ship without leaving the house) about an artist and a man who lost his daughter and his wife.
The Half Killed by Quenby Olson. I’m currently reading this historical thriller and completely under the author’s thrall. Fabulous from the get go, I can’t wait to see what happens. I highly recommend everyone one-click this one right now.If you were counting, that’s eight books. Good times. Now I just need a beer. Where’s Malone?
I was born and raised in San Francisco, CA, and have a husband and two children. Music is an addiction. I can often be found in the car, singing along at the top of my lungs to whatever is playing. I work full time, and I split my spare time between family, reading, blogging, and writing. I’m a habitual quoter. Lines from films and TV shows constantly pop into my head—my kids are the only ones that really get it. I’m an only child, and so of course I married a man who is one of ten children. Other than English, I speak Spanish, Moroccan, and a little French. I love to travel, but don’t do enough of it. Reading has been a passion for most of my life and I now love writing. I’m klutz, and in my own mind, I’m hilarious.Find me at www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com
Signup to join My Dream Team: http://eepurl.com/bjAzz1
July 20, 2015
Marketing is freaking exhausting
I just released a book last Friday. If you haven’t heard, then you’ve either been living under a rock or all my marketing efforts were a waste. Either way, I’m exhausted. Was it worth it? Let’s see…Writers and aspiring authors everywhere: Please be advised that writing is the easy part. Marketing, spreading the word about your wonderful books, finding readers, is the hard part.
Really hard. Suck-all-your-energy-away-until-you-are-rocking-in-a-corner hard part and have no energy left to write.
I love interacting with readers. I enjoy social networking. I enjoy blogging, tweeting and posting to Google+ and Facebook. I do these things on a regular basis to make connections, interact and build relationships with readers and fellow writers.
While working on the release of Choosing to Dream, I pushed my marketing into high gear on all my social networks, hopefully enough to get the word out and not too much that I started to annoy people. Crosses fingers.
I also ran an ad on Facebook while putting my first book in the series, Sweet Dreams, on sale for $0.99 for the four days before my release of the sequel.
In addition to the above, I submitted my book to a few bloggers for review, which haven’t come back yet, created and promoted a book trailer, and submitted the sale of Sweet Dreams to a few sale sites that offer free ads.Next, I organized my own blog tour. I have a beautiful group of writing friends who agreed to host a guest post, excerpt, or interview on their blogs, hopefully extending my reach to their followers.
Lastly, I had a seven-hour release day bash on Facebook, hosted by PageCurl Publishing and Promotion. It was awesome. We had thirteen hosts, including me, each with a thirty-minute slot. Great interaction from readers, a ton of giveaways, and great authors, all made the event a success, not to mention the tireless work of my PA, Melody. By the end of the event, my eyes were read, sore, watering, and I could barely keep them open, I was so exhausted.
The results: Great exposure for my new release, new subscribers to my mailing list, new followers on social media, and new romance lovers reading my books, not to mention a huge bump in my ranking on Amazon. I couldn’t have done any of it without my awesome team at PageCurl Publishing andPromotion. But I am exhausted. My friend ran a 3 day marathon, I just feel like I did. It was worth it and I will do it all again for the next big release, but between then and now, I will be taking a little break. Oh, I’ll still be blogging and posting on social, but I will be cutting way back on my marketing efforts. I should probably continue full steam ahead, but honestly, I need a break. I want to start writing again. I haven’t written anything new in quite some time. Time to write.
Oh, and if you’d like to read my books and newest release, you can find them here.
Because the marketing doesn’t ever really end.
Jennifer Senhaji was born and raised in San Francisco, CA, and is married with two children. If she’s not singing along at the top of her lungs to whatever is playing on the radio, you can find her making music playlists at home on her laptop. She works full time and splits her spare time between family, reading, blogging, and writing. Other than English, Jennifer speaks Spanish, Moroccan, and a little French. She loves to travel, but doesn’t do enough of it and will weave places she has gone or wants to go into her stories. Reading has been a passion for most of her life and she loves to write. She calls herself Your Sweet and Spicy Romance Author because she loves the sweet nuances of new love, but also is a bit of a voyeur and wants to be in the bedroom when the characters finally come together. You can find Jennifer and all her book links and social media links on her website at www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com
July 13, 2015
Real Romance
The romance novels of old spoke of refined ladies, dapper gentlemen, saucy wenches, and sexy scoundrels. In today’s contemporary romance novels, you’ll still find all of the above, but you’ll also find strong heroines, capable of saving themselves.But romance isn’t always romantic, just like people aren’t always perfect. That’s what makes it and them genuine.
What do I mean?
· Heroes aren’t perfect. They are flawed beings that have heroic moments. When put to a test, they may fail a few times, but eventually will do the right thing.
· Sex is messy. Yep, there’s this thing called gravity and physics and fluids don’t stay where you want them to. I write great sex. Maybe not always realistic, but fan-freaking-tastic. However, there will be times when things get a little awkward. Because in real life, that happens.
· Bodily functions: Yep, we all have them, including fictional characters.
· Insecurities. You may be a strong person, but everyone has insecurities. Love is one of the easiest things to misread. Why? Because we are all so ready to believe something negative than something positive, we overlook that person who is head-over-heels in love with all our flaws.
Does this mean that my books are full of self-depreciating assholes who fart while having sex?
No. But there will be real doubt, real flaws, real problems, and maybe an occasional fart, because sex can also be funny.Do you enjoy real life quirks in your romance novels or do you want it all to be fantastical bliss?
I was born and raised in San Francisco, CA, and have a husband and two children. Music is an addiction. I can often be found in the car, singing along at the top of my lungs to whatever is playing. I work full time, and I split my spare time between family, reading, blogging, and writing. I’m a habitual quoter. Lines from films and TV shows constantly pop into my head—my kids are the only ones that really get it. I’m an only child, and so of course I married a man who is one of ten children. Other than English, I speak Spanish, Moroccan, and a little French. I love to travel, but don’t do enough of it. Reading has been a passion for most of my life and I now love writing. I’m klutz, and in my own mind, I’m hilarious.Find me at www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com
Choosing to Dream, Book 2 in the Sunset Dreams Series, Releases Friday, July 17th, 2015. Join my release day bash by clicking on the photo below.
July 6, 2015
Cover Reveal and Teaser for Protector by Jessica Wilde
I am pleased to reveal the cover of Protector, by Jessica Wilde.
Jessica is my biggest fan. It wasn't until I read her review of my second book, Sea Breeze, that I realized she was also an author, and a best selling author at that. Wow. So of course, I had to find out more about her books.Her best selling series, The Brannock Siblings, has a brand new book coming out the same day as my new release, Choosing to Dream. So cool. So, let's take a peek at the new cover, a synopsis, and a little teaser for Protector, Book 4 of The Brannock Siblings Series.
Title: Protector (The Brannock Siblings #4)
Author: Jessica Wilde
Release Date: July 17, 2015
Hosted by: Always Behind A Book
Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25075346-protector Isabelle Brannock was adored by her children in every possible way. Her ability to love reflects in each of them and to this day, they remember the never ending happiness she and their father, Liam, shared. However, life wasn't always beautiful and their magnificent mother kept her dark secrets buried away so her children would always remember that family is the most important thing. Liam Brannock has watched his children find that same happiness he knew so well and, as a father, he couldn't be prouder. Knowing that the struggles each of them endured were worth the sacrifices they made to find the love of their lives, he finally feels content with revealing the secrets Isabelle worked so hard to keep. Liam tells his children the story of how he met their mother and the secrets they never suspected would be possible for a woman who lived each day showing her children that love conquers all. Note to readers: This is Liam and Isabelle's story as well as updates on Ash, Con, and Gus. This cannot be read as a standalone. Series Order: Book 1 - Leverage Book 2 - Conned Book 3 - Missing Book 4 – Protector
Pre-Order Protector on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GUyGGk
About the Author: I live in Morgan Utah with my husband, daughter, and dog, Kolo. I write as often as my active daughter will let me and my husband has the patience of a saint. I find inspiration from dreams, people I meet, and life experiences. When I write, I usually end up drinking one too many cans of Peace Tea, eating three too many Fruit by the Foot fruit snacks, and accidently kicking my pup and best buddy, Kolo, too many times since he loves to sleep under my desk at my feet. I started writing as a teen, but my fear of the unknown won out every time and I threw everything out. After becoming a mother and deciding to stay at home to raise my beautiful little girl, I tried again when I couldn't stop thinking of ideas. I loved every minute, every hour of sleep lost, and every character that came to life in my mind. It's strange, but my favorite moments are when I have writer's block because I can turn to my husband and find inspiration through him by just doing what we do best together. Talking, laughing, and just being in love. He doesn't like to read, but he never stops encouraging me to keep going. Writing has become an important part of my life and every book has a special place in my heart. Love this lady. Follow Jessica: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJessicaWilde Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jessica-Wilde/e/B00GM4YNWO/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaWilde9 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7373464.Jessica_Wilde Tsu: https://www.tsu.co/JessicaWilde Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Jessicawildeauthor Hosted By Always Behind A Book: https://www.facebook.com/AlwaysBehindABook
You can find me and all my social media links on my website at www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com Signup to join my Dream Team to receive sneak peeks and access to my sweet and spicy tips. http://eepurl.com/bjAzz1
Choosing to Dream, Book 2 in my Sunset Dreams Series, releases July 17, 2015 and is now available for pre-order. http://amzn.com/B0103BEN9Y
Thanks for reading.
Jessica is my biggest fan. It wasn't until I read her review of my second book, Sea Breeze, that I realized she was also an author, and a best selling author at that. Wow. So of course, I had to find out more about her books.Her best selling series, The Brannock Siblings, has a brand new book coming out the same day as my new release, Choosing to Dream. So cool. So, let's take a peek at the new cover, a synopsis, and a little teaser for Protector, Book 4 of The Brannock Siblings Series.
Title: Protector (The Brannock Siblings #4)
Author: Jessica Wilde
Release Date: July 17, 2015
Hosted by: Always Behind A Book
Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25075346-protector Isabelle Brannock was adored by her children in every possible way. Her ability to love reflects in each of them and to this day, they remember the never ending happiness she and their father, Liam, shared. However, life wasn't always beautiful and their magnificent mother kept her dark secrets buried away so her children would always remember that family is the most important thing. Liam Brannock has watched his children find that same happiness he knew so well and, as a father, he couldn't be prouder. Knowing that the struggles each of them endured were worth the sacrifices they made to find the love of their lives, he finally feels content with revealing the secrets Isabelle worked so hard to keep. Liam tells his children the story of how he met their mother and the secrets they never suspected would be possible for a woman who lived each day showing her children that love conquers all. Note to readers: This is Liam and Isabelle's story as well as updates on Ash, Con, and Gus. This cannot be read as a standalone. Series Order: Book 1 - Leverage Book 2 - Conned Book 3 - Missing Book 4 – Protector
Pre-Order Protector on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GUyGGk
About the Author: I live in Morgan Utah with my husband, daughter, and dog, Kolo. I write as often as my active daughter will let me and my husband has the patience of a saint. I find inspiration from dreams, people I meet, and life experiences. When I write, I usually end up drinking one too many cans of Peace Tea, eating three too many Fruit by the Foot fruit snacks, and accidently kicking my pup and best buddy, Kolo, too many times since he loves to sleep under my desk at my feet. I started writing as a teen, but my fear of the unknown won out every time and I threw everything out. After becoming a mother and deciding to stay at home to raise my beautiful little girl, I tried again when I couldn't stop thinking of ideas. I loved every minute, every hour of sleep lost, and every character that came to life in my mind. It's strange, but my favorite moments are when I have writer's block because I can turn to my husband and find inspiration through him by just doing what we do best together. Talking, laughing, and just being in love. He doesn't like to read, but he never stops encouraging me to keep going. Writing has become an important part of my life and every book has a special place in my heart. Love this lady. Follow Jessica: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJessicaWilde Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jessica-Wilde/e/B00GM4YNWO/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaWilde9 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7373464.Jessica_Wilde Tsu: https://www.tsu.co/JessicaWilde Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Jessicawildeauthor Hosted By Always Behind A Book: https://www.facebook.com/AlwaysBehindABook
You can find me and all my social media links on my website at www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com Signup to join my Dream Team to receive sneak peeks and access to my sweet and spicy tips. http://eepurl.com/bjAzz1Choosing to Dream, Book 2 in my Sunset Dreams Series, releases July 17, 2015 and is now available for pre-order. http://amzn.com/B0103BEN9Y
Thanks for reading.
June 22, 2015
Author Interview with Sandra S. Kerns
I'm currently reading and enjoying an ARC of Reconstructing Roman, and I asked the author, Sandra S. Kerns, if she would agree to an interview.
Preorder Links for Reconstructing Roman: Amazon: http://amzn.to/1MXZFoPSmashwords: http://bit.ly/1FZKgVEiBooks: http://apple.co/1PO3UbG Here's what she had to say. Jen-Can you tell us a little about yourself? Sandra-I’m originally from central New York and a diehard Yankees fan. Nope, I won’t apologize for it. Now I make Colorado home with a beautiful view of the Rocky Mountains from my back yard. When I’m not writing I enjoy traveling to warm places, reading, quilting, tatting, and playing with my dog since our boys grew up and left home. Jen-What genre do you write and why? Sandra-Everything I have out right now is romantic suspense. I have always loved figuring out the whodunits, so it was a natural slot for me. I also think it gives me a great backdrop for readers to get to know my characters as they deal with intense situations. I currently have a futuristic fantasy series in the works. I’m hoping for a 2016 release with that. Jen- What is different about your writing style? Sandra-I think what makes my writing style different is that my characters tell the story. I can’t tell you how the book ends (other than an HEA) because I don’t know until the characters decide how they want to wrap things up. Jen- When did you start writing? Sandra-There is the standard I’ve been writing forever, and in a way it is true, but not really. I started writing seriously in the early 90swhen we lived in Minnesota and it was too cold to go out much in the winter and too humid (and buggy) in the summer. You laugh, but I’m serious. Jen- I know the list is long, can you tell our readers just how many books you have out? The Masters Men SeriesHer Master DefenderHer Master DetectiveHer Master of HeartsLast Chance for Love - A Masters Men Christmas NovellaHer Master DiverHer Master Match The Colorado Skies SeriesDream StalkerRose of SteeleCallaghan's ConundrumThe Butterfly ConnectionEenie Meanie Minie No!Harlan’s HavenButterfly Bride The Colorado Dreams and Desires SeriesA Daring ProposalGathering CloudsReconstructing Roman Jen- Wow. That is a lot of books. What is a typical day or week like for you? How do you find time to write? Sandra-A typical day has changed since I retired from my day job last year. Now it means waking up between 5:30 & 5:45AM to get the hubby going so he will leave for work sooner than later. While he’s putsing around I get my tea and go up to my office by 6. That time is usually spent checking email and doing some social media.After a break for exercise (15-30 minutes), breakfast, and a shower, I’m back in the chair by 8. Many days I have until 3 or 4 to write. There are other days when I have the required errands and appointments that come with everyone considering you retired so you have ALL this free time. I’m still working on getting people to realize I retired from ‘work’ to pursue my true career of writing. Still, I have more writing time than many authors I know, so I can’t complain. Jen- What are you reading right now? Sandra-Right now I’m reading two books because I promised reviews on them soon. The first is Jim Heskett’s: Both Ends Burning - the last book in his Whistleblower series. The second is by Allan J. Lewis: Get out of my Dreams - I believe it is his debut novel. Jen- What are you working on next? Sandra- I recently started the next book in the Masters Men series, Her Master Investigator (temporary title) and the futuristic fantasy series I mentioned earlier. Jen- Are you traditionally published, self-published, or with a vanity press? Why? Sandra-I’m self-published because I got tired of waiting over a year to hear back from editors who requested manuscripts. I had more than a dozen completed books and decided it was time to bite the bullet. Actually, my critique partner and I decided to do so at the same time. It was fun having someone to take the leap with rather all alone. Jen- Do you use experiences from your own life in your writing or does it all come from your imagination? Sandra-I think there’s always a little bit of your own life experiences in your writing though not necessarily exactly what happened. The majority of my writing is pure imagination. I will admit to using my writing as therapy sometimes. If I’m really annoyed or angry with someone when I sit down to write there’s usually someone killed in the first scene that comes up. Hey, at least I’m not really hurting anyone, but I am getting rid of the anger. It’s very cathartic. Jen- What is your favorite curse word? Sandra-Damn, probably. In reality I don’t curse a lot. In fact, if my youngest son (26) is around and I do he calls me on it, that’s because it’s just something we didn’t do much in our house.Jen- What is your favorite word to use in writing? Sandra-It changes with each book. My editor can always tell you what the “Word of the Book” is that I just finished. It’s become quite the joke with us. Jen- Do you Plot or outline when writing? Sandra-I’ve tried, but it doesn’t work. Once I have the whole story plotted I don’t care about it anymore. I know the ending so why bother writing it? See, as much as my readers buy the book to learn what happens, that’s why I write it. Jen- Are you a cat or dog person? Sandra-I’m a dog person, definitely dog although I don’t dislike cats as much as I used to since my editor has two and they’re pretty cool. Dogs are found in a number of my books where they play important roles - well, the characters think so anyway. Copernicus is the name of the one in Reconstructing Roman and he’s very important though he’s only a tiny thing. Jen- I love Copernicus. He is so cute. If you had your choice of writing retreat would you choose, a. Villa in Italy, b. Cabin in the woods, c. English estate in Derbyshire (think Pemberly) d. Beach house in the Virgin Islands Sandra-Can I do e) Beach house on Cocoa Beach, FL? That’s my favorite place. Jen- Tell us a funny story about you that we can’t find on your bio. Sandra-I’m from NY, my husband is from Ohio, and we met in Mississippi at the pool at the apartments we both lived in. The joke in our house when he makes a really bad joke or something is - you should have let him go down the pool drain, mom.
Sandra is the author of three series, totaling more than 15 books. She writes contemporary romantic-suspense. The majority of her stories are located in Colorado because it possesses such a diverse selection of heroes and heroines. In less than a minute you can see a cowboy, an engineer, a lawyer, or a stay-at-home mom/dad. The combinations of characters keeps her very busy. You can also find her characters visiting New York or finding trouble in Florida. These two locations pop up because she grew up in central New York and enjoys vacations at Cocoa Beach.When she’s not writing you might find her at a sewing machine. Learning to sew at age seven, she enjoyed making clothes for herself and family for years. Now she prefers making quilts for family and friends, though occasionally she will whip out a skirt or two.Before writing full time she had various jobs. Her employment started as a substitute church secretary when she was in high school and ended as a faculty assistant (aka Copy Lady) in a high school in Colorado with stints as bank secretary, fabric store clerk, and temp secretary in between.She lives in northern Colorado with her husband and Rudy, their rescue dog from Japan. Her sons are grown and move around the country, but still provide endless inspiration and support for her writing. Author links: Website: http://sandrakerns.comFacebook: Sandra S Kerns Facebo
Signup to join my Dream Team to receive sneak peeks and access to my sweet and spicy tips.
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You can find me and all my books and social media links on my website.
www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com
Preorder Links for Reconstructing Roman: Amazon: http://amzn.to/1MXZFoPSmashwords: http://bit.ly/1FZKgVEiBooks: http://apple.co/1PO3UbG Here's what she had to say. Jen-Can you tell us a little about yourself? Sandra-I’m originally from central New York and a diehard Yankees fan. Nope, I won’t apologize for it. Now I make Colorado home with a beautiful view of the Rocky Mountains from my back yard. When I’m not writing I enjoy traveling to warm places, reading, quilting, tatting, and playing with my dog since our boys grew up and left home. Jen-What genre do you write and why? Sandra-Everything I have out right now is romantic suspense. I have always loved figuring out the whodunits, so it was a natural slot for me. I also think it gives me a great backdrop for readers to get to know my characters as they deal with intense situations. I currently have a futuristic fantasy series in the works. I’m hoping for a 2016 release with that. Jen- What is different about your writing style? Sandra-I think what makes my writing style different is that my characters tell the story. I can’t tell you how the book ends (other than an HEA) because I don’t know until the characters decide how they want to wrap things up. Jen- When did you start writing? Sandra-There is the standard I’ve been writing forever, and in a way it is true, but not really. I started writing seriously in the early 90swhen we lived in Minnesota and it was too cold to go out much in the winter and too humid (and buggy) in the summer. You laugh, but I’m serious. Jen- I know the list is long, can you tell our readers just how many books you have out? The Masters Men SeriesHer Master DefenderHer Master DetectiveHer Master of HeartsLast Chance for Love - A Masters Men Christmas NovellaHer Master DiverHer Master Match The Colorado Skies SeriesDream StalkerRose of SteeleCallaghan's ConundrumThe Butterfly ConnectionEenie Meanie Minie No!Harlan’s HavenButterfly Bride The Colorado Dreams and Desires SeriesA Daring ProposalGathering CloudsReconstructing Roman Jen- Wow. That is a lot of books. What is a typical day or week like for you? How do you find time to write? Sandra-A typical day has changed since I retired from my day job last year. Now it means waking up between 5:30 & 5:45AM to get the hubby going so he will leave for work sooner than later. While he’s putsing around I get my tea and go up to my office by 6. That time is usually spent checking email and doing some social media.After a break for exercise (15-30 minutes), breakfast, and a shower, I’m back in the chair by 8. Many days I have until 3 or 4 to write. There are other days when I have the required errands and appointments that come with everyone considering you retired so you have ALL this free time. I’m still working on getting people to realize I retired from ‘work’ to pursue my true career of writing. Still, I have more writing time than many authors I know, so I can’t complain. Jen- What are you reading right now? Sandra-Right now I’m reading two books because I promised reviews on them soon. The first is Jim Heskett’s: Both Ends Burning - the last book in his Whistleblower series. The second is by Allan J. Lewis: Get out of my Dreams - I believe it is his debut novel. Jen- What are you working on next? Sandra- I recently started the next book in the Masters Men series, Her Master Investigator (temporary title) and the futuristic fantasy series I mentioned earlier. Jen- Are you traditionally published, self-published, or with a vanity press? Why? Sandra-I’m self-published because I got tired of waiting over a year to hear back from editors who requested manuscripts. I had more than a dozen completed books and decided it was time to bite the bullet. Actually, my critique partner and I decided to do so at the same time. It was fun having someone to take the leap with rather all alone. Jen- Do you use experiences from your own life in your writing or does it all come from your imagination? Sandra-I think there’s always a little bit of your own life experiences in your writing though not necessarily exactly what happened. The majority of my writing is pure imagination. I will admit to using my writing as therapy sometimes. If I’m really annoyed or angry with someone when I sit down to write there’s usually someone killed in the first scene that comes up. Hey, at least I’m not really hurting anyone, but I am getting rid of the anger. It’s very cathartic. Jen- What is your favorite curse word? Sandra-Damn, probably. In reality I don’t curse a lot. In fact, if my youngest son (26) is around and I do he calls me on it, that’s because it’s just something we didn’t do much in our house.Jen- What is your favorite word to use in writing? Sandra-It changes with each book. My editor can always tell you what the “Word of the Book” is that I just finished. It’s become quite the joke with us. Jen- Do you Plot or outline when writing? Sandra-I’ve tried, but it doesn’t work. Once I have the whole story plotted I don’t care about it anymore. I know the ending so why bother writing it? See, as much as my readers buy the book to learn what happens, that’s why I write it. Jen- Are you a cat or dog person? Sandra-I’m a dog person, definitely dog although I don’t dislike cats as much as I used to since my editor has two and they’re pretty cool. Dogs are found in a number of my books where they play important roles - well, the characters think so anyway. Copernicus is the name of the one in Reconstructing Roman and he’s very important though he’s only a tiny thing. Jen- I love Copernicus. He is so cute. If you had your choice of writing retreat would you choose, a. Villa in Italy, b. Cabin in the woods, c. English estate in Derbyshire (think Pemberly) d. Beach house in the Virgin Islands Sandra-Can I do e) Beach house on Cocoa Beach, FL? That’s my favorite place. Jen- Tell us a funny story about you that we can’t find on your bio. Sandra-I’m from NY, my husband is from Ohio, and we met in Mississippi at the pool at the apartments we both lived in. The joke in our house when he makes a really bad joke or something is - you should have let him go down the pool drain, mom.
Sandra is the author of three series, totaling more than 15 books. She writes contemporary romantic-suspense. The majority of her stories are located in Colorado because it possesses such a diverse selection of heroes and heroines. In less than a minute you can see a cowboy, an engineer, a lawyer, or a stay-at-home mom/dad. The combinations of characters keeps her very busy. You can also find her characters visiting New York or finding trouble in Florida. These two locations pop up because she grew up in central New York and enjoys vacations at Cocoa Beach.When she’s not writing you might find her at a sewing machine. Learning to sew at age seven, she enjoyed making clothes for herself and family for years. Now she prefers making quilts for family and friends, though occasionally she will whip out a skirt or two.Before writing full time she had various jobs. Her employment started as a substitute church secretary when she was in high school and ended as a faculty assistant (aka Copy Lady) in a high school in Colorado with stints as bank secretary, fabric store clerk, and temp secretary in between.She lives in northern Colorado with her husband and Rudy, their rescue dog from Japan. Her sons are grown and move around the country, but still provide endless inspiration and support for her writing. Author links: Website: http://sandrakerns.comFacebook: Sandra S Kerns Facebo
Signup to join my Dream Team to receive sneak peeks and access to my sweet and spicy tips.
http://eepurl.com/bjAzz1
You can find me and all my books and social media links on my website.
www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com
June 15, 2015
Magnetic Desires Series Release
Misti Murphy brings you filthy mouthed men and the sassy girls who keep them in their place with the Magnetic Desires Series. What? Yes, a whole series drops today. Check her out on Amazon and pick up all three.
Compulsion-Stranded in the friend zone, Orion’s been in love with his best friend Clo since high school, unable to work out how to get her to see him as more.
After catching her husband cheating, Clo turns to her best friend Orion for support, only to find he wants more than she’s willing to give.
While Orion shows her that not all men are pricks, and not all roses have thorns, Clo must find a way to let go of the past and open herself up to a second chance at love.
Addiction-Birdie Lance isn’t a victim. She’s an idiot who let a boy get too close. At least that’s how she sees it. It's easy to not make the same mistake again — she doesn’t let anyone in anymore.
After the accident, Dr Drake Barclay threw himself into his obstetrics practice, and uses boxing to keep the demons at bay. A recovering addict, he is barely existing, until he meets the bombshell who pushes all his buttons.
Two people coping with the traumatic scars of their past find an irresistible bond that may just heal them both.
Immersion-Leo Barclay plans on having a fling, okay lots of flings. He does not plan on falling down on his knees in front of the first girl he sees and proposing to her. So how the hell does he find himself in that exact position?
Lola Albricht is looking for money, a holiday fling with a pay-out. When Leo offers her marriage, she decides he’ll be an easy target. Only he’s stealing her heart in the process. How is she supposed to pay off her boss if she can’t cash out and walk away?
Here's a sexy excerpt from Compulsion.
"Then I’ll take tonight." Sliding a hand under her shirt to pull her flush against me, I reached behind her and unlocked the door. Her skin was smooth satin under my fingertips. Not willing to give her another chance to change her mind, I owned her mouth, tangling our tongues together and tasting the salty tang of the tequila we'd shared earlier. A soft gasp wisped between us, then her hands were tangled in my hair, her body pressing into mine. Turning the door handle, I sent us crashing into the house, only our tight embrace and the wall keeping us from stumbling to the floor. The way she clung to me made me smile. She might say she didn't trust men; that she couldn't trust her heart to anyone, but it wasn't true. Not when she was with me.
Settling both hands on the small of her back, the dip of her spine under my fingers, I continued my exploration of her mouth. Despite her tentative, fluttering movements, I could sense the wildness in her, the desperation I would pull from her.
Waltzing my lips along her jaw, I left a trail down her throat to her collarbone. When I sucked the fragile skin into my mouth, clamping my teeth around it, she shuddered and let out a low moan. The bitterness of her perfume danced on my tongue, but it was the dark flushing of her skin that had me grinning. It was the first of many times I would mark her as mine, even if it were the only one she would physically see. For days to come, when she looked in the mirror and saw my mark on her skin she'd be pulled back to this night and her body would ache for me.
Desperate hands tugged at my shirt, and I whipped it over my head, discarding it while she struggled with my belt. Catching her hands in one of mine, I undid the buckle and pulled it free, undoing the snaps on my jeans. "In a hurry, babe?"
"Did you forget, I've seen your package? What girl wouldn't be in a hurry to find out if it's as good as it looks."
"You've seen my…" I raised an eyebrow as I searched my mind for that particular memory. "…package?"
She nodded, her lip slightly curved. "I always wondered…"
"What did you wonder?" I gripped her chin and skirted my lips over hers.
"Even flaccid, it looked…too big. How do you fuck a girl with a weapon like that?"
You can find Misti Murphy online below.
Website http://mistimurphy.weebly.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mistileemurphy/timeline
Twitter https://twitter.com/mistileemurphy
Thank you for stopping by and make sure to go give Misti Murphy some love.
Signup to join my Dream Team to receive sneak peeks and access to my sweet and spicy tips.
http://eepurl.com/bjAzz1
Find me and all my social links online.
www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com
Compulsion-Stranded in the friend zone, Orion’s been in love with his best friend Clo since high school, unable to work out how to get her to see him as more. After catching her husband cheating, Clo turns to her best friend Orion for support, only to find he wants more than she’s willing to give.
While Orion shows her that not all men are pricks, and not all roses have thorns, Clo must find a way to let go of the past and open herself up to a second chance at love.
Addiction-Birdie Lance isn’t a victim. She’s an idiot who let a boy get too close. At least that’s how she sees it. It's easy to not make the same mistake again — she doesn’t let anyone in anymore.
After the accident, Dr Drake Barclay threw himself into his obstetrics practice, and uses boxing to keep the demons at bay. A recovering addict, he is barely existing, until he meets the bombshell who pushes all his buttons.
Two people coping with the traumatic scars of their past find an irresistible bond that may just heal them both.
Immersion-Leo Barclay plans on having a fling, okay lots of flings. He does not plan on falling down on his knees in front of the first girl he sees and proposing to her. So how the hell does he find himself in that exact position?
Lola Albricht is looking for money, a holiday fling with a pay-out. When Leo offers her marriage, she decides he’ll be an easy target. Only he’s stealing her heart in the process. How is she supposed to pay off her boss if she can’t cash out and walk away?
Here's a sexy excerpt from Compulsion.
"Then I’ll take tonight." Sliding a hand under her shirt to pull her flush against me, I reached behind her and unlocked the door. Her skin was smooth satin under my fingertips. Not willing to give her another chance to change her mind, I owned her mouth, tangling our tongues together and tasting the salty tang of the tequila we'd shared earlier. A soft gasp wisped between us, then her hands were tangled in my hair, her body pressing into mine. Turning the door handle, I sent us crashing into the house, only our tight embrace and the wall keeping us from stumbling to the floor. The way she clung to me made me smile. She might say she didn't trust men; that she couldn't trust her heart to anyone, but it wasn't true. Not when she was with me.
Settling both hands on the small of her back, the dip of her spine under my fingers, I continued my exploration of her mouth. Despite her tentative, fluttering movements, I could sense the wildness in her, the desperation I would pull from her.
Waltzing my lips along her jaw, I left a trail down her throat to her collarbone. When I sucked the fragile skin into my mouth, clamping my teeth around it, she shuddered and let out a low moan. The bitterness of her perfume danced on my tongue, but it was the dark flushing of her skin that had me grinning. It was the first of many times I would mark her as mine, even if it were the only one she would physically see. For days to come, when she looked in the mirror and saw my mark on her skin she'd be pulled back to this night and her body would ache for me.
Desperate hands tugged at my shirt, and I whipped it over my head, discarding it while she struggled with my belt. Catching her hands in one of mine, I undid the buckle and pulled it free, undoing the snaps on my jeans. "In a hurry, babe?"
"Did you forget, I've seen your package? What girl wouldn't be in a hurry to find out if it's as good as it looks."
"You've seen my…" I raised an eyebrow as I searched my mind for that particular memory. "…package?"
She nodded, her lip slightly curved. "I always wondered…"
"What did you wonder?" I gripped her chin and skirted my lips over hers.
"Even flaccid, it looked…too big. How do you fuck a girl with a weapon like that?"
You can find Misti Murphy online below.
Website http://mistimurphy.weebly.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mistileemurphy/timeline
Twitter https://twitter.com/mistileemurphy
Thank you for stopping by and make sure to go give Misti Murphy some love.
Signup to join my Dream Team to receive sneak peeks and access to my sweet and spicy tips.http://eepurl.com/bjAzz1
Find me and all my social links online.
www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com
June 8, 2015
What's on the menu? Sweet and spicy romance.
Food Network and The Travel Channel are always on the TV in my house. Unless the SF Giants are playing, but I digress.
Chopped. Cutthroat Kitchen. Next Food Network Star. Anthony Bourdain. DDD. When I'm tired of the same old dinner recipes, those shows provide great ideas. Instead of making a regular burger at home, I make a Juicy Lucy with fresh jalapenos and pepper jack cheese. Instead of heading out for pizza, we take a drive and get our grub on at a local BBQ restaurant.
There's one thing that all those food shows and competitions have in common: The food must be delicious. You can have the highest degree from the best culinary academy, can talk the biggest game about your skills in gastronomy, brag about being the head chef at a five star restaurant, but your food must back it up.
So today I will back up my sweet and spicy with an excerpt from one of my books below.
Sweet Dreams:
Tonight, I finish cleaning up early and turn off the sign. Selecting one of my playlists and making sure the volume isn’t too loud, I carry the twinkle lights I bought earlier out to the back patio to hang them.
This will be good.
I know once the patio is set up the customers will love it, especially on sunny days and warm nights.
“Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star plays softly as I sing along, standing on a chair outside, stringing up the lights. I’m doing a pretty good job and am impressed by my work so far, when I hear someone call, “Jen?” from inside the café.
I yell, “Back here!” not worrying who it might be as they obviously know my name. Having trouble with this one string of lights, I stand up on the tabletop next to me to try and get it to wrap correctly around the clothesline I hung a few months ago.
“Back where?” The voice asks.
As I’m about to get the string just right, I see a ginormous green stick bug staring at me from the wall I’m leaning against. I freeze, not wanting to make any sudden moves that could cause it to jump and attack me.
The voice again calls, “Are you all right? Where are you?”
I’m paralyzed with fear, exactly like in my nightmares. I want to scream, but nothing will come out.
Calm down, calm down…
Finally finding my voice, I keep both eyes on the green goblin staring back at me, and squeak out, “I’m in the back.”
My heart pounds and I don’t know what to do. The door to the kitchen opens and shoes tap the floor coming toward me. The green goblin decides to make his move and starts to crawl closer to me.
“Ahhhhhhhh!!!!”
Someone crashes through the door. Turning to see who it is in my bug induced fear, I find Jake looking up at me with a relieved look on his face.
“Jake, what are you doing here?” I ask, panting.
He eyes me up and down. “This isn’t smart, someone could rob the place while you’re back here.”
With a wobble in my voice, I turn back to the wall and watch the ugly thing inch closer to me. “Rob me of what, paper cups? I already closed the register.”
Please don’t jump on me, please don’t jump on me.
He huffs and asks, “Do you want help? Why did you scream?”
I snap back. “Because the green goblin is going to get me, and no I don’t need any help!” I take a step down to the chair below, with my eyes on my enemy on the wall, lose my footing and start to fall.
In the time it takes for me to reach the ground, I catch Jake’s eye and see him realize I’m falling and position himself to try and catch me. It all happens in slow motion and in that time I imagine falling into Jake’s open arms and him romantically cradling me against his chest.
That is not what happens.
Nope. Of course not.
I let out a yelp as the chair goes out from under me, praying I don’t hit my head on the wall as I come down. Jake tries to catch me but fails and I end up landing on him, taking him down with me. We’re in an awkward heap on the cement floor, me on top, and he grunts as my full weight hits him and knocks the wind out of him.
Straining to speak he says, “Well, that didn’t work.”
I’m embarrassed, but also disappointed he didn’t come to my rescue like in the movies. “Thanks for catching me,” I say sarcastically. “Help me up please?”
Jake scoffs. “I can’t. You are crushing me!”
“Oh, fine, I was hoping you were a gentleman.” I start to get up and accidently knee him in the stomach. “Sorry.” I get my feet under me and offer him a hand to help him up.
Jake gets up slowly, takes a deep breath and says, “No problem.”
Embarrassed, I move to pick up the chair, feel my ankle give way and hiss. “Son of a Biscuit.” Holding onto the edge of the table, I rub my ankle while I stand on one foot.
“Serves you right, that was dangerous in so many ways!” He’s scolding me again.
The nerve!
“Nope, no gentleman here!” I say, glaring at him.
Wow, so not the poor baby I was looking for.
Slowly, I start to limp back into the café and I hear Jake say from behind me, “Oh for crying out loud.”
He sweeps me up and my arm automatically goes around his neck as he carries me into the café toward the counter.
All I can think as I look up at his profile is how good he smells and how strong his arms are around me. Feeling no pain, I gaze up at him as he slowly sets me down on the counter. I let go a beat too late and he looks me in the eye, clears his throat and then looks down at my foot. My chest heaves and my face must be the color of a ripe tomato.
Could I be more obvious?
Sweet buttercups, he smells good.
He stands in between my legs as they dangle from the counter while he examines my foot and I can’t help but notice what a perfect height he is to…Stop!
I shake my head to clear those thoughts from continuing down that path and say, “Well, maybe there’s hope after all.”
With a little smirk he says, “Maybe." Sweet Dreams is available on Amazon and Free with Kindle Unlimited .
Signup to join my Dream Team and receive sneak peeks, and access to my sweet and spicy tips.
http://eepurl.com/bjAzz1
Thank you for reading.
www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com
Chopped. Cutthroat Kitchen. Next Food Network Star. Anthony Bourdain. DDD. When I'm tired of the same old dinner recipes, those shows provide great ideas. Instead of making a regular burger at home, I make a Juicy Lucy with fresh jalapenos and pepper jack cheese. Instead of heading out for pizza, we take a drive and get our grub on at a local BBQ restaurant.
There's one thing that all those food shows and competitions have in common: The food must be delicious. You can have the highest degree from the best culinary academy, can talk the biggest game about your skills in gastronomy, brag about being the head chef at a five star restaurant, but your food must back it up.
So today I will back up my sweet and spicy with an excerpt from one of my books below.
Sweet Dreams:
Tonight, I finish cleaning up early and turn off the sign. Selecting one of my playlists and making sure the volume isn’t too loud, I carry the twinkle lights I bought earlier out to the back patio to hang them.
This will be good.
I know once the patio is set up the customers will love it, especially on sunny days and warm nights.
“Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star plays softly as I sing along, standing on a chair outside, stringing up the lights. I’m doing a pretty good job and am impressed by my work so far, when I hear someone call, “Jen?” from inside the café.
I yell, “Back here!” not worrying who it might be as they obviously know my name. Having trouble with this one string of lights, I stand up on the tabletop next to me to try and get it to wrap correctly around the clothesline I hung a few months ago.
“Back where?” The voice asks.
As I’m about to get the string just right, I see a ginormous green stick bug staring at me from the wall I’m leaning against. I freeze, not wanting to make any sudden moves that could cause it to jump and attack me.
The voice again calls, “Are you all right? Where are you?”
I’m paralyzed with fear, exactly like in my nightmares. I want to scream, but nothing will come out.
Calm down, calm down…
Finally finding my voice, I keep both eyes on the green goblin staring back at me, and squeak out, “I’m in the back.”
My heart pounds and I don’t know what to do. The door to the kitchen opens and shoes tap the floor coming toward me. The green goblin decides to make his move and starts to crawl closer to me.
“Ahhhhhhhh!!!!”
Someone crashes through the door. Turning to see who it is in my bug induced fear, I find Jake looking up at me with a relieved look on his face.
“Jake, what are you doing here?” I ask, panting.
He eyes me up and down. “This isn’t smart, someone could rob the place while you’re back here.”
With a wobble in my voice, I turn back to the wall and watch the ugly thing inch closer to me. “Rob me of what, paper cups? I already closed the register.”
Please don’t jump on me, please don’t jump on me.
He huffs and asks, “Do you want help? Why did you scream?”
I snap back. “Because the green goblin is going to get me, and no I don’t need any help!” I take a step down to the chair below, with my eyes on my enemy on the wall, lose my footing and start to fall.
In the time it takes for me to reach the ground, I catch Jake’s eye and see him realize I’m falling and position himself to try and catch me. It all happens in slow motion and in that time I imagine falling into Jake’s open arms and him romantically cradling me against his chest.
That is not what happens.
Nope. Of course not.
I let out a yelp as the chair goes out from under me, praying I don’t hit my head on the wall as I come down. Jake tries to catch me but fails and I end up landing on him, taking him down with me. We’re in an awkward heap on the cement floor, me on top, and he grunts as my full weight hits him and knocks the wind out of him.
Straining to speak he says, “Well, that didn’t work.”
I’m embarrassed, but also disappointed he didn’t come to my rescue like in the movies. “Thanks for catching me,” I say sarcastically. “Help me up please?”
Jake scoffs. “I can’t. You are crushing me!”
“Oh, fine, I was hoping you were a gentleman.” I start to get up and accidently knee him in the stomach. “Sorry.” I get my feet under me and offer him a hand to help him up.
Jake gets up slowly, takes a deep breath and says, “No problem.”
Embarrassed, I move to pick up the chair, feel my ankle give way and hiss. “Son of a Biscuit.” Holding onto the edge of the table, I rub my ankle while I stand on one foot.
“Serves you right, that was dangerous in so many ways!” He’s scolding me again.
The nerve!
“Nope, no gentleman here!” I say, glaring at him.
Wow, so not the poor baby I was looking for.
Slowly, I start to limp back into the café and I hear Jake say from behind me, “Oh for crying out loud.”
He sweeps me up and my arm automatically goes around his neck as he carries me into the café toward the counter.
All I can think as I look up at his profile is how good he smells and how strong his arms are around me. Feeling no pain, I gaze up at him as he slowly sets me down on the counter. I let go a beat too late and he looks me in the eye, clears his throat and then looks down at my foot. My chest heaves and my face must be the color of a ripe tomato.
Could I be more obvious?
Sweet buttercups, he smells good.
He stands in between my legs as they dangle from the counter while he examines my foot and I can’t help but notice what a perfect height he is to…Stop!
I shake my head to clear those thoughts from continuing down that path and say, “Well, maybe there’s hope after all.”
With a little smirk he says, “Maybe." Sweet Dreams is available on Amazon and Free with Kindle Unlimited .
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