Shiloh Walker's Blog, page 131

from The Departed

Ack...due out in January!  Time is slipping away.  Where did 2011 go?

So this is due out soon.  Time to start tormenting...

If she would just work to keep him at arm's length, the way everybody else did, maybe it would be easier not to be so obsessed with her. So desperate for a touch, a taste . . . a night.

A lifetime, even.

Stop it.

She glanced over her shoulder at him and said, "Julie won't be here until after her shift at the clinic is over. So if you're really determined that I'm not to be alone, either you call me another babysitter or you make yourself at home."

Then she sauntered off into the depths of the house.

He found himself watching the way her ass swayed back and forth and wishing, really wishing, he had the strength to call her another "babysitter," as she called it. But he also knew there was no way in hell he was going to miss out on spending a little bit of time with her. Away from work. Out of that damned hospital.

Here. In her home. Where he could assure himself she was safe, alive.

Whole.

 

Staring into the refrigerator, Dez found herself contemplating the bottle of wine. It was too damn early, she knew. Plus, she was still a little off-kilter from the pain meds and she knew she'd be popping another shortly.

But still. Every once in a while, liquid courage did help things a bit and she needed something to help loosen her tongue because she couldn't seem to figure out the right way to go and talk to Taylor and tell him something very, very simple.

Thanks for saving my life.

"Are you hungry?"

She jumped, startled. Turning around, she stared at him and then she gaped, a little dismayed at the sight of him. He'd taken his jacket off. He'd loosened his tie.

Hell—it was almost like he was . . . naked. At least for Taylor Jones. Those suits of his were like armor, she'd always thought.

"Are you okay?"

Jerking her eyes away from his chest, she stared at him and stammered out . . . something. She didn't know what.

"Maybe you should sit down. You look flushed."

No, I look hot. As in turned on, she thought irritably. All because my fricking boss undid the top two buttons on his pristine white dress shirt and loosened that damn tie.

And the jacket. Mustn't forget the jacket he'd taken off.

Swallowing, she turned around and grabbed a can of Diet Coke from the fridge. Over her shoulder, she said, "I'm just thirsty. Tired. Nobody ever gets any rest in a hospital, you ever noticed that?"

"I've never had to stay in one," he said. "But plenty of my people have."

There was a weight in his voice.

Slowly, she turned and studied him.

That heavy, strange weight she'd heard in his voice was echoed in his eyes, she realized. It didn't show in his face—no, very little was ever revealed on that face of his, but those eyes . . . somewhere, just behind a rigid, steely curtain, she sensed a great deal of chaos. Pain. Guilt.

She remembered how many times she'd heard that he was at the hospital because one of them had gone down. This was the first time for her—she was rarely ever in a place where there was any action going on. But her best friend, Taige, had been hurt a few times and she knew, vividly, thatTaylorliked to haunt hospital halls.

No, he didn't show much emotion to the world. But he felt it, she realized. He felt a great deal.

And suddenly, those words were a lot easier to find.

"You saved my life," she said softly, setting her drink down and crossing her arms over her chest. "I haven't said thank you for that."

"You don't need to. I never should have let you put yourself in that position."

Dez arched a brow. Oh, yeah, there was emotion. She was nowhere near the emotional bloodhound some of her colleagues where, but psychics, most of them, had similar natures and she could pick up the vibes well enough.

What she didn't understand was why she hadn't ever picked these up from him before.

Unless he was just having a harder time keeping it all hidden . . .

Pushing off the counter, she circled the island to stand in front of him. "There was a girl inside that house,Taylor. He would have killed her."

"We don't know that."

"Don't we?" Reaching down, she caught his hand and said, "Come on."

For just a second, he resisted.

She had no idea why she'd grabbed his hand. She was surprised as hell that she'd done it.

She was equally stunned when his fingers, long, cool, and elegant, closed around hers. She led him to the bathroom and left him standing by the counter as she faced the mirror. "This damn tape itches like crazy," she said. "I kept telling that nurse to find some paper tape. I think she liked ignoring me."

"You shouldn't be exposing that yet," he said, his voice gruff.

Dez rolled her eyes and made a face at him in the mirror. "Yes, Daddy."

Something flashed in the depths of his steely blue eyes—something hot—something that made her knees do the weirdest damn thing. Swallowing, she tore her eyes away from him and focused on her reflection, watching as she peeled the bandage away and revealed the neat surgical scar on her throat.

Dumping the bandages in the trash, she turned to face him. Bracing her hips against the marble countertop, Dez angled her chin up, let him stare.

He did. For long, long seconds. Then he turned on his heel and stalked out.

Read More...

From The Departed…

Ack...due out in January! Time is slipping away. Where did 2011 go?

So this is due out soon. Time to start tormenting...

If she would just work to keep him at arm's length, the way everybody else did, maybe it would be easier not to be so obsessed with her. So desperate for a touch, a taste . . . a night.

A lifetime, even.

Stop it.

She glanced over her shoulder at him and said, "Julie won't be here until after her shift at the clinic is over. So if you're really determined that I'm not to be alone, either you call me another babysitter or you make yourself at home."

Then she sauntered off into the depths of the house.

He found himself watching the way her ass swayed back and forth and wishing, really wishing, he had the strength to call her another "babysitter," as she called it. But he also knew there was no way in hell he was going to miss out on spending a little bit of time with her. Away from work. Out of that damned hospital.

Here. In her home. Where he could assure himself she was safe, alive.

Whole.

Staring into the refrigerator, Dez found herself contemplating the bottle of wine. It was too damn early, she knew. Plus, she was still a little off-kilter from the pain meds and she knew she'd be popping another shortly.

But still. Every once in a while, liquid courage did help things a bit and she needed something to help loosen her tongue because she couldn't seem to figure out the right way to go and talk to Taylor and tell him something very, very simple.

Thanks for saving my life.

"Are you hungry?"

She jumped, startled. Turning around, she stared at him and then she gaped, a little dismayed at the sight of him. He'd taken his jacket off. He'd loosened his tie.

Hell—it was almost like he was . . . naked. At least for Taylor Jones. Those suits of his were like armor, she'd always thought.

"Are you okay?"

Jerking her eyes away from his chest, she stared at him and stammered out . . . something. She didn't know what.

"Maybe you should sit down. You look flushed."

No, I look hot. As in turned on, she thought irritably. All because my fricking boss undid the top two buttons on his pristine white dress shirt and loosened that damn tie.

And the jacket. Mustn't forget the jacket he'd taken off.

Swallowing, she turned around and grabbed a can of Diet Coke from the fridge. Over her shoulder, she said, "I'm just thirsty. Tired. Nobody ever gets any rest in a hospital, you ever noticed that?"

"I've never had to stay in one," he said. "But plenty of my people have."

There was a weight in his voice.

Slowly, she turned and studied him.

That heavy, strange weight she'd heard in his voice was echoed in his eyes, she realized. It didn't show in his face—no, very little was ever revealed on that face of his, but those eyes . . . somewhere, just behind a rigid, steely curtain, she sensed a great deal of chaos. Pain. Guilt.

She remembered how many times she'd heard that he was at the hospital because one of them had gone down. This was the first time for her—she was rarely ever in a place where there was any action going on. But her best friend, Taige, had been hurt a few times and she knew, vividly, thatTaylorliked to haunt hospital halls.

No, he didn't show much emotion to the world. But he felt it, she realized. He felt a great deal.

And suddenly, those words were a lot easier to find.

"You saved my life," she said softly, setting her drink down and crossing her arms over her chest. "I haven't said thank you for that."

"You don't need to. I never should have let you put yourself in that position."

Dez arched a brow. Oh, yeah, there was emotion. She was nowhere near the emotional bloodhound some of her colleagues where, but psychics, most of them, had similar natures and she could pick up the vibes well enough.

What she didn't understand was why she hadn't ever picked these up from him before.

Unless he was just having a harder time keeping it all hidden . . .

Pushing off the counter, she circled the island to stand in front of him. "There was a girl inside that house,Taylor. He would have killed her."

"We don't know that."

"Don't we?" Reaching down, she caught his hand and said, "Come on."

For just a second, he resisted.

She had no idea why she'd grabbed his hand. She was surprised as hell that she'd done it.

She was equally stunned when his fingers, long, cool, and elegant, closed around hers. She led him to the bathroom and left him standing by the counter as she faced the mirror. "This damn tape itches like crazy," she said. "I kept telling that nurse to find some paper tape. I think she liked ignoring me."

"You shouldn't be exposing that yet," he said, his voice gruff.

Dez rolled her eyes and made a face at him in the mirror. "Yes, Daddy."

Something flashed in the depths of his steely blue eyes—something hot—something that made her knees do the weirdest damn thing. Swallowing, she tore her eyes away from him and focused on her reflection, watching as she peeled the bandage away and revealed the neat surgical scar on her throat.

Dumping the bandages in the trash, she turned to face him. Bracing her hips against the marble countertop, Dez angled her chin up, let him stare.

He did. For long, long seconds. Then he turned on his heel and stalked out.

Read More...

From the mailbox…

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Questions I've gotten in my inbox lately...

Regarding audiobooks:

Q:

Will any of your books be going into audiobook?

A: Man, I hope so.  But this isn't really up to me.  It's up to the people who publish audiobooks.  Feel free to tell them you'd like to see some work from me in audio format...

Regarding IF YOU HEAR HER:

Q:

I can't believe you ended the book like that...damn it, who is XXX?  Will you tell me?

A: No.  :-)  But books two and three will be out in January and February... that's not so far away, right?

Regarding Russian Dating:

Q:

Choose a Russian chick that will match all your needs.

A: Okay.  Sure.  The 'chick' needs to be male, and needs to be Eskimo and not Russian (no offense against anybody non-Eskimo, but I'm partial to Eskimo.)  He also needs to be my husband.  Can ya do that...?  No.  Stop spamming me.

Regarding Morne:

Q:

When is Morne's book coming out?

A: It's probably not going to happen.  If it does, it's down the road a ways.  I blogged about it a few weeks ago...you can read about it here.

A little guy needing a miracle…

I gripe about my kids.  Especially when they are fighting, or not listening. I'm a mom...what mom doesn't?

But I'm also very thankful for them... They are, for the most part, kind.  (I say for the most part, because they can be meaner than snot to each other.)  They are smart.  And they are healthy.

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I'm so very thankful for that...thank You, God, for healthy kids.  This is something that is driven home every time I cared for a child with a chronic, debilitating problem...every time I read something like this...

His father, Scott Weber says, "If he don't get it within six months, he can die."

Dilyn is eight years old.  If he doesn't get a transplant within six months, he could die.

My heart just breaks.

above info from WDRB's website...

The liver is the only organ that can regenerate...a healthy person could possibly be a living donor for this boy.  But that needs to happen...and soon.

The family is also looking at $50,000 in medical expenses.

Being a living donor isn't necessarily an easy thing, but sometimes, the right person just feels it.  Inside.    Like this mayor.... (article from boston.com)

Sanchez, a 44-year-old father whose kidneys were failing because of diabetes, sent the request on Facebook only hesitantly and at his doctor's suggestion.

He worried that people might pity him, and he certainly had not pinned his hopes on finding a donor that way.

He did not have long to wait. Capone Almon was the first person to respond.

"I sent him a private message and just said: 'Hey, I'll try. I'll get tested,' '' Capone Almon said yesterday. "I really felt from the very beginning that I was going to be a match and a donor. I don't know why, but I just knew it.''

Sometimes, you just get the feeling in your gut.  My feeling?  I'm not a donor.  My health is shot.  But maybe I can reach somebody who could be...or somebody who is reading this could reach somebody could be...you never know.  The world is a lot smaller than we think. And all we need is for one person to match up for a little guy to have a miracle.

Whether or not that person could be you...if you can spare a few dollars, once they do find that miracle person, they still need some help.

New Nook Winner

Sadly, our winner didn't contact any of us...as specified in the disclaimer, the winner needed to contact one of us.

The time limit came & went so here we go again.  The winner, drawn via randomizer.org, was from Lisa's blog and it was Julie, who commented:

Julie

Comment

27

· October 18th, 2011 at 9:16 am · Link

Pre-ordered it and waiting for it to arrive  Can't wait to read it once I do get it

Julie, if you can please contact one of us!

Potpourri Post…winner & the ARC of IF YOU SEE HER, et all

The winner of the BlackFriday contest...

Dark Reader who posted...

Darkreader says:
November 25, 2011 at 7:03 pm (Edit)

I'm reading Delicate Freakn' Flower by Eve Langlais on my Kindle so here is the 5th line of the page I'm on plus a bit more:

wasn't my idea, but her mother's. She handed me = the pills along with the instructions to feed them to her with some juice to mask the taste."

Lovely contest, I've been eyeballing that book!

I need you to email me and Nicole at grimmhunter.shilohwalker(AT)gmail.com...with your name and mailing addy.

Heads up... I'm shutting the call for reviews on IF YOU SEE HER this Wednesday.  Just a note, if you review this one, you'll probably also be offered the chance to review IF YOU KNOW HER.  These two release a month apart and since I need to get the ARCs out before the book even releases, it will kinda hard to work, logistic wise, if I don't do it this way.

If you've read & reviewed IF YOU HEAR HER and would like to review IF YOU SEE HER, just email Nicole at the addy above.  The full post is here...  All I ask in return for receiving the ARC is an honest review, posted at your blog during the month of January, preferably the latter half of the month.  But the clock is ticking.  Time is up on Wednesday.

I'm signing in Cincy on Saturday, with a bunch of other authors...

12.3.2011

1-3pm

West Chester B&N

West Chester OH

Other authors signing...

Lori Foster

Patricia Sargent

Jules Bennett

Donna MacMeans

Marcia James

Kay Stockham

Denise Gwen

Shiloh Walker

Gabriella Edwards

Michele Stegman

Toni Blake

Serena Miller

I think that's it for now...

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Potpouri Post…winner & the ARC of IF YOU SEE HER, et all

The winner of the BlackFriday contest...

Dark Reader who posted...

Darkreader says:
November 25, 2011 at 7:03 pm (Edit)

I'm reading Delicate Freakn' Flower by Eve Langlais on my Kindle so here is the 5th line of the page I'm on plus a bit more:

wasn't my idea, but her mother's. She handed me = the pills along with the instructions to feed them to her with some juice to mask the taste."

Lovely contest, I've been eyeballing that book!

I need you to email me and Nicole at grimmhunter.shilohwalker(AT)gmail.com...with your name and mailing addy.

Heads up... I'm shutting the call for reviews on IF YOU SEE HER this Wednesday.  Just a note, if you review this one, you'll probably also be offered the chance to review IF YOU KNOW HER.  These two release a month apart and since I need to get the ARCs out before the book even releases, it will kinda hard to work, logistic wise, if I don't do it this way.

If you've read & reviewed IF YOU HEAR HER and would like to review IF YOU SEE HER, just email Nicole at the addy above.  The full post is here...  All I ask in return for receiving the ARC is an honest review, posted at your blog during the month of January, preferably the latter half of the month.  But the clock is ticking.  Time is up on Wednesday.

I'm signing in Cincy on Saturday, with a bunch of other authors...

12.3.2011

1-3pm

West Chester B&N

West Chester OH

Other authors signing...

Lori Foster

Patricia Sargent

Jules Bennett

Donna MacMeans

Marcia James

Kay Stockham

Denise Gwen

Shiloh Walker

Gabriella Edwards

Michele Stegman

Toni Blake

Serena Miller

I think that's it for now...

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Am I a total dork…

I want this.

Really.

It's so cute...

The Charlie Brown Tree @ Amazon.

A #BlackFriday 56…contest-style

This book is fun.  I'm going to give you a chance to win it.  Details below.  But...in order to win...you do actually have to play along. (in other words, no 'enter me')...

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His eyes were intense on me.  "Are you trying to distract me?"

About the Friday 56

Grab the book nearest you. Right now
Turn to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) in the comments section of this blog.
If you blog, you're welcome to do the meme on your blog, if you so choose. But to enter the contest...(keeping reading...)
Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

So...it's Black Friday.  A day all about shopping.  But I don't know if I wanna shop.  I'll buy a book instead.  I'll buy this book.  For one of you.  Wanna win a copy?  Will be an unsigned copy, though.  Here's what you do.  Play the 56.  Post the 5th line from the 56th page.  If by chance you're reading a Reader?  Just scroll to some point in the book and post the 5th line from that page.  That will work.

Posting the 5th line from the 56th page (or if it's a reader, a random page) is your entry into the contest.  I'll draw one random winner to win an unsigned copy of Beauty Dates the Beast.

please make sure you read my disclaimer...the winner's name will be posted here, and that's how you're notified.
winning name will be posted next week-ish.
winner has two weeks to contact me or the prize is forfeit.
entering the contest means you've agreed to and read the disclaimer. 
for the rest of my rules (which I'm legally required to have), read this page

Happy Thanksgiving

From my house to yours…

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Hope it's wonderful…