Countdown to 2012! One!
And the countdown continues! Yesterday's winner was...Kaylyn Davis. Remember, comment everyday for a chance to win one of the daily featured books and to have your name thrown in the hat for the grand prize (a $25 GC to Amazon and a signed book from me).
One…
[image error]Travis from White Knight nearly took over Black Jack. Damn, never had anyone's story scream so loud in my head. Knew him instantly. Unfortunately, it took a long time for Shea to appear. Once she did, I just thought "Thank God!" The historical parts on this book were the hardest bits to write and I actually had a completely different flashback story. Deleted the whole damn thing after a very long phone call with my editor one night and started over! It was crazy and tricky, but the first version was just a mess!
Prologue
Travis Knight turned away from the two-way glass in his office, the performance on the stage no longer filling that empty place inside him. Tonight's fantasy involved a harem girl captured by a dominant sheik. The talented actors—his best friends—had never failed to capture his attention and enflame his imagination, but tonight the show left him cold.
Dropping onto a chair, he rubbed a weary hand over his face, his gaze traveling from one end of the room to the next. His desk was an experiment in disorderly conduct, papers stacked high, covering every horizontal inch of oak surface on the antique. He'd acquired the desk at an auction, the overly large piece appealing to him at the time. It was a desk that spoke of power and purpose, two attributes he'd worked hard to maintain throughout his life. Like the piles of shit teetering precariously atop it, he suspected all his hard-won control was about to topple as well.
His gaze moved to the walls lined with bookshelves, overflowing with countless novels. An avid reader, Travis' tastes ran the gamut from horror to poetry. Books—like the fetish fantasies enacted in his club—allowed him brief escapes from reality. Glancing at the table beside him, he studied the dust gathering on the cover of the last book he'd attempted to read. He hadn't picked it up in weeks, the words failing to pull him out of his stupor, his depression.
Darkness had finally descended and Travis was helpless to hold it at bay. He was too fucking tired of the fight. Enough was enough. Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes and succumbed to it. Clenching his fists, he considered his next move. It was clear he couldn't remain in this club, couldn't escape the demons roaming the rooms.
Maybe he'd leave Scoundrels to Emma. Give it to her and Jack as an engagement gift. After all, they'd found each other on the stage below. He knew their happiness and love shouldn't leave him with this ache in his gut, but he couldn't shake it. It was selfishness, pure and simple. He could admit that shortcoming. It's not like he was proud of it. He wasn't. Even so, that didn't make it go away.
His friends had discovered love after years of standing right in front of each other. Love had a funny way of showing up in moments when you least expected it. At least that's what Emma said. Travis had never felt the emotion. Not once. He grimaced and rubbed his side. Fucking ache was back again. He was screwed up—no two ways about it. Thinking about love shouldn't cause physical pangs. Jesus.
He likened himself to a gentleman soldier, wounded and home from war. He could picture himself, scarred from too many battles, hardened by killing and bloodshed. He'd lock himself away in a dreary, cold manor, letting the chill and dampness settle into his bones as he waited for death to claim him. He'd shut himself away from the balls, the ton, the matchmaking grande dames, keeping everyone at arm's length to live out the rest of his days in misery.
White Knight is available at Ellora's Cave, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony and All Romance Ebooks.
Last one!!!! I wrote Wild Irish Christmas in early October, right after coming off Western Ties. I needed the Collins clan to get me over my Compass sadness! And you know what? It worked!
Chapter One
"Holy mother of sweet divine Jerusalem," Patrick Collins muttered.
Riley laughed at him. "Oh come on, Pop, it'll be fun. Where's your Christmas spirit?"
Patrick shook his head. "Riley Collins Young, I cannot imagine what possessed you to come up with this harebrained scheme, but I'm fairly certain the spirit of the holidays had nothing to do with it."
"Actually, Pop, I have to disagree," Tris added. He lifted a fifth of Jameson Irish Whiskey. "Spirits had everything to do with it."
Keira grinned. "We're not opening that bottle until later. You guys start taking nips and we'll never get the tree decorated."
Tris gave her a dirty look. "Whiskey might make that chore bearable."
"I said I wasn't fooling with a tree this year," Patrick argued. "Didn't think it was worth the fuss since we're celebrating Christmas day at Keira's house."
"You need a tree, Pop. Otherwise you'll turn into Scrooge." Teagan kissed him lightly on the cheek.
Patrick put his hands on his hips. "What on earth do your families think of this? You have kids. You should be with them on Christmas morning."
Killian raised his hands. "Hey, don't look at me. Lily isn't due for three more months. Justin's looking after her."
Riley laughed. "My sweet little baby Sunday isn't even a year old yet. She doesn't have a clue what tomorrow is. Although Bubbles and I did manage to convince Aaron to play Santa this year. I figure the image of Aaron in a white beard riding his motorcycle down Keira's driveway with a sack of presents on his back should ensure Sunday's in therapy for years to come."
Wild Irish Christmas is available at Ellora's Cave, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.
So…it's New Year's Eve. Time to say goodbye to the old year and ring in the new one. It's always an exciting time because it feels like a new beginning, a chance to make the next year even better than the last. My writing resolutions for this year include finishing the Cocktales series, co-writing a romantic comedy series with Lexxie Couper and trying my hand at self publishing.
What about you? What are your goals for 2012?
