SUNDAY'S SIX OF THE BEST

Welcome to Sunday's Six of the Best Blog Hop. For this hop we get to post six paragraphs, yes I said paragraphs, from any of our books or works in progress.

You have no idea how happy this makes me.  Posting a few sentences or a 'snippet' is tough.  I always feel that I have to cut it off just when I'm getting to the good stuff.

Of course now I'm in a quandary.  What to share?  I don't want to waste this golden opportunity.  Do I start at the beginning with my first book?  Should I go with my newest series or the book that's coming out in September?  Should it be funny, sexy, sweet or romantic?  What draws readers in?  Discipline? Sex? Humor?  Oh dear.

Personally, a sneak peek at a future novel is nice and tempting, but if I can't click and buy, I'll forget.  Books dance through my mind like a child's mobile gone mad.  What was that title?  Is this the cover?  Have I already read this?  Thank God Amazon has the sense to tell me when I've already purchased something or I'd have multiple copies.

For today, I guess I'll go with my newest book.  Effie, Book Three in, The Marriage Market Series will be released in early September.  The last few days I've been sort of in a brain fog, so Effie will be the easiest as it's still fresh in my mind.  I don't have a cover yet, and the blurb is in need of some work, so here's my six, straight from the novel without any hoopla.  Hope you enjoy it.

      It wasn’t until she’d consumed most of the broth and a few dumplings that she noticed the approving looks directed at Sam from Hugh and Jonah.  Turning she saw his smug expression as he placed a bite of chicken in his mouth.  It was galling to say the least and before giving it any further thought she picked up her napkin and ‘sneezed’ delicately.  At the same time, her spoon, which now held a dumpling, seemed to have a mind of its own.  With a quick flick of her wrist she sent the dumpling flying in Sam’s direction where it landed with a splat, right between his eyes, and stuck there.

      “Oh my, slippery little devils, aren’t they,” Effie remarked as she took her napkin and proceeded to wipe the pasty little thing down his nose, across his lips and lower jaw where it dropped off his chin to land in his lap. “Pardon me.”

      Looking around she noticed both Grace and Amelia had their heads down, looking at their plates.  Their shoulders were shaking slightly, but Tempest was laughing, not even bothering to hide her amusement.

      “A pardon from the president himself wouldn’t save you now, Miss Lane,” Sam growled as he got to his feet and firmly took her arm.  Pulling her up, he stopped at the last moment and grabbed the custard and a spoon before he literally hauled her from the room.

      The last words Effie heard as Sam hurried her toward the foyer were Hugh’s.

      “Amelia, my love, I had no idea you were so well behaved until I met your friends.”

Please take some time and check out some of the other posts on today's blog hop.