Kacey's Kreations

Interview (+ Giveaway) with Dana Littlejohn

2012-02-24T00:30:00.000-05:00

Hi Dana! It’s wonderful to have you here.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is Dana Littlejohn?

Dana Littlejohnis a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend, an aunt and a godmother with a lovingheart, a split personality and enough crazy to share with everyone in her lifeto help keep her sane.

What five words would best describe you –as an author, woman, etc.?

Bold,unexpected, challenging, fun and stimulating. Yeah…I think that about sums meup. *g*

When did you begin your writing career?

I have beenwriting seriously since I was 12.

What is a typical writing day for you?

I work a 9-5,but I have the flexibility to write some throughout the day. When I get home Iam usually at my computer until bedtime with pausing moments to cook and eat.

Do you take much time off between eachstory?

Nope, hardly notime at all. I’m usually doing 2 or 3 books at a time.

What is the biggest challenge you’vefaced since becoming an author?

Making eachcharacter different is the hardest part of writing for me.

Which authors are always on your to beread list?

Piers Anthonyand Bertrice Small.

What are you currently reading now?

I haven’t readanything for the pleasure of reading in a few months. I have been doingresearch for a wip. The last book I read was Piers Anthony’s Pet Peeve earlierthis year.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

LOL I actuallywanted to be an author!

What do you like to do for fun and relax?

I’m a moviegoer. I try to catch everything that’s out. I also like to cook. I like tryingnew recipes from other countries.

If you won a free trip to anywhere, whichdestination would you head to?

That’s a no brainer,The Virgin Islands! It’s the most beautiful place I have ever seen.

Now, about your story, THE SEVEN YEARSWITCH. What can you tell us about this particular story?

This story isabout an already established couple. They have been married for seven years,but the husband has been keeping a secret from his wife because he’s afraid shewouldn’t understand.

Which was the most challenging obstaclewhen writing THE SEVEN YEAR SWITCH?

The research!OMG the questions I had to ask, the books I had to read, the things I had totry, man! Talk about embarrassing. LOL

Were you able to identify withSonja? What will readers find the mostcompelling about her?

Oh yes! I triedto make her reactions as real as possible so that every woman who read thisbook could say, “oh yeah. I can see that.”

Are you actively working on a new WIP?

Yes, twoactually. Renegade Rae is about afuturistic female space pirate who finds her man and rules the galaxy byunconventional ways. Devine Interventionis about a woman who lost everything she had after making a foolish mistake. Asshe tries to rebuild her life in seclusion a special man comes into her life tohelp restore her.

Where can readers contact you? (Socialnetworks, site, email, etc.)

My Website isthe best place to find updates and current events, and I also have a Blog

Readers can alsofollow me on Facebook

and Twitter

Thank you very much for being here. Weall wish you the best of luck!!

Thanks for having me.Hanging out with you guys was fun.

More about Dana:

DanaLittlejohn was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, but has calledIndianapolis, In. her home for over ten years. She has always wanted to writesince early childhood, but put that wish on hold to raise her growing familyand have a career. With the encouragement of her husband, Dana picked up herpen again in 2003 and has no intention on putting it down. With 3 novels, 8novellas, 4 stories in anthologies, 42 short stories published to date and along list of wips (works in progress) she is literally living her dream. Joinher on the wild journey through her imagination. It’s a ride you’ll neverforget.

Couldyou make the switch from dutiful, submissive wife to paddle wielding queen beeto save your marriage?

Sonja Winters was enjoying the goodlife with a great job and being married to the man of her dreams. As sheprepared to celebrate their seven year anniversary she came across a secretthat her husband had been keeping from her that would alter the course of theirmarriage forever.

Excerpt:

“Submissive men will always seek strong women because theyare in need of her guidance,” Bianca said continuing her explanation.

Bianca’s voice was in an audible octave, not at all awhisper for Sonja’s benefit or to spare the feelings of the men. Sonja sippedher drink and sent a quick glance toward them. To her surprise, they stood atperfect attention, staring straight ahead showing no signs of emotion at all towhat Bianca just said.

“Yes, well, I wouldn’t know that, Bianca. My husband isnot a submissive man.”

“No disrespect to what you think you know, Sonja, but Ibeg to differ. Kyle is, in fact, a submissive man. He is what I call an alphasubmissive. At work he can be very dominate and extremely aggressive when itcomes to other men, but with a woman he has the desire to be humble andsubservient.”

Sonja crossed her legs and turned her body toward heradversary. “Look, you must have my husband confused with another one of your men,”she sent a pertinent wave in the men’s direction, “because I know my husband.Kyle and I have been together for—“

“You have been together for the last ten years. You metwhile you were still in college. Kyle’s company was doing a project on yourcampus. He bumped into you, and you guys have been together ever since. Sincethen, you have graduated and have become a successful lawyer. You and Kyle weremarried October fourteenth, and yesterday made your seventh year anniversary.You have no children, but you want at least two, and a dog. You are leaningtoward the Jack Russell breed because you want asmart dog that will not out-grow the child physically.”

Sonja’s eyes widened as she raised the cup to her mouth.

“Have I left anything out?”

Click on this banner below for more tour dates.

Necklaces to Giveaway

2012-02-22T10:17:00.001-05:00

Releases Feb 28th

One of my biggest supporters in writing has been my daughter. Though not quite old enough to read the story yet LOL, she has been especially supportive.

And that showed in the last few days as she, and her BFF, made necklaces for me to giveaway in celebration of ILLUSIONS releasing next week (Tues, Feb 28) at Decadent Publishing.

I'll give 4 of the necklaces away at various blogs hosting me, but will save one for a week-long giveaway here on my blog.

Here are some pic, previewing the beauties my girls made for me...

Stay tuned for Giveaway details, places I'll be celebrating the release of Illusions!

Interview (+Giveaway) with Tory Richards

2012-02-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

Hi Tory!

It’s wonderful to have you here.

Thank you somuch for hosting me today!

Thank you for taking the time to sit downwith your readers and myself to discuss THE MERCENARY WAY and whatever elsecomes to mind.

[Giveaway info: Listed Below]

Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is Tory Richards?

I’m a grandmawho writes smut. LOL. So you can bet Tory Richards is my pen name. I had to getone when I evolved from mainstream romance to erotic romance. Plus, I wasworking for Disney at the time. Having a pen name allows an author morefreedom. At least in my case.

In a nutshell Iwas born in Maine but have lived most my life in Florida. I’m quite comfortablegoing back and forth between living at my daughter and her family’s home, andmy soul mate’s home. So I really have the best of both worlds. I like cruising,good coffee, and chocolate.

When did you begin your writing career?

Well, I beganwriting stories on notebook paper when I was ten. But I didn’t begin a seriouswriting career until I was fifty and became published for the first time. Inbetween all those years, I got busy with life. I wrote but it was kind of likea stress relief thing and nothing came of it.

What is a typical writing day for you?

Writing is ahobby for me so unlike some writers, I don’t have a schedule. I write when the mood strikes me. The onlyfree time I have is evenings and weekends so the mood for writing has a veryshort window.

Do you take much time off between eachstory?

Not really. Itisn’t unusual for me to have several stories going at the same time. Right now, I have two erotic short storiesabout halfway done, and I’m in the process of sexing up two earlier releases byrequest of my publisher. They want to re-releasethem in their erotic line.

What is the biggest challenge you’vefaced since becoming an author?

Promotion hasbeen a challenge, but it’s something you have to do it. And a lot of it. There’sno easy formula for what works. So it takes time, money, and more time toresearch what may or may not work for you. You have to keep your name out there.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A writer,always. There was never anything else. Unless you count being a princess in afairytaleJ

What do you like to do for fun and relax?

I liketraveling, especially by cruise. Spending time with my grandchildren becausebelieve it or not, when I’m with them there’s nothing else on my mind at thetime but keeping up with themJ Meetingfriends for lunch. Enjoying a glass of wine with my daughter in the eveningsand talking about our day…once the kids have gone to bed.

If you won a free trip to anywhere, whichdestination would you head to?

Ireland, baby!I’ve planned that trip twice and haven’t made it. The first time 911 happenedand the second time my traveling buddy, my daughter, got pregnant with my firstgrandchild. By the way, I was on a plane the morning of 911.

Would you be able to leave allelectronics behind (save for the cell phone in case of emergencies) and justenjoy the vacation? Would it be a struggle to leave all the socialnetworking/writing necessities behind?

Oh no, not aproblem for me! I’ve done it, when I went to Europe. Remember, writing is ahobby for me.

Now, about your story, THE MERCENARY WAY. What can you tell us?

Kidnapped andimprisoned, Sarah Reynolds needs all the help she can get--but soldier-of-fortuneClint Becker is just a different kind of danger.

When a ruthlessgem smuggler mistakes Sarah for her best friend Susan, she's kidnapped andstashed on an island. Her only hope of rescue is Susan's cousin Clint--a manwhose my-way-or-else attitude is as infuriating as his muscular body is distracting.

Clint, ex-NavySEAL turned mercenary, desperately needs a vacation. Rescuing a kidnapped womanfrom an island paradise isn't what he had in mind. And when he encountersSarah's sassy mouth and tempting ways, he soon realizes he's the one introuble. Clint and Sarah elude her captors, but there's no escaping theattraction sizzling between them. With danger pursuing them, they have to learnto work together. But can an opinionated florist and a rugged mercenary everfind common ground?

*TheMercenary Way was previously published as Against the Odds in 2005 with adifferent publisher. When The Wild Rose Press offered me a contract the storywent through major changes which included adding new content.

What makes Clint and Sarah such a goodmatch?

Oppositesattract? In the beginning, they fight like cats and dogs. They both have strongpersonalities and seem to know what to say and do to push each other’s buttons.But from the start their physical attraction to one another is evident, andhard to ignore.

Which character was the most challenging?

Probably Sarah,for me and for Clint *g*

How did you go about researching Clint’sNavy Seal background? Was it difficult to research?

I don’t doresearch. I hate it! I write about what I know and make the rest up. So farit’s a process that works for me.

Are you actively working on a new WIP?

I’m in a funkright now. Life in general gets in theway at times. But as I said before, Ihave a few things in the works. *g*

Where can readers contact you? (Socialnetworks, site, email, etc.)

Thank you very much for being here. Weall wish you the best of luck!!

I thank you forletting me spend the day with you!

THE MERCENARY WAY

Excerpt # 2

Grabbinghis duffel bag, Clint sprinted in the direction of the trees, leaving Sarah tofollow. She’d learn soon enough that he wasn’t going to wait for her. They’dalmost reached the safety of the trees when the first shot rang out. It whizzedpast them ricocheting off a nearby tree, splintering the bark over their heads.He glanced back, swearing. Just as he’d expected, Sarah had come to a halt andwas looking around as though wondering what had just happened.

“Keepmoving!” he commanded, grabbing her arm. He gave her a violent shove in frontof him where he could keep his eyes on her, and ducked when another bulletwhizzed past. Soon after, a volley of gunfire erupted, forcing Clint to pushher to the ground before they shot her head off.

Shescreamed when he careened into her and, in seconds, they were slipping on themuddy earth. Keeping his hands on her hips, he forced her to crawl behind alarge tree. As they came to rest against it, flying bark sprayed the areaaround them.

“Wehave to keep moving!” Sarah cried above the sound of gunfire. “They’re coming!”She tried to struggle to her feet, but Clint easily held her down.

“No!”he said against her ear. “They’re still back at the house. They’re shootingwild, hoping to scare us out in the open. We still have a good head start,” hefinished in a calm tone.

“Yousound like you’re used to this,” she commented, trembling beneath his weight.She cried out again when another bullet hit the ground in front of them.

Clintforced her head down, lying protectively over her, all the while knowing thatif a bullet went through him, it would probably go through her too. “Pray,angel.”

More About Tory:

I'ma fifty-something author who discovered my passion for writing and storytelling at the ripe old age of thirteen. Before I received my first manualtypewriter, with pencil in hand, I would jot my stories down on notebook paper.Later, after receiving that desired typewriter I spent hours in my bedroom,where my parents thought I was doing homework. Writing turned out to be a kindof therapy for me, something I didn't realize until years later.

Ialso hold down a full time day job. So basically I'm working all the time. Onlywriting is a hobby for me, something I do during the quiet of the evenings andon my weekends. My goals are simple and realistic. By the time I retire I'll behappy if I'm just making enough "mad money" from it to be able totravel a little, and spoil my grandchildren.

I'lltravel any place a cruise ship will take me. I've been to: Greece, Italy,Croatia, Spain, and Alaska just to name a few places. I don't like to fly, evenbefore I found myself on a plane on 9/11, but I will if I'm given enough legaldrugs. I collect antiques and art, and I love chocolate, who doesn't? And I'maddicted to good coffee and sweet ice tea.

Fora while life got in the way of my dreams. A few years ago I decided to getserious and haven't looked back!

Winner Role Call…

2012-02-16T13:58:00.001-05:00

It’s beena busy few days. And I’m a bit behind in posting winner information for recentcontests/giveaways.

So, herewe go…

Winner of the Hippie Chicks 68 Valentine’s Day Contest is:Jenny T. casahoya@...

Winners of the “With Love Valentine’s Day Blog Hop” are:

Ashley A. ash_app@...

Kaylyn D. kaylyndavis1986@...

Winner of the Valentine’s TRS Release Party is: Michelle A.amos122902@...

Congratsto all winners and thanks for participating!

With Love Valentine's Day Blog Hop

2012-02-11T04:30:00.000-05:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

For the nextfour days, I’m taking part in a Valentine’s Day Blog Hop with hundreds of otherauthors. Tons of prizes are up for grabs so make sure to visit at least some ofthem. A full list of participants is here.

Valentine’s Dayis always fun for me. Hubs leaves me clues and hints to my gifts and it’salways a joy to find whatever goodies he offers *g* I’ll let yourimagination do the rest of the work … LOL

Conteststarts February 11, 2012 and ends February 14, 2012 at midnight.
Visit http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/ to see all 260+ stops onthe hop.

I'll be giving away some prizes. Ebooks, author goodies (some items are in this photo)....

Winner will be drawn February 15. To enter to win, simply leave a comment here, with your name and email address.

Some delicious chocolatey eye candy...

I hope your Valentine's Day is full of love, laughter and happiness.

Interview (+ Giveaway) with Leslie Soule

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

I’m thrilled tohave Leslie Soule at the blogtoday! Leslie is the author of Fantasy story, FALLENWOOD.

Leslie is alsodoing a giveaway, so be sure to check out the full details at the bottom ofthis post!

Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is Leslie?

I am an artist,warrior, and a writer with a poet’s heart.

What three words would yourfamily/friends use to describe you?

I think theywould describe me as kind, hardworking and honest.

When did you begin your writing career?

I’ve writtensince I was a kid. I used to write stories to go along with the things I’ddraw, and then when I was older I had this old word processor that I just lovedto write on. My writing career started though when Fallenwood was published asan ebook in March of 2011.

What is a typical writing day for you?

Well, I’ve neversat down and written for a full day straight. I usually write a story out just bits and pieces at a time.

Do you plan ahead/outline or just sit towrite?

Most of thetime, I just sit down to write and see what happens.

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

The hardest partis taking rejection and criticism. You put so much of yourself into writingsomething, that it’s hard sometimes when others don’t enjoy it as much as youdo.

What books/authors have most influencedyour life?

J.R.R. Tolkien,C.S. Lewis, Jack London and Brian Jacques.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be amagician and a writer. Being a fantasy writer allows me to do both.

What do you like to do for fun and relax?

Fun? What isthat again? Just kidding. I love to practice martial arts, paint, draw, andread.

Favorite wine?

I love redwines. In particular, I enjoy Pinot Noir, which is supposed to be reminiscentof the forest.

Boxers or briefs?

I like a man inboxers. *g*

Chocolate or ice cream at the end of theday?

Chocolate,definitely. I’ve got a notorious sweet tooth.

Now, about your story, FALLENWOOD.What can you tell us about it? What influenced the idea for this story?

Fallenwood is thestory of Ash Kensington, who runs away after her stepfather dies and finds herway to a fantasy world in peril. She gets caught up in a quest to save it, andtries to find the meaning of what her life’s about. As for how the story cametogether, I started writing it, and it’s evolved into what it is now.Ultimately, it was influenced by me trying to work through the emotions andthoughts I was dealing with after my own stepfather died.

How difficult was Ash to work with?

Ash was easy towork with, since I based her on a younger me. It’s easy for me to visualizewhat I might do and how I might react in fictional scenarios.

What appealed to you about the YoungAdult genre?

I’m drawn to YAbecause it typically doesn’t contain racy content, which I’m uncomfortablewriting anyway.

What do you hope readers take away withthem after reading FALLENWOOD?

What I reallyhope they get is that life is a battle, but one that’s ultimately worth dealingwith all of the struggle that comes with it.

Are you actively working on a new WIP?

I am. I’mworking on a sequel to Fallenwood, and I’m also working on a biography about mystepfather, Richard A. Anderson.

Where can readers contact you? (Socialnetworks, site, email, etc.)

My website isthe center of my writing life, so feel free to contact me via the “Contact Me”form on the site. I look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks forjoining me here today!

Blurb:

Fallenwood—aland where magic is the life force, dragons are sages, and wizards good andevil battle for supremacy. When 23-year-old Ash is thrust into the middle ofFallenwood’s power struggles, she is also forced to face her own inner battles.Life on Earth was hard enough on Ash, who is locked in grief for herstepfather. Now, the fate of Fallenwood rests on her shoulders. She mustdestroy the Great Crystal—the catalyst for all the land’s magic. As thekingdoms prepare for war, Ash must look inside to find the power to save theworld, and herself.

Excerpt # 1:

Tearsblinded her. She couldn’t stop and even the rough winds couldn’t scatter thewild thoughts that swirled in her mind—memories of her stepfather, words thatpeople had said at his service, images of her mother and that stupid grin shewore—all she could do was run. Ashley was deeply wounded but was powerless toheal this kind of pain. She’d looked into the face of evil. Her feet hit thegravel, and the wind whipped at her face as she tried to outrun her anguish.She closed her eyes for a split second, and the wind stilled, and she stopped.Ashley looked around her. It had suddenly become night, and she was now in anunfamiliar part of the woods.

Excerpt# 2:

Thedragon’s eyes glowed, for a flickering moment, with white light.

“Ash,”the dragon continued, “Welcome to Terra Illumina…or as it is more commonlyknown, Fallenwood.” Then a fierce roaring laugh erupted from the stone, asthough the dragon thought the new name a joke. “A dark, difficult, dangerouspath lies before you, Ash Kensington.”

Ash’sheart grew heavy. In truth, she knew that she was destined to some terrible,dark fate. For so long, her life was filled with sadness and doubt, and onehorrible thing after another. What else can I hope for?

“ButAsh, you must not lose hope. Our world needs you..."

W. Lynn Chantale New Release + Giveaway

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

DECADENT SECONDS by W. Lynn Chantale

Now available at Whispers Publishing

(Giveaway Info Below)

Blurb:

As a caterer, Darling gets to witness some of life’s happiestmoments, but yearns for a marriage proposal of her own. After years of waitingon her beloved to pop the question, she gives up on ever having a happy endingof her own and severs the relationship. When she learns she’s pregnant, she hasno choice but to face her child’s father on a daily basis as well as the loveand attraction she has for him.

Darryl Manning always believed Darling would be his forever.After all he didn’t need a piece of paper to show her how much he loved her,but when she leaves him to pursue her dream of owning a catering company andraising his son, he may have to rethink his views on marriage. That is if hewants a second chance at family.

Excerpt:

Drunken laughter floatedjust above the thrumming bass line of Lenny Kravitz’s Are You Gonna Go My Way,competing with the steady buzz of conversation. Soft pastel strobe lightsflickered through the muted illumination. Darlene Williams, or “Darling” as shewas known to friends and associates, surveyed the banquet hall full of guests.

She heaved a sigh as sheglimpsed a swirl of ivory on the dance floor. For one wistful moment, wherefairytales glowed bright and rosy, she imagined her own wedding. Her fairytaledidn’t have a happy ending. She sighed again. Or a beginning.

A familiar face bobbedin the crowd, and her breath hitched. Twice he tried to take her picture, andshe was determined he wouldn’t succeed. His gaze found hers, and her heartbeatmatched the pounding bass line. He turned away, and she focused on a set ofbroad, muscular shoulders. She could spend hours smoothing her hands over hisbrawn. When he found her again, the corners of his mouth creased, and afamiliar tingle crackled through her veins.

Just once she’d like tonot react when she saw him. Despite the warmth knocking at the wall of herheart, Darling followed his movements to a group of similarly clad women. Whenthey clustered around him, he raised his Nikon to his rugged face.

She loved his face, allangles and planes, and all that sharpness melted away when he smiled. Sadnessand longing wiggled through a crack in her wall and squeezed her heart. Theyweren’t meant to be. Still she stared after him, envying the way he leanedclose to one woman and lowered his camera. He gave a nod before moving away.When he passed beneath a wall sconce, the warm glow gave his smooth brown skinthe fine sheen of melted chocolate. He should’ve been out of place in his blackpolo shirt and khaki slacks as he moved among the tuxedoes and long dresses,but his sexy smirk and camera made things easy.

The discordant clash ofa body colliding with cymbals and snare drum drew Darling’s attention towardthe dais next to the dance floor. A glassy-eyed young man in a tux tried tountangle his limbs from the instrument without spilling his drink. Succeeding,he then lurched onto the crowded dance floor and crashed into a couple ofdancers. She shook her head when he sprawled on the floor, still trying todrink from the glass in his hand.

Not her problem. Darlingregarded the decimated buffet, the food reduced to crumbs and half-dried globsof gravy—this was her problem. Swiping sweat from her forehead with the back ofher hand, she lifted her gaze again, this time scanning the room for the tall,sexy photographer. He was now taking pictures of the drunk on the floor. Good,she didn’t want to run into him or his camera again. Turning, she hefted thesilver chafer by the handles and placed it on the rolling cart behind her.

She reached for the nextchafer, moving the serving spoon aside when strong hands seized her shoulders.The spoon slipped from her grasp, splattering white sauce on her black slacks,before settling on the floor. A sensuous chuckle tickled her ear, sendingwarmth scurrying through her veins, and puckering her nipples. Yanking free,she spun around to glare into dark chocolate eyes. She shoved the owner ofthose eyes and straightened her clothes. He laughed softly, his gaze driftingleisurely over her white chef’s coat and work pants.

Darryl Manning, the sexyphotographer, grabbed her hand and gently tapped the thick bandage wrappedaround her index finger. “What did you do to your finger?” She tugged her handfrom his grasp, wincing when she smacked the digit on the chafer. “I cut it.”She bent to retrieve the spoon from the floor, straightened, and placed theutensil in a gray plastic tub.

Darling wiped her handson a towel. Darryl folded well-toned arms across his broad chest, the blackknit shirt he wore strained to accommodate the expansion of muscle. She stifleda groan and the urge to run her fingers along the bulging biceps and perfectpecs. Why did her body pick today to rebel? “I don’t have time for this now,”she snapped, “What do you have time for?” His rich baritone conjured nights ofhot, steamy sex and decadent morning afters. He lifted his camera, with a sexysmirk. “Maybe a photo or two?”

She resisted theseductive note in his voice and placed her hand on the lens. “I’m working.”

“And I’m not, justfinished.” He stepped closer, the heat of his body instantly warming hers.Darling tilted her head back to maintain eye contact.

She studied his face,waiting for the familiar ache and longing to subside. It didn’t. Being thisclose to him, surrounded by his scent, a little soap and a whole lot of male,made her yearn to be in his arms, to feel his full lips against hers. What wasshe doing? She couldn’t think about him, about them. She moved away. Not today.

Darling turned as theclick-click-click of his camera captured her. Huffing, she stalked toward thekitchen. She caught the attention of Pete, one of her chefs for the evening.“Could you finish breaking down the buffet table while I take care of this?”She jerked a thumb to the hunk at her heels. Light flashed in her face,momentarily blinding her, and she held a hand to her eyes, blinking to clearher vision. “Don’t do that!”

Moving through thekitchen to a narrow staircase, she heaved a sigh as the pulsing rock musicfaded to a dull roar. Darling entered her office and smiled at the young manseated in a chair. “Thanks, Denny,” she said. He was another employee, and shewaited until he closed the door.

Darling knelt next to acar seat and dropped a kiss on the sleeping infant’s cheek. White lightzigzagged before her eyes. “Stop it!” she said.

“But you’re sobeautiful,” Darryl said.

Her stomach did a slowsomersault at the compliment, but he would need more than pretty words and hishandsome face to woo her. Straightening, she shoved a diaper bag in his generaldirection. “I have two more weddings, a funeral, and an awards banquet. Youtrying to flirt is not on today’s calendar!”

Darryl offered her asmile and her knees turned to jelly. The man would be the death of her. Theonly reason she still spoke to him was the sleeping toddler. If not for thebaby, she’d have kept walking and never looked back.

She brushed a stray curlfrom her face and planted her hand on her hip when Darryl didn’t move. “I knowyou may not have anything to do, but I really need to get back downstairs,” shereminded him.

He stepped closer,reaching a hand to tug on the lock of hair she had just swept away. She suckedin a breath, his clean masculine scent beguiling her. Her gaze dropped to theopen collar of his shirt. If she pressed her mouth to his warm skin, would hemoan? Darling lifted her head, and he met her lips with a kiss. Too stunned toprotest, she sank into his kiss, savoring the spicy taste of him and thefirmness of his lips. He skimmed the curve of her spine with his hands beforeresting them at her hips. Drawing her closer, he brought her against the hardline of his arousal. Desire exploded, and she wiggled her hips in hopes ofeasing the sudden tension at the apex of her thighs. As if sensing her need, hecupped her butt, shifting her slightly until he was wedged between her legs.

Lightning arced throughher veins as he settled more firmly against her core. She gasped, and hedeepened the kiss, tongues dueling in a fevered dance. Tightening her armsaround his neck, Darling relished the sensations vibrating through her system,and decided to enjoy them.

Lifting his head, Darrylstared into her face. For once she didn’t care if he knew how much she wantedhim, her fingers stroked the nape of his neck. She regarded him a moment beforehe brushed his lips across hers one last time before stepping away.

“I like flirting withyou.” He trailed his fingers down her arm.

And with those few wordshe ruined the mood. She drew a ragged breath into her lungs and shoved his handaside. How could one little kiss leave her so edgy and uncomfortable? Shecouldn’t give in to the demands of her body. She needed a clear head.

Available at:

Whispers

Amazon

Connect with W. Lynn Chantale at:

Giveaway:

W. Lynn is giving away a $15 gift card for either Amazon, B&N or aRe (winner's choice of one bookstore) to one lucky commenter. Winner will be drawn randomly on February 5th. Be sure to leave your name and email address with your comment.

Interview (+ Giveaway) with Tori St. Claire

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

I’m thrilled tohave Tori St.Claire atthe blog today! Tori is the author of STRIPPED, an erotic thriller/romantic suspense.

Tori is alsodoing a giveaway, so be sure to check out the full details at the bottom ofthis post!

Tell us a bit aboutyourself. Who is Tori St. Claire?

Who is Tori –I’m not really sure. I haven’t been inher skin too long, to be honest. I thinkshe’s a product of my impulsive imagination.

I’m teasing!

So, I’m anauthor, an equestrian and a mother. Depending on what day it is, that may or may not be the rightorder. But I own horses – Arabians andOldenburgs – and like to spend as much time with them as possible. It’s winter now, though, so that’s extremelylimited. I despise the cold.

I have two smallboys, age 6 and 4 ½. They keep mehopping. Between making sure myfurniture survives their latest encounter, making sure they don’t kill eachother when they both want the same toy, and making sure they don’t killthemselves when they refuse to listen… yes. I love my children. They can beabsolute angels, sweet little boys who know how to melt Mom’s heart. Most often, I refer to them as mydemi-demons. Not quite hellions… butcertainly part.

I love to cook,I’m a coffee addict, and I’m a suckerfor anything with four legs and fur. Andin the case of my bird, two legs and feathers. Most recently I’ve taken to saving the mice the cat diligently bringsme. Haven’t had much luck there, buthey, I can’t bear to let the cat finish those cute little buggers off. At least not in front of me.

When did you begin yourwriting career?

I have alwayswritten. I wrote my first regencyromance at 17, in my junior English class. In 2008, however, after some time away from writing, I sat down andpecked out a scene. Three days later,when I was several thousand words into the story, I did what I’d been advisedto do ten years earlier and joined RWA and three local chapters. That was when hobby became a career move.

In December ofthat year, I contracted my first book. I’ve been writing and publishing since.

What was your journey topublication like?

Mm. It’s fairly a-typical. I wrote. I submitted. I got rejected. I wrote some more.

But I writequickly and I suffer from idea-overflow. So rejections were more things I shrugged off. To-date I have never gone back and ‘fixed’ anovel that didn’t make the cut. I justmove on with another idea. It’s fasterand more rewarding for me to start over than cut, edit, revise, cut…

When Icontracted in 2008, I was lucky to have an editor who responded to my queryabout how I could improve my writing. Ipublished one other book with that editor, who was invaluable in what shetaught, before she left the company. Ihad a new editor, and we meshed well. Iwrote three more full-length novels. This was all with a small house.

Meanwhile, Ikept writing ‘bigger’ stories for hopeful agent and standard printcontracts. Not length. In fact, my short stories are a ‘new’ thingfor me this year. But more in depth, notso much ‘category’ type writing. Big. Sweeping. Subplots.

In 2010, I had amanuscript I really believed in. Iwasn’t getting terribly far in my agent hunt and found a new agent who had fourclients. I queried and she offered. I became her fifth client and her firstsale. Some people would say that wasrisky, signing with an agent who didn’t have a track record. But… it’s worked out beautifully. She’s prompt, smart, and she’s managed toopen a few doors for me that I hadn’t really considered. She’s fabulous.

Being publishedwas never not an option for me when I set out on this journey. I’ve studied my craft, thumped and pounded onmy keyboard, and refused to give up. Fromthe day I decided this was my career, I’ve treated it that way. I’ll keep doing so until my fingers fall off.

If there was one thing youcould do over, with respect to your publishing journey, what would it be?

Not come up withthe brilliant idea to write a series of 8 novellas while waiting on twostandard-print contracts to publish on the same day. (Laugh).

No, I’mkidding!

I really can’t thinkof anything I’d do differently. Quitefrankly, everything has moved so quickly in a short time span, and I have beenblessed in that fact. I haven’t hit atrench I’ve had to dig myself out of, to evaluate whether I made the rightdecision or whether I could have done something differently with differentresults.

What is a typical writingday for you?

It usuallybegins at around 9pm at night with the kids underfoot. That’s when the house is quiet, the childrenare abed and the critters are tucked in for the night. I sit down at my dining room table, open upmy outline, and write.

In between, Irefill the coffee, scrounge through the fridge for chocolate. If I don’t have any, I get out the pimentospread and wheat thins. But pretty muchI sit down and write until my eyelids start to droop.

I push myselfuntil I’m finished with the scene or the chapter, then I scratch what I did offmy outline, update my GANTT Chart, save everything and shut down for thenight. Usually I work until 12:30am duringthe week, and often until 4am on the weekends.

How do you develop yourplots and your characters? Do you use any set outline?

I don’t have anystandard way I use time and again to develop either plot or character. I do outline by hand more often than not, andthen transpose to the computer. Characters hit the pages as-is in my head, and get fleshed out in thewriting.

The one exceptionis if I am working on a series idea. Then I have spreadsheets that detail each character I’ve visualized forthe overall series—their physical traits, how the interrelate, their role forthe big picture.

What books/authors havemost influenced your life/writing?

SteveBerry. I love speculative fiction and Ilove the inability to predict his endings. He’s just… I love Steve Berry!

And whilethere’s a whole host of authors I read regular and admire and have learnedfrom, Johanna Lindsey is the one who made me fall in love with romance. Most recently, Shayla Black, Karin Tabke,Sylvia Day and Maya Banks have been role-models.

If we were invited intoyour home, what book might we find on the coffee table that you’re reading?

I just finishedBLOOD LAW by Karin Tabke. If you lookedat my bookshelf, you’d see a dominance of Berkley and Pocket authors. But, in the neighboring bookshelf, the titleswould bore you to tears. They are allnonfiction history books, primarily about ancient civilizations.

What vacation place is thefavourite you have ever been to? Is there a place you’d love to go and haven’tyet?

I have onlyreally been on a vacation out of the continental United States once – to Hawaiithis summer. It was amazing.

I have my heartset on Ireland. Yet, I’m slightly afraidif I go I won’t want to come back.

Do you have anyrituals/superstitions when sitting down to write? (ie: listen to music, havecandles burning, have to be sitting in your favourite chair?)

I do have to bein the same place. Be that at my desk,or more frequently, the same spot – the chair next to the right hand head ofthe table – at my dining room table.

Now,about your story, STRIPPED. The cover is very eye-catching. Please tell usabout it.

Strangely, I’mlearning it’s very difficult to talk about STRIPPED. Not because I can’t think of things to say,but because the story is so intricate and so layered I’m afraid I will givesomething critical away. So…

It’s very dark,it’s edgy in the sense my characters are more morally ambiguous than blatanthero. You have to look beyond duty andget into their hearts. Everybody hassecrets – that’s something you’ll see consistently in any Black Opal book. Nothing’s what it seems on the surface. And if I’ve done my job appropriately, it’sriddled with surprise.

STRIPPED isreally more thriller than typical romantic suspense as well. There’s the whole ‘ticking timebomb’ aspect,plus a heavy layer of mystery.

That said, asfar as the actual plot, I’m going to leave that to the cover blurb. I can’t reveal anything that way *g*

Bodyof secrets…

Asa member of the CIA’s elite, Black Opals, Natalya Trubachev must live a lie,working undercover as the lover of Dmitri, a Russian mob boss. His business istrafficking vulnerable Las Vegas strippers overseas for twisted sex games. Natalya’sbusiness is to blow the ring wide open and bring down Dmitri and his Americancontacts. But the stakes are raised when she learns that the next target is herown sister Kate, a dancer in the famed club Fantasia. Only now does Natalyarealize how personal her mission has become, and how far she’s willing to go tocomplete it.

Bodyof lies…

Themanager of Fantasia is Brandon Moretti, an undercover detective who keeps aclose eye on his girls, and an even closer one on his sinfully sensual hire.For Natalya, working the club could be the break she’s been waiting for. Butfor Moretti, Natalya is a possible link to a killer. Only he never counted onher being so lethally seductive or so dangerous to get close to. As every forbidden pleasure between them isstripped away, his own secrets threaten their security, but it’s Natalya’s thatcould destroy them both.

Anything in particular inspirethe idea for this story?

Not as the storystands now. In the very beginning, thevery first sparks of idea, Ke$ha’s Takeit Off gave me a vision of a story involving strippers. But that little flash of idea that poppedinto my head never made it to the outline.

I wish I hadsomething brilliant and creative to say here. Truth is, I had “stripper” and “suspense” in my head, and when I pickedup the pen to outline… it all just came to be.

Which character was themost difficult to work with – Brandon or Natalya?

Natalya, eventhough she was the dominant character in my mind. Actually, in the first iteration, back whenSTRIPPED was a romantic suspense, she and Brandon flowed onto ‘paper’naturally. But she became difficult towork with when the offer came for an erotic romantic suspense, and I had toadjust her goal, motivation, and conflict to fit the erotic elements. She wasn’t planned that way, and that took some creative energy. In the end, I was very pleased with what cameout.

Are you actively working ona new WIP?

I’m alwaysworking on a new manuscript! As Tori,not at the moment. I have proposalsin. But as Claire Ashgrove, I’m workingon the next novella in my short series, InheritedDamnation, which is a paranormal series about 8 Selgovae Celt siblings whowere cursed by their incubus sire to kill the person they fall in love with.

Where can readers contactyou? (Social networks, site, email, etc.)

My websites areregularly updated: www.claireashgrove.com and www.toristclaire.com

There are emaillinks there, as well as links to newsletters and my blog sites.

I’m on Twitteras @ClaireAshgrove and on Facebook asClaire Ashgrove.

Tori St. Clairedoes have a Facebook Fan Page, but for the life of me, I can’t figure itout. If anyone would like to volunteer….(laugh)

Thanks forhaving me here today! Your interviewquestions are really engaging and thought-provoking.

~Tori

STRIPPED, Excerpt # 1:

“No.” Sitting forward, Brandon folded his handson the stack of papers atop his desk. “You worked with Kate. That was when? Tenyears ago? Have you danced since then?”

“Fifteen, and no. But I’m quite capable.” Onlybecause Dmitri made her dance for him. She supposed she could consider that abenefit. If he hadn’t insisted on private pole dances, her body would haveforgotten how.

The reproachful arch of a dark eyebrow hinted atdoubt. “What makes you certain you can compete with the girls who’ve been doingthis for years?” His gaze dropped to her breasts, then slid slowly back up tolock with hers. “Beyond the obvious.”

Natalya’s body flushed with heat. She crossedthe opposite leg over her opposite knee, unsettled by the blatant appreciationin those tawny eyes. How many times had Dmitri looked at her with the samesuggestion in his gaze?

How long had it been since she’d liked being stripped bare with a mere glance?

The sudden tingling of her skin disturbed her.Moretti could very well be one of Dmitri’s faithful—he had more than one cop onthe take. While Dmitri understood her job required a bitof . . . feminine finesse . . . he’d only granther so much leeway. If she gave him a reason to suspect her allegiance, he’dslice her throat before she could see the knife glint. And the way her body waswarming beneath Brandon’s heated stare spelled trouble.

Determined to ignore his blatantly sexual gaze,she focused on the small white scar across Moretti’s chin and dredged up everyreason she could think of to convince him into giving her the job. “I dancedwell. Was the crowd favorite for a while. I held the job all through college,and two years in, the girls were coming to me for dance suggestions, costuming,on-the-spot fixes for breakdowns. Advice on how to handle the more exuberantcustomers.” She took a breath and began counting items off her fingers. “Ihired. I fired. I kept the drugs out of the dressing rooms. I trained the girlson the pole—Kate said you needed someone strong with the pole. My core body strength—”

“You’re hired.”

Natalya snapped her mouth shut. Slowly, sheblinked. “What?”

“You’re hired.” Moretti stood, stretching outhis muscular thighs that even his loose denim jeans couldn’t disguise. Heshoved his left hand into his hip pocket. Against her will, Natalya’s gazedropped to his crotch. Her breath caught at the tightening of his fly, the hardridge that evidenced arousal.

When she yanked her gaze back to Brandon’s, hiseyes flashed dark gold, telling her he knew exactly where she’d been looking.His voice, however, belied his awareness. “We open in three hours. I’ll needyou here early to help get the girls settled in.”

“The girls?”

He fished a set of keys out of the top rightdesk drawer and held his fist over her hand. “These are to the dressing rooms.I have a copy, you have a copy. No one else. Kate’s our star. She goes on atten, and every two hours after. Jill follows. Beyond that, you’ll have to talkto the girls.”

Natalya moved her hand beneath his, palm up,waiting for the keys. “And me?”

“I need a housemom more than I need a dancer.”His fingers brushed the base of her wrist.

Ignoring the chill that raced to her shoulder,she blinked again. “A housemom?” He had to be kidding! She needed to beonstage. Scoping out the crowd. Looking for Discovery, ashe was bound to be looking for potential targets.

Brandon lifted his hand a fraction. “Ahousemom.”

Or the job wasn’t hers. The hard line of hischiseled jaw voiced what he didn’t say.

Hell, not if she had anything to say about it.She was here to crack a case, and she couldn’t do that locked away in the backof the house.

A bit more about Tori:

Tori St. Claire grew up writing. Hobby quickly turned into passion, andwhen she discovered the world of romance as a teen, poems and short storiesgave way to full length novels with sexy heroes and heroines waiting to beswept off their feet. She wrote her first romance novel at seventeen.

While that manuscript gathered dust-bunnies beneath the bed, she went onto establish herself as a contemporary, historical, and paranormal author underthe pen name, Claire Ashgrove. Her writing, however, skirted a fine linebetween hot and steamy, and motivated by authors she admired, she pushed herboundaries and made the leap into erotica, using the darker side of humannature and on-the-edge suspense to drive grittier, sexier, stories.

Her erotic romantic suspense novels are searingly sensual experiencesthat unite passion with true emotion, and the all-consuming tie that binds --love.

STRIPPED, Excerpt # 2:

“Tell me what you want, beautiful.” His breathrasped over her cheek. Featherlight kisses accompanied the whisper, trailingacross her skin in a taunting path toward her mouth.

Kiss me. She turned her head insearch of lips she instinctively knew would be warm, the words on the tip ofher tongue. Kiss me until I don’t care whether I live or die.

Honesty. Just once.

He caught her lower lip with his teeth, the nipnowhere near gentle. But the lazy stroke of his tongue soothed the stingingbite. She parted her lips, dipped her tongue out to touch his.

Brandon’s body tightened like a whip. Thepressure in her lower back increased as his fingers curled into her skin. Theirbreaths mingled. The tips of their tongues met in a slow, sensual dance. Asanother spasm of ecstasy threatened to send her tumbling into his solid chest,she braced her hands on his shoulders.

And then Brandon was gone, the magic of hisfingers disappearing as he stepped back and set both hands on her waist. Hisgaze scorched in to flood her body with tingles. He waited, his questionunspoken, but hanging between them.

Tell me what you want.

Clearly he intended to make her admit she wantedto feel him deep inside her. Wanted to experience the slide of his bare skinagainst hers. And God, how she wanted to kiss him. To taste the desire thatburned in his gaze and the indescribable flavor of hot, aroused man.

Confessing might lead her to an early grave, butfor once, her conscious would be clear. She swallowed hard and dug deep for thecourage that had kept her alive these last three years. His gaze followed thesweep of her tongue as she moistened her lips.

“Kiss me.” Her senses honed in on her whisper,amplifying it and the ragged fall of their mutual breathing. She became awareof every minuscule sound as she waited for Brandon to either dip his head andhonor her request, or shove her aside with a wicked sneer.

He took a step closer, bringing their bodies in contactfrom chest to toes. One arm wrapped around her waist, then slid up her back tooffer support between her shoulder blades. The other tangled in her hair,tipping her head back. Putting her where he wanted her—subtle dominance thatthrilled her in places she hadn’t known existed. Her womb clamped hard, sendinganother rush of moisture through her pussy.

His mouth descended. Warm lips played againsthers, drawing her into the spell his body wove. Pulling her in so deep shestruggled for air.

The sudden, brassy ring of her cell phone joltedher out of hazy desire. She froze. With Kate and Sergei due to arrive atFantasia any minute, there could only be one other person calling at this timeof day—Dmitri. It would be almost one in the morning in Moscow. The time Dmitriput aside his work and crawled into bed. He’d want to talk before he slept.

“Don’t answer that,” Brandon whispered againsther mouth.

Damn if those lips weren’t compelling. She’d hadhis mouth on her breast, knew the incredible magic his tongue could createthere, but had yet to experience the tantalizing slide of his tongue againsthers. The need to feel his mouth on hers, to get lost in his potent masculinitypressed her to ignore the ringing tones.

Duty, however, rose up screaming. If she didn’tanswer, Dmitri would get suspicious.

“Ihave to.”

The more tours you visit and comments you leave, the more chances to win

Wednesday Workings...

2012-01-25T00:26:00.001-05:00

Been a bit since I did a lengthy post here on the blog. Thought I would do a quick update with meanderings/WIP/writing/upcoming release info.

In between running my kids here and there, icy road days and doing all the Super Mom chores, I found time to read one book and watch one movie in the last month. LOL I need more me time.

Last book I read: Play Dirty by Lorie O'Clare - enjoyed it a lot, but don't have the urge to jump into book 2 of the trilogy. I love Bounty Hunter stories though, so plan to read the 2nd book when I can.

Last Movie I watched (this evening actually): Real Steel with Hugh Jackman & Evangeline Lily. So very very good. Took a bit for me to warm to Hugh's character in the beginning (not that he man himself isn't hot hot hot) but his brusque harsh attitude took some getting used to. In the end, my boys were ready to head to the junkyard to find their own Atom -- and I had hopes that Hugh might show up. LOL Nothing as yet.

I also finished and submitted, Dare, a Contemporary Erotic Romance to three publishers. Keep fingers crossed for me! The wait begins.

Submitted the sequel to upcoming release (more info on that book below), Awakenings to Decadent Publishing. The story did creep up just over their 50k limit, but they're willing to look at it and then discuss the length if contracted. Again, fingers crossed for me...and more waiting! *g*

Currently in a dilemma on what to write next. I have another contemporary erotic romance that is nattering in my ear. Or at least, the heroine is. It's a bit darker of a story than I usually write but lately I've felt the need to ... let out some frustrations. Since she began nipping at my heels, perhaps it's a sign, since the heroine is going to be a mighty handful.

However, the Paranormal/Menage series I would like to fully dig into and explore won't get written if I work on the dark contemporary mentioned above. And I LOVE Menage stories, so setting it aside is difficult.

Why does there have to be so many voices in my head!!?? Such is an author's life I suppose. LOL I'm not going to complain really, just felt the need to tell these voices to let me sleep at night. Maybe one or two...?

Upcoming release:

I have book tours, blog guest spot and the like arranged for the Feb 28th release of ILLUSIONS. I'm excited for my first release with Decadent Publishing. Everyone there has been wonderful to work with.

Releases Feb 28th

Here's a short excerpt

(that still needs it's final line edits)...

“Your father now thinks Brady Jacobs is theboyfriend who will be coming to the party next month. He’s very happy you’vechosen a hometown boy, a celebrity himself, and an upstanding kind of guy. Ithink he’ll be picking out china patterns for you next.” Disgust was clear inAlicia’s voice.

“So what will you do, Izzy? I told youbefore to come up with someone to take with you. A pretend boyfriend if youwill, just to gain you some time and get your dad off your back about babiesand leaving this job behind.”

“I won’t do that, Alicia. Lying to myfather is not an option. He’ll get over it. There is no man in my life now, norever. At least not one for a happy ever after. It’s just not possible.” Hervoice cracked as she spoke of the impossibilities. She only hoped Alicia didn’tcatch it. Her mother’s death was never far from her thoughts. She would neverput a man through what her father had gone through, nor did she ever want tofeel such pain herself over a husband.

To her, it wasn’t worth it. To love andthen lose them just didn’t seem worth it.

“Izzy….”

“Forget it, Alicia. I don’t want todiscuss this anymore. I’ll deal with my father and will call the Gazetteto find out about this photo. Maybe they can do a retraction or something.Brady Jacobs and I are hardly newsworthy. Especially when there is no story.”

God, don’t strike me down.

“Sometimes, I think you have yourpriorities all wrong,” Alicia said sadly.

“Maybe I just need to get laid, Alicia.Whatcha think?” Isabella hoped to see a smile on her face, but as she lookedover her shoulder, all she saw was sadness. A look she had become accustomedto, as Alicia hoped Isabella would find Mr. Right.

Mr. Man for the Night sounded much betterto Isabella.

“Laid, Izzy? What’s that? I don’t thinkeither of us remembers what it’s all about,” Alicia uttered, amusement finally percolatingthrough her voice.

“Well, isn’t this an enlighteningdiscussion, ladies? Shall I throw my last sexual encounter into the ring and wecan share in the misery?”

Isabella jumped and spun around at thesound of Ethan Carter’s voice as he entered the office.

Blushing with embarrassment, she couldbarely look him in the eye. “Hey, Ethan. How you doing?”

“Obviously better than you, Isabella.”Ethan’s eyes cut to Alicia’s desk, where the newspaper still rested, open to page four and the photo of her withBrady. His gaze flickered her way, making her feel lower than dirt. He set hiscoffee down on his desk, pasting a false smile on his face. “You two alwayscommiserate together or what? Kinda early for sex talk, isn’t it?”

Isabella knew he was only pretending hedidn’t care about the photo on the desk, but as always, Ethan’s face conveyed everyemotion he felt.

“You know us girls, Ethan,” Alicia ribbedher partner, obviously picking up on the tension. “Sex, sex, sex, we talk aboutit all the time. We want it all the more, too.” She chuckled.

Laughing authentically now, Ethan ribbedhis partner in return. “Alicia, babe, I tell you daily, all you have to do iscall me. Day….” He lifted his stare to Isabella. “Or night.”

Isabella looked at Alicia, only to see alook of frustration and hurt cross her face.

Oh, God. Don’t tell me….

“What’s this? A party and no one told me?”

At the newest addition to theconversation, Isabella’s pulse accelerated double-time. She looked toward thedoor

Man, I don’t need this today.

Brady Jacobs walked—no, sauntered—into the office and headingtoward Ethan, spared her not a glance.

Black denim jeans encased his firm,shapely ass like a second skin and a black T-shirt with sleeves rolled over hisbeautiful biceps. He looked good enough to eat. A flood of heat coursed throughher body. Brady was a man who was confident in himself and when he entered theroom, there was a ripple effect. Everyone sat up to take notice of him andwomen practically swooned, eager to catch his eye. But Brady rarely gave anyone woman the time of day. He was adamant about keeping his personal life private,and his no-commitment rule was always in full force. Something he was alwaysupfront about with the ladies.

“Hey, pal. Great game this morning.”Brady slapped Ethan on the back.

“Shit, Jacobs. You kicked my ass and thensome.” Ethan chuckled. “My head just wasn’t in it today.” Isabella could seeEthan’s gaze move again toward the newspaper on Alicia’s desk.

If it wouldn’t be obvious, I’d snatch itand run to burn it.

“Morning, Ms. Alicia. How’s my sugar-girltoday?” Brady headed over to Alicia’s desk, ruffling her hair as he steppedbehind her, as if she were his little sister.

Leave it to Brady. Always make the ladies feel special.

“Get lost, Jacobs. I’m sick of seeing youaround here,” Alicia said flippantly.

She must really be pissed about thephoto. Isabella let out a frustrated sigh, causing three sets of eyes to lookher way.

“Morning, Brady.” Isabella smiled, hopingshe looked like a woman with not a care in the world. “What brings you to theprecinct this early in the morning?”

Brady’s gaze held hers for seconds longerthan she would have liked.

“Actually, I came to see Alicia. I needto go over the Vaughn case with her. I had another vision last night.” He spokewithout hesitation.

Trenton’s finest P.I. had become thecity’s favorite after his first vision had saved the Walker twins eight yearsago. The twins, then seven years old, had wandered off into the woods behindtheir family home one afternoon. When they didn’t return to the house for dinnerthat night, their frantic mother had called the police, begging someone to helpher find her missing boys.

Within hours, an Amber Alert had beencalled and hundreds of citizens and every cop available had combed the Walkers’woods, looking for the boys. After six hours without success, exhaustion hadset in with many of the volunteers. Everyone had worked tirelessly, but whenthere seemed to be no hope in sight, Brady showed up, at a frantic near-run,and charged into the woods. Within thirty minutes, he came back out with a boytucked under each arm.

Only after the Walkers had been calmed,the boys tucked into bed, did Isabella and Connor question Brady. With muchresistance, Brady confessed to his ESP, the visions that had begun during hisstint in the Marines.

Most times, out of nowhere—Brady could besleeping, driving, taking a shower—and a vision would claim him. In the eightyears since the Walker incident, Brady had probably saved more lives than mostcops.

While he didn’t have visions for everybeating, murder, kidnapping, or mugging in New Jersey, high-profile incidentsseemed to find a channel in Brady.

With each high-profile case solvedsuccessfully, Trenton’s citizens claimed him as a favorite son. If a child ranaway, parents would hire Brady to assist in bringing them home. If there were amurder, police at a dead end would call Brady in.

No one thought anything unkind about him orhis visions.

It made his P.I. business a huge successand he took it all in stride. Isabella admired him for it.

“Damn, Brady. Why didn’t you call meimmediately?” Alicia growled in a disgruntled voice.

“I am telling you, Alicia. I had to getthe whole thing in order before contacting you.” Brady shook his head andheaded for the window overlooking West Street, the one she had just moments agobeen staring out of.

“Well? What have you got for me?” Aliciademanded.

With a chuckle, Brady turned back toAlicia. “Impatient damn woman, aren’t you? Just like your cousin. Alwaysimpatient for more.”

Isabella felt her cheeks burn and prayedBrady wasn’t being an ass on purpose to start further questions running throughAlicia’s mind. She didn’t need them from her.

“If people would deliver, Brady, Iwouldn’t need more,” Isabella declared with some satisfaction. His eyes turneda darker grey than their normal silver color.

Don’t mess me with me and think you’llwin, big guy.

Hope you enjoyed the excerpt.

Have a wonderful weekend ahead. Stay warm, travel safe.