Lola Carson's Blog
January 26, 2015
January 18, 2015
Sneaking in with a new serial
I'm in the process of moving to a new location blog-wise, and I'll have the link for you once I'm all up and running. There's lots of things in the pipeline I hope you'll all enjoy, but for now, I've got a new serial for you:
Scott is a professional. He tends to his clients' needs, gets paid, and then leaves. No fuss.
Then he gets a new client: Chris Allen. And Chris is different. For one thing, he doesn't even know if he's into men, and he wants to experiment. Only he's too busy for flings or relationships, has no time for complications. He needs a professional, someone who can guide him through his journey of discovering man-on-man intimacy. Someone who can make him feel good and safe and at ease with his new-found curiosity.
It's the perfect arrangement, so long as they can keep it strictly professional...
Part One / Part Two / Part Three
Scott is a professional. He tends to his clients' needs, gets paid, and then leaves. No fuss.
Then he gets a new client: Chris Allen. And Chris is different. For one thing, he doesn't even know if he's into men, and he wants to experiment. Only he's too busy for flings or relationships, has no time for complications. He needs a professional, someone who can guide him through his journey of discovering man-on-man intimacy. Someone who can make him feel good and safe and at ease with his new-found curiosity.
It's the perfect arrangement, so long as they can keep it strictly professional...
Part One / Part Two / Part Three
January 17, 2015
Relaunch...?
I haven't vanished! It's been a tricky couple of months. But there's a relaunch heading this way very, very soon. Watch this space, etc.
December 3, 2014
Guest Post: Karyn Lawrence
I'm joined by Karyn Lawrence today, whose new book,
Keep
, is available now!
Billionaire CEO Shawn Dunn has plenty of sex, power, and money. A woman turning down his advances? Unfathomable. Yet that’s what she does, again and again.
Kara Hayward is supposed to be off limits. Her sister is hiding from the dangerous assassin she escaped from, and it’s best for everyone if Shawn keeps his distance. Certainly as far as Kara is concerned. Shawn’s only after one thing and then he’ll walk away, just like her ex-husband.
But Shawn has larger desires and he’s used to getting what he wants. He doesn’t care if being together is dangerous. He doesn’t believe that threat to him, or his empire, is real. Right up to the night he has everything taken away.
Available here!
Excerpt
If she weren’t so emotionally and physically exhausted, she’d be immune to him. Maybe immune wasn't the right word. Resistant, perhaps.
They hadn't taken their clothes off. Shawn had barely touched her. And still, the encounter left her desperate and shaky. Filled with need for him. Wanting him. It had easily been the hottest twenty minutes of her life.
Good-looking, her sister had warned her once about Shawn. Not even close. Jason was good-looking in a rough and tough sort of way. Her sister had always liked the bad boys and while Jason, the head of security, looked more conventionally dangerous, Kara knew better. That the taller brother in the suit was cunning and manipulative, making him far, far more dangerous than the one that carried a gun.
About the Author
Karyn Lawrence is an author, graphic designer, and screenwriter. She published a nonfiction book about color guard after an editor discovered her blog, way back in the infancy of the Internet and long before blogging was really a thing.
She has been a screenwriter for more than fifteen years, with rather mild success, and grew tired of her stories only reaching a handful of readers. The decision was made to try fiction in early 2013 and once she figured out how to write internal dialogue again, the prose came fast and furious. She most enjoys writing smexy (smart-sexy) books featuring a lovable SOB hero and a tough-as-nails heroine.
Karyn is a Chicago native who lives in Kentucky with her epic husband and two adorable sons.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karynlawrenc...
Twitter: @karynsloan
Website: www.karynlawrence.com
Karyn's giving away a $25 gift card to Amazon, a signed paperback copy of both "Keep" and the first book in the stand-alone series, "Stay", bookmarks from "Stay" and a can kozie with the logo from the fictional beer company that the hero owns in "Keep" (Swag and print book are US only) to a randomly drawn winner. Enter for your chance to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And now a little guest post from Karyn:
How I Fix A Boring But Necessary Scene
There’s no way around it. You’ve got to write that scene that explains something to your reader and it’s a huge, boring exposition dump. Your plot and characters can’t move forward until this information is revealed and you’re backed into a corner. So, you think, let’s write it fast and slog through it, and even as you’re writing it -- you’re bored. Your reader’s going to get bored too, but worse, they might miss out on this important information because they’re not paying attention.
How do you fix or disguise it?
Here’s what works for me. I ask myself, “What’s the most interesting way I can play this scene?” For example, the opening scene of my book “Keep” needed to do a lot. I wanted to introduce my main character as a strong, professional woman who’s succeeding at her job, as well as other backstory information such as she’s tall, emotionally guarded, cool under pressure, and recently divorced.
During the time I was drafting the book, at my day job I was concerned that I was going to have to terminate an employee… and that it might not go well. And since I’ve got that crazy imagination that most writers do, I thought about the worst-case scenario. (It ended up going the opposite direction in real-life, thank god.)
I used it and chose to open with her terminating an employee. As soon as it’s over, she learns that he’s going through a divorce. Already unstable, the firing pushes the employee over the edge and he bursts into the conference room a few minutes later brandishing a gun. That allowed me to show the reader how calmly she talks the employee down, using her own divorce to make him feel that he’s not alone.
Really all this technique boils down to is conflict. If I’ve got a scene where two characters have a conversation, I’m going to turn that into an argument. It’s so much more fun to read (and write) when there’s tension, and your reader doesn’t notice that you’re laying groundwork.
Obviously, with any technique, overuse will ruin it. If your character has to go to the grocery store and you have a robbery in progress, and then that character gets into a car accident on the drive home, and when they arrive the house is on fire… your reader’s not going to be too happy, or able to suspend disbelief.
If you’ve got that one scene that you’re skimming over when editing – that one you know you can’t cut, but hate rereading – ask yourself if you can find a more interesting way to play that scene. It might just end up being one of your favorites to write.
Billionaire CEO Shawn Dunn has plenty of sex, power, and money. A woman turning down his advances? Unfathomable. Yet that’s what she does, again and again.
Kara Hayward is supposed to be off limits. Her sister is hiding from the dangerous assassin she escaped from, and it’s best for everyone if Shawn keeps his distance. Certainly as far as Kara is concerned. Shawn’s only after one thing and then he’ll walk away, just like her ex-husband.
But Shawn has larger desires and he’s used to getting what he wants. He doesn’t care if being together is dangerous. He doesn’t believe that threat to him, or his empire, is real. Right up to the night he has everything taken away.
Available here!
Excerpt
If she weren’t so emotionally and physically exhausted, she’d be immune to him. Maybe immune wasn't the right word. Resistant, perhaps.
They hadn't taken their clothes off. Shawn had barely touched her. And still, the encounter left her desperate and shaky. Filled with need for him. Wanting him. It had easily been the hottest twenty minutes of her life.
Good-looking, her sister had warned her once about Shawn. Not even close. Jason was good-looking in a rough and tough sort of way. Her sister had always liked the bad boys and while Jason, the head of security, looked more conventionally dangerous, Kara knew better. That the taller brother in the suit was cunning and manipulative, making him far, far more dangerous than the one that carried a gun.
About the Author
Karyn Lawrence is an author, graphic designer, and screenwriter. She published a nonfiction book about color guard after an editor discovered her blog, way back in the infancy of the Internet and long before blogging was really a thing.
She has been a screenwriter for more than fifteen years, with rather mild success, and grew tired of her stories only reaching a handful of readers. The decision was made to try fiction in early 2013 and once she figured out how to write internal dialogue again, the prose came fast and furious. She most enjoys writing smexy (smart-sexy) books featuring a lovable SOB hero and a tough-as-nails heroine.
Karyn is a Chicago native who lives in Kentucky with her epic husband and two adorable sons.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karynlawrenc...
Twitter: @karynsloan
Website: www.karynlawrence.com
Karyn's giving away a $25 gift card to Amazon, a signed paperback copy of both "Keep" and the first book in the stand-alone series, "Stay", bookmarks from "Stay" and a can kozie with the logo from the fictional beer company that the hero owns in "Keep" (Swag and print book are US only) to a randomly drawn winner. Enter for your chance to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And now a little guest post from Karyn:
How I Fix A Boring But Necessary Scene
There’s no way around it. You’ve got to write that scene that explains something to your reader and it’s a huge, boring exposition dump. Your plot and characters can’t move forward until this information is revealed and you’re backed into a corner. So, you think, let’s write it fast and slog through it, and even as you’re writing it -- you’re bored. Your reader’s going to get bored too, but worse, they might miss out on this important information because they’re not paying attention.
How do you fix or disguise it?
Here’s what works for me. I ask myself, “What’s the most interesting way I can play this scene?” For example, the opening scene of my book “Keep” needed to do a lot. I wanted to introduce my main character as a strong, professional woman who’s succeeding at her job, as well as other backstory information such as she’s tall, emotionally guarded, cool under pressure, and recently divorced.
During the time I was drafting the book, at my day job I was concerned that I was going to have to terminate an employee… and that it might not go well. And since I’ve got that crazy imagination that most writers do, I thought about the worst-case scenario. (It ended up going the opposite direction in real-life, thank god.)
I used it and chose to open with her terminating an employee. As soon as it’s over, she learns that he’s going through a divorce. Already unstable, the firing pushes the employee over the edge and he bursts into the conference room a few minutes later brandishing a gun. That allowed me to show the reader how calmly she talks the employee down, using her own divorce to make him feel that he’s not alone.
Really all this technique boils down to is conflict. If I’ve got a scene where two characters have a conversation, I’m going to turn that into an argument. It’s so much more fun to read (and write) when there’s tension, and your reader doesn’t notice that you’re laying groundwork.
Obviously, with any technique, overuse will ruin it. If your character has to go to the grocery store and you have a robbery in progress, and then that character gets into a car accident on the drive home, and when they arrive the house is on fire… your reader’s not going to be too happy, or able to suspend disbelief.
If you’ve got that one scene that you’re skimming over when editing – that one you know you can’t cut, but hate rereading – ask yourself if you can find a more interesting way to play that scene. It might just end up being one of your favorites to write.
December 1, 2014
Introducing: My Dark Highlander by Nancy Lee Badger
My Dark HighlanderKilted Athletes Through Time Book 2Nancy Lee Badger
Genre: Scottish Time Travel romance
Plucked from her timeline, and stranded in 1603 Scotland, veterinarian Jenny Morgan is eager to get home before someone discovers her secret ability. Reading auras is a curse, and the rainbow of auras surrounding the villagers at the Highland festival is more than she can bear.
Aided by a powerful witch, she returns to New England. She will miss the North Sea, and the man who stole her heart during one dark night, but danger follows her home.
Laird Gavin Sinclair is pulled in too many directions; a missing brother, a murderous father, and a dark-eyed beauty he spent one sin-filled night protecting. When Jenny returns to the future with a witch and another man, danger follows her. Gavin must set aside his obligations, use his sorcery to follow her forward in time, and protect her.
Before returning home, jealousy and lust ravage his dark soul, but his heart lightens when Jenny helps him fight every evil.
Amazon ebook Nook Smashwords All Romance
Amazon Print iTunes Kobo BN Print
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EXCERPT
“Men of your time have lots of muscles, but you have such a thin waist.” Jenny’s finger traced a line from between Gavin’s nipples, to his belly button, then followed the dark line of hair to his expectant groin. “No belly, either. Guess you don’t eat cake and ice cream like the guys around here, do.”“Nor pizza.”She laughed. “You are so right.”When her caress slipped lower, and she soaped his genitals, he coughed. “Easy, lass. Much time has passed since I…”“That time in the barn was wasted. Why didn’t you make love to me?” She released him, and stepped back.He sighed, then shook his head, He stepped closer to her, and the spray hit him in the middle of his back. She was staring up at him, with her teeth imbedded in her lower lip. He had tasted those lips, and the memory made his length as rigid as a steel pike. He did not wish to fight the memories of that night, when he had kept his clothes on. “Doono’ think I did no’ wish to love ye completely. We nearly died from a fierce battle. Can ye no’ recall our race through the forest, and coming to Bull and Izzy’s aid? By gaining the attention of Tulac Castle’s warriors, we nearly perished. We celebrated by finding solace within each other’s arms.”“But you stopped with kisses and…touches.”Gavin smiled.
About the AuthorAward-winning author Nancy Lee Badger loves chocolate-chip shortbread and wool plaids wrapped around the trim waist of a Scottish Highlander. Her stories tempt you with the clang of broadswords, and the sound of bagpipes in the air. After growing up in Huntington, New York, and raising two handsome sons in New Hampshire, she moved to North Carolina where she writes full-time. Nancy is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, Triangle Area Freelancers, and the Celtic Heart Romance Writers.
Blog http://www.nancyleebadger.blogspot.com
Website http://www.nancyleebadger.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/NLBadger
Facebook http://on.fb.me/KMGS4z Goodreads http://bit.ly/Vd1Usg
Amazon Author Page http://amzn.to/13ICHLq
Giveaway!
Enter here for your chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card
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November 29, 2014
Introducing: Love, Laughter, and Merrily Ever Afters: a box set of romantic holiday novellas!
TEN fun, romantic holiday novellas by ten New York Times & USA Today bestselling authors
An all-star gathering of some of today's most popular NYT and USA Today bestselling romance authors in a fun-filled collection...holiday style! With the overwhelming response to the chart-topping summer boxed set, we've brought together even MORE of your favorite authors for a winter compilation, and this time, we've giftwrapped TEN stories for you all. From the funny & sweet, to the STEAMY & heartfelt, each novella is packed with a whole lot of romance, and hand-picked to infuse perfectly-portioned holiday cheer into your busy days this season...along with hot bursts of holiday steam for those winter nights.
And at just ***99 CENTS USD*** that's a huge savings of over 95% off retail for the individual books sold separately! This is an extremely limited edition bundle available for just 5 weeks so get your copy today!
THE BOXED SET INCLUDES:
IF I RETURN -- by USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett
WILD IRISH CHRISTMAS -- by New York Times bestselling author Mari Carr
SEDUCING SANTA -- by New York Times bestselling author Janelle Denison (aka Erika Wilde)
DECKING DREW -- by New York Times bestselling author Violet Duke
FAIRIES & WISHES -- by USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson (aka Monica Murphy)
TWELVE DATES OF CHRISTMAS -- by New York Times bestselling author Jessie Evans (aka J. Evans)
HOLIDAY SPIRIT -- by New York Times bestselling author Cathryn Fox
UNWRAPPED -- by New York Times bestselling author Melody Grace
A CHRISTMAS HEAT WAVE -- by New York Times bestselling author Alannah Lynne
HIS CHRISTMAS WISH -- by New York Times bestselling author Marquita Valentine
Goodreads Buy now from Amazon, B&N or iBooks!
IF I RETURN by Sawyer Bennett Hope Camden is relentlessly serious, awkwardly shy, and in complete need of a walk on the wilder side. At least, that's what her sister tells her when she drags her off on an impromptu Christmas getaway in the mountains, where Hope meets gorgeous, enigmatic Army helicopter pilot Jack Freeman...who's headed off to war in a week.
SEDUCING SANTA by Janelle Denison (aka Erika Wilde) All Faith Roberts wants for Christmas is one sexy night with Matthew Carlton, the hot, gorgeous pediatric surgeon posing as Santa for a visit to the children's ward where she volunteers. While Matthew is more than willing to fulfill her naughty wishes, he's determined to show Faith that he's the kind of gift that keeps on giving.
TWELVE DATES OF CHRISTMAS by Jessie Evans (aka J. Evans) When Lula Jo refused Carter's proposal one dark December night--unwilling to abandon her hometown to live the dangerous life of a treasure hunter's wife--the holiday lights went out in her heart. She vowed to keep her distance from dangerous men and untamed cowboys. But now Carter is back and hoping for a holiday miracle to reunite him with his first and only love.
DECKING DREW by Violet Duke If anyone can make Drew Lawson believe in the magic of Christmas, of course the universe would pick the addictively sweet, mind-wreckingly beautiful Skylar Sullivan to try. She's only the girl-next-door of his dreams he'd classified as completely off-limits two years ago...the same one now standing on his doorstep on Christmas eve.
FAIRIES & WISHES by Karen Erickson (aka Monica Murphy) Lily the holiday fairy is given a new assignment this Christmas season--teach a lonely doctor how to love again. But all Lily knows how to do is gently coerce people into embracing the Christmas spirit; she doesn't have a clue what love really is. So imagine her surprise when she falls madly in love--and lust--with the good doctor in the process.
WILD IRISH CHRISTMAS by Mari Carr It's Christmas Eve, and all seven of the Collins siblings have gathered together to give their father Patrick a precious gift. Gather 'round the tree and join the Collins family as they pass a bottle of Jameson, and Patrick shares the story of how he won the heart of Sunday, his true love, his soul mate...and the mother of his seven Wild Irish.
UNWRAPPED by Melody Grace Lacey James is wild, spontaneous, and up for anything. Daniel Sullivan is careful, sensible, and mending his broken heart. When the unlikely pair get stranded together on the way home for the holidays, Lacey finds her long-term crush impossible to ignore. And as a game of truth or dare spins out of control, Daniel discovers the one girl he truly wants is the last person he expected.
HIS CHRISTMAS WISH by Marquita Valentine War hero Joaquin Morales is back in Holland Springs for the first time in years. His mission? To convince his wife that they have a future together. But falling in love with her husband for the second time is not a part of Sage Caswell's plans this holiday Season. With the help of a little Christmas magic (and a well-timed snowstorm), can Joaquin and Sage's dreams come true?
HOLIDAY SPIRIT by Cathryn Fox What's a girl to do when she finds herself held captive in a bedroom--with the man she's been lusting after for months--by a voyeuristic spirit on Christmas Eve? Give it what it wants, of course. If a holiday romp with her sexy co-worker is what it'll take for Elly Watson to solve her latest Paranormal Task Force case, she's up for the challenge...over and over again if need be.
A CHRISTMAS HEAT WAVE by Alannah Lynne All Samantha Mazze wants for Christmas is to create the perfect Christmas Eve celebration for her friends and family. The house is decorated, the meal has been prepared, the guests are arriving...what could possibly go wrong? Come spend the holidays with your friends from the Heat Wave series, and meet a few new additions.
Enter now for your chance to win 1 Kindle Fire HD 6 Tablet AND 1 $100 Gift Card!
Giveaway time!
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November 28, 2014
A bit of a catch-up
Hey! How've you been? I've been...not here, as you may have noticed. I mean, sure, I've been hosting plenty of blog tours (and they will continue, just FYI -- I enjoy doing it!), but I've personally not been here.
I've been dealing with one or two bumps in life recently. Nothing to bore you with, but these issues have been enough to keep me away from all of this and all of you. My plans for daily blogging went out the window, as did my writing schedule. Woe, sigh, meh, etc.
However, everything life-wise seems to be back to normal now. Yay and woo and all that. So I'm taking this weekend to re-organise everything, and then it's my butt back in the saddle on Monday.
So here's what's happening now:
The mailing list is going. Thank you to everyone who's signed up, but as you might have figured out, I don't use it. I've sent the grand total of one email through it. It's just not for me. Don't like it. Nope. From now on, the best way to keep an eye on what I'm up to is through twitter. Yep, I've decided I'm finally going to start tweeting. My account's just been sitting there, unused and bored, waiting for some action. Anyone who adds me on there from now until Friday will, next weekend, receive a link to a free M/M contemporary erotic romance short story, and one random follower will receive a $10 Amazon gift card.
I have two serials releasing in December. One is a short three-parter, about two college friends on a roadtrip who might have more than friend-type feelings for each other. The other is a long serial that I don't want to go into detail about yet, but it's my favourite thing of mine so far, and I really hope you'll enjoy it. These are both M/M erotic romance, naturally.
Moving into 2015, I have a packed plan. Lots going on, which I'll talk about at a later date. And I'm going to get back to regular blogging. But for now it's 2am in my part of the world, and I need to go get some rest if I'm gonna have a productive weekend sorting out everything for my back-with-a-vengeance schedule!
I've been dealing with one or two bumps in life recently. Nothing to bore you with, but these issues have been enough to keep me away from all of this and all of you. My plans for daily blogging went out the window, as did my writing schedule. Woe, sigh, meh, etc.
However, everything life-wise seems to be back to normal now. Yay and woo and all that. So I'm taking this weekend to re-organise everything, and then it's my butt back in the saddle on Monday.
So here's what's happening now:
The mailing list is going. Thank you to everyone who's signed up, but as you might have figured out, I don't use it. I've sent the grand total of one email through it. It's just not for me. Don't like it. Nope. From now on, the best way to keep an eye on what I'm up to is through twitter. Yep, I've decided I'm finally going to start tweeting. My account's just been sitting there, unused and bored, waiting for some action. Anyone who adds me on there from now until Friday will, next weekend, receive a link to a free M/M contemporary erotic romance short story, and one random follower will receive a $10 Amazon gift card.
I have two serials releasing in December. One is a short three-parter, about two college friends on a roadtrip who might have more than friend-type feelings for each other. The other is a long serial that I don't want to go into detail about yet, but it's my favourite thing of mine so far, and I really hope you'll enjoy it. These are both M/M erotic romance, naturally.
Moving into 2015, I have a packed plan. Lots going on, which I'll talk about at a later date. And I'm going to get back to regular blogging. But for now it's 2am in my part of the world, and I need to go get some rest if I'm gonna have a productive weekend sorting out everything for my back-with-a-vengeance schedule!
Introducing: The Token 8: Kiki, by Marata Eros
One Promise.
Kandace “Kiki” King lives a dream life. Rising above the ashes of a neglected childhood, she’s graduated from a prestigious Seattle university to obtain her pre-law degree. Her best friend, Faren, has overcome tragedy and found her happily ever after.
Kiki’s not looking for love.
The Lie.
Love has other plans. After Thorn’s revelation about the ties of their past, Kiki feels as though she’s been set adrift. When Mick McKenna’s billionaire friend shows interest, she dismisses him. Her exotic dancing paid for her lifestyle. What does Chet Sinclair know about sacrifice and hard work?
A Truth.
Until they discover a similar appetite. For the first time in her life, Kiki feels helpless against the pull of a sexuality she doesn’t understand, couldn’t anticipate, yet hungers for. Will she allow herself to succumb to what Chet Sinclair offers?
Or is the oath she made to herself in danger of being broken?
Goodreads / Buy now!
Enter now for your chance to win a signed copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author
Marata Eros (a pen name for Tamara Rose Blodgett), is the NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author of A Terrible Love. Marata has more than thirty-five titles in multiple genres including Dark Fantasy, Dark Romance as well as her highly successful Dark Erotica series.
Marata lives in South Dakota with her husband, children and fur kids. She is an ardent reader of many genres. Tamara enjoys interacting with her readers via Twitter, blog and newsletter as often as possible. Please stop by and say hi :)
Website: http://marataeroseroticaauthor.blogspot.com/Twitter: @MarataErosFaceBook: http://tinyurl.com/MarataErosFB
Excerpt
“I like this Chet.” My finger touches the tip of his nose.
His expression freezes.
“What Chet?” he asks neutrally.
“This one,” I say softly, touching his arm lightly as he stands.
He doesn't respond, quickly drying himself.
I blush at his flaccid penis. That his tube of love did those things to me... seems inconceivable, but Chet has the moves. Boy, does he.
He strides around my small condo, picking up trousers, socks, underwear, and the cufflinks he'd left behind.
“Ah,” he says when he plucks them off the entrance table. “I wondered where they'd gone off to.” He lifts them with his fingers then loosely closes his fist around them.
“You put them there when we were christening the wall,” I say, my voice as droll as they come.
My cell dings between us on the kitchen table. I don't move to answer, but Chet does.
I go to intercept, but I’m too late.
Chet scoops it up, frowning at whatever he sees on the screen.
Shit.
But why should I feel bad? I mean, he's got Chloe for shit's sake. And Ax and I—we're nothing.
Though it could be something.
I bite my lip, and Chet's eyes zero in on my mauling of the soft flesh. I let it plop out.
“Who is Ax?”
I lift a naked shoulder, my boob jiggling a little from the motion. Chet's eyes flick to my breast then back to my eyes.
“A guy.”
His eyebrow cocks. “Clearly.”
The silence has words.
“He's a guy I was friends with in the projects,” I say.
Chet pulls a face. “Projects?”
Right, rich boy doesn't know the term. “Yʼknow, slums.” I sound a little more harsh than I mean to. Try as I might, I can't wash the dirt off the word.
“I see.” Chet's gaze doesn't hold the condemnation I think it will. It's neutral.
I try not to be defensive about my past. I can't help my birthing circumstance, my old hood, my stripping to pay for school at Udub—none of it. It's my past. But knowing all that shit doesn't make me feel any less self-conscious.
I inhale deeply, poised to speak, but Chet holds up a hand. “I'm not interested in an explanation of your background.”
I see red, literally. He gets a load of my pissed off expression, no doubt.
Chet rakes his longish hair back from his forehead. “What I mean is that I do want to know you, were you come from. However, I don't want you to feel you're lesser for it.”
I don't cry, but my throat feels as if a fist is crammed inside it. Something tells me I've misunderstood Chet....
November 27, 2014
Introducing: Moonlight in Winter Park by Samantha Chase
“Moonlight in Winter Park” – A modern-day Beauty and the Beast style Christmas.
All Hope Cooper needed this year was to have the kind of Christmas her family always cherished. But with her parents gone and her only brother having to work, it doesn’t look like it’s going to work out for her. There’s nothing she can do about her parents, but she most certainly can voice her annoyance at her brother’s boss for making him work out of town all through the holidays.
Beckett James hates the holidays and everything that goes with them. They were important at one time, but now the only thing that mattered was his company and it’s continued growth and anyone who worked for him better feel the same way. If not, then they could find employment elsewhere and good riddance. With a major expansion deal on the line, Beckett needs to focus. What he doesn’t need is Hope to come barging into his mountain retreat demanding that her brother come home immediately due to an emergency.
Suddenly it’s two alone in a snowstorm. Two alone for Christmas. And two alone to fight an attraction that had been there all along. Hope soon begins to realize she may have misjudged Beckett while he comes to see that there really is something special and magical about Christmas. But once they leave their private winter wonderland and return to their normal lives, will the magic still be there?
Goodreads / Buy now!
Enter for your chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan's Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40's to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.
When she's not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
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Excerpt
He stood there in front of her, looking all kinds of handsome. His dark hair slightly mussed, a gray wool scarf around his neck and a black wool jacket covering his muscular build. It wasn’t fair that he could look so good all the damn time – so calm and completely in control – when her life was spinning in the complete opposite direction. “I…I really need to go,” she said finally and then forced herself to look up and meet his eyes. Damn. They were so dark, so intense and it would be so easy to just look into them forever. A sigh escaped before she could stop it. “Merry Christmas, Beckett,” she said with a bit of a forced smile. “You too, Hope.”“And I guess a Happy New Year, too,” she added and turned to climb into her car when his hand on her arm stopped her again. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask what he wanted, but suddenly his lips were on hers and Hope had to remember how to breathe.His lips were gentle at first but once she seemed to overcome her shock and relax, Beckett’s hands came up and cupped her face, caressed her cheeks. Hope sighed as her own hands crept up and clutched the front of his coat. It was so unexpected, such a complete surprise to her that Hope needed to keep herself anchored to something or her knees would surely give out and she’d be in a puddle on the ground.After Beckett seemed satisfied with introducing himself to her through his kiss, he deepened it. His hand traveled up and into the riotous curls on her head as he moved closer to her. The feel of his lean body pressed up against hers sent Hope’s own body into overdrive. Over and over he slanted his lips over hers, his tongue teased hers, his breath mingled with hers. It was glorious and all-consuming and yet all she could do was purr against him.Long moments later when Beckett finally lifted his head from hers, he stared down into her face. “Happy New Year, Hope,” he said, his voice slightly rough and gravelly. His hand trailed down her cheek to her chin before he let her go and stepped back.And walked away.
November 24, 2014
Just FYI
I'll be back to daily blogging soon. I've been ill, and now I'm cracking on with work, so I've not had much to blog about.
BTW, that thing I said a while ago about not writing M/F? Um...
BTW, that thing I said a while ago about not writing M/F? Um...
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