This blog is for those 18 and older.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Description: More Than Just Setting the Scene

When you read a novel, do you read the descriptive narrative? Or do you skip ahead to the dialogue in your rush to reach “The End”?
I know a lot of people who skip ahead and look for the “white spaces” but I’ve never been one of them. Don’t get me wrong. I love the dialogue just as much - the witty banter between hero/heroine, the arguments, the misunderstandings, all written much better than real life (and admit it, things we wish we could say) but I never rush through the descriptions.

The descriptive narratives are where I find an inkling of back story, the reasons why a hero or heroine acts the way he/she does, says what he/she does. The author wants me to know everything - what the hero/heroine is seeing, feeling, thinking, even what clothes he/she is wearing. I love those parts. I devour each word, each sentence so I can truly escape into the world the author has created.

And isn’t that why we read these wonderful novels? To escape? To live a life not our own? To experience everything the hero/heroine experiences?

Happy Reading!

Marie

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Review: Last to Die by Kate Brady

I’m a die hard romantic suspense reader so I had to snag up Kate Brady’s fall release and fit it into my reading time as soon as possible.

Brady begins her story in Lancaster, Maryland during a fall festival where the families gather to entertain children with balloons, rides, and all things fun. The smiles and entertainment are prematurely interrupted with the bloody, and left for dead, body found in nearby shrubbery.

Detective Dani Cole has a personal agenda to fulfill when she’s assigned to the case and discovers the victim is a former prostitute Dani had helped straighten out.

The clues lead to a non-profit foundation. And a former love. Mitch, part of the foundation, came back from Sweden. That wasn’t the first location he had escaped to when the short, yet intense love affair ended.

Mitch spontaneously left for Iraq. For war and left Dani behind. His experiences in Iraq later led him to expand his photography talents to third world toilets where he thought he could help the underprivileged. Now he was back in Lancaster.

Back in Dani’s heart. Back in the discovery of clues. The murders multiply as other prostitutes are bludgeoned. Mitch has connections. How will Dani contend with the overload of work and pressure on her heart? What does Mitch have to do to convince Dani he didn’t run from her? Especially when he has business relations with the foundation full of secrets.

The blame of the murders bounces back and forth between the extraordinary cast of characters causing the pages to turn faster and faster. Be ready for a surprise ending.

Dawn

Sunday, February 20, 2011

You Did What?

First of all, I’d like to thank Alexis, Dawn and Marie for guesting me on their lovely blog. It’s so nice to be here today, ladies, and visit your cyber home.

And for one intrepid reader who makes their way to the end of this monster post and leaves a comment – I’ll give a digital (pdf) copy of BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER. Jasper (my writing partner) will select the winner on Wednesday morning and the winner will be announced on my blog as well as contacted via email.

I adore writing paranormal romances. I get home from the day job, fire up the laptop and disappear into my worlds. *happy, contented sigh* I admit it. I’m addicted to writing and one of the reasons is because it’s a safe, solitary process. You guessed it. I’m painfully introverted. A people watcher. One of those who keeps to the shadows and takes in everything all around them.

So, imagine my horror when the following scene played out: It’s the end of a long day. I stumble into the house with my over-stuffed purse and lunch bag falling off my shoulder and the mail sliding out of my grasp. I make it to the kitchen island and throw everything onto the counter before it hits the floor. Finally. I’m home. Safe in my nest. The kitchen smells great. Hubby’s at the stove stirring a pot but something’s not right. He’s got “that look” on his face.

We’ve been married over thirty-one years. I recognize “that look” in a heartbeat. “What have you done?”

The “look” blossoms into a mischievous grin. “I’ve been busy today calling all the newspapers, TV and radio stations in the area. I’ve got you all kinds of contacts lined up. Look at the notepad over there.”

My heart stops beating and falls like a chunk of ice into the now roiling pit of my stomach. “You did what?”

He returns the lid to the pot he’s been stirring (I know – ironic, huh?) and turns to tap excitedly on the notepad. “Look! All you have to do is send press releases to all these places. They said they’d love to know more about you and your book since you’re a local author. I bet they’ll even want to talk to you. This one radio station does interviews all the time.”

“What?” I squeaked when I found my voice. “I can’t do that. I don’t know how to write a press release. I can’t TALK on the radio. Out loud. To people.”

Then he turns into understanding, supportive psychoanalyst husband. I hate it when he does that. “Yes. You CAN do this. Look at all you’ve already done. You’ve come so far. The girls and I believe in you. It’s time you believed in yourself.”

Damn him. Don’t you hate it when they’re right? Grrrr. So, with the help of Google and some priceless advice and guidance from my wonderful “Roses” at The Wild Rose Press, here’s the press release I wrote:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Information: Maeve Greyson (You need to include your email address and phone numbers here. I deleted them for this post. I’m sure you understand.)

Local author blends Celtic legends and magical lore to weave paranormal romances.

BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER (ISBN: 1-60154-879-6) will be available from The Wild Rose Press (http://www.thewildrosepress.com/ ), Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/ ), Barnes & Noble (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ ) and various other online outlets on February 18, 2011.

Which will triumph? The vengeful wrath of a cruel witch or a love spanning across time?

The last time Latharn MacKay walked among his kinsman was in Scotland of 1410. Sensuous and charismatic, all the women wanted him, but none captured his heart. Latharn's charm became his curse when a wicked sorceress didn’t accept his rejection. She snared his soul into a crystal globe until the one woman destined to be his love whispers his release. Now all Latharn has to do is find her and convince Nessa to break the curse without speaking a word to tell her how.

One of the youngest archeologists in St Louis of 2010, Nessa credits one thing for this achievement: the recurring dream of a heart-stopping Highlander since the summer she turned eighteen years old. Little does she know, he's not some fantasy cooked up by her subconscious. He’s a trapped soul determined for Nessa to end his six centuries in hell. Can love prevail over the dark magic of a woman scorned?

About the author:
Maeve Greyson writes paranormal romances with a Celtic twist from her cozy little home not too far from Kentucky Lake. Tucked away in the middle of nowhere, she pours her daydreams into the keyboard while her husband of over thirty-one years and Jasper the dog keep the household running.

Her debut novel, BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER, releases from The Wild Rose Press on February 18, 2011. She just contracted a second book, THE HIGHLANDER’S FURY, also with The Wild Rose Press. Maeve is a finalist out of 500 writers entered in the Kensington Brava and RT Book Reviews Writing with the Stars Contest. Her paranormal romance, ETERNITY’S MARK is one of three remaining entries in the final round for a publishing contract from Kensington.

For more info about Maeve and her books: Website: http://www.maevegreyson.com/

Blog: http://maevegreyson.blogspot.com/

---------
I’ll let you know if anything comes of my little press release. All I can say is God help them if they ignore it because Hubby still has all their numbers.

And if you’d like to give a poor shy author a little love and vote for Eternity’s Mark in the FINAL round of Writing With the Stars –please click below, and it will take you to the voting link for the final round. Thank you EVER so much!



The rest of Maeve’s links:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/maeve.greyson OR http://www.facebook.com/maeve.greyson#!/maeve.greyson.page

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/maevegreyson

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/maevegreyson

The Wild Rose Press: http://thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=maeve+greyson

Beyond a Highland Whisper excerpt:

However, tonight Latharn was different. He didn’t go any further then the hungry possession of her mouth or the desperate, crushing embrace. Nessa sensed he needed this night to be different. His body tensed beneath her touch, he restrained his caress as if he wanted her to reason rather than just shatter into mindless bliss.

He raised his head and gazed into her eyes. Nessa flinched at the depths of pain and frustration etched in his face. He struggled, trying to communicate, to connect with her deepest emotions without the use of words. He took his palm, flattened it against his heart then placed it upon her chest. His brows drawn together in a questioning frown, he tilted his head and waited for a sign that she understood.

Her lower lip quivered at the very obvious gesture. Nessa whispered and covered his hand with hers. “Are you telling me you love me?” Her whisper caught in her throat.

One corner of his mouth pulled up into a relieved smile as Latharn nodded and brushed his lips across hers. He took a deep breath as though steeling himself against his own deepest fears. He took her hand and repeated the heart touching gesture from her chest to his. Then he raised a brow and awaited her answer, anxiety filling his eyes.

 
A lone tear escaped down her cheek as Nessa stared at her hand splayed upon his broad chest. “You know I love you,” she murmured with a moan. “I just wish that you were real.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, pulling her into his arms to cradle her against his chest. Holding her close, he stroked her hair as she gave way to tears.

If you liked this, don't forget to comment for a chance to win BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER :-)

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Review: Beast in a Kilt by Nicole North

Another new genre for me that I simply adore! Nicole North’s Beast in a Kilt is the second novella in her series of Scottish paranormal erotic romances. Beast in a Kilt is one of four anthologies in Red Sage’s Secrets volume 29.

Now back to the story. North twists an enchanting novella set in the Scottish Highlands in 1621, the time of strong and powerful men wearing kilts and brandishing swords with lovely heroine’s vying for true love.

Catrolina has known for a decade that she loves with her whole being Torr, a Highlander with a body she can’t help but want in every manner. And he loves her, so what’s the problem? There are many.

A curse control’s Torr’s physical being as a shape shifter into a white stallion at night. Catrolina’s clan has promised her to wed a beastly chieftan. The curse and the promised marriage must both be broken for Torr and Catrolina to have a true and equal love.

Keeping the suspense in an erotic novel takes careful planning. Nicole North has mastered that concept as she twines the hero and heroine’s bodies and emotions in constant knots throughout the skirmishes and dangers they encounter while hunting down the antagonist and concocting a scheme to nullify the promise.

My only complaint is that I wish it were a novel length story because I adored the characters and the colorful language and wanted to spend more time in the Highlands. If you haven’t tried a Scottish paranormal, this is an excellent choice to start with.

Dawn

Sunday, February 13, 2011

The Author's Story

When you read a novel, do you ever wonder about the author? If there’s no photo on the book, do you wonder what he/she may look like?

Have they always written? Have they struggled to learn their craft or did the whole writing process come easily to them – the words and phrases appearing like magic in their heads? Do they write for the pure joy of sharing the pictures and characters living in their minds?

I so admire these men and women and I’ve been fortunate to meet some of my very favorite authors. I’ve listened to them speak on the craft of writing and their journey to being published. There are those lucky few who decided one day to sit down, write a novel and have it published on their very first try.

There are others, like me, who’ve written for years and years and years, and have finally (yes, finally!) seen their stories being enjoyed by the public. Some of their life journeys will break your heart but all will inspire you. No matter their circumstances, one thing they’ve all said time after time and it rings so true. Persistence is the key. Whether working on the first novel or the tenth or the fiftieth, we need to keep writing. And keep writing. Whenever time permits. Wherever the muse strikes.

And for those of us who love the written word, keep reading. It’s our escape, our joy!

Happy reading!

Marie

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Movies from Books

Do you like it when your favorite book is turned into a movie? Are you satisfied the actor/actress playing the characters are a good choice? Who would you have chosen instead? Have you ever been disappointed? Or surprised?

When I read a novel, I have a clear picture in my head of what the hero looks like, what the heroine looks like and the setting, all based on the author’s description. In most cases, what Hollywood puts out never matches what I’ve already seen in my mind.

I loved the book Misery, by Stephen King – I will admit, the story scared the heck out of me (actually, Stephen King has been scaring me since I was fourteen – and I love him for it). What happened to the hero of the story could happen in real life. An obsessed, crazed fan. An isolated place. A devastating car accident leaving our hero at the mercy of said obsessed, crazed fan.

James Caan and Kathy Bates were not who I pictured in my head when I read the novel but I was pleasantly surprised (maybe pleasantly is the wrong word here) by how wrong I was about Hollywood’s choice of performers. Ms. Bates’ performance still makes me shiver! And I can’t picture anyone else in those roles.

The same for the Harry Potter series. Can you imagine anyone other than Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter? Or Emma Watson as Hermoine?

Although movies can never replace books in my heart, I do enjoy seeing what Hollywood can come up with and always wait with anticipation to see if what I pictured in my head will translate to the screen. Are there any books that were turned into movies that you really liked? Do you have a favorite book you would like to see on the big screen?
Happy reading (and watching)!

Marie

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Guest Author: Angi Morgan

Alexis: Hi Angi. Welcome to Happily Ever After Thoughts. Thank you so much for joining us and giving away a signed copy of .38 CALIBER COVER-UP to one lucky commenter. Can you start by telling us why you decided to write romance novels and why romantic suspense?

 Angi: Thanks for having me Alexis. And the name of your blog is my answer...I LOVE happily Ever Afters and with romance that’s a guarantee. Suspense just seems to happen in every story I tell. Life is full of suspense whether dangerous or not. LOL

Alexis: Very true. So, what is 38 CALIBER COVER-UP all about?

Angi: The simple version? Bad Boy meets Good Girl. Trusting each other is out of the question, but they have to work together in order to obtain what they want. Of course they’re instantly attracted. And, yeah, there’s a hot air balloon.

Alexis: Hmm, a hot air balloon can make for close quarters and some great romance between two people. What are your favorite character traits of Erren and Darby and wherever did you find those names?

Angi: Erren? Wow...he came to me via a critique partner in 2003. He was a lot younger and rescued Steve & Jane from HILL COUNTRY HOLDUP. During the 2009 rewrite of their story (which sold to Intrigue) Erren grew up. I loved that he had a pirate dagger as an earring. I had to change that to a necklace for Intrigue. And I loved that I never knew WHY until the story was almost finished. Strange how things like that happen. AND DARBY? One of my daughter’s friends at the time had a brother named Darby. She was much more difficult to understand (heroines always are for me). Then Michael Hauge sat me down and suggested a few unique traits. I knew her mother had died and she’d been raised by her brothers. But Michael suggested that her dad let the four kids fend for themselves...after that she was clear as crystal. While writing the story, I discovered that her brothers were the THREE MUSKETEERS and in order to play with them, she dubbed herself Darb’tagnon.

Alexis: I love when that happens, when at first you have no idea how everything will work and then it all comes together. What sparked the idea for writing this story?

Angi: While writing HILL COUNTRY HOLDUP, Erren’s character took over the scene. I tried to write his story several times between 2004 and 2008...writing myself into corners, never finding exactly the right story for him or Darby. Then during the rewrite, he’d grown into a lonesome man who envied the relationship he saw with Steve & Jane. Everything fell into place after that.
Alexis: What kind of research did you have to do for this novel?

Angi: Not much, actually. I attended a hot-air balloon festival. I drew on places I knew from the area. And all my cop advice came from one of my critique partners and former officer, Kym Roberts.

Alexis: Now that’s a great critique partner to have if you write romantic suspense :-) Now, .38 Caliber Cover-Up isn’t your first romance. Can you tell us a little about your other book?

Angi: HILL COUNTRY HOLDUP was released in September 2010, just nine short months after it sold. In fact, it went on sale the night it won the RWA Golden Heart award and is nominated for Best First Series book of 2010 by Romantic Times. I joke with other writers that it’s a reunited lovers, secret baby, Texas rancher-FBI agent meets secretive genius, kidnapping, maniacal villain story. And if one of those hooks don’t tell you anything...it’s a never-stops action romance packed with several twists.

Alexis: Wow! That sounds like it’s got something for everyone! No wonder it has been nominated for a Romantic Times award. Congratulations! Do you have any other romance novels in the works?

Angi: I am currently working on the proposal for my next Intrigues--a series about three business partners who accidently discover the new Kevlar and of course, those who don’t want them to. The tentative titles (keeping fingers crossed that I’ll get to keep them) San Antonio Showdown, Ambush at the Alamo, & River Walk Rescue.

Alexis: They sound perfect to me. Okay, so I have to ask. What was the very first romance novel you ever read?

Angi: I don’t remember the name, but I know it was a Harlequin Presents. My grandmother read a book a day and would keep them for me. She and my aunts would initial them as they finished, and she’d write “okay for Angi” inside the cover. That meant it was okay for me to read, and okay for me to take home. I still have many of those books on my keeper shelf. One of the first books I obtained for myself was Rosemary Rogers’ SWEET SAVAGE LOVE. I still have that book (with the cover falling off).

Alexis: Ah yes, that first book we bought with the cover falling off. I too have mine, yellowed pages and all. Thank you so much, Angi, for visiting Happily Ever After Thoughts. We like talking about romance novels here and especially with the wonderful people who write them :-)

Angi: Thanks so much for having me. It’s been a pleasure. I certainly hope everyone enjoys Erren & Darby as much as I enjoyed writing their story.

Alexis: For more about Angi and her books go to http://www.angimorgan.com/  Here’s a preview of .38 CALIBER COVER-UP.

Alley. Lexus. Two drug dealers.

The situation read like a bad book: The Auto-frickin-biography of Erren Rhodes. He was pathetic. He would dread going through the motions of this meeting, but he was numb. Numb to the filth he dealt with on a daily basis. Numb to the filth he’d portrayed for the last six years. Numb to his filthy shell of a life.
Pike was dead and in the ground. Ambushed. Executed.
No witnesses.
Rhodes was certain no one had seen him at the funeral of his mentor, the man who had kicked his teenage years into shape. He’d stayed out of sight. He’d hung around the edges of the cemetery just like the edges of his fictional existence.

It was a dark and stormy night...blah, blah, blah. He’d laugh if it weren’t playing out in front of him like a colorized black and white film. It was time to get out of deep cover work, but not before he found Pike’s murderer. He wouldn’t let the bastard go without justice.

Unfolding his legs, he climbed from the POS rental he’d taken for the op. His first mistake. He should have insisted on something flashy like the sweet SUV at the end of the alley. Second mistake? This dark real estate. Drug deals went down at steak restaurants. Always in public places. So why was this meet for information set like a bad flick?

Backlit by the car’s headlights, two men came at him, arms extended, guns aimed at his chest. This was not the plan.

“You dudes have been watchin’ too many movies.” Yeah, he was mouthing off like a street thug--something he shouldn’t do but couldn’t help. He knew the drill and placed his hands at the back of his neck when Beavis and Butthead stepped closer. “Holdin’ the barrel sideways like that, empty casings can hit--”

“Shut up, fool.” The gold-toothed, eyebrow-pierced Butthead took another confident step closer.

Six years ago adrenaline shoved him to recklessness. Now it didn’t register. All these guys acted the same. Digging in with pond scum required a dedication he no longer had. His Dallas handler waited around the corner. Like he needed backup for this two-bit op? He could do this in his sleep.

Butthead shoved the barrel of a Magnum .357 under Rhodes' chin while patting him down.

“You don’t talk ‘til we says you talk,” the bleach-blond Beavis barked, nervously shifting from one foot to the other in front of the rental.

Nodding, despite the barrel rammed into his Adam’s apple, Rhodes let them think they were in charge. Two bad-ass-wannabes who didn’t know him from Jack. Butthead lifted Rhodes’ .38 from its shoulder harness under his Ed Hardy jacket and dropped it into his pocket. His eyes never met Rhodes’ straight on.

Flashy guns and jewelry, designer-label clothes and a Lexus. Not the ordinary run-of-the-mill street crap he’d been led to believe he’d be dealing with. Rhodes’ nostrils flared at the cloying scent of heavy French cologne floating through the smell of old garbage. Did he have the right guys? They sure seemed to know him since two barrels pointed straight toward unprotected parts he’d like to keep.

Shake it off. Nothing was wrong. He’d done this before. First-meet jitters. That was it. Yeah, that crappy feeling in the pit of his stomach had nothing to do with Beavis or Butthead and everything to do with the drive-through burritos for dinner.

“Get in the car,” Butthead demanded.

Rhodes stiffened. “No one said anything about a ride. I have the money in my backseat.” He came to conduct a small exchange of money for information. These punks were somehow connected to Pike’s murder and he was close to finding a serious lead to seal the coffin on the creep they had in custody. But that slippery grin behind the gun wasn’t the normal evil he faced every day.

These guys looked nervous, high and pre-paid...

Damn.

“Do what you’re told,” Beavis yelled in a crazy-high voice.

“What’s wrong man? I got the cash.” Rhodes searched his right, hunting Dumpster locations. Butthead shoved the pistol barrel in his back again, pushing him toward the Lexus. No way was he getting in that SUV.

“Get your ass in the car.” Butthead circled the barrel of the gun in the air. “Get in!”

This op might get his blood pumping after all.

Rhodes shook his head. “What’s up, man? I’m only pickin’ up a package.” Getting in that car would be the last thing he ever did.

“You got that wrong, dipwad. You’re deliverin’ tonight,” Butthead said, hissing a laugh between clenched teeth.

Cryptic messages were not a good sign. With one step, Butthead had cut him off from his car. That sealed it. He’d been set up. What would they want with him? Or was someone trying to push him out of the picture? These guys had answers and he had lots of questions. A different dread took over his body. His mind released its hold on his tensed muscles. Everything automated, ready for a fight.

Patrol lights flashed at the end of the alley. Butthead froze. Wrong move. Spinning, Rhodes lifted his leg and let his worn-out Air Jordan knock Butthead’s gun behind the strip mall’s Dumpster.

Butthead wasn’t going down without a fight. Rhodes didn’t want to go mano-a-mano, but he threw a punch to Butthead’s chin. The man dodged, dipped his shoulder and gave a blocking tackle to make any football coach proud. Right into Rhodes’ gut.

Air whooshed from his lungs as they crashed to the ground splashing water from a pothole. Bright bits of light flashed across his briefly closed eyes. Thrusting the big goon off, he kicked out, catching the perp’s face. His shoe should have knocked the living daylights out of the goon.

Butthead sat up, spit out his gold cap and grinned.

Rhodes caught sight of Beavis’s weapon waving around, attempting to follow their rushed movements. A bullet pinged off the rental car behind him. Then Beavis dove behind the Lexus’ car door and fired a couple of rounds toward the lights.

Rhodes squinted into the blinding floodlights expecting his backup. Who was shooting? Why weren’t the cops demanding they drop their weapons?

Ricochets sent him scrambling for cover as a sudden surge of bullets peppered the broken asphalt. Beavis crawled into the Lexus, kept his head down and backed up leaving rubber in the potholes. One of the patrol cars quickly pursued him around the corner.

Rhodes couldn’t make it to his car and turned toward his alternate exit, but Butthead jumped him from behind. Even with the unknown gunmen firing shot after shot, this stupid dog wouldn’t let go of his bone--which just happened to be Rhodes’ neck.

He recoiled from Butthead’s blood-speckled face and fetid breath, but the solid pressure against his throat was making things fuzzy. With no other choice, he pushed his fingers into Butthead’s eyes. There was a growl in his ear and a rush of air into his lungs. The rapid fire around their heads had him wincing. He wanted this guy alive and talking. He wanted to stop the cops from shooting, but had little chance to catch his breath as he stumbled backwards.

“Give it up, man. It ain’t worth losing our lives,” Rhodes shouted. It really wasn’t. And right now those cops didn’t know he was one of the good guys.

Butthead pulled a switchblade, popped it open and charged. Rhodes grabbed the giant’s wrists, keeping the blade inches away. They went down a second time. Rolling over. Then back. Every rock jabbed into Rhodes’ bruised, sore body. The knife was between them. Then somehow pointing under Rhodes’ chin.

Desperate, he pushed Butthead’s hands further south. Butthead outweighed him by fifty pounds and the searing pain along his side proved that the bigger man had gained the upper hand.

“Aarrgg!” God, he was on fire. The expectation of the blade tearing his flesh again was worse than knowing he’d been double-crossed. His hands shook while he kept Butthead from twisting the handle and slicing his insides to shreds.

The blade slowly and painfully slid away.

A car window exploded above him. Butthead’s body blocked most but not all of the glass. He cringed, giving Rhodes the split-second he needed. He threw Butthead off and rolled to a crouch.

Butthead leapt to his feet. A bullet whizzed by Rhodes and hit his adversary straight where his heart should have been. A flower of blood blossomed over Butthead’s shirt and he fell to his back.

“Don’t shoot!” Rhodes threw up his hands and faced the flashing lights. He quickly brought his left arm back down to his injured side.

Another round whistled past. Son of a...who was shooting from above and behind him? The cops returned fire, leaving him caught in the dead zone. Any rookie could tell a man was down and his hands were empty. What more did they need?

He’d sort through the expanations later. Rhodes ran to Butthead and searched for his gun. He found an envelope. Maybe this was the evidence he needed.

The rented Honda hatchback was perforated with holes and lacked a passenger window, but he didn’t need to drive it far. He punched the gas, heading through the alley onto the deserted street.

Completely deserted. No Drug Enforcement Agency back-up in sight. Maybe he was the lone shooter? Just what he needed, confirmation he was on his own. But his priority was to stay alive.

He pressed the pedal to the floor, turning several corners to evade anyone following. The only thing he’d done right was stash his Suzuki four blocks away. He ditched the rental in a parking garage and avoided cameras on his way out of the building.

Up to his neck in alligators. Totally on his own. His gut told him not to follow protocol, ditch everything familiar. Someone wanted him to lay off Pike’s case. His stomach rolled and his side throbbed. He reached down and a warm stickiness oozed through a jagged hole.

“Man, he ruined my favorite Ozzy shirt.”

Pulling the lock from the wheel of his cycle, he straddled the bike and tore open the envelope. Inside was a photo of Pike with an unknown man. On the reverse was a hand-drawn map, some scribbles and instructions from his mentor for a meeting that should have happened three days ago.

Things were getting more dangerous by the minute.
Interesting.

Alexis: Don’t forget, for a chance to win a signed copy of Angi’s .38 CALIBER COVER-UP, be sure to leave a comment for her. The winner will be announced on Wednesday. Check the side column for your name and email me.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Help! My To Be Read Piles Have Taken Over!


HELP!

My “To Be Read” pile of books is overflowing! It has spread from a small, discreet pile on my bedside table to three piles on the floor beside my bed, two piles in the living room and several books scattered here and there throughout my house (I even have three in the bathroom! Yes, the bathroom)! And one in my purse. These are some of my favorite authors and I so looked forward to their new releases, but just haven’t been able to find the time to read.

So, I ask myself “How could this be?” What happened to me being able to read two to three books a week while writing on my own novels and working the day job and raising a family? The number of hours in a day has remained the same so what changed? Is it my age-dulled eyes that no longer see as clearly as they once did and makes it more difficult? Is it the day job that puts such demands on my time and brain functions?

Whatever the reason, I’ll have to find a remedy. I miss reading of far away places and history and romance. I’ll just have to sacrifice something to make time to enjoy one of the things I truly love doing. And I know exactly what I can sacrifice - I’ll give up making dinner when I get home from work. I’d rather read than cook, wouldn’t you?

Happy reading!
Marie