December 29, 2011

Temptation Thursday 10

Another Clip From My Untitled YA Novel In Progress.......


I was thankful when the woman behind the counter handed my mug to me. I took a long swallow, glanced around one last time, and then slipped outside where I ran into a hard chest. My drink flew out of my hand and hit the sidewalk with a sickening splash.
“I’m sorry,” I stammered, stepping back. “I…” but my voice trailed off as I looked into the silvery blue eyes of a boy I’d never met before, and yet felt as if I’d known forever.
His hair, an almost white blond, was naturally curled. It was cut in a short fashion that made him look like the member of a boy band I’d seen photos of on Google. His complexion was pale, but it matched his hair and eyes, and made him the complete opposite of Blake.
His eye brow was pierced with a black hoop, and another one adorned his lip. He wore a H.I.M. t-shirt, black jeans, and combat boots. I should have been turned off by his appearance, but instead all I could think was how beautiful he looked.
“Are you okay?” he asked and grabbed my arm to steady me. “Do they have the AC cranked up in there? You’re cold as ice.”
I’d forgotten about the cold, about everything leading up to that moment. A wave of calm swept over me, the same way it had at dinner when Blake touched me. I stepped further back, a little freaked out.
“I’m really sorry,” I stated again. “I hope none of my drink splashed on you.”
“I’m fine,” he replied with a grin that would make any girl’s heart melt. “It’s you I’m worried about.”
 “I’m excellent,” I lied and turned to go.
I felt his fingers close around my upper arm. “Let me buy you another cappuccino,” he offered. “It’ll give us a few more minutes to talk.”
“Thanks, but I need to get back to the school,” I replied. “Lunch is almost over.”
I wasn’t sure who this boy was or what he wanted with me. If he was flirting, I wasn’t interested. I had enough problems to sort out with Austyn, and then there was the issue of Blake and our parent’s crazy idea of us being an item. I didn’t need another player added to the game.
“What’s your name?” he asked softly as I pulled my keys from my pocket.
“Elizabeth.” I watched as he repeated my name on his lips, almost as if he were trying to program it to memory. I smiled, but moved to my car and opened the door.
“I’m Jordan,” I heard him say as I climbed in. “I hope I’ll see you around again.”


December 15, 2011

Temptation Thursday 9

From My Untitled YA.......



“Apple Valley, I think you’ll find is a bit different than any place you’ve ever been before.” Devon didn’t laugh when she said it. In fact her voice was rather serious, and I wasn’t sure how to take it. “How do you like our little slice of America so far?” she asked as she opened a side door and began walking up the few stairs just outside it.
“It’s quiet.” That’s all I could come up with to say, and that did get a giggle out of her. I hadn’t been in town long enough to have much more of an opinion.
We walked across a patch of grass to a large oak and Devon tossed her bag on the ground at the base of the tree. She stretched and then sat crossed legged on the grass. The sun was shining and the tree provided a nice gentle breeze around us.
“Have a seat,” Devon said, and I sat down twisting my legs like a pretzel. “This is my favorite place at school.” She pulled a container of grapes from her pack, opened them, and offered me some. I shook my head and took out my own lunch. “I used to come here after school sometimes when I was a freshman and write. This tree, I swear it sparks my creativity.”
I took an apple from my own bag and bit into it. It made me think of Blake. “What do you write?” I asked Devon to take my mind off him.
“Poetry mostly,” she responded and put the container of grapes down. “Sometimes I dabble in fiction, but I haven’t found my niche with that yet.”
She took a wrap out of her bag and bit into it. The smell of the tuna fish made me realize just how hungry I really was. I dug into my own bag, pulling out my PB&J and savored the first bite.
I nodded, though I wasn’t entirely sure what she meant. “It’s really beautiful here,” I said taking in the view. “I can see why you chose this spot.” I heard footsteps coming up the hill just as Devon’s eyes looked up.
“Hey Blake,” she said, and I saw the spark of something behind her eyes as he approached us. “Have you met Elizabeth?”
He sat his bag on the ground beside me and nodded. “Yeah,” he said meeting my eyes. “How was your morning?”
“Okay,” I replied, suddenly all nerves as he moved his bag over and sat beside me. “Yours?”
“Slow.” He pulled a sandwich out of his bag and took a bite. “What about you, Devon?” he asked. “Have you managed to stay out of trouble?”
“Of course.” She beamed. “You have to remember, I don’t go looking for trouble. It just seems to fall at my feet sometimes.”
He laughed. “So, has Devon asked you to join her antisocial parade?”
Devon picked a grape out of her container and tossed it at him. “Of all people, you have no room to talk about me being antisocial.”
He caught the grape and popped it into his mouth. I sat in silence and continued to eat my sandwich. I could tell from the way they spoke to each other that the two of them had known each other a long time. I felt out of place listening to their banter. I finished my lunch, glanced at my watch, and then stood to gather my bag.
“Where are you going?” Blake rose to stand next to me. He put a hand on my shoulder. “You don’t have to run off.”
I noticed Devon watching us, and I didn’t need to make an enemy out of my new friend. It was obvious to me she had feelings for him that went deeper than friendship. I saw it in the way her eyes lit up when he came to join us, and how her smile widened just a little when he teased her.
“Lunch is over in five minutes,” I responded. “You might know your way around, but I’m still learning, and I’d rather not be late to my next class.”
“I can show you,” he said.
“Thanks, but I’ll find it on my own.” I turned to Devon. “Thanks for sharing your special place with me. I hope you’ll invite me back.” And because Blake still stood looking at me, I said, “I’ll see you in English.”

December 8, 2011

Temptation Thursday 8

A piece from my new untitled piece....thinking this will be a short, unless my characters take me in a different direction.

I smelled her perfume before I saw Eileen round the corner, she had to bathe in the stuff it was so strong. I wouldn’t have minded if the fragrance was enjoyable, but all I could think of was the little old women who came to play bridge at my grandmother’s house. It was a scent of roses, heavy and overbearing, and I wanted to vomit.
“Alicia, we’re meeting in five minutes in the board room,” Eileen said in passing which didn’t give me a chance to tell her I was bowing out as soon as Harrison returned.
I stood, rolled my eyes at Angelina, and grabbed the file. The board room as right around the corner from my station, so I took my time getting there and slid into a seat just as Eileen moved to close the door.

December 1, 2011

The Sweetest Gift



If you were given the chance to have one wish, do you know what you’d choose? Would you ask for world peace, or for hunger to never exist? Maybe you’d want to cure fatal diseases like cancer.


What if you were told that you’re choice would not come without consequence? That what you choose today could alter your tomorrow. Would that alter your decision?

And what would you do if the message was delivered by a fairy? Would you embrace the gift you were being offered? Would be believe your eyes?


As I look to the coming holidays, I think of the many gifts I’ve been blessed with in my life. I wonder what I would choose if I were visited by my Fairy Godmother. I like to believe she’s out there watching and protecting me, and the truth is, I really don’t know what I would ask for.

The last year has flown by in a whirlwind, and life is good. I’ve been blessed with many things. I have a job I actually enjoy, a hobby that keeps me busy and allows me to share my stories with the world.

I have a husband who tries to please me every day, three beautiful children who are healthy, and friends who get me. I’m healthy, happy, and well-loved. What more could a girl want?


While my children dream of a visit from St, Nicholas, I will celebrate Yule (the birth of the Sun). This year, I’m going to try my hand at making an actual Yule Log while I sip my mulled cider and sing the holiday classics I grew up with. And when I look up at the night sky and see the stars twinkling, I’m going to smile and thank the Goddess that my Fairy Godmother has a place within the heavens to keep watch over my family and me.

So from my home to yours…..


&


I’ll be giving a PDF copy of The Sweetest Gift to one lucky person who comments on this blog post. And be sure to check out www.decadentpublishing.com to buy it tomorrow December 2, 2011. The story is also available in the Yule Be Mine Anthology Volume 1 (Print Book Only) also at Decadent!!!!!!




November 17, 2011

Temptation Thursday 7

Sinful Desires, a work in progress.....today's tidbit is not hot and steamy, but I still hope you like it.

The air was laden with a soft clean fragrance when she entered her room. It had been cleaned in her absence, the bed turned down and fresh towels adorned the rack in the bathroom. Kennedy enjoyed the fact that she hadn’t lifted a finger for any of those things to happen. Her good mood was short lived when she picked up an envelope that had been slipped under her door and immediately recognized the handwriting.
“Damn it!” she said out loud. The cat was out of the bag. She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and dialed. “Hello, Mother.”
“Kennedy, darling, you had me worried sick.” Debra’s voice was higher pitched than she remembered. “What in carnation are you doing in Las Vegas?”
“How did you find me?” Kennedy didn’t hide the annoyance in her voice. “Did John tell you where I was?”
“No,” her mother responded. “I haven’t spoken to your brother recently. You know how he is, going off on his little missions all the time.”
“Then how did you know where I was?” Kennedy asked.
Debra laughed, and it made Kennedy’s skin crawl. “I have my ways.” There was a pause and Kennedy heard her whisper something in the background. “When do you plan on coming back home?”
“I don’t.” It was useless to beat around the bush with her mother. She’d find out the truth anyway.
She heard the sound of ice cubes in a glass. “That’s absurd. You’re life is in Georgia.”
“No,” Kennedy began, “The life you’ve chosen for me in is Georgia. I’m searching for my own path.”
“What about your job? Your family?” Her mother whined.
Kennedy sighed. “I quit my job, and I’ve found a new one here.” She glanced at the clock beside the bed. “Look, you don’t have to understand. I’m just asking you to let me spread my wings a little.” There was a click followed by a buzzing in her ear. “Hello, mom, hello?” Kennedy hit end on her cell and threw it on the bed. “Damn it!” she yelled into the air.

November 10, 2011

Temptation Thursday 6

I've always been curious to see if I could write a YA book. The stories are there on the tip of my tongue, but can I pull off the sexual tension without the sex and make the book work? Can I create a world that teens and adults alike will find believable and want to get swept up in? Those are all questions I've asked myself, and until now I've never spread my wings and tried this genre. I'm working on a story now that will hopefully become at least a 3 books series.

I'm naming the first one Wicked Intentions, and I'm going to share with you a little snippet of what I have written so far.....


Doom filled me when I stepped onto the sidewalk in front of Apple Valley High. I hadn’t approved of being uprooted right before the start of my senior year, and looking at the archaic structure before me, I was dreading the change even more.
My mother and I had only been in town a few days, though my father had come at the beginning of summer to start his new job, and I hadn’t seen the school before now. The smart thing would have been to show up a week early and take a tour so I wouldn’t be lost, but I wanted to spend every moment I could with my friends in Tucson before I had to leave. I didn’t like the idea of starting over, and knew in my heart that I’d never call Apple Valley home.
“You’ll adjust,” my mother had said when I left the house for school. “You’re likeable enough, and you’ll make new friends in no time.”
I didn’t want new friends. I wanted the people I’d grown up with, the ones who knew me inside and out and still loved me. I wanted Tyler, Kayce, and most of all, my boyfriend Austyn.
Someone had taken the time to hand-make a sign that hung above the main doors welcoming students back, but looking at the building as I inched closer to my demise, I didn’t feel very welcome. I didn’t belong there, that much I knew, and somehow it seemed the building knew it, too. If structures were alive, this one was definitely glaring at me.
I took out my cell phone and snapped a picture of the school. On the screen of my phone, the building looked even more menacing. I sent the photo off to Austyn with a sad face, and then pocketed my cell phone.
I stepped forward, the nauseous feeling in my stomach growing, ready to face my first day. In my opinion, things couldn’t get much worse in my life. Boy, was I clueless.

November 3, 2011

Temptation Thursday 5

Today I'm switching it up a bit...for the last four week's I've posted snippets from my current Untitled Paranormal WIP. Today I bring you a tease from my lesbian romance....Sinful Desires.

“That he is,” Roxanne replied. When Kennedy spoke she thought of cowboys, wide open spaces, and rodeos. “So, the accent. Are you from Texas?”

Kennedy shook her head. “Georgia actually.”

“Land of peaches. Love it.” Roxanne looked at her watch again. “Ugh, I have to run. Tell Artie that lunch was great as usual.” She tossed a few bills on the table to cover her check, and then slipped a large bill into the front pocket of Kennedy’s apron, keeping her hand there longer than necessary. “If you ever get over my way, stop by the club. Tell the bouncer that Roxy extended a personal invitation to you, and he’ll wave the cover charge.” The other woman cleared her throat and Roxanne stepped back. Roxanne loved to push her boundaries, but she knew when to back off, too.

“Really?” Kennedy locked gazes with her.

The simple look of innocence was all it took, and Roxanne was smitten despite her early inner conversation about it being too soon to move on. Her head was screaming for her to just walk away, let things along, but her wounded heart was crying to reach out. “Really,” she said and lifted her hand to stroke Kennedy’s cheek in a playful manner with her fingers. The young woman didn’t shy away from her touch, and Roxanne couldn’t help but grin. “No matter what you might have been told, we’re not all vultures around here.”

She only glanced back once as she exited the deli and saw Kennedy palm her cheek where her fingers had been only moments before. Their eyes met for the briefest moment, and Roxanne’s body became a tingling mass of excitement, the sensation of infatuation strong within her.

She closed her eyes and broke the connection between them. “See you later, Georgia,” she whispered to the wind as she shut the door behind her. She didn’t want to put herself out there again so soon, but she’d seen something in Kennedy’s eyes that stirred up her inner feelings. The way the young woman touched her own cheek made Roxanne believe she’d felt the connection, too. With her own heart on the mend, Roxanne knew she had to be careful. She didn’t want to rush into things and do something she’d regret later, like pursue the timid blonde as nothing more than a rebound. 

October 27, 2011

Temptation Thursday 4

It's Thursday, and that means it's time for another taste of my untitled WIP......

Victoria walked the cliffs, night after painstaking night. Her spirit hung in limbo; unable to cross over, but the reason for her being left behind was still a mystery after five long years. She’d often asked herself what unfinished business she could have had to complete, but nothing ever came to mind that made sense. Dying gave her an escape from her brother which was one thing she’d dreamed of having. But, she hadn’t wanted it bad enough to die for it.
She reached down to pick up a pebble, a trick she’d learned along the way, and tossed it into the choppy waters below. In the beginning learning new things in her spirit state gave her pleasure, but now she simply found it all annoying. Turning around, she paced along the edge of the cliff wondering if she’d ever find true peace. She stopped when she heard someone coming up the towpath through the brush.


October 20, 2011

Midnight Seduction Anthology Is Here......


Blurb:
No matter what your fantasy, these sinfully naughty tales are certain to keep you reading late into the night…
Midnight Seduction is an exclusive collection of erotically charged stories by thirteen talented authors. From dark angels and vampires, to ghosts and kelpies, this anthology is sure to please paranormal romance lovers everywhere. Fulfill your wanton desires and escape into a world where anything is possible.

Many Chances to Win a copy of this fabulous new anthology from Evernight Publishing. First chance, leave a comment on my blog and I will pick a random winner on Monday, October 24th, 2011.
Visit these other authors for more chances to win:


Carolyn Rosewood: http://www.carolynrosewood.com
Kastil Eavenshade: http://kastil.wordpress.com



Temptation Thursday 3

This week's teaser comes from the same story I've used the last two weeks, it still needs a title



His body trembled and she tried to catch her breath. She’d asked for a ride, and he’d supplied her with a fantastic one. When he relaxed, she opened her eyes, leaned down to kiss his lips. “My high school science teacher,” she whispered as she nuzzled his neck.

“What?” he asked.
“You wanted to who taught me to fuck like that.” She lay on his chest and brushed a strand of his long, black hair out of his face. “That’s the answer to your question.”
He looked at her with an expression somewhere between amusement and disapproval on his handsome face. “You slept with your science teacher?”
She closed her eyes, remembered the way it felt when Theodore Russell, the alleged teacher in question, approached her at Murphy’s Bar. She’d been twenty, living on a waitress salary, and he’d been just as good looking as she’d remembered from class. “He wasn’t my teacher when I slept with him.”
“Oh,” was all he said. Michael wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes. He didn’t pressure her for any more information on the subject, and she didn’t offer him any. Closing her own eyes once more, Arianne drifted off to sleep determined that she’d left a lasting impression on Michael O’Malley, which she’d hoped went further than her fucking ability.

October 12, 2011

Temptation Thursday 2

A Little Tease From My Current Untitled WIP 




She closed her eyes and prayed for a miracle that didn’t come. The cold came as a shock to her system, and the waves kept her trapped below the surface. She tried to swim up to get air, but her body weakened with each passing moment until she could no longer fight. Stranded in the murky waters she struggled for breath as the salt water filled her throat and lungs.

Darkness overcame her, and all she could think of as she sank into oblivion was the man on the cliff and how he looked like someone she could have loved, if only she’d been given the chance.

October 6, 2011

Welcome To Temptation Thursday.....


A Small Excerpt From My Current Untitled WIP........

His hair was the whitest blond she’d ever seen and hung in straight locks that touched his shoulders. He wore no shirt, but a strap across his chest wrapped around to hold a bow laden with red arrows at his back. His jeans were well-worn and his feet were bare. He looked human with the exception of his silver eyes and pointed teeth.
“You’re not a vampire,” she stated when he didn’t respond to her question. “You could be a demon I suppose, but I don’t know what you’d want with a ghost if you were.” She glanced behind him again. “You don’t look like a seraph at first glance, but judging from that spot on the middle of your back, I’d say you’ve got your wings hidden.” She met his eyes again. “If you are an angel, my next question is if you’re batting for the good guys or the bad ones?”
“I can guarantee you I’m not the highest ranking on the team, but I do pitch for the good guys.” His eyes sparkled when he talked.
Victoria looked out at the ocean, the water still calm though she felt a storm brewing. “Who are you?” she asked again, enunciating each word slowly.
“I’m Cupid,” he replied.
She giggled. “As in the guy who goes around shooting people with arrows to make them fall in love?”
There was no laughter in his voice when he spoke. “The one and only.”
Victoria thought it best to keep her laughter to herself. She’d heard stories of Cupid as a child, but the man standing before her looked nothing like the chubby faced cherub she’d seen in books. “So, what do you want with me?”


September 25, 2011

Evernight's Big Birthday Bash!


My fabulous publisher is having a birthday celebration and you are invited to come win amazing prizes. It's a blog hop event, so each author's blog you visit, gives you the ability to register for even more free stuff! Oh yes, one winner will be selected on each blog, and then EP will also select a random commenter from the blogs for more prizes.

Visit www.evernightpublishing.com for more details!

Also, visit my other blog www.kellyyeakle.wordpress.com for a chance to win a PDF copy of my novel, TIMELESS.

XOXO Happy Birthday EP XOXO