Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Hump Day Hook


For more Hump Day Hook Madness, go here:)



Today's hook is from my third published work.


“You’re beautiful.” He rolled a distended nipple between two fingers.

She felt the color rush to her face. “I bet you say that to all the girls.” She moved a hand
between them and cupped his balls in her palm.

“Actually, I don’t. This may sound a little corny, but this feels…right.”

She looked up in surprise. “Right? You don’t even know my last name. How could this be
right?”

“I’m thirty-three years old, and I don’t normally rise to the occasion so fast. So there must
be something right about you and me being together.”

She snorted but didn’t release her hold on his growing member. “The only thing right about
this is we seem to have incredible chemistry. Did you use the same line on that other woman last
week?”

Dustin cleared his throat. “I don’t suppose you’d believe me if I told you I sent her home in
a cab?”

“Before or after you fucked her?” She rubbed the moisture pooling at the tip into his cock.

Dustin lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. “Contrary to popular belief, I do not
take advantage of drunken women. I had gone there for a business meeting, and she just
happened to latch on to me. No matter how many times I tried to tell her to leave me alone, she
persisted until I dragged her out of there.” He released her chin and swept his hands down her
body. “You’re not plastered out of your mind; you’re coherent enough to know what you’re
doing. In fact…” He lowered his mouth to hers and rolled her to her back. “I want to do it
again.”

Appetite For Desire is available on Amazon and other fine online sites:)

Today's also my day to blog over at RB4U, and my post was hijacked by six fictional characters.  So why don't you pop over and join in the celebration hilarity?

Saturday, December 15, 2012

"Raindrops On Roses And Whiskers On Kittens..."


Okay; I'm no Julie Andrews.  But we've come up with an awesome end-of-the-year giveaway!  Remember Oprah's 'Favorite Things' show?  We've got something similar.  All you have to do is leave a comment on my blog, or go to the SCP FB page and comment over there.  What do you win?  Why, a chance at any author's books:)  The more you comment on any 5 Favorite Thing post, the greater your chances.  I only have one book with SCP, so anyone who leaves a comment here automatically gets a copy of Appetite For Desire.  I'm going to be extra generous, since a) my birthday's coming up and b) SCP has been extra good to me.  So it's only fair that you, the readers, get rewarded, right?  Oh, and since I really don't have a presence on Face Book, other than my author page, there will be another prize given to anyone who 'likes' my page this weekend.

So what are your favorite things, Kenzie?  Get on with it!

My Favorite Things:
1) White sandy beaches

2)  Losing myself in a good book

3)  A good day of writing when the words are flowing

4)  Spending time with my favorite man

5)  Appetite For Desire

So there you have it.  Send me to the tropics with all the above and I'm in paradise:)

Want an excerpt?  Sure!


His cock swelled as the memory of their night together flooded his mind.  He groaned and pulled her closer.

“Dustin…” she whispered as he propelled her toward the massive king-sized bed.

“Shhh…” God, he wanted her again! For ten days, he had been haunted by their one night together, and now she was in his arms. There was no way he was going to let her go.

He lowered her onto the soft blankets. His fingers unbuttoned her blouse, and his lips followed the line of exposed skin.

“Dustin…your friend…”

“It’s okay.” He pulled her shirt open and flicked the clasp on her front-hook bra, closing his lips over one luscious beige tip. Dustin heard Courtney’s swift intake of breath and her answering moan.

While his lips drank the sweetness of her breast, his hands went to her work slacks and slid them over her hips, thrilled when she arched her back to aid in their descent down her legs, along with her satin bikini underwear.

Her hands tugged at his polo shirt. He worked it over his head and looked at her for a brief moment. Her dark blue eyes were nearly purple; her breasts rose and fell with each quick intake of breath; her skin flushed pink. He unbuckled his shorts and dropped them to his ankles, the tip of his manhood peeking over the top of his black boxer-briefs. He knelt and slipped her feet out of her black work shoes, and her clothing pooled on the floor. Standing up, he pushed his underwear down to join his shorts, stepping out of them as well as his sneakers.

“You are beautiful.” 

Friday, December 14, 2012

New Cover!


Blurb:

After being burned pretty badly by two different women in his past, Brian Vellinger has sworn off romance. Commitment-shy for the past fifteen years, he is stunned by his sudden attraction to a woman he's not seen since the last day of their senior year.

Natalie Collier thinks she's successfully put Brian Vellinger out of her mind. After harboring a secret crush all through high school and into college, she is both alarmed and thrilled when Brian makes his intentions known at their 25th class reunion. But will she succeed in softening his casual, 'sex only' policy, or will she end up just another notch on his belt?

Arriving soon at Freya's Bower!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Hump Day Hook



I know; I've not participated in a while, or even blogged.  That's what happens when your alter-ego takes over the brain for an entire month.  I was only let out long enough for edits (grumble, grumble).  Anyway, it's now December, and both Molly and I are baking, Christmas shopping, and being stressed out over which kid will get the short end of the proverbial stick this year.  It never fails; one kid always gets fewer presents than the other two.  This ever happen in your family?

Okay, I'll quit griping.  Here's a snippet from All She Ever Wanted.  An incident happened today which made me aware I wasn't far off the mark when I wrote this, and the sequel Class Reunion should be hitting the virtual shelves any given moment now, so enjoy:)


 “Wait a minute. Back up, Denton. First of all, I got hauled into the manager’s office for being in the men’s locker room, and fraternizing with a member. Next, I get a lovely choice: Quit or be fired.” Amber set her half-empty wineglass on the stove and ticked her fingers. “Third, I go to your apartment and get told by your father that you’ve decided to move forward with your plans to replace him as CEO, and that I’m not ‘suitable companionship’ anymore. Suddenly, you don’t return my phone calls, and then the box arrives. Finally, another scene with your father offering me money to never see you again. So don’t stand there and ask me where we went wrong!”

“Yeah, and we’ve also established that he lied to both of us.” Marc downed the rest of his drink in one gulp and set the empty crystal glass on the granite island.  “Screw him.” 

All She Ever Wanted available at Freya's Bower, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble:)

See you next week!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Happy birthday Paloma!



"Happy biiiiirrrrrthdaaaay toooo youuuuu
Happy biiiiirrrrrthdaaaay toooo youuuuu
Happy biriiirrrrrrthdaaaay dear Palomaaaaaahh
Happy biiiirrrrrrthdaaaay tooooo youuuuuuuuuu!"

Introduction:
Tammy:  Heroine, Teacher's Pet
Kevin:  Hero, Teacher's Pet
Danny:  Tammy's son, age 13
Teri:  Tammy's daughter, age 10

D:  I thought we were getting ready to celebrate my birthday, Mom.

T:  No dear; I'm letting you stay up late so we can celebrate a friend of Kenzie's.

T:  That girl Danny used to drool over?  Yuck!

K:  No, Teri.  The woman who created all of us.

T:  But I thought God was a man-

T:  Kevin means Kenzie wrote our story.  Not the God of the universe.  Paloma is a friend of Kenzie Michaels, and they're both authors....though neither of you can read either of their books until you're older.

T:  Why?  

D:  Because there's love scenes.  (gags)

K:  Here, blow out the candles before they melt on the cake.  Tammy, how is it we're together for a year, and yet we've never celebrated yours, Teri's, or Danny's birthdays, or even mine, for that manner?

T:  Because Danny's is in November, when we were broken up for a brief time; Teri's is in July, after we'd-ah (clears throat)-met for the first time, and mine took place before we-ah (clears throat)-met the 2nd time.  And yours was celebrated over our honeymoon, remember?  And this is a birthday of sorts, because I think Kenzie finished the final edits on our book about this time.

K:  So what excerpt do you propose we post in honor of Paloma's birthday and our one-year publishing birthday?

T:  How about the scene where Danny tries to spend your money?

D:  Shut up, Teri.  How about the scene when Kevin stayed home with us during the snow day and he and I beat you and Mom at Scene It?

T (sticks tongue out at her brother)

T:  Oookay....time to send two kids to bed.  You forget this is Paloma's day, not yours.  Scoot.  I'll be in to tuck you in shortly.

D:  Awww Mom!  It's Saturday!

T:  Actually, it's still Friday night and past your bedtime.  Kenzie's pre-posting this.  Now shoo.

D:  Come on, Teri.  Mom and Kevin are going to make out again.

K:  Tammy, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I think your son's read a few parts of this book.

T:  I'm surprised he's even speaking to us if he has!  Oh well....enough of our drama.  What say you we post a happy scene?  Like our first official date?

K:  Now that's a good idea.  Do I get to pick it?

T:  Nah; you'd go for that 'horny and pressed for time' line.  Here, I'll choose it.  And readers, leave a comment, even if it's just to wish Paloma a happy birthday!  Kevin will draw a winner after midnight on Sunday for a copy of our book, Teacher's Pet.

K:  Or you can buy it here, on amazon.


A few days passed; Tammy tried to put a lid on her mounting frustrations with her libido. Finally, she screwed up her nerve and called Kevin, under the pretense Danny was having trouble with an assignment.
“Even I can’t figure it out,” she stated. “Can you explain it to me?”
“Sure. Which problem is it?”
Tammy hesitated. “We’ve got football practice in thirty minutes. I wondered if I could just drop him at the field and come over for a few minutes.” She squeezed her eyes shut, afraid of his response. She felt horribly exposed, certain he saw through the ploy.
To her surprise, he sounded businesslike and not at all teasing. “Sure, no problem. Bring the book and I’ll be glad to help you.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
She dropped the kids off at the football field and asked one of her friends to keep an eye on them. “I’ve got to make a delivery,” she apologized, feeling guilty for the lie. “I’ll be back before practice is over.”
“Relax, Tam,” the other woman said. “It’ll be fine. Go on.”
Flashing a smile, Tammy strode to her car and went straight to Kevin’s house. She sat a block away, debating with herself.  Taking a firm grip on her courage, she drove to his driveway and walked up to the porch. Her resolve weakened after she knocked on the door. This is stupid. You haven’t acted this way in over fourteen years. What’s he going to think about you showing up at his house and demanding he take you to bed? Is that how a grown woman with two children acts? Grow up, Tammy! Besides, the man should do the pursuing, not the other way around! Oh really…and what about equal rights? Don’t I have the right to demand sex just like men do?
Her internal war vanished when Kevin opened the door and swept her into his arms, closing the door behind them.
“You have driven me crazy for three days. The problem can wait. I’ve been wanting to kiss you ever since Saturday.” His tongue swept across the corners of her mouth, and, with a sigh, Tammy melted against him, answering his hunger with her own.
She tugged at his sweatshirt, wanting to run her hands up his hairy chest and over his rippling muscles. He worked it over his head, looking surprised when she threw off her own sweatshirt and pressed his naked torso to hers. He groaned and lifted her up, carried her to the bedroom, and left a trail of clothing behind.
“What brought this on?”
She peeled his athletic pants to his ankles. “I’m horny and pressed for time. And it’s all your fault.” 



K:  You cut it off just before it got to the good part!

T:  Always leave them wanting more, dear.  Come on; let's make sure the kids are tucked in, and then we'll see who's 'horny and pressed for time'.

Complete List of Paloma's Birthday Bash Bloggers 



Sunday, November 11, 2012

Autumn's Harvest Blog Hop:)




Forgive me; with all of the appearances I've made the last two months, it was nice to have a weekend I could sleep in, veg out, and relax.  And apparently I forgot I'd signed up to be a part of this hop!  So if you desire a chance to win the following items, read on!


1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains 10+ paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!



I'll be giving away either a copy of Teacher's Pet or All She Ever Wanted, since the sequel will be releasing soon:)

Autumn:  The perfect time for a new beginning.  I don't know about you, but the relationships I formed in September always seemed to last the longest.  How about you?

Here's one of my favorite scenes from Teacher's Pet.  Kevin and Tammy go on their first 'official' date.  And where do you go when it's too cold outside and want to get to know each other better?


“You got another strike?” Kevin’s mouth gaped. He watched her slender form bounce toward him, hand held high. He smacked her a high-five and swatted her butt.

Tammy’s cheeks flushed. “It’s all in the wrist.” She reached for her ball as it came out of the chute. She inserted her fingers, rocked it into her left hand, and looked at the pins. Two steps forward and she began her approach, swinging the ball down and flipping it forward, keeping her wrist straight. Unfortunately, it veered to the left, knocking down only four pins. “Damn…I thought maybe I’d do a little better than that.”  The pins reset; her last ball knocked down all but one. “At least it wasn’t the split.” She referred to the seven-ten split, with pins at opposite ends.

“Still, I’ve got some catching up to do.” Kevin concentrated on his own approach and settled for a spare. Several frames later, he was closing the gap in their scores, but Tammy still beat him in the first game by a ten-point margin.

“Not bad, not bad.” Kevin accepted his defeat and offered to buy her a drink.

Tammy took the bottled water he brought and clinked it with his. “Are you up for Round Two?”

“Most definitely,” he said. “I’ve got to get my dignity back.”

Tammy took another sip. “Whoever gets the first strike decides where we go next.”

“You’re on, lady.”

Two frames later, Kevin’s ball found its mark.

“It’s a surprise.” He noticed her questioning look. And you have no idea how much I intend to surprise you! “Next person to get a strike has to kiss the other.”

“You’re on.” Tammy’s aim was true, and devilment sparkled in her eyes. She reached for his hand and kissed it, stepping out of his reach when he complained. “Na ah.” Her tone was playful. “You didn’t specify where to be kissed!”

“Touché.” He chased her around the seats and skidded on the slippery floor, his arms flailing to maintain his balance. “Damn these shoes.”

Tammy giggled and darted back around, but he caught her by the arm and swung her to him. Their feet tangled, and she landed on top of him while clutching the back of a seat. They both howled with laughter, and when Tammy tried to pull herself up, Kevin snaked an arm around her waist and grabbed her chin with the other. His mouth lowered to hers; her lips parted and his tongue slipped inside. His hand drifted toward her breast and she pulled away.

“You said no public sex.” 

All you have to do is leave me a comment, telling me your favorite 1st date place.  I'll pick a winner at random on Tuesday.  Enjoy!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Hump Day Hook:)



Here's a sneak peek at Class Reunion, of which the first round of edits are complete.


Blurb:
After being burned pretty badly by two different women in his past, Brian Vellinger has sworn off romance. Commitment-shy for the past fifteen years, he is stunned by his sudden attraction to a woman he's not seen since the last day of their senior year.

Natalie Collier thinks she's successfully put Brian Vellinger out of her mind. After harboring a secret crush all through high school and into college, she is both alarmed and thrilled when Brian makes his intentions known at their 25th class reunion. But will she succeed in softening his casual, 'sex only' policy, or will she end up just another notch on his belt?

Excerpt:
“Here’s the thing:  We’re both single, in our forties, and established in our jobs.  Just because we’re attracted to each other doesn’t mean there has to be a romantic connection, does there?”

“Gee, Brian, if you put it like that why not just hire an escort for the evening?”  Pushing her hurt feelings aside, she stared at him.  “We’re both caught up in the moment. Let’s just fuck each other and see you again in five years?  Sorry; I don’t operate like that.”

“Look, you live five thousand miles away in Boise, right?  My job is here.  What’s the problem with a mutually satisfying night; we both let off some steam and have great sex? On Monday our lives will return to normal and no one gets hurt.  Unless you’ve got a boyfriend or something and feel guilty.”

“No, no boyfriend.”  Natalie set down her glass and cocked her head to one side.  “What the hell happened to you? Are you afraid of commitment now, just because Tracy left you, and some bitch screwed you over?  When was the last time you actually lived with someone, Brian?”  Natalie kept her voice low, but leaned closer.  “Do you know that when I heard the news of your marriage, I went out and rip roaring drunk?  For years, I waited for you to notice me, and you getting married finally woke me up to the fact you weren’t mine.  Where’s the man who stood on that podium and proclaimed ‘sex without love is a dead-end street’?”

“Yeah, well, I was naïve back then.”

“We all were.”  Find your courage, Natalie.  It’s now or never.  “Yes, I’d like to sleep with you, to spend the rest of the weekend with you.  But only on my terms, Brian.  If this happens tonight, I expect you to be considerate, not just cast me aside when the sun comes up in the morning.”

“God.  You want fucking roses in the morning?  We are so past that.”  He shook his head and reached for his beer.

“I don’t expect flowers. I want to get to know you out of bed too,” she tried to explain and looked him in the eye.  “I don’t want us to have to pretend we’re strangers tomorrow morning.  I know you’ve got a golf match. I’ll do something with the girls while you’re golfing, and meet you at the picnic afterwards.  We can have a quiet dinner and you can take me to the airport Monday morning.  That’s what I expect.  We take it from there.”  She smiled inwardly as she observed his gaze drop from her face to her breasts again.  “Unless you have a girlfriend who couldn’t make it tonight, and I’m just a substitute?”  Natalie took another drink of her wine and tried to check her emotions.  Good Lord; was this the way weekend sex was discussed?  It sounded so…cold.

Brian leaned in again and brushed his lips against hers.  “Where are you staying?  I’ll follow you.”

Check out other authors' snippets here:) 

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Happy Hump Day:)


Some friends and I thought it would be fun to post a snippet of a current WIP or released book every Wednesday.  Sound cool?  Here's a paragraph from my Alien-meets-Human story.  Tricia and her friends are enjoying a Girl's Night Out.  Enjoy!


Tricia and Lara, still flirting with several men, were caught up in the Electric Slide.
            Trish smiled to herself.  This was her personal favorite yardstick.  If a man could keep the dance fresh and not mechanical, he rose a notch in her favor.  But soon she became aware of a dark-haired man behind her whose gyrations intrigued her.  She managed to catch his eye and smile; soon she enjoyed moving her body with the various moves and turns.  He seemed to be intrigued with her as well.  During the final stages of the dance, he kept his eyes on her, not turning around, but drawing closer to her as their bodies undulated in invitation.
            “Can I buy you a drink?”  His voice was low and velvety.

For a complete list of participants, click here.  And since Molly's taken over the brain, since NaNo will be upon us next week, I'll only be back on Wednesdays, unless Class Reunion's cover art arrives:)

Monday, October 8, 2012

And The Winner Is......(Drum Roll)

Wow, what an awesome response this past weekend!  Thanks to everyone who entered:)

The answer, of course, is Indiana.  Home of the Indianapolis 500, birthplace of Mama Brady (Florence Henderson) and Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors), and the home of William Henry Harrison, the president who delivered the longest inaugural speech (and in the rain!), then died thirty-two days later.

The town I live in has ties to both him and George Rogers Clark:


The Harrison House



GRC Memorial and the battlefield.  The spouse and I 'power walk' every day up the left side of the walkway, up the steps to the Memorial; one lap around; then up the 19 steps to the very top (where the vertical pillars are; when it's open, people can go inside and see the exhibits); then down the rest of the steps and walk back down the right side of the walkway.



Picture of the top of the Memorial.

"This is all very nice, Kenzie, but who won your contest?"

Okay, okay....enough history.  The winner is.......

Tiss!

And I'm giving out another prize, this time to....

Flossie!

She was the first one to mention Wm Henry Harrison:)  So shoot me an email also, and thanks for playing everyone!

And come back in December when we have the '5 Favorite Things' hop, which Dawne is putting together.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Where In The World Am I????



For a list of participating SCP authors, go here.


What State Do I Live In?
Clues:
-Greatest Spectacle In Racing
-Crossroads of America
-Home of President who served shortest time

Winner will receive their choice of my back list.  Click here for my books and here for Molly's.  Good luck!

Answer and winner will be posted on Monday.


Friday, September 28, 2012

Psst: Want The Inside Scoop Of My Next Project?

Molly tagged me in this 'Next Big Thing' interview/MeMe, so here goes:)  Enjoy!

 What is the working title of your book?
Brock and Tricia.  Yeah; that's all I got at the moment.

 Where did the idea come from for the book?
I'm not sure; I'd just read my first erotic novel (okay; I read it about three times!), then decided to try my hand at this new genre.  I locked myself in the bedroom and blushed furiously every time I typed a euphemism not normally in my vocabulary!


 What genre does your book fall under?
Oh, it's definitely Paranormal Romance....with the heat level of Teacher's Pet!


 Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Gerard Butler would be my Brock, and probably Rachel McAdams for Tricia.


 What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Tricia's imaginary friend since childhood turns out to be an alien from another planet.


 Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I'm hoping my publisher will send me a contract after I finish, polish, and submit it:)


 How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I began it in 2003, and only recently picked it up again.  The ideas are flowing, so hope to have it finished soon:)


 What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I began reading Dawn Chartier's book Not An Angel yesterday, and there are some scary similarities!  Maybe I need to not read her book until I'm finished with mine; I don't want to be accused of plagerism.  Otherwise, just about any author's work who's written alien-smitten-with-human stories.


 Who or What inspired you to write this book?
Again, I'm not sure.  I patterned the scene where she meets him after the last time I went dancing with my friends.  And of course, had to learn to slow down my sex scene to describe everything in graphic detail.


 What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
I really hope my story is a fresh idea on the whole alien-smitten-with-human story!  And there are some Star Trek references in there, since Tricia's trying to wrap her brain around his existence.  They have 5 days to find out if they're meant to be together, or else he goes back to only being with her in dream form.  And what woman would be content with THAT?

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Happy Villain-Tine's Weekend:)



I'm turning my blog over to Molly Daniels, who was brave enough to sit down with Nancy, former assistant manager/dining room hostess at the country club in my book, Appetite For Desire, which was published by Secret Cravings Publishing July 6th, 2011.  Take it away, Molly!


Thanks Kenzie:)
Hello Nancy.  How are you today?

A little pissed off.  I’ve been out of work for nearly a year now, and was just issued a summons this morning.  I’m being sued.  SUED!  By one of my most loyal customers.  (dabs heavily made up eyes)  Do you know how hard it is to find work in this lousy economy? (sniff)

Who’s suing you?  And for what?

Oh, don’t pretend you don’t know.  Mr. James Sr, one of our most affluent members of the country club, makes more money per minute than I do in a week.  So I didn’t feel he’d mind sharing some of his wealth.  And mind you, it was only a teensy part of his income, and I did share it with one of our best waitresses.  We were only about a month away from our goal when Lily came down with a bad case of bronchitis and Mr. James’ son came back to town.  If only we hadn’t been so short-staffed that night….I let one of our new girls, Courtney, take the job, and the idiot grabbed the wrong clipboard.  I had everything arranged, but she took the real invoice and the whole scheme unraveled when the son got nosy.  All because his dad suddenly wanted only Courtney to be his server.  Hmph!

You do understand that’s a crime-

Oh good lord….don’t sit there and pretend you wouldn’t skim a couple of bucks from people’s account if you had the chance.

Actually, no, I wouldn’t.

I thought you were unemployed.

I’m self-employed; and right now, my royalties are increasing at a nice rate.  But this isn’t about me; it’s about you.  I’m giving you a chance to explain yourself.

You’re not here to judge?  I thought this was a deposition.

No; I’m interviewing you for anyone out there who wants to understand you a little better.  What made you decide to ‘skim money’ from a client’s account?

It was very simple.  I have a child entering college next year, and my deadbeat ex-husband was supposed to foot the bill.  But he was downsized out of a job and had to dip into our son’s savings in order to maintain his lifestyle while he looked for another job.  I did some calculating and realized some of our patrons don’t check their bills closely; they just pay whatever amount we send.  I tried several patrons before settling on Mr. James, and had a set amount I was aiming for.  As I said, one more week would have met our goal, and I’d slowly ‘wean’ him from the extra payments, so things wouldn’t look suspicious.  I did NOT count on his son looking into his accounts.

I imagine you’re pretty resentful of both Courtney and Dustin.

I misjudged Courtney; she’s smarter than she looks.  No, the one I’m the most furious with is Dustin James.  How dare he go snooping through his father’s accounts and asking questions about the monthly bills the past year?  Why couldn’t he just chalk it up to inflation or something?  I’m also upset with Lily.  If she’d not gotten sick in the first place, none of this would have happened.



People can’t control when they’re going to be ill, Nancy.

In my business, you take the over-the-counter medications.  Wait staff should only go to the doctor during golf season when they’re bleeding, spiking an ungodly high fever, or unable to talk.  Get sick on your days off or in the winter time.  Not during our busy season!  That’s what Tylenol is for.

So you feel the end justifies the means?  Is that what you’re saying?

Hell yes.  Didn’t you ever hear of Robin Hood?  He stole from the rich and gave to the poor.  I wasn’t trying to bankrupt anyone; I had a set amount I needed, and then I was going to stop.  And when the ex got back to work, I was going to slowly replace the funds, saying an audit had taken place, or a clerical error had occurred.


Is this your first offense, or have you faced charges before?

(sniffs) This is the first.

That you’ve committed a crime, or been caught?

(Looks around and leans forward, lowering voice)  This is just between you and me, right?  I-

Excuse the interruption, Nancy, but before you reply, I just want to make you aware that other people will read this.

(Sits up)  Oh…I see.  Well, this is the first time I’ve ever been charged.

So you’ve done this before, just never been caught.

Who do you think you are, Jack McCoy from Law and Order?

(holds up hands)  I’m just trying to get at the facts, ma’am.

Okay; now you sound like Joe Friday from Dragnet.  And you call yourself a writer?  What’s next, a Perry Mason reference?

(rolls eyes and mentally counts to ten)  Let me get this straight.  You feel you’re justified in what you did; you’re sorry you were caught; and you’re angry with the circumstances which led to your being fired.  Do you feel that rules only apply to certain people?

I don’t understand the question.  Rules are rules.

But do you feel some are meant to be broken, or that everyone breaks a rule from time to time?

(fidgets in chair and examines scarlet fingernails)  When you put it that way….yes, I suppose I feel some rules don’t apply to some of us.  After all, I am-WAS- the supervisor.  I’m authorized to determine which rules can be bent in certain circumstances.

So you feel entitled to take whatever you want.  Does it concern you that readers won’t like you?

Not at all.  The only other thing which upsets me is Kenzie called my voice a ‘nasal whine’.  I do NOT sound like that.

(Yes, she does)  Do you plan to appear in any of Kenzie’s other books?

I certainly hope NOT!  (sits up and glares)  She’s caused enough trouble for me.  Unless…..

Unless?

(smiles and leans forward) Do you think she’d be willing to set me up with a nice, handsome, single lawyer?  I don’t really need a younger man; just someone who’s in his late 50’s or early 60’s.  Someone with experience, if you get my meaning.  Someone who’s, ah, been missing something from his life lately.  (winks)

(sigh)  I can certainly ask her if she’d be willing to do that.  But no promises.  Her writing is sort of on the back burner at the moment.

(pats my hand)  You tell her to do it or I’ll come back and haunt her until she writes it.

Thank you for sitting down with me today.  Nancy-did Kenzie not give you a last name?-is Courtney’s supervisor at the country club in Kenzie Michaels’ Appetite For Desire, available now at Secret Cravings Publishing.

Blurb:
Dustin James is shocked to learn the sexy blonde he met two days earlier is none other than his father’s caterer who also works at the country club he’s recently joined. When he can’t keep his hands off of her, is lust for her sexy body all he wants, or is it love?

Courtney Bright defied the rules by admitting her attraction to the new customer at the country club. But when she realizes her feelings aren’t just sexual, will she take a chance on love, or is her job more important?

Buy link:
http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=85

A Scene With Nancy:
“Courtney! Where is she? Courtney Bright!” Nancy’s nasal voice was an octave higher than normal as she stormed through the swinging door of the club’s kitchen. “Courtney!”

“I’m here; what’s the problem?” Courtney backed out of the walk-in, balancing bowls of coleslaw and potato salad. Oh God…she found out I was eating again…

Nancy waved the invoice under the girl’s nose. “You call this accurate?” She screeched. “Where do you think we buy our food, the local farmer’s market? You didn’t charge him nearly enough!”

Courtney set the salad bowls on the stainless steel counter and checked the invoice. “But…that’s what Becky told me when she hired me. The prices are listed on the clipboard.” She went to the wall and found the one she’d used the night before. Flipping to the back, she ran her finger down and showed it to her manager. “See?”

“Well I never,” Nancy huffed, beginning to calm down. “I’ll have to check the rest of the receipts. There’s been a mistake somewhere. And I’m going to find it!” She spun on her high heels and left the kitchen.

Do you have anything else you’d like to add Nancy?

I’d like to state my last name is Nicholson*; I’m 42 years old**; my beautiful blonde hair is natural***, and I’m considered quite a catch, if you believe some of the gentlemen who flirted with me before I was fired.  Anyone who is on my side and who’d like to hire me can contact me through Kenzie’s website….(knock at the door and an officer pokes his head inside the room)…What the hell is wrong now?

Sorry to interrupt Molly, but Nancy was supposed to be back home now.  Her free time is up.

Not a problem; we were just finishing up.  Nancy, I’ll pass along your message and thank you again for your time.

I didn’t know that damn ankle bracelet would warn you if I was a few minutes late!  Hands off me; I’ll go by myself.  (Stands and exits the room)

Officer?  I didn’t realize she had an ankle bracelet.

Yes; it’s part of her plea agreement.   She has to wear it for two more months.  (tips his hat)

Sigh….just goes to show sometimes you don’t get the whole story!

*Nicholson:  Her maiden name
**42 yrs:  Actual age, 53.
***She is definitely NOT a ‘natural’ blonde….or at least not in the past twenty years.
And anyone who still wants to hire Nancy, please be assured your note will be placed in the circular file.


Please visit the other SCP author blogs and meet other villains, plus a chance for prizes!

Nicola (aka Imogene Nix)  http://www.imogenenix.blogspot.com
Shannon West  http://remyshannon.weebly.com/shannons-blog.html 
Molly Daniels  http://www.mjdaniels.blogspot.com 

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

RT '12 Chicago 'Out Takes':)


BC getting an autographed book from Mary Janice Davidson



Author Lisa Hendrix, talking to a new fan.  I didn't get my picture taken with her because as I was stuffing her books into my bag, a woman stepped up to ask a question about Lisa's latest release.  When the woman admitted she had't read the first one, I piped up, 'You'll LOVE it!'  The woman bought all three books:)



Author Kaily Hart autographing her book for me:)



The very photogenic Bronwyn Green texting Mia Watts that BC and I had arrived:)



Standing in the check out line, I liked this woman's shirt:)



Took this because a friend of mine has a tie-die business, and I've asked him to make me one:)  There's a funny story about this picture and the next two.  Keep scrolling!



This one reads 'Authors are my rock stars!'



This one reads 'I read dead people'.



Apparently, when you finish paying for your books, you are supposed to head directly to the door, not turn right and head back toward the center of the room!  I had noticed the T-shirts while in line, but couldn't get anyone's attention to take the pictures for me.  So I thanked my cashier and turned right.  I'd taken about three steps when I heard "Hey!  Hey!  Heeeeeeyyyyyyyy!!!!!'

I turned around to see what the issue was, and this gentleman was yelling at....ME!  BC had also finished checking out and was closer to him; I heard her say 'She just wants to take a picture of one of the T-shirts', and he nodded his head and waved us on.  So after I snapped the pictures, I handed BC my camera and said 'I have to document my 'Author Behaving Badly' moment!'


Swiped this from Lisa Kessler's pictures; I had tried to get BC to stand beside him, but she refused.  So no pirate picture on my memory card!  We'd also seen a woman dressed like Marie Antoinette, but didn't get a picture of her either; she'd moved on by the time we arrived where we'd seen her.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Meet The Authors! RT Chicago Pt. 2:)


We arrived; paid the $5 entry fee, and promptly lost Brannick, who'd wandered off to get coffee, then didn't see us bent over the Author Chart as we took note of which authors were in what row, so we could get through more quickly, since it was already close to one o'clock.  He found us, and after some more trial and error, we found our way inside:)  This is author Ashlyn Chase.  I've not read any of her books; I just recognized the name.



Author Samantha Cayto.  I've chatted with her online, and again, just name recognition.



Author Lynn Connelly.  Again, I've chatted with her online.



Author PG Forte.  I think we had her on the RBRU chat loop.  I thought I'd moderated the chat, but now I'm not so sure....but I did recognize her name!



Author Mari Freeman.  I didn't recognize her name, but I DID recognize the 'Tease The Cougar' book!  This series (now antho) has been on my TBB list ever since I learned about it!  So excited, it is the first book of the ones bought at the convention I chose to read!



Author Isabelle Drake.  Name recognition, plus I KNOW I own one of her books!  Just couldn't think of the title, even though I'd read it in the last year.  Don't you hate that, when you go into 'fan mode', then discover the plot of the book you're thinking of is someone else's book?   Plus, this is the 'Flavors of Ecstasy' book that's been at the top of my TBB list since 2009!  Regina Carlysle is also in this antho, so getting Isabelle's JH (John Hancock aka autograph) was another plus!  I'll probably read this one next:)



Author Kaily Hart.  We're FB friends, and I've commented on several of her posts.  Looking forward to reading your book Kaily!



And now the personal 'squee' moments:  Author Bronwyn Green was very happy to finally meet myself and BC Brown!  We received a warm welcome and hugs, and had to practically force ourselves to keep mingling!  Bron was even nice enough to text author Mia Watts, who was there unofficially, and let her know two 'fans' were in the house:)



And here she is, author Mia Watts/Katie Blue/Kelly Kirch:)  I'd actually met her two or three years ago, when she happened to be traveling through Evansville on her way home.  I drove down and spent a few hours with her while our kids swam in the pool.



Personal 'squee' moment #2:  Meeting Desiree Holt:)  And her 'Joy Ride' has also been on my TBB list for over a year, so snapped it up!  I might bump it ahead of 'Flavors'....lol!



Author and promotions guru Marcia James:)  I hadn't known she was an author, so this was nice!  I'd been on a chat with her three years ago, learning about how to better promote myself, and she sent me her promo tips.



And finally, 'squee' moment #3, meeting Brynn Paulin and picking up her awesome Cress Bros collection!  She promised that Francesca's story would be out in a few months, so very much looking forward to it!  And I'm not entirely sure why I didn't pick up her Dragon series....that was an oversight!

Tomorrow, back on Molly's blog:  Pt 3 and the authors we missed, due to the long lines and our tardy arrival.  And maybe I'll post some of the 'out takes' of the trip, buwaaahaaaa!