Stuff Your Kindle Blog Hop

Step right up folks!  Pick your choice of books...don't crowd, don't be shy...there's plenty to go around, even if I've only written seven books.

Welcome to the 1st annual Stuff-Your-Kindle Blog Hop!  For a full list of participants, go to the SCP Blog and you could soon have up to fourteen or more books to read:)  That's quite a nice after-Christmas gift, right?

If you're not familiar with my work, I write Contemporary Romance plus Sci-Fi Romance.  The second book of my Chosen series is due to arrive on virtual shelves in three months, and I'm still writing it.  How crazy is that?

Anyway, for a chance at my latest book, Heart's Last Chance, simply tell me your favorite Christmas movie.

Blurb:

Tricia Alexander’s dreams are haunted by a mystery lover. When she discovers the man she met in a nightclub is from another planet, will she accept his story or kick him out?

Brock was young Tricia’s imaginary friend and confidant, and watched her grow up over the years. After gaining permission from the leaders of his planet, he sought to bond with her twice before, but with little results. When he’s given a final chance, will he succeed? Or will a family crisis prove too much?

Excerpt:

“How do I know you’re not using mind control on me? Don’t aliens sometimes use hypnosis and deception in order to charm humans before revealing sinister plans?”

Brock placed his hand over his heart before kneeling at her feet.

“Tricia, my love, I do not use anything but my mouth and my body to let you know my feelings. Come, I ordered room service for you and your friend. If your other two show up, there is enough for them also”

“Was it a set-up?” Tricia placed her towel in the adjoining bathroom. “Did you arrange for Lara and Jayne to meet men so you could put the moves on me? And did you arrange Becky’s man also?”

Brock frowned as he stood up. “I don’t understand what you mean. I have no control over your friends’ choices. But it is almost noon and you need nourishment.”

Remember, let me know your favorite Christmas movie and don't forget to post your contact info.  I'll draw a winner on Monday:)

Sound The Trumpets! There's An Alien On Earth:)

Release the doves!  My 7th book (I've caught up with Molly, ha ha!) has been unleashed upon the unsuspecting romance readers of the world, and I couldn't be any happier!  Unfortunately, I am not home and my flash drive is too full to download my own cover, so Click Here. 

Since it is Release Day, how about a contest?  I'll pick a winning comment here or from any promo post on FB, or even if I see you've retweeted it.  Sound good?  I'm trying to make this a never-before-seen-excerpt, so forgive me if I post one which shows up again on tour next week.

*kisses*

Blurb:
Tricia Alexander's dreams are haunted by a mystery lover. When she discovers the man she met in a nightclub is from another planet, will she accept his story or kick him out?

Brock was young Tricia's imaginary friend and confidant, and watched her grow up over the years. After gaining permission from the leaders of his planet, he sought to bond with her twice before, but with little results. When he's given a final chance, will he succeed? Or will a family crisis prove too much?



Excerpt: 

“However, there is something else I must prepare you for.”

“You already told me to expect silver people, with multi-colored hair.”

“Yes. This concerns my brother LoGar and his mate.”

Tricia relaxed against him again. “What about them?”

She felt Brock take a deep breath. “DaSie has another mate. LoGar is her second. This means they have a tri-union, and any children she has with him will be given her Primary’s name.”

Tricia’s mind whirled. “What? Why? He’s okay with this?” This was straight out of one of her favorite series of books, only alien-style. “Is your brother all right in the head? He doesn’t mind sharing? That’s insane! Every woman’s dream, but still insane.”

His arms tightened around her. “I did not observe you dreaming of being with two men at the same time.”

Tricia kissed his jaw. “What did you call me sleeping beside Tony while you were in my mind a few weeks ago?”

“That was different. I knew you were dissatisfied with him and it was only a matter of time before we were to meet. What are you saying? You would take another?”

“Oh God no. I’m a one-man woman, you know that. I’m just saying, if the timing was right, and I had enough alcohol in me, and two guys wanted to do me at the same time…” She was too embarrassed to go on.

“Ah. I get it. What is daily way? I have not observed…”

Tricia placed her hand over his mouth. “It isn’t a custom, it’s a series of romance books. A fictional town where tri-unions are normal. It doesn’t exist in America, except maybe behind closed doors.”

“This is a fantasy of yours then?”

Available TODAY at SCP 

At the end of the day, I'll choose the winner(s) for their choice of pdf, Kindle, or B&N format (you'll have to wait another week for the 3rd party sites), so comment, share, tweet, etc:)

I'll be going to karaoke tonight in celebration, and will most likely sing a few of the following songs:

Wanted Dead Or Alive
Edge of 17
ET
Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia
What's Up
Birmingham
Grand Illusion
Come Sail Away
Better Dig Two
Gunpowder and Lead
Hell On Heels
I Will Be

A HUGE 'Thank You' to all who encouraged me in this venture!!! 

Release Date Revealed!

Received word over the weekend Heart's Last Chance will release Sept 18th:)  Since I'm nearly finished with edits, if for some reason another author has to delay her book release, then mine will be bumped up:)  So stay tuned....and here's another excerpt for you.  Enjoy!

“How do I know you’re not using mind control on me? Don’t aliens sometimes use hypnosis and deception in order to charm humans before revealing sinister plans?”

Brock placed his hand over his heart before kneeling at her feet.

“Tricia, my love, I do not use anything but my mouth and my body to let you know my feelings. Come, I ordered room service for you and your friend. If your other two show up, there is enough for them also”

“Was it a set-up?” Tricia placed her towel in the adjoining bathroom. “Did you arrange for Lara and Jayne to meet men so you could put the moves on me? And did you arrange Becky’s man also?”

Brock frowned as he stood up. “I don’t understand what you mean. I have no control over your friends’ choices. But it is almost noon and you need nourishment.”

Tricia took his hand. He led her into the other room and watched as her manner changed from wary to excitement as she loaded a plate with croissants, eggs, bacon, and fruit. He took the silver carafe and filled her coffee cup.

“Vanilla-flavored coffee, just as you like.” Brock seated himself across from her and loaded his own plate.

“Something smells wonderful in here.” Becky’s door opened. “Yours stayed, Trish? Mine left during the night.”

“I saw him leaving when I came out to order the food. You can do better than him, if you want my opinion. A real man does not tiptoe across the room carrying his footwear out of a desirable woman’s hotel room.” Brock poured the other woman a cup and indicated one of the chairs. “I’m Brock Robertson.”

“Becky Weidersahn. Thanks for breakfast.” She sat down and reached for a china plate. “Trish, I vote you hang onto this one. He orders food and so far seems to be an excellent judge of character.”

       Tricia coughed. “You don’t know the half of it. Turns out Brock and I have known each other for a long time, so he’ll be joining us for dinner tonight.” 

New Cover!

Have you missed me?  True, I've not been around much lately.  Blame my alter-ego.

I finished edits on Brock and Tricia's story, and decided to change the title (again...if you're keeping count, this makes title #3!)  I won't tease you any longer; here is a blurb and excerpt:)

Tricia Alexander's dreams are haunted by a mystery lover. When she discovers the man she met in a nightclub is from another planet, will she accept his story or kick him out?

Brock was young Tricia's imaginary friend and confidant, and watched her grow up over the years. After gaining permission from the leaders of his planet, he sought to bond with her twice before, but with little results. When he's given a final chance, will he succeed? Or will a family crisis prove too much?

Excerpt:

“We’ve never formally met.”  His fingers stroked her hair.  “But I’ve known you for a long time.”

          

A stalker?  A devoted customer?  “But the restaurant’s only been open for two years.”

          

“Yes; I’m proud of your success.”

         

“Did we go to college or high school together?”  Thoroughly confused, Trish searched her memory.

          

“No.  Tricia, try to understand what I’m saying.  I met you when you were four years old.”

          

“Four years-We were living in the country and our nearest neighbor was a mile away.  I don’t remember any playmates until I started school. Were our mothers friends or something?”

          

“I didn’t meet you in that manner.”

          

“I’m waiting.”

          

Brock took a deep breath.  “You say you had no playmate.  But you had an imaginary friend.”

          

A shock chilled her blood.  “H-how did you know?”  Indignation took over.  “Lots of children do that; so what?”  But the memory assaulted her.  She’d spilled her secrets, her most private thoughts over the years, to an imagined best friend.  It had become a habit by the time she’d reached the third grade, and had often talked to her favorite doll or stuffed animal, until her hormones kicked in at puberty, and she’d discovered boys.  But even at night, sharing a dorm room at college, or even an apartment, she’d found herself silently talking to herself, expressing thoughts she couldn’t tell anyone else, or even write in a diary.

         

Brock tipped her face upward.  “You’re remembering.”

          

She felt the color drain from her face.  “Who are you?”

          

Brock cleared his throat.  “At four, you called me ‘Louis’.  At eight, it was ‘Shawn’.  At twelve, you decided you needed female companionship, so I became ‘Kathy’.  And as time went on, various other names of men you liked.”

          

“How-how can you know this?”  Tricia struggled to sit up and stay in control of her swirling emotions.  “God, you make me sound like a mental case.”  She wrapped the blankets around her and turned her back.

          

She heard him shift his weight.  “I’m not exactly from Earth.”

          

That did it.  Tricia got to her feet and pointed to the door.  “Out.”  She refused to admit the sight of his naked body still aroused her.  “Out, before I call security.”

Like what you're reading?  Heart's Last Chance will be releasing next month, so you can be sure I'll be having a contest soon!        

Ready For Sexy Aliens?

Join in the fun!  Want to meet more Book Boyfriends?  Click here:)

Each day, I'll post a snippet or quip from any of the 'boyfriends' in any of my six books.  All you have to do is show up, comment, and enter the Rafflecopter givaway.  What do you win from me?  Probably a $5 GC from amazon.  Or your choice from my back list.  Just tell me which hero of the day you find the most fascinating, LOL!

Star-Crossed Lovers, my current WIP being shopped around, introduces you to Brock and his strange siblings, including two brothers, Logan and Nico.  Nico is currently in my head, explaining more of his planet's demographics, customs, culture, etc.

Brock has fallen in love with Tricia, and has patiently watched her over the years:

“When it was decided I could try to be with you, the elders of my planet gave me three chances.  Then, since the third being I chose didn’t live long enough, they gave me a fourth and final chance.”  Brock closed the distance between them and took her hands in his.  “Remember Richard?  You thought you were in love with him, so I took his form for a week.  But you were bored by Wednesday and broke up with him.  That time I learned you didn’t want your Ideal Mate.”

          “That’s right.  He was too accommodating; too easy going for me.”

          Brock pulled her back to sit on the edge of the bed.  “And then I took the form of a dashing man you were infatuated with-”

          “David.  He turned out to be hard to get along with.”

          “Yes, and I regret the hurt I caused you.”  Brock eased the blanket from her neck and touched her cheek, sliding his fingers around to caress under an ear.  “I was trying to follow your thought patterns, and I was getting frustrated, knowing if I blew it, I would never get to be with you.”

          “But the third time?”

          Brock’s laugh sounded bitter.   “This shows my desperation.  I took the form of a cat, so I could at least curl up in your lap and be close to you.”

******

About His Siblings:

“NiKoh is seven years older, and SaLie is two years younger than him.  NiKoh’s training is in military operations, and he supposedly excels in negotioation tactics.”  Brock shook his head.  “I know; he obviously forgot his training the minute his siblings were involved.  SaLie will be okay on Xaxon; her specialty is botany, and her knowledge should be utilized well, should JeWal ever let her out of his bedchamber.”  A look of disgust filled his face.  “You still find this humorous?”

          Tricia tried to hide a smile.  “Do you find the concept of a threesome so revolting?  Or is it just because it involves your sister?”

          “Please.”  Brock shot her a look.  “Can we agree to disagree on this subject?”

          “Then don’t question my sense of humor.”  Tricia finished her light snack and placed her hand over his.  “Maybe when we return to Earth and some time has passed, then you’ll be able to accept your sisters’ decisions.”

Remember to leave me a comment with your email addy and which boyfriend fascinates you the most:)  Also, don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway fro a chance at two print books and a $20 Amazon GC:)

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Reunion!

Join in the fun!  Want to meet more Book Boyfriends?  Click here:)

Each day, I'll post a snippet or quip from any of the 'boyfriends' in any of my six books.  All you have to do is show up, comment, and enter the Rafflecopter givaway.  What do you win from me?  Probably a $5 GC from amazon.  Or your choice from my back list.  Just tell me which hero of the day you find the most fascinating, LOL!

Class Reunion was inspired by many stories I heard by classmates at my own 25th HS reunion.  All names and details were changed to protect the not-so-innocent, lol!  I will tell you this much:  Natalie and Brian do share a real birthday, and the name of a real life classmate was mentioned.  The people whom I based the main story on approved each chapter as written, so if there are any regrets, it's too late!

Brian:
“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. We can agree this is a
one-time thing. I’m not looking for something long-term.”

******
“Christ, Natalie…what the hell have you done to
me?”

“What do you mean?” Her words were muffled against
his neck.

“I haven’t dragged a female behind a building since the
time I kissed Beth Lewis behind the bleachers in the seventh
grade.” He kissed her again and stepped back to rebutton her
shirt. He took a deep breath. “How much longer do we have
to be here, anyway?”

********
“I moved to Boise, because I couldn’t stand to be in the
same town as you and Tracy, seeing you so happy. It just tore
me up inside. I think I’ve loved you ever since that time you
caught me under the mistletoe, but kissed me on the cheek
instead.”

“When did I do that? I don’t remember you being at any
frat parties. And why did I only kiss you on the cheek?” Brian
reached for the now empty popcorn bowl and propped it on
the back of the couch.

“You were celebrating the end of finals, and griping to
anyone who would listen about Tracy’s plan to honeymoon in
Hawaii. You hadn’t even popped the question yet, but she
was already planning the wedding. You’d had an argument,
and….”

“Got rip-roaring drunk. God! I do remember part of that
night. According to Brent, I knocked over his shelves before I
passed out in his room. I have a vague memory of someone
helping me up the stairs…”

“That was me. Brent had mistletoe above his door, and
when you tried to kiss me, I turned my head because your
breath stunk. You made a disparaging remark about women,
and then stumbled into the shelving unit. You looked up at
me, we both laughed, and you said, ‘shhh,….we don’t want to
wake up the neighborhood!’ Then you lost your balance, fell
onto the bed, and began snoring.”

“I insulted you and you fell in love with me?”


Remember to leave me a comment with your email addy and which boyfriend fascinates you the most:)  Also, don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway fro a chance at two print books and a $20 Amazon GC:)



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Kevin's Quips

Join in the fun!  Want to meet more Book Boyfriends?  Click here:)

Each day, I'll post a snippet or quip from any of the 'boyfriends' in any of my six books.  All you have to do is show up, comment, and enter the Rafflecopter givaway.  What do you win from me?  Probably a $5 GC from amazon.  Or your choice from my back list.  Just tell me which hero of the day you find the most fascinating, LOL!

Teacher's Pet tells the story of Kevin Taylor, who meets a fascinating woman, then discovers her son is in his 6th grade math class.  Both he and Tammy have been burned by love in the past, but when his reputation is called into question, will Tammy stand beside him?

Kevin:
“Tammy, a wise person once told me that the way to a mother’s heart was through her kids, not her body. So I decided to give it a try.”

*****

“This is my first year not going to Florida. There’s a boat parade and fireworks. The people in my parents’ complex put on a huge BBQ for the entire community.”

“Sounds fun.” Tammy yawned again. “How come you didn’t go down this year?”

“Tamara Renee.” He tipped her head up. “Your dad told me your full name. I decided to spend my Christmas Break lying naked with my very sexy lady and spending some quality time with her. How can I do that if I’m two thousand miles away?”

******

“She’s claiming I sexually harassed her, Tam.”

“That’s insane,” she gasped. “How the hell can she accuse you, of all people, of that? If anything, it’s the reverse.”

“I know.” He went on to tell her of his meeting with the principal. “Denny’s on my side, I’ve got you on my side, and I’m sure there are others in the community who will see this for the imbecilic charge it is.”

“You’ve got that right.” Tammy pursed her lips. “She’s gone through more men in this county…in fact, I can probably round up some baseball moms to attest to that. When this is all over, she’s the one whose morals will be questioned, not yours.” She leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. “We’ll fight this together, Kevin. We’ll fight her together.”

Kevin gathered her close, pulling her into his lap. “You have no idea how glad I am that you’re on my side. I was afraid you were going to pull away, like you did last fall.”


*****
"You’ve been burned by that bastard who used you as a slave and tried to turn you into a 1950’s housewife, and it’s possible you’re scared I’ll do the same.” He took a deep breath and another pull of his beer. “And so I put my bruised ego aside, and here I am, naked in your living room, still loving you with my body and pledging my life to you, no matter what form it takes. In fact…” He motioned for her to sit up and she faced him, sitting cross-legged. “The lease is up on my house in April.” He linked his fingers with hers. “I was thinking about asking you if I could move in.”



Remember to leave me a comment with your email addy and which boyfriend fascinates you the most:)  Also, don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway fro a chance at two print books and a $20 Amazon GC:)

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Embarrassing Encounter

Join in the fun!  Want to meet more Book Boyfriends?  Click here:)

Each day, I'll post a snippet or quip from any of the 'boyfriends' in any of my six books.  All you have to do is show up, comment, and enter the Rafflecopter givaway.  What do you win from me?  Probably a $5 GC from amazon.  Or your choice from my back list.  Just tell me which hero of the day you find the most fascinating, LOL!

All She Ever Wanted focuses on Marc Dentin, whose relationship with Amber Johnson is revealed in a shocking way.  Amber is a server at Marc's country club, and fraternizing with members is definitely a no-no.

“Come on; the coast is clear.”

“Are you serious? What if we get caught?”

“Who cares? I’ve been dying to do this all day.” The young executive pulled
Amber Johnson into the Men’s Locker Room and kissed her hungrily.

Her backside connected with the row of steel lockers. “Ouch,” she whimpered
against his lips.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, as he swung her around and backed her toward the
overstuffed couch. “Kenny Baker told me about this being in here. With you
working double shifts, and Dad shuttling me from city to city, we haven’t been
together in two weeks. So unless you can leave with me tonight for Atlanta,
darling girl, pull down those pants and let me love you.” He unclipped his belt
and lowered his khaki slacks and black boxer-briefs to his ankles.

“You’re so romantic,” she giggled. But off came the server’s apron and black
uniform pants. “He’s sending you to Atlanta? For how long?”

His warm hands slipped inside the thin straps of her hot pink thong and
tugged it down her hips and thighs. “I don’t know.” He knelt and pressed his lips
to the glistening folds of her pussy. “You shaved it again? God that’s so sexy.” He
traced the tiny strip of auburn curls with his tongue.

Her knees wobbled. “I never know lately when you’ll be home, so I’ve stayed
prepared.” She closed her eyes as the familiar ache began to spread. He was
right; between him inheriting the reins at his father’s company, and herself
pulling double-duty in the kitchen and as a server, the separation seemed
endless. “Marc….”

He stood, kicking his pants aside. Scooping her up and depositing her on the
lumpy couch, his cock found its way inside her warm pussy. “Aaaahh—I’ve
missed you,” he sighed, sliding his hands up her shirt to knead her breasts.

She arched her back as she reached for her climax, welcoming his thrusts
and anticipating the pace.

“What on Earth?” A shocked male voice echoed off the walls as the lights
flooded the sparsely decorated room.

“Oh, my God!"

"Dad!"

Remember to leave me a comment with your email addy and which boyfriend fascinates you the most:)  Also, don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway fro a chance at two print books and a $20 Amazon GC:)


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"My Boyfriend's Back..."

Join in the fun!  Want to meet more Book Boyfriends?  Click here:)

Each day, I'll post a snippet or quip from any of the 'boyfriends' in any of my six books.  All you have to do is show up, comment, and enter the Rafflecopter givaway.  What do you win from me?  Probably a $5 GC from amazon.  Or your choice from my back list.  Just tell me which hero of the day you find the most fascinating, LOL!

Wild At Heart has not one, but four special guys in it:  Steve, the ex-NBA star/ex-con who is trying to turn his life around and win back his 1st love;

Brad, who travels to Denver, Colorado to invest in a small company and wins the heart of a feisty cowgirl;

Robert, a sexy cowboy who was involved with the lady boss until Brad showed up;

And Gavin, whose investment company brought Brad to town.  His romance with the ranch cook was held very much on the down-low, but who says romance is for only the young?

Steve:
“I’m just going to say this.” His voice sounded rough. “I love you. You’re the one thing that kept me going, that kept me from going to ‘Prison Tech 101’. After I got clean, I decided I was going to do whatever it took to serve my time, and get a respectable job, all so I could win you back.” He cleared his throat. “God, Ange…I swear to you…that one dose of speed fucked up my future, but I’m not going to let it fuck up the rest of my life. I’m staying with Josh; I’ve got my driver’s license, tomorrow I’m buying a car. And my parole officer’s trying to help me get a good job, so I can afford my own place.”

Brad, Emma, Gavin:

“Brad’s almost finished shaving. He’ll be out in a minute.” She settled into the chair opposite his and sipped her coffee.

Gavin pushed a basket of doughnuts her way. “Here. I saw your truck this morning, and brought you some breakfast.”

Emma laughed when she recognized Nora’s Longaberger basket. “So I wasn’t the only one out late?” She curved her lips into a sly smile.

“The only one with the sense to return to his own bed before getting caught,” he retorted. “And I don’t sing Rock Star in the shower.”

“You heard that, huh? Brad likes to listen to the radio, and we both like Nickleback.” She defended their impromptu duet.

“The sheep heard you and decided to stay up in the mountains longer."

Robert:

“Does he love you?” Another nod. “Well then, the best thing for me is to bow out. I can’t compete if the feeling’s mutual.” Bob finished the job for her and placed the saddle on its shelf. “Come here.” He enfolded her in his arms and held her. “I won’t say it’s going be easy for me, handing you over to another man. In all fairness, the closest you ever came to expressing any affection for me was ‘Fuck, you’re fantastic’, and the time you nearly made me deaf with all your screaming.” He tipped her head up. “But if you love him, and he makes you happy, well, I’m okay with that. But if he hurts you, he’ll have to answer to me.”

Nora/Gavin:

“Love is funny, you fall into it when you least expect it.” Nora sighed. “I suspect you know about Gavin by now.”

Emma nodded. “I thought maybe you two were an item last fall, because he kept coming to dinner. And then the other day, he had fresh doughnuts in your favorite basket.”

“Another example of illogical feelings. He lives and works two hours away, but during late spring to early fall, he’s up here every weekend, or even a week or two at a time. But it suits us just fine.” Nora patted her knee. “And if we ever retire, we’re going to live quite comfortably in his cabin.”

“He’s already asked you?”

“Sweetheart, I told him. Gavin’s too shy to ask.”

Remember to leave me a comment with your email addy and which boyfriend fascinates you the most:)  Also, don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway fro a chance at two print books and a $20 Amazon GC:)

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

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!  I had a nice relaxing one, playing with my new phone and learning how to text (keyboard instead of T-9), take pictures, and even answer the damn thing.  I'm not recognizing my ring tone just yet, lol!

What?  Oh, you want to know who the winner is from the weekend?  I have the answer right here, according to Random.org....

(drum roll).....

Tamara Hoffa 

JoAnna:)

I will be emailing both of you in the next 24 hours.  And feel free to check the comments from the weekend; I addressed each and every one of you:)  Thank you for playing and see you at the next hop!

SCP Contemporary Blog Hop 2014:)

Welcome to the annual SCP Contemporary Blog Hop!  You've arrived at Kenzie's Place, the home of the unpredictable ramblings of Kenzie Michaels, who currently has sexy aliens telling her their stories!  First of all, to continue the tour, click here for more authors who remembered to get their posts up by midnight last night!  Yes, I'm late to the party....

Did you know I have TWO contemporary romances with SCP?

Appetite For Desire was published back in July 2011 and follows the antics of  Courtney Bright, who discovers the sexy man who picked her up the night before in a bar is not only the son of one of the more affluent customers at the country club where she works, but she's also fond of his young children.  Yes, Dustin is divorced.  Courtney ends up being his father's personal chef when she has to fill in at the last minute, and sets off a chain of events which prompt Dustin to investigate his father's finances.  She also champions Dustin's young daughter against some unkind pre-teens during a birthday party.

Here's the scene where they meet again after their first night together.

She tried one of the apples and spit it out into a napkin.

“Are you ill or do you just not like the taste of your own cooking?” an amused voice said.

Courtney whirled around. Nancy had chided her several times for tasting the food. Now she’d been caught red-handed.

“I was just seeing if I’d learned to like baked apples yet.” Just act brave… “Dustin?”

“Courtney?” Dustin’s eyes were wide. “I just came in to thank you for sending more food out and to let you know how much we enjoyed it. Looks as if you’ve enjoyed it as well.” He indicated the chicken carcass, the leftover sauce in the measuring cup, the remnants of the rice and vegetables, and raised an eyebrow at her.

Trying to stay calm, she went for the direct approach. “I don’t serve anything I wouldn’t eat myself. Except, of course, for the dishes I don’t personally like.”

“Does this happen often? Not liking certain foods, I mean?” He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms.

She met his gaze squarely. “Not often. Then I just trust other people’s judgment.” She felt her knees shake and told herself it had nothing to do with his golden brown eyes.

Tyler chose that moment to return with an armful of dirty plates. “Oh, excuse me, sir. We’re just about finished.”

“That’s fine. Just paying my compliments to the chef.” He turned and exited the room.

Courtney sagged against the stove. Tyler looked bewildered. “What did I miss, Court?”

“Nothing. He just caught me spitting out a piece of apple.” Courtney shook her head and helped Tyler scrape the leftovers into the trash. “I just hope he doesn’t report me.”

“He shouldn’t. He was out there joking with his kids. And Mr. James was impressed with the fact you sent out seconds,” Tyler opened the dishwasher.

“If that wasn’t Mr. James, then who was that?” Courtney wondered.

Tyler shrugged. “The son? The younger kids called him ’Dad’ and Mr. James ‘Grandpa’, so it has to be his son.”

Courtney sighed. “At least it wasn’t anyone I recognized from the club. Maybe I won’t get in trouble.” 

If you've ever wondered where writers get their ideas, Wild At Heart has got to be the strangest inspiration story I've ever had.  I was driving down the street to visit my MIL when a news blurb about prison reform caught my ears.  Suddenly a strange voice in my brain said, "That's me!  Write my story.  I'm trying to prove to my hometown I've changed, but no one will believe me."

I had to silence him, since it would be at least an hour until I returned home, so he continued to bug me until I had the time to write.  Once I began writing, though, it took a strange turn.  Instead of just being a sweet story about a man released from prison reconnecting with an ex-girlfriend, two more characters entered the story.  Half the book ended up being set in Estes Park, Colorado, and the entire plot is more about how the lives of four people are forever changed over the course of six days.  I hope you enjoy it; Brad and Emma's antics in Colorado have spawned a sequel, which I'm still attempting to write (aliens took over my brain in November, lol!).  Steve and Angie's story is a reunion, and overcoming fear.

Steve and Angie:
“You don’t have to be scared of me, baby,” he cajoled, shoving his hands back in his hip pockets.  “You’re all I’ve ever thought about the entire time.  What we had and what I threw away…”

Angie found her voice and her anger at the same time.  “We had a good friendship and I trusted you,” she said, her voice getting firmer as she spoke.  “You broke into my home.…you tried to steal the TV, for god’s sake!  Not to mention my stereo.”  She slapped her hands on the counter.  “Do you know how hard it was for me to sleep after that?  I can’t even sleep now, unless I know every single door and window is locked tight.  You took away my security, my self-respect….and you think you just made a mistake?”  She moved around from behind the counter and rounded on him.  Smack!  She balled her fist and punched him in the face.  Shaking her stinging knuckles, she slapped him across the other cheek with the opposite hand, and poked a finger in his chest, not even noticing he was stepping backwards.
“How dare you come into my shop, my business, and spout your prison counselor’s platitudes,” she said hotly.  “I am over you, Steve.  Get that? Over!  So get out of here and leave me the hell alone.”  By this time, they’d reached the door, with Steve blindly reaching for the doorknob, rubbing his sore face. “Angie, honey…”
“I am not yours anymore, now get out.”  Angie gave him a push which sent him sprawling through the doorway just as he managed to open it.  
            
“You haven’t seen the last of me,” he thundered back at her.  “I try to make amends, but no; you won’t listen, as usual!”  He threw her one last angry look and rubbed his jaw again before stomping down the sidewalk.

Angie slammed the door so hard the bell above the door fell off, narrowly missing her head.  She sagged against the door frame and stuffed her fist in her mouth, sinking to the floor as she gave into the tears.  She sat there for several minutes, shaking so violently her feet tapped on the bare floor.  Gradually, the tears ceased, and the realization of what she’d done gave her courage again.  She hadn’t run from him. She’d actually thrown him out of her store…. Laughter welled up inside of her as she remembered him practically cart wheeling out the door.  Drying her cheeks with her shirttail, she slowly got to her feet and poured herself a cup of coffee to drive the sudden chill from her body.  Curling her hands around the Styrofoam cup for warmth, she was struck by another thought.  What if he brought charges against her?  He’d already filed a complaint against the café…

“Too late to worry about that now.”

****
Brad and Emma:
“Brad! Just the person I was looking for,” Gavin called. “This is Frank’s niece, Emma. Em, this is the financial wizard I was telling you about.”

Brad smiled warily at her as he slid onto the stool next to her at the counter, placing his sack of presents on the floor. “I wouldn’t call myself a wizard, but I can certainly help with anything needed.”

“You!” Emma’s bloodshot eyes narrowed. “Are you snooping around my family’s business? We’re not about to knuckle under to pressure; I’ll fight with everything I have to hang onto the place.”

“Emma! Relax,” Gavin restrained the girl as she swiveled, preparing to launch herself out of her seat. “What’s gotten into you?”

Brad sat back, hands raised.

“He came into the shop, asking questions.” Emma blew out her breath. “And now he waltzes in here and you expect me to just turn everything over to him? Let me go, Gavin.”

“You’ve jumped to conclusions again, girl.” Gavin swung her around and hugged her to his broad chest. “All I said was to let a pair of fresh eyes look at the books and see if he can spot where Ethan’s getting the money.”

“You mean losing it,” came a muffled sob.

Again, I apologize for being late with this post.  See anything you like?  Leave me a comment with your email addy and answer this question:  What food was Courtney sampling in the kitchen?  I'll throw all names in the hat and pick a winner for a free download of either book.  Let me know if you prefer Kindle, Nook, or PDF.

Have a nice weekend!

SCP Turns 3 Years Old:)

Rules are simple:  Start either here or over at the SCP Blog and go to each of the 24 authors listed.  Collect the letters and unscramble them (you're spelling out Secret Cravings Publishing, how simple is that?), then email your answer to reviewcoordinator@secretcravingspublishing.com  I think you're supposed to include which author's site where you found each letter.

Aside from the individual authors' special prizes, SCP has some great prizes to offer too
Grand Prize- iPad
2First Place- Kindle HDX
Second Place- $50 SCP gift certificate
Third Place- $25 SCP gift certificate
So what are YOU giving away, Kenzie?

I'm so happy you asked!  

But first, a little known fact about me:  My 6th birthday is Feb 5th, the day we award prizes. So what better way to celebrate my 'birthday' than to award someone a special prize?

Normally, I give away a free download of my books.  So you'll get a copy of Wild At Heart, or if you've already read it, then you can select one of my others.  But would you also like to receive a special souvenier from Colorado?  Yes; I brought back some goodies with me, like pens, a notepad, and maybe even a keychain.  It's been several months since I looked at what I brought back, so forgive me if I can't cite the exact prizes.

What do we have to do to win this special prize?

Easy.  Answer this question:

What is the name of Emma's ranch?  I suggest you stop by the WAH Excerpt page.

Contest runs from now until the end of the month:)

"I'd Like To Thank The Academy-I Mean, My Publisher..."

I've been chosen to be this week's SCP Author-of-the-Week!  How exciting!  That means....contest time!  At the end of the week, I'll choose a lucky commenter (okay; you know I'll choose two!) to win their choice of our 9 combined books on the SCP website.  Don't forget to leave your contact info in the comment section!

Here's where I (we) can be found this week:

Yesterday 1/12:  Melissa Keir

Monday 1/13:  Me (here), Molly's Musings, and Shannon West

Tuesday 1/14:  Cynthia Arsuaga

Wed 1/15:  Amber Skyze

Thurs 1/16:  Tricia Anderson

Friday 1/17:  Nina Pierce

See you around, and don't forget to check back for your name on Friday!