HDH #27: Halloween Fun!

Click here for more Hump Day Madness:)
Since it's Halloween tomorrow, I'm giving you a break from Randi and Brian.  Since none of my books or wips have any Halloween scenes, I decided to continue the scene posted over on Molly's blog.  In Endless Love, after leaving the Haunted House, Peter, Caitlyn, and Amy join the rest of the gang at a local bar, where a surprise awaits.  Enjoy!

 “At eleven o’clock, we have to get up on stage and let the audience choose the winners. Anybody want to switch costumes with me?”

“Oh, Keri, it’ll be fun. Besides, neither of us can squeeze into that tiny skirt of yours. Thank you.” She accepted her whiskey sour from the server.

“Or your shoes,” Amy added.

Keri pouted then shrugged. “Oh well, if I get drunk enough, it won’t matter, right?”

“Just don’t fall down. I’m going to join Steph, Gretchen, and Troy on the dance floor.” Taking off her hat, Amy made her way to the crowded dance floor.

“What happened to her nose?” Keri signaled to the server. “It looks swollen.”

“It is.” Caty filled her in on what had happened. “Peter, do you dance?”

“Sure, what the hell.” He pulled himself to his feet and followed her. When the judging began, Troy, Gretchen, Keri, and Stephanie went on stage. A large selection of others in costume joined them, and after the first round, they were still in the running, along with a pregnant nun, a Hershey’s Kiss, a green M&M, and a pair of aliens. The judges eliminated the two candies first, then the aliens. After several moments of consultation, they announced a tiebreaker. To everyone’s surprise, the DJ announced, Robert Palmer and Girls as the winner.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!  See you back here next week for another exciting snippet:)

HDH #26

Welcome to another exciting installment of my scary, potentially controversial wip, titled Anatomy of an Affair.  You seemed to enjoy last week's, where Brian meets Randi and has an instant attraction.  Was it mutual?

For more HDH fun, go here.

Apologies for the head-hopping and for the length.  I'll clean it up later.  This was written maybe 12 years ago.  In this scene, Brian has called one of his stand-by girls to satisfy his arousal, but now can't get Randi out of his mind.

Just a few blocks down the street, Randi stood looking outside John’s bedroom window, her robe pulled tightly around her.  In the bed, John lay snoring, and she stared out at the stars, thinking of the man who’d rocked her world with the slightest pressure of his fingers.  How did this happen?  She asked herself over and over.  You’re acting like a teenager with a crush!  Get a grip on yourself!  The guy’s obviously a womanizer...looking to get a quick lay...look at how quickly he charmed the other girls...I wonder who he left with...who he’s with right now...Stop it!  It’s none of your business!  Besides, I love John, she argued with herself.  She turned to look at the young man sprawled across the waterbed, oblivious to everything but his dreams.  You just can’t throw away six months and go chasing after his best friend!  It’s just not done!  You never come between two guys!  Now stop acting like an oversexed idiot and get control of yourself!  Giving herself a shake, she returned to the bed and slid in beside John, shedding her robe and shivering as his body heat reached out to her and enveloped her in its warmth.  But in spite of her good intentions, her mind focused on a pair of arresting brown eyes...

            

Alone at his own window, Brian was also giving himself a mental pep talk.  She’s taken...even if John doesn’t know how to treat her the way she ought to be treated...How in the hell would you know?  You just met her!  Maybe she goes after sleezeballs...some chicks go after the bad-boy image...maybe she likes being disrespected...No way.  I recognized her type...she should be with me!  She should be with me!

            

“Brian?” A sleepy voice interrupted his thoughts.  “What’s wrong?”

            

“Nothing,” he whispered back.  “I just couldn’t sleep.”  He returned to the bed, determined to put Randi out of his mind. 

            

“Here...I’ll give you something guaranteed to help you fall asleep,” she said, sliding her hands down his chest and following with her lips.

            

Summoning his self-control, he allowed her to play with his body, squeezing his eyes shut and conjuring up Randi’s image when he felt himself not responding.  Shit.  Was this to be his fate, then?  Having to picture another woman’s face just to perform?  Afteward, he feigned exhaustion and snuggled her close until her heavy breathing signaled sleep.  Gently he eased out from under her and put as much distance from her as he could, accepting the fact that sleep was far off.

Did you check out Molly's latest installment of 'our' wip?  Yes, Hunter and Kayla will be under my name....

HDH #25

Yes, I'm aware I haven't participated lately.  Blame Molly, lol....she's even posted some of the current wip which will be under my name!

Anyway, several of you asked for a snippet of my infidelity story, called Anatomy of an Affair.  In the beginning, they meet, but Randi (heroine) is with Brian's best friend.  She's just told him her roommate is dating Mike; Brian states he hadn't seen him yet.

“He’s occupied, if you know what I mean, dude,” John Kendall winked and clinked his beer against his friend’s, inclining his head slightly toward the house.

            Brian immediately understood; Mike always preferred to take his women upstairs first, then spend the rest of the evening hitting on the other ladies before ultimately drinking too much and then going home with his original female.  He didn’t know how some guys still managed to do that...it had been fine in high school, and the first two years of college, but lately meaningless sex was losing its appeal.  He preferred to engage the women he chose in conversation, unless of course, they were an absolute knockout, then he might bed them without question.  But the last girl he’d done that to had turned out to be self-centered and uninteresting.  These days, he was more cautious about who he approached.

            “Have you found anyone yet?” John was saying, stroking Randi’s cheek.

            Yes, I have, but you found her first, he wanted to say.  Shaking his head, he sipped his beer and looked around.  Might as well be honest.  “I noticed Randi, and was about to introduce myself,” he said, careful to avoid her eyes.  “I see Brenda’s looking lonely.  See ya later.”

Over the next several weeks, I'll take you through this complicated relationship, and if you think it's believable, then I might try to finish it.  This is the story that every time I add more to it, I find out a few months later that one of my friends is going, or has gone through, a similar situation.  So I'm a little scared to keep going, lol!  This is very rough, and I'm going to have to clean it up, since there is a great deal of head-hopping.  I'll try to keep those segments off of here:)

Winners Announced!

Yes, I chose TWO:)

Carol Marvell

and

Krista!!

I've already contacted my winners; I think Marci's taking care of the rafflecopter entries.

Thanks for playing everyone!

Take The A-Train-er-Autumn Blog Hop!

Do you have a favorite fall memory linked to a train? What do you imagine you would see if you were riding a train in the fall? Join the authors of Wild CHild publishing and Freyas Bower as we Take an Autumn Train Ride through our blogs.

Prizes will include

• Four $50 gift certificates (two for Wild Child and two Freya's Bower)
• An awesome swag package that includes:
• Bookmarks
• Books
• Wild Child T-shirt and mug
• Wild Child and Freya's Bower bags
• Four handmade, crochet coasters by Kit Wylde
• An autographed copy of Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
• A rare DVD copy of the Matheson/Furst classic "Up The Creek" (lovingly used)
• One ebook copy of Nita Wick’s short story, The Dream (previously published as part of a Freya's Bower anthology.)
• Book trading cards
• Signed Dangerous Waters poster
• of "Battle for Blood: The Blood Feud"
• winner's name as a character in Kissa Starling’s next sweet romance story.
• A Yankee Candle
• more...

Chance Encounter
by
Kenzie Michaels

She gazed at the majestic black engine, fourteen feet tall and ninety feet long.  For years the NKP 587 steam locomotive had held wonderful memories.  The first time she had climbed behind the controls and pretended to be the engineer.  The first time she dared to slide down the coal chute.  The first time she balanced precariously on the top, feeling like a giant and pretending to be a train robber.

But this time, she had come to say goodbye to her old friend.  For years the engine had sat in Broadripple Park in Indianapolis, just two blocks from her grandmother's house.  One of the happiest days of her life had been the day she was allowed to walk to the park alone.  No rocket slides for this gal; no, her love was the locomotive.  But now the engine was off to new beginnings.  A library now sat where the engine had been housed for most of her young life, and this is why she'd made the trip to Nobleville, to the transportation museum.  Here it would make one last run before being shipped to another home.

She gazed at the coal car, now filled to the brim.  Oh, how she'd love for it to be empty again, to take one last slide down, and see if it was as steep as she remembered.  She walked around the to the side and climbed up to the engine's door, taking one last nostalgic climb around to the front and along the side.

"I'm going to miss her when she's gone," said a deep male voice.

She turned her head to see the dark-haired man perched on the ladder.  "Did you used to climb on her at Broadripple too?"  She made her way closer to the engine's door.

He joined her on the catwalk and stroked the side of the nose.  "I sure did.  Every chance I got.  I even met my wife there."

"That's amazing.  So the two of you played together as children, or did you meet in high school and use it as your secret hideout?"

He laughed.  "You know, I owe it all to a stranger.  I'd gone to the park to meet a girl I'd never met, but spoke to on the phone."  He picked his way to the front, carefully setting one foot in front of the other.  "But when I arrived, this skinny kid-she couldn't have been more than twelve-was climbing out of the coal car.  Remember how we could slide down the coal chute?  Anyway, she looks at me and says, 'If your name is Brian, your girlfriend's too afraid to meet you.  She asked me to meet you instead and ask you a bunch of questions.'  Then she pulled a sheet of paper out of the pocket of her shorts and proceeds to grill me on likes and dislikes.  Halfway through-"

"Your girlfriend came out of the coal car and said she'd heard enough; you seemed like a decent guy."

His jaw dropped.  "How the hell-"

She smiled.  "I'm guessing you're Brian and you ended up marrying Nancy, whom I met when I was fourteen?"  She stuck out her hand.  "Nice to meet you officially, Brian."

Question:  
Have you ever switched places with a friend, to 'test out' the blind date? 

Welcome to my world!  One lucky commenter will win his/her choice of my back list:)  So browse through the covers and pick the one which appeals to you the most. Don't forget to leave your choice and your contact info in your comment!

The Anderson Chronicles (trilogy).....

When Amber Johnson agrees to fill in as a last-minute chef of a dinner party, she is surprised to learn the client is none other than her ex-boyfriend, Marc Denton. The kitchen sizzles with their unfinished business; will the flames of love reignite, or will Marc’s scheming father succeed in keeping them apart?

Marc and Amber are furious when they discover lies that have kept them apart for three years. With Amber by his side again, will Marc find the courage to stand up to his father and hold on to his true love?

Buy link:
Freya's  Bower

Amazon


Nook


ARE

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?

Buy links:
Freya's Bower

Amazon

Nook

Austin Harmon is intrigued by his quiet, efficient new administrative assistant. Why does she have an obsession with her watch, and what does she do after hours?

Cara has put her social life on hold while caring for her elderly mother. But after her boss helps her through a crisis, she can't deny their attraction. Romance and Alzheimer's don't mix... or do they?

Buy Links:
Freya's Bower

Amazon

Nook

Teacher's Pet is a stand-alone, and happens to be my best-seller!

What happens when you discover the man you had mind-blowing sex with three months ago is your son's teacher?  Tammy Saunders is horrified when she realizes the man who set her heart racing is her son's favorite teacher.  With one bad relationship behind her, will she trust her heart again, or will she continue to deny her feminine side?
 
And is this particular teacher popular only with his students?  Kevin has made some bad choices in his life, but sleeping with not only one, but now two, of his students' mothers, has got to be the worst mistake he ever made. Especially when he realizes he's lost his heart to one of them...

Buy link:
Freya's Bower

Amazon

Nook 

Please visit these sites for more chances to win, the more you visit the more chances you have to win. We have 46 participating authors. You can stop at as many or as little blogs as you wish. At each stop, you will find either two chances to enter per blog to win some awesome prizes. If you visit all, that's 92 chances to win! There will be five, lucky winners.

Take the Blog Train and Visit These Blogs for more chances to win
Marci Baun/Kit Wylde
Critters at the Keyboard
Teresa D'Amario
Judith Leger, Fantasy and Comtemporary Romance Author
Writing
The Fictional World of Jaime Samms
Follow Where the Path will Take You
The Wandering Mind of Lizzy P. Bellows
Where Love and Magic Meet
Kissa Starling
Marianna Heusler
Hell's Ambrosia
C.M. Michaels
The Shadow Portal
The Blog Zone
Blog By iMagine
Ardyth DeBruyn Author Blog
Shadows of the Past
Dear Reader
Cassie Exline -- Mystery and Romance
Sarcastic Rambling & Writing
That's What I Think
Sue's Random Ramblings
Make Old Bones
Elements of Mystery
Molly Dean's Blog
Kenzie's Place
The Forbidden Blog
David Huffstetler
Cassandra Ulrich
Carol Marvell
Andrew Richardson
Nick Lloyd
Fiddleeebod -- land of stories
Nita Wick's Blog
Ruth G. Zavitsanos
Too Poor for Texas
Jenn Nixon
City of Thieves
Musings and Doodles
Husein
The Western Writer
Bike Cop Blog
The Character Depot
Allen Currier
Tracy Holohan

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SCP Blog Hop

Welcome to the SCP Blog Hop!  For a complete list of participating authors, please visit the SCP Blog.  Happy Hopping!

My family and I took a vacation to Estes Park, Colorado, in order to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary.  We had a wonderful time, and I even began writing a sequel to my latest release, Wild At Heart, since part of that book takes place in Estes Park and showcases Nicky's Steakhouse, where we held our celebration.

We also had a bittersweet moment, when we saw the booth where my grandmother, who passed away in 2011, 'held court' during breakfast in 2002.  She would arrive and order her meal, then various family members would drift in and out until we planned our excursion for the day.

Here's the family picture:  Front Row, L-R:  Nephew D (10), Mom (it was also her 71st b-day), Niece R (7), Dad, granddaughter A (age 1), Son W (9).  Back Row:  Sister W, Son K (21); me, Spouse D (59); Daughter S (19)

For your reading enjoyment, here's the scene at Nicky's, where Emma tries to put Brad in his place.

. Gavin encouraged him to try a beer labeled Stella Artois. As they sipped their beverages and enjoyed hot Buffalo wings, Emma appeared. Her damp hair was caught up in a silver clip, and dark blonde ringlets cascaded down her back. Her cowboy boots sounded firm on the wooden floor as she walked toward the men, her slight frame clad in black jeans and a loose red shirt. Brad felt his mouth go dry when he realized there was no bra under that shirt, and had to keep tearing his eyes away from the glimpse of cleavage when she greeted Gavin. She slid into the chair beside the older man, and Brad shifted uncomfortably every time she leaned forward.

Emma reached for the hot wings Gavin had ordered and told the waitress to bring her a Coors.

“Gavin likes that crap, but I prefer to stick with a Colorado beer,” she stated as Brad shifted in his seat again. “Something wrong, Mr. Morrison?”

“No, no. It’s just I’ve had too much good food the past two days,” he lied.

“Don’t they feed you back home?” Emma stretched her arm back and patted Gavin on the back. Brad swallowed at the sight of her nipples through the fabric and looked away. Keep breathing, remember Angie…

“Actually, my girlfriend is quite a cook.” Brad managed to get his tongue working. He reached for a wing at the same time she did, and as their fingers brushed, Brad felt an electric jolt all the way to his groin.

“Maybe she doesn’t feed you enough,” Gavin laughed, seemingly oblivious to the undercurrents.

Brad was spared by the appearance of the waitress, ready to take their orders. Brad and Gavin ordered the Prime Rib; Emma opted for the shrimp scampi. Brad ordered another beer, and then excused himself to the men’s room, hoping to get his raging hormones under control.

Wild At Heart can be purchased at Secret Cravings, Amazon, and B&N. 

Want to win your copy of Wild At Heart?  Let me know which of my six covers you like the best and why:)

Final Stop! Are You Enjoying Yourself?

Final destination today is Book Freak:) At the end of the day, not only will a comment win a free download of my back list, but two more comments will be chosen from ALL comments this week for a download of Class Reunion plus a $10 Amazon AND a $10 Freya's Bower GC.

Excerpt:
“It’s…been a long time for me, Austin, so go easy?”

“Anything you want,” he promised. He eased a hand between her thighs and stroked her damp petals, kissing her when she jumped. Moist heat closed around his finger as she panted. He slipped in another finger and was rewarded with a small cry of delight. God she was tight! He teased her some more with his fingers before withdrawing and slipping the tip of his latex-lined cock into her. “Are you sure you’re not a virgin?” He gasped as her muscles gripped him.

“Maybe it grew back?” Cara slid her palms up his arms and guided his lips back to hers, spreading her legs wide and arching upwards. “Ohhhh…”


“Sweet Jesus.”