Archive for the ‘Bethany & Cody’ Category
Okay, I’ve been sadly neglecting this little author blog … and I made the big announcement of my newest project on my author Facebook page. Guess that means you heard it here second, not first.
Oops. My author blog is sadly under-utilized.
April is Camp NaNoWriMo month, and I’m using it as the push I need to FINALLY finish editing Beth & Cody’s story, Trouble in Paradise.
Trouble in Paradise is the second of my Reality (TV) Bites books, detailing what happens to the best friends of Kari and Damien, the reluctant heroine and hero of Blind Date Bride. You might remember them as the couple who got more wedding-night action than the actual bride and groom—and the reason poor Kari and Damien were chosen as grand prize winners of Romance TV’s “Get a Love Life” contest.
Beth, convinced that Cody is losing interest in their relationship, coaxes him to apply for the network’s latest reality show, Invitation to Sin. Cody agrees—only because he’s sure they don’t have a chance in hell of getting chosen. But they do get the nod…and Bethany soon wishes she’d never considered putting their relationship through Romance TV’s crazy tests.
I finished the first draft several years ago but am only now diving deep into edits. The goal is to have it ready to go by the time I appear at the Payson Book Festival in mid-July.
It’s Saturday … and for the first time in weeks, I’m NOT in the middle of packing and/or moving. That means I have time to put up a post. Hooray!
Hard to believe this is week 91 for My Sexy Saturday. Can’t say I’ve participated every week, but I do what I can.
I’m not sure I have anything that fits this week’s theme, so instead I’ll serve up a sexy moment from a work in progress. Bethany and Cody — the couple who got more wedding night action than the bride and groom — are back TROUBLE IN PARADISE, the second of my “Reality (TV) Bites” books.
In this scene, Beth and Cody are getting ready to film a video essay application for Romance TV’s new show, “Invitation to Sin.” Beth wants to test their relationship because she’s worried Cody’s getting bored; Cody reluctantly agrees to apply because he figures there’s no way in hell they’ll be picked. Romance TV lightning won’t strike their circle twice, right?
***
Cody sauntered into the room a few minutes later, wearing his new green and orange swim trunks and a big grin. He pointed at his pale white chest, then at Bethany’s equally pasty midriff. “Think we ought to do some self-tanning first?”
Bethany giggled. “Are you kidding? Pasty white skin will be the Romance TV execs’ first clue that we need this trip more than anyone.”
“Where do you want me, then?”
She waved at the chair. “You sit there, and I’ll sit in your lap.” When he didn’t move, she shot him an impatient look. “What are you waiting for?”
“You think it’s such a good idea for you to be wiggling around on my lap when we’re both wearing next to nothing? This video is for Romance TV, not the Porn Network.”
Bethany stifled another giggle so she could answer him with a straight face. “Don’t worry. I won’t blow your cover.”
When she saw the mischief dancing in his golden-brown eyes, she knew she’d just opened herself up for a doozy of a comeback. She held her breath until he delivered it. “Sweetheart, you can blow whatever you want.”
TROUBLE IN PARADISE, an indie release, is coming soon … hopefully this fall.
Saturday again? Now that I don’t have a day job, the days are all running together.
Lucky for you—or maybe for me, I got an email reminder to sign up for My Sexy Saturday. This week’s theme? Love on the road … I think.
This week, show us the characters who who love each other so much that it doesn’t matter where they are, who they are, what they have or don’t have. Show us that these characters are going to stick with each other through thick and thin. These are the ones who just want to be with each other, love each other and always be together, no matter how long or short the time.
I’m sharing a snippet from TROUBLE IN PARADISE, a work-in-progress. This companion to BLIND DATE BRIDE, my June indie release, tells the story of Bethany and Cody, the friends that got Kari and Damien into the winners’ circle. They met the day of Kari and Damien’s bogus wedding…and ended up getting more wedding night action than the bride and groom, as Kari pointed out.
TROUBLE IN PARADISE picks up where BDB leaves off. Bethany, concerned that Cody is losing interest, convinces him to audition for the network’s new show, “Invitation to Sin,” a “Survivor” meets “Temptation Island” reality show she thinks will test his love for her. A reluctant Cody agrees, figuring Romance TV lightning won’t strike twice. But it does, and the couple flies to Bora Bora for a month to shoot the show. Little does Beth know she’s the one who’ll be failing all the network-manufactured tests.
Here, they’re strolling on a moonlit beach, away from the cameras, as they have a heart-to-heart about the day’s events.
****
When she tipped her head up this time, he saw laughter in her eyes. “You said we’re the sum of all our experiences, right?”
“I did.”
Her fingers hovered over the knot at her waist. “There’s an experience I’ve never had and I want to share it with you.”
Cody’s mouth went dry when she scrambled to untie her sarong. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”
The cover-up pooled in the sand at her feet, quickly followed by her bikini top and bottom. She stood before him, her milky skin glowing in the moonlight. “Guess.”
Cody gulped. “Skinny-dipping?”
“In the ocean under a full moon.”
TROUBLE IN PARADISE … coming soon to e-bookstores everywhere.
It’s Saturday, and you know what that means: Time for another sizzling trip down desire lane with the My Sexy Saturday blog hop.
The rules are simple:
Post 7 paragraphs or 7 sentences or 7 words. The choice is yours. It can be from a WIP or something you already have published. Your post should be live by 9 am US Pacific Time on Saturday. Put those lucky 7s to work for you!
Today, I’m sharing something a little different. This excerpt is from TROUBLE IN PARADISE, the WIP I’m having trouble finishing at the moment. It’s not the sexiest moment in my manuscript, but it cracks me up every time — and I feel the need to laugh this week.
Bethany and Cody, the heroine and hero in said WIP, might be giving me fits, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love them both.
You might remember Beth and Cody as the best friends from BLIND DATE BRIDE — the ones that got more wedding-night action than the bride and groom.
TROUBLE IN PARADISE picks up nine months after BRIDE leaves off. Bethany, worried Cody might be losing interest, wants him to apply for another Romance TV show, “Invitation to Sin.” Cody is firmly anti-reality-TV after seeing what his buddy went through, but agrees to apply because he figures they won’t get picked for the show — no way will Romance TV lightning strike their circle twice.
Except it does, and soon Beth and Cody find themselves on Bora Bora with a TV production crew and a pack of other contestants, fighting to not only win the grand prize but hold together their previously solid relationship.
In this scene, Beth and Cody have gathered with the other contestants at Romance TV HQ for a meet-and-greet reception.
***
Cody munched on pineapple and mango chunks and sipped the punch. He hoped there wasn’t any alcohol in it, because it tasted vaguely pina colada-ish. Then again, he didn’t have to drive, so what was he worried about? He took another gulp. Beside him, Bethany sipped her drink, too. Suddenly, she spit it back into her cup and started coughing.
He put his drink down. “You okay, sweetheart?”
Clearly not okay, she shook her head. Her face was redder than the cherry on top of the chocolate and whipped cream cookie he’d picked up for her. When she stopped coughing, she whispered, “Did you get a good look at the ice cubes?”
“No.”
“Why don’t you do that?”
Puzzled, he picked up his glass again and studied the ice — cubes shaped like penises and breasts. Come to think of it, that cherry-topped cookie looked like a boob, too.
He looked back at the table of refreshments, seeing it for the first time for the work of “art” it was undoubtedly intended to be. Things were arranged to resemble … well, hell. The spread looked just like a woman’s spread legs, with the cookies in the center, spilling sweetness into the vast, empty middle.
“Trouble in Paradise,” coming in Fall 2014.
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