Archive for the ‘Cher & Derrick’ Category
Talk about manic weeks… When I’m not at work, I’ll be running around getting ready for the first-ever Payson Book Festival.
The festival is Saturday, July 25, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Gila Community College, 201 N. Mud Springs Road, Payson, Arizona. All kinds of authors will be there. I’m sharing a table with RWA chapter mate Susan Haught.
Activities will include:
- Book readings by authors
- Storytelling for kids
- Book signings
- Author exhibit tables
- Local food vendors
- Musical entertainment
I’m looking forward to interacting with readers, for sure! If you’re in Arizona, plan on stopping by. It’s a beautiful time of year for a road trip to Payson!
Speaking of getting ready, I had to unearth my box of bookmarks and business cards. I hadn’t seen it since my move, and I had a moment of sheer panic last Thursday when I couldn’t find it immediately.
It’s my own fault, really. I snagged boxes from the Daily Sun office for my move. They were the perfect size — big enough to hold books and/or videos without being too heavy to move once filled. And they’re all stamped “Sedona Visitor’s Guide.” So I have a couple dozen boxes all with the same label … with no idea what’s actually in them. (Yeah, that’s a solid argument for labeling boxes as I pack them. I did that at first. Alas, when moving day came and we were still throwing stuff in boxes, the labels went by the wayside.)
Finally, I found my author promo items. Some other crap from my computer desk had been dumped on top of the precious stuff I sought.
If you stop by to see me Saturday, I’ll autograph a bookmark for you. I’ll also have copies of BLIND DATE BRIDE and HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS for sale.
Are you as sick as I am of Christmas creep? I don’t know about you, but I tend to get a little ragey when I see Christmas wreaths decking the superstores in September. Let’s give Thanksgiving its chance to shine, shall we?
I’m not really in the mood to read holiday stories before November, either, but perhaps I’m in the minority. Publishers have been releasing Christmas books for weeks now.
Anyway… With Halloween and Election Day firmly in 2014’s rear view mirror, it’s safe to trot out holiday reads.
Speaking of holiday reads, check out the ad My Sexy Saturday authors took out in the Nov./Dec. BTS eMag. (It’s on Page 109.)
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS is in a unique position to capitalize on both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Cher and Derrick get reacquainted on Black Friday. Driving home after a successful mother-daughter shopping expedition, Cher’s mother veers into a ditch to avoid an escaped cow. Derrick is the paramedic who answers the call and comes face to face with the woman he’d rejected in high school because he didn’t want to hold her back.
Enjoy this My Sexy Saturday snippet detailing the first time Cher and Derrick have spoken to one another since high school.
***
The smoldering fire in Derrick’s gray eyes set her soul ablaze, offsetting the chill in the crisp November air. “Sweetheart, you can trust me when I say I’ve improved with age.”
To distract herself from the flash of desire his comment sparked, she lowered her lids and tapped her inner smart-aleck. “You think so, huh? You’re not wine or cheese.”
That was a line of crap and she knew it. Even in the watery gray early morning light, he looked as good now as he had in high school. Better even, if she took into account the broader shoulders and more masculine presence.
He knew it, too, judging by his sly grin. Damn the man. Why couldn’t he have developed a paunch, or better yet, started balding?
A low, sexy laugh rumbled from deep in his throat. “Wine and cheese aren’t the only things that get better with age, Cher.”
Her mother hadn’t raised a fool, so she knew even The Grinch’s twenty-nine-and-a-half-foot pole wouldn’t be long enough for her to touch that comment safely.
When she remained silent, Derrick shoved his hands in his jacket pockets and looked at his heavy black boots for two beats. Then he met her eyes and flashed her the charming smile she’d never been able to resist.
Home for the Holidays is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and in print through CreateSpace.
Hi, friends. How was your week?
My week—my second full week of being (f)unemployed—was spent waiting for my severance check and writing feverishly. I’ve been drafting a novella. On Friday, I crossed the 20K mark, giving me about 10K to wrap up the story. I hope to be able to divulge all the details soon.
Until then, let’s get to this week’s My Sexy Saturday fun.
Fall is officially here. With the change in seasons comes a new emphasis on holiday romance. Seems every time I check my tweet stream or Facebook feed, someone’s talking about their new holiday release.
Not to be outdone, my sexy 7 this week comes from my holiday novella, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. In this story, rockstar Cher Stanton reluctantly returns to small-town Indiana for some much-needed R&R. Things get much less relaxing when she bumps into high school crush Derrick Mullins, the one guy who never paid her any attention—or so she thought.
Here, Cher and Derrick are on their way to dinner. They stop to clear the air and she ends up kissing him.
****
Chalk up another one to missed opportunities.
Story of his life. One missed opportunity after another, starting with Cher. Med school— nope. Not going there. Being a paramedic was as close as he’d ever get, and it was plenty. Doctors dealt with way too much stress.
Seemed he wouldn’t get any answers from Cher unless he demanded them. He cleared his throat. “What was that?”
“What was what?”
His gaze locked on her mouth. “That.” He waved his hand between them.
“That kiss?” Her tongue darted over her plump bottom lip, leaving shine in its wake.
Shifting in the Porsche’s bucket seat, he nodded. “Yeah. That kiss.”
Like what you’ve read? Home for the Holidays is on sale for 99 cents at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo. If you prefer to read books on paper, grab the print version from CreateSpace.
Dashing through the malls? That’s so last week.
‘Tis now the season for holding hands with the one you love while strolling through freshly fallen snow and cuddling (and more) in front of a blazing fire. No need to shiver in sub-zero temps when there are so many fun, creative ways to stay warm, right?
The hero and heroine in my holiday short, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, have no trouble staying warm. Cue today’s My Sexy Saturday snippet. Cher has just admitted to Derrick the real reason she’s back in town, and asked him not to tell anyone, even their mutual friend, Elliott.
****
“Especially El. He’d tell my sister, and she’d blab it to everyone we know—not to mention every total stranger we run across. I don’t want my medical history to become fodder for the gossip rags. Any rumors about Starshine’s future would be bad for business.”
He made a zipped-lips motion. “They don’t call me The Vault for nothing.”
The mention of his high school nickname brought a smile to Cher’s lips. “I thought that was because your parents had more money than God.”
“That, too.” His teeth flashed white in the darkness. “But people tell me things. I must have a face you can trust or something.”
“Or something,” she echoed, her eyes glued to Derrick’s supposed trustworthy face. With his killer smile and cheekbones sharp enough to slice a bagel, trust wasn’t the first thing that came to mind. More like hot, sweaty nights. “What do you say we get inside before we end up with frostbite?”
Wrapping his arms around her, he nuzzled her neck. “We probably ought to wait until the rest of the family leaves, to avoid any more pleas to join in.”
She pressed against him, letting his body’s heat surge through her. No danger of frostbite as long as they were together. “I like the way you think.”
Get HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS now at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Only 99 cents — less expensive (and fattening) than a fancy coffee drink.
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