ROW80 Check-in #86 Baby Steps for Preventing Burnout

Posted on January 19, 2014 by S.J. Maylee

The writing challenge that knows you have a life.

Many of my friends have been talking about burnout lately. I’ve definitely been showing the signs for some time, but have been soldiering on. Enough is enough, it’s time to figure another way.

We know moderation is the key for food choices. We also know when making changes, baby steps can be a set-up for success.

I came across a website yesterday called HelpGuide.org. Their page Preventing Burnout caught my attention. They breakdown the differences between stress and burnout. In dealing with burnout, they suggest the “three r” approach (recognize, reverse, and resilience). It’s really good stuff. My favorite section gives tips on preventing burnout. I’m very familiar with several things on this list and will continue to work on them. The two I want to add are Start the day with a relaxing ritual and Take a daily break from technology.

I’m hardly ever far from my phone and laptop. I rarely take any time for myself. No wonder I’m burning out.

I’ve recognized the issue, I’m working on reversing the effects, and it’s definitely time to work on building my resilience. It’s most definitely baby steps time.

The Goals – week-2 results

Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters- done. 🙂
Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting- almost done. The first couple days of the week, I was buried in evil day job and volunteer work. Ugh! By Wednesday, I was eager to make progress, but I let my frustrations get to me. Finally on Thursday, I started making some progress. I edited a couple of scenes and found the first scene that needs a rewrite to set the story in the direction of the new ending. I made good progress on Friday and Saturday too. There’s a happy ending.
Take care of and be kind to myself- kind of done. I’m doing a better job of letting the stress go at the end of the day, something I used to have mastered. I’m getting back to that pattern and it makes me happy. Baby steps. I’ll let you know next week how I do with adding the morning relaxing ritual and the daily break from technology.

What you might have missed here this week:

Inside Look with Alexa Bourne author of Dance Away, Danger

Spotlight: This Isn’t Goodbye by Iyana Jenna

Flash Fiction #55 – Light of My Life

Posted on January 17, 2014 by S.J. Maylee

Thanks for stopping. Another picture…another 100 words.

Nathan took another step closer. His gaze never left hers as he maneuvered around the table.

“I don’t think you should come any closer.” A tingle of static danced up her spine. Jocelyn straightened her stance, not wanting to cower from her new husband.

“After what we’ve experienced, nothing could keep me from you.”

A burn of need raced through her core and her fingers itched to touch. She forced her arms down and still her palms reached for him. A flash of light twisted to life. He reached for her hand. The glow spread, wrapping them in her power.

Hope you enjoyed my flash today!! This is part of a sci-fi erotic romance I’m working on. Don’t forget to follow the link to get to the other FFF posts. Flasher Fiction Friday. Or click away on the links below.

Summer Ross: http://decadentkane.blogspot.com/
Muffy Wilson: http://muffywilson.blogspot.com
Naomi Shaw: http://www.authornaomishaw.com/
Brantwijn Serrah: http://brantwijn.blogspot.com
J S Morbius: http://morbiussworld.blogspot.co.uk/
AuroraRose Andromeda: http://rollingmuseintheroses.blogspot.com/
Pablo Michaels: http://www.pmmanmanromance.com
Leann Mitchell: http://www.leannmitchell.blogspot.com/
Dariel Raye: http://www.pendarielraye.blogspot.com
Doris O’Connor: http://thetardisscribbles.blogspot.co.uk/
Jorja Lovett: http://jorja-lovett.blogspot.co.uk/

Spotlight: This Isn’t Goodbye by Iyana Jenna

Posted on January 14, 2014 by S.J. Maylee

Please help me welcome fellow Evernight Publishing Author, Iyana Jenna. She’s hear to share her second release with Evernight, This Isn’t Goodbye. Plus, she’s brought a giveaway too. Look for it below. Enjoy.

Hi SJ! Thank you so much for hosting my post on my second story to be published by Evernight Publishing, This Isn’t Goodbye.

GIVEAWAY – Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter below!

This Isn’t Goodbye

by Iyana Jenna

Romance on the Go

Evernight Publishing

BLURB

Stay-at-home dad Taylor MacLean chose his life knowing he could rely on the trust fund from his rich grandmother. He didn’t have to work a day in his life. He preferred to take care of his baby daughter Janine and, when he was not busy changing diapers, he would get down to his art studio.

After finishing college, Jamie Selkirk followed his dream to be a photographer. Now working for a famous fashion magazine, Jamie spent more and more of his time away from Taylor and Janine, his husband and daughter. Can the couple learn to put each other first before their marriage begins to crumble?

EXCERPT

Taylor went still for a moment before he let Jamie go. Jamie’s body turned rigid a moment ago, a tell-tale sign every time his boy almost said something important. It disappointed him when Jamie only said that he needed an aspirin. Really, Jamie, an aspirin? Taylor had put a full bottle on the glass table in the living room next to the couch where they both slept last night.

“Go ahead. It’s on the table,” Taylor said in dismissal. “You would’ve seen it if you hadn’t been so busy wanting to throw up.”

Taylor turned around abruptly. He combed his hair back. He’d acted mean and thoughtless. He caught a pained reflection in Jamie’s eyes. Taylor wanted to leave the room, this very second.

“Taylor?” Incomprehension and hurt chased one after another in Jamie’s voice, and Taylor couldn’t take it anymore.

“I heard something. I think Janine’s woken up.”

“Janine.” Jamie’s trembling voice stopped him in his tracks. “I haven’t seen her since … since I don’t remember when.”

Yeah, Taylor knew it must’ve been too long since Jamie saw their daughter. He’d stormed out of the house right after breakfast yesterday morning.

“Don’t you miss her, Jamie? Or is your job and are all those parties still too important for you? More important than your own daughter?” It crossed Taylor’s mind that she was Jamie’s and not his, but he figured it would be mean of him to say that. They’d both agreed to use a surrogate, and they were married. It meant whatever belonged to Jamie belonged to him, too.

“I want to see her,” Jamie said, his voice so thin Taylor thought he was imagining it.

“She’s okay,” he said. “I checked her earlier. She slept through the night while I was down here.” He stopped at once. Jamie didn’t know Taylor slept with him on the couch.

But nothing escaped that pretty head.

“Down here? Were you with me?” Jamie’s face flushed and Taylor wanted to grab him right there.

“Uhh, yeah.”

“Taylor.”

“I just missed you.”

Jamie sniffled, but he stayed still. Taylor balled his fists.

“Aw, what the hell.” He lunged forward at Jamie right at the same time as Jamie moved toward him. They met halfway, grasped each other’s face, and mashed their lips together.

“Wait a minute.” Jamie pulled back, gasping.

“What? Jamie?”

“I have to tell you something.”

“No, you don’t. I missed you. You’re all I want.”

“I need to tell you I’m sorry. I’m sorry I neglected Janine and you. I won’t do that again, ever.”

Taylor cupped Jamie’s face. “You don’t need to apologize.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then I’m sorry, too.”

“What for?”

“I ignored what my husband needed.”

Jamie smiled. “So do you forgive me?”

Taylor swept him off his feet and grazed his lips lightly against Jamie’s.

“I already have.”

Taylor kissed deeper and drank in everything he could. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d kissed Jamie. All the models in the world and their neighbors could want him, but Jamie belonged to him.

BUY LINKS

Evernight Publishing ~ Amazon ~ All Romance Ebooks

Bookstrand ~ Amazon UK

About the Author:

Iyana lives in Jakarta, a city famous for its traffic jams, a lot of cars and motorcycles, and people selling stuff on the roads. You can spend two hours on the road going to a place you can reach in half an hour in a normal situation. Thanks to the traffic jams, though, Iyana can come up with a lot of stories, mostly shorties, as she prefers to spend the time during her trips writing into her cell phone rather than sleeping.

Another thing Iyana loves is kitties. Right now she has five of them. Their names are Larva, Nyil, Cil, Mermood, and Horus. When she doesn’t write, she plays with them, or they would play with her when she writes.

Author’s Links:

Blog
Website
Amazon
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter

You can win my story and an Amazon gift card. Please enter the Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Inside Look with Alexa Bourne author of Dance Away, Danger

Posted on January 13, 2014 by S.J. Maylee

It’s special treat day. I have Alexa Bourne today with her brand new release, DANCE AWAY, DANGER. She didn’t come empty handed either. She brought the hero of her story with her, Matt Rylan for an INTERVIEW. Plus, below you’ll find the details on her prize pack GIVEAWAY.

Blurb:

Sensible dance instructor Tessa Gage likes her life organized, risk-free and on her own terms. When her cop brother goes missing, his crooked partner tries to kill her, and a handsome stranger claims he’s come to protect her, she’s forced to leave her comfort zone. With more dance and business sense than survival skills and no idea who to trust, Tessa has no choice but to rely on this man who’d rather be anywhere but by her side.

When carefree carpenter Matt Rylan gets a late night call from an Army buddy who once saved his life, he finds himself where he never again wanted to be—responsible for someone else. Honor demands Matt cooperate, but he never expects his simple babysitting job to test the limits of his self-control. Nor does he expect it to explode into a race against time for his very freedom.

As Tessa and Matt get closer to the truth, and to each other, Tessa learns to step outside the safety of her world to help set the wheels of justice in motion. For Matt, supporting this courageous woman suddenly becomes everything to him. Yet, his biggest challenge remains sharing his closed-off heart with her before the danger silences them both forever.

Bio:

Alexa Bourne is a teacher by day and a romance writer by nights, weekends, and all school holidays. She also teaches online classes for writers throughout the year. She writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance and is thrilled to have the chance to share her stories with readers everywhere.

When she’s not concocting sinister plots and steamy love scenes or traveling and exploring new cultures, Alexa spends her time reading, watching brainless TV, and thinking about exercising. Okay, she also spends way too much time interacting with readers and writers on social media sites. But don’t tell her editors! Find out more about her and her books on her website, www.alexabourne.com.

Hello! Thanks for joining us today and thank you to SJ Maylee for inviting us to hang out here. Who is ‘us’, you ask? I’m Alexa and today I’m interviewing the hero from my latest romantic suspense book, DANCE AWAY, DANGER. Matt is a very low-key guy, very calm under pressure and quick to make an assessment about any situation. He was best friends with the heroine’s brother a while back, which causes some…issues in the story. Ready to learn more about this awesome guy? Let’s get started!

Alexa: What sound or noise do you love?

Matt: I’m not allowed to tell you on here since this a G-rated site, so I’ll tell you my second favorite sound: Tessa’s laugh when she’s happy and relaxed.

Alexa: Speaking of Tessa, what do you love most about her?

Matt: She’s a happy, upbeat person who always tries to see the good in people.

Alexa: If you were given a chance to travel to the past where would you go and specifically why?

Matt: I’d travel back to when my father was alive and I’d stop him from dying.

Alexa: Yeah, I’m sorry I had to write the story that way. What do you do to unwind and relax?

Matt: I really like sanding the stuff I make.

Alexa: Folks, for those of you who don’t know Matt is a contractor and a carpenter. What one thing about Tessa drives you crazy?

Matt: I may be a simple kind of guy, but I’m not stupid. I plead the fifth.

Thank you to Matt for answering my questions and to SJ for inviting us! I hope you’ll follow me this coming week. I’m touring several blogs and sharing something different about Dance Away, Danger each day. If you leave comments anywhere along the way, you’ll be in the running for a Dance Away, Danger prize pack!

1/7-8- Just Romantic Suspense http://www.justromanticsuspense.com/
1/9- Get Lost in a Story http://getlostinastory.blogspot.com
1/10- RomCon http://www.romcon.com/blog-romantic-suspense-thriller
1/11- JF Ridgely’s Blog http://rpridepublishing.wordpress.com/
1/12- Happily Ever After Thoughts http://www.happilyeverafterthoughts.com/
1/13-SJ Maylee’s Blog <– You’re Here 🙂
1/14- Gretchen Rix’s Blog http://gretchenrix.com/
1/15- All Romance Ebooks http://www.arecafe.com/

Alexa@alexabourne.com
http://www.alexabourne.com
http://alexabourne.com/cuan-macdougall-pub/
https://twitter.com/AlexaBourne
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexaBourne
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5818611.Alexa_Bourne

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Away-Danger-Hanover-Haven-ebook/dp/B00HPAWYSY/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dance-away-danger-alexa-bourne/1117971061

All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-danceawaydanger-1389725-149.html

Weekend Writing Warriors – Seth Wants More

Posted on January 12, 2014 by S.J. Maylee

Click the logo for the Weekend Writing Warriors blog

Welcome friends old and new. I’m glad you came. Today, I’m sharing from my second release, UNTANGLE ME.

Ivy is a young event planner and she’s completely smitten with her newest client, the ultra successful businessman, Seth. However, Seth is not the type of guy Ivy wants in her life. LAST WEEK: Seth’s concerns surfaced while he watched Ivy during their car ride to lunch. THIS WEEK: I’ve skipped ahead a little bit. I skipped over some of Seth’s sexier thoughts. Oops. Let’s see how he’s managing now.

So many things he wanted to know, but she wasn’t his to touch, yet.

Ivy stared at the latest message. He snuck a look at her screen and watched her type, “Yes, sir.”

His heart quickened its pace and his mouth went dry. He had no idea who she was texting, but he didn’t want her calling anyone sir, but him. He took a deep calming breath. She was probably just texting with another client. He needed to figure out how to become something more than just her client.

Got to love a man on a mission. I wonder what these two will find to talk about over lunch and if it will add to their sexual tension or give them more tangles. Hmm. Come back next Sunday for another snippet or find the buy links below and read it today. Their connection is definitely real, but it may be a bit tangled. <~ You can <tweet that> if you want.

Click here to add UNTANGLE ME to your Goodreads TBR list

BLURB:

Ivy’s revenge on the people behind her family’s downward spiral is simple and it’s working. There’s no need to long for help from the wealthy business owners who turned their backs on her father. Ivy may be worn out, but she’s finding herself again after joining the local BDSM club.

Seth has it all. He has homes around the world and the little red speedster he dreamed of as a little boy, but none of the things he can buy satisfy him, not the socialites hanging on his arm or the submissives falling at his feet. Then, he hires Ivy to plan his next event.

Seth and Ivy enjoy each other’s company in and out of the planning stages for Seth’s charity event. Their playful bets lead them to a first date. When their secret kinks are revealed, the pair fall deep, but it’s not meant to last. Past hurts come back to haunt Ivy. Now, it’s time for Seth to use all he’s learned, regardless if he can win back the girl.

BUY LINKS:

Evernight | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

All Romance eBooks | BookStrand

Thank you so much for visiting me, it means a lot to me that you took the time to visit my little place on the web. Don’t forget to check out the other Weekend Warriors, the Snippet Sunday Facebook Group, and Saturday Spankings too.

ROW80 Round 1 2014 Goals

Posted on January 12, 2014 by S.J. Maylee

This will be my ninth round of 80 days. With each round, I try to start smarter, more effective. Well, effective for whatever my current mind space looks like, lol.

A Round of Words In 80 Days or ROW80 is the writing challenge that knows you have a life. Join in at any time. State your goals and check-in on Wednesdays and or Sundays.

ROW80 has helped me keep my eyes front and butt in the chair. Since starting ROW80, I’ve been published twice by the lovely Evernight Publishing, but I’m desperate to have a backlist. I’m also desperate to publish fabulous books. These two needs are warring with each other. For me, it takes time, lots of time, to polish my writing. Hitting send too soon is the worst thing I can do right now. I need to remember this as the pressure builds on the need for that coveted backlist.

To add to the pressure, the WIP that has my full attention has been giving me trouble for months. The ending has been changed three times and it’s still not right. Finally this week, I’m seeing some progress. A read through with a new end in mind has landed me in the middle of the WIP and things are finally coming together.

This pin caught my eye the other day. I need to remember to listen to my characters. They know the way. I’ll work at shoving away the outside stresses and allow my writing/editing time to be with me and my characters alone.

I’m trusting my muse this round and I’ll arm her with what she needs. Time and attention. I believe if I put in the work and commit to my characters, that backlist will be mine.

My goals this round will be much the same as last. I’ll continue to reach for focus and work on not letting the pressure bubble over.

My goals below are in addition to my evil day job, volunteer duties, and my family.

The Goals – Round 1 2014

Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters
Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting
Take care of and be kind to myself

Here’s to a fabulous round of 80-days.

Flash Fiction #54 – Finally

Posted on January 10, 2014 by S.J. Maylee

Thanks for stopping. Another picture…another 100 words.

Kelly shuffled into the gym at the end of her block. She promised herself she wouldn’t pass it again without going in. Standing alone looking at her hands, she considered running home.

“Can I help you, miss?”

“Ah.” No more words would come. Her mind lost in utter envy of the light and how it rolled over his bare shoulders and licked at his rippling abs. “I mean I wanted to sign up.”

“Finally. I was wondering when you’d come in.” His gaze seared into hers. “Come. I need to hang a new bag and then we’ll set you up.”

Hope you enjoyed my flash today!! Don’t forget to follow the link to get to the other FFF posts. Flasher Fiction Friday. Or click away on the links below.

J S Morbius: http://morbiussworld.blogspot.co.uk/
Doris O’Connor: http://thetardisscribbles.blogspot.co.uk/
K.A. Sullivan: http://Wildfire8470.Wordpress.Com/
Davee Jones: http://finless.blogspot.com/
AuroraRose Andromeda: http://rollingmuseintheroses.blogspot.com/
Raven McAllan: http://ravenmcallan.blogspot.com/
Jorja Lovett: http://jorja-lovett.blogspot.co.uk/
Pablo Michaels (Michael T Jordan): http://www.pmmanmanromance.com
Muffy Wilson: http://muffywilson.blogspot.com
Faberge Nostromo: http://fabergenostromo.blogspot.co.uk
Naomi Shaw: www.authornaomishaw.com

Flash Fiction WIN – more from Roxanne and Jonathon – Taking Chances Review

Posted on January 8, 2014 by S.J. Maylee

I have news to share: A Flash Fiction win, a new flash in the Roxanne and Jonathon saga and a new review for my debut, TAKING CHANCES.

_________________

You know I love Flash Fiction. Last Thursday, I participated in Siobhan Muir‘s #ThursThreads and my flash was picked as the winner. Yeah! 😀 It turns out, my flash is a perfect fit for the epic Sci-Fi Romance I’ve been developing.

click to see the post at Siobhan's

The fabulous A.S. Fenichel was the judge last week and here’s what she had to say about my flash:

The tone was set from the very start. It grabbed me and didn’t let go. I’m ready to read the entire book. I loved the way the author conveyed a huge amount of information and even backstory with so few words. Really well written.

“Fucking war.” Jocelyn turned around and watched the explosions lighting up the night sky. “We never should have agreed to this.”

“We weren’t given a choice.” Nathan packed his canteen into his satchel.

As darkness reached out and touched her ships, she knew the real end was coming. With each fleet that left for their chance in the sky, she knew it was just a matter of time before Nathan would need to leave.

She pushed her fingers into the glass, sending the last of her day’s power to the troops. She gave all she could and in the end it was only a small aid to their feeble attempt to remove the evil from her safe place.

“You can’t go, not yet.”

“Jocelyn, you know I must.” He wrapped his arms around her. “If I’m going to secure a new source for your power, I must go now.”
She fell to her knees. The strain of war was leaving its mark. “It’s no time for tears. I know, but I fear what losing you will do to me.”

“Jocelyn, my love you’re the strongest of us all.” He caressed her cheek and dragged his fingers over the emptiness left behind from where her magic once lived. His lips slipped over hers and he confirmed what she already knew. It was the one thing she had to believe. “I’ll always come back to you.”

_________________

On Monday, I added the 6th installment in my ever growing story of love. You can find all the other flashes in this series at my Roxanne and Jonathon page.

The pictures that inspire this flash can be found at Daily Picspiration. I have linked each flash on the R&J page to the original post at DP and I’ve also done so below.

January 6, 2014 – Safety First (Roxanne’s POV)

“Jonathon, look. He has little pictures back here.” Roxanne dragged her gaze over each little beauty. Strong arms wrapped around her and Jonathon snuggled close. His public displays of affection were just one of the many reasons she loved about him.

Love.

She swayed as warmth spread through her limbs. In such a short time, Jonathon had become a life necessity. She could no longer imagine life without him.

“Is it odd that the photographer has captured so many of the places we’ve been?”

Jonathon stilled.

“What is it, honey?”

“It is strange and I’m not sure what to make of it.” He looked towards the back of the shop. The door opened to a little room, but no door, just a barred window.

“You’re starting to scare me. What’s going on?” She pulled at his arms and finally grabbed hold of his chin. “Jonathon?”

“I think we should leave as quietly as we came in. No eye contact with the clerk, okay?”

“Fine, but then you need to tell me what’s going on.”

He leaned in and gave her sweet chasted kiss. “Fine, I just want you safe first.”

_________________

The Romance Market Place posted a fabulous review of TAKING CHANCES on Sunday.

Review-
Lydia and Jake’s story? What can I say?! The way Ms. Maylee entwines the reader into their lives and story was sheer joy! Hard to believe this is a debut book and author.

Normally I don’t read and review higher than sensual reads but something about this book spoke to me and I am so glad to have read it. If you’re looking for a quick read, I highly recommend Taking Chances. I look forward to more books from Ms. Maylee.

I don’t want to give away what happens but… be prepared for some ‘cold shower’ references when done reading.

My favorite line “When he moved away she whimpered at the loss of his warmth, but he slithered down the bed, and it became clear he was not leaving the bed or her body.” What woman doesn’t want that!

I love that review. 😀 For more information visit my TAKING CHANCES page.

Inside Look with Joya Fields author of Sidelined Afterlife

Posted on January 7, 2014 by S.J. Maylee

I have Joya Fields back today and she’s sharing her latest release, Sidelined Afterlife. It’s the 3rd in her Hauntings at Inner Harbor series. Joya first stopped by with the 2nd in the series, Altered Frequency. She’s back today talking about the magic of Thunderstorms and Rain. Plus, she has a excerpt and giveaway too. Enjoy!

Sidelined Afterlife

(Hauntings at Inner Harbor #3)

by: Joya Fields

Published December 24, 2013

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Blurb

Psychic medium Veronica Matthews hates being able to communicate with the dead and the nearly departed. What good is it if she can’t lead the police to the victims of violent crimes before they die? But when her neighbor comes to her for help, she’s torn—until she understands that the ghost haunting him is more dangerous than any she’s encountered….

After losing his wife in a tragic accident, ER doctor Hunter Anderson’s only solace is his work and a ghost is jeopardizing that. Turning to his neighbor seems like his only choice, but spending time with the passionate woman, and her sassy attitude, might do more than save his life…

She can’t risk her heart. He’s afraid to love and lose again. Can a ghost help these two souls to live again?

Thunderstorms and Rain

Thanks very much for having me on your blog today, S.J. I’m thrilled to be here and to share my new release, Sidelined Afterlife. It’s the third novel in my Hauntings at InnerHarbor series where each book features a different couple dealing with their haunted apartment building. No worries if you haven’t read the first two books, it is a standalone, too.

Because Sidelined Afterlife begins with a fierce-but-short thunderstorm, I thought I’d touch on the subject. Are you one of those people who love a good summer thunderstorm? I am! So are the characters in the book.

A good storm usually begins with a darkening sky. Then, a warm breeze kicks up, rustling leaves and hinting at what’s to come. Next, there’s a rumble of thunder in the distance that sends everyone running for cover. A flash of lightning. Then, the sky opens up and the rain pours down. There’s something about the energy that fills the atmosphere, makes it almost magical to watch.

Except if you’re caught out in it. But…if you’re like Veronica, the heroine of Sidelined Afterlife, maybe you like being out in the storm. For her, it washes her worries and stress away. Sure, her hair is flattened to her neck and her clothes are soaked. Instead of being bothered by it, though, she finds it liberating and cleansing.

And how about that smell after the storm passes? So clean and fresh. Maybe the end of the storm even brings a rainbow. Mother Nature loves to remind us of her power and creativity, doesn’t she?

That energy is exactly why I think thunderstorms fit so well into ghost stories. Power can go out during a storm, or maybe the air holds the charge of the nearby lightning. Something feels different. Maybe this lightning is exactly what makes a vortex open…or brings a different feeling to the atmosphere that’s welcoming to spirits.

Maybe the reason I really enjoy thunderstorms goes back to childhood. On rainy or stormy summer days (with no air conditioning), my sisters and I would take over the huge covered porch with our toys. The limited space forced us to get creative and we found lots of ways to play old games with new twists while the rain poured beside us, creating a musical background of sorts.

Thanks for stopping by today. I’d love to hear about your favorite thunderstorm memory.

Excerpt:

“I am an idiot. The biggest idiot ever. If you want me to pierce something for you, to prove I’m an idiot, I have some sterilized instruments upstairs in my apartment.”

Her tongue poked against her cheek, signaling a laugh that wanted to erupt. Suddenly, he really wanted to be the one who could make her laugh. “Maybe I could do your lower lip?”

Her short laugh erupted. A sweet, melodic sound that filled the small apartment.

His gaze stayed on that full mouth and he lifted his fingers closer, compelled to touch her. She stared at him with wide eyes as he traced the corner of her mouth lightly with his finger.

“I’m a liar. I could never tarnish something as beautiful as this.”

Christ. What a line. Where had those words come from? But he meant it.

Her breath was hot against his finger as he traced the line of her lower lip. Her gaze held his. His stomach growled again, breaking the spell, and she blinked and leaned against the sofa.

“You know what? We never had dessert,” she said.

He had room for dessert. But not the food kind. He swallowed to quell his appetite for her. “Uh…how about I make an ice cream run? Then we’ll get to work.” Enough of this temptation. He needed to get away from her, from this pull she had on his body and emotions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purchase links for SIDELINED AFTERLIFE:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sidelined-Afterlife-Hauntings-Inner-Harbor-ebook/dp/B00HFY2L4M

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sidelined-afterlife-joya-fields/1117790303

Decadent Publishing: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=882&osCsid=drtrl82rt4inig1ns5av11pri6

All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sidelinedafterlife-1382952-149.html

Joya’s Bio:

Joya Fields has had over 100 stories and articles published in local and national magazines. Her debut novel, a romantic suspense, was a NJRW GOLDEN LEAF WINNER FOR BEST FIRST BOOK OF 2012 and was nominated for RT Book Reviews 2012 Indie Press/Self-Published Contemporary Romance award. Since then, she’s published four more books with even more on the way.

Connect with Joya

www.joyafields.com

Twitter: @joyafields

Facebook Author Page

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

Spotlight: One Kiss by Lisa Fox

Posted on January 6, 2014 by S.J. Maylee

I have a special treat for you today. Lisa Fox is here! She’s sharing her brand new release, One Kiss. All the details are below, including the first chapter. You’re not going to want to miss this. So much fun. Enjoy!

One Kiss by Lisa Fox

Blurb:

Sometimes one kiss can change everything.

New Year’s Eve is supposed to be a night for celebration and new beginnings. For best friends Kat and Dean, it is a nightmare filled with disastrous dates and enraged ex-girlfriends!

Lucky for them, they’ve got each other to help laugh off the embarrassing, and downright inappropriate, moments. But then midnight rolls around and neither of them have anyone to kiss…

There’s no doubt this is a night they will always remember.

The real question is whether it will be a night they want to forget…

An Excerpt From: ONE KISS

CHAPTER ONE

Kat spun around when her cell phone rang, and the stiletto heel on her brand new shoes snapped, knocking her off-balance. She crashed down on the living room carpet with a loud thump, grunting out a string of vile curses. Her short, sparkly dress twisted around her hips as she scrambled to get up, and a few sequins fell off when she collided with the coffee table. The phone slid off the glass top, bounced twice, and hit the floor. She snatched it off the ground as the last bars of “Tank!” played, brought it to her ear, and winced as the missed call beep blasted her eardrum.

“Son of a bitch,” she muttered, and checked the caller ID to see who had caused her all this grief. Dean. It figured. Her eyebrows furrowed. She hadn’t expected to hear from him for another few days. He was supposed to be out somewhere swank tonight, spending a very expensive, very exclusive New Year’s Eve with his girlfriend, Marine. The more expensive, the better. Marine wouldn’t settle for anything less. And she would not be happy if she knew he was calling Kat in the middle of their date. There had to be something wrong.

She slipped off her broken shoes as she called him back, grimacing when she tossed them into the trash can. It was a damn tragedy to have to throw out a cute pair of shoes. This was not a positive omen for the evening.

“Hey, Kat,” he answered on the second ring, and the familiar sound of his deep voice made her smile. Dean had a way of always making her smile. He also had a way of getting under her skin and driving her crazy too, but right now it was good to hear his voice. She’d missed him a lot during the Christmas break.

“Hey, yourself.” She switched the phone to her other ear and pushed open her bedroom door. Going out tonight was probably a bad idea. She still didn’t understand why shewas beginning to regret letting Ron talk her into this ridiculous blind date. If there was any time left to back out, she would have. Well, maybe that wasn’t entirely true. She was kind of excited. Curious anyway. She’d been so stagnate lately. It was time to shake things up. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing. I just got back and I wanted to say hi.”

“Huh-huh,” she said, allowing him to hear the skepticism in her voice. This was not a “just say hi” call. Something was up. She could feel it. “I thought you’d be out with Marine by now.” She knelt down in front of her closet and pushed her half-unpacked suitcases aside. Her shoulders sagged as she peered into the dark, chaotic recesses. She was never going to find anything in there. Why had she never organized? Maybe that ought to be her New Year’s resolution. She dug around and pulled out a pair of red, patent leather Mary Jane’s, which she examined and promptly tossed aside. Definitely not right. “What are you guys doing tonight?”

He took a deep breath and exhaled. “Mari and I broke up.”

Kat sat back on her heels. That was news—and not the bad kind. The last time she’d seen them together, Marine had been clinging to Dean’s arm as hard as usual. Found someone with a bigger wallet, did she? formed on her lips, but she bit the words back. He knew exactly how she felt about Marine. He didn’t need to hear it right now. “What happened?”

She heard the phone shift and knew that he was raking his fingers through his thick, curly hair. It was what he did whenever he was upset. “It started out like it always does, you know? She bitched about my job, cried over all the money I was ‘losing’ by not going somewhere else, and then she got all twisted, went on this rampage about how we can’t get married if—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” She shook her head so violently, her hair got caught on a button of the only business suit she owned. She winced as she pulled herself free, ripping out a fair amount of hair in the process. “Please don’t tell me you proposed to her?”

“What? No. But it’s what she wants.”

I’ll bet. Marine was no fool. She was entering her late twenties and while she was a working model, she wasn’t one of the elite. One day very soon she was going to be nothing more than an old face in a sea of younger, fresher faces. For women like Marine, marrying well became the next logical step. Dean was an excellent candidate. He was young, ambitious, an award-winning designer on the ground floor of a successful boutique web design and marketing firm. He’d already been headhunted a number of times by the corporate giants. If he ever decided to make a move, he’d be able to name his price. And, as an added bonus, he looked great in a suit. “I don’t understand. You broke up over that? You guys have had that fight a million times before.”

“Well, this time when she left, I didn’t stop her.” He paused. “I haven’t heard from her since.”

Good riddance, she almost said aloud. He deserved so much better. “When was this?”

“Tuesday.” She heard him sit down on his couch, the familiar creak of the springs in the background. “Right after the holiday dinner.”

Kat’s mouth dropped open. “Before Christmas? Dean, that was over a week ago! You’re just telling me now?”

She could feel him shrug, see his sheepish grin. “You were in California, and I only got back from Colorado last night. There was nothing you could do.”

She huffed in reply and dove back into the closet. There was probably something she should be saying, some comfort she should be offering, but he didn’t really sound all that upset, and a deep, mean, little part of her was glad Marine was gone. A deep, selfish little part of her actually rejoiced. “So, what happens now?”

He didn’t get a chance to answer because Kat yelped as a pile of boxes fell down around her head.

“Kat,” he called, his voice sharp with alarm. “Are you all right?”

She couldn’t help but smile. She knew without any doubt that he was on his feet, that he’d leapt up the moment she screamed, and was ready to jet over to her place to save her immediately. Sir Galahad had nothing on Dean. Sickening as it was, it never failed to strum a cord way back in the depths of her black, little heart. She wasn’t used to people wanting to care for her and every time he did, it left her feeling a bit unbalanced, yet oddly touched. But, no matter how sweet, it was the reason behind most of his problems. He was a sucker for a female in distress—or at least the ones who were convincingly in distress.

“I’m fine,” she said, pressing her palm against the side of her head where the corner of a box had struck. She supposed she should have been grateful there was no blood. A great, big river of blood gushing out of her head would only have made the night that much more awesome. “I’m trying to get ready for Ron and Alan’s party.”

“I didn’t think you were going.”

“I wasn’t.” She had intended to stay home and work, maybe have a glass of champagne alone at midnight, but then Ron approached her the day after the holiday dinner with his idea, and she had randomly said yes, surprising both him and herself. A sigh escaped her lips as her gaze touched the disarray spanning out into the center of her bedroom. She should have stuck with her original plan.

BUY LINKS:

Harper Impulse: http://www.harperimpulseromance.com/books/one-kiss/
Amazon: http://goo.gl/kUhg13
Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/WF65GA
B&N: http://goo.gl/VD8s78
iTunes: http://goo.gl/BsfHz5

About Lisa:

World-renowned neurosurgeon, jet fighter pilot, secret member of American royalty, seducer of legions of beautiful, outrageously sexy angels and demons and vampires and werewolves and the occasional pirate, Lisa Fox has done it all…in her own mind. In reality, she can generally be found at her desk with a cup of coffee close at hand. Or maybe a martini. It really depends on the day.

Feedback, comments, opinions, words of wisdom, chocolate cake and the addresses of super hot men are always appreciated and encouraged. Please feel free to contact Lisa any time.

Email: lisa@lisafoxromance.com

Website: www.lisafoxromance.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaFoxRomance

Twitter: @LisaFoxRomance