Writing Down the Bones – New Release and Giveaway!

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Misty Evans

“You go home so you can be free; so you are not avoiding anything of who you are.” ~Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones

Soul Protector by Misty Evans

SOUL PROTECTOR, the second book in my Lost Worlds series, releases on May 1st. When I started writing this story, I knew the theme was about redemption for the hero and heroine of this story as well as the hero and heroine of the first book, SOUL SURVIVOR.

Nathan and Nila in SOUL PROTECTOR are both damaged souls – my favorite type of character to write. Nathan, an anthropologist trying to prove a mythical lost tribe is real, is trying to redeem himself and save his career by facing his past. Nila, a shaman who is two days away from taking the bar exam, is running from her past and trying to start over. What they have in common is the fact they’re both searching for a way to redeem themselves from the mistakes they’ve made.

This is a romantic suspense, so of course, they need each other to complete their quests and they must come to understand that love in all its forms (not just romantic) is the path to redemption.

At the time I wrote the story, my family and I had moved to Florida, but things weren’t working out. Since I’d lived in the same small town most of my life, I didn’t want to move back *home*, even though doing so solved several major problems. Living in Florida, I felt free. No one knew me, no one cared what I did, no one watched my every move and reported back to my parents (yes, I’m an adult with kids of my own, but in this small town, I’m still a daughter too). If you’ve ever lived in a small town, you probably understand. Everyone knows everyone and gossip is the favorite pastime. I know a woman in town who has the funeral home’s website Favorited on her computer so she knows the minute anyone dies. When I see commercials for “that’s so forty seconds ago” I feel like they’re using my hometown as an example. Moving away and starting over was a fresh start, a new adventure, and I love adventures.

So I was struggling with failure, guilt, anger and sadness about returning to my hometown. It felt like giving up on a dream and dreams die hard in my world. For hours a day while my husband packed up our Florida house, I poured all those heart-wrenching emotions into Nathan and Nila and their storyline.

A year later, we’re back in our Illinois house, the boys are about to graduate from 8th grade and everyone’s happy. I miss Florida, but I know moving back was the right thing to do for everyone. Nate and Nila found a happy ending too. We all went home in one way or another and found, just like Natalie claims in Writing Down the Bones, that doing so makes us free.

In case you’re interested, here’s the blurb for SOUL PROTECTOR. I’m giving away Advanced Reader Copies today to anyone who leaves a comment and asks for one (leave your email addy). And please tell me if you’ve ever journeyed back home – physically or emotionally – in order to free yourself or make amends. I’d like to know I’m not the only one!

The secret to redemption lies in their souls.

Dr. Nathan Hunter has forty-eight hours to save his job and find the missing Salt Coast Clan, a lost civilization locals believe is a myth. When ancient human remains turn up at the site of a new state water project along the Oregon Coast, he’s sure the lost tribe is real. Before he can examine the bones, however, a pretty female lawyer gets an injunction to stop him.

Nila Willopah sees ghosts. After failing to help a young boy cross over to the afterlife seven years ago, she hung up her shaman’s cape, left her family, and went to college to pursue a law degree. Three days before the bar exam, she’s summoned home by her grandfather to defend a sacred burial ground from a billion dollar state water project.

Although her soul is in danger from the unbound spirits unearthed at the site, Nila is the one person who can stop the project and protect her ancestors’ last resting place from Dr. Hunter. She’s also the only one who can help the angry spirits cross over.

Nila suspects the sexy anthropologist is hiding a dark secret behind his clear blue eyes and skilled hands. A secret she wants nothing to do with. But when one of the ghosts latches onto his soul, Nila must set aside her fears and suspicions and once again enter the world of spirit communication to protect him.

Even if saving his soul means sacrificing her own.

READ AN EXCERPT!

Posted in Giveaway, Misty's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Truisms and RT Booklovers Convention

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Edie Ramer

Liz Kreger, Cynthia Eden, Edie Ramer at RT

I was at RT Booklovers Convention in Chicago the week before last. The best part is rooming with my CP and friend Liz Kreger. Second best is getting in touch with all my friends. Third is meeting new ones. (Like the Girl Scout song: “Make new friends, but keep the old…”)

Liz and I got together with quite a few Magical Musings bloggers. We had dinner and yakked for quite a while with Karin Tabke. We had a meal with Lori Brighton and ran into her and chatted several places. I kept seeing Marilyn Brant and we chatted, but we never got to sit down with her for a while.

Except for Cynthia Eden, the others weren’t there. I would’ve loved to have seen them all. If I had magic powers, I would’ve zoomed them over for a few hours. Long enough to eat with us at Giordano’s, which has the best deep dish pizza I’ve eaten. If you’re ever in Chicago, that’s the place to go for Chicago pizza.

Liz and I also had a long talk with Jennifer Estep. Jennifer is a cheese lover, and I feel bad that she missed the pizza. But I did bring cheese from Wisconsin for her. She gave me two boxes of Moon Pies that I shared with Liz. Liz and I drove to Chicago and back with the talented Elle J Rossi, who is having a novella out soon. Liz and I also got together with the brilliant Sheila Clover English, from Circle of Seven Productions. And our good friends from Wisconsin, indie author Leigh Morgan and her husband Vince Milewski.

There are more, but you know how there’s usually one story you tell people after you’ve been somewhere? Here’s mine:

I was waiting for an elevator early on when a tall, slender and georgous young woman with long blond hair yelled “Edie!” and swooped down at me to hug me.

I didn’t know who the hell she was.

She asked me about Liz, so I knew I should know her. I didn’t want to look down at her name tag, because then she would know I didn’t remember her. Right then the elevator bell dinged, and I said something and got on it. As soon as the doors closed, I hit my head with the heel of my hand and thought “Cindy!” It was Cynthia Eden. The last time I saw her was two years ago, which wasn’t that long ago, plus I’ve watched her profile video several times. I felt like an idiot.

I told her the story later and she laughed. She’s a sweetheart and for sure I’ll know her next time.

Now to truisms. I’ve talked about my son’s before: It’s all good. I remind myself of that when things don’t go the way I was hoping. I’ve used it in books, too.

Liz Kreger gave me a new one at RT. We were in our room, talking about something that I don’t remember. (Okay, our husbands.) And she said, “Men drive women crazy. They just do.”

My first reaction was to laugh. My second was to grab the sticky notepad from Loveswept and scribble it down. I told her, “Some day I’m going to put it in a book.” The some day came already. It’s in my book, STARDUST MIRACLE, which should be out next month.

What’s one of your favorite truisms? And if you run into someone and can’t remember who he/she is, what do you do?

Posted in Edie's Posts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Sunrises and Sunsets

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Dale Mayer

I’ve always viewed sunrises as the world waking up and saying, “Good morning!” to me and sunrises as the world saying, “Good night and sleep tight!”

I rejoice at reaching the end of my day – usually a day of chaos, and crave the down time that comes with late evening.  And every night I bounce out of bed to see what beautiful sunrise I’ve been graced with on the next day.

October sunrise in Kelowna

I love to wake up in time to see the morning wake up with me. Although I find March and November the hardest months to do this. Waking at 5 am throughout the summer is the best. You’ll often find me out walking in woods enjoying the fresh air and

As my kids are getting older, it’s been waking them up in the morning to watch the sun come up. Funny how it’s never a problem getting them to watch sunsets, though! :)

I also relate the imagery of the start and end of a day on my projects, and with Maddy’s Floor now live (the contest for an ecopy is still open here) I liken that project to the sunset. It’s finished. It can rest (or I can!)

And the next day, the next sunrise, I have a new project to start.  Now in my case I have a lot of sunrises and sunset always rising and waning. I wanted to share some beautiful pictures taken from my neighbourhood.

These first two are sunrises from my neighbourhood. The last two are sunsets from outside the front of my house. Both were taken by my son.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This last one is my favorite – mostly because of the unique light. This one is after an evening rain.

Isn’t the light stunning?

But not everyone loves early mornings and late nights like I do. So many of us are one or the other.

My kids have switched from later nights to early mornings!

Are you a sunrise or sunset person? Early risers or early sleepers? Or do you enjoy both? What do you to enjoy this time of day!

Just a note – I have four books on for FREE today if you are looking for something to read! Hide’n Go Seek, It’s a Dog’s Life, In Cassie’s Corner, and Career Essentials: The Resume are all available for free download from Amazon.com.

Posted in Dale's Posts | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Special Guest Katie Reus! (With Giveaway)

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Cynthia Eden

Thanks so much to Cynthia and the other ladies at Magical Musings for having me as a guest here today!

When I was engaged and through the early years of my marriage my husband and I emailed each other a lot because sometimes it was our only form of communication. He was in the military and thus deployed often, and then due to other jobs afterward, he still traveled overseas. Sometimes a phone call wasn’t always possible so email was always our go-to form of communication. And boy did we email a lot. Sometimes multiple times a day. I created a scrapbook of our letters that is sadly packed away at the moment, but looking back I still wonder how we had that much to say to each other. Of course that was in the beginning stages of our life together so we were still learning so much about each other. We’re still learning and I don’t think we’ll ever stop (or hopefully we won’t) discovering things about each other. Even though my husband’s current job isn’t exactly safe, I’m glad that he’s home most nights. Still, a very small part of me misses the excitement and newness of opening up one of those emails from him. I believe that there’s a sort of freedom in being completely yourself when writing letters whether they’re typed or handwritten.

 

In Protector’s Mate—my recent release from Harlequin Nocturne—the two main characters, Felicia and Alaric, get to know one another largely through email while she’s in Afghanistan working as a nurse. This all happens before the actual story starts but it sets the stage for how well they know each other when the story opens. And I freely admit to drawing upon my own personal experience when writing this story and that’s part of the reason this story is so special to me.

Protector’s Mate:

After two years in a war zone, werewolf Felicia Serna has finally returned to find another pack has taken over her territory…and the new second-in-command is the very man who haunts her fantasies.

Alaric has wanted Felicia from the moment he laid eyes on her, and now he’s ready to claim her. When a threatening shifter begins stalking them, he’s determined to protect her…even if it means putting his seduction on hold. But even in the heat of danger, their red-hot passion cannot be denied.

***

A little about me: I’ve been reading romance from a young age—ever since I discovered my mom’s hidden stash. Luckily the addiction stayed with me into adulthood. I write paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense for Carina Press, Harlequin Nocturne, and NAL/Signet Eclipse. To learn more about me please visit my website, my blog, facebook or find me on twitter @katiereus

Want to win a digital copy of PROTECTOR’S MATE?

So, what is your favorite form of communication with your loved ones? One commenter will be randomly picked to win a digital copy of Protector’s Mate. I’ll leave it open until Saturday at noon (4/21) and announce the winner in the comments section so make sure to check back. Thanks for stopping by today!

Posted in Guest Posts | Tagged , | 22 Comments

Maddy’s Floor is here – with giveaway!

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Dale Mayer

Update - Congratulations to Donnas who won the ebook giveaway.

Book 3 in my Psychic Vision Series, called MADDY’S FLOOR, is finally available and boy has this one been a long time coming.

The esoteric levels in this book are higher than the first two books in the series, the concepts – a little more intangible, a little harder to clarify. I had cps, then an editor, revisions, editor, then a different editor.  Don’t get me wrong – I love this book, I love the direction it’s taken me, and I love the ability as a writer to delve into the unknown.

I’m just sorry that doing right by the characters took so long!

Medical intuitive and licensed MD Madeleine Wagner thought she’d seen every way possible to heal a diseased body…then patients start dying from mysterious causes in her long-term facility. 

The terminally ill fight to get into her ward. Once there, many miraculously…live. So when her patients start dropping and she senses an evil force causing their deaths, she calls on her friend and mentor, Stefan, for help. Together, they delve beyond the physical plane into the metaphysical… Only to find terror.

She wants to save everyone, but are some souls not meant to be saved?

Detective Drew McNeil has two family members in need of Maddy’s healing care, but his visits to her facility leave him wondering – who cares for Maddy? Bizarre events on her floor raise his professional curiosity. And the more time he spends with Maddy, the more personal everything becomes. When the deaths on Maddy’s Floor intersect with one of his cold cases, he realizes an old killer has returned – and Maddy’s standing in his path.

How can these people stop something that no one else can see, feel or even believe?

Excerpt:

Jansen Svaar’s room came next. With the renovations, Jansen’s bed had been shifted. He was not quite in the new area, but not as cozy as he’d been before.

Jansen hadn’t minded. The big Swede had enjoyed every one of his seventy-eight years and wasn’t ready to jump off yet. Big and robust in his prime, his physical body had withered to one battling diabetes that defied control, and cancer that defied remission. Yet, he was still here and looking so much better than when he arrived. Even his thick head of hair had returned with rich brown color. His last tests had come back with very positive indicators. So much so, Jansen wanted to stop his treatments. According to him, he was all better. If it were possible to heal by his word alone, then he’d see it done.

Maddy grinned as she recalled the many conversations they’d shared in the past.

At the entrance to his doorway, she stopped to survey his bed.

Something was wrong.

Purple energy hovered over Jansen; a thick blanket of colored haze covered his midsection. Frowning, Maddy studied the odd essence. Energy had a signature – like DNA, the energy was unique to each person. It just wasn’t as easy to identify.

She’d worked with him long enough to know it wasn’t his aura.

The smoky blanket moved.

Who or what did the energy represent? Her gaze swept the rest of the room before striding forward. The activity over Jansen did not shy away; it increased. She narrowed her gaze. The eerie silence of the room magnified the unearthly scene before her.

It wasn’t what she’d experienced the night before, racing through the hallway into chaos. She expected noises of some kind. Not this hushed silence, as if sound would shatter the intensity of whatever was going on. She frowned. A struggle of some kind was going on.

She shook her head, panic stirring inside. Could energy fight with itself? With someone else’s energy? Is that what happened to Eric? She studied the energy again. This time she saw it. The blanket of malevolence was moving over the bed and occupant, spreading and growing every minute.

Underneath, Jansen was suffocating.

His energy, tiny and thin, struggled to remain separate and distinct from the purple amoeba-like entity sucking the life force from him.

Fear shot through her. This couldn’t happen again. Maddy raced to the bedside. “Stop,” she cried out hoarsely, not wanting to disturb the other patients. “Leave him alone.”

The purple energy quivered in place but did not dissipate.

Maddy wafted her hands over Jansen’s body. Her fingers slipped into and through the mist, neither feeling it nor dispersing it. She fed her own energy into Jansen’s heart chakra, giving him her strength and will to hold on. At the same time, she closed her eyes and surrounded herself and, by the extension of her hand on his, Jansen’s body with white light. The old answer to keeping oneself safe and balanced.

The energy shifted, cooled.

She opened her eyes to find the energy still wiggling in place, the purple haze malicious in appearance. Then slowly, like fog blowing in the wind, the haze thinned before sending tendrils into the darkness.

Maddy reached out and checked Jansen’s pulse. Her medical training took over on the physical level as her medical intuitive training took over on the energy field. She observed the thread-like cord of light stretching far out of Jansen’s body, gently pulsating in a reassuring rhythm. Maddy coaxed his system to relax a little more, then to wake up gently.

“Dr. Maddy?” His paper-thin lids opened to reveal rheumy blue eyes blinking in surprise.

“Yes, it’s me, Jansen.” Maddy studied his face. “How do you feel?” He appeared fine, normal but surprised.

“Christ, I don’t know. I had the most horrible dream.” He coughed slightly and shifted position in the bed, tugging at his covers as if chilled.

“Oh?” Maddy kept her voice calm and soothing. “What was it about?”

“Like someone was pulling my soul from my body, one inch at a time.” Fear filled the old man’s eyes. His thin hands grasped hers nervously. “I don’t know what the hell it was, but I felt on a precipice between life and death. It was like meeting Peter at the pearly gates himself, and him not being too happy to see me.”

“Shhh.” Maddy stroked his hands, noting with clinical detachment that his liver spots had begun to fade. “It was just a dream. Not to worry. It’s over. I’m here, and you’re safe. Go back to sleep.”

Relief washed over his face. “Thanks, Doc. Don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Shifting sideways, Jansen closed his eyes and fell back to sleep.

Maddy walked to the doorway, turned around and glanced back.

No sign of the purple grim reaper. Jansen was safe.

For now.

She shuddered. What the hell was happening at The Haven?


I’m giving away a free Kindle copy of MADDY’S FLOOR to one commenter. Have you ever experienced a psychic event? Seen an aura?  Experienced something you couldn’t explain? We’ll keep the contest open all weekend.

Posted in Dale's Posts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Amy Atwell

When I turned eight, my parent bought me my own little record player. It was white and pink plastic and came in its own carry case. I didn’t listen to Top 40 pop songs back then, but my mom gave me the coolest records to play. These included the soundtrack from Walt Disney’s Bambi and an eight-record collection that told the entire book Charlotte’s Web.

I was mesmerized! Suddenly, there was always someone ready to read me a story. I would sit and listen for hours. My sister will tell you I did pretty fair mimicry of Bambi—I would parrot everything from “Drip Drip Drop Little April Showers” to Bambi’s pathetic calls for his mother after….well, you know, she was gone.

Of course life moves at a pretty fast pace, and few people even own a record player anymore. We’ve been through 8-tracks and cassettes and CDs and now mp3 files. It’s sometimes hard to keep up with the technology changes.

I’ll admit, I didn’t listen to audio books for many years. They just weren’t on my radar. Or maybe there was a disconnect between my fragmented life and the fact that an audio book meant you were anchored to something that was plugged into an outlet.  I do remember my years at Wake Forest University, every Sunday afternoon I would study at home with my roommate Laura and we would listen to Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion on NPR. The show spoke to my Great Lakes roots, was filled with fun, different music, short comedy sketches, and each week Garrison would tell a story from Lake Woebegone.  I loved it.

So, when my publisher Carina Press told me that my romantic suspense Lying Eyes would be released as an audio book, I was pretty excited. Indeed, I got a copy of it (10 hours of listening pleasure!), and was surprised at how different it was to hear someone read the story to me instead of just reading it visually (and silently) myself.  It was relaxing, soothing. And I could multitask! I could listen to a couple chapters while I cooked dinner, or while I drove errands around town. This new concept of mp3 files that I can put on my iPhone or computer or iPod and connect to my car stereo is brilliant.

I found myself this past year looking at the audio books at my local Barnes & Noble. I bought The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood (a very interesting retelling of The Odyssey from Penelope’s point of view), and Kristin Hannah’s Magic Hour.  Indeed, Hannah’s book kept me occupied for a full day road trip. No drowsiness or boredom—the hours flew by while I enjoyed the story!

I find that listening to books is easy and fun. It also reminds me of great memories of having someone read aloud to me, whether it was my mom, Captain Kangaroo, Mrs. Hayden in 5th grade or even in college when we would have read-through rehearsals of a newly-cast play.

So now I’m curious—have you listened to audio books? Do you like it or not? If you haven’t tried it, would you?  If you’re not sure, you can listen to a short sample of Lying Eyes (the sound sample is the Listen play button that appears under the book’s cover image). I hope you’ll try it and let me know what you think!

Posted in Amy's Posts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

The Ick Factor

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Liz Kreger

Okay, I’m gonna do a blog on what you will never write or never want to read in a book.

Edie Ramer and I attended the RT Conference in Chicago this past week.  Somehow we got onto the discussion about exercise and yoga.  Edie, of course had to show me how she could touch the ground with her hands flat and without bending her knees.  Something I haven’t been able to do in … oooh … probably twenty years.  (Show off)  That, demonstration led to a discussion of how limber some people are and Edie mentioned seeing something on television about a guy who was so limber that was able to bend far enough to put his head between his legs.  The person who was interviewing him made the comment that he could probably give himself a blow job.

Okay … that hit the “Ick Factor” for me.  It also gave me a visual that’s going to involve washing out my eyeballs.

This led to a discussion of what subject matter we would never (ever) write into a book or want to read in a book.  The list got rather interesting.  We started with the obvious such as bodily functions which involved bowel problems and projectile vomiting.  I know that scene in the movie “Bridesmaids” was considered hilarious by many, but I personally have never been into toilet humor.  It’s a matter of personal taste.

We talked about the aforementioned guy who could do a self-administered blow job.  Which, incidently, I had actually read about once … years ago.  I personally, don’t care to read about self-mutilation or S&M, but I know that other readers enjoy it.  Again, personal taste.  Bestiality is a definite no-no as is anything violent involving a child or helpless animals.

So, what hits your “Ick Factor”?  What is it that you would never put into a book, or have read in someone else’s book?

Posted in Uncategorized | 22 Comments

Who’s Afraid of Friday the 13th?

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Marilyn Brant

I’m writing this post early, instead of on the actual date of Friday the 13th, but not because I’m superstitious about it…it’s simply that I’m not home. Like several of my Magical Musings friends, I’m at the RT Rooklovers Convention in Chicago this week and – as is my usual conference mode — I am, no doubt, running around from workshop to book signing to presentation to publisher event right this very second. Fun, to be sure, but insanely busy.

However, while I might be anxious about any number of things during this day (Will I run into a lot of traffic and/or find a decent parking space? Will I make it on time to my next appointment or meeting? Will I need any last-minute items for the program my Austen Author pals and I are doing on Saturday?), the one thing I won’t be worried about is the date.

I like Friday the 13th. And I’ll even go a step further — for me, Friday the 13th has always been a sort of lucky day. (For the record, I like black cats, too.)

It’s not that I can recall any truly amazing things that happened on past Friday the 13ths…no. But I do remember a few things that were pretty good. Things that seemed at least mildly fortuitous at the time. Things that I, perhaps, paid just a little more attention to because they happened on this particular date and not on the day before or the day after.

I’ll share one of them: On a Friday the 13th of olde (i.e., in college), I broke up with a former boyfriend. And, yes, that was a GOOD thing. I knew the relationship wasn’t the right one for me. I’d known for weeks that it would have to end. When it finally did, I was relieved beyond measure. I thought then and there that I would never be able to claim that only bad things happened on Friday the 13ths because, clearly, a healthier step in the right direction came out of that one for me.

And here’s another more recent example: After feeling a bit depressed about a few less-than-glowing reviews for one of my earlier novels, on one Friday the 13th I woke up to two great ones. I’d been fortunate to have some nice reviews on other days as well – sometimes even more than one on a single day — but to get them on the most feared day in our culture? I smiled to myself and said a little prayer of thanks. No one’s gonna convince me that there isn’t some good to be found on Friday the 13th!

But what about you? Do you recall any memorable experiences that happened to you on a Friday the 13th? Did it make you consider the day one of good fortune or bad fortune? And…how is today going for you all?!

Here’s hoping there’s a happy dash of luck to brighten it up for you and to offset the day’s old stereotype. And I hope the weekend that follows will be a great one for you, too! :razz:

Posted in Marilyn's Posts | Tagged , | 15 Comments

Lisa Rennee Jones my guest! With a giveaway!

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Dale Mayer

UPDATE – bn100 is the lucky winner of Lisa’s giveaway!

Hi everyone!  I’m delighted to have Lisa Renee Jones as my guest today. She’s at the RT convention with many of my other friends but will pop in as she can.  She’s a multi-published author, well-known for her many series: Underground Guardians, Werewolf Society, the Vampire Wardens, and Knights of White.

Now over to her!

First thanks to Dale for having me today.

Right now, I am in a rented van, and off to Chicago! We needed extra space for both our cat and our promotional items. (And shoes — DH has more than me!)  It’s convention time and while we use to go to several a year this is our first in years.  Well, actually I went to RWA alone last year. DH couldn’t go and we were both sad. He loves the conventions and books. I love those things about him. I actually met him in a bookstore. His love of coffee and books certainly drew me to him.

I’ll be posting pictures daily on twitter and facebook. @lisareneejones on twitter

Right now, I’m celebrating the release of book 2 of my Tall, Dark, and Deadly series DANGEROUS SECRETS with a contest that is on my blog. In Dangerous Secrets, the hero is an ex-Navy SEAL. If you read Hot Secrets, you also get to see the couple from that story

Today I thought I’d share an excerpt. I’ll also give away a copy of either the Prelude BEYOND SECRETS or HOT SECRETS to one commenter today.

EXCERPT:

Once they were off the plane, Julie tried to make her escape, but Luke didn’t let it happen. He was with her at baggage claim and with her in the cab line.

When a car pulled forward, she turned to say goodbye to Luke, only to find him giving both her bag and his to the driver. “You live across town from me,” she said.

“I’m coming by your place to check things out,” he said. “Just to be safe.”

“I’m going to my office.”

“After you stop by your house, right?”

“Yes,” she admitted reluctantly.

“Then let me check it out just to be safe.”

She considered arguing, but it was a problem she hadn’t considered. Her house being dangerous. Someone there, waiting on her, to make her dead like they had Elizabeth. She slid into the car without complaint.

“You’re making me paranoid,” she whispered when they were on the road.

“You said you were already feeling paranoid.”

“You’re making it worse.”

“Come stay the night with me.”

She laughed. “Right. Like that wouldn’t raise some eyebrows. You live in a private building with your two brothers and Lauren.”

“They all know we have something between us.”

“I’m not staying with you tonight.”

“Fine then,” he said. “I’ll sleep on your couch.”

“You’re not sleeping on my couch.”

“We can talk about it later.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” she insisted.

“You’re right. There isn’t.”

“Luke–”

He kissed her, stealing her words with a hot caress of his tongue. “Stop doing that,” she ordered, pressing her hands against his chest and wishing he’d do it again.

“Is that what you really want?”

“It’s what’s smart.”

“Says who?” he challenged.

“Probably the cab driver.”

“There’s a glass and we’re G-rated compared to what he sees on an average night in Manhattan. I want to know what you want.”

“This isn’t like the last time,” she said.

“No,” he agreed. “I’m here to stay.”

“And you’re about to be Lauren’s brother-in-law.”

“Which means what?”

“We’re complicated.”

“What in life isn’t?”

Her brows dipped. “You have an answer for everything, don’t you?”

“Except how to get you to admit you want me to kiss you again.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t want to. I said it wasn’t smart.”

He kissed her again. “Seems pretty smart to me.” He pulled her close. “Feels pretty smart to me, too.”

Her hand settled on his chest, his name a whisper on her lips. “Luke.”

He smiled and kissed her again. “I know. The cab driver.” He released her and gently stroked hair from her eyes. “Seems like we have a lot to talk about later.”

She sunk back into her seat and didn’t reply. She had never been so confused in her life. One minute she thought hopping back into the bed was the right answer. The next, she thought it was the completely wrong answer. The truth was, she didn’t know what to do about Luke, but she had to do something.

Posted in Dale's Posts, Guest Posts | Tagged , , , , | 23 Comments

Serendipity

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Michelle Diener

I’m on holiday with my family at the moment. It’s the autumn holidays, and my father-in-law and sister-in-law are over for a visit. We’ve gone camping to a little place on the coast about 600km from where I live, and honestly? I was expecting fishing and camping and swimming – all lots of fun, but that was it. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just a lovely, relaxing week.

What I got was a small museum, which we went to to kill time before we were able to check in to the camp site (we arrived too early, having been woken at the crack of dawn at the camp site we stopped at on the way down by two kangaroos rifling through the rubbish bag and pawing through our groceries, LOL). This museum was literally jam-packed with stuff. The stuff an historical author’s dreams are made of. I’ll give you a tiny taste of what I found there with these photos, but understand that I have taken away around 400 photos of what I found there. In. Cred. Ible. Really. Kitchen appliances and tools, vehicles from almost every era I’m interested in. Bottles, musical instruments, medical equipment. I was more or less speechless the whole time.

I was a happy camper. (Literally, lol.)

But wait! There’s more!

This morning, we went off in search of a good beach for the kids to swim and snorkel, and we came down to this tiny bay, where a school of salmon had chased a school of herring into the shallows to trap them and feed.

Wow.

The pictures only show a minute part of what it looked like. Some local women watched from a high point first, and told me they could see the salmon coming round in a circle. Swimming down the beach right to left, then out and looping round again. They would chase the herring right into the very shallowest water, almost beach themselves, and then flick themselves out.

Here is my husband playing Bear Grylles and trying to catch a salmon with his bare hands as they came close to the rocks to get the herring trapped there – which he did! A 4.5 kilogram one. Guess what we’re having for supper tonight?

My son and daughter were easily able to catch the herring as they tried to keep to the shallowest water to survive. I made them throw them all back in, but I think my son caught and released 15 fish. He has never had so much fun. And what an amazing thing to have seen. I’ve certainly never seen something like that before, and the locals who found their way down to the beach said they had never seen it either. One man said he’d lived in the area for 50 years and it was a first for him, too.

Just for the museum and this morning’s experience alone, I know this holiday will be a treasured memory, and we’re only two days in to our stay!

I’d love to hear about a serendipitous event in your life. Did you ever go somewhere expecting nothing much and got something wonderful? Or were just going along normally and came across something amazing?

Posted in Michelle's Posts | Tagged , | 10 Comments