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Blog Tour Feature and Release Blitz: TAKEDOWN by Evelyn Sola

10/29/2021

0 Comments

 

Hi, readers! We have a real treat in store for you today, a spotlight on a book by Evelyn Sola, a talented author! 

Evelyn, an author I met on my journey, has a release blitz running right now.

Let's check out the details, shall we?

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Title: Takedown
Author: Evelyn Sola

Release Date: October 29, 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Steamy, Humor, Romantic Comedy, Accidental Marriage Theme, Multicultural Romance

 
Mellie lives her life risk-free and would do anything to keep her heart safe. But when Adam shows up in Vegas, all her careful plans go right out the window. Mellie and Adam quickly discover that what happens in Vegas, doesn’t always stay in Vegas. Readers who enjoy diverse contemporary romances will devour Takeover by Evelyn Sola, a diverse accidental marriage romance.

BLURB:

Mellie
I was not a gambler. No way. I’ve built an existence free of risk and adventure. From my career to a small life with my closest family. I was not going to do anything to jeopardize my heart. But when my neighbor and number one menace to my safe plans showed up in Vegas, I did what every adventurous (not!) woman would do. I got drunk and married the man.
Adam
What happens in Vegas is supposed to stay in Vegas. Then, I went and married Mellie Dupree. That woman I’ve been chasing for two years is now my wife. She claims she doesn’t remember our wedding, but I was there, and I know she’s not telling the truth. Then again, neither am I.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58930569-takedown

Purchase links:
Amazon: 
https://amzn.to/3zCbkrU
Universal Reader Link:  https://books2read.com/u/braRjk

Intriguing! How about a look inside?

EXCERPT

            I don’t think I breathe until the wheels of the plane leave the ground and we’re soaring through the air, away from the biggest fuck up of my life. But as I look out of my window, I know I’m only delaying the inevitable.
            He’ll come. He’ll find me. There’s no way he’ll keep this a secret. But I shake my head and tell myself that I don’t care. It’s not just up to him. He’ll realize he’s made a mistake too. We’ll talk to Tina, she’s the sister of my brother’s wife, a former lawyer turned restaurant owner. She’ll walk us through the annulment process. It will happen quickly, and things will return to normal.
            Yes, that’s exactly what will happen, but when I close my eyes all I can see are blue eyes looking down at me while a man dressed as Elvis tells us to repeat after him. I have no desire to remember my vows, but I remember his. I can practically hear him now. His voice deep and sincere as he promised to love, honor and cherish until death do us part.


Your book sounds so compelling!
 
Readers, you'll have to check out this read! Or, add it to your Goodreads bookshelf or save it to your BookBub wishlist!

​While we're at it, h
ow about some more teasers? ;)
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Awesome! Thanks so much, Evelyn!

Let's also give kudos to Evelyn's sponsor:
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Grab a copy of this one! 

Thank you, Evelyn, for letting us know all about your 
steamy, humorous, accidental marriage, multicultural romance novel. It sounds like quite a sexy, romantic tale!
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A Boston native, wife, mother, and wine enthusiast. If she’s not writing, thinking about writing, you will find Evelyn with a book in her hands. While a new publisher, she’s been writing for years, and she will continue to write for many years to come. 
 
Evelyn is obsessed with assertive and confident men who will stop at nothing to get their woman. Her stories are filled with love, passion and humor.

She currently lives in Chicago, IL with her husband and two daughters.


Follow:
​
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Reader Group | Goodreads | BookBub | Newsletter | Amazon

​​

Thanks for stopping by to let us know about your new release, Evelyn! ♥
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https://books2read.com/u/braRjk

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age guest article here.

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0 Comments

Blog Tour Feature: Ivy Nelson’s FOREVER, plus a giveaway!

10/1/2021

0 Comments

 

Hi, readers! We have a real treat in store for you today, a spotlight on a book by Ivy Nelson, a talented author! 

Ivy, an author I met on my journey, has a blog tour running right now.

Let's check out the details, shall we?

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Title: Forever (A Diamond Doms Novel)
Author: Ivy Nelson

Release Date: September 28, 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Some Suspense, BDSM elements

 
BLURB:
Russel Adler has one job while Elijah Barrett is away. Keep Holly Barrett and her best friend Gemma Livingston safe from those out to collapse Club Solitaire. There’s just one problem, Gemma is pain in the ass. A gorgeous, irresistible, pain in the ass determined to make his job impossible. She makes the Dom in him twitch, but he knows he can’t lose focus or people might die.

Forever is the long-awaited conclusion to the Diamond Doms series.


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57509293-forever
 
Purchase links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/39A5Zpr
Universal Reader Link:  https://books2read.com/u/bOJw60


So, what are readers saying about this book?

☆☆☆☆☆
"Hot!
I really recommend reading this series from the beginning, to get the full information package of character introductions, as well as the bridging ‘mystery’ that spans the series, and the other intriguing details that I am sure would enhance your reading experience even more.
This is a contemporary romance with a sexy and erotic storyline that set my kindle on fire. The story is not for the faint of heart though- as it has some reallly intense BDSM scenes that may be too much for some readers. But, there is more to the story than just the sizzle and steam- there is mystery, tension, suspense, danger, adventure, action, and plenty of dramatic developments that had me flipping the pages to find out what happens next. I couldn’t put it down, reading the entire book in one session…… what a ride!
" -- Angela Hayes, Amazon
"
I can’t believe it’s all wrapped up!! Ivy Nelson has made the last addition of the Diamond Doms a whopper!!! If you know anything about BDSM, the main mantra is Safe, Sane & Consensual. In this tale, the alpha male Russell is a Sadist and the leading lady Gemma is a Masochist. So their limits and kinks go well together. But, WOW!! my eyes were opened a bit wider with this one. But in books, as in real life, it takes all kinds. The best thing about this type of relationship is the absolute trust needed in each other for it to work. Limits and safe words are there for a reason. The storylines got all sewn up with a bow! This HEA was absolutely so awesome! Great reading! If you like intrigue, danger, excitement and villains then start this series ASAP. You will be blown away!!" -- Anne Young-Cronister, Amazon
"Great story, great series.
***This story contains depictions of BDSM, with some extreme kink. It may not be suitable for some readers.*** The final chapter. You will finally learn who has it out for the members of Solitaire. It is well written and includes most of the characters from the previous books. This whole series is addictive, and definitely worth your time." -- Deborah McClellan, Amazon
"A
truly incredible series. This book can be read as a stand-alone although I urge you to ready this series in order. I honestly think you will get so much more enjoyment out of it if you do.
I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved the characters in this book. They were absolutely perfect for each other and had undeniable chemistry. It literally poured from every single page. There was so much going on with this book as well. The story is so well developed. It is built up and really keeps you on your toes. I think the author has done an amazing job of rounding out all the storylines and keeping everything straight. This is a brilliant book.
" -- Kerry Baker, Amazon
"Satisfying, steamy, spunky dialogue- The perfect book to end a series." -- Linda Foley, Amazon

Intriguing! How about a look inside?

Excerpt 1

Russell slipped some fresh produce and meat into the cart, but Gemma wrinkled her nose. “I don’t really know how to cook.”
Her response didn’t faze him, and he added a bag of spinach. “I’ll get someone to prep some things for you, and I happen to know the guard who works the late shift is an excellent cook. I know chocolate and ice cream are good foods for crying into, but you have to give your body at least some nutrition.”
“I believe your role is to protect me, not monitor my eating habits.”
“I’m protecting you from yourself, love.”
“Don’t call me that. And I’m perfectly capable of feeding myself.”
He just hummed and added a loaf of whole grain bread to the cart.
“Let me guess, you don’t put sugar in your coffee either.”
“I don’t. No cream either.”
“Healthy people are boring,” she muttered under her breath as she went down one aisle and then another.
A moment later, he heard her curse under her breath.
“What’s wrong?” He pushed the cart up next to her and waited while she stared at the shelf. Her shoulders shook, and he realized she was crying.
“Christ, Gemma. Come here.” He turned her around and pulled her against his chest.
While she cried, he kept one arm tightly around her and used his free hand to fish out his cellphone to text the driver of the car that had followed them.
Less than a minute later, the drivers of both cars approached.
“Pay for this and bring it back to the house. I’m taking Gemma home now.”
She lifted her head and wiped at her eyes. At first, he thought she might argue, but she nodded and let him lead her out of the store.
In the car, he handed her his phone. “Text that number what you need added to the list.”
She took it and sent the message.
“Sorry I’m a mess.”
He took his phone and squeezed her hand. “Don’t be. If anyone has a good excuse to be a mess right now, it’s you. I’m here, though.”
“Why?”
He blinked and looked at her as he pulled out of the grocery store parking lot.
“Because you’re part of the family. Because I’m a bastard.”
Gemma blinked hard and jerked her head back. “How are you a bastard?”
“Because I can’t keep you out of my head. You just lost your husband and all I can think about is how good it felt to have my arms around you. Pretty sure that makes me a bastard.”
“It’s not like you’re being inappropriate. If your thoughts move beyond that into actions, then you might be a bastard, but so far, you’ve just let me cry on your shoulder and bought me food. I don’t think either of those things makes you a monster. That role is reserved for me.”
♦♦♦♦
At first, Russell didn’t respond. Just reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. Gemma hated herself for breaking down in the shop. It was so embarrassing, especially at the point that he called in reinforcements to finish her shopping for her. And now he was being so sweet her heart almost couldn’t stand it.
“You’re not a monster. Let’s get you home where you can relax.”
She shuddered. “Don’t call it that. I am grateful for the safe place to stay, but we both know that isn’t home.”
He squeezed her hand again.
“I’m not saying this safe house will ever be home, but you can rest assured that you have people in your corner. We’re going to get you through this. And on the other side, when it’s safe for you to be on your own again, you can decide if you want to stick around a while or go back to the place you currently call home.”
When they got to the house, Russell opened the front door for her and let her in. Then he walked to the bedroom and into the bathroom where he turned the bathtub on and pushed the stopper down.
“You take a bath, try to relax. I’ll get your groceries put away and see what I can do to make this place a little more comfortable for you.”
“How long do you think I’ll have to stay here?”
He shook his head. “It’s impossible to say right now.”
“Can’t I stay with one of you? What about Holly or Dakota? I like them. It would at least give me some company.”
He picked up her hand and pulled her closer to the tub.
“Right now, we have to assess the danger and figure out who else might be in harm’s way. Once we’ve done that, we can talk about moving you somewhere else. Now, do I need to undress you and put you in the tub, or can I leave you to it?”
She smacked his shoulder. “Get out of here. I’m fine.”
He chuckled and headed for the door.
“Russell.”
He turned to face her again.
“Thank you.”
“Just doing my job, love.”


Excerpt 2 

Gemma’s heart raced as she followed Russell up the stairs. She’d almost lost her sister. That thought wouldn’t stop repeating in her mind. The amount of danger that seemed to follow her these days made her nauseous.
None of it made sense to Gemma, but Kendall was genuinely shaken by the things she saw, and it had set everyone on high alert. Elijah was now on his way to London for a business deal that had been in the works for a long time and couldn’t be put on hold, so Russell was stepping up security and running the entire operation in person. Now he wanted to ask her some questions. After weeks of avoiding her, they were going to be alone in a room together and she didn’t know how to handle it other than to be a smart ass.
“What did you want to ask me?” She dropped into the chair in front of the desk and waited for Russell to speak.
“I need to hear everything you can tell me about Jonathan Niel and his family.”
Gemma whistled. “Everything? That could take a while. How about you narrow it down for me a bit?”
He scowled, bringing his eyebrows together. “Did Niel know you were about to divorce Matthew?”
Gemma wrinkled her nose. “God, I hope not. But I suppose it’s possible that something leaked. He has an excellent PR team that monitors several issues that are important to him.”
“And what is important to him?”
She laughed. “Money. Power. The ability to snap his fingers and have a woman launch herself at his feet. He’s a total prick. Are you ever going to give in and flirt with me?”
He frowned. “You’re still married and now I’m in charge of your protection detail.”
She shook her head. “You’ve been in charge of it since I arrived in town, and we both know it. That didn’t stop you from kissing me the other night when my safe house was compromised.”
“I’ve already apologized for that. Now focus on my questions, please.”
“I’m so tired of being interrogated by people towering over me assuming I’m some weak little rich girl.”
He rolled his eyes but slid off the desk and sat in the chair beside her. “I’m not interrogating you. I’m asking questions that will aid in getting everyone back to a normal life.”
She folded her arms across her chest to hide the fact that her nipples had hardened under his dominant stare.
“I really don’t know how I can help. I haven’t actually spoken to Jonathan in over a year when he came to my office to talk about a business deal he wanted to push through.”
“Do you have access to a copy of that information?”
“Why is this important? He’s probably part of a murderous cult. Shouldn’t that be what we’re focused on.”
“I told you. Every detail, Gemma. This is an organization that does a lot of expensive work. We have to scrutinize any business deal made or attempted so that we can understand how they tick and see if we can find patterns that lead us to how they’re funding the organization.”
Gemma nodded. “Fair enough. I don’t know if I can access the information. I suppose since we’ve decided I’m not dead or missing anymore, it wouldn’t hurt to reach out to my assistant and get her to send me everything she can.”
Russell nodded. “Please do. And when you get done with that, you me and Holly are going to sit down and discuss safety protocols.”
“Oh, that ought to be fun.”
“Rule number one is no sass from either of you.”
She huffed. “You think because we both identify as submissive, you get to pull out the Dom card?”
He chuckled. “No lip, no sass, no bratty behavior. Are we clear, Gemma? Lives are at stake here.”
She waved him away. “Quit with the raised eyebrows and stern tone. I’m going to be good, but I’m a smart ass, and I won’t stop being a smart ass because you say so.”
“Then your smart ass may become a sore ass.”
“You say that like it’s a threat.”
He laughed and leaned closer to her. “Believe me, sweetheart. It is. Now go make your phone calls. We’ll talk again later.”
She gave him a salute followed by a middle-fingered wave as she backed out of the room. He tapped the buckle on his belt. Was he threatening to use it on her? The man didn’t have a clue.


Your book sounds so compelling!
 
Readers, you'll have to check out this read! Or, add it to your Goodreads bookshelf or save it to your BookBub wishlist!

How about some more teasers? ;)

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Note: All the spicier excerpts have been edited out of this post, to comply with the blog's guidelines. For more information, visit our blog policy.
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Looks sizzling...plus, a chance for a $20 Amazon gift card!

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!


GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Awesome! Thanks so much, Ivy!

Let's also give kudos to Ivy's sponsor:
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Grab a copy of this one! And don't forget to participate in the cool giveaway!

Discover the rest of the book tour here...

Thank you, Ivy, for letting us know all about your contemporary, erotic romance novel with some suspense. It sounds like quite a sexy, romantic tale!

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Ivy Nelson is an emerging contemporary romance author, hopeful romantic, and passionate advocate who is versed in all things steamy, sultry, and sensual. It all started back when she read her first steamy romance novel at the age of fourteen. From that point forward, it became her favorite genre--one she wanted to write in herself someday. Sylvia Day's writing style cemented that passion, and gave her just the inspiration she needed to be an author herself. In December of 2018, Ivy published her debut novel, Power Desired, at the age of 32.

Most recently, Ivy completed the "D.C. Power Games" series and the prequel to her forthcoming "Diamond Doms series", titled Hard (currently available for pre-order). In a not-so-distant past, she was a student affairs professional at a university and earned her political science degree, which explains her politically-driven romance debut.

When she isn't penning steamy scenes or attending writing conferences, you can find this contest-winning karaoke singer and bookworm passionately supporting human rights or growing her Sims 4 empire. She is also a wine aficionado and certified whiskey taster (no, really, she has the certificate to prove it). All that aside, Ivy loves spending quality time with her amazing son and husband of three years at their home in Houston, Texas.


Author links:
https://twitter.com/ivy_nelson_
https://www.ivynelsonbooks.com/
https://www.facebook.com/IvyNelsonBooks
https://www.instagram.com/ivynelsonbooks/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18650771.Ivy_Nelson

Thanks for stopping by to let us know about your new release, as well as your full series, Ivy! ♥
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Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age guest article here.

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0 Comments

Interview with Author Susan Mac Nicol

7/8/2013

0 Comments

 

My guest today is Susan Mac Nicol. Hello, Susan! Welcome to Writing in the Modern Age! It’s such a pleasure to have you here.

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book? When did it come out? Where can we get it?
  
book cover for Together in Starlight by Susan Mac Nicol depicting a mysterious handsome man staring straight at his audience

My latest publication is called Together in Starlight. It’s the second in my Starlight trilogy. It came out in February this year. 

Together in Starlight continues the story of Bennett Saville, an actor living in London with his fiancée, Cassie Wallace, a woman who’s ten years older than him. They met each other through fairly tragic circumstances in the first book, Cassandra by Starlight. After a rather tumultuous beginning, they’re still together. 

Bennett is on the road to stardom, being catapulted to fame through his theatre work in London and his current project as the leading man in a remake of ‘Lost Horizon’. Cassie is an astute business woman, who provides the love and support her lover needs in the crazy world of show business. She tends to put the brakes on him when he gets all ‘prima donna’ which is pretty often.

This couple get embroiled in any kind of trouble you can think of, I have to say. From suicides of jumping off motorway bridges, to schizophrenic mothers and psychotic stalkers, ex-husbands with a grudge and supernatural happenings, Cassie and Bennett are in the thick of it. They have a tendency to attract kooks and trouble in equal measures.

Is there anything that prompted your latest book? Something that inspired you?

The series as a whole was prompted by two things. One was an incident in my home town of Essex, when some idiot threw a concrete bucket from a foot bridge onto the motorway and badly injured the woman driving under the bridge at the time. The other was the presence of a rather wonderful actor here in the UK called Benedict Cumberbatch, who I love, and he just had to be the role model for the character of Bennett Saville. I am what is known in the ‘Cumber’ trade as a ‘CumberCougar’ and I follow this young actor’s career with interest and more than a few drools down my chin. I’ve never fangirled before. This whole obsession with an actor thing is very new to me.

Once I had my very own virtual Benedict Cumberbatch in the form of Bennett, and had a writer’s privilege to do absolutely anything I wanted with him, I began writing the story. Of course, the fact that Cassie is my own age has absolutely nothing to do with anything. I promise. Honest. I was not sitting there writing steamy sex scenes, thinking of….well, you know.

So, when did you know you wanted to write? Or has it always been a pastime of yours?

I’ve always written. Songs, poetry and novels. I have some poetry published on etherbooks and of course I have two full length novels and two short stories already published with my publisher, Boroughs Publishing Group. 

(*Gives a wry grin*) It appears that once I started I wasn’t able to stop.  I’ve now written nine full length novels, three of which are in the pipeline and contracted to Boroughs, awaiting publication. The other four are all completed, just waiting for an available slot to thrust at my poor editor and say , "Here, Jill, want another one?" I love to see her squirm…

I’ve also written a screen play based on my debut novel, Cassandra by Starlight, which I’d like to show around and see if I can stir some interest in making a TV series. But that’s a little ways away at the moment

Do you have any favorite authors? 

I do. My favourite author is Stephen King, creator of the slavering beast, Cujo and the psychotic, child eating clown, Pennywise. I love the way he writes, his characters and his descriptive scenes. I’m also a huge Jonathan Kellerman fan, and love his ‘Alex Delaware’ novels. But I’m also an avid reader of gay male romances and soak them up like the proverbial sponge. I have a lot of favourite authors in this genre and it’s really hard to pick one as being the top one for me. But if I did, it would be the amazing Josh Lanyon. He writes stories that make you feel the characters are real, interspersed with a lot of witty humour and I love that in a book. Kindle Alexander is another one of my absolute ‘must haves’. Along with A. J. Rose, L A. Witt, Sue Brown, Sage Marlowe, Rory Ni Colleain, Harper Fox, Susan Laine, Barbara Elsborg -the list goes on. (If I didn’t mention one of you, sorry, rest assured you are all still loved. I just ran out of breath.)

Do you write in a specific place? Time of day?

Hmm. I thrive on chaos when I write. So where better than to sit than in the corner of the couch in the lounge, with husband, daughter, son and dog constantly on the move, asking me questions I don’t hear because - honestly? I’m not bloody listening – and hearing the blare of the television, the echo of my daughter’s Walkman or whatever it is she’s got, and the panting of the dog as he’s just come from a walk and is knackered. Oh yes, it’s just as well I like chaos in my house. I have a study, but if I went up there, my family would never see me.

I have a full time day job in the lovely city of Cambridge. So I get home about six p.m., eat the food someone has prepared (I don’t cook much – luckily my family enjoy it but it’s not of my favourite things to do unless it’s heating up a microwave dinner). I then sit down, laptop on lap, and write until midnight, one am. Then it’s up as six a.m. to start the day again. This, ladies and gentlemen, is my life. I do love it, but I’d rather not have the day job, be in the country somewhere in my country manor, gazing out over the grounds while the handsome groundsman walks bare chested across the field with his gun.

Are there any words you'd like to impart to fellow writers. Any advice?

I belong to a writing circle and one of my buddies has this plastered across the top of his blog. “Writers write. The rest make excuses.” It’s sort of become our circle mantra. The best thing you can do as a writer is put the words down. Don’t wait for a good time, till the baby’s stopped teething, till the kids have left the house, the robins have roosted or the cake has baked. Just sit down, arse to chair and either pick up a pencil or pen and write on paper, or type onto a computer. But don’t procrastinate.

The other thing I’d strongly advise is start getting ready to be a guru of social networking. If you think your book is going to be published and the publisher is going to do everything for you – think again. Authors nowadays have a huge responsibility to market themselves and their skills themselves. An author needs to learn the skills of promotion and there’s no time to start building that ‘author community’ like the present. 

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Amazon, Shelfari, Goodreads, tumblr, Wordpress, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, Flickr, Soundcloud, Vimeo, YouTube –the list goes on. A personal website is a good choice and, of course, a blog.

I run seven Facebook accounts for role playing activities with my characters. I have nine Twitter accounts, ten Gmail addresses and heaven knows what else.  I am constantly trying to remember who I actually am. I also administer three Facebook pages. So it’s an intensive, hands on job but it has to be done.

The writing, dear writers, is the easy bit. The work comes after that first book has been signed for. You may as well get a head start now.

Here is the blurb for Together in Starlight.

For superstar actor Bennett Saville and his fiancée Cassandra Wallace, returning to “The Val” theatre in London means greed, lust, and ghosts from the past—and that’s off stage.

Bennett Saville is sexy. At the height of his career, the English star of stage and screen is everything a woman might desire, as fiancée Cassandra Wallace well knows. They’ve seen the world together, from L.A. to Shangri La. Yet shadows persist, even in the spotlight. At home they face lust, greed, and ghosts from their pasts—and that’s offstage. There is also “The Val”. Bennett’s aged London theatre holds a mystery four centuries old, cast in starlight, waiting to be shown. Intensely personal, impossibly passionate, that play must go on…and Cassie and Bennett must see it through together.

Here's an excerpt from Together in Starlight.

Bennett Saville stood at the window of his hotel room looking out over the Hengduan Mountains surrounding the mystical town of Shangri-La in Tibet. He’d been there nearly six weeks now filming his new movie, and had yet to tire of the view of the valley and the towering mountains that seemed to surround the hotel like a massive rock shield. The October sun shone down on the valley and the green fields surrounding the hotel.

Across the river in the distance he could see the small figures of farmers as they went about their business. Small white forms of sheep were speckled like popcorn about the grassy hills. He sighed, stretching his lanky frame, wincing as his muscles protested against the activity.

The day’s filming had taken its toll on him, not least of which was his backside from sitting on a mule most of the day. The mule had not particularly taken to him. He supposed wryly that when two immoveable and stubborn objects met there was bound to be some friction. He turned as someone swore behind him, and saw his fiancée, Cassie Wallace, struggling under the weight of her now packed suitcase as she manoeuvred it off the bed. She strained to pull the suitcase over to the door where it would wait to be taken down by the hotel porters in the morning.

He observed her with raised eyebrows. Despite his suggestion that she get a suitcase with wheels, she’d insisted on taking her tried and trusted old green one—the one with no wheels and which in itself was a fair weight even without the mountain of clothes inside it.

Cassie muttered as she gave the case one final kick in annoyance and looked up at him.

Her eyes challenged him to say something, anything. He turned away with a hidden smile.

She flopped down onto the bed and groaned. “I can’t believe we have to leave tomorrow.”

She opened her arms and spread them out behind her, her T–shirt straining at the move and showing the generous curves beneath. Seeing Bennett’s predatory look, she hastily sat up again in case he had any ideas about pouncing on her. They were due downstairs for their last lunch together with the rest of the cast and crew in about five minutes.

“I thought you were looking forward to getting home?” Bennett said. “You’ve been itching to get back to business. That phone of yours hasn’t stopped since we left London.”

He sat down on the bed beside her, his green eyes observing her, admiring her tanned skin from the sunshine of the Tibetan summer and the small freckles scattered across her cheeks and nose. Her strawberry-blond hair, worn long but now even longer past her shoulders, had streaks of gold where the sun had bleached it.

All in all, he thought the six-week holiday she’d had whilst he was filming had done her good. After the events of the last twenty-one months together, it was good to see her looking so perky, healthy and downright sexy.

She nodded. “I know. I am. It’s just that it’s so peaceful here. I know you’ve been filming but I’ve never seen you look so relaxed either. This trip has been good for both of us.”

He regarded her ruefully. “What with all the past events, you and your car accident, Eric’s death, Mum’s psychotic episode and you landing up in hospital again and that bloody Laura woman stalking me, I’m surprised we’re not both basket cases.”

She sighed. “I can’t believe our Tibet trip is nearly over. I know when you get back you’ll be busy filming in the London studios—Waverly is it?”

Bennett nodded. “It’s a huge and very sophisticated studio in Chalk Farm. It’ll be great seeing how the rest of the film comes together there.”

“Perhaps, Bennett, when we get home, I might be able to convince you not to fall asleep with such regularity at your desk,” Cassie said drily.

He grinned. Whilst he’d been in Tibet, many were the nights he’d fallen asleep in front of his laptop, his script open, various research websites being bookmarked and copious notes in his untidy, almost illegible scrawl in the margins of his script. He knew it drove Cassie to distraction.

“You know me, Cass. I’m a little obsessive.”

Cassie stared at him in amusement. “A little? Bennett, you disappear in the middle of the night to God knows where, for hours on end, stalking about, talking to yourself and looking like a crazy person.”

He smiled, knowing this to be true.

Cassie continued her diatribe. “You wander up into the mountains, down by the river and I never quite know where I’m going to find you or when you’ll be back. It can be quite dangerous out there.”

He shrugged. “When the muse is on me, Cass, I can’t help it. I need to get things perfect or it doesn’t work for me.”

“That’s all well and good, sweetheart, but if you hadn’t noticed, ignoring me doesn’t make me go away. And you can be such an autocrat. It’s your way or no way.”

He raised his eyebrows at her. “An autocrat? Cassie, that’s a bit cruel.”

Bennett grinned at the exasperated face of his fiancée. “I guess we should be getting downstairs for lunch. I was planning on an afternoon siesta with you but judging from the sound your stomach is making, I imagine you’re hungry again. I can’t make love to a starving woman. It’s too distracting.”

He stood up and reached out a hand to her. She took it as she stood up and they
walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind them.

Downstairs in the outside courtyard the lunch buffet was in full swing. The full cast and crew of Lost Horizon were helping themselves to a spread of both Chinese and Tibetan local fare including roasted yak which Cassie hadn’t wanted to try. Bennett found it delicious. But despite that, Cassie refused to taste it. He acknowledged that neither of them had developed the taste for the local butter tea.

Mingmei Cheng, Bennett’s co-star and love interest in the film, smiled when she saw them, wandering over to join them. She was stunningly beautiful, a slim exotic Mandarin woman with long black hair and small hands that waved like butterflies when she talked. Bennett was well aware that the one part about the making of the film Cassie couldn’t get used to was the on-camera love scenes and intimate moments between him and Mingmei. Although the film’s director, John Lammington, managed them tastefully and there was only what was needed on show, nothing gratuitous, he knew she still couldn’t bear to watch Bennett and Mingmei together in that way.

“Most of the time you’re half naked,” she’d grumbled when they’d talked about it recently.

He’d smiled at her discomfort. “Cassie, mostly I have my shirt off. My pants and everything else are still on for most of the scenes. And when they’re not, well, there’s not really any contact. Honest.”

She’d scowled. “Well, I still don’t like watching it. Mingmei is so beautiful and tiny and it just looks wrong when she has her hands all over your bare chest. Sometimes I want to scratch her porcelain face. That makes me a really bad person, Bennett.”

It hadn’t helped that he’d chuckled loudly at her comments. “You jealous harpy. You know I’m acting. I promise.”

Seeing them now, Mingmei smiled at them sweetly. “Bennett, Cassie,” she said softly in her lilting dialect. “I’m glad you decided to join us. I thought perhaps you might be having a siesta.” She smiled slyly.

Bennett smiled, watching Cassie’s face flush instantly. He did tend to have a proclivity towards afternoon ‘siestas’ with her when he could get them and it appeared the whole
crew knew about them.

“No, we were hungry and looking forward to lunch. I shall miss all of this when we get home.” Cassie waved a hand around at the tables laden with food.

Bennett looked at her with raised eyebrows. “The way you’ve been eating whilst we’ve been here I shall have to employ you your very own chef when we get home to keep you stocked up on Kung Pao chicken and roast pig.”

He frowned worriedly. “Actually, thinking about it, I think we should call the airport and pay to increase our baggage allowance. We might need to offset it against the extra weight in the plane when you get in.”

Cassie punched him hard in the arm making sure her knuckle was extended. He yelped and rubbed his arm but the smile didn’t leave his face. Mingmei watched on with amusement.

“You bastard!” Cassie hissed. “I can’t believe you just said that to me.”

Bennett realised he’d perhaps overstepped the boundary. Cassie was sensitive about the fact that she was older than him and always told him she had to work harder to keep her figure in shape. He loved it just the way it was.

He pulled her close, planting a kiss on top of her head. “You look wonderful to me, Cassie, just the way you are. I love your curves.”

She wasn’t mollified by his words, glaring at him fiercely. She was stopped from responding as John Lammington came up and slapped Bennett on the back.

“Bennett! Glad you could join us. We thought you’d gone for a lie down. I thought you might have been a bit stiff after riding that crazy animal this morning.” 

He winked at Cassie who felt her face blush red. The double entendre was not lost on anyone. Mingmei looked down, smiling.

Bennett chuckled softly as Cassie went even redder. “No, no siesta. The woman needed feeding again.”

He made sure to stay out of the way of Cassie’s fist as he wandered over to the table to pile a plate with food. Cassie muttered a rude but very audible swear word at him under her breath, making sure she piled her plate high. She sat next to Bennett at the long communal table. He was amused at her defiant stand.

“So, Bennett. Looking forward to getting back to London and the dreary October weather?” John took a swig of the local Lhasa beer he was partial to.

Bennett shrugged. “I’ve enjoyed it here. It’s been an incredible experience. But Dylan is chomping at the bit to get his latest production up and running. He opens in December and needs some help. So I’ll be giving him a hand at the Val in between filming the rest of Lost.” He looked at John wryly. “Assuming I have any free time at all, that is. You can be a real slave driver.”

The Val as it was lovingly known, real name the Valedictorian, was the theatre that Bennett, Cassie and Dylan owned in London. Dylan Donahue was Bennett’s best friend and business partner, and Bennett had given Cassie thirty-five percent of his shares when they got engaged last year. He’d thought it the perfect engagement gift. He knew she loved the ambience, the quirkiness, camaraderie and drama that went on there.

John chuckled. “Now, Bennett. That coming from one perfectionist to another.” John helped himself to another beer. “Isn’t Dylan’s play some sort of musical about some Australian lady gang?”

Bennett nodded. “It’s about the Razor Gang wars in the mid-1920s in Sydney. He’s done a hell of a job in getting something like that into a musical, but I think it works.”

John grinned. “I understand you aren’t contributing to the stage show. Not your ‘cup of tea’.” He mocked Bennett’s accent.

Bennett shook his head ruefully. “I’m not fond of singing in public and I’m not the greatest dancer. I’ll stick with drama rather than make a fool of myself trying to belt out a tune.”

“I can vouch for that statement,” muttered Cassie. Bennett saw she was still unforgiving about the weight comment. “Bennett has a tendency to be very noisy when he’s trying to sing Pavarotti in the shower.”

“But I do have other talents you like in the shower, sweetheart.” Bennett regarded her lazily, not wanting to be outdone. He sniggered as Cassie once again blushed pink.

John gave a great laugh. “You two really keep us all amused with your bickering, you know that? It’s been like having two teenagers on set.”

He stood up. “Well, packing beckons. I still have a ton of things to sort out before we leave tomorrow afternoon.” He looked gloomy. “I suppose we’ll be taking that dodgy tour bus to the local airport and then flying to Lhasa Airport for the flight home. It’s going to be a long couple of days to get home.”

John hadn’t enjoyed the bus ride to the hotel, having white-knuckled it all the way due to the driver’s fairly erratic driving narrowly missing the long drops over the side of the mountains. He sighed. “See you kids later.”

Bennett sat back in his chair, closing his eyes, enjoying the rays of the sun on his face. Hearing a little voice beside him, he opened his eyes to see little Soong Li, the daughter of one of the hotel managers, smiling shyly at Cassie as she held out a small carved wooden bird.

Cassie smiled at her as she sat up. “Hello Soong Li. This is beautiful. Is it for me?”

She leaned over and took the small bird gently from the child’s outstretched hand. “Did you make this yourself?”

The little girl nodded. “I want you to take it back home with you,” she said in slightly broken English. “To remind you of me and Shangri-La.”

Cassie often took the child on her travels with her, mule riding, climbing the nearby mountains and wading down in the river collecting any item of interest the pair could find. The little girl had taken a shine to Cassie and was constantly fascinated by the colour of her hair and the freckles appearing on her face.

Bennett watched the two together now, seeming so comfortable with each other. Cassie couldn’t have any children of her own. She’d been unable to do so even before his mother had attacked Cassie one evening and injured her so badly that it had simply cemented the fact that Cassie would never be a mother.

The closest they’d get would be Bennett’s five-year-old nephew, Sean, who lived with Bennett’s father at the family home. Bennett and Cassie enjoyed taking him out occasionally but were always glad to see him home to Edward’s.

Cassie hugged the child and Soong Li ran off to join her friends playing nearby. She looked over at Bennett, smiling. “If you’re finished stuffing your face, I suppose we could go for a walk down by the river. It’ll be the last chance we get.”

He extended his arm to her and they walked out of the hotel courtyard into the dusty road leading down to the river. It was quiet, the clouds settling low upon the horizon and the warm breeze slightly unsettling Cassie’s hair, causing it to blow across her face.

She brushed it back absentmindedly as she walked. “Have you spoken to Sean recently?”

Bennett was in the habit of calling his nephew with an update on how many yaks he had seen, what the stupid mule had done next and generally painting a vivid picture for the child of what it was like to be in Shangri-La.

Bennett nodded. “I spoke to him last night. Apparently he’d had a bad day at school, some kid pinched his lunch and when Sean found out, he punched him in the nose. Mary had to go down to the school and placate them.” He grinned. “I’d say he’s definitely a Saville.”

Cassie kissed him affectionately on the chin. “Given his uncle’s temper, it sounds like the fruit hasn’t fallen far from the tree albeit a little removed.”

Bennett’s temper was legendary, something he sometimes struggled to control. The last year had certainly tested this to the limit. More than once Cassie had found herself having to defuse him.

They’d reached the river now, sitting down on the grassy bank, taking off their shoes and planting their feet in the cool running water.

“Did you ever think we’d be where we are now?” asked Bennett suddenly. “I mean sitting here together in Shangri-La in Tibet. Sometimes it all seems rather surreal.” He glanced at Cassie as she watched the water run over her feet.

“You know I believe things happen for a reason,” she said slowly. “Everything has a purpose. I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing now than sitting here with you in this magical place. January last year I was just plain Cassie Wallace. Now I’m Cassie Wallace, engaged to a young, filthy rich, sexy man in her bed. Who could possibly have seen that coming?”

She leaned over and kissed him. He pulled her towards him and the kiss grew deeper and more intense. Bennett wound his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer, enjoying the feel of her warm body and the sunshine on his back. After a few hot and heavy moments they pulled apart.

“I think it’s time for that siesta,” Cassie said huskily, running her fingers down his chest, pausing on his flat stomach and slipping her hands under his loose shirt.

He drew a breath as her hands found the warm skin beneath. “I certainly don’t think we should carry on here, we have an audience,” he murmured, kissing her ear, his tongue darting in and out causing her to shiver.

Cassie looked up in panic and Bennett chuckled. “There’s no one watching, Cassie. I mean that lot over there.” He pointed to where half a dozen curious yaks were congregating by the river bank, observing them through large brown eyes. Cassie giggled when she saw them.

“Whilst I could quite gladly ravish you here and now, I don’t relish the thought of doing so with them watching me. I don’t like competition.” Bennett stood up, picking up his shoes.

Cassie did the same and together they walked back up to the hotel. The lobby was fairly quiet. Everyone was probably in their rooms packing for tomorrow’s early get away. Their hotel room was cool and the breeze wafted in through the open windows. No sooner had they closed the door than Bennett pulled Cassie towards him, his mouth finding hers again, his tongue running its way across her top lip and finally finding its way into her mouth.

Universal Reader link:  https://books2read.com/u/mB2vEM

 

Author Bio  

  picture of author Susan Mac Nicol

Sue Mac Nicol was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom. At the age of eight, her family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa where she stayed for nearly thirty years before arriving back in the UK in December 2000.

Sue works full time in the field of regulatory compliance for a company in the financial services industry in Cambridge. But she still finds time to work until the small hours of the morning doing what she loves best – writing. Since her first novel, Cassandra by Starlight, was penned, Sue has written the other two books in her Starlight trilogy, six other novels, two short stories and a screen play based on Cassandra. Her passion is keeping herself busy creating worlds and characters for her readers to enjoy.

Sue is a member of Romance Writers of America and Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. She is also a member of a rather unique writing group, called the Talliston Writer’s Circle, which in itself has a story all of its own to tell and lives in the rural village of Bocking, in Essex, with her family.

Her plan is to keep writing as long as her muse sits upon her shoulder. Her dream is to one day get that big old house in the English countryside overlooking a river, where she can write all day and continue to indulge her passion for telling stories.

Website - www.susanmacnicol.com

Twitter - @SusanMacnicol7

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/susiemax77

Blog -  http://susanmacnicol.wordpress.com/

 

The Whole 'Starlight Series': 

book cover image for Cassandra by Starlight by Susan Mac Nicol depicting an elegant man and woman standing together but she is turned away

Universal Reader Link:  https://books2read.com/u/braXKY

cover image for Together in Starlight

Universal Reader Link:  https://books2read.com/u/mB2vEM

book cover image for Forever in Starlight by Susan Mac Nicol depicting a couple standing with a starry background this is the final book of the trilogy

Universal Reader Link:  https://books2read.com/u/mZrEnB

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Changing Genres by Robin Leigh Morgan

5/24/2013

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Some of us who have chosen to write fiction come from a variety of places. And by 'a variety of places', I’m not referring to a physical location; I’m referring to our writing experiences.

There are some of us who have enjoyed writing since we were children, and each year, by writing something in school, it improved. For some of us, it continued until we graduated college and began working. Some of us entered the work force taking jobs, which required us to write, whether it was procedures, handbooks/manuals, or news stories. But all of these are non-fiction, and each one has a set of “rules” that need to be followed to write something well enough to be acceptable.

As for myself, while my regular job did not require me to write, for eleven years I wrote articles (commentaries/viewpoints) of what was happening in my community and my feelings about it. When I started to write these items, my writing skills were not honed. I didn’t have my ideas organized in a tight manner, although my writing had been informative. By the time I’d written my last item, I’d become quite adept at it.

When I started to write fiction, I somehow drifted to writing a contemporary romance story with a paranormal element running through the storyline, but after almost nine years I still hadn’t completed it. That is, until someone suggested I should write for a much younger audience, which is what I did, culminating in my first YA Paranormal/Time Travel/First Kiss romance novel entitled I Kissed a Ghost.

Anyway, making the transition from non-fiction to fiction, I’ve had to learn a new set of rules on how to write. Most of these involved dialogue, showing not telling, where before I just told. I now had to learn about the use of tags. I had to learn not to be overly descriptive of something, but allow my reader to create the image for themselves in their minds. In the beginning I found it hard to break my old writing habits. Now I’m finding myself with these habits essentially gone. The biggest issue I still have, and am trying to get a good handle on, is POV (Point of View). Regardless of what’s happening or being said it has to be in one character’s perspective, and you can’t flip-flop between two characters within a scene. There needs to be a transition from one character to another. 

All these things have helped me mold myself into the author I am today. I’ve also learned there are additional rules within a genre, depending on the sub-genre you’ve decided to write in. These rules apply to the dialogue spoken, which needs to be true to the time period you’re writing in, as well as how your characters are dressed, and their titles, if any, as is the case with the Regency sub-genre of romance novels. 

So as you can see, writing is not merely a string of words you put together. There are rules that need to be followed if you’re to be well received by your readers.   

If you have any questions, I’d love to hear from you.

Guest Blogger Bio

 author logo for Robin Leigh Morgan but it shows a cute tabby kitten with a blue background

I’m a retired NYC civil servant who has been married for 19 years with no children. We have two senior cats, a Maine Coon with diabetes, and a calico. My first YA Paranormal/Time Travel/First Kiss romance novel is entitled I Kissed a Ghost. For my second romance novel I’ve returned to writing the untitled contemporary romance I wrote about in my post.

I Kissed a Ghost is available on Amazon at: 

http://www.amazon.com/Kissed-Ghost-Robin-Leigh-Morgan/dp/1480030031  

Due to an unexpected delay the Kindle version should become available around May 13th.

If anyone would like to read several UNEDITED SNIPPETS from the book, you can find them under the category of “GHOSTLY WHISPERS” on any my blog sites:   

http://www.mypennameonly.blogspot.com or http://www.mypennameonly.webs.com

You can also find me on:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mypennameonly              

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mypennameonly                  

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/RobinLeighMorgan

book cover for I Kissed A Ghost by Robin Leigh Morgan showing a preteen girl sitting on the steps outside her pretty house while looking at a boy ghost

Universal Reader Link: 

books2read.com/u/4joAqD

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Interview with Author Nancy Wood

5/13/2013

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My guest today is Nancy Wood. Hello, Nancy! Welcome to Writing in the Modern Age! It’s such a pleasure to have you here.

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book? When did it come out? Where can we get it?
book cover for Due Date by Nancy Wood which depicts the outline of a pregnancy lady with a backgdrop of a barren tree and a desert sunset

My latest book is my first book. It’s called Due Date and it was published by Solstice Publishing in May, 2012. It’s a thriller: there are no dead bodies, but it will keep you on the edge of your seat! You can find it on Amazon, Barnes &Noble, Smashwords, and in the Solstice store. 

Is there anything that prompted your latest book? Something that inspired you? 

Due Date originally started out as a story of an open adoption and the somewhat difficult relationship between the intended mother and the birth mother. I took this book to a publishing workshop, where I was encouraged to change it into a mystery. At first I was skeptical. I had no idea how to write a mystery. Where to start it? How do you plant clues? How do you keep tension? But I started reading exclusively in the genre and began to study how mysteries and thrillers are put together. Now I’m hooked: I seem to gravitate toward this genre and rarely read or write anything else! 

Great! So, when did you know you wanted to write? Or has it always been a pastime of yours?
 
I’ve been writing for a long, long time. In fourth or fifth grade, I started writing a mystery with a friend of mine. I’d love to find that manuscript now! I’ve been writing in earnest for about twenty-five years and have a few unpublished books under my belt: a memoir and two novels. I have published a few short stories over the years. Due Date took about five years from start to finish, so I’m pretty slow!

Do you have any favorite authors? 
 
I’d have to say that mystery/thriller authors are now my favorite authors. As I mentioned above, when I decided to write a mystery, I dove into the genre, and started out by reading the First Novel Edgar nominees for the past several years. I was floored by all or it: the characters, the settings, the plots. An Edgar nominee that I read and re-read is called A Field of Darkness.  The author is Cornelia Read. The protagonist, Madeline Dare, is funny, brave, heroic, and complex. The novel has nuanced characters and a strong sense of place. But the writing was the best: Ms. Read’s writing just sparkles. A Field of Darkness made me understand the genre could hold anything a writer wanted to make of it.

Do you write in a specific place? Time of day?

Every morning, before breakfast, and before other family members get up, I’m at the keyboard. I try to write for an hour first thing, every day. I sometimes sit on the sofa with my laptop, but lately I’ve taken to writing in my office. The window looks out on the huge palm tree in our front yard (yes, here in Santa Cruz in Central California, there are palms), and I can watch the day begin. On good writing days, I’m reluctant to switch computers (I have two – one for writing, one for work) and start on whatever technical documentation is at hand. On bad writing days, I’m so thankful I can get to something that’s structured and known and knowable!
 
Are there any words you'd like to impart to fellow writers. Any advice?

Read everything you can in your genre. And keep writing. That’s key. Just like everything, your writing will get stronger with practice.

Here is the blurb for Due Date.

Surrogate mother Shelby McDougall just fell for the biggest con of all—a scam that risks her life and the lives of her unborn twins.

Twenty-three year-old Shelby McDougall is facing a mountain of student debt and a memory she’d just as soon forget. A Rolling Stone ad for a surrogate mother offers her a way to erase the loans and right her karmic place in the cosmos. Within a month, she's signed a contract, relocated to Santa Cruz, California, and started fertility treatments.

But intended parents Jackson and Diane Entwistle have their own agenda--one that has nothing to do with diapers and lullabies. With her due date looming, and the clues piling up, Shelby must save herself and her twins. As she uses her wits to survive, Shelby learns the real meaning of the word “family.” 

Here is an excerpt from Due Date. 

Chapter One

 

The Beemer driver, right on our tail, tapped his horn a few times, and sat on it. My brother Dexter swerved the SUV toward the dented guard rail separating the gravel shoulder from a steep drop into the Santa Cruz mountain valley below. But the BMW driver didn’t take the hint. He just edged closer, veering in and out of the lane, still trying to pass. 

“What the...?” shouted Dexter as the Beemer’s right front fender hooked our left rear with an explosive crunch.

Suddenly we were sliding out of control, skidding across the narrow road as if it were black ice. Dexter fought the wheel and pumped the brakes, but the pedal plunged to the floor. Yelling “Hold on,” he yanked the parking brake. 

Metal screeched and our CRV fishtailed to the right, jerking to a halt inches from the cliff. Dexter turned the ignition off and there was welcome silence.  

He whacked the steering wheel with the palm of his hand.

“I am so dead,” he groaned. “Jessica is going to kill me.”

He reached over to unclip my seat belt then looked at me, horrified. “Jesus, Shelby, we need to get you to a doctor.”

“I’m fine,” I said, cradling my substantial belly with both hands. “Thank God the airbag didn’t go off.”  

“If I ever catch that asshole...” Dexter tried to start the car but the engine just whirred, clicked, and died. He swore, wiggled his phone out of his pocket, pressed the on button, and swore again. He shook it, as if that would help. “Can I try yours?”

“If you can find it,” I said.

I gestured behind me, where my entire life was crammed into boxes, suitcases, and duffel bags. 

“Don’t have that much time. Gotta get you and those babies to a doctor.”

He opened the car door. “I’ll be back in a half-hour, tops,” he said. “Don’t go anywhere.” 

He grinned at me. We both knew I wouldn’t.  

I watched his bright red t-shirt disappear through the redwood grove up the twisting road, under the blue California sky. He’d be at least an hour. Dexter never could tell time. 

I angled the seat back and was rewarded with the familiar poke of a baby foot between my lower ribs, then another on my left side. See? I wanted to tell Dexter, we’re all fine. All three of us. And just because you’re my big brother, you can’t always tell me what to do. 

I reserved that privilege for Jackson and Diane Entwistle, the intended parents of my unborn twins. Although we didn’t know each other that well yet, Diane insisted on taking me in now that Jessica, Dexter’s pushy wife, had kicked me out. So instead of being shoe-horned into an all-purpose office-guest-craft room, I’d have my own cottage. Six hundred square feet all to myself on their expansive Santa Cruz mountain ridge-top estate. Even though the arrangement would only last a few months, until the babies were born, I was looking forward to quiet country living.

I locked the doors, twisted around in the seat for my purse, and busied myself in a fit of organization. I excavated gum wrappers, used movie tickets, wadded up tissues, balls of hair from my brush, bits of broken shells I’d collected on my morning beach walks, keys to Dexter’s house that I wouldn’t be needing anymore, and a dangly red and white African beaded earring I’d assumed was long lost. The trash went in one pile, the earring in my coin purse, and I stashed the keys to my former life in the glove box. 

I’d just have to remember to tell Dexter they were there.

 

* * * *

Forty-five minutes later, I was flipping through the Sunset magazine I’d found under the passenger seat when I smelled smoke. 

Campfires weren’t unusual up here in the hills, where there were at least three state parks, and at first the tendril of what looked like mist winding through the upper redwood canopy didn’t worry me. I was reading about kitchen makeovers, something I couldn’t yet imagine at twenty-three, but maybe someday, after the babies were born, after I finished graduate school, after I found that perfect guy. 

Then I started coughing. And I looked up again. The smoke was as dense as beach fog on a summer morning. This was no campfire. 

I felt a sudden surge in my throat: on the side of the road, near the hairpin curve where Dexter had disappeared, licks of red and orange flame were traveling lazily up the trunk of a spindly shrub. I jumped as it ignited with a crack, sparking in fiery traces like a welding torch. 

As quickly as I could, I unlocked the door and eased out, trying not to look down. A slope as steep as a ski jump yawed beneath my feet. Only an inch of slippery gravel lay between the toes of my flip-flops and the lip. I baby-stepped around the car, taking peeks up the hill, hoping I’d see Dexter running toward me, arms outspread in a victory lap. 

If you wanted something enough, the universe would provide, right? But only a backdrop of flames glowed through the swirling smoke. 

Now whole trees were hissing in the distance as they burned. A power line sparked in a deafening pop. I looked around for my best escape route. I couldn’t follow Dexter. No one could navigate that path, not even a fully-suited firefighter with an oxygen tank. I knew Dexter was somewhere safe by now. Probably as worried about me as I was.

I waddled fast downhill, and ten minutes later, I was in almost-clear air again, the blaze just a memory clinging in sooty, sweaty rivulets to my hair and clothes. My eyes still burned and my tongue felt singed, but a familiar blue sky arched above and the feathery ash only floated down occasionally, gentle as mist. 

I knew it would be just a matter of time before the fire caught up to me, though, and I couldn’t walk forever. 

As if my prayer had been answered, the faint whine of an engine percolated the still afternoon. Gears ground as the vehicle labored up the grade. I dodged off the road and crouched behind a tree. Maybe it was the hormones, but paranoia had been a constant companion since I signed my surrogacy papers. Nobody liked surrogates, I’d learned, especially once they realized the amounts of money involved. 

But I needed a lift. Shaking off my worries, I straightened up, ready to flag down the vehicle. “Shelby Emma Stearns McDougall,” I said. “Get a grip.” 

Above me, a pair of crows squawked, raspy and piercing. I adjusted my huge belly, leaned back against the tree trunk, and waited.

 

Author Bio
a smiling photo of author Nancy Wood

Nancy lives in Santa Cruz, California, with her family, where she’s been lucky enough to make writing her career. For many years she made her living as a technical writer, working in software documentation. About six years ago, she set up her own shop and is now a writing consultant and contractor, happy to spend every day grappling with words and sentences. 

Due Date is Nancy’s first published book and she’s now hard at work on the second book in the Shelby McDougall series.


Connect with Nancy here:

Website: www.nancywood-books.com

Facebook Fan page: http://www.facebook.com/NancyWoodAuthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6452303.Nancy_W_Wood

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NancyWoodAuthor

Awesome!  Thanks, Nancy, for visiting Writing in the Modern Age today!  Your book sounds interesting!

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    Attention

    The fact is…our policy has changed considerably, at least for a while. Check out our 'Blog Policy' for more information about the types of features offered, how you can purchase a guest spot, my policy on review requests, and rules for guest writers. Starting from September 2021, I will be charging for some types of posts. There is no fee for a guest article, as long as you adhere to the blog's theme. I also will not charge for most blog tour/virtual tour features and big multi-author events which I host (these are giveaways or participation questions, and it's obvious what you're providing). If you'd like to submit a guest book review (no, I don't write book reviews, please don't ask me), I will not charge you. There WILL BE a fee for new release features, cover reveals, Author's Bookshelf features, author interviews, character interviews, and poetry spotlights. For companies that can afford a sponsored post, we'll discuss a reasonable quote. Email me at

    marieannlavender@

    gmail.com 

    if you wish to participate in a promo or feature. Feel free to approach me with your creative ideas about a blog post. Booking for Writing in the Modern Age starts again for September 2021 at this point. Slots are always first come, first served; but if you have a specific release date, we may be able to help you with certain arrangements. So, contact us and reserve a spot! Refer to the 'guest schedule' at the top of the screen for further clarification about availability. Thanks for understanding.


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    Thoughts and opinions by guest authors do not necessarily represent any thoughts and opinions by this website's administrator, nor are they directly endorsed. All writings on the blog are subject to review and editing. Please visit our blog policy to understand the site's theme a little better.

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