Pianissimo Page 69 Trial

In celebration of the release of Pianissimo, here is the excerpt for the page 69 trial. After reading this, you might just want to get your hands on a copy! ;)

“Margaret!” Agnes called from the other bedroom. “Come see what I just found!”
Margaret walked in from the living room.
Agnes stood proudly in the closet door frame holding up a pair of black trousers.
“What…?”
“They’re pants! These are my father’s trousers!” She looked down at them. “I can’t believe they’re here. I
had no idea. I thought all of his belongings were long gone.”
“What do you intend to do with them?”
“Well I think I should wear them!”
“What?” Margaret laughed.
Agnes pulled the pants on under her dress.
Margaret laughed hysterically. “Now that, my love, is quite the fashion!”
“I agree. It is all the rage in Paris!”
“I could only imagine.” Margaret chuckled.
Agnes began walking around the room. “I must say, I do quite like this.”
“You do?”
“It would be better with just a blouse rather than this dress. This is comfortable, though.” She sat in the chair. She sat with her legs open and she leaned back in the chair. “So this is what it feels like to be a man! Oh this is so much better than having to act like a dreadful lady. You may sit anyway you choose. You may slouch. You need not worry about posture or appearing inappropriate. Oh this is wonderful! You should try it, Margaret. I think you shall enjoy this as much as I.”
Margaret chuckled again. “I’m not quite so sure of that. I think I shall leave you to be the man. I am quite comfortable as I am.”
Agnes quickly pulled the pants off, bundled them up and tossed them at Margaret. “Spoil sport!” She teased.
Margaret leaned back in laughter. “Oh you are too much!”
“Shall we keep them, then? You may parade around the house as Michael, not Margaret.”
Again Margaret burst into laughter. “Oh sweet Agnes! This is why I love you so! Only you could make me laugh like this.”
Agnes walked over and kissed Margaret on the forehead. “And this is why I love you so. You laugh at my silly humor and you understand me like no one else can.”
Margaret looked up and smiled at her. “We truly are two of a kind.”
“Indeed. We are perfect together.” Agnes smiled back.

Dear Diary,
Today was brimming with news. We – or at least I – felt inundated with change.
First, the day brought us an unusual situation. Nathaniel Adams, Lacy’s husband, came over. He apologized for his wife’s behavior. Multiple times, actually. He seemed so genuinely embarrassed, saddened and apologetic. They clearly had a difference of opinion about us.
He called on us to see if Margaret would be willing to let bygones be bygones and to teach their children, Richard and Abigail, how to play the piano.
Margaret, being the wonderful woman that she is, was more than happy to provide lessons for them.
He was so appreciative of her kindness. He’s a good man. How he ended up with such a hag as herself, I do not know or understand. It’s wrong and hateful of me to say such things, I know. Our conversation today has really changed my perspective on their family, and on her.
Regardless, he is a good man, and Margaret will gladly educate his children. Perhaps this will change Lacy. Even more hopefully, this could possibly bridge a friendship between her and us.
In other news, the war has finally come to an end. A second world war. How tragic that our world has turned into this. Dictators killing people. Countries attacking and controlling other countries. Hatred, fear, propaganda, massacre. Sad, so tragic and sad. All I can do is shake my head, for I can’t even fully understand how things have come to this.
What changes – both good and bad – we have experienced in our lifetimes. Two world wars. Airplanes and automobiles becoming common household and commonly used items. Technological changes like radios and moving pictures. Prohibition. From the Roaring Twenties to the Great Depression. We have seen it all.
Truth be told, I worry about the future. We have watched such horrible and brutal acts like those of Hitler and Stalin. If our world today can create such monsters, what else lies ahead?
I’m quite happy the war is over. It is nice to be able to breathe and not worry about friends and loved ones who must see the atrocities of war. One less thing to fret about, I suppose. I pray that this peace is one that lasts not just for decades, but for centuries. May this bring the end of such death, anger, and evil. 
Thankfully, the news of the day was all good. It was different, but all so wonderfully positive. I suppose all of this news proves that every day does prove to be an adventure. With that thought, I shall retire and see what tomorrow will bring.
Until then, good night.
Agnes.

Darryl and Corinne Richards purchase their first house. With Darryl’s army career coming to a close, they feel ready to settle down in Louisville, Kentucky. With impeccable timing, Darryl is sent on one final tour, leaving Corinne to live in this new house and new city alone. 

Overwhelmed, Corinne becomes reclusive, living a quiet, boring life with her cats as she adjusts to her new surroundings. The problem is: someone or some thing does not want her life to be either quiet or boring. And then there’s the creepy piano in the basement… 

There is more to that creepy, dilapidated piano and her new home than Corinne could ever imagine. Through highs and lows, twists and turns, she begins to understand that even the most softly played music is powerful – and that even soft realizations and quietly subtle changes can have a profound effect. 

"So much to enjoy! The stories flow together so beautifully, I felt transported back in time to peek into Agnes and Margaret’s deep and abiding love for each other, and back to the present day to be with Corinne as she investigated the house she and her military husband bought just before he shipped out for his last tour of duty. Exciting and wondrous exploration of a time and situation, written with grace and delightful style.” -Shay Norgaard-Melton                                                                                                    

Get your copy here!  http://www.amazon.com/Pianissimo-Lauren-Shiro/dp/0692310819/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413984212&sr=8-1&keywords=lauren+shiro

Katie's Page 69 Trial

Happy Thursday, gang!

Today, I am sharing Katie's page 69 trial since her book, The Vet Student, is officially out! ;)



Metallica came running over to her.

Jen looked up at Katie as she was petting Metallica.

“She’s awesome!” Katie exclaimed.

Jen smiled.

“Do you have any questions or concerns about her?”

Jen shook her head. “Not really.” She redirected her towards Katie.

Metallica trotted over and jumped right onto Katie’s lap.

Like she had with Tito, Katie looked her over. “Her fur is so soft!” she said as she ran her hands up and down Metallica’s lean body.

“Can I get you anything?” Jen asked. “Coffee?”

“That would be great, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“No, not at all.” Jen slowly rose to her feet. She carefully walked over to the kitchen and began making the coffee.

As she did, Katie blitzed through all of the cats’ exams.

It wasn’t long before Jen hobbled back into the living room.

“Here you go.” Jen placed the mug of coffee next to her. “I really can’t thank you enough for taking care of everyone. I really do appreciate it.”

“It’s no big deal. I’m happy to help. Besides, I got to meet all of your troops, and you told me all about Liz and her truck!” Katie laughed.

Jen smiled. “You’re a good person, Katie. I’m really glad Linda found you.”

“Oh! Thank you. That means a lot to me. Since meeting everyone, I’ve really felt a connection to you. Probably because we’re both animal people. But I love the sense of peace and tranquility that you have. That despite your illness, you’re happy. And you still give and do so much. I really respect and admire you, Jen. So hearing that from you really means a lot to me. Thank you.”

“You are very welcome.” Jen smiled again.



Happy reading, gang!

Oops! I forgot Jen's Page 69 Trial, so here it is! :)

Good Thursday morning, world!

In looking back, I see that I didn't give y'all Jen's page 69 trial.




So, without further ado, here's the equivalent of a page 69 trial for Jen, The Shelter Director.




Hearing the door was close was a harsh wake up call for Jen. She was alone now. Liz had been off for so long to tend to her, and now the idea of being alone and home-bound was hitting her hard. She felt good today, though. Knowing that she needed to get into a new routine, she decided to clean the house.

After dusting, scrubbing, and spraying, the time to vacuum had come. The vacuum was upstairs. Jen figured she’d just vacuum the upstairs, bring the vacuum down with her, but she’d let Liz haul it back up when she got home. It seemed like the perfect plan.
Jen thoroughly vacuumed the master bedroom, the hallway, and guest bedroom. It took longer than she had expected; she was starting to tire, and feel sore.

“I can’t believe I’m tired already.” She said to herself.”No, I should be gentle with myself. I’ve done a lot today. But boy do I hate the idea of leaving the downstairs un-vacuumed. There’s no rush. I can do it. I’ll just take my time.”
With all of her might, she dragged the vacuum to the top of the stairs. She grabbed the railing with her right hand, the vacuum with her left, and slowly stepped down to the first step.”Okay, that wasn’t too bad.” Jen thought.
She stepped down to the next step, again without issue.

As she started to walk down to the next step, she could feel she was losing her grip on the vacuum. Without thinking, she took her right hand off the railing to grab the vacuum. Putting all of her weight to the side to keep the vacuum from falling, Jen began to lose her equilibrium. She tried to steady her balance, but the vacuum was too heavy and it pulled her down.
She lost her grip on the vacuum and it bounced around until it the floor with a deafening crash. Jen fell forward. She tried to curl into a ball as the stairs tossed her around like a ping pong ball. She finally fell with a thud, lying on her stomach; she was unsure of where her arms and legs were. She felt her body ache all over, and yet her limbs felt numb. She couldn’t really feel them.

As she lay on the floor, she was thankful for the carpeting on the stairs and floor. How much worse could it have been if they had been a hard surface?

Jen lay there for a moment, in extreme agony and embarrassment. The vacuum lay just a few feet in front of her; small parts were scattered all around. She didn’t feel that she had the strength to get up. She tried to breathe deeply. It was hard. Between laying on her chest and her sore body, it was difficult at best. The longer she lay on the floor, the more comfortable she became. She knew, though, that she couldn’t stay there forever. She had to get up.

As Jen continued to lay still, she could feel one of the cats come up to her. The others had surely hidden in fear from the noise. Their beautiful Japanese Bobtail, Metallica, came up to ensure that Jen was alright. She walked delicately in front of Jen. With what little strength she had, Jen petted her soft orange and white fur.

“Oh sweetie, you’re so good. There is something very special about you.” Jen weakly said to her.”You are wise and gentle. And you’re always concerned about everyone else.”

With a few sniffs, Metallica knew that Jen was going to be alright, so she quietly walked away and watched as Jen tried to get up.

Slowly, painfully, she rolled over. As she did, she saw that her cell phone had fallen out of its belt clip, but was within arm’s reach. As gingerly as possible, Jen reached out for her phone. She gently pulled it towards her, and hit 3 on the speed dial.



Hope you liked it! ;)

Happy reading!

Maria's Page 69 Trial

Hey gang!

Happy Thursday before a 3 day weekend! ;)

As if you needed more reasons to read The Writer, here is Maria's Page 69 Trial.

Enjoy!!!




Marisol’s number came up. Maria reached for the phone and answered.

“Hello sister!” She answered jovially.

“Hola.” Marisol was short and curt.

“What’s wrong?”
“Necesitamos hablar, hermana.”

“Why? What do we need to talk about?”

Marisol sighed heavily into the phone. “Tu novia. And I really wish you would speak in Spanish.”

“Why? What difference does it make? Is it because of her? She lives with me now. She’s just in the other room. And you forget, she speaks Spanish, too. Whether it’s in English or Spanish, she will understand just the same.”

“Fine.” Marisol huffed. “There is a problem with her.”

“There is? What’s the problem?”

“She…” Marisol paused for several moments. “She is not right. She is not good. Even Mama says it.”

“What? Why? What isn’t good? What did Mama say?”

“Look at her. She is how much younger than you? She is digging for gold! She is using you.”

“There is no gold digging here as she makes far more money than I.”

“I don’t like it. I don’t trust her.”

“Why? What is there to not like? Why are you distrustful?”

“Even Mama doesn’t like her.”

Maria stood up and began pacing around the room. “You are not answering my questions. Why don’t you like her? I must admit, it’s especially difficult to accept and believe coming from you. You didn’t like Adelaide. Everyone else liked her. You were the only one in the family that did not come to her funeral. So for you to tell me that Stephania is bad is just…unbelievable. Show me – tell me. Give me a good reason why.”

“Look at her background. Look at her job! Can you really respect anyone that does that for a living? She’s a who…”

“Don’t you dare say that word, Marisol! If you knew anything of her or her work, you would know that’s not true.”

“Look at you defending her and rationalizing. Who are you trying to fool? We don’t believe that and you know that you don’t believe that, either.”

“I believe in what I see and what I know. I have seen every image from every shoot she has ever done. There is nothing to defend because there is nothing offensive there.” Maria stopped, and took in a deep breath. “Now, tell me the truth or hang up. I do not need this in my life.”

“Mama doesn’t like her. She said she is too young. She said that she just didn’t like her here. She said that your precious little trophy girlfriend is not right, and that she does not belong in this family. She thinks you are throwing your life away; wasting it on some stupid girl. You are intelligent, she is not.
“So what if she is making more money than you now? Hers is a career that won’t last forever. She’ll use you to support her and her shopping habits or drinking habits or drug habits or whatever have you!”

“Mama said that?”

“Yes.”

“Our mother said all of that? When she and Stephania joked around like two school girls? When Mama told me she was happy to see me with someone again? When Mama hugged and kissed her and told her she loved her when we left? I find that all very hard to believe.”

Marisol took several deep breaths. “We have wanted to say this to you for a while. Meeting Stephania was the last straw for Mama.” There was a long pause. “Maria, Mamá doesn’t like that you’re gay. She doesn’t approve of you being with other women, especially one that is younger than you. She thinks your life is an abomination, and she fears you going to hell when you die.
“She asked me to do this because she does not have the strength to argue. She cries herself to sleep every night and prays for your salvation every morning.
“This needs to stop. For yourself, for your family, for your mother. Please, Maria. Change your ways. Be the good Catholic Mamá raised you to be.”

Maria looked at the phone and shouted, “I am Catholic!”

“Not as long as you’re living that lifestyle. Please. Mamá said she can’t see you until you leave this sinful life.”

“Do not make me choose between my spouse and my family. I can’t do it.”

“You are making that decision as long as you continue to be that way. Don’t come around until she is gone. Neither of you are wanted here.”

There was a click, and then there was silence. A brutal, awful silence. A silence that slashed Maria’s heart in two. A silence that weighed heavily on her shoulders. A silence that strangled her.

Stephania walked into the room; she stopped when she saw Maria standing motionless. “What’s wrong?”

Maria bit her lip, trying not to cry. “Nothing, mi amor. I just need to be alone for a while.”

“Uhhh…okay. If there’s anything you need, tell me.”

“Thank you,” she hacked out the words.

Stephania slowly backed out of the room and left Maria in that deafening, murderous silence.

Brynn's Page 69 Trial

It's Thursday...AGAIN!




Today's gift is the Page 69 trial for Brynn.




So, without further ado, here is a little teaser for ya! ;)



“No place is safe anymore.” Her mother said quietly.
“I know it. So, I got a name. And then today, I got an address for him! I’m gonna get Donna in on this and we’re gonna take him down together.”
“Sounds dangerous.”
“It is. But we’re probably going to have SWAT and a ton of back up with us, so everything should be okay.”
“Should be.”
“I know you worry, Mom. But you know I’m not careless. I’m not going into anything unarmed or alone or anything. We’re going to get this guy and bring him to justice for shooting John.”
“You sound so much like your father.” Julia said.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing!” Brynn teased.
“You know I worry about you. You’re my youngest child. And your sister is sick. I don’t want anything to happen to you too.”
“I know, Mom. Don’t worry. We’re going to be careful; we’re going to outnumber him. We’re going to make sure this ends well for John, for Donna…for Doylestown! If we can get a scumbag like that off our streets, that would be wonderful!”
“Yes, it would.” Julia acquiesced. “Just be careful.”
“I will, Mom.”


Happy reading! ;)

Stephania's Page 69 Trial

Howdy, partners!

Today I am teasing you with Stephania's equivalent to a page 69 trial.

Enjoy...




It was around ten in the morning, but both Maria and Stephania were still walking around the
house in their pajamas.

Maria had decided to work from home since the girls had been out so late.

Stephania was taking it easy since she had the shoot with Linda tomorrow. She had just leaned
back in her chair, propped her feet up on her desk and took a sip of her coffee when the business
phone line rang.

“Hello?” Stephania answered after hurriedly swallowing the very hot coffee. She tried not to
cough into the phone.

“Hi, is this Steph-ah-NEE-ya?” The woman’s voice on the other phone clearly struggled with the
pronunciation of Steph’s name.

“Steph-AHN-ya.” She corrected the other woman. “Yes, this is she.”

“Hi, this is Susan from Peter’s office.”

“Hi Susan, how are you?”

“I am doing well, thanks for asking. I’m calling for Peter. He’s home sick with the flu.” Susan
explained.

“Oh poor Peter! If you talk to him later, please tell him I hope he feels better.”

“I will,” Susan replied. “Anyway, we just got a call for a shoot for you that Peter thinks you’d be
very interested in.”

“Okay, go on.”

“Well, you were requested for a cover shoot of…Curve Magazine.”

“Are you kidding? You’re kidding, right? This is some kind of a prank, isn’t it? A belated April
Fool’s? Peter would do something like that…”

“No.”

“This is for real?!”

“This is for real.” Susan answered.

Stephania could not believe this. There was no way this was happening. “You’re sure they
wanted me?”

“Yes, they wanted you. They’ve seen your portfolio and your wonderful work for the gay
community. They would like to do a cover shoot and an article.”

Steph gently put the phone down on the desk and then proceeded to scream and jump around
the room.

Maria scurried in to come see what was wrong.

Steph waited a moment, took a deep breath, and picked up the phone again.

Maria just stood there, puzzled.

“I’m sorry, Susan. I just needed a moment,” Steph cleared her throat. “Peter was correct. I
would love to do this shoot.” She could hear laughter on the other end of the phone.

“Great! I’ll have one of the Curve reps call you and we can get you all set.”

“Thank you.” Stephania said, trying desperately to maintain her composure.

“Sure. We’ll talk again soon.” Susan hung up.

“Would you care to explain why you gave me a heart attack?” Maria demanded.

Stephania put the phone down. “Well…” She said slowly, playing this out. “I got an offer for a
shoot and…”

“And?” Maria cut her off.

“It’s for the cover of Curve! They want to do a shoot and an article!”

Now it was Maria’s turn to scream. She hugged Steph and the two began to dance around the
office.

Finally out of breath, Maria said, “This has been your dream for years! That’s great! I’m so
happy for you. Congratulations, baby. So when is the shoot?”

“One of the reps from Curve will call us. Knowing everyone at Peter’s office, they’ll call later
today.”

Maria squealed with excitement.

Stephania paused, and then her eyes lit up. “I’d better hit the gym! I have to look good. I’m
about to be on the cover of Curve!”

She slammed her coffee mug down, gave Maria a peck on the cheek and ran out the door.

Linda's Page 69 Trial

Happy Thursday, gang!

For your reading pleasure, here is Linda's page 69 trial. Hope you like it! ;)



After their tasty, though somewhat comical dinner, Katie and Linda were walking through University City District. The night was curiously warm with a cool, gentle breeze that kicked up every so often. The night was clear and the stars seemed brighter than usual.

As nervous as Linda was, holding Katie’s hand somehow felt normal, comfortable, right. They strolled down the sidewalk. There was no world around them. Just a beautiful black sky with diamond stars…and each other.

As they walked in the crisp October night air, Katie’s watch beeped, signaling that it was midnight.
“I should get back. I have class early in the morning.”

“Ok,” Linda said softly.

At Katie’s building, they turned towards each other. They fidgeted awkwardly, waiting for the other to make the first move.
Finally, Linda leaned in, and gently kissed Katie. It was like nothing either one had ever experienced. It was soft and gentle. It was warm and intense. It sent a shock through both of their spines. It was an amazing feeling that neither wanted to end.




Happy reading! ;)

Donna's Page 69 Trial

Happy Thursday! The weekend is almost here!


What could make for better weekend reading than book # 2 in the Loving Her series, The Cop?



To entice you, I'm doing the page 69 trial. However, the PDF has the book end on page 49 (ah, the joys of various formats). So, I decided to figure out what the equivalent would be, and that is page 33.


So, here is your page 33 trial. Hope you like it! :)




Donna sat on the cold, hard ground in front of the two head stones. “Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.” She said. “Nothing to report, really. Work is work. Dad, you know what it’s like working with John.” She tried to chuckle. “Taffy is being good. It’s nice to have some company. I still don’t have a girlfriend. I’ve got friends now, though. Real friends. Linda is my best friend. She’s awesome. I love her like a sister. So, I guess I shouldn’t complain, huh? Some people don’t even have friendships like that.”

She propped her right arm on her right leg. She rested her head on her right and wove her fingers through her curls. Donna took in a couple of deep breaths.

“This still sucks. Just so you both know. I hate this. It’s not getting any easier. I don’t care how much time has gone by. Do you guys have any ideas how many times a day I want to call you? Or how many times a day I think about you? Or how many times I think, Mom would like this or dad would love that? Do you have any idea what it’s like to not celebrate mother’s day or father’s day or your anniversary or your birthdays? Don’t even get me started on Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

Once again, Donna felt tears cascading down her face. “It’s so fucking lonely. I don’t have a family.”

She exhaled until she had no air left in her lungs. “I’m sorry. For everything hurtful thing I’ve ever said. For every selfish thing I ever did. For taking you out to dinner and not driving home with you. I’m sorry. I just wish that would make this all better. I’m just so sorry!”

Happy reading!

Page 69 Trial...Well, sort of.

It's Thursday again, fellow bibliophiles! ;)



Since last week was the release of my newest work; the first in the Loving Her series: The Ballerina, I thought it would be neat to give y'all a teaser.


As you know, I typically do the Page 69 trial with my novels. Therein lies the problem. You see, these are novellas. And the Ballerina does not have 69 pages.


What is a girl to do?


I tried double spacing it. Page 69 falls in the middle of two different sections.


ARGH!!!!!


So, I just went with what I believe to be a pretty good teaser.


Hope y'all enjoy! ;)





“Wow,” Jen whispered as she admired the pointe shoes Liz had just worn in the performance. The pink satin held a secret. They appeared soft and delicate, but the toe of the shoe was hard and square. The elastic seemed to constrict, rather than expand. These shoes were unlike anything Jen had ever seen before.
She knocked on the toe of the shoe. “It’s hard.” She said in sheer amazement.
“Yeah,” Liz replied. “Those are made by a Russian company. I prefer the Russian shoes because they’re harder than then the French of Italian shoes. They use more paste and material to make a harder box and shank. They’re sturdier for me, they feel more secure. And, I don’t know… I just like how they feel.”
“You like how they feel?!”
“Comparatively speaking!” Liz chuckled.
“These seem…painful.”
“They are. It’s really hard when you first start. Your feet bleed and stuff. You eventually build up to it, sort of. I mean, it still hurts a bit, but you just deal with it. It’s never like walking on a cloud, though. It’s not what it looks like.”
“It did look so effortless watching you up there.”
“Yeah, it’s not. It’s pain and discomfort. But you just smile and keep on going.”
“Wow! You know, you hear about how high heels are bad for your feet. These must be murder!”
“They’re not the best.”
“What do your feet look like?” Jen asked curiously.
Liz, sitting with her feet tucked underneath her legs, started to look uncomfortable. “Oh, well…they’re not pretty.”
“No? What do the shoes do to you?”
“They just wreak havoc on your feet. That’s all.”
“Can I see?”
“They’re not pretty,” Liz repeated.
“I’d like to see.”
Liz took in a deep breath. Slowly, she uncurled. With trepidation, she gradually slid her feet forward.
Liz’s long, lean, infinite legs stretched before her. Jen studied her feet. Boney and bruised, they were anything but attractive. The bottoms of her feet were layered sheets of callouses. Her toes appeared misshapen, flat and squished together. Even her toenails were discolored and appeared unhealthy. On her feet, Liz’s normally fair skin was red, cracked and peeling. Blood blisters and wounds of all sorts were sprinkled all over the tops of her feet. Indeed, there was nothing pretty or dainty about them. “See, they’re ugly.” She said, and she quickly hid them again.
“Wow. I am so sorry.” Jen said softly.
“You have nothing to be sorry about.” Liz looked down at the bed, keeping her gaze away from Jen.
“But…I just don’t get why.”
“Why I would knowingly do this to myself?” Liz’s twang echoed through the dark room.
“Well, yeah.”
“Because it’s what I love. I just feel like I was born to dance. It’s a small sacrifice to pay for pursuing your dream. I just wish I wasn’t so ugly.”
“You?! Are you kidding?! You’re beautiful!”
“But my feet…”
“They are beautiful in their own way. The fact that they are the way they are because of you pursuing your dream and your passion makes them beautiful,” Jen said. “Come here,” she rose off the bed.
She took Liz by the hand and led her to the full length mirror hanging on the wall of the hotel room. “Look at you.” Jen gently led Liz in front of her. “You have the most amazing, beautiful red hair. Your eyes are the most unusual but simply gorgeous shade of green I have ever seen. You are tall and lean. Your body is pure muscle.” Jen wrapped her arms around Liz’s waist. “Your legs are long and slender. And your feet are just perfect.” She softly kissed the nape of Liz’s neck. “Just perfect,” she whispered again.

Page 69 Trial Part II and World AIDS Day

Happy Thursday, December 1, everyone!

Today is World AIDS Day. For that, I ask you all to remember, research and respect the disease and the people it affects. I didn't fully understand it until I began writing Imperfect and Impeccable. Truth be told, there is still so much more I could write about and so much more still for me to learn. I ask that in honor of World AIDS Day, you please purchase your copies of Imperfect">Imperfect and Impeccable">Impeccable today!



Since Impeccable is now available in print, I wanted to revisit the Page 69 Trial. Today, we're going to look at page 69 in the print edition.

“You and Alex went to that group together. You didn’t abandon her in the darkest hour you both shared. You stayed with her night and day at the end, Carol. You never left my sister’s side. Not in twelve years. That is incredible.” Candace finally paused for a breath. “Don’t you
get it, Carol? You’re a far greater person than you realize.”
Carol simply sniffled into the phone.
“Carol, you are not a fake and you certainly are not inferior. Not to Alex. Not to anyone. You got that?”
Carol inhaled a few deep breaths. “Yeah,” she feebly replied. “You know, Candace, I couldn’t have these conversations with anyone else but you. You remind me a lot of your sister in certain ways. You listen to me. No one else would understand. Alex was like that, too. Thanks.”
“Thank you, Carol. That was the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me. It’s an honor to be like my sister.”
“I love you, Candace.” Carol’s voice began cracking again.
“I love you too,” Candace gently replied.
“When are you coming back?” Carol’s sobbing sounded pathetic. She sounded like a lost, scared child.
“Soon, sweetie. I’ll be there as soon as I can, okay?”
“I need you,” Carol sniffled into the phone.
“I’m never far away.” Candace said sweetly, hoping that she could bring Carol some solace. Candace took a deep breath and prayed a silent prayer while Carol sobbed into the phone.



Powerful stuff, eh? Click on the titles to purchase your copies of Imperfect and Impeccable.

Impeccable Page 69 Trial

Happy Thursday, readers! Today, as with every release, I put my book to "The 69 Trial."

The PAGE 69 trial, that is ;)



Below is page 69 from Impeccable. Enjoy!

“I take it you don’t like that,” Dr. Parker said without any hint of emotion.

“The Elysian Fields, their version of heaven, sounds nice. But I’d hate to be permanently hungry and thirsty and to have what I want or need right in front of me but out of reach.”

“That makes sense,” he responded emotionlessly.

“In ancient Rome, life was considered a punishment and death was freedom.”

“What do you make of that, Carol?”

“I can easily agree that life is hell. I hope that death does bring freedom. I’m so sick of the darkness, pain and misery in life. I just want to be free of it all.”

“What about modern religions?”

“Well, any form of Christianity would send me straight to hell simply because I loved another woman. I don’t get it. Love is love, no matter who the person is, right? Apparently, some faiths believe we can turn off our emotions and ignore our hearts.”

“I wouldn’t say that, Carol.”

“Why not? Are you one of them? Do you want to condemn me to hell simply because the person I loved was a woman? What about love thy neighbor and all that bullshit?”

“I wasn’t saying that, Carol.” He gently replied. “I understand. Let’s face it, the gay community faces a lot of obstacles because people react out of fear. A lot of those fearful people use their religions to defend their actions and words. I don’t think they are actually against love. It might be that they are afraid or possibly even envious of a love that can endure such social scorn.

“Straight white Christians are basically well accepted in our American society. It’s easy for them to forget what hardships other races and groups of people have endured because it was never their problem. Perhaps people who are different from them, people who can remain stoic in the face of social adversity remind them that there is more to life than whatever is in their sphere of knowledge. Perhaps they’re jealous because they know they couldn’t do what you do. Maybe they’re not strong enough to stand up for themselves in the same way you and Alex did, for example.” He paused to watch Carol. “What do you think? Think it’s possible?”

Page 69 Trial for Imperfect

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Page 69 Trial Part II!

Good morning, world!


Over the weekend, I recieved my print copies of Unbreakable Hostage. YAY!!!! :) So, that got me thinking. I want to re-visit the page 69 trial for both Unbreakable Hostage AND Loving Her. Except, I am going to do both the e-book versions AND the print versions! I hope you enjoy them. :)






Loving Her





E-book (there was a slight glitch on this, but I kinda sorta got it to work! LOL):




“Hey Johnny,” Donna said softly. “I’m glad to see you’re awake. What’s the news?”

“Well,” he struggled for his words, “ya know how we always said we were like twins?”

“Yeah?” Donna said in utter confusion.

“Now, we really will be. Gotta lose my kidney.”

“Oh dammit, John!”

“No, no, it’s ok,” he tried to reassure her. “The doctors are convinced that my other kidney is in perfect shape. I should be fine. You should know about that.”

“Yeah, but John…”

“They’re removing it tomorrow, Don. It’ll be a long healing, but they gave me a great prognosis.”

“I called Brynn today,” Donna said trying to avoid the subject. She was too scared and upset to think any more about John going into surgery. “We found a lead, and it may tie us to Doylestown. Brynn’s gonna help us catch this bastard.”

“I’ll tell you what,” John’s voice was growing weak. “I’ll focus on getting through this, and you focus on getting him in jail.”








Print:

"Well, Miss O'Kane," one of the stuffy judges started. "Your resume is extremely impressive. You've danced with some of the finest companies in the country. But, why such a break between your last company and now?"

"My partner was diagnosed with MS so I took some time off to be with her. I just felt that I needed to be there with her through various tests and treatments and all. Things are more stable now, so I'm ready to dance again." Liz's Southern accent seemed out of sorts with the Board Directors of the Pennsylvania Ballet.

"There is also some concern about your age and the length of that gap," he stated coldly.

"I understand," Liz replied. She knew her age could be a problem, and she had prepared this mini-speech just for this moment. "Thirty-three can be kind of a tricky age for us dancers, especially when we haven't danced in a while. Some people view their thirties as the time when they lose their youth and vitality. But, I have been practicing and attending class daily even during this 'break.'
"I look at people like George Balanchine. One of the most incredible dancers and choreographers ever. Someone whose work this company follows. That man danced for so many years. He danced well beyond his 33rd birthday. He even kept dancing while having heart issuea and his other medical problems. Martha Graham danced for over 70 years. Trust me, if they can do that, I know I can dance at 33 and beyond."











Unbreakable Hostage







E-book:


Lareina tried to appease Tony, but she seemed to be failing miserably.

“Harder! Scrub them harder, damn it! Get these fucking clothes clean!”

Lareina hand washed and scrubbed the clothes with what little energy she had, but it was not enough for Tony. He came up from behind her, grabbed the clothes out of her hands, and threw them onto the river bank.

Tony then grabbed her hair and shoved her face under the bitterly cold water.

Lareina began to struggle. Tony held her face down longer, and with greater force. Lareina was running out of air. Just as she began to fear that she was going to drown, Tony pulled her head up with great strength. Lareina gasped for breath, and Tony shoved her face back down into the cold abyss.

Again, she struggled. She moved and tried to loosen Tony's grip on her hair, but it was to no avail. She began to run out of air again. Once more, Tony pulled her head up just in time.

Lareina took in the biggest breath she could as her face was forced into the cold water yet again. This time, she did not struggle in the hopes that it would have her air supply last longer. The cold water harshly pierced her face as she tried to hold her breath for as long as possible. Finally, after a cold eternity Tony pulled her up again. Lareina fought to breathe normally again. Tony pulled back on her hair, and Lareina stumbled backwards in the water. It took her a few moments, but she finally regained her stability.

“Now you see what I'm truly capable of. Don't you dare ever make me do this again! I don’t want to, but I'm not afraid to do whatever I have to.” His hot breath fell on her ear. “I don't think you really understand what's going on here. You will do as I say, or I will kill you. There are no two ways about it. Get it?"








Print:

The two stood staring at each other, with only a few feet between them.

"Wanna play?" Tony's voice sounded like pure evil.

He lunged forward but Lareina was able to jump back, unscathed.

She watched warily as Tony moved around the room. She leaned forward as he started coming at her from her left side. She quickly ran to the right, grabbed his fat arm from behind and pulled it up behind his back. Tony screamed out in pain.

Lareina pulled his arm up again with all of her might, in order to inflict more pain. He screamed again. Lareina knew she had him in a good position, but she couldn't figure out how to completely incapacitate him so she could protect herself.

Still holding his arm up behind his back, Lareina kicked Tony in the back. Once again, he screamed out in pain. She felt him buckle in her hand.

Thinking that he was weak enough, she tried to pull his arm up one last time, but her hand slipped and he was suddenly free.

Tony quickly turned around. He grabbed Lareina's thin arm and spun her around so her back was pressed against his portly abdomen. Before she even realized what had happened, he had the knife presased strongly against her neck.

"You won't win this one, honey," Tony scorned her. He pressed the knife against her jugular even harder. "Don't do this again, or I will kill you." He pushed her forward, and Lareina fell onto the floor on her hands and knees. She could feel her hands and knees were cut up and splintered from the floor. She dare not look at her wounds. She simply stayed there until Tony returned with the electrical tape.

Tony pulled her up by her elbow. Quickly, he wrapped the tape around her arms several times. He then repeated the pattern for her ankles.




I hope you liked 'em! Happy Wednesday & happy reading, everyone! :)

Page 69 Trial

Howdy all! :) I'm returning us to our regularly scheduled writing programming.





Today, we're doing the page 69 trial.


Get your minds out of the gutter, folks! I learned about this from a writer friend of mine. She said that there is a test to know if a book will be a good read or not, and that is to crack it open to page 69 & read it. If page 69 bores you, the book is no good. If it's interesting, then you've got a gem! :)





So, with that in mind, I'm giving you page 69 of Unbreakable Hostage. Now, this is page 69 from the e-book version. The print should be pretty darn close if not exact, so this should work all around! ;)







Lareina tried to appease Tony, but she seemed to be failing miserably.

“Harder! Scrub them harder, damn it! Get these fucking clothes clean!”

Lareina hand washed and scrubbed the clothes with what little energy she had, but it was not enough for Tony. He came up from behind her, grabbed the clothes out of her hands, and threw them onto the river bank.

Tony then grabbed her hair and shoved her face under the bitterly cold water.

Lareina began to struggle. Tony held her face down longer, and with greater force. Lareina was running out of air. Just as she began to fear that she was going to drown, Tony pulled her head up with great strength. Lareina gasped for breath, and Tony shoved her face back down into the cold abyss.

Again, she struggled. She moved and tried to loosen Tony's grip on her hair, but it was to no avail. She began to run out of air again. Once more, Tony pulled her head up just in time.

Lareina took in the biggest breath she could as her face was forced into the cold water yet again. This time, she did not struggle in the hopes that it would have her air supply last longer. The cold water harshly pierced her face as she tried to hold her breath for as long as possible. Finally, after a cold eternity Tony pulled her up again. Lareina fought to breathe normally again. Tony pulled back on her hair, and Lareina stumbled backwards in the water. It took her a few moments, but she finally regained her stability.

“Now you see what I'm truly capable of. Don't you dare ever make me do this again! I don’t want to, but I'm not afraid to do whatever I have to.” His hot breath fell on her ear. “I don't think you really understand what's going on here. You will do as I say, or I will kill you. There are no two ways about it. Get it?

“You will also never get away from me. Don't even think about it. If I can't have you, no one can. You belong to me, and you always will. Is that clear?”

With the little slack she had from his grasp on her hair, Lareina nodded her head yes.

“Good. Now go grab the clothes. They have dirt on them again. Clean them, and this time clean them well.”

Still struggling to catch her breath and trying to slow her racing heart, Lareina walked up to retrieve the clothes. As she walked forward, she noticed an especially large, unique looking tree behind the cabin that could easily be seen from a hiking path. Somehow, she would have to use that tree to her advantage.

Keeping her newly discovered treasure a secret, Lareina picked up the clothes and re-entered the bitingly cold lake to do as she had been told.



Hope you all liked it! If you do, don't forget that you can download it on smashwords.com
omnilit.com
and
allromanceebooks.com



It's also available for your Kindle on Amazon.com



Print version is coming this month!!!! :)