Twilight Thursday

Thinking Inside the Box

By Vincent Zandri

I’m an artist. Ok, not a visual artist, but I am a writer. A full-time writer who was groomed for the commercial construction business and who, for a time, worked as a project manager for said construction business.

My dad, a commercial construction business owner, taught me to think “inside the box” as it were. Because after all, this was a business of straight lines that were supposed to come together and/or intersect at precise, planned points; a business of bottom-lines, efficient use of space and time, apples and apples, oranges and oranges.

I hated it.

Being very different from my dad, I insisted on thinking “outside the box,” simply because that was my nature. In a word, I have always been very uncomfortable with thinking inside the box, finding instead a sort of comfort in my attraction to all things, well, outside the box. In high school, I was the kid who befriended the outsiders who wore black, and styled their hair into spiky Mohawks. I dug punk rock and new wave instead of classic rock. I dreamed of living in Europe rather than the burbs, and I took to the construction business like a fish takes to a dry desert environment.

As a journalist, I butter my bread by doing a lot of architecture and construction writing. Recently it occurred to me that over the past century, architects have been fighting a similar battle: to either design inside the box or outside the box. After all, the box as a form in and of itself is one of the most efficient architectural design standards ever conceived of. Just take a stroll along mid-town Broadway or Madison Avenue in Manhattan and you will see so many examples of boxes your brain can’t possibly process them all. Wide boxes; thin boxes; tall boxes; short boxes; boxes stacked on top of one another; boxes made of shiny steel; boxes made of glass; boxes that form a kind of zig-zag; even boxes built inside other boxes. In major cities like New York, urban architecture is all about the box. But at the same time, it’s all about thinking outside the box about the box. If you catch my drift.

Yet according to journalist Karrie Jacobs, speaking on behalf of her design concept of “boxism,” while 21st century designers are doing their best to abandon the concept of the box for more striking pyramids, spirals, or even “swooping” architecture that reaches more for aesthetics than it does symmetry or efficiency, they are at the same time more in love with the box than ever before.

“We go to a restaurant where everything undulates, where fluid walls change colors according to mood, where every surface has its own custom-programmed texture. But what are we all doing in this amazing environment? We’re studying the little boxes in our hands: texting, checking our Facebook feeds, tweeting. We’re uploading pictures of our meals or transmitting our locations to Foursquare. The world around us is expressive beyond our wildest dreams, but we don’t much notice because we’re deep in our boxes. Our iPhones, our Kindles, our BlackBerries, our iPads: all of them are containers, slim but rectilinear, that synthesize and modulate complexity.”



I think it's safe to say we find comfort inside the box even if we have no choice as individuals but to express ourselves outside the box. The same can be said of the publishing business. For years I thought inside the box while living the life of the Bohemian writer-guy, outside the box. I became convinced, like the rest of the MFA-in-Writing candidates, that the only true measure of success in this business came in the form a major contract with a major publishing house (you know, a big square box inside Times Square).

That contract was awarded to me ten years ago by a Random House imprint along with a quarter of a million dollars. But it all felt very uncomfortable for me, because even though I was doing what was expected of a successful novelist, I felt very anxious about having to "pay back" all that advance money. The major question I kept asking myself was this: How many books do I have to sell in order to make up that huge advance? The answer was this: lots of them. Too many to even comprehend. In other words, I was never going to sell enough box-shaped hardcovers or paperbacks in order to keep myself securely inside the box. If I wanted to stay alive in this business, I was going to have to start thinking outside the box. I was going to have to embrace a new design model.

It didn't happen right away. But when indie publishing took off in concurrence with the E-Book revolution, that's when I realized that my outside the box publishing opportunity had arrived. Here was a system that didn't put up a lot of up-front money, if any. Yet because the dominant form of publication was digitally produced E-Books, my titles would become available to a global market 24/7. I would be paid responsibly, according to each unit sold. And, as it turns out, those units can really add up.

Over the past month, I've moved more than 60,000 copies of THE INNOCENT landing me on the Amazon Top 10 for Bestselling Kindle E-Books which, as a writer who should for business purposes think inside the box, is precisely where I want to be. For the first time in ages I was a happy camper. Here was a new publishing design model that allowed me to publish outside the norm, while allowing me the opportunity to make a living. A very good living as it turns out.

Perform a small scientific experiment today. See how many times you come into contact with a box, be it your laptop computer, your box of cereal, your cubicle at work (your box inside a box), your Kindle, IPad, or Nook. Try and calculate how many times a day you purposely escape into your little box. My guess is you can’t go a single hour without experiencing some kind of physical relationship with a box. That’s when you will begin to realize that no matter how much you attempt to think “outside the box,” you are doing so while steadfast grounded “inside the box.” And that's okay. The point is to strike a balance between conventional wisdom and new thinking.

If the big publishing houses want to keep up with the rent payments for their big urban boxes in New York City, it might be time for them to think outside the you-know-what. That will mean offering higher royalties for E-Books to authors, but at the same time, lowering their prices for readers. Clearly, an an almost impossibly outside the box concept for them. But it's not their fault. It cost a lot of "overhead" money to maintain a publishing house inside a big Manhattan box. But that doesn't mean the Big 6 Pubs are going away anytime soon. Nor should they. It's simply time for them to rethink their grand design, from the ground up. It's time for them to think outside the box while surviving inside the box.

Vincent Zandri is an essayist and freelance photojournalist, and the author of the recent bestsellers, The Remains, Moonlight Falls and The Innocent . His novel As Catch Can (Delacorte) was touted in two pre-publication articles by Publishers Weekly and was called “Brilliant” upon its publication by The New York Post. The Boston Herald attributed it as “The most arresting first crime novel to break into print this season.” Other novels include Godchild (Bantam/Dell) and Permanence (NPI). Translated into several languages including Japanese and the Dutch, Zandri’s novels have also been sought out by numerous major movie producers, including Heyday Productions and DreamWorks. Presently he is the author of the blogs, Dangerous Dispatches and Embedded in Africa for Russia Today TV (RT).

He also writes for other global publications, including Culture 11, Globalia and Globalspec. Zandri’s nonfiction has appeared in New York Newsday, Hudson Valley Magazine, Game and Fish Magazine and others, while his essays and short fiction have been featured in many journals including Fugue, Maryland Review and Orange Coast Magazine. He holds an M.F.A. in Writing from Vermont College and is a 2010 International Thriller Writer’s Awards panel judge. Zandri currently divides his time between New York and Europe. He is the drummer for the Albany-based punk band to Blisterz.

You can visit his website at www.vincentzandri.com or his blog at www.vincentzandri.blogspot.com. Connect with Vincent on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VincentZandri, on Facebook at www.facebooks.com/vincent.zandri?ref=profile and Myspace at www.myspace.com/vincentzandri.

Wistful Wednesday

Murder is a Family Business: Promo and Review

Blurb:

Just because a man cheats on his wife and makes Danny DeVito look tall, dark and handsome, is that any reason to kill him? The reluctant and quirky PI, Lee Alvarez doesn't think so. But the 34-year old ½ Latina, ½ WASP and 100% detective has her work cut out for her when the man is murdered on her watch. Of all the nerve. Set in the present, Murder is a Family Business is the first in a series of humorous mysteries revolving around Lee Alvarez, a combination of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone and Janet Evanovitch’ Stephanie Plum, and rest of the Alvarez Family, detectives all. Seemingly light and frothy on the surface, the novel nevertheless explores familial love, the good, the bad and the annoying.

Completing the family is Lee’s Never-Had-A-Bad-Hair-Day aristocratic mother, Lila; computer genius brother, Richard; beloved uncle “Tio;” and her energetic orange and white cat, Tugger. When this group is not solving murders, they run Discretionary Inquiries, a successful Silicon Valley agency that normally deals with the theft of computer software. The love, humor and camaraderie shared within this family are what set this series apart from others.

Excerpt:

Chapter I

The Not-So-Perfect Storm

"God, surveillance sucks," I griped aloud to a seagull languishing on a nearby, worm eaten post, he being my only companion for the past few hours. He cocked his head and stared at me. I cocked my head and stared at him. It might have been the beginning of a beautiful friendship, but a nearby car backfired and he took off in a huff. Watching him climb, graceful and white against the gray sky, I let out a deep sigh, feeling enormously sorry for myself. I eyeballed the dilapidated warehouse across the parking lot that was hanging onto the edge of the pier for any signs of life. I didn’t find any.

I knew I was in trouble earlier when I discovered that this was the only vantage point from which I could stay hidden and still see the “perpetrator’s place of entrance,” as I once heard on Law and Order. That meant I couldn’t stay in my nice, warm car listening to a Fats Waller tribute on the radio but had to be out in the elements, hunkered down next to a useless seawall.

For three lousy hours, rambunctious waves from the San Francisco Bay made a break for freedom over this wall and won. Salty foam and spray pummeled my face, mixed with mascara, and stung my eyes like nobody’s business. Then the wind picked up and the temperature dropped faster than the Dow Jones on a bad day.

Speeding up Highway 101 toward Fisherman’s Wharf, I’d heard on the car radio that a storm was moving in. When I arrived, I got to experience it first hand. Yes, it was just winter and me on the San Francisco Bay. Even Jonathan Livingston Seagull had taken a powder.

I concentrated on one of two warehouses, mirrors of each other, sitting at either side of a square parking lot containing about twenty cars and trucks. “Dios mio, do something,” I muttered to the building that housed the man who had caused me to age about twenty years in one afternoon.

I struggled to stay in a crouched position, gave up and sat down, thinking about the man I’d been following. I was sure he was a lot more comfortable than I and I resented him for it. Two seconds later, I realized the cement was wet, as well as cold. Cursing my stupidity, I ju

mped up and stretched my cramped legs while trying to keep an eye on the door he had entered, lo those many hours before. With me being the only one on the job, I couldn’t keep an eye on the cargo bay on the other side of the warehouse but I felt pretty safe about it being a non-exit. Without a boat or a ship tied there, it emptied into the briny bay. The perp, thankfully, didn’t look like much of a swimmer, even on a nice day.

I tried to focus my mind on Mr. Portor Wyler, said perpetrator, and the singular reason for all my misery. I kept coming back to this burning question: why the hell was a Palo Alto real estate mogul driving 42-miles roundtrip two to three times a week to a beat-up, San Francisco warehouse on the waterfront?

After that one, I had an even better question: what the hell was I doing here? Oh, yeah. Thanks, Mom.

My name is Liana Alvarez. It’s Lee to my friends, but never to my mother. I am a thirty-four year old half-Latina and half-WASP PI. The latter, aforesaid relatives drip with blue blood and blue

chips, and have been Bay Area fixtures for generations. Regarding the kindred Mexican half of me, they either immigrated to the good old US of A or still live in Vera Cruz, where they fish the sea. How my mother and father ever got together is something I’ve been meaning to ask Cupid for some time.

However, I digress. Back to Portor Wyler or, rather, his wife, Yvette Wyler. It was because of her I was in possession of a cold, wet butt, although I’m not supposed to use language like that because Mom would be scandalized. She had this idea she raised me to be a lady and swears her big mistake was letting me read Dashiell Hammett when I was an impressionable thirteen year old.

My mother is Lila Hamilton Alvarez, of the blue blood part of the family, and CEO of Discretionary Investigations, Inc. She was and is my boss. Yvette Wyler had been a friend of my mother’s since Hector was a pup, so when Mrs. Wyler came crying to her, Mom thought we should be the ones to find out what was going on. That didn’t seem like a good enough reason for me to be where I was, assigned to a job so distasteful no self-respecting gumshoe I hung out with would touch it, but there you have it. Leave it to my mother to lay a guilt trip on m

e at one of my more vulnerable times. I don’t know who I was more annoyed with, Mom or me.

Furthermore, I had no idea what my intelligent, savvy and glamorous mother had in common with this former school chum, who had the personality of ragweed and a face reminiscent of a Shar-Pei dog I knew once. Whenever I brought the subject up to Mom, I got claptrap about “loyalty” and “friends being friends.” So naturally, my reaction to the woman made me aware of possible character flaws on my part. I mean, here Mrs. Wyler was, one of my mother’s best friends, and I was just waiting for her to bark.

About the Author:

Heather is a story teller by nature and loves the written word. In her career, she’s written short stories, novels, comedy acts, plays, television treatments, ad copy, commercials, and even ghost-wrote a book.

One of her first jobs as a writer was given to her by her then agent. It was that of writing a love story for a book published by Bantam called Moments of Love. She had a deadline of one week

and then promptly came down with the flu. She wrote "The Sands of Time" with a temperature of 102 and delivered some pretty hot stuff because of it. Later on, she wrote short comedy skits for nightclub acts and ad copy for such places as No Soap Radio, where her love for comedy blossomed. Many of her short stories have been seen in various publications, as well as 2 one-act plays produced in Manhattan, one at the well-known, Playwrights Horizons.

Her novel, Murder is a Family Business, the first in the Alvarez Murder Mystery series, has been epublished by MuseItUp Publishing in January, 2011. The second in the series, A Wedding To Die For, debuts April 22, 2011. She is currently writing the 3rd of the series, and says they are a joy to write. Heather gets to be all the characters, including the cat!

You can visit Heather online at www.heatherhavenstories.com and her blog at http://heatherhavensays.blogspot.com/.

My Thoughts: I don't feel that I can give this a proper review as it was a dnf (did not finish) for me. I wanted to like it, I really did, but several chapters in, I was still wondering when the story was going to pick up pace, but it never did, so I stopped reading. There were a few problems for me. One, the protagonist's name wasn't even revealed until somewhere on page two. For me, even if this is part of a series, I believe the name should be stated on the first page, especially for those who might be coming into the series in a later book. Personally, I like to know who I'm reading about from the beginning, so I can get in their head, so to speak. This may be a minor thing, but it kept me from getting right into the action, which started me off in the wrong mindset.

Next, the action - or the lack thereof, in this case. As I said before, I kept waiting for something to happen, but it never did. Sure, it started off with a murder, but the revealing of it was in such a matter-of-fact manner, I felt like I was reading a news clip. And then there was a lot of time spent in a police station, a four-legged feline distraction, and the introduction of Lee's family, when all I wanted was to get to the important factor - the story. Maybe I'm just used to watching crime stories on television and so have been spoiled by the pacing, but this one never hit its stride before I gave up on it.

But this is just one person's experience. You must decide for yourself. If mysteries are your thing, give this book a try. The author shows skill and obviously knows how to put together a story. Maybe you'll have more patience than I did and eagerly read on to the pay-off. If you do - or if you've already read this book - I invite you to post a counter-review in the comments and tell everyone, myself included, why you think this book is a good read.

PHANTASM FRIDAY

HAPPY FRIDAY the 13TH!!

I'm sharing some unknown facts about myself today over at the Daily Dose of Decadence: Just the Facts with Gracen Miller!

I have a new release out too, a short erotic read, Fairy Casanova. If you read it, I'd love a review! Pandora's Box has been sent off to line edits! YAY!! Progress...but I have no idea how long that process will take. *sad face*

Does anyone have any plans for today or this weekend? I hope to take my kids to see Thor!

Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!

Huggles,
Gracen

PHANTASM FRIDAY

I'm late posting today, but it's been a crazy day already. If you didn't know it already, my e-book short story, Fairy Casanova, was released today. It's part of Decadent Publishing's 1NightStand series and it was so much fun to write. Here's a PG13 excerpt, but be warned, it is NOT a PG book!!

You want a CONTEST? Leave me a comment for a chance to win an e-copy of Fairy Casanova. I'll draw the winner late tonight! To receive additional entries into the contest, share this contest on facebook, twitter, or somewhere else on the web, BUT you gotta give me the link where it's posted.

BLURB:

Las Vegas lawyer, Sadie Sinclair, has hit rock bottom. Bankrupt, with her reputation ruined, and her fiancé is yachting Aruba with a hot babe. Desperate for a break from reality, she contacts 1NightStand and is shocked to discover she's been paired with a sexy fairy.

Jace is about to become King of the fairies. One minor glitch, he's obsessed with humans. Before becoming King, he wants one night with a human before he's forever forbidden from crossing into the human realm. After a stellar night of sex, Jace is surprised to discover Sadie isn't just a human, but his mate. Complicating everything with the revelation, he's willing to forfeit his kingdom for her, but Sadie must decide if he's worth the biggest gamble yet.

BUY LINK: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=262&osCsid=0cda4c235d32dbbfbaca73bd9fe0aa1f


EXCERPT:

Knocking once to warn her of his arrival, he used the key card to let himself into the room. The door clicked shut behind him as he scanned the room for his evening’s companion.

"Hello," she said when their eyes met.

Her sultry voice tempted him, much as a Siren lured a man to his demise against the rocky coast of her island. His mortal Siren offered him a shy wave.

"Want a drink?" She held up a goblet, half-full of amber liquor.

Her edginess socked his acute fairy senses like a blow to the gut.

Interesting. Why was she here then?

"No, thanks." He moved toward her, intrigued by the competing vibes the woman evoked…reserved and salacious.

Maybe other men found the arctic chill of her gaze daunting. He found it intriguing, even challenging. Women would be envious and intimidated by her high-level eroticism.

Stunning, and nothing like the fairies he would command. Long, shiny, black hair framed her oval face. He couldn't wait to get his fingers in the wavy locks. Gunmetal-silver eyes warily watched him. Rimmed in a thin stripe of black eyeliner and splashed with a smidge of dark-gray shadow, the contrast brought out the stellar shade of her irises. High cheekbones, a slightly upturned nose, and wide lips, naturally dark red, or she'd been biting them in anxiety. Unlike the diminutive fairy-women, she was tall—not more than an inch or two shorter than his five-ten height. Most female fairies barely reached his chest, which made her a charming oddity. And she owned killer curves—again, unlike most beanpole-thin fairies—and those curves were framed in an evocative, skintight, black cocktail dress.

Jace stopped in front of her and stared at her mouth. He knew many places he wanted those lips, but mostly he wanted them rounded on an orgasmic scream.

"I'm Jace."

She swallowed and cleared her throat, but her voice came out low and raspy. "Sadie."

He dipped his finger into the crystal glass she held poised below her chin. A fat droplet of liquor clung to his forefinger, and he spread it across her pouty bottom lip. Her eyes widened, and her breathing noticeably accelerated. As if prompted, her tongue swiped away the moisture, and his cock twitched in reaction.

"You're perfect. Stunning."

She laughed, a charming sound, as a blush crept across her cheeks. For the first time since beginning his adventure, he considered the horrible ramifications of falling hard for a human. Impossible! There wouldn't be enough time to grow attached to a one-night stand. Neither would his parents nor soon-to-be subjects approve.

BUY LINK: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=262&osCsid=0cda4c235d32dbbfbaca73bd9fe0aa1f

Wistful Wednesday

What I Do When I Should Be Writing

Or: How I Conquer Writer's Block

by Margay Leah Justice

It happens to the best of us. Sometime, somewhere along the way, we run head-long into that brick wall of frustration called Writer's Block. It's not our fault, really. It's not like we're bad drivers who jumped the curb and hit the wall. Oh, no, the wall hit US. Trust me, there's a difference. If you're a writer, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you're not, well maybe this applies to some other faction of your life. Work problems, family issues? Somewhere in your life, there inevitably comes a time when you're faced with a tough decision and your mind goes blank, hiding the answers from you. That's The Block.

So what do you do when The Block strikes you? Curl up in a fetal ball and cry for your mother? (Believe me, I've been tempted.) Scream your frustrations to the heavens? (Okay, so maybe I've done that. Once. Or twice. Okay, more than that - stop pressuring me!) Or do you just throw in the towel and say the heck with it? Well, before you do that last one, let me share with you some of the things I do to fight The Block. So, without further ado, here are...

Things I Do When I Should Be Writing:

1. I knit. Okay, who among you is really surprised by that revelation? If you've kept up with my posts on this blog, you already know that I have a passion for knitting, so is it really any surprise that I knit when The Block hits? Not only is knitting fun, creative, and therapeutic, it has a way of clearing the clutter from the brain. You wouldn't believe how many plot points I've resolved while knitting.

2. I play Mah jongg. This is the only computer game I play with frequency. I don't know what it is about this game, I just love it. Forget Bejewelled Blitz, Angry Birds, or Farmville - they hold no interest for me. Mah jongg is my game. When I play games, which I don't do very often because I have other things I should be doing. What were they again? Oh, yeah, writing, writing, and more writing. Like knitting, you wouldn't believe how many plot points I've worked out over a game of Mah jongg.

3. I plot. Yeah, it seems counter-intuitive, I know, but let me explain. When I have issues with the current story I'm working on, I work on the plot for the next one. Often, that frees up the mind and allows me to work through the other problem.

4. I read. There's nothing like a good book to inspire you to get off your butt and break through The Block. That is all.

5. I watch a good movie. You have no idea how many times I've come up with my own stories by watching a well-crafted movie. Same goes for clever television shows.

Well, I think that covers it. Just a few of the things I do when I'm hit with The Block. What do you do? I'd love to read your responses - I'm always looking for new ideas!

TANTALIZING TUESDAY

It Was A Dark and Stormy Night…

By Shay MacLean


So, I sat down tonight to work on my current WIP (Work In Progress--for those of you not familiar with the term) and I realized that I had a couple of guest blogs to write…and no clue for a topic. I sat for quite a while racking my brain for a topic to use.

Nothing.

My eyes wandered aimlessly around my office, taking in my collection of dragons, my Tardis USB hub, miniature trinket box that looks like Minas Tirith from Lord of the Rings, and finally stopped on my puzzle.

Depicting Snoopy sitting on his dog house with his typewriter, studiously pounding the keys, a thought bubble above him with the famous writing prompt… “It was a dark and stormy night…”
Those words are an inspiration to me and if I’m not mistaken to a lot of other writers as well. They aren’t new by any means, but they were made famous by one of my favorite aspiring authors…Snoopy.

Whenever I need to think of a new idea for something, I often look to writing prompts for inspiration. Okay, I admit it I’m a writing prompt whore. I actively search them out all the time. Just the other day I downloaded Story Starters by Clifford Fryman to my Nook. Let’s face it as writer’s we’re sometimes too stressed over a current project or too eager to continue with one that when it comes to creating a blog post we often draw a blank.

Especially, when our muses and/or our characters are screaming at us that we need to finish their story or begin a new one. The appeal of doing one of those is often much more desirable than writing a blog. Not to all writers, but a good majority of the ones I’m friends with cringe when the word blog comes up in conversation. Me included.

Which makes the fact that I started my own blog even more spectacular. I’m still figuring out what kinds of posts I’ll be doing on it and I hope to have a schedule ironed out soon.
In the meantime…I’m thinking of making one day a writing prompt day on my blog. So in preparation for it, I’d like to propose a challenge. Take Snoopy’s writing prompt and finish it as the first line of a new story. If you feel like going past the first line, run with it. Here’s mine…

It was a dark and stormy night, the wind howled through the trees that lined the side of the road, buffeting Sati’s car, whipping it from side to side like a toy. Why had she agreed to go pick Devi up in this weather? She should have told her sister to just stay the night at her friend’s house. It didn’t help that she’d been having strange dreams revolving around storms lately either. The shadowy image of the extremely well-muscled man that had been stalking her in them drifted to the surface of her mind. He always emerged out of the rain to claim her…in every way…

Now it’s your turn. =D

Thank you, Gracen, for having me as a guest here. I really enjoyed writing this post.

Until we meet again….
Shay

Blurb

Dr. Wilhemina Brock prides herself on her ability to keep her private life with her husband Schyler just that – private. But when Keenan, the new nurse on staff, catches a glimpse of her tramp stamp, she’s coerced into spilling the story behind it, revealing how she broke the student-professor boundaries and hooked her husband.

Excerpt

Dr. Wilhemina Brock glanced in the mirror on the door of her locker. She frowned at the tight braid she'd twisted it into that morning. She reached up and released the clip holding it in place then shook out her long raven tresses. Soft wispy locks curled around her shoulders, sending shivers of pleasure dancing on her skin. Much better. Smiling to herself she grabbed her black t-shirt and started to pull it over her head.

A whistle sounded from the door. “Damn, that’s sexy.” A very masculine voice said.

Willa spun around, tugging the hem of her shirt into place. Keenan Fergason. The newest addition to the nursing staff. His muscular build, rugged features, reddish brown hair and sparkling green eyes had everyone lusting after him. She could feel the blush that stained her cheeks at his continued appraisal of her. “I don’t know what you're talking about, Keenan. I’ve gotta run. I’m meeting Schy for dinner in half an hour.” She reached up to stuff her lab coat into her locker and felt the bottom of her shirt raise above her low cut jeans.

“I’m not letting you leave here until you give me the dirt on that sexy tramp stamp you’re sporting there, Dr. Willa,” Kee said.

She glanced over in time to see him wiggle his eyebrows as he said the words tramp stamp. Shit. Just what she needed. News of her guilty pleasure traveling all over the hospital as she was finishing up her residency.

Links
www.shaymaclean.com
http://scorchedsheets.blogspot.com/2011/04/welcome.html#comments


Buy link
Dreams N Fantasies
Wicked Ink Press

Publisher link
http://www.keithpublications.com/

Author Info

Shay has been writing most of her life. As a teenager, she focused mainly on poetry, but still dabbled in writing short stories. She didn't find her niche though until she started listening to the characters in her head whispering about the dark and sensual worlds to be explored in erotic romance. Now when she's not engrossed in a great read, she listens intently when her muse murmurs seductively in her ear. She also enjoys photography and graphic design. And although she isn’t an artist by any means she designed the tattoo featured in Shooting Stars. When she’s not writing she enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

You can contact her at shay@shaymaclean.com or on her Facebook Page.

TWILIGHT THURSDAY

Hi! I’m Flora, the roman goddess of flowers and springtime. I am also connected with fertility as I specialize in plants that bear fruit, and many of them do! April signifies a time of rebirth. A Saxon sister-goddess, Eastre, has also evolved, over time. As the Christian religion absorbed deities and skewed their meanings to retain converts discourage continued worship of what they considered to be “out-dated deities”, the Easter Bunny and subsequent celebrations evolved. While her name, Eastre, was skewed, her meanings were not lost. She too represented fertility, springtime and offspring. This ideal is represented by the Easter Bunny’s connection to eggs. Eggs are a direct correlation to fertility and offspring, as all animals – human and animal – begin in some way as an egg.

We are celebrating the birth and renewal of plants, people and offspring – all births are important!

Before we begin, I must remind everyone of the Moonlight Mistresses boring rule to please try and keep your responses to a PG13 atmosphere – *eye roll*. However, they haven’t seemed to care about double entendres, so let them fly!

My guests today are, Cody Redsun and Gage Neary from Westburg, Texas. Their tale can be found in Undercover Nights a novel creation by Patricia Logan.

Flora: Thank you Cody and Gage for joining us today! Please, Cody, tell our readers how you two first met. Was it by your design, or Mine? I was sent to investigate a deadly neurotoxin poisoning of an elderly patient at Mercy General Hospital. Oh, I should probably preface that by saying that I am actually called Special Agent Cody Redsun of the FBI, out of the Houston office. Gage Neary was the dear dead lady’s physical therapist and had given her the topical cream which caused her death. He immediately became my prime suspect in her murder.

Gage: When Cody first approached me there in the hospital, I wasn’t having an easy time of it. He was very professional with me however. He put me at ease right away.

Flora: Cody, would you say it was love at first sight or did you find Gage repulsive? *laughs* Repulsive? The farthest thing from repulsive! The man is magnificent from the top of his long black haired head to the bottom of his six and a half foot frame. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it was love at first sight, but most definitely lust.

Gage: Repulsive? Hardly! The man is sex on a stick! Well over six foot tall and all muscled Native American Warrior. Hair to his butt… wow!

Flora: Oh, how interesting. Since chaotic happenstance tends to put characters like yourselves in situations where they must work together or live together for one reason or another, tell us what chaotic happenstance “forced” the two of you to work or live together. How did you both feel about this?

Cody: Well, I wanted to clear him of the hideous murder. I could hear the honesty in his answers and the man had no motive whatsoever.

Gage: I on the other hand was angry that the gorgeous Native American Special Agent was sent to pin me down as the primary suspect in the murder of one of my patients. Being thought of as a suspect for such a heinous crime, was unthinkable.

Flora: Oh, of course that would create a great deal of angst right from the start. Gage, would you say that your relationship developed easily or would you say there was some reluctance? What kind of obstacles were there?

Gage: *chuckling* I think it would be an overstatement to say that the relationship developed easily. There was a murder charge hanging over my head and Texas is a death penalty state. But Cody is kind and a skilled agent and he seemed anxious to clear me right from the very beginning.

Flora: How long did it take you to know your true feelings for the other? At what point did you know, “this is the one”?

Cody: I think I knew how much I desperately loved Gage the moment he turned that violet gaze on me. My heart swelled in my chest and I found it difficult even to breathe.

Gage: The moment I realized just how much he’d suffered at the hands of another, alone, abandoned, bleeding, and bereft of human compassion; I wanted to heal all those wounds, put his life back together and care for him for the rest of his life.

Flora: This is for either of you. Would you like to thank anyone – other than me, of course – for getting you two together?

Gage: I’d like to thank my lucky stars that God brought Cody into my life. He’s the most special and caring human being I’ve ever known. I couldn’t have made it through the past few months without him.

Cody: I have no one to thank but Gage himself. He put his trust in me, not only by putting his life in my hands, but by holding my heart, a heart I was convinced had shriveled into nothing all those years ago in the desert.

Flora: As we are celebrating fertility and offspring this month, tell us, Cody and Gage do you plan on having children in the future NOTE: If a m/m or f/f storyline, this could relate to adoption or you can ditch the question completely. Whatever you’re comfortable with? Why or why not? How many do you think you’ll want? Do you prefer sons or daughters, or does it not matter?

Cody: Well, as you can imagine, I have a very dangerous job and because of it, we’ve talked a lot about this. I wouldn’t want to leave Gage to raise a child alone if something were to happen. I would however love to raise a child in a happy home, something I never had. I wouldn’t care whether we had boys or girls, just a child to love.

Gage: Paige Neary, my mom, is very excited about us adopting a child in the future. She so desperately loves us and would make a great grandmother. As far as Cody’s job goes, we are here for the time that God gives us on this earth and I would cherish our child if something were to happen to him.

Flora: Do either of you garden? Why or why not?

Cody: Oh no! I kill house plants much less subject outdoor plants to my black thumb.

Gage: *chuckling* He’s not as bad as all that. We have just purchased our first home and have a long commute to work. He works in Houston and I work in Westburg, an Austin suburb. We live in between but the drive really doesn’t give us a whole lot of time to putter around the garden. I’ve always lived in an apartment before and I’m just learning to appreciate my outdoor living space. I planted some roses last week.

Flora: Good heavens! House plant murderer!. What are your favorite flowers or plants? What significance do they hold for you?

Gage: Well like I said, I just planted roses, red ones. I hope they signify love.

Cody: I grew up in the desert on our rez. I can remember the spring when the cactus would bloom. That was beautiful. Wow, I haven’t even thought about that for fifteen years. I guess, I like flowers but I couldn’t tell you what kind.

Flora: Thanks so much to Cody Redsun and Gage Neary for joining us today! Now, I’d like to take some time to speak with their author, Patricia Logan. Thanks for joining us today, Patricia Logan! First, I’d like to start with some of the questions I asked Cody and Gage. Do you garden? Why or why not?

Patricia Logan: Yes, I’m an avid gardener.

Flora: Do you prefer vegetables and fruits, flowers, or both? Which ones are your favorites?

Patricia Logan: I grow a combination of fruit trees, vines and bushes as well as flowers and trees. I also grow my own herbs and vegetables.

Flora: If you had the chance to do so, would you participate in a community garden? Why or why not? (If you have done this before, please share your experience!)

Patricia Logan: I wish I had the time to do that. My schedule is completely insane. If I had the time, I’d do it. That’s a good thing to do when I’m ready for retirement.

Flora: Flowers, trees and plants offer a variety of aromas. What would you say is your favorite aroma and why?

Patricia Logan: I like citrus, lemon especially because it’s so fresh and clean. I also grow rosemary for cooking and I have a jasmine trellis in my back yard. Of course, I also have over 60 rose bushes, so you could say that’s another favorite.

Flora: A growing trend these days is to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, beans and peppers upside down while growing other smaller plants like lettuce, radishes, cress or herbs on top. Is this something you’ll try or have done? Why or why not?

Patricia Logan: I have not tried them because I have no overhanging balconies from which to hang them. If I did, I think it would be a wonderful way to grow veggies. I am forever taking insects and worms away from my veggies. To grow off the ground would be great.

Flora: Considering your favorite flower, plant, and/or aroma, have these tastes shown up in your writing? If so, how – If not, why not?

Patricia Logan: Yes as a matter of fact citrus scented candles are used in one of the scenes in an upcoming book, “Warrior Nights”. A few of my guys are great cooks and use lemon in cooking.

Flora: If you’ve used plants/flowers other than your favorite ones in your stories, what were they, what story were they in, and why did you choose them?

Patricia Logan: Well my current work in progress is called “A Very Good Year” and one of the main characters is a vintner in a small town winery in Westburg, Texas. We do a lot with grapes, vines and other ingredients to wine making, spices, cedar and wood aromas.

Flora: Patricia Logan, is there anything you’d like readers to know about you that I didn’t ask?

Patricia Logan: Well yes indeed. “Undercover Nights”, the book in which Cody and Gage appear is the second book in the Armadillo Series. The first book is called “Leather Nights” and is also available now. The third and final book in that series is called “Warrior Nights” and be released on June 8, 2011. I have another stand alone novel by the name of “Gypsy Knight” which comes out Oct. 12, 2011 and have several other series underway. Please look for a bunch of books soon.

Flora: I’m sorry folks, but that’s all the time we have for today. Thanks to Cody Redsun, Gage Neary and their author, Patricia Logan, for joining us today and giving us some great answers. We hope you’ll check out their story, Undercover Nights.

To learn more about their author, Patricia Logan, visit: https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100002285431948

BLURB: Gentle Gage Neary has been accused of the most horrific of crimes, murder. The victims are not just anyone; they’re the physical therapist’s innocent patients. Gage doesn’t need more complications in his life. He’s already in the midst of ending a miserable relationship when he finds himself the prime suspect in an FBI investigation. Cody Redsun, the smokin hot FBI agent assigned to investigate the crimes, decides that it’s Gage he’d rather probe for answers.

When they find their own lives threatened, Cody gives himself a new assignment; keep Gage alive until he can find the actual killer. While the true menace to the two men seems to be clear, Cody hides a tortured past that is just as threatening to their deepening bond. As the danger heats up, so do the two men, burning only for each other and the fiery passion that promises to consume them.




EXCERPT: Gage woke sometime in the night covered in sweat. Cody lay on the bed beside him, the muscles in his arms bunched as he raised his hands against some invisible attacker.

“Stop!” Cody shrieked. “I can’t take it Uncle! Okay! I’ll do it!” Cody was panting, flailing arms, covering his face from unseen blows. “Again, yes again! I will do anything! Please just stop…” he whimpered, a little boy’s voice coming from him. “Please just stop,” he sighed and Gage noticed the blood running from Cody’s lips.

Gage watched the man as his teeth clamped down, cutting into the ragged lips again and again as he tried to bite through them. Gage had to stop this somehow; he realized that Cody was still asleep, though deeply locked in a primal fight for his survival. He reached for him, wrapping his long arms around Cody as he crooned into his ear. “It’s okay baby, I’m here… Gage is here Cody… shh.”

Cody struggled for a moment, his whimpering cries echoing around the walls of the apartment, before going limp in Gage’s arms. Gage continued to rock Cody, absorbing his tears as they fell. Cody wound his arms around Gage, pulling Gage in tight as the silent tears turned to sobs which wracked his body. Gage smoothed his hands over Cody’s back, pushing aside his hair and laying his warm palms directly on the ravaged scars so that Cody would feel the tenderness in his touch. “No more pain Cody, no more. Only love baby. All you feel now is love.”

Cody was sobbing, clinging to Gage as if he’d never breathe again, never be able to escape the beast that filled his memories, his nightmares, the dark places in his soul. Gage could only hope that little by little, he was replacing the beast, filling the empty spaces that the monster had left all those years ago.

Gage moved his palms to another area of Cody’s back, pressing softly against the ravaged skin as Cody’s sobs quieted to silent tears. “Gage?” Cody choked out.

“Yes baby, it’s Gage. I’m here, love. Shh, I’m not leaving.” He moved his warm hands to another place that hadn’t been touched yet, pressing down as he soothed the tortured soul that was Cody.


Cody seemed to relax with Gage’s soft voice at his ear. “I’m sorry Gage. I’m sorry. I never wanted you to know. I wanted to protect you from me.”

Gage couldn’t wrap his mind around the phrase. Was it possible that Cody thought he had anything to do with his own brutalization and was now worried about protecting Gage from himself? “Sorry Cody? Sorry for what?”

***

Cody pulled out of Gage’s hug, lifting his head as he stared down into Gage’s tear filled eyes. His eyes traced over Gage’s beautiful face looking for the pity that he’d expected to see. He knew he’d leave if he saw it. He could live with his own shame but not if he shamed Gage. There was no pity in the violet depths, no condemnation. Gage’s eyes reflected back love. Cody blinked. He’d never seen love in anyone’s eyes before. He couldn’t ever remember seeing that in his mother’s eyes before her death. He rarely looked into her eyes, unable to bear her pain.

“What could you possibly have to be sorry for sweetheart?” Gage lifted his head and kissed Cody’s lips softly.

Cody laid his head back down on Gage’s muscular shoulder; pursing his lips, he found his mark on Gage’s neck as he brushed his mouth lightly against it. He closed his eyes as Gage’s warm hands moved again on his back, pressing softly as Gage healed him even more with a loving touch.

Wistful Wednesday

Join Susan Kronick, author of the autobiographical paranormal, Sarah, They’re Coming For You, as she virtually tours the blogosphere April 4 – May 27 2011 on her first virtual book tour withPump Up Your Book!

About Susan Kronick

Susan Kronick’s background is the perfect backdrop leading up to her latest paranormal novel,Sarah, They’re Coming for You. She has a Master of Science in Psychology from Nova Southeastern University and a Ph.D. in Paranormal Studies/Psychology from Union Institute and Graduate School, as well as being an adjunct psychology professor at Barry University and Palm Beach State College. A psychic and a medium, she has the gift of seeing the dead since she was a child. She also has taught parapsychology classes through the Palm Beach County School Board, as well as at Palm Beach State College. Susan has extensive experience in the area of investigations of haunting and the paranormal. She lives with her husband and her four spoiled rescue dogs in south Florida. You can visit her website atwww.susankronick.webs.com. “Like” her page at Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/pages/susan-kronick/156870670886.

About Sarah, They’re Coming for You

Restless spirits of the dead, torment the living for many reasons. But the dark hunters seek one thing. It is not God’s blessing, but a soul for eternity.

For years, Sarah was tormented by these seekers. Each passing year they gained strength. Guided by her great great grandfather Hermann-who intercedes on her behalf-Sarah had faith, but now, she feels her faith in Hermann is slipping, and she grows spiritually weaker.

When a mysterious woman—a link from the past—enlightens Sarah of her journey, every thing falls into place. Sarah has a connection between her ancestral family and her own haunting from the rogue ghosts in the after life. They seek her in order to claim two family members with a single soul.

One thing left to do for Sarah. Go to the family home in Austria and face the ghosts head on, or lose her soul forever.

TANTALIZING TUESDAY

Hi! I’m Flora, the roman goddess of flowers and springtime. I am also connected with fertility as I specialize in plants that bear fruit, and many of them do! April signifies a time of rebirth. A Saxon sister-goddess, Eastre, has also evolved, over time. As the Christian religion absorbed deities and skewed their meanings to retain converts discourage continued worship of what they considered to be “out-dated deities”, the Easter Bunny and subsequent celebrations evolved. While her name, Eastre, was skewed, her meanings were not lost. She too represented fertility, springtime and offspring. This ideal is represented by the Easter Bunny’s connection to eggs. Eggs are a direct correlation to fertility and offspring, as all animals – human and animal – begin in some way as an egg.

We are celebrating the birth and renewal of plants, people and offspring – all births are important!

Before we begin, I must remind everyone of the Moonlight Mistresses boring rule to please try and keep your responses to a PG13 atmosphere – *eye roll*. However, they haven’t seemed to care about double entendres, so let them fly!

My guests today are, Veronica Spelling and Travis Hunter from Richmond, Virginia. Their tale can be found in Wicked Wager Among Friends – Tales from Lucifer’s Lair, a novel creation by Cassandre Dayne.

Flora: Thank you Veronica and Travis for joining us today! Please, Veronica tell our readers how you two first met. Was it by your design, or his?

Veronica: We met quite by accident in the grocery story trying to grab the same delicious grapefruit. Somehow we started talking and had a drink at the Flamingo Rustler, a local restaurant and bar, and we’ve been friends ever since.

Flora: Travis, would you say it was love at first sight or did you find her repulsive?

Travis: I thought she was perky and sweet. Little did I know she had a devilish personality hidden under her golden blond hair and sparkling blue eyes.

Flora: Devilish, I like that. I think that adds a spark in a relationship. Since chaotic happenstance tends to put characters like yourselves in situations where they must work together or live together for one reason or another, tell us what chaotic happenstance “forced” the two of you to work or live together. How did you both feel about this?

Veronica: Travis was the male friend I could always go to when I needed something. Whether it was some handyman work around the house or a guy’s thoughts, Travis was and still is my best buddy. Then something happened between us and I was the one that wanted to explore a more personal relationship.

Travis: I always thought she was beautiful and while I prefer men, or so I thought, there was something beguiling about her. She was easy to adore. And now, she’s simply incredible.

Flora: Ah, interesting Travis. I understand you’re now both in a relationship with a third. Travis, would you say that your relationship developed easily or would you say there was some reluctance? What kind of obstacles were there?

Travis: First of all I didn’t want to disappoint Veronica or hurt her. I was terrified that exploring a physical relationship would destroy our friendship. I also wasn’t completely sure I would enjoy being with a woman, but together, along with Jonathan by our side, we all love each other. Once we figured out we wanted to explore another type of relationship together as three, it became easy.

Flora: How long did it take you to know your true feelings for the other? At what point did you know, “this is the one”?

Veronica: I don’t know about Travis, but I adored him from the beginning and slowly as we developed a tight friendship, I knew I was falling in love. The moment we kissed, I knew.

Travis: I think the same way, except that when she propositioned me with her wicked wager, I was floored and really didn’t know that she felt that strongly. When I managed to wrestle with my fears and the first time we were together, there was no turning back.

Flora: This is for either of you. Would you like to thank anyone – other than me, of course – for getting you two together?

Veronica: I would just like to say thank you to Travis for trusting me.

Travis: And I have to say Veronica for her patience and love and every day that we share together.

Flora: As we are celebrating fertility and offspring this month, tell us, Veronica and Travis do you plan on having children in the future Why or why not? How many do you think you’ll want? Do you prefer sons or daughters, or does it not matter?

Veronica: We’ve talked about it with Jonathan and in truth, we want beautiful children as a family together.

Travis: I think we’d love to have at least two.
Veronica: One by each father!

Flora: Do either of you garden? Why or why not?

Veronica: I love the outdoors but I’m terrible with gardening.

Travis: I’m the green thumb in the family!

Flora: It’s nice to have the man into gardening for a change. What are your favorite flowers or plants? What significance do they hold for you?

Veronica: White roses. It’s the first bouquet that Travis bought for me.

Travis: I love tulips because their rich colors remind me of the many vibrant sides of Veronica’s personality.

Flora: Thanks so much to Veronica and Travis for joining us today! Now, I’d like to take some time to speak with their author, Cassandre Dayne Thanks for joining us today, Cassandre! First, I’d like to start with some of the questions I asked Veronica and Travis. Do you garden? Why or why not?

Cassandre: I love gardening and have one with flowers and vegetables – especially tomatoes. I am one of those girls that loves fresh mulch!

Flora: Do you prefer vegetables and fruits, flowers, or both? Which ones are your favorites?

Cassandre: I love them both and honestly, I have too many personal favorites to be able to mention them all.

Flora: If you had the chance to do so, would you participate in a community garden? Why or why not? (If you have done this before, please share your experience!)

Cassandre: The real girl, Bethany works with Community Associations and I have set up community gardens with the owners, tended and watered enjoyed with them. It’s a wonderful community wide effort and gives them something to tend and talk over too.

Flora: Flowers, trees and plants offer a variety of aromas. What would you say is your favorite aroma and why?

Cassandre: I do love the smell of roses, but I love fresh greenery and the smell of fresh mulch and about every flower in the spring.

Flora: A growing trend these days is to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, beans and peppers upside down while growing other smaller plants like lettuce, radishes, cress or herbs on top. Is this something you’ll try or have done? Why or why not?

Cassandre: I’ve seen and have friends that enjoy, but it’s just not something I’ve tried simply because I have a larger garden.

Flora: Considering your favorite flower, plant, and/or aroma, have these tastes shown up in your writing? If so, how – If not, why not?

Cassandre: Nature does show up in my writing as I love the smell of the ocean or the puffs of white in a blue sky. I always give off the scents of nature wherever the characters are.

Flora: If you’ve used plants/flowers other than your favorite ones in your stories, what were they, what story were they in, and why did you choose them?

Cassandre: I can’t think of anything specific because I tend to infuse tastes and smells throughout.

Flora: Cassandre, is there anything you’d like readers to know about you that I didn’t ask?

Cassandre: I am a furry friend lover and have two dogs who enjoy being outside. We love to play, especially in the spring time.

Flora: I’m sorry folks, but that’s all the time we have for today. Thanks to Veronica and Travis and their author, Cassandre, for joining us today and giving us some great answers. We hope you’ll check out their story, Wicked Wager Among Friends – Tales from Lucifer’s Lair.

To learn more about their author, Cassandre Dayne, visit: http://www.cassandredayne.com

BLURB:

Veronica Spelling was used to getting what she wanted, but not with men. She had long desired her best friend, Travis Hunter, for years. Golden, masculine and perfect, her mouth watered for him. And while they had admitted their kinky proclivities over long nights and tasty margaritas, he had never indulged. So she decided to take matters into her own hands and kick up the heat one wild night, suggesting a wicked little wager of pool. The prize? If she ended up the winner then she would receive her most heavenly desired wish, to be taken in the ass by a man for the first time. If he did, then she would become his sex slave for twenty-four luscious hours.

The only problem? He was decidedly gay, had only been with a woman once and was in a casual relationship with their mutual friend, Jonathan. Then there was that itching little problem of whether he could get it up or not. Against the odds, Travis finally determined his true feelings about the luscious vixen and won the bet. During those twenty-four hours, he fulfilled her most erotic fantasies. As morning dawned and reality set in, the question about Jonathan’s acceptance settled into their reality, and Veronica was left with a haunted feeling. Unsure of what to say, they left each other without further words. Could their combined friendship survive the blatant sensual act or would their entire world be turned upside down forever?


EXCERPT:

Travis eyed the surly man before turning his gaze back to Veronica. She seemed so vulnerable, like a tiny kitten needing to be protected and trained. And he planned on training her well. “Don’t worry Lucifer, I might just be falling in love.”

“You just remember what I said.” Lucifer turned a fake grin toward the attentive audience, gave Travis a high five and retreated back toward the kitchen, shaking his head.

Travis glided directly in front of her and took her hand, kissing her palm gently. “You were saying?” It was time to leave and not only to save further embarrassment, but he wasn’t sure he could walk any longer as the dense material continued to bite into his rock hard dick. They would talk in the morning and figure out if this scenario was nothing more than a tease. But there was no doubt what he wanted -- total control of her body, her passion and her very soul.

Veronica seemed to have a bit of trouble looking at him in his eyes. “Um, I said…I was saying… So back to the game?”

Travis stared at her wide-eyed. They were selling their souls to the devil but he couldn’t see a way around it without hurting her feelings. Then again, he didn’t want to stop either. He shivered from the realization. “All right. Where were we?”

“Do you accept the wager?”

He couldn’t believe she’d never experienced having a cock in her ass. At that moment, he wanted to teach her the finer art so badly his mouth watered from the thought. “Absolutely.” To be the one to touch her sweet little bud and inch his way inside the tight warmth of her stirred his swollen balls. How the hell was he going to concentrate on a sinful game?

She grinned, swirled the last bits of liquor around in her glass and set down the crystal with deliberately slow movements. Picking up the pool stick, she eyed the glossy pool balls. “I think it was my turn actually.” Veronica sauntered around the corner to take a shot and managed to get her foot hooked on the leg of the pool table. She grabbed the table and grinned, eyeing the bikers that stood watching with folded arms.

“Nervous little kitty vixen?” Travis snickered.

“That’s wild cat to you.”

Travis chuckled and contemplated the ramifications of what if. What if they had a torrid little affair that led to what he’d teased relentlessly about with her and the night morphed into a threesome and possibly something beyond that? What if she freaked out and refused to see him ever again? What if she couldn’t handle his need for erotic sex and his requirements for her to submit her body to him to pleasure with rapture and pain?

For the fiftieth time in less than a minute, Travis had second thoughts. He refused to hurt her. Sex and friendship never mixed and Travis knew better. He also knew Veronica had no idea what she was getting herself into. She was a good girl with conservative values. To bring her into the world of S & M was ridiculous and perhaps dangerous for her soul. No matter what she said, Veronica Spelling was not ready to be a submissive. As she leaned over the pool table and he caught the hint of her nipples, he froze. He had to stop this. Immediately. “Veronica! ”

His bedraggled word showered across her just as she took the shot.

And missed.

The entire room gasped as the ball seemed to tumble over two others and jump backwards on the table.

“Oh no!” A young biker gasped.

“Bloody hell!” Lucifer cried, edging forward.

Travis cringed. How the hell could the damn ball jump over her hands backward? “Fuck!”

She glared at the ball, turned as she heard the hiss of the crowd and then witnessed the strained expression on Travis’ face. Her hand flew to her mouth.