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Dante's News
Find all the latest news on everything Dante Craddock is doing right here.
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Over the last couple of weeks I have been working on a new project and it is finally completed. I hope to give out more information on this over the next couple of days.
The Reading Corner Anthology
I'm happy to announce that my first short story will be included in Book Two of The Reading Corner Anthology.
My Contribution to The Reading Corner is the short story Awakening.
Heather vacations in Hawaii, looking for a new beginning after the end of a disastrous relationship. On the island of Oahu she finds more than she imagined was possible.
My Contribution to The Reading Corner is the short story Awakening.
Heather vacations in Hawaii, looking for a new beginning after the end of a disastrous relationship. On the island of Oahu she finds more than she imagined was possible.
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A book of wonderful stories by great authors. Grab your favorite beverage, a blanket, this book, and curl up in a chair for a wonderful break from life in The Reading Corner.
Contributing Authors: Jesalyn Mae Harper Dale A Doggett Gabriel Constans James F Rold Mahyar Amouzegar Sharon C Williams Russell Warnberg Harriet Darling Claire Gager Stephanie Marino Available now
A wonderful collection of short stories written by great authors. Grab this book, your favorite beverage, a blanket, curl up in your favorite comfy chair, and escape from life for a little while.
Contributing authors are: Christopher Heard Gary Kassay John Paulits (Trevor Robertson) S.M. Hart Ronald Bagliere Keith Kelly Sandra J Jackson June V Bourgo Kris Franklin Pete Klismet RL Smith Dante Craddock Available now
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In previous months I have interviewed authors Lindsay Marie Miller and Faye Hall. I'd like you to join me in helping them celebrate the pending arrival of their latest works. For more info check back here throughout the month of April.
On March 31, 2016 Lindsay Marie Miller's latest book arrives. It's a New Adult Contemporary Romance called S.I.N.G.L.E. (Still In Need of a Good Loving Equivalent).
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Jessica Jacobs is a twenty-two-year-old finance major at the University of Washington, whose brief encounters with blind dating have left her a single, cynical woman. When her best friend, Sara, gets dumped by the love of her life on Valentine’s Day, Jessie proposes a pact boycotting all men for the rest of the semester. But then Jessie meets Graham, a gorgeous, yet respectable gentleman with the body of a Greek god and a heart of gold. Torn between her commitment to the pact and an undeniable attraction towards Graham, Jessie remains guarded and distant, which only makes Graham want her more. As fate intervenes time and time again, Jessie must embrace the inner fear surrounding her heart or risk losing the only man who would never break it.
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Faye Hall's latest novel Shrouded Passions will arrive in April through Beachwalk Press.
Murder, lies, deception, and love set in the outback under the Australian sun.
A past of stolen gold, lies, and murder joined their families together. It was a past that Devon Munroy and Lotte Higgins knew nothing about. All they knew was the passion they felt for each other. When Lotte is shot and dies in Devon’s arms, his world is destroyed.
Four years later Devon has married the person his father handpicked for him, but he’s still grieving for the woman he lost. He’s a mere shell of the man he once was, his life having become a drunken haze without meaning. Then he meets a woman who reminds him so much of his lost love it makes his heart ache.
Lotte has been in hiding for years, but when more bodies began turning up around town, all brutally murdered, she knows it’s time to bring down the person who tried to kill her. And Lotte knows who is was—the woman Devon is now married to. Changing her looks in order to keep her true identity hidden, Lotte takes a job in their home, hoping to find some proof of the woman’s crimes. But can she resist Devon when she’s so close to him? And when the truth comes out will Devon be able to forgive her deception?
Content Warning: contains sex, strong language, and some violence
Genre(s): Historical Romance
A past of stolen gold, lies, and murder joined their families together. It was a past that Devon Munroy and Lotte Higgins knew nothing about. All they knew was the passion they felt for each other. When Lotte is shot and dies in Devon’s arms, his world is destroyed.
Four years later Devon has married the person his father handpicked for him, but he’s still grieving for the woman he lost. He’s a mere shell of the man he once was, his life having become a drunken haze without meaning. Then he meets a woman who reminds him so much of his lost love it makes his heart ache.
Lotte has been in hiding for years, but when more bodies began turning up around town, all brutally murdered, she knows it’s time to bring down the person who tried to kill her. And Lotte knows who is was—the woman Devon is now married to. Changing her looks in order to keep her true identity hidden, Lotte takes a job in their home, hoping to find some proof of the woman’s crimes. But can she resist Devon when she’s so close to him? And when the truth comes out will Devon be able to forgive her deception?
Content Warning: contains sex, strong language, and some violence
Genre(s): Historical Romance
An excerpt from Shrouded Passions
He walked up behind her, his arms going around her waist and down to the apex of her thighs, his fingers gathering up her skirts searching for the bare flesh beneath.
She struggled against him, finally pulling away freeing herself.
His stare was dark and confused. “Is my touch no longer welcomed?”
“I am not some whore for you to play with at your will!” she spat at him, her anger obvious.
Slowly he stepped towards her, again closing the distance between them. “Are you so sure of that, my dear?”
“You bastard!” she cursed at him. “You would fuck near on anything if you were given half the chance!”
Reaching out to her, he again pulled her to him, her rear pressing into his already strained mound in his trousers.
“I would fuck you…here…now…but it appears my attentions are no longer welcomed.” He whispered near her ear, his breath hot against her face, his hands holding her hips as he ground himself into her suggestively.
Pushing against him, she struggled to again free herself. He grabbed at her arm, holding her wrist, stopping her escape.
“You son of a bitch!” she spat at him, holding her tears at bay. “You have fucked your way through your serving staff until there is none left. You would even fuck that woman…that thing…you share your bed with…the thing you call…”
“My wife.” He finished for her.
He stood there for what seemed hours holding her, studying her. Finally he let her wrist drop from his hand.
“You should get back to work,” he said steadily, knowing he was not ready for this moment.
She stood there, a single tear falling from her eye. “You should go back and crawl between your wife’s thighs.”
Stepping towards her, his hands went to her face cupping it, his fingers lacing in her hair, his lips hungrily taking hers. Walking her backwards, he laid her on the bed behind her, one hand leaving her face to gather up her skirts. Despite having returned his kiss, she fought against him as he gathered up her skirts.
“Get off me!” she shouted at him, her hands trying to push him away as her feet kicked at him.
Struggling against her, he finally grabbed both of her wrists in his hands, holding them above her head. Looking down at her, her cheeks flushed, her breasts moving with her ragged breathing – never had he seen her look more beautiful. And never had a wanted her more.
“If I wanted little more than a quick fuck I would go to the tavern and pay for it.”
“Why not go to your wife?” she asked, her fight calming.
“My wife was a contract, nothing more. Our parents thought we’d make a profitable match.”
“Yet you will still sleep with her.” she spat at him.
He couldn’t stop his slight smile at her words. “Until I met you…until you came here…the only woman my body burned for was a girl from my youth…a girl so uninhibited and unconvential…you are so much like her…yet you are so much more as well.”
His words trailed off.
“What happened to her?”
His smile began to fade as reality returned to him. “I killed her. There was a struggle…my gun went off…and she died in my arms.”
“If you loved her so much…desired her so much…why did you marry Elizabeth? Why come to me?”
He let go of her wrists, his hands moving over the swell of her breasts. His fingers began unbuttoning her blouse.
“Since you have come into my life, I desire no other woman. You are everything I have ever wanted and more…”
“Your wife…” she reminded him.
“You are the only woman to have touched me since I shot that girl.” Unbuttoning her blouse, he let the fabric all away from her, revealing the light shift covering her, still hiding her breast from him.
“I have not lain with my wife…ever.”
She tried to stay strong. “When you can fuck your way through your servants, I suppose why would you?”
His fingers circled her nipples, hardening them, making her reveal her want for him. “If I wanted to ‘fuck’ you, I would have when I first walked in this room. I would have bent you over that table you were cleaning until I spilled myself inside you.”
She bit her lip. “Why didn’t you?”
His fingers stilled, his gaze holding hers. “I want to give you pleasure. I want to see your passion.” He held his breath. “I want to give you what was taken from me all those years ago.”
“I-If your wife comes in here…if she sees us…” she tried.
He kissed her softly. “I do not care who sees us.”
“I am not this girl from your past, Devon,” she tried to remind him.
Gathering up her skirts, he revealed her naked thighs to him. “I know who you are, Lotte…and what.”
He kissed her then, silencing her, his fingers caressing her thigh.
She struggled against him, finally pulling away freeing herself.
His stare was dark and confused. “Is my touch no longer welcomed?”
“I am not some whore for you to play with at your will!” she spat at him, her anger obvious.
Slowly he stepped towards her, again closing the distance between them. “Are you so sure of that, my dear?”
“You bastard!” she cursed at him. “You would fuck near on anything if you were given half the chance!”
Reaching out to her, he again pulled her to him, her rear pressing into his already strained mound in his trousers.
“I would fuck you…here…now…but it appears my attentions are no longer welcomed.” He whispered near her ear, his breath hot against her face, his hands holding her hips as he ground himself into her suggestively.
Pushing against him, she struggled to again free herself. He grabbed at her arm, holding her wrist, stopping her escape.
“You son of a bitch!” she spat at him, holding her tears at bay. “You have fucked your way through your serving staff until there is none left. You would even fuck that woman…that thing…you share your bed with…the thing you call…”
“My wife.” He finished for her.
He stood there for what seemed hours holding her, studying her. Finally he let her wrist drop from his hand.
“You should get back to work,” he said steadily, knowing he was not ready for this moment.
She stood there, a single tear falling from her eye. “You should go back and crawl between your wife’s thighs.”
Stepping towards her, his hands went to her face cupping it, his fingers lacing in her hair, his lips hungrily taking hers. Walking her backwards, he laid her on the bed behind her, one hand leaving her face to gather up her skirts. Despite having returned his kiss, she fought against him as he gathered up her skirts.
“Get off me!” she shouted at him, her hands trying to push him away as her feet kicked at him.
Struggling against her, he finally grabbed both of her wrists in his hands, holding them above her head. Looking down at her, her cheeks flushed, her breasts moving with her ragged breathing – never had he seen her look more beautiful. And never had a wanted her more.
“If I wanted little more than a quick fuck I would go to the tavern and pay for it.”
“Why not go to your wife?” she asked, her fight calming.
“My wife was a contract, nothing more. Our parents thought we’d make a profitable match.”
“Yet you will still sleep with her.” she spat at him.
He couldn’t stop his slight smile at her words. “Until I met you…until you came here…the only woman my body burned for was a girl from my youth…a girl so uninhibited and unconvential…you are so much like her…yet you are so much more as well.”
His words trailed off.
“What happened to her?”
His smile began to fade as reality returned to him. “I killed her. There was a struggle…my gun went off…and she died in my arms.”
“If you loved her so much…desired her so much…why did you marry Elizabeth? Why come to me?”
He let go of her wrists, his hands moving over the swell of her breasts. His fingers began unbuttoning her blouse.
“Since you have come into my life, I desire no other woman. You are everything I have ever wanted and more…”
“Your wife…” she reminded him.
“You are the only woman to have touched me since I shot that girl.” Unbuttoning her blouse, he let the fabric all away from her, revealing the light shift covering her, still hiding her breast from him.
“I have not lain with my wife…ever.”
She tried to stay strong. “When you can fuck your way through your servants, I suppose why would you?”
His fingers circled her nipples, hardening them, making her reveal her want for him. “If I wanted to ‘fuck’ you, I would have when I first walked in this room. I would have bent you over that table you were cleaning until I spilled myself inside you.”
She bit her lip. “Why didn’t you?”
His fingers stilled, his gaze holding hers. “I want to give you pleasure. I want to see your passion.” He held his breath. “I want to give you what was taken from me all those years ago.”
“I-If your wife comes in here…if she sees us…” she tried.
He kissed her softly. “I do not care who sees us.”
“I am not this girl from your past, Devon,” she tried to remind him.
Gathering up her skirts, he revealed her naked thighs to him. “I know who you are, Lotte…and what.”
He kissed her then, silencing her, his fingers caressing her thigh.
Interview by Dante Changes
Starting this month there will be changes to Interviews by Dante. Originally all of the questions were voluntary and I asked that a minimum number of the questions be answered. Now the most common answered questions are mandatory. I have also included some new questions. A wild card question has been added, asking my guest author to come up with a question that they have never been asked before and then to give their answer. It will be interesting to see what they have to say and if they question is intriguing enough it will be added to future interview questionnaires. I have also asked authors to rate their own work based on the level of fire in their particular brand of romance.
1 Flame — Innocent Romance – This type of romance focuses on the romantic relationship between the characters. No sexual situations occur on the page. No mentioning of sexual events. Hand holding and chaste kissing may occur. This category also includes clean romance, where no foul language or violence occur.
2 Flames — Mild Romance – No sexual situations occur on the page. These events may be mentioned as happening, but are not detailed. Sexual attraction and tension may exist; kissing, flirting. All scenes are fully clothed. Foul language may occasionally be used. No violence.
3 Flames — Sensual Romance – In a sensual romance there is at least one consummated love/sex scene. This scene or scenes are an integral part of the story, but they aren’t explicitly described. The driving force behind the story is the emotions, sexual tension and conflict. Mild foul language and generally a cleaner sexual talk. Touching and fondling are okay.
4 Flames -- Steamy Romance – Includes graphic sex and complete sex acts. These acts are described in explicit detail. Multiple sexual encounters occur. Dirty sexual language is used. Sexual scenes and events are integral to the story and may drive the conflict and growth of characters or plot.
5 Flames — Erotic Romance – Includes all form of Erotica; BDSM, Ménage, multiple partners and taboo fantasies. The driving force behind the story is sex and sexual pleasure/gratification.
October Interviews
All Interviews will post at 7PM Central
Here are the authors that I will be interviewing in the month of October on Interviews by Dante. The interviews will post at 7 pm central throughout the month of October. And don't forget to check out all of the wonderful authors that I have interviewed in months past.
The guest author for October 5th on Interviews by Dante is Karen Docter. She is an author of Contemporary and Romantic suspense and her latest book, a contemporary romance called Cop On Her Doorstep. It is the first installment of the True Love in Uniform series. Her interview will post at 7pm central. Enjoy learning a bit about this wonderful author.
The guest author for October 15th on Interviews by Dante is Anthony Avina. She is an author of Contemporary Romance. His latest book is Void. It is the first of a series. His interview will post at 7pm central. Enjoy learning a bit about this wonderful author.
The guest author for October 25th on Interviews by Dante is Toya Richardson. She is an author of Paranormal Romance and Contemporary Fiction. Her latest book is Rise of the Chameleons. It is the second installment in the Eternal Love of the Seekers series. Her interview will post at 7pm central. Enjoy learning a bit about this wonderful author.
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The guest author for October 10th on Interviews by Dante is Marie Johnston. She is an author of Paranormal Romance. Her latest book is Lawful Claim. It is the fourth installment in the Sigma Menace series. Her interview will post at 7pm central. Enjoy learning a bit about this wonderful author.
The guest author for October 20th on Interviews by Dante is Effie Kammenou. She is an author of Contemporary Women's Fiction. Her latest book is Evanthia's Gift. It is the first installment in the Gift Saga. Her interview will post at 7pm central. Enjoy learning a bit about this wonderful author.
The guest author for October 25th on Interviews by Dante is Tracey Clark. She is an author of Paranormal Romance. Her latest book is Shocking Finds. It is the first installment in the Finder’s Keepers series. Her interview will post at 7pm central. Enjoy learning a bit about this wonderful author.
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September Interviews
All Interviews will post at 7PM Central
Here are the authors that I will be interviewing in the month of September on Interviews by Dante. The interviews will post at 7 pm central throughout the month of September. And don't forget to check out all of the wonderful authors that I have interviewed in months past.
The guest author for September 5th on Interviews by Dante is Ariel Marie. She is an author of Paranormal Romance and her latest book is Power of the Fae. It is the first installment to the Mirrored Prophecy series. Her interview will post at 7pm central. Enjoy learning a bit about this wonderful author.
The guest author for September 15th on Interviews by Dante is Kelly Marshall. Her latest book is The Chair a Mystery/Romance novel. Her interview will post at 7pm central. Enjoy learning a bit about this wonderful author.
The guest author for September 25th on Interviews by Dante is Alisha Short. She is an author of Contemporary Romance and her latest book is Veiled Desires the first book in the Captive series. Her interview will post at 7pm central. Enjoy learning a bit about this wonderful author.
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The guest author for September 10th on Interviews by Dante is Ryanne Anthony. She is an author of Contemporary Romance. Her latest book is Falling: Book One of the Negative Ion Series. Her interview will post at 7pm central. Enjoy learning a bit about this wonderful author.
The guest author for September 20th on Interviews by Dante is Ashley Dooley. She is an author of Contemporary Romance and her first book is Altering Authority. Her interview will post at 7pm central. Enjoy learning a bit about this wonderful author.
The guest author for September 30th on Interviews by Dante is Zara Steen. She is an author of Paranormal and Fantasy Romance and her latest book is Blue Moon Rising. Her interview will post at 7pm central. Enjoy learning a bit about this wonderful author.
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My Newest Project
I have begun work on something new and exciting in the last week. I’m crafting a novella prequel to A Love Beyond Time. As of yet I have no exact timetable on its availability, but I will be offering it free to my fans. What this means is that all of you will get a chance to pick up an e-book copy of it as soon as I have it completed. I will have further updates down the road to let you know when the novella will be ready.
August Interviews
All interviews post at 7PM Central
The guest author for August 5th on Interviews by Dante is Sarina Rose. She is the author of the Love Me Tender series.
The guest author for August 15th on Interviews by Dante is Sarah Ashwood. She is the author of the Sunset Lands Beyond trilogy.
The guest author for August 25th on Interviews by Dante is J.L. Dillard. She is the author of the Pleasure Principle series.
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The guest author for August 10th on Interviews by Dante is Carmen Stevens. She is the author of Anne.
The guest author for August 20th on Interviews by Dante is Sarah Brocious. She is the author of the Wake Up series.
The guest author for August 30th on Interviews by Dante is Pamela Crane. She is the author of The Admirer's Secret.
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This month finds me rather happy about a recent string of reviews for A Love Beyond Time.
Sarah Brocious Rated it 4 Stars on Goodreads. Here's what she had to say about A Love Beyond Time. "I found this story beautifully articulate and sad...so very sad at times. Not the sad that makes you depressed but the kind that makes your heart ache. A Love Beyond Time is mysterious. The parallels created between two very different times was very enjoyable! (frustrating at first until you learned the significance and then it is just bitter sweet...but I won't spoil the story for others)"
Kathleen Westberg rated it 4 Stars on Amazon. Here's what she had to say about A Love Beyond Time. "Wonderfully romantic. It reminded me of the 1980 movie Somewhere In Time. It erases time and space barriers. A great love story."
Sandra J. Jackson rated it 4 Stars on Goodreads. Here's what she had to say about A Love Beyond Time. "Recommends it for: Anyone who loves a romance with a touch of the paranormal. A wonderful story about eternal love with some surprising elements. I am looking forward to the second book in the series."
Sarah Brocious Rated it 4 Stars on Goodreads. Here's what she had to say about A Love Beyond Time. "I found this story beautifully articulate and sad...so very sad at times. Not the sad that makes you depressed but the kind that makes your heart ache. A Love Beyond Time is mysterious. The parallels created between two very different times was very enjoyable! (frustrating at first until you learned the significance and then it is just bitter sweet...but I won't spoil the story for others)"
Kathleen Westberg rated it 4 Stars on Amazon. Here's what she had to say about A Love Beyond Time. "Wonderfully romantic. It reminded me of the 1980 movie Somewhere In Time. It erases time and space barriers. A great love story."
Sandra J. Jackson rated it 4 Stars on Goodreads. Here's what she had to say about A Love Beyond Time. "Recommends it for: Anyone who loves a romance with a touch of the paranormal. A wonderful story about eternal love with some surprising elements. I am looking forward to the second book in the series."
Changes to Interviews by Dante
As of June 1st I will only be excepting interview requests from romance writers. For those authors that have already submitted an interview request form and are not romance writers you have nothing to worry about. I will honor the commitment I made to you. So far, I have been posting interviews in the order that I have received the answers from you. I don’t see anything changing in that regard. I have already booked non-romance writers through late August. Starting in early September I will be introducing a new format for the interviews and including some new questions. Stay tuned for future updates.
July Interviews
All interviews post at 7PM Central
Author
Pamela Daniell July 5th 
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Dena Rogers July 15th |
Author
K.K. Gould July 10th 
Author
Taylor Fenner July 20th |
Author
Jessica Werner July 25 |
Author
Robin Field July 30th |
June Interviews
All interviews post at 7PM Central
All interviews post at 7PM Central
Author
Drako Damone June 5th 
Author
Ella Drayton June 15th 
Author
JD Byrne June 25th |
Author
Sylvie Nickels June 10th 
Author
Jean Lowe Carlson June 20th 
Author
Lisa Medley June 30th |
May Interviews
All interviews post at 7PM Central
Author
W. E. Lawrence May 5th 
Author Richard Lester
May 15th 
Author
Angel Chadwick May 25th |
Author Daniel Haight
May 10th 
Author Sylvia Frances
May 20th 
Author
Tony Leslie Duxbury May 30th |
April Interviews
All interviews post at 7PM Central
All interviews post at 7PM Central
Author Lindsay Detwiler
April 5th 
Author
Jane Lynne Daniels April 15th 
Author
Minolta Walker April 25th |
Author
Cathy Rafferty April 10th 
Author Divya
Jyoti Randev April 20th 
Author
Vanessa Kings April 30th |
March Interviews by Dante Schedule
All interviews will post at 7PM central.
5 Sandra J. Jackson
10 Marie Saint-Louis
15 Raj Davis
20 Nicola Abell-Francis
25 Renee Marski
30 Eeva Lancaster
All interviews will post at 7PM central.
5 Sandra J. Jackson
10 Marie Saint-Louis
15 Raj Davis
20 Nicola Abell-Francis
25 Renee Marski
30 Eeva Lancaster
Was in a book store today and I found this in a book store. It's a great feeling finding something that you've created on a store shelf.
I had an amazing time being interviewed by Freshly Booked. Click on the link below for direct access to the interview. And don't forget to check out my special blog for the occasion.
I'm giving you another sneak peek at A Love Beyond Time for this weeks reveal. This is the final reveal for A Love Beyond Time. I hope all of you are looking forward to this Friday as much as I am. Revealed May 12th.
Ashley meets Elena at the door, both of them arriving home at the same time. They enter the house together and find Veronica lounging on the couch as usual, but not in her lay about clothes. Instead she’s wearing a brown leather halter-topped dress with a laced-up slit down the front. “Clear your schedule, girls, we’re going out,” says Veronica.
“When?” says Ashley.
“As soon as you’re ready.”
“Hold on a moment, I’ve got work to do,” says Ashley, holding up the black bag containing her work laptop.
Veronica wags her finger at Ashley. “Ah ah ah . . . no excuses.”
“I’m sorry, Veronica I’ve got way too much work to do.”
“I said no excuses. Now, upstairs you, go change. And that goes for both of you,” she says, her hawk-like gaze swinging over to Elena.
“Hey, for once I’m in total agreement with you. We need a night out,” says Elena.
“No fair ganging up on me,” says Ashley.
Both Elena and Veronica, mischievous grins on their faces, turn their full attention to Ashley.
“You heard her, get your backside up stairs and change. Now. Move it,” says Elena, proceeding to usher her up the stairs.
“Alright, alright, I’ll go change. You don’t have to be so pushy.”
***
Ashley strides out of her room wearing a black halter-topped frock and meets a robe-clad Elena at the bathroom door. “Tell Veronica I’ll be down shortly,” says Elena
“You’d better hurry, I think our task master is getting a bit ruffled down there waiting.” She glances over the railing at Veronica who is standing in front of the couch, arms crossed under her chest, and her right foot tapping out a regular beat.
“I’m hurrying as fast as I can. I was running drills with the girls,” says Elena.
“I thought coaches were supposed to make their player work hard not the other way around.”
“Sometimes the coach has to show them how its done.”
“Oh, okay, I’ll see you downstairs.” Elena disappears into her room, the door closing behind her.
Ashley steps off the stairs, coming face to face with Veronica. “Elena will be down in a moment.”
“I heard and I’m not getting ruffled,” says Veronica.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”
“Apology accepted.”
“But you did deserve it, forcing us into a night out and all,” says Ashley, beaming with a mischievous grin.
“Well, so much for your apology.”
Ashley takes a seat on the couch and Veronica settles down next to her, silently waiting for Elena. Ashley thinks over reruns of last night’s dream—him alone in his cabin high in the mountains.
“There you go again, off into that little world inside your head. What’s going on with you? Are you and Neil still fighting?” asks Veronica.
“No, we’re fine. We patched things up weeks ago. I’ve just had a lot of things on my mind.”
“That’s an understatement.”
Elena comes down the stairs with an obvious spring in her step. She’s wearing a plum-colored sleeveless dress, the scooped neckline bespeckled with plum-colored beads and rhinestones. The dress shows more of her beautiful figure than was her norm only a few short months ago, completing the transformation from the demure ugly duckling to the confident strong woman she’s become.
Matt has done wonders for her. I’m so happy for her. She finally found a man that could teach her how truly beautiful she is. Out of the corner of her eye she notices Veronica’s appraising gaze, her eyes sweeping up and down. A shadow flits across them, darkening them for an instant before disappearing like it had never been there in the first place.
“We’ve both noticed that you’ve been quite preoccupied,” says Elena. “That’s why we decided to spring this night out on you.”
“You’re both in on it?, she says gaping at them. “Now, I’m surprised.”
“Well, don’t be, we’re your sisters, and we care about you,” says Veronica.
“What is this, some sort of intervention?”
“You could call it that,” says Veronica. “Now that we’re all ready we can go.”
Ashley meets Elena at the door, both of them arriving home at the same time. They enter the house together and find Veronica lounging on the couch as usual, but not in her lay about clothes. Instead she’s wearing a brown leather halter-topped dress with a laced-up slit down the front. “Clear your schedule, girls, we’re going out,” says Veronica.
“When?” says Ashley.
“As soon as you’re ready.”
“Hold on a moment, I’ve got work to do,” says Ashley, holding up the black bag containing her work laptop.
Veronica wags her finger at Ashley. “Ah ah ah . . . no excuses.”
“I’m sorry, Veronica I’ve got way too much work to do.”
“I said no excuses. Now, upstairs you, go change. And that goes for both of you,” she says, her hawk-like gaze swinging over to Elena.
“Hey, for once I’m in total agreement with you. We need a night out,” says Elena.
“No fair ganging up on me,” says Ashley.
Both Elena and Veronica, mischievous grins on their faces, turn their full attention to Ashley.
“You heard her, get your backside up stairs and change. Now. Move it,” says Elena, proceeding to usher her up the stairs.
“Alright, alright, I’ll go change. You don’t have to be so pushy.”
***
Ashley strides out of her room wearing a black halter-topped frock and meets a robe-clad Elena at the bathroom door. “Tell Veronica I’ll be down shortly,” says Elena
“You’d better hurry, I think our task master is getting a bit ruffled down there waiting.” She glances over the railing at Veronica who is standing in front of the couch, arms crossed under her chest, and her right foot tapping out a regular beat.
“I’m hurrying as fast as I can. I was running drills with the girls,” says Elena.
“I thought coaches were supposed to make their player work hard not the other way around.”
“Sometimes the coach has to show them how its done.”
“Oh, okay, I’ll see you downstairs.” Elena disappears into her room, the door closing behind her.
Ashley steps off the stairs, coming face to face with Veronica. “Elena will be down in a moment.”
“I heard and I’m not getting ruffled,” says Veronica.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”
“Apology accepted.”
“But you did deserve it, forcing us into a night out and all,” says Ashley, beaming with a mischievous grin.
“Well, so much for your apology.”
Ashley takes a seat on the couch and Veronica settles down next to her, silently waiting for Elena. Ashley thinks over reruns of last night’s dream—him alone in his cabin high in the mountains.
“There you go again, off into that little world inside your head. What’s going on with you? Are you and Neil still fighting?” asks Veronica.
“No, we’re fine. We patched things up weeks ago. I’ve just had a lot of things on my mind.”
“That’s an understatement.”
Elena comes down the stairs with an obvious spring in her step. She’s wearing a plum-colored sleeveless dress, the scooped neckline bespeckled with plum-colored beads and rhinestones. The dress shows more of her beautiful figure than was her norm only a few short months ago, completing the transformation from the demure ugly duckling to the confident strong woman she’s become.
Matt has done wonders for her. I’m so happy for her. She finally found a man that could teach her how truly beautiful she is. Out of the corner of her eye she notices Veronica’s appraising gaze, her eyes sweeping up and down. A shadow flits across them, darkening them for an instant before disappearing like it had never been there in the first place.
“We’ve both noticed that you’ve been quite preoccupied,” says Elena. “That’s why we decided to spring this night out on you.”
“You’re both in on it?, she says gaping at them. “Now, I’m surprised.”
“Well, don’t be, we’re your sisters, and we care about you,” says Veronica.
“What is this, some sort of intervention?”
“You could call it that,” says Veronica. “Now that we’re all ready we can go.”
For this week's surprise I’m giving you another sneak peek at the first draft of the novel I’m currently working on, A Memory of Love. It is the sequel to A Love Beyond Time. I hope you enjoy. Revealed May 5th
Veronica walks through the door of the shop and finds herself surrounded by clocks of all shapes and sizes. The place seems to hum with the subtle ticking of countless clocks. The shop is small, tucked away in a corner of a strip mall that until today she didn’t even know existed. She had visited jeweler after jeweler with no success. Many of them had said they could repair the hinge, but none of them could work on the watch’s inner workings. She was about to give up on having it repaired when one of the clerks at the last jeweler had stopped her and told her of this place, ran by a man named Rochambeau.
As she walks up to the counter she is greeted by a man that strikes her as peculiar even before he opens his mouth. He is a short man, no more than five feet tall, wearing a striped double breasted vest. The stripes are outlandishly colored, each seeming to clash with its fellows and the buttons with their gold rimmed pale green stone hearts are three times the size that she would have expected on such a vest. He has a round puffy face with enormous eyes staring out at her through heavy wire rimmed glasses, a magnifier on a swing arm pointing toward the ceiling. His voice is high and lilted almost as if he is singing the words to her as he say, “May I help you?”
“I’m looking to see if you can repair this,” says Veronica. She lays the cloth bundle on the counter and unfolds it.
She pulls back the last fold, revealing the watch. “Bless my soul aren’t you a beauty,” he says. “What did someone do to you, you poor thing.” He picks up the body of the watch, examining it.
Veronica says, “ I accidentally dropped it.”
He shakes his head at her, saying, “Shameful just shameful.”
“Can you repair it?”
“Yes, yes I can.” He lays a card on the counter. “Fill this out and I’ll call you when it’s done.”
The card is a standard form; name, address, telephone number and nothing more. She fills it out, but can’t help watching him as he continues to examine the watch, the magnifier now flipped down over his eye.
“This is magnificent workmanship, but no surprise from a London silversmith.”
She finishes the card, saying, “what do you mean?”
“It says right her on the back,” he says, holding the back of the watch up to her, “that it was made in London. I’ll take that.” He pulls the card across the counter. “You may go now I’ve got a lot of work to do.” He waves his hands at her in a shooing gesture. “I’ll let you know when its done.”
“Thank you, I’ll be waiting for your call.”
He is slowly turning the watch over in his hands all of his focus on it as if she is no longer even there. Veronica shake her head and walks away. As she is just about to reach for the door handle she hears him say, “What did that mean woman do to you, you poor thing.”
She pulls the door open, shaking her head again. Peculiar doesn’t even begin to touch it. He’s talking to a watch.
Veronica walks through the door of the shop and finds herself surrounded by clocks of all shapes and sizes. The place seems to hum with the subtle ticking of countless clocks. The shop is small, tucked away in a corner of a strip mall that until today she didn’t even know existed. She had visited jeweler after jeweler with no success. Many of them had said they could repair the hinge, but none of them could work on the watch’s inner workings. She was about to give up on having it repaired when one of the clerks at the last jeweler had stopped her and told her of this place, ran by a man named Rochambeau.
As she walks up to the counter she is greeted by a man that strikes her as peculiar even before he opens his mouth. He is a short man, no more than five feet tall, wearing a striped double breasted vest. The stripes are outlandishly colored, each seeming to clash with its fellows and the buttons with their gold rimmed pale green stone hearts are three times the size that she would have expected on such a vest. He has a round puffy face with enormous eyes staring out at her through heavy wire rimmed glasses, a magnifier on a swing arm pointing toward the ceiling. His voice is high and lilted almost as if he is singing the words to her as he say, “May I help you?”
“I’m looking to see if you can repair this,” says Veronica. She lays the cloth bundle on the counter and unfolds it.
She pulls back the last fold, revealing the watch. “Bless my soul aren’t you a beauty,” he says. “What did someone do to you, you poor thing.” He picks up the body of the watch, examining it.
Veronica says, “ I accidentally dropped it.”
He shakes his head at her, saying, “Shameful just shameful.”
“Can you repair it?”
“Yes, yes I can.” He lays a card on the counter. “Fill this out and I’ll call you when it’s done.”
The card is a standard form; name, address, telephone number and nothing more. She fills it out, but can’t help watching him as he continues to examine the watch, the magnifier now flipped down over his eye.
“This is magnificent workmanship, but no surprise from a London silversmith.”
She finishes the card, saying, “what do you mean?”
“It says right her on the back,” he says, holding the back of the watch up to her, “that it was made in London. I’ll take that.” He pulls the card across the counter. “You may go now I’ve got a lot of work to do.” He waves his hands at her in a shooing gesture. “I’ll let you know when its done.”
“Thank you, I’ll be waiting for your call.”
He is slowly turning the watch over in his hands all of his focus on it as if she is no longer even there. Veronica shake her head and walks away. As she is just about to reach for the door handle she hears him say, “What did that mean woman do to you, you poor thing.”
She pulls the door open, shaking her head again. Peculiar doesn’t even begin to touch it. He’s talking to a watch.
For this week's surprise I’m giving you a sneak peek at the first draft of the novel I’m currently working on, A Memory of Love. It is the sequel to A Love Beyond Time. I hope you enjoy. Revealed April 28th
The trunk is the first thing Veronica sees as she steps through the door. The sight of it has always awakened a sadness in her heart, but today that sadness is the least of her concerns. The night with Alec has awakened a turmoil within her. Her heart is still an empty void. A desire that she long thought was dead and buried und all of her pain has risen to the surface. A longing that is not for the flesh, but for companionship.
This resurrected feeling is made ever more raw by the itch. It is not a physical itch it is a craving. A craving for the flesh that she has denied herself for nearly a week. This feeling disgusts her. Have I fallen so far that all I want is sex. All I live for is a body to embrace me.
All of these thoughts all of the turmoil inside her is pushed aside as if a might hand has gathered them all up and wiped them away. Huh, what’s happening?
She feels a presence take hold of her, physically pulling her forward into the room. She tries to rebel against it, but to no avail. Her body continues to step across the room toward the trunk lying at the foot of her bed. The trunk that she sees everyday, but hasn’t been opened in nearly six years.
The trunk is the first thing Veronica sees as she steps through the door. The sight of it has always awakened a sadness in her heart, but today that sadness is the least of her concerns. The night with Alec has awakened a turmoil within her. Her heart is still an empty void. A desire that she long thought was dead and buried und all of her pain has risen to the surface. A longing that is not for the flesh, but for companionship.
This resurrected feeling is made ever more raw by the itch. It is not a physical itch it is a craving. A craving for the flesh that she has denied herself for nearly a week. This feeling disgusts her. Have I fallen so far that all I want is sex. All I live for is a body to embrace me.
All of these thoughts all of the turmoil inside her is pushed aside as if a might hand has gathered them all up and wiped them away. Huh, what’s happening?
She feels a presence take hold of her, physically pulling her forward into the room. She tries to rebel against it, but to no avail. Her body continues to step across the room toward the trunk lying at the foot of her bed. The trunk that she sees everyday, but hasn’t been opened in nearly six years.
This week's reveal is anther excerpt from A Love Beyond Time.
Revealed April 21st.
Revealed April 21st.
Ashley bolts up from the bed, cold sweat drenching her body as she gasps for breath, her heart pounding in her chest, threatening to leap from it as reality sets in and she realizes that she isn’t drowning. She flops back down on the bed in utter disgust, muttering, “Dammit! I hate that dream. Why do I keep having it night after night?”
Ashley Brannock is in the prime of her life, or she would be if she could get a single night of sleep without the dream. She used to relish her trips to the gym, but now she barely has the energy to make it through the day. Her once taunt and toned body grows flabbier with every passing day, her normal vitality being drained by the absence of really fulfilling sleep. The dream—more accurately described as a nightmare—invades her sleep every night, for nearly six months. The number of times that she’s had to relive the dream is beyond her own recollection and it’s always the same. Its meaning is beyond her grasp—surely existing for why else would it keep repeating night after night—threatening to take her sanity as she wakes once again with unanswerable questions.
The formerly soft, inviting, bed is now rock hard beneath her, ramming into her rigid back. She orders her muscles to relax, slowly feeling the bed soften beneath her and her ramrod-tight body reluctantly softening its iron grip. Blinking the shock from her bleary eyes, she slowly sits up in bed and looks around the darkened room, the only light coming from her nightstand, a dull green glow illuminating from her alarm clock’s digital display. The simple act of seeing the familiar shadows of her bookcase, its shelves stuffed to the brim, knickknack laden shelves, her wardrobe and walls covered in picture frames whose contents are hidden in the gloom, succeeds in bringing the concreteness of reality to her rapidly beating heart. She tries to slow her breathing, furthering the process of calming her nerves, glad that she can turn her attention away from the thoughts rambling around inside her head.
Ashley Brannock is in the prime of her life, or she would be if she could get a single night of sleep without the dream. She used to relish her trips to the gym, but now she barely has the energy to make it through the day. Her once taunt and toned body grows flabbier with every passing day, her normal vitality being drained by the absence of really fulfilling sleep. The dream—more accurately described as a nightmare—invades her sleep every night, for nearly six months. The number of times that she’s had to relive the dream is beyond her own recollection and it’s always the same. Its meaning is beyond her grasp—surely existing for why else would it keep repeating night after night—threatening to take her sanity as she wakes once again with unanswerable questions.
The formerly soft, inviting, bed is now rock hard beneath her, ramming into her rigid back. She orders her muscles to relax, slowly feeling the bed soften beneath her and her ramrod-tight body reluctantly softening its iron grip. Blinking the shock from her bleary eyes, she slowly sits up in bed and looks around the darkened room, the only light coming from her nightstand, a dull green glow illuminating from her alarm clock’s digital display. The simple act of seeing the familiar shadows of her bookcase, its shelves stuffed to the brim, knickknack laden shelves, her wardrobe and walls covered in picture frames whose contents are hidden in the gloom, succeeds in bringing the concreteness of reality to her rapidly beating heart. She tries to slow her breathing, furthering the process of calming her nerves, glad that she can turn her attention away from the thoughts rambling around inside her head.
For this week's reveal I'm doing something different. Instead of another excerpt I'm giving you a little insight into me. I've added new boards to my Pinterest page that show you some of the things I like. Click on the button below to go to my Pinterest page.
For this week's reveal I'm giving you another excerpt from A Love Beyond Time. I hope you enjoy. Revealed April 7th
Later that day, after falling asleep, a dream slowly envelopes her. She’s taken to a place of aged halls from a bygone era that tower all around her. The dark wood-paneled walls speak to her of the many years they’ve seen. Gray shapes pass by her, resolving into children, ones that she’s eye to eye with, giving her the realization that she’s a child as well. They wear brown school uniforms with a golden emblem emblazoned on their left breast pocket. Every one of them has a stiff wooden appearance in their suits and ties, the girls with their knee length skirts and the boys in dress slacks.
She feels disconnected from this world, as if a wall divides her from them, that feeling reflected plainly on their faces. She moves down the hall, ignoring the looks, too distracted by the throbbing pain of loneliness and despair. Loneliness not brought on by the others, but made worse by their cruel actions. The despair is rooted at the very core of her heart, its vines entangling every aspect of her existence.
In amongst the gray shadow figures, a light appears, a girl, her pink dress vibrantly alive. She stands back, watching her gawk at the ceiling. From the look on her face, she’s obviously amazed by something. Abruptly, she finds her fascinated gaze returned as the girl notices her for the first time. She approaches her, speaking words that are lost, not to the gray haze, but to the burning in her heart, so powerful that the pain has run from it, creating a void that is filled with joy. She speaks words that fall away into nothingness, but it’s not her own voice that she hears, but that of a boy.
The girl turns away as two tall figures loom out of the fog. “It was nice to meet you, but I’ve got to go. My parents are calling.”
The girl walks away, a great hammer falling upon her heart as the pain returns with brute force.
Later that day, after falling asleep, a dream slowly envelopes her. She’s taken to a place of aged halls from a bygone era that tower all around her. The dark wood-paneled walls speak to her of the many years they’ve seen. Gray shapes pass by her, resolving into children, ones that she’s eye to eye with, giving her the realization that she’s a child as well. They wear brown school uniforms with a golden emblem emblazoned on their left breast pocket. Every one of them has a stiff wooden appearance in their suits and ties, the girls with their knee length skirts and the boys in dress slacks.
She feels disconnected from this world, as if a wall divides her from them, that feeling reflected plainly on their faces. She moves down the hall, ignoring the looks, too distracted by the throbbing pain of loneliness and despair. Loneliness not brought on by the others, but made worse by their cruel actions. The despair is rooted at the very core of her heart, its vines entangling every aspect of her existence.
In amongst the gray shadow figures, a light appears, a girl, her pink dress vibrantly alive. She stands back, watching her gawk at the ceiling. From the look on her face, she’s obviously amazed by something. Abruptly, she finds her fascinated gaze returned as the girl notices her for the first time. She approaches her, speaking words that are lost, not to the gray haze, but to the burning in her heart, so powerful that the pain has run from it, creating a void that is filled with joy. She speaks words that fall away into nothingness, but it’s not her own voice that she hears, but that of a boy.
The girl turns away as two tall figures loom out of the fog. “It was nice to meet you, but I’ve got to go. My parents are calling.”
The girl walks away, a great hammer falling upon her heart as the pain returns with brute force.
For This week's reveal I'm giving you an excerpt from A Love Beyond Time. I hope you enjoy. Revealed March 31
“Hi Matt! You look great this evening. What’s the occasion?”
“It’s our one year anniversary.”
She steps aside, letting him in. “But you’ve only been dating for seven months now.”
“Oh, we’re celebrating the day we met, hence these roses.”
“I don’t quite get it, but Elena’s inside waiting for you.” She lets him step past her into the livingroom. He suddenly stops in front of her, forcing her to have to squeeze past him to get into the livingroom. She turns to say something to him, but stops herself just short of opening her mouth. A crimson fire lights up his cheeks, rapidly spreading toward his ears. She follows his gaze, her eyes resting upon Veronica still standing in the livingroom in her underwear. She has a determined look on her face, ready to take up their argument all over again. Ashley’s eyes quickly snap to Elena and as she expected, there are flames scorching behind her eyes.
A whip crack breaks the silence. “Veronica, quit standing there! Go put some clothes on!”
Veronica looks down at herself. “Oh crap! I completely forgot I didn’t have my dress on yet.”
“Oh, sure you did. You just love to prance around here in your underwear,” says Elena, her razor sharp tongue able to cut glass.
“You found me out,” says Veronica, a delightful glee touching the corners of her mouth and eyes.
“You! Clothes! Now!”
“Ooh,” says Veronica, almost squealing with delight. “I love it when you give me orders.”
“Strange, because you never seem to follow them.” Ashley can almost feel the heat radiating off of Elena’s steely eyed glare.
“Alright, alright, clothes. I’m going,” says Veronica, slinking back to her bedroom door.
“Hi Matt! You look great this evening. What’s the occasion?”
“It’s our one year anniversary.”
She steps aside, letting him in. “But you’ve only been dating for seven months now.”
“Oh, we’re celebrating the day we met, hence these roses.”
“I don’t quite get it, but Elena’s inside waiting for you.” She lets him step past her into the livingroom. He suddenly stops in front of her, forcing her to have to squeeze past him to get into the livingroom. She turns to say something to him, but stops herself just short of opening her mouth. A crimson fire lights up his cheeks, rapidly spreading toward his ears. She follows his gaze, her eyes resting upon Veronica still standing in the livingroom in her underwear. She has a determined look on her face, ready to take up their argument all over again. Ashley’s eyes quickly snap to Elena and as she expected, there are flames scorching behind her eyes.
A whip crack breaks the silence. “Veronica, quit standing there! Go put some clothes on!”
Veronica looks down at herself. “Oh crap! I completely forgot I didn’t have my dress on yet.”
“Oh, sure you did. You just love to prance around here in your underwear,” says Elena, her razor sharp tongue able to cut glass.
“You found me out,” says Veronica, a delightful glee touching the corners of her mouth and eyes.
“You! Clothes! Now!”
“Ooh,” says Veronica, almost squealing with delight. “I love it when you give me orders.”
“Strange, because you never seem to follow them.” Ashley can almost feel the heat radiating off of Elena’s steely eyed glare.
“Alright, alright, clothes. I’m going,” says Veronica, slinking back to her bedroom door.
