Wednesday, July 30, 2014

It's in the details

This week has been all about the details. For me, both as a writer and a reader, details are important. When I was writing my Finding Anna Series, I spent eight hours via Skype with a Dom going over a single conversation. It was a pivotal point in the story and it needed to be done just right, so for me the time spent was worth it. I also spent countless hours over the course of the series sending emails back and forth trying to get it right.

Currently I'm working on the first book in my new Serpent's Kiss Series. The hero of this book is a firefighter with the St. Louis Fire Department. Sure I could have made the character a generic firefighter and not cared about the details, but that's not my style. But making sure everything gels with the SLFD has taken a considerable amount of time.

Some of the obstacles I've encountered have been finding out that the SLFD doesn't have lieutenants. Another big issue I discovered was that they work on a nine day rotation. While at the onset that might not sound all that difficult, but the reality has been rather challenging. I have to keep a calendar with my character's work schedule so that I know when writing a scene whether or not he's working or off that day.

Although I know not every author does this, it's always been important to me, even before I began writing. One can usually tell when an author has made the extra effort. This applies both to content as well as editing. Unfortunately this takes time, effort, and also money.

Speeding through the process means things are more likely to get missed. I've read books where the hero or heroine's name has been misspelled, or even listed as an entirely different character not in the scene. And this doesn't only happen with indie novels. I've seen it happen plenty of times in books published by the bigger publishers as well. It doesn't matter the who behind it. What matters is that the time and attention that's needed is given.

Let's be honest. Publishing takes money. How much money varies, but both covers and editors...good ones anyway...don't typically work for free. They are the extra set of eyes that can make an authors words the best they can be.

All of this comes down to details. Details in research. Details in content. Details in editing.

How much value to you place on the details? As a reader, do details in a book matter to you? Do you care if a heroine's hair color changes halfway through the book? Does good or bad editing effect your enjoyment of the story?

Monday, July 28, 2014

Tuesday Teasers - Read/Share Excerpts

Welcome to Tuesday Teasers!

This is a weekly post giving authors the opportunity to share a 100 word excerpt from a published work, or a work in progress (WIP).




Just a few simple rules.

1. Go to your blog and post an excerpt (Please limit your excerpt to no more than 100 words).
2. In the comments below, post a link to the excerpt on your blog.
 3. At the beginning of your comment, please list the title of the book, your author name, genre, and a buy link. (This will help readers find excerpts from the books that would be of most interest to them.) For example:

Behind Closed Doors (Daniels Brothers #1) by Sherri Hayes
Contemporary Romance
http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/46

Excerpt:
She set his messages on his desk, just to the right as she always did. Before she was able to retract her hand however, he stopped her. The gesture was innocent, just a light touch to halt her movement, but she could feel the heat of it seeping through her skin.
“Thank you, Elizabeth.”
She swallowed nervously. His hand felt warm and comforting while making the anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach explode. “You’re welcome,” she managed to say.
“Do you have a minute?” His hand didn’t leave her wrist.

“Y-yes. Sure.”



4.  Authors only 1 excerpt per week, please. 
5. At the end of your blog post, please include "Check out more Tuesday Teasers at http://sherri-hayes.blogspot.com/2014/07/tuesday-teasers-readshare-excerpts_28.html."

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Sneak Peek Sunday: Cover Reveal of Renegade by Jeanne McDonald


Cover Reveal
Renegade
as part of Branded: A Bad Boys Anthology
available August 28th, 2014
Cover Design: Jada D'Lee Designs


A chance meeting between a rookie cop and a common criminal.  

An unforeseen circumstance.  An instant attraction.  A magnetic connection.

Tattooed, pierced, and foul-mouthed, she can’t help but be drawn to him.

Two people entirely wrong for one another, yet so perfectly right.

When their worlds collide, Lucy Diamond will learn the true meaning of love and sacrifice as she embarks on the road of no return with bad boy Jude Wallace.  

Like a thief in the night, love will take them both by surprise.



Jeanne McDonald began telling stories at the ripe young age of five, when her mother considered the truth to be a lie due to her extensive embellishment to the retelling of an event.  She wrote her first short story when she was twelve years old, and at the age of sixteen she tried her hand at poetry.  She reconnected with her love for writing in 2010 thanks to the encouragement of a dear friend. 

Her passions include a "mild" Starbucks addiction, music, reading, quotes, movies, and romance.  When she's not spending time with her family, she can be found reading, writing, chatting with her friends or diligently working toward her bachelor's degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology.  A proud Texan, Jeanne currently resides in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with her family.


Website   |   Facebook   |   Twitter
Goodreads   |   Amazon  |  Google+


Thursday, July 24, 2014

Crossing The Line Book Trailer Reveal Sign Up

I will be revealing the book trailer for my upcoming contemporary romance novel, Crossing The Line, on August 4th. If you are an author or blogger and would like to participate in the reveal by posting the book trailer, along with a rafflecopter giveaway on your blog, please fill out this google form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1eiVIMvkbnXT1_r807elMoNw_iuXGGUyydV7xbi7zTR4/viewform?usp=send_form.


Detective Paul Daniels has spent four and a half years mourning the loss of his wife. He’s been doing his best to raise their daughter, Chloe, with the help of his in-laws. When they inform him right before Thanksgiving that they’re going to be moving over two hours away, Paul finds himself without anyone to watch Chloe—especially when he’s called out to a crime scene in the middle of the night. Little does he know that meeting his baby brother’s girlfriend and her sister, Megan, will change everything.

Megan Carson has taken a few wrong turns in her life, but she’s doing her best to get back on track. When she meets Chloe, the little girl swiftly worms her way into Megan’s heart. The opportunity to help Paul out and watch his daughter appears to be a blessing in disguise. She quickly volunteers to be Chloe’s live-in nanny.

Everything is working well until the three of them head back to Ohio for Chris and Elizabeth’s wedding. Paul has a little too much to drink during the reception, and he and Megan end up sharing a heated kiss. When he wakes up the next day, he has a pounding headache but remembers nothing.

Megan, however, isn’t willing to forget. Over the past few months since she’s been playing nanny, her feelings for Paul have changed. He is everything she never knew she wanted, and now that she knows there might be something there, she’s going after what she wants—Paul.

Bloggers Against Bullying Event and Giveaway


I will be participating in a two day event over on Facebook called Bloggers Against Bullying. Stop in and participate not only in the discussion, but in the contests and giveaways that will be ongoing throughout the event.

To join the event, click here.

Also, don't forget to take part in the multi author/blogger rafflecopter giveaway below. There's lots of great stuff up for grabs.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Finding Balance


Ever since I started writing seven years ago, finding balance has been difficult. I know this is something a lot of writers struggle with and to be honest I don't think there is an easy answer. Nor is there a one-size fits all solutions. Everyone has to find what works for them and what doesn't.

In the last few weeks, I've been trying something new, and it really seems to be working for me.

Working from home, I no longer have to wake up to an alarm clock. Two weeks ago, however, all that changed. I realized that I needed to have some sort of a schedule for my life even if every now and then there was a wrench thrown in. So now my day begins at seven in the morning. I get up, log onto my computer and check all my social media, email, etc. It sounds simple enough, but it usually takes me about an hour to get through everything.

After that, my day varies depending on what needs my attention. Sometimes I'm writing. Other times I'm editing. And all too often I'm in the wood shop helping my husband with a project.

My day begins to wind down around 9pm. This is when I sit down with a book and read. Considering at that point I've been going, and for the most part working in one form or another for the last fourteen hours, it is a much needed break. I get to pull away from everything and just enjoy a book. Writing would never have happened for me if I'd not been a reader first, and I'm still a reader. I don't want to lose that.

Finding some balance over the last two weeks has been a great addition to my life. What about you? What are some of the things you've done to find balance in your life?

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Tuesday Teasers - Read/Share Excerpts

Welcome to Tuesday Teasers!

This is a weekly post giving authors the opportunity to share a 100 word excerpt from a published work, or a work in progress (WIP).




Just a few simple rules.

1. Go to your blog and post an excerpt (Please limit your excerpt to no more than 100 words).
2. In the comments below, post a link to the excerpt on your blog.
 3. At the beginning of your comment, please list the title of the book, your author name, genre, and a buy link. (This will help readers find excerpts from the books that would be of most interest to them.) For example:

Trust (Finding Anna, Book 4) by Sherri Hayes
BDSM/Romance
http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/125

Excerpt:
“What—”
“Patience.”
It was my turn to sigh. I was trying very hard not to lose my temper.
“It’s about time, Coleman.”
Jade elbowed Cal. “Stop it.”
“What’s going on?”
Cal didn’t move, but Jade did. She slipped a key card into the door and opened it.
Not knowing what was going on, but figuring the sooner I got inside the sooner I would get my answers, I stepped over the threshold and into the room. Three seconds later, I stopped breathing.



4.  Authors only 1 excerpt per week, please. 
5. At the end of your blog post, please include "Check out more Tuesday Teasers at http://sherri-hayes.blogspot.com/2014/07/tuesday-teasers-readshare-excerpts.html."

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Sneak Peek Sunday: Crossing The Line by Sherri Hayes


Available September 4, 2014
 from Sherri Hayes

Crossing The Line (Daniels Brothers #3)


“Sorry about last night.”

Megan looked up from the stack of baby blankets she’d been perusing. Rebecca was holding a bottle with little yellow bears in her right hand, a sheepish look on her face.

“What are you apologizing for? Ditching me, or making so much noise I had to spend most of the evening in the basement?” Megan grinned to lessen the harsh impact of her words. She wasn’t mad at her sister, but she hadn’t relished spending three hours hiding in their basement either. It wouldn’t have been so bad had she been able to talk to Paul the entire time, but she hadn’t. As it was, she’d ended up watching reruns of CSI. It was the only thing decent she could find on television. 

Rebecca placed the bottle back on the shelf. “Both, I guess. I mean we didn’t mean . . .”

“You’re still newlyweds. I get it.”

Her sister rubbed a hand over her growing belly and smiled. “It’s just, ever since I entered my second trimester I can’t seem to control myself.”

Megan snorted. “And you could control yourself before?”

“Okay, you’re right. Gage has always been able to . . . well . . .” To Megan’s surprise, Rebecca giggled. It was weird, but good, too. Her sister was happy.

“Yeah, I get it.” And Megan did get it. Those two make-out sessions with Paul had her craving more of his kisses. She could only imagine what it would feel like to have him inside her . . . surrounding her.

Walking over to a rack filled with little socks, Megan sighed. She missed sex. Battery-operated boyfriends had nothing on the real thing.


Check Out The Rest of the Daniels Brothers Series


Behind Closed Doors (Daniels Brothers #1)                                              Red Zone (Daniels Brothers #2)
   

About the Author


Sherri spent most of her childhood detesting English class. It was one of her least favorite subjects because she never seemed to fit into the standard mold. She wasn't good at spelling or following grammar rules, and outlines made her head spin. For that reason, Sherri never imagined becoming an author.

At the age of thirty, all that changed. After getting frustrated with the direction a television show was taking two of its characters, Sherri decided to try her hand at writing an alternate ending and give the characters their happily ever after. By the time the story finished, it was one of the top ten read stories on the site, and her readers were encouraging her to write more.

Seven years later, Sherri is the author of seven full-length novels and one short story. Writing has become a creative outlet that allows her to explore a wide range of emotions, while having fun taking her characters through all the twists and turns she can create.

Connect with Sherri




Friday, July 18, 2014

Review: Waiting On You by Kristan Higgins


Title: Waiting On You
Author: Kristan Higgins
Rating: 4 stars


Kristan Higgins is a New York Times Bestselling Author, but this is the first book I've read by her. I've never been afraid to try new to me authors because how else will one find great books if one doesn't try? For the most part, I really enjoyed Waiting On You. 

The chemistry between Colleen and Lucas was electric.

There were a few things I didn't like about this book, but it had nothing to do with the romance between the two main characters, Colleen and Lucas. From the opening chapter when he strolls into her bar I was rooting for them. They may have broken up ten years ago, but it was obvious from that first look that things were far from finished.

The book takes a lot of twists and turns, and the list of side characters is a little overwhelming. This book is part of a series, but for the most part can be read as a standalone. I loved the town of Manningsport where the story took place almost as much as I did Lucas and Colleen.

My big problem with this book, and the reason I didn't give it five stars, ultimately comes down to pacing. There were things that happened in the book with minor characters, that while they needed to happen, didn't need to be explained in as much detail. I didn't want to hear about Colleen and her mom's trip to art class and how hairy the model was (yes, there is naked modeling). I wanted to get back to Lucas and Colleen's relationship. The rest could have been glossed over. My guess, however, is that the reason it wasn't is due to tie ins to the rest of the series. It wasn't a deal breaker for me, but something to be aware of going in.

I loved Lucas in this book. He was a great character and I instantly loved him. Colleen took a little getting used to, but she fit Lucas. He was so serious and she was able to get him to lighten up and have fun when no one else could. They were a good match. 

Honestly, I was a little sad the story is over. I could have read many more pages of Colleen and Lucas' romance. 

The sex scenes in this book are behind closed doors for the most part. I would have liked to have a little more detail in that area, but again, not a deal breaker for me. 

I will most likely pick up another book from this author in the near future and give it a try. I'd recommend this book to those who love contemporary romance with quirky heroines and sexy alpha heroes. 


Amazon
B&N



Author Bio


I started writing romance novels when my kids were little. I’d always been a writer of some type—public relations, advertising, research—but wanted to stay home with the bunnies. I’d been reading romance novels ever since I swiped Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss from my grandmother’s night table. “Higgins,” I said to myself, “I bet you could write one of these.” And so I sat down every afternoon when the kids were napping, took my lifelong love of romance novels and tried to make a career out of it. We’ve been living happily ever after since.
   I live in my hometown, a small, pretty place in Connecticut where there’s a beautiful library and a wicked good ice cream stand. I’m the mom of two lovely children who have very long eyelashes and excellent vocabularies, the wife of a heroic and brave firefighter and the willing love-slave to a naughty mutt named Willow. Our cat, Huck, occasionally deigns to sit on my lap, especially when I'm typing.

   I love to write books about relationships, since the search for love and security is one of the driving forces of life. My characters are regular people, folks like us, and I hope to give them a big, memorable love story rich with family, pets, food and laughter. When I’m not writing, I like to be with my kids, goof around with my husband, read, watch baseball, ride my bike and bake. I suffer from chronic bedhead and an unhealthy (and completely understandable) obsession with Derek Jeter, shortstop for the New York Yankees. We spend as much time as possible at our family home on Cape Cod, swimming in the Atlantic, shivering on the beach, swatting horseflies and watching fish evade my lure at Higgins Pond. It’s as close to heaven as it gets.

Website

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

You're going to fail.

My brother sent me a text to let me know that a local teacher had died. Last night, I went to his viewing at a local funeral home. He hadn't been one of my teachers, but his wife had. She was wonderful and took the time to get to know her students. For that reason alone, I had to go and pay my respects. Mrs. D.J. (the nickname we all called her) was one of my favorite teachers. 

Living in a small town, every one knew Mr. and Mrs. D.J. My mom and I arrived at the funeral home nine minutes after the viewing began and it took us over an hour to make our way to the front and give our condolences, so it wasn't a surprise to see so many teachers and former students there. Including my second grade teacher. 

While in school I had some pretty great teachers. I have to say that I don't include my second grade teacher as one of them. Two weeks into the school year, she called my parent's in for a conference. To make a long story short, she told my parent's I was going to fail. It was a bold statement, especially after she'd only known me for two weeks, but one that stuck with me throughout my childhood and into  my adult life. 

Why did she say I was going to fail? You see, I can't spell. No, really, I can't. Or not well at least. I wasn't born with what, for most, seems to be a natural ability to sound out words or see how they go together. There are times when I spell something so badly that even Word can't figure out what I'm trying to say. 

Over the years, I've gotten better...learned how to manage my shortcomings. Sometimes that means changing words to something I know I can spell. Sometimes it means breaking down and asking a friend how to spell something or looking it up in a manual dictionary.

Why am I telling you this? Because it took me thirty years to write my first story...in part because this woman told me, and my parent's, that I was going to fail.

It turns out that I'm a good storyteller. I may not be a great speller, and I'm pretty sure that I never will be. That doesn't mean I shouldn't share my stories with the world. It just means that I need to make sure I have a good editor to catch all the things I'm going to miss.

A lot of things have changed for me in the last twenty-nine years. I've succeeded at many things, but I've failed just as much or more. The important thing is that we try. Whether that be writing or something else entirely. Learn to play on your strengths and work around your weaknesses. 


Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Teaser Tuesday - Read/Share Excerpts

Welcome to Tuesday Teasers!

This is a weekly post giving authors the opportunity to share a 100 word excerpt from a published work, or a work in progress (WIP).




Just a few simple rules.

1. Go to your blog and post an excerpt (Please limit your excerpt to no more than 100 words).
2. In the comments below, post a link to the excerpt on your blog.
 3. At the beginning of your comment, please list the title of the book, your author name, genre, and a buy link. (This will help readers find excerpts from the books that would be of most interest to them.) For example:

Truth (Finding Anna, Book 3) by Sherri Hayes
BDSM/Romance
http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/93

Excerpt:
I could feel movement under me, but it took me a while to realize it was
someone breathing. Someone was holding me. It was as if I were
underwater. I could hear things, but they all seemed muffled and far away.
If someone was holding me, though, I couldn’t be underwater, right?

Gradually the sounds became voices. A television.

There were arms around me, holding me against a chest. I breathed deep,

and a familiar scent filled my nostrils. Stephan.



4.  Authors only 1 excerpt per week, please. 
5. At the end of your blog post, please include "Check out more Tuesday Teasers at http://sherri-hayes.blogspot.com/2014/07/teaser-tuesday-readshare-excerpts.html."

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Sneak Peek Sunday: The Prodian Journey by Lorenz Font




Coming soon from Lorenz Font

The Prodian Journey 
First book of Path of the Guardian Series

A young adult novel







Shannon drew the curtain and I found myself trapped in the room, with only Madame Elizabeth as my company for the next God knew how long. I glanced at the woman sitting behind a round table covered with a velvet cloth. A stack of harmless looking cards lay in front of her.
 “Hello, young man,” she greeted with an elaborate flair of her hand. “Have a seat.”
I retuned her greeting with a tight smile then, with great reluctance, sank into the chair opposite her. To begin with, I had no idea what the heck this tarot and psychic crap was all about, except the possibility of predicting one’s luck or discovering what might happen in the future. Remaining silent, I rested my clammy palms on my thighs.
“So, what are you looking to see? Love, adventure . . . perhaps happiness?” she queried, spreading the colorful cards across the table in a single sweep. The cards fanned across the surface like fallen dominoes. In perfect sync.
“I do—don’t know,” I stammered. A jerk shot through my tight shoulders before I could stop it.
Madame Elizabeth’s gaze met mine for a brief moment. Although her eyes were hidden underneath red-rimmed glasses, it was obvious she saw my discomfort, and it put me on the defensive. The woman was stunning in a disturbing way. It felt like she could see right through me, as if she knew my secrets, and that in itself was disconcerting.
I studied her while she perused the cards. Her hair was tied in a loose bun on top of her head and she wore a magician type tunic which reminded me of mystical characters. I had the urge to roll my eyes when she began playing the part, momentarily closing her eyes and breathing deep. Hands splayed on the cards, she caressed each one before she finally collected the stack. Shuffling the cards once, she then laid a few back down on the table with quick and precise movements. With utmost concentration, she studied them, choosing one.
She flipped the card for me to check. “What do you see?”
Considering I had no idea what to look for, I stared at the card.  “I see a circle with four distinct colors on the edges.”
Nodding, she dropped the card and turned another one. This time, her thin, almost invisible brows furrowed. “With every curse comes a blessing,” she said.
  The very moment she uttered those words, the hair at the back of my neck rose and I experienced a ‘what the hell’ moment.


 About the Author



Lorenz Font discovered her love of writing after reading a celebrated novel that inspired one idea after another. She is currently enjoying the buzz from her vampire novels Hunted and Tormented, the first and second book of The Gates Legacy trilogy, Indivisible Line, a romantic thriller, and Feather Light, an erotic romance.

Lorenz’s perfect day consists of writing and lounging on her garage couch, aka the office, with a glass of her favorite cabernet while listening to her ever-growing music collection. She enjoys dabbling in different genres, with an intense focus on angst and the redemption of flawed characters. Her fascination with romantic twists is a mainstay in all her stories.

Lorenz lives in California with her husband, children, and two demanding dogs. She divides her time between her full-time job as a hospital office manager and her busy writing schedule.


Connect with Lorenz Font






Thursday, July 10, 2014

The Certainty of Deception by Jeanne McDonald #NewRelease #Giveaway

the certainty of deception
 by
Jeanne McDonald
Author: Jeanne McDonald
Title: The Certainty of Deception (The Truth in Lies Saga #2)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Design: Jada D'Lee Designs
Release Date: July 8, 2014

Summary:

After years of living in the darkness of his past, Andrew Wise, a young attorney working for his family’s law firm in Sarasota, Florida, has finally broken free of the demons that haunt him.  Wealth, success, happiness, and true love; everything a man could ever dream of, was right at his fingertips.  Or so he thought.  But in the blink of an eye, all of that changed.  Upon discovering that his ex-girlfriend, Olivia Hamilton, was pregnant, Drew fell back into some old habits, which led to him losing the one person that mattered the most in his life - McKenzie Evans.

When McKenzie left him and returned to Texas, Drew was beside himself.  The night before she left, he made an agreement with her best friend Jared Christopher, that he would give her time and space to come to grips with the fact that he’d fathered her best friend’s child.  Now, two months later, he feels as though he held up his end of the bargain, Drew can’t take their separation any longer.   With his brother’s wedding mere weeks away, Drew devises a plan to win McKenzie back.

Under the guise of a bachelor getaway for Gavin, Drew, along with his brother and Jared, jets off on an adventure to the panhandle of Texas.  There, he will learn what made McKenzie who she is and will find strength within himself that he never realized existed. 

In this charming sequel to The Truth in Lies, Drew and McKenzie discover that not everything is as it seems, forgiveness is a matter of acceptance, and true love really can conquer all.


Excerpt:

“Evans’ Bodyworks, McKenzie speaking,” her sweet voice serenaded me like a siren’s song.
The wind pushed from my chest in the most orgasmic of ways.
I closed my eyes and allowed the intense rush of relief blow from my chest.  For the last two months, I’d called her office just to hear her voice.  She’d changed her cell phone number to an Amarillo number after leaving, but Evans’ Bodyworks was a listed number.  As per my agreement with Jared, I never said a word.  I simply listened to her until she hung up.
“Hello?”  I shivered with delight at the sweet timbre of her tone.
Since her departure, I’d taken up sending her flowers every Monday, simply to brighten her week.  The phone call was to brighten mine.
“Hello?  Anybody there?”
Oh, God, that Southern drawl.  She’d commented several times about how much she hated her accent.  I sound like a backwoods hick,” she’d complained.  She didn’t sound like a hick to me.  On the contrary, I could’ve listened to her talk all day long if given the chance.
Drops of rain splattered to the ground.  I looked up at the sky.  It appeared the sun was going to lose the battle of the clouds after all.  Not that I minded, I loved the rain.  The rain held a sentimental value to me.  It was a rainy night where I first made love to McKenzie.  Rain was a good thing.  It brought life and in my case, it brought love.
I closed my eyes to recall the smell of her skin mixed with the rain.  Shadows of her danced in the recesses of my mind.  I swallowed hard, thinking of how it felt to have her smooth skin pressed against mine.  Every minor detail displayed with vivid accuracy in my consciousness.  Her shimmering blue eyes sparkled, her playful smile, and the way her golden hair fell in front of her face when it was wet.
“Andy?  Is that you?” she whispered.
Tha-thump.
My heart skipped a beat at the sound of that nickname on such beautiful lips.  Only Mickie was allowed to call me that.  Just because my name was Andrew, didn’t mean people should call me Andy.  Andrew or Drew was fine with me, but never Andy.  That was my twin sister’s nickname, after all.
I sprang to my feet in a single bound, and looked around the beach.  It was still fairly empty.  Just a few runners making their way to their cars before the rain picked up.
“I guess not,” she faltered.
The sadness in her voice chipped away another piece of my mangled heart.  She missed me.  The evidence was there in the sound of her voice.  Fine, the evidence was hearsay, but this wasn’t a court of law, so it was admissible. She called me by name, hoping it was me on the other end of the line.
This was what I’d been waiting for.  I needed to know that she missed me too, that I wasn’t alone in my heartache.  I wanted to reveal myself, but I feared it would ruin my upcoming plans.  Only one person knew what I was about to do and that was because he was intricate to my plans.  All I needed was for Jared or Gavin to get wind of my trip to Amarillo.  There was no doubt in my mind that they’d try to stop me.  So, instead of acting on instinct, I sat there like a fool, listening to her breathe.
Click.
The phone went silent.
For several seconds I stood, unmoving.  She had spoken to me.  To hear her call me by name was an answer to my prayers.  It only solidified my decision to get off of my ass and fly to Texas.  I’d waited like Jared and Gavin demanded.  Two long, miserable months, I’d waited.  Not a single drop of liquor had touched my lips since that night, no matter how bad I wanted a drink.  I’d been patient, keeping my distance, well, in a way.  Sure, the flowers didn’t equate to distance, but she hadn’t told Jared about them as far as I knew.  I was sure if she had, I’d never hear the end of it.  So, to me, that was a signal that she wasn’t over me any more than I was her.  They were lucky I’d lasted this long.  Patience was not one of my virtues.  The time had come, and I was getting my girl back.
My mind released me from its temporary prison, allowing my heart to say what it needed to say.  “I miss you,” I whispered, breathless.





Playlist


Buy Links:

Paperback     |     Smashwords     |     B&N     |     Amazon
***Also available in the Apple iBooks Store***

Autographed Copies:

Follow the link below to order your autographed copies of The Truth in Lies and The Certainty of Deception!



About the Author:

Jeanne McDonald began telling stories at the ripe young age of five, when her mother considered the truth to be a lie due to her extensive embellishment to the retelling of an event.  She wrote her first short story when she was twelve years old, and at the age of sixteen she tried her hand at poetry.  She reconnected with her love for writing in 2010 thanks to the encouragement of a dear friend.

Her passions include a "mild" Starbucks addiction, music, reading, quotes, movies, and romance.  When she's not spending time with her family, she can be found reading, writing, chatting with her friends or diligently working toward her bachelor's degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology.  A proud Texan, Jeanne currently resides in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with her family.


Stalk the Author:

 Website   |   Facebook   |   Twitter  |  Goodreads   |   Amazon  |  Google+

Giveaway:


Special Houston Giveaway
***To win, applicants must be able to attend the event in Houston, Texas on August 15-17, 2014.  Prize does not include airfare or other travel arrangements.  Tickets are also available at http://www.indieauthorevent.com/***