Monday, October 31, 2011

HAPPY NOVEMBER! NATIONAL WRITE A BOOK IN A MONTH STARTS NOW!




Morning!  Today is November first!  Happy November all! A lot of writers out there may be participating in Nanowrimo--National Write A Book In A Month! The goal, to reach a word count of 50,000 words which is considered a full length novel.


It is a challenge because life does like to get in the way of all creativity!  But really, let's do the math...and I suck at math so bear with me a bit...  In order to make that 50,000 word count goal, you need to write about 1667 words per day for 30 days.  Some days a writer may be able to produce more than other days.  As long as he/she continues to chip away at that ultimate goal, then he may reach goal. 

Happy Writing All!  See you in 30 days!
Kathleen



Friday, October 28, 2011

Weekend Dirty Dozen~2

Sexy Fireman Pictures


   
Ahhhh...Love my firemen!  Even if my darn pics wouldn't upload or center when I tried because blogger is being a PITA!   Welcome to another Weekend Dirty Dozen Blog Hop.  The rules for participation can be found here:
http://weekenddirtydozen.blogspot.com/  I do have a drawing this week, too!  Details at the end of the post!

Sexy Firefighter Pics

This week is another 12 from my current release, Dating 911.   My heroine's drunk just woke up in the ER and he's a bit amorous when my hero, Firefighter Jett Avery strolls in...

                                               




This was her savior? Lord help her!!




Diverted by the sight of Jett, Ralph licked a trail of slime from the side of her neck to her ear. She shuddered even as bile rose.

Roxanne swallowed—-hard.



Yuck!

This was all Jett’s fault. If he hadn’t distracted her in

the first place, her attention wouldn’t have strayed from her work.

“Listen,” she said through clenched teeth. “Isn’t it your job to serve and protect? Get over here and get me off him, or call someone  who will.”

“That’d be the police, sweetheart.” He chuckled. “The motto  of the PFD is ‘Survive, Prevent Harm and Be Nice’.


So? Does Jett come to her rescue??  You will have to buy the book to find out ! 

Here is the blurb:

Emergency room nurse, Roxanne Carter is a loser-magnet wishing she could enjoy her single life. Commiserating with girlfriends over butterscotch martinis creates the idea of The Dating Manifesto--a not so scientific research project which promises to point the way to dating success. While gathering data to find the most suitable single men available, she wades through a series of unsavory, stale dates, which literally places her back at ground zero. Just when she is ready to give up, sin personified in the form of sexy firefighter Jett Avery, arrives tainting all of her previous data.

A traumatic warehouse fire, in which firefighter Jett Avery's closest friend dies, has him suffering from Posttraumtic Stress Disorder. Attempting to stave off the worst of his depression, he decides to use his brand of therapy...Sex. The remedy has lost luster until he encounters ER nurse Roxanne Carter.

The pursuit of Roxanne by Jett's twin brother, Doctor Cruz Avery, complicates her research and interferes with Jett's therapy. Does Roxanne choose the brother who by analysis is the perfect match? Or the broken, dark and irresistible one?

Available at Evernight Publishing at this link: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dating-911-by-kathleen-grieve/

Thank you so much for stopping by.  One lucky commenter will be drawn at random for a free digital copy of my book,
The Doctor's Deception! 
Which received 4books at LASR.  The link to read what Jasmine had to say is here:
http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2008/07/doctors-deception.html

Stop by this link to see what the rest of the Weekend Dirty Dozen authors are up to this week! http://weekenddirtydozen.blogspot.com/

Enjoy your weekend!!
Kathleen

Thursday, October 27, 2011

THURSDAY FUNNY~HAPPY HALLOWEEN STYLE!



Morning all!  In the spirit of the Halloween Holiday, Thought I'd post a few things I came across that made me laugh!  Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the Weekend Dirty Dozen Blog Hop! Lots of fun and prizes for all from all the participating authors!!

The link is: http://weekenddirtydozen.blogspot.com/


 

See Ya all tomorrow! 

Kathleen

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT~KC KLEIN!!!

Dark Future


I first met KC through The Desert Rose RWA. I picked her up as a critique partner shortly after my first book, The Doctor's Deception was released back in 2008. Thank you so much for being here today, KC! I'm so excited for your release, Dark Future, which I just finished reading on my iPad last week! What a metamorphosis this book took, since the first chapter you'd sent me so long ago! I loved every page!! I'm so proud of you and all you've accomplished!!

KC Klein is the author of Dark Future, a sexy futuristic time-travel. She became serious about writing three years ago and was as surprised as anyone when her stories took a turn toward dark and snarky. Today, she divides her time between taking care of her family and driving in circles around Arizona, too busy creating stories in her head to pay attention to mere road signs. 

Thanks, Kathleen, for inviting me to come and guest blog. Kathleen has a special place in my writing heart. Over three years ago she took me, a new writer, under her wing and painfully showed me the basics of Writing 101. I needed to be taught everything from passive voice vs. active voice, to setting a scene, to dialogue tags. Thanks to Kathleen and the gals from WriteSpot, I got a crash course in writing novels. 
So this is a shout out to Kathleen for her unwavering support and colorful Crayola critiques. I hope for many years of happy writing to both of us.

Book Blurb
Awakened in the middle of the night by a future version of herself, Kris Davenport is given a mission: go forward in time to save the world—and His life. Of course, her future self doesn't tell her who he is, just sends her into an abyss and straight into an alien invasion.
He turns out to be ConRad Smith, the callous, untrusting Commander of Earth’s army and the world’s last defense. There’s only one way to know for sure if this strange woman is an alien spy—slice her throat. Except, he didn’t anticipate the heat he would feel as he interrogates the hot-tempered, warm-blooded woman. For a man whose sole focus has been survival, she's more temptation than he can handle. But a world on the brink of destruction leaves no room for love…and time is running out.
Teaser
            “Mmm, you taste human. Like salt or more like warm sunshine?” He pinned me with his gaze. His eyes spoke a primal language. Desire warred with anger; need against punishment.
          I looked away. Embarrassed. Violated. His body crushed mine, suffocating in its nearness. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even breathe without crushing my breasts against him. I always considered myself strong and physically fit, but he subdued me with barely any effort. Heart racing, I panicked.
          The feeling of no control would break me—complete powerlessness always did. I used whatever weapon was available; whatever maneuvers would give me a fighting chance. This was no different. I turned my head, opened my mouth against his neck, and … sunk my teeth in.
          He cursed. Grabbed hold of my shirt, picked me up, and slammed me back against the wall.
          A painful whoosh came from my lungs. My vision rocked—brain swished inside my skull.
“You bit me.” He sounded shocked.
          My head hurt so bad I had to blink hard to keep my eyes in their sockets. “You licked me,” I shouted back.
          He assessed me, aqua blue eyes hooded with thick, long eyelashes, for what seemed like an eternity. “I will ask you one more time. Who are you?”
          “I’ve told you everything.” My voice sounded desperate, tired, even to me. “I went running and fell into the dark … I’m a doctor at a hospital. If you don’t believe me, just call them. I’ve worked there for years.”
          He stood still, his body hard against mine, creating an insurmountable barrier. His face so close I could see his pupils enlarge, almost hiding the hard blue of his irises. The rage in him lived and breathed. One hand ran along my scalp in a mock caress, grabbed hold of my hair and pulled. 
          “Liar,” his voice barely a whisper, the knife was back … shaking at my very exposed, very vulnerable artery. “There hasn’t been a hospital anywhere on Earth since the year 2075.” And in one efficient movement, he drew the knife across my throat. 

That's it for now!  You can buy this book at: http://www.avonromance.com/book/dark-future-epb/kc-klein/
To find out more about KC Klein and her books, you can go to kckleinbooks.com.
Enjoy your Wednesday Everyone!
Kathleen







Monday, October 24, 2011

TUESDAY TALES~ #6 ~TRICK OR TREATS PROMPT


Morning! Welcome to my sixth installment of Tuesday Tales where a group of authors get together and write to the same prompt. Thanks so much for stopping by. In keeping with the holiday spirit, this weeks's prompt is "Trick or Treats" and I was able to work it in to chapter three of my current wip, From Lust To Ashes, my paranormal erotic romance.

Kathleen Grieve (Medical Romance/Paranormal)
(Unedited~NC17~ Rated~No explicit sex, but there is some violence and adult language)

Femme Fatale Agent, Scarlet Reed watched as the balding overweight man scurried across the street.  In his haste, he stumbled, not once, but twice.  Sweat and fear emanated from him in waves. 

Humans, a sad pathetic race.  Easy prey for all the supernatural beings in the grand universe.   Always ready to give up their greedy little secrets for sex or money placing them in need of the Sun Council’s constant protection and rescue.  Little did they know how important the Phoenix were.  The elite Femme Fatale Force kept the delicate balance that currently existed between species.

Some believed humans the weakest link in the chain and would take great pride and a perverse joy in driving them to extinction.  If it weren’t for the Sun Council saving their asses by using agents such as her, humans would’ve been destroyed hundreds of years ago.   As a mortal, she’d been sacrificed to the Sun God, Ra, excited and eager to be called to service and leave her miserable human existence behind.  Now, it was her job to make sure humans weren’t preyed upon.   

Scarlet glanced down from her five story perch of the roof of the abandoned building just as her target entered a titty bar decorated in the spirit of the upcoming Halloween holiday.  The blatant display of “witches” with exaggerated cleavage and g-strings almost comical.  She smiled. 

Straightening, the night wrapped its velvety shroud around her.  She cocked her head, listening to sounds of music and the randy shouts of lustful men with her keen hearing.  At 204 years of age, she was one of the youngest Phoenix.  Phoenix were reborn on the anniversary of their human death when the Akthuá began--a painful transition where their powers and heightened senses were weakened right before they were consumed by fire and turned to ash. 

She grimaced, her most recent agonizing experience with the Akthuá still fresh in her memory.  The process started relatively easy enough with the loss of balance.  Her beautiful burnished red hair with its golden highlights had turned dull and fell out in tufts.  She lost the ability to see using her night vision.   Her core body temperature rose until the first flames licked her flesh and then she’d been devoured in blessed incineration, screaming for the mercy of Sekhmet, the Goddess of War begging to die and end a misery seemingly with no conclusion. 

From the pile of the ash, a Phoenix is rejuvenated and blessed with a new power.  Some can foretell the future. Others can read minds.  There were even those Phoenix that manipulated time and space, but only the very old gain that ability.   Their powers of persuasion through seduction and sex were beyond compare.  And Vamps thought they cornered the market in sensuality.  Scarlett snickered.  As if…

 Each Akthuá  a Phoenix endured was more painful than the last.  Shrieks of agony from those even much older than herself could be heard from the corners of the earth, to the heavens above, and straight down to the fiery depths of hell.  Which was why during Akthuá a Phoenix would check into Sanctuary.

The healers of Sanctuary could do little to ease the extreme torment, but they provided protection in a Phoenix’s vulnerable state. 

Protection against Him.      

A frisson of fear twisted and snaked around her spine, coiling tight.  She shivered.  Scarlett dismissed her morbid thoughts before they became rooted in her brain.  After this last Akthuá, her body was now restored and fresh.  Her new power of levitating objects provided a new thrill, but an unfounded apathy had taken hold.  Her very existence bored her when she wasn’t on assignment.

How the sweet fuck was she supposed to deal with that shit?  When she returned to the house which she shared with the rest of the Phoenix, she’d ask Magna a few questions.    At over a thousand years old, she was the oldest living Phoenix in existence and their leader.  Scarlet slipped off her five inch stilettos and leapt from roof and landed on the sidewalk five stories below with ease.  No sense in ruining her favorite Jimmy Choos by being careless.  Replacing her heels, she adjusted the black leather mini skirt and golden sequined tank top she wore, then took the same path as her target across the deserted street.

Judging by the pheromones of the man of interest to a certain vampire faction, he’d be putty in her hands.  Her lips curved as exhilaration rushed through her veins replacing her earlier apathy.  Thank the Goddess.  She lived for this shit. 

Trick or treats little man, here I come…

Scarlet grasped the door handle of the entrance of the bar, the neon lights announcing Live Nude Dancers above her head flickered.  An electric current charged the air, tugging and clawing at her scant clothing.  One of the street lights outside the club imploded and shattered glasses littered the sidewalk at her feet.  The music from the titty bar dimmed and sounded muffled to hear acute hearing.

Irritation rising over the delay to her own pending sexual release, she dropped her hand and turned to face the intruder head on.   Scarlet wondered if the vampire faction interested in her balding target received wind of the Sun Council’s interest in him.  No matter, she could handle a vamp easily enough with both hands tied behind her back and in her highest stilettos without chipping a nail. 

The only light was the flashing reds and blues from the vulgar tits and tassel covered nipples above.  Her sharpened gaze swept up and down the deserted street and she sent out   an arc of power, using all her supernatural senses.  Her skin glowed with the radiance of the Sun and her long golden red hair twitched and swayed around her and found…nothing.

Scarlet frowned.  There had to be another supernatural being present and yet…  Edgy, she flexed her fingers.  She needed a good fuck.  Between the Akthuá and her last assignment, it seemed like forever since she’d been laid.  “Whoever is fucking with me better come forward,” she said to the empty blackness around her.  “I don’t have time for this shit.”

“Ah, spoken like a true warrior,” a deeply cultured voice said.  “Even if you are a bit young.” 

A “man” stepped from the shadows to her left.  Scarlett strained in the darkness, but even with her enhanced night vision, he remained shrouded within the confines of the night.  He drew near with a casual stride and as he came closer toward the flashing neon lights mounted on the building, his figure still remained in gloom.  The fine hairs on the back of her neck prickled and an alien emotion kindled.  An emotion Scarlet hadn’t felt in 204 years—fear.   

“Who are you,” she whispered, even though she knew.  Oh my fucking God, she knew.  This was no vamp after her target.  It was Him.  Osiris, God of the dead and ruler of the Underworld. 

If she’d been older and more powerful, she would've had a chance to escape.  Helpless, her gaze tranfulsfixed on her assailant, she stood immobile, her limbs heavy and stiff.   A fresh current of electricity cracked and popped around her and he drew nearer, his show of dominance clear.  Osiris was in control of her body now.  Panic rose up the back of her throat and she choked on her own bile.   

“Now, that wasn’t very nice of me,” he said and with a flick of a wrist, the bile dissipated and her coughing spasms quieted. 

Blanketed in complete darkness, his silhouette stopped directly in front of her, he reached out and caressed her cheek with a fingertip.  An icy trail of pain sliced through her skin and blood oozed onto her favorite tank top.   Tears sprang to her eyes and a small cry escaped her parched lips.  Under his complete influence and control, she was trapped. 

“So, beautiful,” he murmured.  “Such a shame.”  His voice held no regret.  Instead his underlying excitement bubbled and hissed in the atmosphere around where they stood.  The neon lights above them burst, shrouding them in complete obscurity.

Osiris trailed his fingertips over the smooth column of her throat down the deep vee of her sequined blouse and cupped her breast through the thin material.  His touch light and erotic despite the iciness that bordered toward being frost bitten.  Scarlet’s skin blackened and rotted in his hand's wake.  He flicked his thumb over her nipple and the peak throbbed and swelled.  She whimpered, all begging and pleading trapped within her throat.  His shadowed face neared hers ever so slowly. 

Time spun increasing the agony of his hold on her.  The wound in her neck and chest gaped, oozing the rancid scent of sulfur and puss.  All of this she could see in her mind’s eye as he projected his sight into her brain.  Terror renewed itself.  She reached deep within herself for her own power.  The Sun’s luminosity  shone brightly around her and snapped fresh tension into the atmosphere.  And yet, she remained motionless.  The harder she tried, her skin glowing with brilliance and heat, the more she trembled within the circle his unrelenting hold.

“That’s it, Scarlet, baby,” Osiris said in a husky whisper.  “Give me what I need.”

His mouth caressed her mouth.  Against her will, she opened and allowed him entrance.  His tongue snaked inside, devouring her.  He tasted of rotted flesh and death.  Flames licked her skin as her internal thermometer shot toward super nova.  Too late, she realized her feeble mistake of using her powers to protect herself as her life’s essence drained from her soul and into the Dark God, Osiris. 
Her experience with the burning within the Akthuá never prepared her for such torment.   Unable to scream.  Unable to move.  The unending torture stretched beyond her as the Sun’s light dimmed and in a swift move, combustion took hold and Scarlet turned to a pile of ash on the sidewalk never to be reborn again.

I hope you enjoyed this sneak peak into From Lust To Ashes! Don't forget to check out some other free reads over at Tuesday Tales at this link: http://tuesdaytales1.blogspot.com/

If you would like to participate, email Jean Joachim at sunnydaysbook@gmail.com

Happy Tuesday!!
Kathleen

ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS....



DO I have your attention yet? LOL.  Thought that little bit of hotness might grab ya for a second.  :)    I'd like to announce the winners of  the Weekend Dirty Dozen and for those who "LIKED" my Facebook Author page!  Thank you so much for playing!


First, the winner of the Weekend Dirty Dozen and a $10 Evernight Publishing Gift Certificate is...

Eva Flowers!!  Congratulations!!  I just sent you an email to confirm your email addy! 

And for the "Like" on FB the $25 Amazon Gift Card goes to....

Patricia Paterson!!  Congratulations!!  I just sent you a FB message to complete the transaction.

Stay tuned for more drawings coming up as I do a blog tour for my latest release, Dating 911 and the blog hop for Romance Reviews!

Happy Monday,
Kathleen

Friday, October 21, 2011

WEEKEND DIRTY DOZEN LAUNCHES! FREE PRIZES AVAILABLE!!




I'm excited to announce the Weekend Dirty Dozen! A new blogging experience from a group of romance authors from a variety of genres. We will each post twelve sentences for your sampling enjoyment from a WIP or published work.  It would be great if you followed the official FaceBook Fan page at this link for a list of contributing authors: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Weekend-Dirty-Dozen/251564698227203#!/pages/Weekend-Dirty-Dozen/251564698227203?sk=  That is a sure way not to miss any of the great freebies many of  the participating authors will be offering!! The event runs  from Friday morning through Sunday night, which allows readers and fans more time to comment and post.

In honor of momentous occasion, I will be offering a $10.00  Gift Certificate from my Publisher, Evernight Publishing to one happy commenter!

For my first Dirty Dozen, I'm posting 12 from my current release, Dating 911.  My heroine mistakes my firefighter hero for his twin brother in this scene...Enjoy!


Without warning, a nearby falsetto voice cut into the air and
sang the opening line in perfect harmony with Sting.

Roxxxannne…

Roxanne twisted on the seat, her gaze landing on the singer.

Doctor Cruz Avery, a six-foot tall, black haired, broad-shouldered man, held a beer bottle to his mouth like a microphone. Worn jeans hung low on his tapered hips, and he sported a black T-shirt that molded to his well-muscled pecs. She snickered at the phrase splashed across the front of the fabric in bold letters--
I Can Handle Your 9-1-1”.

“Well, Cruz is looking for some action. Check him out,
Ambra. His entire persona is completely different--from the preppy clothing to his ‘I’m available’ attitude.” Roxanne stared. This wasn’t a side of him she was familiar with.
“Now, that’s what I’m talking about! Look how the
testosterone just oozes from his pores. He screams, ‘I’m sexy and you’re gonna get lucky.’ ”

That's all for now!  Dating 911 is available at Evernight Publishing at this 



Don't forget to check out these other great authors participating here: http://weekenddirtydozen.blogspot.com/2011/10/kick-off-for-weekend-dirty-dozen.html?showComment=1319232832956#c1297736006119982554

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!
Kathleen

Thursday, October 20, 2011

THE ROMANCE STUDIO RELEASE PARTY~DATING 911

Morning!! I'm over at The Romance Studio today participating in the Release Party!  There is a free digital copy of my new release, Dating 911 added to the prize selection.  So I hope you will join me at TRS - The party is bigger and better than ever before! Come for fun, fellowship and prizes and be able to chat with your favorite authors at the party site.
The link is: http://theromancestudio.com/party/

Hope to see you there!
Kathleen

Monday, October 17, 2011

I'M GUEST BLOGGING AT LASR TODAY! COME MEET FOSTER BROOKS!!

Stop by and learn a little bit about me as I'm interviewed by one of my characters from the 3rd book of my Dating Series, Dating Trouble!  LASR Guest Blog Spot http://lasrguest.blogspot.com/

Hope to see you there!
Kathleen

Sunday, October 16, 2011

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY~35


Welcome to another round of SSS! I raced for the cure last Sunday, participating in Susan G. Komen's 5K run in Phoenix with my sister who was visiting me from out of town.  We ran in memory of our mother, who passed from breast cancer 3 years ago. 


I'm sorry that I couldn't get to all your great posts last week and I appreciate you stopping by and checking out my latest release, Dating 911 available now from Evernight Publishing here:
http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dating-911-by-kathleen-grieve/   My Six are taken from this book.  Jett's first view of Roxanne! Hope you enjoy!

Jett peeled the silver label off his beer bottle.  A whiff of fresh baked cookies reached him.  His mouth watered.  What the hell was that kind of smell doing in a bar?  He scanned the room, but couldn’t discern the source.  Less than a foot away, a woman in a short red sundress stood with her back to him. 
Don't forget to stop by http://www.sixsunday.com/ to check out some really awesome authors sharing their work today!! You won't be disappointed and you will find some great reads to add to your TBR pile!!  Also, I will have a chapter from the second book of my Dating Series up on Tuesday Tales this week! You can check it out at this link to follow that blog:
http://tuesdaytales1.blogspot.com/  You won't regret it!



Happy Sunday!
Kathleen



Saturday, October 15, 2011

HOOKER SATURDAY~8




Morning!!!  Going to share a snippet of the sequel to Dating 911, called Dating Impossible.  It is Dr. Cruz Avery's story and yes, he looks just like that pic!!! LOL.

“Sex. You. Me. Now. Just once,” she said voice low and seductive. “No caution. No rhyme or reason.” She framed his face with her palms. “Make me forget, Cruz.”



There was a hint of sadness in those words that tugged at some hidden recess deep inside him. He stared down into her face mesmerized by deep sea green of her eyes and the blatant lust. A need that mirrored his own.


Okay...that is it for now!  I hope to have this scene completed to post for Tuesday Tales on 10/18.  So you can look for it at http://tuesdaytales1.blogspot.com/

Enjoy your Saturday!
Kathleen



Friday, October 14, 2011

YUMMY FRIDAY~A VIDEO JUST FOR YOU!

Okay...Ummm...I need my windows cleaned! LOL!!

TGIF Everyone!
Kathleen

Thursday, October 13, 2011

MOMCAT'S NAUGHTY REVIEWS!!!


Hey!  I'm over at Momcat's Naughty Reviews talking about life changes! Stop by for a chance to win a free digital copy of my book, Dating 911! http://momcatsnaughtyreview.blogspot.com/2011/10/life-changes-post-by-kathleen-grieve.html?zx=5967f2518bcc0179

Happy Thursday!
Kathleen

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

RELEASE DAY!!! DATING 911 IS AVAILABLE NOW!!!

Yeah!!  Go to www.evernightpublishing.com to get your copy of my latest release, Dating 911!!

BLURB:
Emergency room nurse, Roxanne Carter is a loser-magnet wishing she could enjoy her single life. Commiserating with girlfriends over butterscotch martinis creates the idea of The Dating Manifesto--a not so scientific research project which promises to point the way to dating success. While gathering data to find the most suitable single men available, she wades through a series of unsavory, stale dates, which literally places her back at ground zero. Just when she is ready to give up, sin personified in the form of sexy firefighter Jett Avery, arrives tainting all of her previous data.

A traumatic warehouse fire, in which firefighter Jett Avery's closest friend dies, has him suffering from Posttraumtic Stress Disorder. Attempting to stave off the worst of his depression, he decides to use his brand of therapy...Sex. The remedy has lost luster until he encounters ER nurse Roxanne Carter.

The pursuit of Roxanne by Jett's twin brother, Doctor Cruz Avery, complicates her research and interferes with Jett's therapy. Does Roxanne choose the brother who by analysis is the perfect match? Or the broken, dark and irresistible one?


EXCERPT:
She held up her hands, palms facing toward him. “Stop. This is a hospital. Not some stupid television show where the medical staff is always making out in a closet. I work here. Don’t even think about it!”
           
Jett closed the distance between them until her hands pressed against his chest, searing their imprint through the thin cotton of his T-shirt. He grasped her fingers and lifted them to his mouth, licking the sensitive tips with his tongue one by one. Heat filled her eyes and she trembled.
           
“You feel the pull, too. Don’t you?” he asked, dropping her hand.
Jett slid his hands to her waist, and molded her against his erection. A perfect fit. Her sharp intake of breath as she shook her head told him all he needed to know. He smiled. Satisfaction filled him.
           
“Liar. Shake your head in denial all you want, but I can see the reflection mirrored in your eyes, and feel the powerful draw when I touch you,” he said in a husky tone. He rubbed his stiff cock against her stomach. The intensity of his desire eliminated all reason.
           
Jett buried his face in her neck and breathed in her sweetness. “Hmm. Today you smell like chocolate.” His tongue traced the delicate shell of her ear as his hands stroked her bare arms. “But you taste like honey.”
           
Her knees bent and he placed his leg between hers to support her. On the brink of total insanity, he continued his light exploration. His hand skimmed her torso, and skirted the side of her breast. With slow, deliberate care, he let his fingertips graze her collarbone on the way to grasp the back of her neck. Another tremor rippled through her.
           
God, she felt so damn good.
           
She tilted her chin and her head rested in his open palm. “Jett,” her sultry voice caused his penis to throb. “This is not a good idea. Anyone could come in here and….”
           
He pushed his thigh against her crotch. She inhaled sharply, desire deepening the blue of her eyes. “You were saying?”
           
Her brow furrowed. “And…”
           
“Intoxicating being a little naughty, isn’t it?” he rasped. He gently tugged her face closer to his. “Hmm. I believe you mentioned the other night that your most recent sexual exploits have been lacking. Let’s add something of interest for your science venture.”

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Sunday, October 9, 2011

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY~34

This is a very special Sunday...My release Dating 911 is this coming Wednesday, so I decided to post the opening Six lines from that story.  If you're disappointed because you wanted to see what happened to Ann when she finally got to clinical.  Don't be.  I posted the entire first chapter yesterday here on my blog, so just scroll down to that post.  As always, support my fellow Sixers and read their snippets at http://www.sixsunday.com/  You won't be disappointed.  Thank you all for your support!! After my Six, a blurb and excerpt will follow!  Happy Sunday!
Kathleen


Flames shot through the air as the heat intensified.  The floor beneath his booted feet rumbled and shook.  A burning ache seized his chest.  The sound of his own rapid, ragged breath filled his ears.  Disoriented, he couldn’t see through the haze of thick, black smoke. 

Dating 911 will be available Wednesday, October 12, from Evernight Publishing http://www.evernightpublishing.com/

Blurb:
Emergency room nurse, Roxanne Carter is a loser-magnet wishing she could enjoy her single life. Commiserating with girlfriends over butterscotch martinis creates the idea of The Dating Manifesto--a not so scientific research project which promises to point the way to dating success. While gathering data to find the most suitable single men available, she wades through a series of unsavory, stale dates, which literally places her back at ground zero. Just when she is ready to give up, sin personified in the form of sexy firefighter Jett Avery, arrives tainting all of her previous data.


A traumatic warehouse fire, in which firefighter Jett Avery's closest friend dies, has him suffering from Posttraumtic Stress Disorder. Attempting to stave off the worst of his depression, he decides to use his brand of therapy...Sex. The remedy has lost luster until he encounters ER nurse Roxanne Carter.


The pursuit of Roxanne by Jett's twin brother, Doctor Cruz Avery, complicates her research and interferes with Jett's therapy. Does Roxanne choose the brother who by analysis is the perfect match? Or the broken, dark and irresistible one?


Excerpt:
She held up her hands, palms facing toward him. “Stop. This is a hospital. Not some stupid television show where the medical staff is always making out in a closet. I work here. Don’t even think about it!”


Jett closed the distance between them until her hands pressed against his chest, searing their imprint through the thin cotton of his T-shirt. He grasped her fingers and lifted them to his mouth, licking the sensitive tips with his tongue one by one. Heat filled her eyes and she trembled.

“You feel the pull, too. Don’t you?” he asked, dropping her hand.

Jett slid his hands to her waist, and molded her against his erection. A perfect fit. Her sharp intake of breath as she shook her head told him all he needed to know. He smiled. Satisfaction filled him.

“Liar. Shake your head in denial all you want, but I can see the reflection mirrored in your eyes, and feel the powerful draw when I touch you,” he said in a husky tone. He rubbed his stiff cock against her stomach. The intensity of his desire eliminated all reason.

Jett buried his face in her neck and breathed in her sweetness. “Hmm. Today you smell like chocolate.” His tongue traced the delicate shell of her ear as his hands stroked her bare arms. “But you taste like honey.”

Her knees bent and he placed his leg between hers to support her. On the brink of total insanity, he continued his light exploration. His hand skimmed her torso, and skirted the side of her breast. With slow, deliberate care, he let his fingertips graze her collarbone on the way to grasp the back of her neck. Another tremor rippled through her.

God, she felt so damn good.

She tilted her chin and her head rested in his open palm. “Jett,” her sultry voice caused his penis to throb. “This is not a good idea. Anyone could come in here and….”

He pushed his thigh against her crotch. She inhaled sharply, desire deepening the blue of her eyes. “You were saying?”

Her brow furrowed. “And…”


“Intoxicating being a little naughty, isn’t it?” he rasped. He gently tugged her face closer to his. “Hmm. I believe you mentioned the other night that your most recent sexual exploits have been lacking. Let’s add something of interest for your science venture.”

















Saturday, October 8, 2011

HOOKER SATURDAY~7

Morning!  Don't ya just love George? Mmmmmm! Well, welcome and I think you might be pleased you dropped by because I made an executive decision.  I'm posting what I'd planned for SSS tomorrow, but due to my release being moved up to next week, I changed my SSS plans.  This is better anyway, cuz now I don't have to leave you hanging...LOL. Here is part of the chapter of Temperatures Rising. Unedited and if it does make it to publication some day I will have to get rid of some of the more indelicate parts as I was recently told that vivid smells, sputum, and well...other things in my daily job aren't very romantic!! LOL.  Go figure!  But for now, it is the way it is.  I almost feel sorry for my heroine, Ann Raines...Almost!  Enjoy!


TEMPERATURES RISING~Chapter One


“I need three Coors draft, a margarita, and a Bohemian Rhapsody,” a female voice shouted down the length of the bar. The wait staff knew how to make themselves heard over the buzz of music and conversation from the numerous patrons that usually frequented Jolly’s Taproom.


While the crowd laughed and drank with obvious pleasure, Katy Perry’s sultry voice blared from the speakers announcing to anyone listening how she kissed a girl—-and liked it.


“You got it,” Anne Raines replied. She marked her page from the pharmacology book she’d been using to confirm the medications for her first nursing clinical experience. Pivoting to the cooler, she retrieved the large frosted pilsner glasses for the beers. As she stood at the tap pouring the golden, foaming liquid into the ice cold mugs, she suppressed a yawn. Her legs hurt and her feet seemed like they were on fire within her sensible black shoes. She wished she knew of a Swedish masseur named Sven to fulfill her aching body’s every fantasy.


Anne chuckled and placed the beers on the tray for Liddy, and proceeded to fulfill the rest of the waitress’s order. Despite her fatigue, excitement bubbled from deep within her. Tomorrow morning she would take the next step toward her new career to become a nurse. Even the thought that she had three more hours before Jolly’s closed at two AM, followed by a long night of preparing for the day ahead, couldn’t squelch her high spirits.


The old rock tune, Wasted Time by the Eagles began a slow beat overhead. Anne reflected on how she’d drifted through her life so far. Flitting from job to job. Her inability to take anything or anyone seriously. How she’d never accomplished a damn thing. Always too busy having a good time, she’d thought she’d have plenty of time to make something of her life later. Much later. Her lips twisted. Definitely a lot of wasted time.


“Order up, Liddy,” she called as she placed the martini on the tray. Her gaze swept the drinks of the current peeps closest to her, checking for anyone in need of a refill. Most glasses were still half full. Satisfied, she moved back to her pharm book and the short list of medications of her first patient.


At least there weren’t a lot she’d have to memorize for her first day—only four types of pills. This helped tremendously since she had to be out of bed and over at the hospital by 6:30 AM. Her vision blurred on the page she’d been staring at and she blinked. A pang of regret for a lush morning spent snuggled deep beneath her goose down comforter sprang to the forefront of her mind. Anne shoved the notion aside. She could sleep when clinical ended at noon. She’d just have to suck it up.


Working her way through college was her only option, even with the small amount of life insurance her mother had bequeathed to Anne after her death. There would be no getting around the crazy hours she’d have to work at Jolly’s to make her dream a success. This time, she’d be responsible. Even if she had to choke on her obligation. Besides, she owed herself a bright future and challenged herself not to screw up this time.


A roar from a crowd of men stationed behind her at the mahogany bar drew her attention. They enthusiastically slapped their hands in high fives as they greeted a newcomer to their group. He was extremely attractive in an Ewan Macgregor kind of way with wavy brown hair, prominent brows over eyes she could easily immerse herself in, a squared jaw with a hint of five o’clock shadow, and a fantastic pair of lips. A sigh of bliss escaped her.


All contemplation of the commitment she’d sworn to herself vanished from her brain as the cells sizzled. Heart thundering between her ears, she smiled and approached where he leaned against the bar. The buttoned down long sleeved shirt lay open at the throat and revealed smooth, tanned skin. Sleeves rolled back to his elbows provided a great view of strong, well muscled forearms. She swallowed, mouth suddenly dry.


As she placed a napkin on the gleaming wood in front of him, his green gaze swept the length of her. Anne could swear she heard the heat radiating off her skin with a crackle and hiss. Sort of like the breakfast cereal.


Boy, would she like to snap, crackle and pop with this guy!


She chuckled, coming down off the momentary high that often accompanied the sight of a gorgeous hunk of man in her vicinity. “Welcome to Jolly’s. What can I get you?”


A smile played about his lips. That killer grin combined with the steamy glitter in his eyes extremely suggestive of what he’d like to order. Sparks of heat licked a trail down her spine straight down to her toes.


After the stress and grief of the last year, Anne welcomed the distraction. Between classes and Jolly’s, she’d been working very hard and wishing for a teensy weensy break. What could a little play time hurt?


****


Be careful what you wish for. Hadn’t her mother repeated that old cliché about a zillion times during the course of Anne’s lifetime? Moments before, she’d awakened alone in a foreign bed without a stitch of clothing on.


How the hell did I get here?


Stomach queasy, she forced her eyelids back open. Focus, damn it!


Mouth dry with the old sour taste of liquor tattooed to the inner membranes, she sat up and peered into the dimness cast by the fog through the large window that encompassed an entire wall. The movement initiated a series of painful spikes along the base of her skull that vibrated in agonizing waves to her temples. A soft moan escaped her parched lips.


God, she needed to remember she wasn’t as young as she used to be. Besides, she’d put her party days behind her. The new and improved Anne Raines was a responsible person striving to earn her nursing degree. In fact, her first clinical was…today!


Shit! Clinical!


Anne sprang into action. Ignoring the building nausea and throbbing of her head, she jumped from the huge four poster oak bed and searched for her clothing. A quick glance at her wristwatch where 5:00 AM glared at her through the luminous background of the lighted crystal made her groan.


What if she didn’t make it to the hospital in time?


Her nausea intensified and she feared the reaction had nothing to do with her hangover. Choking back her apprehension, she spied her lucky pair of jeans slung haphazardly over the open armoire. Her leopard print thong and matching bra lay on the carpet in a tangled heap by the closed adjoining bathroom door. Where the hell was the T-shirt with Jolly's logo displayed across the front?


Conscious of the dwindling minutes, she snatched her pants from the towering chest and hopped one legged over to where her undergarments lay as she stuffed each leg into the wrinkled denim. In her haste, her fingers fumbled with the button-fly opening, accomplishing the miniscule task over a period of minutes instead of seconds.


Anne bent and retrieved her undergarments. A wave of dizziness slammed into her and perspiration beaded her upper lip. She flattened her palm on the bathroom door and steadied herself by turning around, leaning heavily against the solid wood. The frigidness of the exterior cooled her heated bare skin.


"Breathe, Anne," she told herself in a stern tone. "Inhale. Exhale. You can get through this."


She stood there while precious moments ticked by. The sound of her own ragged exhalations filled the room, seeming louder than normal. Soon, the lightheadedness passed. Once again grounded on her feet, she stuffed her bra and panties into the front pocket of her jeans.


An unexpected male baritone erupted into a cheesy song from beyond the barrier of the bathroom door. She froze even as her heart zipped into overdrive. The voice was vaguely familiar. Who was he? Eyes closed, she concentrated on her sluggish memory. Suddenly, the vision of the sexy Ewan Macgregor look-alike from Jolly's crashed into her thoughts.


Flashes of the heat they'd shared exploded behind her closed lids. Time wound backwards. She could actually feel his moist breath as his lips trailed hot, wet kisses from the hollow of her neck down to the valley between her breasts. Her nipples hardened and her sex clenched.


Anne shook her head, clearing the images from her mind and instantly regretted the action as a million nail spikes hammered against her skull. With a groan, she pushed off the door to search for her shirt and shoes. She planned to make her escape before Mr. Baritone finished with his shower.


****


Anne popped three ibuprofen, a couple of vitamin B tablets, and swigged the last of her Gator Aid. Her cure all for the tough hangover. With the dry bagel she’d choked down earlier, she’d be back to her normal self by the time clinical started. She turned her attention to her patient's medication administration record, stumbling over the unfamiliar names. Terms like hydrochlorathiazide, metoprolol, and clonidine leapt from the page as if written in a foreign language.


This was not what had been displayed in the chart yesterday when she'd pre-labbed. Rubbing her aching temples, she glanced at the surname on the chart and verified the date of birth and medical record number to what she'd written down previously. This was the correct patient and the right chart.


How could the meds have changed so quickly? Anne's heart pummeled against her rib cage. If her instructor thought she was unprepared, there would be hell to pay! Anne had heard rumors that the woman had reduced two of her fellow classmates to a pile of blubbering rubble during clinical last quarter.


"Finally getting my life together and I get stuck with a fire breathing dragon for a nursing instructor," she muttered under her breath.


At twenty-six, and one of the older students enrolled in the nursing program, she had something to prove. Her mother’s gravely ill face appeared in Anne’s mind. Towards the end of her battle with breast cancer, Elizabeth Raines had required a lot of hands on care before succumbing to the disease.


Fresh grief wrenched Anne's gut. Even though she couldn't vanquish her mother's pain, Anne had known her mom had been comforted by her presence. In a strange twist of fate, her mother's death had propelled her to help others. The experience had somehow grounded her, guiding her toward her new career. She sensed the direction her life was supposed to go and enrolled in nursing school.


"But not if old dragon breath flunks me!" she whispered fiercely.


Palms slick with sweat, Anne yanked the pocket Mosby's Drug Reference Guide out of her backpack, flipping straight to the index in the back. She inhaled a deep breath and searched for calm, scanning the MAR once more.


I can do this. I will not let myself or my Mother down.


The only familiar medication on the list bounced from the page--aspirin. Anne hunted Mosby's pages for the drug.


At least I know why people take aspirin. Duh!


But why was the med scheduled daily for 0900? Does the woman have a headache everyday at 9 O'clock? Or does she take the pill to ward off any potential headaches?


Anne scanned the reference manual to the correct summary on aspirin, and her mouth dropped open. Right next to dosing and administration were foreign words like carotid artery stenosis, transient ischemic attack, and systemic lupus ererythematosus bulging off the boldly printed paper. The only two words she recognized were migraines and fever.


Oh my God! I'm doomed!


"You there! Nurse! Get in here right this minute!"


The loud booming voice that held contempt and authority jolted Anne from her misery. She glanced from the cubby-type desk in the hall between the two patient rooms that were assigned to her. Her glance swept the corridor. Empty except for stray medical equipment and a linen cart pushed along one wall.


"Young lady are you deaf?" the male voice said carrying more than a hint of exasperation.


Anne turned toward the exclamation. The owner stood in the doorway of a patient room across the hall directly behind her. He was tall and lanky and wore green surgical scrubs. Grey hair protruded from under a blue paper surgical cap. Angry blue flashes of light through his narrowed eyes glared at her from beneath a pair of bushy eyebrows. His hands were adorned with synthetic gloves and clasped in front of him as if he were praying in a church pew.


"I said get in here! I can't do this crap by myself." He muttered expletives under his breath.


"Oh, no. There must be some mistake." Anne shook her head. "I'm not the nur--"


"I don't want to hear your excuses," he snapped. "Get in here, now!" He spun on his heel and reentered the patient's room.


Anne again inspected the hallway for reinforcements—anyone who would notify the doctor that she wasn't a nurse --yet-- and therefore couldn't help him with whatever task he was trying to accomplish. To her dismay, the passage remained void of all life, leaving her no alternative but to inform the man herself.


Anne stood, resignation dragging her feet. Her glance shot to the list of medications she still had to look up in her Mosby's. She sighed and approached the door. At least he could've asked nicely. She hoped all doctors didn't act like this jack ass.


At the entrance, she stopped short, her gaze drawn to an elderly gentleman lying in a traditional hospital bed. Cheeks hollow, his pale face lined with age. His brow was pinched together and his thin lips strained tight. Concern for his discomfort tugged at her heart.


As she approached, the scent of rotted flesh slammed into her nostrils. The dry, whole grain bagel she'd choked down earlier sloshed around in her stomach. The patient's belly looked like someone had sliced him from stem to stern, the flesh halved and gaped open. The tissue within oozed yellowish puss and bilious fluid.


Anne wretched and squeezed her eyes shut, covering her mouth with her hand. Don’t puke. Don’t puke. Don’t puke. Please God! I will be a good girl from now on, just help me out here, would ya?


Prayers unanswered, she pivoted as her breakfast rushed from her stomach. In her haste to escape, she bumped into a solid mass which loosened her grip from her mouth. She clasped her arms around her waist as she bent and spewed her breakfast right there in the room. A loud splat echoed off the tiled floor.


"Hey!" A familiar male baritone exclaimed.


With a steadying breath, Anne opened her eyes. A pair of what appeared to be brown loafers came into view, only now they were covered with the remnants of her morning meal. The sour smell of her own vomit jelled with the stench of the patient's wound and she gagged. Damn hangover!


"Whoa! Lady, if you're going to be sick again, let me get you a nurse or something. Jesus!" The owner of the ruined shoes said. He gingerly stepped back, slipping in the muck that covered the nondescript cream linoleum, his feet, and his brown slacks.


"She is the nurse, Ryder," the doctor who'd sucked her into this mess said with unveiled contempt behind her.


Heat flamed Anne's cheeks. She straightened and swiped the back of her hand across her mouth. Her gaze latched onto the greenest pair of eyes of the owner of the shoes she'd just assaulted. Recognition deepened the emerald color.


Ryder! An onslaught of memories from last night rushed her. She now recalled the name of the man whose bed she’d awakened in this morning, along with vivid images of their love making.


Mortification engulfed her from the tips of her toes to the roots of her hair as the heat in her face intensified. By now, she had to be the color of the proverbial beet.


"Umm, sorry. There’s been some mistake. I'm not the nurse," she said, retreating a few steps. At least her voice sounded even. "Let me get someone who can help in here."


Anne rushed from the scene, guilt and embarrassment clashed within her. Her mother’s words echoed in her mind.


Be careful what you wish for…



Have a great Saturday!
Kathleen