Sunday Sample - Retribution

Here's an oldie, but goodie. I've switched up the cover of Retribution because it was time. Enjoy this sample ...

Xavier didn’t care if Justine was married. That made her off-limits, which worked for him because his gut told him she’d do even more damage if he opened himself to her a second time. 

He was now as close as he could come to being happy. He needed nothing to add to his wellbeing except a relationship with his son, which might prove ticklish to manage. While he was getting to know Emile, Xavier would find out whatever he needed to know about Justine’s situation.

 He waited a few more seconds then decided that since she didn’t plan to do anything for them to get better acquainted, he had to do it himself.

“So Emile, tell me some of the stuff you like to do.”

“Running, riding my bicycle, swimming, watching TV, drumming.” He took his mother to task with a frown. “But Mommy won’t let me have any drums. She can’t handle the noise with both drums and a guitar.”

Xavier put aside the question he wanted to ask and let his smile spread from within to without. “I teach kids music.”

Emile sat forward, both hands on the table, eyes open to capacity. “Really?”

Xavier nodded, ignoring the ice chips flowing off Justine.

“Cooooool!” Emile’s head snapped toward Justine. “Mom, can I have lessons?”

“I, uh…I’ll think about it.”

Emile slouched, folded his arms, and pouted. “You let Yolanda get lessons, so why can’t I have some too?”

“You don’t stick with anything for long.”

“Mom!” The word stretched into three syllables. “You know I like the drums. Kevin’s father got him a set and the only time I get to practice is at his house. Why can’t I—?”

“That’s enough,” Justine said. A look passed between mother and son, after which Emile pushed back his chair from the table, scrunched down further in the seat and blinked hard a few times.

“It wouldn’t cost you,” Xavier said.

“That’s not the point,” she snapped.

“What is the point, Justine?”

She concentrated on something over his shoulder. “I don’t want…”

“You owe me,” Xavier whispered, leaning forward.

“I don’t owe you anything,” she hissed back.

Xavier licked his lips and prayed for patience. “This can be easy or nasty. Your choice.”

She pulled her hand into a fist, staring at the tablecloth.

He sighed, rubbing his forehead. “You have to deal with this. I’m not going to disappear. Matter of fact, I don’t care what you do, as long as I get to see Emile.”

She winced, as though he’d hit her, but said nothing. He quashed the sympathy stirring inside him. She was selfish and thoughtless. Why should he care about her feelings?

To read more, check out Retribution here on Amazon. 

Sunday Sample - Retribution

Since I'm showing off this oldie, but goodie this weekend, enjoy this sample from Retribution. Xavier has discovered that Justine has hidden his son for six years, so of course, he gets on her case...

He removed his hand from her grip, ignoring the heat seeping into his face. He didn’t need to be reminded of what her touch did to him. “I don’t care how you explain this to your husband. You figure it out.”

“But Milton is…” She sighed. “Why d’you want to do this. Why can’t we just keep things the way they are now? Why d’you have to stir things up?”

A bark of laughter escaped him. Had she lost her mind? “We’re not talking about a pet. This boy is my son, who you chose to hide to suit your purposes.” Reckless with frustration, Xavier spoke before he thought. “Milton obviously couldn’t give you a son, so you soothed his ego with mine.”

She choked on the insult, which in turn shamed him. He felt as if he’d kicked a puppy. He knew better than to say something like that, even if it was the truth. However, he refused to apologize. He didn’t owe her any kindness. If anything, she owed him a whole lot more than an apology.

Justine pulled her handbag off the back of the chair and dropped it in her lap, still glaring at him. “That’s not true!”

“Why else would you pass off my son as your husband’s child?”

“For a quiet and peaceful life!”

She dragged a handful of tissue out of the bag and blew her nose. With watery eyes, she studied him. He stared back at her, refusing to change course. He smiled, but the gesture had nothing to do with amusement. “Milton must be blind or stupid to believe that boy belongs to him. So much for your quiet and peaceful life.”

She hunched over the table, but he continued to punish her. “Maybe it suits you to think Milton is a fool, like the fool you took me for, but he probably knows what you did. You just refuse to acknowledge that he knows.”

She blew into the tissue again and shoved the wadded paper into her handbag. “There’s no need for you to act like this.”

His forehead throbbed and he struggled not to smash his fists on the table. When he was sure the top of his head hadn’t exploded, Xavier spoke again. “Woman, don’t force me to be rude to you. All I’m prepared to do is give you time to think about how you’re going to arrange for me to meet my son.”

Follow their story by going to lrd.to/retribution

Sample Sunday ... Retribution

Today's #SampleSunday snippet comes from an oldie, but goodie - Retribution. It's a story about a woman who ... I think you better read the excerpt to find out what she did.

The customers in the coffee bar went still. The only sound relieving the lull was the cash register’s chatter. Head lowered, Justine picked at something in her lap. Another moment passed before the other customers forgot them and restarted their conversation.

Xavier didn’t give a shit. He suspected Justine was blinking back tears, but reminded himself to stay focused. Remember what she did to you.

“I want to see my son. I want to talk to him. I need to spend time with him.”

She grabbed his wrist, squeezing hard. Tears hung on her lashes. “I…don’t do this. Please…I…”

He removed his hand from her grip, ignoring the heat seeping into his face. He didn’t need to be reminded of what her touch did to him. “I don’t care how you explain this to your husband. You figure it out.”

“But Milton is…” She sighed. “Why d’you want to do this. Why can’t we just keep things the way they are now? Why d’you have to stir things up?”

A bark of laughter escaped him. Had she lost her mind? “We’re not talking about a pet. This boy is my son, who you chose to hide to suit your purposes.” Reckless with frustration, Xavier spoke before he thought. “Milton obviously couldn’t give you a son, so you soothed his ego with mine.”

She choked on the insult, which in turn shamed him. He felt as if he’d kicked a puppy. He knew better than to say something like that, even if it was the truth. However, he refused to apologize. He didn’t owe her any kindness. If anything, she owed him a whole lot more than an apology.

Justine pulled her handbag off the back of the chair and dropped it in her lap, still glaring at him. “That’s not true!”

“Why else would you pass off my son as your husband’s child?”

“For a quiet and peaceful life!”

She dragged a handful of tissue out of the bag and blew her nose. With watery eyes, she studied him. He stared back at her, refusing to change course. He smiled, but the gesture had nothing to do with amusement. “Milton must be blind or stupid to believe that boy belongs to him. So much for your quiet and peaceful life.”

She hunched over the table, but he continued to punish her.

“Maybe it suits you to think Milton is a fool, like the fool you took me for, but he probably knows what you did. You just refuse to acknowledge that he knows.”

She blew into the tissue again and shoved the wadded paper into her handbag. “There’s no need for you to act like this.”

His forehead throbbed and he struggled not to smash his fists on the table. When he was sure the top of his head hadn’t exploded, Xavier spoke again. “Woman, don’t force me to be rude to you. All I’m prepared to do is give you time to think about how you’re going to arrange for me to meet my son.”

Want to know more? Go to lrd.to/retribution 

New Adult Journey & A-Z Blogging Challenge

In twelve days, I’ll be releasing another book. This time it’s a New Adult novel, which has taken me on an interesting journey. Perfection will be the start of a three-book series, which captures the lives of the young ladies from Distraction, Retribution and Absolution. Let’s just say in typical fashion, the daughters of my main characters decided they had their own stories to tell. Being an obedient storyteller, I followed through on this mission.

I’ve re-learned a couple of things on this journey—that I can write everyday if I put my mind to it,  complete stories still come to me and with research and patience, I can move in new directions

Here’s the cover and the mini synopsis.

Natasha is ready to give relationships a break, until she meets Karim—her boyfriend’s cousin. He’s home for the summer and has no plans to tie himself to anyone, because he's been burned a time or two.  Will the flame of their interest ignite, given Natasha's reluctance, Karim’s past and the present he wants to keep hidden, but can't?

Pre-order at $1.99. Price to increase on release. Get the early-bird special now!

The Blogging from A-Z Challenge sign-up hit the road with a bang and is growing steadily. If you haven’t yet signed up, hit this link to do so today.

I’ve moved from minion to co-host this year, so I’ll be looking for helpers to assist during the Challenge.  If you can help with visiting blogs during the Challenge, leave me a message in the comments or email me and say you’ll help. The job is simple and will result in more friends and followers for you. Be reminded this week Wednesday is IWSG post day.

New week. New opportunities. Let’s make the most of them. What are your plans for this week?

Fact or Fiction? You Decide...

Many thanks to the bloggers who participated in the Love...The Second Time Around Celebration for Retribution.

Now, it’s time to vote on your favourite piece of fact or fiction. I’ve read the stories, and will be looking at them a second time to make my choices. Each person has two votes. One for fact and one for fiction. Feel free to invite your supporters to read along and help us decide the winners. The linky list below connects to each writer’s post. 

Please help us  make the process easy and fair by reading the posts. Thanks!

Winners will be announced on Friday, February 22, 2013. 

Today Stephen Tremp’s Writers 4 Writers Group is spotlighting Gwen Gardner and Melissa Bradley. Tweets will be sent out for both writers highlight their new books. Drop in at their websites, copy their tweets and give them a hand getting their books noticed.

Submit Your Fact or Fiction by Midnight

Thanks for helping me celebrate the release of Retribution. Love...The Second Time Around is what the novel is all about, so submit your most interesting stories of people taking another shot at a relationship.

FUN FACTS!

There is no restriction as it pertains to form or genre. Stories can be fact or fiction. Use your imagination, make them attention-grabbing.You can use something that's pre-written.

 Somewhere in there, you must tell the reader why the couple broke up and why they feel compelled to get back together. This can be done from any of your characters’ point-of-view. 

The word cap is 500.

Indicate on your blog post, by the relevant badge, whether you’re in the fact or fiction category. 

There will be voting and prizes, so it’ll be a reader’s choice situation, where you get to choose your favourite anecdote/poem/refection/story. The best piece of fact and fiction—as determined by your vote—will receive a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card, so that’s two prizes.

In the event of ties, there will be trusty bloggers standing by to help with a tie break decision. If we cannot decide on a winner in either category, prizes will be divvied up between the best two entries and the loot (meagre as it is) shared. Stay tuned for further information. 

Entries are open now, so get cracking on those stories.

Submit your piece of fact or fiction by midnight on February 14. The polls will open on February 15 and we’ll have a few days to read and vote. 

You’ve hit the right page,  just add the direct link to your post below with Mr. Linky. 

Winners will be announced on Friday, February 22, 2013. 

I’d appreciate your help with spreading the word, so do hit one of the share buttons before you go! 

Hurry Up & Write

So, I have a new book out and it certainly took me long enough to finish it. Most of it was written ages ago, and the final chapters written last year. And then came the mammoth task of editing. I’m neurotic about typos and such, so you can imagine how long that took. 

I’m thrilled every time someone contacts me through my Facebook page or on Twitter to ask when a book will be out. I had one such query last night, which pulled me out of my funk. And what funk is that you might ask?

The why-am-I-subjecting-myself-to-writing-editing-reediting-and-pimping-these-books-with-way-too-little-results-to-show-for-my-efforts funk.

Fact is, it takes time to build a writing career and it can’t be done with a single book or two or three. Sometimes, we get sidetracked with promoting one book, forgetting that life goes on after the blog tour ends.

Because I know how spasmodic my writing is, I followed up Retribution with an introduction to the third book in the series—which stemmed from an idea I had about a month or so ago. The story should have been complete with Distraction and Retribution. But anyway, the muse spoke and she usually gets her way.

Putting the first pages of the new story in the back of the book is not only a promise to readers, but a commitment to myself to get that book done in about six months.  Crazy, I know, but this madness working with pressing deadlines suits me.

The sales for Distraction (first in the series) have been a slow, but steady trickle. I hope that  readers will care enough to want to see how the characters fared after the last page of Distraction. The freebie I’ve put up on Amazon has helped people find Distraction, which is introduced in the back of that one.

So on I go, reminding myself that there are people actually waiting to see what I come up with next. That’s our job as writers, feeding the addiction our readers have for our stories.

Avoid getting preoccupied with pushing one book forever, and do build that body of work which will eventually provide a steady source of income.  I’ve done a little research which tells me that a number of books have been on Amazon for a while before they become bestsellers. This is easy to check by looking at the publication date. People discover new and not-so-new books every day in different ways and as time goes by, they gravitate toward other books by the same writer and so on…

 

So, are you plotting, pantsing and writing anything to feed your following or advance your writing career?

And if I still have your attention and you haven’t tried your hand at romance yet, check out my blogfest for Retribution. You just might win a $10.00 Amazon gift card for yourself and come up with a story you can actually use in one of those books I’m sure you’re busy writing—when you’re not surfing the net reading blog posts, that is.