This story is still a WIP, so critique away. It’s set partly in Melbourne, Australia, and in New Zealand.
Thanks … and enjoy 🙂
His question hauled her back to their conversation. “Are you okay?”
“Of course I am. Please let him know I called,” she snapped, still out of sorts, and hung up, never giving him a chance to reply.
Breathing in and out, she tried to calm herself down and ridding herself of the adrenaline that had shot through her, leaving her shaking all over. She took another deep breath before she walked to the kitchen to rinse her clammy hands and make a cup of tea. The sound of the phone made her jump, and she rushed back to grab it, nearly knocking over the vase with flowers, cursing the police all the way as well as Josh, the bastard who’d left her in hospital bruised and beaten up last year.
“Dylan?”
“It’s Mat. How about you tell me your name so I can ask Dylan to return your call?”
“How did you get my number?”
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I do appreciate each single one of them!
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Most of the time, Heather McNeil loves her job as assistant to the director of the Washington DC Market Show Center. Because she’s a good listener and even better at solving problems, her boss assigns her to handle a lot of the day to day issues that arise during the shows, exhibits, and conferences being held there. When Heather becomes an unwilling audience to murder during the Business Technology Expo and later finds the body, she’s willing to let the police take care of it. But she soon learns more than she wanted to know about the victim and all the people who really didn’t like him very much.
Excerpt:
Just two hours into setup day of the annual Business Technology Show at the Washington, D.C Commerce and Market Center, I was struggling to keep from screaming at an exhibitor. That was so not me. I was cool, calm, collected Heather McNeill. The person who could handle even the most troublesome people. Most of the time.
Dieter Gebhardt was pushing my buttons and he knew it.
“I do not understand vy you say ve cannot do this.” A hint of smirk leaked onto his face. The tiny curl of his lip belied his pretended ignorance of my meaning, much less the authority behind the words. The sales representative for Schwartz-Mann GmbH was playing me, and I couldn’t tell if he really thought he could get his way by feigning stupidity or if he was trying to score some machismo points. I didn’t care about the points, but he damned well wasn’t going to win the argument.
The whine of an electric screwdriver a couple of booths away almost drowned me out as I explained yet again why the market center couldn’t allow the huge, powerful, multi-colored strobe lights they’d set up on poles around their booth to flash all the time. If those weren’t bad enough by themselves, a set of sirens went along with them, blaring every few minutes. No way that could continue.
The complaints had started flooding in after the first blare shrieked around the show floor. I was dispatched to have a talk with the perpetrators.
When Gebhardt finally got the message that pretending stupidity wasn’t going to win the argument, he tried a different tactic, waving a piece of paper in my face “Ve haf planned lights and display many months ago. Rules say ve can haf the lights and sound. This is not so?”
I stared at him for a moment, irritated again by the smarmy smile that leaked past his attempt to maintain a straight face. Asshole. He was too good-looking for his own good, but too much of a jerk to be attractive. I was willing to bet his English was a lot better than he let on.
Karen McCullough is the author of more than a dozen published novels in the mystery, romantic suspense, and fantasy genres and has won numerous awards, including an Eppie Award for fantasy. She’s also been a four-time Eppie finalist, and a finalist in the Prism, Dream Realm, Rising Star, Lories, Scarlett Letter, and Vixen Awards contests. Her short fiction has appeared in several anthologies and numerous small press publications in the fantasy, science fiction, and romance genres. She has three children, three grandchildren and lives in Greensboro, NC, with her husband of many years.
Sometimes we meet people but not to share the rest of our lives with them, but merely for them to guide us onto a different path.
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Set in London and Dublin we follow the life of Beth, a young mother of two who is married to Shane, an actor whose work requires him to be in Los Angeles. When Beth meets Daniel, a fun-loving, spontaneous man from Ireland, she realises how much joy and passion are missing from her marriage, and consequently her life. Beth is torn between her marriage to Shane and her love for this Irish charmer.
BLURB
Just when Dana thinks she has found true love, her mother drops a bombshell that turns her world upside down. Now she must find a way to quench a love that was never supposed to happen.
After twenty-five years, Lorraine finds her missing son—just not in the way she’d expected—and is forced to reveal the plethora of family secrets that has remained hidden for decades.
Dana delves into her grandfather’s past to uncover the story of this one man’s destructive lifestyle, and how it ultimately led to the unraveling of the entire family line. At the same time, she must piece together the mystery surrounding herself and her brother—two siblings deliberately kept apart so they would never find each other.
With three generations of women affected, will Dana get to meet the man responsible and solve the mystery?
EXCERPT
Dana sat stiffly in the passenger seat while Shaun drove them the short distance to Umdloti Beach on Saturday afternoon. She couldn’t stop her hands from shaking and her palms were sweaty. Umdloti Beach seemed like the perfect place to break the news—their special place to get away from the pressures of life and kindle their growing love.
But today would be different. They wouldn’t be leaving the confines of the parking lot this time, but could only watch other happy couples from a distance, laughing, playing, and frolicking in the waves or along the shore. Dana feared the process was going to be more heart-wrenching than she’d expected. More than anything else, it was the physical attraction that scared her, not knowing whether she’d just be able to turn it off. Was there something wrong with her that she still wrestled with those sorts of feelings? Her whole world had suddenly gone crazy.
Shaun knew her well enough to give her space when she needed it, but today she could see his trepidation as they drove the route in silence. They turned into the parking lot and pulled up alongside a wooden railing, the sound of seagulls squawking overhead and children playing on the beach. It was one-thirty, but already the sky was becoming overcast and turning an eerie gray, and a hint of thunder rumbled in the distance. Shaun started to open the door on his side and she touched his arm.
“We can’t . . . We have to talk here.”
The apprehension on his face broke her heart. “Honey, just tell me what’s going on. You’re starting to freak me out.”
“There’s something I have to tell you.” Her voice cracked. Lord help me, this is so hard. She drew a steadying breath and eased it out slowly, blinking back angry tears.
He took her hand and started weaving his fingers through hers. She pulled back.
“No, we can’t do that; it’s wrong.” How had she been able to hold back the flood of tears until now?
“Okay, honey, you’re worrying me. Whatever it is, we can work through it together.” His tone was tender but commanding. “It’s obviously about your mom because this all started last night.”
Dana gave a slow nod, desperate to stall him, wanting so badly to prolong the inevitable.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sue Searles has written several books, ranging from women’s fiction and short stories to poetry and children’s books. Having worked on various forms of storytelling since childhood, writing has been a lifelong passion.
Now somewhat older and wiser, she is passionate about thinking outside the conventional box, and conveys messages that are thought-provoking and life-changing.
Her inspiration comes mainly from studying people, reading, and daily life.
Sue is happily married and lives in sunny South Africa with her husband and son.
This story is still a WIP, so critique away. It’s set partly in Melbourne, Australia, and in New Zealand.
Thanks … and enjoy 🙂
Tiffany wasn’t sure how long she sat there before she was finally able to get up and reach the phone in the kitchen. Dialling a familiar number, it didn’t take long for someone to answer.
“Hello?”
Tiffany hesitated for a second then quickly hung up. Checking the numbers by pushing the redial button, she pressed connect when she was sure. With her heartbeat up a notch, she focussed this time.
“Hello?” the person answered, this time with more irritation in his voice.
Confused, she asked, “Can I talk to Dylan, please?”
“He’s not home.”
“Who… who are you?”
“My name is Mat. Can I leave him a message?”
Puzzled for a split second, she racked her brain to put one and one together. This guy definitely had a little Kiwi accent in his voice. But who the hell was he?
Thanks for all your comments,
I do appreciate each single one of them!
And check out Snippet Sunday Facebook site for other writers.
BOOK BLURB / SYNOPSIS –
“Solidly entertaining.” –Publishers Weekly
Winner, 2016 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Medal for Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Winner, Summer 2016 NABE Best Fantasy Book.
Morgan le Fay, sixth-century Queen of Gore and the only major character not killed off by Mark Twain in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, vows revenge upon the Yankee Hank Morgan. She casts a spell to take her to 1879 Connecticut so she may waylay Sir Boss before he can travel back in time to destroy her world. But the spell misses by 300 miles and 200 years, landing her in the Washington, D.C., of 2079, replete with flying limousines, hovering office buildings, virtual-reality television, and sundry other technological marvels.
Whatever is a time-displaced queen of magic and minions to do? Why, rebuild her kingdom, of course—two kingdoms, in fact: as Campaign Boss for the reelection of American President Malory Beckham Hinton, and as owner of the London Knights world-champion baseball franchise.
Written as though by the old master himself, King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court by Mark Twain as channeled by Kim Iverson Headlee offers laughs, love, and a candid look at American society, popular culture, politics, baseball… and the human heart.
ALL CALL ME Queen. For my unparalleled skills in leechcraft, most call me “The Wise.” No man dares call me “le Fay,” lest he die.
I hight Morgan.
That is to say, my name is Morgan, so chosen by my mother, Duchess Igraine, to honor the Great Queen of the Old Religion, MĂłr Rigan, goddess of war. My mother never knew how prophetic her choice would prove to be.
I am the daughter of Duke Gorlois, the sister of Queen Margawse and Queen Elaine, the wife of King Uriens of Gore, and the mother of Sir Uwaine of the Table Round. Blessed good fortune made me all of these things.
By the capricious hand of ill fortune, King Arthur became my younger half brother, spawned upon my most virtuous and blameless mother by that demon in man’s raiment, Uther Pendragon.
I despised Arthur from the very hour of his birth.
Kim Headlee’s Romantic Idea:
I love to travel but I also love to find great deals on lodging and transportation so that I can use the rest of my vacation budget to splurge on activities. My husband and I began a tradition a few years ago to make a beach getaway in November, which is the off season for many Northern Hemisphere beach destinations. We love sharing dawn and sunset beach walks, usually with a meal afterward because we’ve worked up an appetite. We’ve enjoyed Cancun and several other Caribbean destinations, though our current favorite fall beach retreat is Myrtle Beach, SC. That region’s restaurants can be pricey, even in the off season, so getting an outstanding deal on hotel reservations is a must! Wherever we travel, we’ve found there’s nothing more romantic than the sound of the surf wafting through the balcony window on a mild fall evening.
AUTHOR BIO:
Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the midtwentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet.
Kim has been an award-winning novelist since 1999 (Dawnflight, Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying Arthurian legends and literature for nigh on half a century.
2015 YouTube video interview: http://youtu.be/DV5iKrEIROk
Believing he is cursed, Tristram, Lord Trevena, the Earl of Longstone, agrees to do just one favor for a friend, to dance with the man’s sister, but the beautiful and headstrong Isabel Albryght will settle for no less than claiming his lonely heart.
A PROPHECY FORETOLD
Raised by her doting older brother, Isabel Albryght grew up cosseted and protected. She enjoyed her life in the country, her books, and her freedom. Then her brother married. Within months Isabel’s best friend married. It seemed it was time for Isabel to marry, too. Socially awkward and a bit too keen for most of the ton, Isabel proceeded to have the most horrible season on record…until she was approached by Tristram, the Earl of Longstone.
Two dances. That was all Tristram could offer anyone when considering his family curse, which had taken all he loved in the last ten years, so his promise to the beautiful Miss Albryght’s brother was simply that. The ton would soon see she was a desirable partner, her awkwardness would fade and other young swains would beat feet to her doorstep. But then he held her in his arms, and the delightful Isabel became his beating heart. Headstrong and full of passion, she believed she might waltz them away from Death. She alone could tempt him to try.
Author Bio
Multi-published historical romance author Alanna Lucas grew up in Southern California, but always dreamed of distant lands and bygone eras. From an early age, she took an interest in history and travel, and is thrilled to incorporate those diversions into her writing. Alanna writes Regency and Western historical romance.
When she is not daydreaming of her next travel destination Alanna can be found researching, spending time with family, or going for long walks. She makes her home in California with her husband, children, one sweet dog, and hundreds of books.
Just for the record, you can never have too many shoes, handbags, or books. And travel is a must.
Find Alanna online at www.alannalucas.com
Connect with Alanna Facebook/Twitter @alannalucas27
The temperature in the room rose by several degrees—it was positively sweltering. Isabel did not know how much longer she could tolerate standing in the midst of hell, surrounded by a mixture of unidentifiable odors and loud boisterous laughter. She thought her head would explode.
Closing her tired eyes, she brought her gloved hand to her temple. Isabel could feel her body sway, but was unable to stop the motion. She could not even gather her wits about her to stamp down, or even beg, the feelings to cooperate. Isabel could sense another mishap was forthcoming, which further added to her distress. And she had been doing so well.
A gentle hand came to her elbow. “Allow me to accompany you onto the balcony for some fresh air, Miss Albryght.” Lord Trevena’s voice broke through the haze. His tone was soft and full of concern.
Isabel opened her eyes; they felt thick and heavy, and still out of focus. Tristram somehow managed to maneuver her through the crush without bumping into anyone. The moment they reached the unoccupied balcony, the cool evening breeze cleared the haziness Isabel had been fighting in her head.
They strolled to the edge of the balcony, partly hidden within the shadows, and clear of any curious gossipmongers. The garden beyond was concealed in darkness, but the lingering scent of blooming roses wafted through the air. Tristram released his gentle hold on her arm. The absence of his hand made her heart lurch, wanting more.
Isabel turned to face him. Even in the dim light, his clear blue eyes sparkled like stars in the night. She struggled to find the words, but when they finally came, they would not stop.
“Thank you for coming to my aid. I am quite recovered now. The room was quite warm and the noise…”
“Isabel,” Tristram said in a deep husky tone. Her name on his lips sent a jolt of excitement through her body.
Taking a step closer, he brought his hand to her face, his gloved thumb dancing intimately across her cheek. Her heart pounded against her ribs, practically stealing her breath.
“Lord Trevena.” His name exited her lips in a breathy gasp.
He bent his head and whispered his name across her cheek. “Tristram.”
Isabel could not imagine anything more sensual than this moment. She lifted her chin, and their cheeks brushed. His lips were so close, but still too far away. His warm breath teased her senses. Closing her eyes, she waited for his kiss.
Morgan Hunter sacrificed everything for her career. She had yet to encounter anything she wasn’t willing to do to succeed . . . until now. When she uncovers evidence that the healthy foods she’s been hired to promote may be dangerous, she must reevaluate her priorities. As questions mount and the body count rises, she finds herself caught in the crosshairs of an organization that will stop at nothing to hide its secrets and protect its profits. With no one else to trust, Morgan is forced to seek help from the man she drove away, but whom she never stopped loving.
Buy link
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Tragedy-Kim-McMahill-ebook/dp/B01DTE29U2/
Excerpt
“Here, let me help you,” Morgan said as she draped Devyn’s arm around her shoulders.
Morgan tried to relieve as much weight as she could from Devyn as she helped her hobble to the waiting vehicle. Once Devyn was seated in the cramped back seat, Morgan dug out her emergency supply bag. She handed Devyn a blanket and a bottle of water. “I have a first aid kit, but I think you need something a little more than a bandage.”
“It’s just a few scratches. I’ll live.”
Morgan could see why Nick trusted Devyn with his back. As she looked at the battered and bruised woman, who had taken off into the desert in the middle of the night in bare feet to prevent a criminal from getting away, she had to admire her. Devyn had to be in extreme pain, yet not a complaint escaped her lips.
“Make room in the back,” Nick huffed.
Morgan looked up to see Nick trudging toward her with an inert Aaron slung over his shoulder. She raced to the tiny back cargo area and moved a few items around so Nick could squeeze the body in the vehicle.
“Is he dead?” Morgan whispered.
“Not quite, but we need to get him medical help A.S.A.P. The bullet didn’t hit any vital organs, but I’m not sure how much damage he suffered from the knock to the head”
Morgan watched as Nick set the man down in the vehicle, and then she joined Devyn in the back seat. Turning around and kneeling, she was able to lean over the seat and assess Aaron’s injuries. She folded up a handkerchief and placed it over Aaron’s gunshot wound and applied pressure. She wasn’t sure which was bleeding more, the bullet hole or the bump and cut to the head, but she had to try and slow the blood loss any way she could.
“That’s all we can do for now,” Nick said. “Just keep the pressure on the best you can.”
Morgan nodded as Nick secured the back and then got behind the wheel.
“You okay?” Nick asked as he turned to face Devyn.
“I’ve had better days, but sadly, I’ve had worse.”
Bio
Kim McMahill grew up in Wyoming, which is where she developed her sense of adventure and love of the outdoors. Kim started out writing non-fiction, but her passion for exotic world travel, outrageous adventures, stories of survival, and happily-ever-after endings soon drew her into a world of romantic suspense. Along with writing adventure novels Kim has also published over eighty travel and geographic articles, and contributed to a travel anthology and cookbook. Kim currently resides in Colorado, and when not writing, she enjoys gardening, traveling, hiking, and spending time with family. Web contacts
Website: http://kimmcmahill.com
Blog: http://kimmcmahill.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill.
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill
partly in Melbourne, Australia, and in New Zealand.
time, Heather McNeil loves her job as assistant to the director of the Washington DC Market Show Center. Because she’s a good listener and even better at solving problems, her boss assigns her to handle a lot of the day to day issues that arise during the shows, exhibits, and conferences being held there. When Heather becomes an unwilling audience to murder during the Business Technology Expo and later finds the body, she’s willing to let the police take care of it. But she soon learns more than she wanted to know about the victim and all the people who really didn’t like him very much.
passionate about thinking outside the conventional box, and conveys messages that are thought-provoking and life-changing.
eason, so getting an outstanding deal on hotel reservations is a must! Wherever we travel, we’ve found there’s nothing more romantic than the sound of the surf wafting through the balcony window on a mild fall evening.
. . until now. When she uncovers evidence that the healthy foods she’s been hired to promote may be dangerous, she must reevaluate her priorities. As questions mount and the body count rises, she finds herself caught in the crosshairs of an organization that will stop at nothing to hide its secrets and protect its profits. With no one else to trust, Morgan is forced to seek help from the man she drove away, but whom she never stopped loving.