Saturday Seven ~ April 27th 2019

Happy Saturday, what have you been up to this week? Here is a rundown of highlights for the week. I hope you find them useful in your life! My goal as a person and a writer are to always Pay-It-Forward, so please let me know how I can help you. YES, YOU!
Enjoy your weekend & this post! Amazing things to come!
~Amy

·        What am I Reading? – A terrific post by Astounding Author Kristen Lamb ~ Three Ways We Sabotage Our Own Success & How to Change https://tinyurl.com/y5pn562f ~ the focus is writing, but the blog is meant for anything. Dieting, projects, life! She is always such an inspiration and so relatable. Love it! Highly recommend you check out this post and her blog in general.

·        What am I Listening to? –   Funny enough, my own book. Last week’s Saturday Seven was canceled due to my fevered effort to finish Finders. Now I am editing and using something new! My soft edits completed (Grammar, spelling, etc.) I am currently listening to the manuscript via MS WORD. Text to Speech used to be a thing you had to purchase but it is included in MS WORD (under the Review Ribbon), and the voice is actually pretty natural sounding. I HIGHLY recommend listening to anything you write. It points out errors and phrasing you would not otherwise detect.

     

·        What Quote am I pondering? – “Free will” is one of the most precious gifts we have. To give it over to peer-pressure, psychics, or a dependency on drugs and alcohol is dangerous and incredible waste.” ~ Lorraine Warren, Ghost Tracks: Case Files of Ed & Lorraine Warren ~ So very true! My drug of choice is sleep, and even that is horrid. If you want something go get it! Do not let anyone stand in your way! Special Note ~ Lorraine Warren passed away in her sleep last week at age 92. She is now waltzing with Ed in Heaven! ~ God Bless you Lorraine and Ed Warren and thank you for fighting the good fight!

·        What am I Researching? –  This week was all about architecture. One of the last things I do in a manuscript is to add the descriptions of local. Like an ominous church standing on the top of a hill. And then once in the church what are all of the rooms called, like Vestibule, Nave, Sacristy and Sanctuary. Also comes in handy when you are writing an action scene where your characters are split into different areas. You’d think I would remember this stuff from six years at Catholic School? Apparently not. Lots of fun!

·        Yummy Meal of the Week – Pot Roast ~ a family favorite! Garlic, Onion, Soy sauce all thrown into a pot with Sweet potatoes (or red potatoes), carrots, & celery. Slow cook for 8 hours and viola, a perfect meal and leftovers for a week! Add some BBQ sauce and bread --a yummy sandwich has emerged!

·         What did I Learn? –  I learned the comma, and I am not friends. Seriously, I edit and find that I put commas where they are not needed and am missing commas where they are required. Good lord, thank goodness for Grammarly! Also, this time around I am an and lover. Went back and fixed all of them but jeez! I think it is my fear of fragmented sentences which makes no sense at all, but that is the source – I think.

·         What am I Watching? –  Easter Sunday I watched a Live streaming Easter Pageant through Victory Church here in Tulsa. It was very professionally done – like Hollywood approved—pretty authentic. The Way of Sorrows and the Crucifixion was brutal, bloody, and dramatic. All in all, well done and I was impressed.

      I am on tour again promoting the Dead Air Chronicles! Lucky random commenters have a chance to win free books and there is a $25 Amazon Card grand prize! Check out the tour dates through May 18^th and I hope to see you there!

Tour Dates & Locations

**Special Announcement**

I will be featured on an upcoming Podcast!

Write away Podcast host Natalie Lockett is interviewing me on Creativity and Story Ideas

Check it out on May 1^st

HERE

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"A Darker Shade of Evil" Anthology Cover Reveal!

I'm so excited to be part of  the "A Darker Shade of Evil" Anthology Cover Reveal! 

In a world of devils and demons, can you tell the hunter from the hunted?

 
A Darker Shade of Evil - Demon and Devil Anthology 

A Darker Shade of Evil

Blurb:

Deadly demons, diabolical devils, and other creatures of the night keep you spellbound in a world of dark delights as they trifle in forbidden passions, suspense, and kick-ass battles. It’s all right here for you in this captivating urban fantasy and paranormal romance anthology! Brought to you by USA Today and International Bestselling Authors, these stories of sexy, alpha heroes and heroines will keep you turning the pages as devils, demons, hunters and other dark delights draw you into their conquests, twisted power plays, deception, scorching heat, and yes, even love.






Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind anthology.  
  * Heat Rating: Spicy to Erotic Romance 
  * No Cliffhangers 
  * Happily-Ever-After or Happy-For-Now

What do you think? Don't you just love this cover?

Cover Reveal A Darker Shade of Evil Anthology Cover Reveal - 

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Friday Food Love! ~ Balsamic Baked Tilapia with Bell Peppers & Bleu Cheese

"Tilapia fillets are topped with onions, colorful bell peppers and crumbled blue cheese."

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion, halved and sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 orange bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Dill to taste

Paprika to taste

Garlic powder to taste

salt and pepper to taste

4 (8 ounce) fillets tilapia fillets

4 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

Preparation

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and all bell peppers in the oil until onion is tender and golden, and peppers are slightly soft, about 10 minutes. Stir balsamic vinegar into the vegetables; season with salt and pepper.

Rub tilapia filets with 2 teaspoons olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic, dill, paprika, salt and pepper on both sides. Place fillets in a small baking dish, and top with the balsamic onion mixture. Sprinkle fish evenly with blue cheese.

Bake in preheated oven until fish flakes easily. Serve atop salad greens, rice or alone.

One of my absolute favorites!

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Awesome Excerpt Thursday ~ Tuscan Enchantment by Kate Zarrelli

TUSCAN ENCHANTMENT

This was no cold marble—this was a man! Antonia goes to Tuscany to rebuild her life. The last thing she wants to do is fall in love, least of all with rich, arrogant, aristocratic Lorenzo.


Librarian Antonia Gray has fled England for northern Tuscany after an unhappy love affair to work on the archive of a 17th century Italian explorer, a member of a centuries-old aristocratic family. There she meets his descendent, Lorenzo Quattromani, rich, arrogant, handsome—and engaged to the beautiful and ruthless Giselle. The last thing Antonia wants is to fall in love, least of all with someone so dangerous. His engagement, though, is not what it seems, and Lorenzo breaks down Antonia’s resistance. But Giselle has other ideas.


…she caught sight of him, lithe as an eel, gliding along under the surface of the water and she felt herself flame with longing for him. From what she could see as he sped through the water he was wearing just a pair of white trunks, which offset his bronzed flesh. Then he flipped over onto his back and she saw with surprise and shock not unmixed with pleasure that he was wearing nothing at all. Instinct made her look away just as he realised she was there. He turned over again and swam with an easy stroke towards her.

"Antonia! I didn't mean to startle you. It's just a habit I've got into up here on my own."

He stood in the water at the side of the pool, the lower half of his body concealed, the water dripping from his raven black hair and running in rivulets down his chest.

"I thought you'd be ages yet - women so often are," he said.

"Not this one!" she retorted, wishing he had not reminded her of his experience of other women, bust she did not have it in her heart to be angry for long. He did seem sincere in his explanation, and after all, she was a guest here.

"Please avert your eyes, and I'll make myself decent," he instructed her.

Antonia half wanted to say it's too late now and throw caution to the winds, but instead she did as she was told. She heard the slap of his wet feet along the side of the pool as he went to get his trunks from over a chair, and then his voice calling, "All right, it's safe to look now. The lion is muzzled!"

He approached her, smiling, and once more Antonia felt as overwhelmed by his beauty as she had been when they had first met. Now she could observe him more closely than ever, the broadness of his muscular shoulders, the taut hardness of his stomach, the strong sinews of his muscled, hairy legs. His hard work under Alessio's guidance had honed his body until it was even more desirable than she had remembered it in the moonlight. Yet there was something naturally proportioned about his muscles--he looked that good because he worked hard, not because he worked out.

"Antonia," he exclaimed, shattering her thoughts, "you're looking at me as if you've never seen a man before!"

"Well, that is, I haven't...well not exactly... I don't mean..." she stuttered in embarrassment, aware she had gone very red.

Lorenzo looked at her with a serious expression now, as understanding slowly dawned on him. Then to her surprise it was his turn to flush gently, and when he spoke it was with a voice low and trembling with emotion and desire.

"Ah, Antonia, what a rare prize you are!" Then he turned abruptly away from her and slid back into the water.

"Well, aren't you coming in, then?" he asked, his head bobbing up again, sleek and gleaming as an otter's.

Links 

Devine Destinies // Amazon // Smashwords // TRSparties 

About the Author:

Kate Zarrelli is the Devine Destinies pen name of Katherine Mezzacappa. Kate is Irish but now lives in Carrara in Northern Tuscany, between the Apuan Alps and the Tyrrhenian Sea, with her Italian husband and two teenage sons. She writes historical, erotic, feel-good and paranormal fiction, set all over Europe, and in her spare time volunteers with a used book charity of which she is a founder member. As Katherine Mezzacappa, you can find her short fiction on-line published by Erotic Review Magazine, Copperfield Review, and Henshaw Press.







Kate was inspired to write Tuscan Enchantment, her début novel with Devine Destinies, by the landscape of the Lunigiana area of northern Tuscany, between the Apuan Alps and the Tyrhennian Sea. It’s not as well-known to tourists as the Chianti area, but in World War II apparently suffered proportionately the highest civilian casualties of anywhere in Europe. That history seeps into the book, as do the castles and villas of a local noble dynasty, the Malaspina family, who inspired the Quattromani family of the story.



You can follow Kate on Facebook at Kate Zarrelli books or on Twitter @katmezzacappa.

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Writing Warrior Wednesday! ~ The Almighty Crush (Character Analysis)

One of my favorite things in the editing phase is character analysis. Most people do this before they start writing and then forget about it once complete. I started it before, add to it during and review it in the editing stages to ensure the character I see in my mind is that character coming out on the page. One of those items that is so important for reader connecting and general depth are the silly inane things that make us unique as individuals. One of these is, of course, the crush.

Crushes are something teenage girls have on movie stars, the local football jock, or the boy she sits next to in history with the dreamy smile.  The almighty crush is something of legend and by the time we age and become adults the crush shouldn’t be a word in our vocab right? When we think of a crush, it is defined as unrequited feelings for another.   In the world of adults it takes on a different tone, I believe Ross Geller from Friends called it his top five. It is perfectly normal for all of us, single or committed to be attracted in one form or another to other people. We are in fact human. It is also healthy to share these ‘crushes’ with your partner as they probably have them as well.

So here is my question, who does my character have a crush on? Who makes her giggle or him smile wide and bright. It's not necessarily a sexual crush, there are all kinds of crushes. Personally I have several.

Physical – Their body makes your body…uh huh… you are happy to have the movie on mute is just to see the rippling abs.

Romantic -  Not necessarily hot bodies but definitely dreamy, these crushes are more romantic fantasy than physical hotness.

Intellectual – Their brains get you riled up and you are just in love with their brilliance!

Same Sex – Someone of the same gender that we just drool over because they are so amazing.

As we all have these types of admiration for people so should our characters. I

discovered that my heroine has an intellectual crush on Anderson Cooper. I have an intellectual crush on Seth McFarlane, Physical crush on Bruce Willis and Romantic crushes on Daniel Craig, and George Clooney. My Female crush is on Ellen DeGeneres, I am just so enamored by her spirit. If you look at my choices and think about them you can probably discover a lot about me.

So who are your crushes? Too many to name? Spread them around a bit, share with your characters and weave it into what makes them unique! This is also another way to make your characters relatable, grounded and more real. You think this might be a wasted detail but you never know how something so buried could pop up in the end.

*And yes, I did this topic just so I could look up fabulous pictures of hot guys!! LOL!

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Teaser Tuesday ~ Trust Me Series ~ Jaded Promises Excerpt

Eric Stiles has everything to lose and no matter how hard he fights he can feel his life slipping away.

Rebecca Gailen thinks that the love of her life is dead and only the vigor of revenge keeps her fighting to survive.

When a secret reveals more than anyone expected, it changes Eric and Rebecca’s lives forever. The devastating truth puts the couple at odds. Can they overcome their clashing conclusions and learn to trust each other again? Or will they let it rip them apart?

Excerpt

The stairs creaked with each step as he looked into the dimness below. The wet, musty area was cold and damp. He swallowed hard. Gray concrete, jagged walls and dust surrounded them and a chill raked up his spine.

"We found it over there." The same officer descended the stairs behind them. The beam of his flashlight landed to the right of where they stood. Eric reached for a flashlight, and his eyes fell on Charlie who scanned the room. An officer offered his and Eric stepped toward the area. His hand brushed against the cold concrete, but his mind still refused to accept it.

Not here…not like this…

Eric’s eyes fell on a spatter of blood and his chest flooded with an unrecognized pain.

She was here

Unable to push the image away, all the air left the room as his entire body clenched at the suffocation. He ascended the stairs into the sunlight, fighting for control. He began to unhinge, mindlessly entered one of the side rooms

They didn't find her which means she's still…

Keep it together Stiles…falling apart isn't going to help anyone

The sewn seam around his emotions threatened to tear, and he couldn't move. The paralyzing agony that spiked from the core of his body was relentless. He fought back in vain. He knew it wouldn't stop until she was in his arms, safe.

"Eric, what’s going on?"

Eric wiped unexpected wetness from his eyes. He leaned against the wall to face his brother. Pure disbelief stared back at him.

"I've never seen you like this."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you never…"

"Yeah well, things change." Eric moved to exit the room.

He found the front door and pushed through it hearing Charlie just behind him.

"Since when?"

"You still don't get it do you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Have you really convinced yourself that all of this…what happened, was just some kind of joke?” He stopped to face him. “That Rebecca and I didn’t mean anything we said when we told you that we never wanted to hurt you?"

"I don't know what the hell you meant to do and to be honest, I don’t really care."

"Charlie…whether or not you choose to believe it, we did try to walk away.” Charlie’s eyes diverted in anger. "Jesus, Charlie she went through hell, and all she could think about was how she couldn't hurt you!"

"So once again this is my fault!"

"No…I am just…" Eric’s chest turned to stone, unwilling to allow him to hide. "As your brother, your friend, I tried to forget about…everything. But that night. That first night in Dallas, everything changed. We did everything we could to ignore it, make disappear, but it didn't. It only got stronger…can you try to understand that?"

"You really expect me to…"

"I expect you to believe that I tried! I expect you to realize that this had nothing to do with you. To remember that until that moment, I've never betrayed you."

"So because you’ve always tried to be the good big brother you want me to be okay with this? To just accept what you did and move on?"

"Yes."

'Why?"

"Because you’re my brother and I need you to." Eric’s watering despite his continued battle against it. "Charlie, I'm in love with her."

"I loved her too!"

"Okay Charlie,” Eric clenched his jaw. “Where did you see things heading with her? Let's say we never met, what then?"

"I don't know. I never got the chance thanks to you!"

"That’s the difference!" Eric’s fists balled in frustration. "Six weeks ago, and the two months before that, hell even in Dallas. I knew this was different. I knew she changed everything. Even when she left without a word, and I didn’t even know her name, I couldn’t get her out of my head! I look at her and see everything I never knew I wanted. She's woken up this person inside me that I didn’t even know was there! The one who wants a house and a family. The person who needs to see her every morning and hold her every night, because when I don't something is missing, and the world doesn't make sense. "

"Eric…"

"The difference is that the moment I met her, she became my whole world," Eric explained as he struggled to keep his furious heart under control. "I know that you loved her. That was one of the reason's I stayed away as long as I did. It might not seem like much but…she needed me, and I couldn’t turn my back anymore. Now she's gone and I can't…If we don't…if I can't find her..."

"We're going to find her, Eric.” He saw the first glimpse of understanding in his brother's eyes.

~

We are on Tour again this time for the exciting Dead Air Chronicles! Click here for all of the locations and dates. Random lucky commentors will win the series and there is a $25 Amazon Gift card Grand Prize! Hope to see you there!

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Finder's Bucket List - Hex House, Tulsa, OK

In my upcoming release, Finders. A ghost hunting team of the same name has a bucket list of places they would love to investigate. 

Many fans of the paranormal may dismiss Tulsa’s Hex House as just a fake Halloween attraction and that is true to some extent. Each October, the Hex House is transformed into a terrifying haunted attraction.

However, you may have heard that old saying – ‘there is no smoke without fire’ and that is certainly true of The Hex House because there is some very real paranormal activity going on here too!

If you enter the house outside of the Halloween season you will notice that it still has a very sinister atmosphere. Many believe that this stems from the fact spell casting and other strange rituals were conducted in the original house during the 1940s.

It is believed that this invited something into the property that now has no intention of leaving! Two young women were actually forced to live in the freezing cold basement of the property during this time giving all of their money and belongings to Ms Carolann Smith who had designed her own religion based in the occult.

She starved and beat the women and used bondage and hypnotism to control them. This is the true tale that the Hex House haunted attraction is based on.


There have been reports of apparitions both in the original Hex House which was torn down in 1975, and in the haunt. Could these entities have come to the faux Hex House from the original site?

See more here!


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Friday Food Love! ~ Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

This one is so easy it doesn't even take a full page. Found it on Real Simple, my favorite magazine!! For those whole LOVE their crock pot or pressure cooker, look for the alternate version below

Sandwiches

Contributed by Real Simple

Ingredients

1 - 3 1/2- to 4-pound rotisserie chicken, meat shredded (about 5 cups)
1 to 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, roughly chopped (optional)
4 hamburger buns
potato chips (optional)

Preparation

In a bowl, combine the chicken, barbecue sauce, and jalapeños (if using).
Divide the mixture evenly among the bottoms of the buns and sandwich with the tops. Serve with the potato chips (if using).


Crock Pot Version

Ingredients

4 frozen chicken breast
Bottle of fav BBQ sauce
Half an Onion
2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Preparation

Throw it all in the crock pot, use enough BBQ sauce to cover the chicken. Set it on high for four hours or low for eight.

Serve on bread, rolls or plain... YUMMY!


Love it or hate it I want to know, share your favorite recipes with me!

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Awesome Excerpt Thursday ~ Hot for Teacher by Kandeis Lynne

College is a time for new discoveries.  When Leah meets David Leitner, she discovers a whole new world of sensations and emotions.

Leah Gwaltney and Eric are best friends and have been since freshman year. Eric wants more than friendship but is willing to wait. Leah wants to love Eric. He is her best friend and she cares about him, but something is missing. There is no electricity between them. 

Leah discovers what she has been missing when she meets David Leitner, the handsome graduate student who is old enough to be her father. Instantly and powerfully attracted to each other, they play a titillating game of cat and mouse while he does his best to do the right thing. 


Eventually, Leah is forced to take things into her own hands and show him that not only does she know what she wants, but she knows how to get it. In a happy-for-now ending, they discover love does not have an age limit.

Excerpt

“Needs some help?” David asked.

“No, I’ve got it!” Leah said while trying unsuccessfully to lift the heavy bag clear of the can. Blowing a strand of dark copper hair from her eyes in frustration, she muttered, “Yes, please. Damn thing weighs a ton.”

“It galls you a little to let me help doesn’t it?”

“No…maybe…oh, shut up!” she said in mock irritation at the twinkle of humor in his eyes. Good God, he had sexy eyes. Gray-green, they were the color of worn military fatigues. Her breath caught in her throat a little as she noticed the widening of his pupils and the suddenly overwrought silence that fell between them.

“I…uhm…I better take this out to the dumpster,” David said without breaking eye contact.

“Yeah, you know, mice and everything,” Leah breathed.

“Yeah, mice…” He sighed. “Wait. What?”

Leah broke the tension by bursting out laughing. “Mice! If you don’t take out the trash, the studio will be swarming with mice! They come in through the loading dock!”

As David maneuvered the trash bag to the door, Leah called out, “I’m going to pull the gels now that the lights have cooled down.”

“Wait a minute and I’ll brace the ladder for you,” David offered over his shoulder.
Leah ignored his suggestion as she tugged the giant ladder under the Kleigs she had used during the production. The ladder, like everything else, was on wheels. In reality, the twenty-foot ladder was extremely sturdy. Rather than using a metal ladder with wheels, Sullivan had secured hefty wooden ladders to rolling plywood frames. They were massively heavy and practically impossible to tip over. In addition, she had no fear of heights. She had climbed those ladders with a forty pound Fresnel light in one hand so many times that she had lost count.

“Hey, I thought I told you to wait for me.”

“I’m…almost…done.”

Leah stretched to retrieve the last colored filter from the frame in front of the concentric lens.

“Heads up!” Leah shouted as she dropped the red and blue plastic filters from the top of the ladder. There was no reason to carry them down the ladder. They were trashed. Filters could only be used so many times before they became brittle and warped. These were at the end of their lifespan and so she allowed them to flutter to the ground rather than carrying them down with her. As she began to back down the ladder, she noticed the annoyed look on David’s face as he braced the ladder with both hands below her.

“There is no reason to be careless!” David scolded.

“It would take a wrecking ball to knock this thing over!”

“It would not take a wrecking ball for you to fall off of it though!”

Leah halted her progress down the ladder when she reached the top of David’s head. Turning her back to the ladder, she slid down a step at a time while enunciating with annoyance, “I…can…take…care…of…my…self.” On the next to last step she found herself face to face, caged in by his arms, still spread to brace the ladder.


Slowly David leaned in to whisper in her ear, “I bet you can, Leah.” His hot breath tickled her ear and sent chills down her arms. “And I wouldn’t mind watching that at all.”

On Sale Now at eXtasy Books


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Writing Warrior Wednesday! ~ The Zombieland of Book Titles

So I was watching Zombieland, great movie, and I was inspired! If you have never seen the movie, zombies have taken over the country and four survivors meet and travel together, kicking serious zombie ass. The main character makes this list, the rules of how to survive Zombieland. So I thought why not make the ‘rules’ of picking a book title.

Okay here we go, in no particular order, feel free to add on…

Don’t be cliché but don’t be too abstract - One of my pet peeves is when a book has a title that says one thing and content that is another. You can always tell when someone is overly dramatic with the title…you know what I am talking about.

Google it before you choose it – perfect example, my first book is entitled Serenity Lost. Well there are several challenges here, apparently there is a rock band by that name. There is also the television show Serenity. So every time you type in Serenity Lost all of this other stuff comes up. Then there is the second book, Veiled Deception, yeah…there is another book with the exact same name and by a bigger author. Suck!

Hook ‘em – Your title is as important as the blurb or the cover itself. It needs to grab attention and work with the cover to make you want to pick up the book.

Don’t pull your hair out, it will come – picking a title can be one of the most frustrating parts of the process. Sometimes I have the title before the book, other times the book remains untitled until the very last moment. Either way, you will find it, and sometimes in the most unexpected ways. It is different for everyone.

Make sure you love it – It is your book, your name, your heart and soul. Do not skimp on the name. It is a representation of your work. (no pressure or anything…lol!)

Be prepared to change it – It will happen. You will have the PERFECT title and then someone says no. Or you have to take the one book and make it into three. This has happened to me twice now! Lol! Trust Me turned into Serenity Lost, Veiled Deception, & Jaded Promises. Dead Air turned into Shockwave, Backlash, & Fallout.

All of this is nothing you don’t already know. Writing a book is not an easy thing to create and build. It takes blood, sweat, tears, passion, and heart. Number one rule, above everything else, go with your gut it will never do you wrong.

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Teaser Tuesday ~ Shockwave by Amy Romine

Special Agent Kate Weiss is hiding from a kidnapping she doesn’t remember. 

Jack Tucker’s life as a morning radio host is uncomplicated, attachment free, and without regret.
Brought together by a mutual friend, the pair are at odds from the moment they meet. She finds his confident swagger arrogant and beyond reproach, while he in turn sees her as a self-righteous controlling dictator.

As Kate struggles with her confidence, Jack begins to realize his life without strings is missing something, or someone. Adversity quickly becomes attraction. Jack and Kate find themselves flirting with the flames of unexpected desire.

As emotions rise, scars are revealed and secrets are uncovered. Will the reality of their very different worlds bring them together or rip them apart?

Excerpt

She popped the trunk, lifted the carpet, and yanked on the trap door. She pulled, revealing a long flat plastic suitcase. Her five foot six inch muscular frame lifted it out and balanced it in her hand before she closed the trunk lid.

Suitcase in hand, she made a steady stride to the stairs. Her heels echoed off the concrete walls of the parking garage. Two flights later, she exited the stairs and picked her vantage point. Scanning the immediate area for civilians, she found few cars and no people.

Her Bluetooth beeped. She made her way across the upper level of the garage.

“Parker.”

“Are you in?”

“Almost.”

“You're going to miss your window.”

“Have I ever missed my window?”

“That’s not the point.”

“Gotta go. I’ll check back once I’m set.” She reached her destination.

She looked at her watch. It would take three minutes for her to set up, and she would have two and a half to spare.

Set and ready to go three minutes later, she scanned the area, twisting her mid-length chocolate hair into a pony tail. Laid out below, an overflowing fountain, concrete benches, and various idle suits walking around, oblivious to the world beyond their iPhone. Her Bluetooth beeped and she opened the line.

“Impatient much?”

“Usually,” the familiar voice replied. “Are we on target?”

“Probably,” she replied, her phone in hand. The GPS tracker she’d attached to her victim was beeping steadily

.

“Probably isn’t good enough, Kate.”

“Pipe down, Warren.” Pocketing her phone before checking the scope, she listened to Warren huffing on the end of the line. Her target came into view. 

“You’re getting to be a nag.”

“Can you give me a count?”

“Zero.”

“Parker.”

She disconnected the call. “Bye, bye.”

She used her scope to focus on the sidewalk below. She moved the scope to follow a well-dressed, manicured blonde. The woman stopped next to the fountain, and waited. Her target was in place.

Kate pushed the air from her lungs. Her hand moved behind her ear, and she heard a low tone in the bottom of her ear.

“Ember Rose, eight six five.”

“Copy eight six five.”

“Mark is set.”

“Copy.”

Her focus remained on the blonde just below.

Forty-five seconds.

Kate pushed out another breath. Her finger slid toward the trigger. She watched and waited. Without warning, the blonde turned, and fell into the fountain. A stain of blood leaked into the water, confirming Kate’s fear.

Shit…        

She lunged forward, searching the area. Above her came the scraping of concrete. She saw movement, and ran to the stairs. She leapt two at a time, and turned the corner to see a well-dressed man, black suitcase in hand.

He saw her, dropped the case, and ran. She took off after him. He led her down the first ramp. She gained some ground, but then he turned the corner. She rounded it a moment later. An arm swung. She ducked, responding with a spin kick to the lower back. He caught her leg and twisted. She turned into it. Her hands braced her torso. She hit concrete. Raising the opposite leg, she connected with his chin. He released her leg. She twisted her torso using the momentum to stand upright. He lunged. She turned her back into his chest rolling him over her shoulder. She moved with him, the heat of a second party at her back. She turned. Metal met with her temple and the explosion sent her reeling into blackness.

* * * 

Starting on April 18th I will be touring the virtual universe to talk about the Dead Air Chronicles. This is an Excerpt from Book 1 - Shockwave! Stay tuned for more details. 

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