Monday, January 16, 2017

Suspense for the Romantic Heart - Dead Air Excerpt


Worlds Apart

Is their love enough?

Jack Tucker's life as a morning radio host is uncomplicated, attachment free, and without regret. Until Kate Weiss entered his life, that is... She knows all of the ways to annoy him and yet takes his breath away with just a look.

Special Agent Kate Weiss is hiding from a kidnapping she doesn't remember. Morning Radio Host Jack Tucker serves as a nice distraction, but she knows the flirtation could never be anything more.

When tragedy descends, grief pulls them together, forcing them to trust each other and face the undeniable connection between them.

In an effort to make the pair walk away from a conspiracy greater than they can imagine, a target is put on their heads. This does little to deter Kate or Jack from wanting to find the truth.

Chasing shadows, the answers are closer than they realize. Forced into isolation, can Jack and Kate uncover the buried secret that is getting people killed? Or will one misstep destroy all of their hopes for the future?

Excerpt

Melissa and Dan said goodbye shortly thereafter, and Jack searched for Kate, finding her in the kitchen finishing the few dishes they had dirtied. He wrapped his arms around her waist nibbling on her neck.

“Someone is feeling better.” She giggled, and turned meeting his eyes. They were soft and adoring. He leaned down placing a gentle kiss on her pink lips. She teased his lips with her tongue.  Jack pulled her against him, his hands entangled in her hair. Their lips parted and he gazed down into her eyes and she smiled. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He lowered his head and she met him half way, her arms wrapping around his neck. He lifted her off the ground sitting her on the counter. Exploring her mouth, his hands spread themselves beneath her shirt exposing her soft skin to the cool air. She shivered and he took to nibbling on her ear.  His hands moved up her back, leaving a trailed kisses down her neck.

 “You are supposed to be resting.” She tried to lean back and away from his mouth. His hands on her back prevented her from going far and he simply adjusted to the opposite side of her neck. “Jack.”

 “I am resting.” He nipped at her earlobe, and his phone rang.

He growled, Kate smirked and he disappeared to get the phone. Hopping off the counter she started preparing the coffee maker for the next morning and when she was finished, she moved back into the living room.

She could hear him talking on the phone as she cleaned. Kate returned to the kitchen a few minutes later she found him waiting for her. “Who was on the phone?”

“You threatened Elisa?”

“What?”

“Why on earth would you…”

“I didn’t…well not exactly. It’s complicated.”

“How is it complicated, Kate? Either you threatened her or you didn’t. You’re a goddamn spy for Christ’s sake! I would think you would know the difference!”

His eyes were clouded and she immediately knew what was happening. “Jack, calm down.”

“I'm not going to calm down until you tell me what the hell is going on!”

“Listen to me…”

“Where do you get off thinking that bullying my friends is okay? Especially, someone as small and fragile as Elisa, she couldn’t hurt a fly!”

“I know you think…”

“Think?” His face began to redden, his eyes dilated and his chest heaved. “Sorry I forgot I’m not supposed to think. Just sit back and blindly trust you again as you ruin my life!”

“Jack, please stop.” He backed her against the counter. Her heart pounding, she struggled with what to do. “There’s something wrong and you have to fight it.”


He grabbed her by the arms and squeezed. “Wait, maybe you are the problem. It seems to follow you around, all of the death and the pain. The destruction.”

“Jack let go.” She pushed against him. “This isn’t you talking, it’s the poison. You have to calm down.”

“Maybe if I cut you out of my life and walk away it will all disappear?”

“You’re right. I’m the problem. I am the one who brought you into this hell and I am the one keeping you here.”

A wave of confusion crashed over his face and she took a breath.

“She was so upset.” His eyes searched for something beyond her. “She was crying and she said it was your fault.”

“It was my fault and I am sorry,” Kate watched him begin to float back to the surface.

“She said you threatened her at the memorial and then again at the hospital. She said you saw us at the funeral and you were jealous…trying to keep me away from her.”

“Jack, I need you to look at me. “

“Kate…I…”

“Just take a deep breath.” His eyes widened and he burst out of his own mind realizing what was happening. He looked at her in confusion. He became conscious of his harsh grip on her arms and immediately released her. “It’s okay, just breathe.”

He stepped back, his face scrunching in pain. “No…what…”

“You’re okay. It is fine.”

“Get away from me, Kate!”

He fell back into the wall of cabinets behind him, his chest heaving.  “Jack… breathe.”

“I can’t…I…” He met her eyes and she saw terror. “Kate…”

His legs quickly betrayed him and he slid down to the floor. Kate moved to him, grasping his hand “Jack, I’m here, you’re going to be okay.”



Purchase Dead Air Now, on paperback and Kindle (Shockwave, Backlash & Fallout)



Sunday, January 15, 2017

Don’t Let the Love of Classic B&W Films Die! – Part Two


In 2017 we are looking to the future, and the horizon is bright! One of the wonders of our world is the ability to enjoy the old with the new and share it with future generations. 

This holiday break I was able to share several B&W films with my 22 year old son. This is a yearly tradition in our household.  Not just B&W films, but the classics. I have three children, their ages are spread out (11 to 22) so I only subject them to a few at a time so it isn’t torturous. Surprisingly, while they object at first, they usually get into the movie after the first 30 minutes or so. Some of you may have noticed from my tweets (@AmyJRomine), this year I shared Abbott and Costello with the two younger kids and the Thin Man series with the eldest. 

Liking the idea of revisiting the classics? Check out part one of this post. Here are the last five in a list of 10 B&W films I highly suggest for 2017. Most can be found on Amazon or TCM. These are in no particular order as I love them all. 

Bringing Up Baby – (Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn) - While trying to secure a
$1 million donation for his museum, a befuddled paleontologist is pursued by a flighty and often irritating heiress and her pet leopard, Baby. Both a very young Grant and Hepburn captivate with sharp banter and physical comedy rarely replicated in today’s films.

Casablanca – (Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman) - In Casablanca, Morocco in December 1941, a cynical American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications. We all know this classic love story and B&W is the best version.

The Maltese Falcon (Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor) - A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette. This signature classic changed the face of noir films for the ages. Do not miss this classic suspense thriller! By the way, did you know the 1941 Maltese Falcon is a remake of a movie from 1931 starring Bebe Daniels and Ricardo Cortez and was originally penned by Dashiell Hammett who also created The Thin Man.

The Little Princess – (Shirley Temple, Richard Greene, Anita Louise) A little girl The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer, but I have to admit the scene where the Temple  finds her father is tear-jerking and too perfect to resist!

is left by her father in an exclusive seminary for girls, due to her father having to go to Africa with the army. Needless to say you had to expect at least one Shirley Temple film on the list. I was torn between this and

Arsenic and Old Lace – (Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane) - A drama critic learns on his wedding day that his beloved maiden aunts are homicidal maniacs, and that insanity runs in his family. Hollywood has attempted to remake this classic four times without success.  Frantic, funny and full of delightful physical comedy this once stage play turned movie is one not to be missed!

 So those are the final five of ten. You can see the fist list here. All can be found on Amazon and are shown regularly on Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Also IMDB (the links are used in this blog) usually has a list of places you can purchase and or rent movies. I would love to hear your feedback, suggestions you have for the list!

After completing the list I thought of several more must see B&W Classics including To Kill a Mockingbird and Roman Holiday!


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Friday, January 13, 2017

80/20 A Matter of Taste - A Review of Seduced by Tarah Scott

Let me start out with the disclaimer that I am not a romance fan. That is to say my romance taste is wrapped in suspense, thrill, action, adventure, scifi etc. Rarely can I stomach a straight romance -- thus rarely do I knowingly chose to read straight romance. In the case of Seduced, by Tarah Scott I read the book based on the blur which to me did not describe the book as a straight romance. 

Blurb

It’s a Mississippi Deputy Sheriff’s duty to bring a serial killer to justice…even when he’s a three hundred year old Scottish lord. It’s an SAS agent’s duty to save her.

With each passing day, Lord Colin Morrison grows more furious...and more desperate. In three hundred years, not one of the women who shared his bed broke the spell that imprisoned him in Castle Morrison. Margot Saulnier is different. She can save him. All she has to do is give in to her desire for him. Then die.

Deputy Sheriff Margot Saulnier knows her best friend murdered her husband—Margot’s cousin—but she can’t prove it. Now, four years later, out of the blue, Cat calls Margot from Scotland and invites her to visit. Margot turns in her badge and leaves Mississippi. This time, she’ll do whatever it takes to prove Cat murdered Donny. Margot didn’t plan on falling in love with an SAS Agent—or a three-hundred-year-old Scottish lord. Now she must choose.

SAS Agent Charles McNeil is going to keep Margot Saulnier out of trouble—whether she likes it or not. He understands her need for justice, but with no proof and no authority, she’s headed for serious trouble. So is he. Charles didn’t plan on falling in love with Margot. Neither did he plan on saving her from a serial killer.

I thought this book was going to have a ton more plot than romance / eroticism. This is not the case. If I had know this I would have not read the book as it is not my taste. I did, however, chose to read the book and so here is my review as posted on Amazon and Goodreads.
 

This is a heavy romance with a lot of passion. Light on the story but is not lacking in hot and steamy scenes. The attempt at character and plot by the author is weak and I wanted more. More depth, more mystery, more excitement to make it a more enthralling, interesting read. 

In the plot that was conceived, I got a little lost in the mix. Who is who and I admit I wanted more depth in the folds of all of the erotic play. Overall, a good read but I will admit I prefer more plot than sex and this is definitely the opposite.
 




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