Thursday, June 20, 2019

Awesome Excerpt Thursday - Stricken by V.J. Allison


Stricken
Book 1 of The Feathered Tartan Series
Love deserves a second chance.
Ewan Campbell once thought he had it all – he was a rising star in the real estate field, popular with his peers, and engaged to his employer’s cousin, the shy and quiet little Marti Marlowe.
A heartbeat later, he was alone – shattered, confused and suicidal. Why had Marti walked away from him?

Years later, in another place, and a new chapter of Ewan’s life, fate brings them face to face again. 

They start building a friendship, but Ewan wants more. He wants Marti as his wife, and she seems to prefer their current status as friends.

Can he convince her that taking another chance at their failed future will be the start of the best part of their lives?

Excerpt from Chapter 3


The tan door was ajar, and he could see the blue and cream tile turned into a soft blue carpet at the threshold of the office. With a hope Kara was wrong, Ewan glanced around quickly, but a movement to his right drew his attention.
Marti’s back was to him as she rooted around in a file cabinet drawer and shook her head periodically. Her outfit was professional, from the roll of hair in a French twist at the back of her head, to the black skirt suit with brown pinstripes, and the suede two-inch heeled shoes on her feet.
As he tapped his fingers on the doorjamb, a vision of her wearing nothing but one of his t-shirts and a solitaire engagement ring flashed through his mind. 
“Yes?” Her voice was distant, cool and polite.
“Dr. Brown said you were in.”
Her back stiffened as he spoke to her without an audience for the first time in years. “I have no clue why you would want to see me,” she replied and dug a folder out of the drawer.
A soft sigh of exasperation came out of his throat as he entered the office and stopped halfway between the doorway and her desk. “I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“Saturday night. Shannon treated you like dirt, and—”
“I’ve dealt with people like her before and it hasn’t killed me yet.”
“That doesn’t excuse it – hell.” Ewan rubbed a hand down his face as he tried to find the right way to express himself.
“Maybe that will teach you not to take someone like her around your friends and coworkers.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s your life and your choice. If you want to go dumpster diving, that’s your business, but if I were you, I’d be careful on what I brought home.” She flipped a page in the file. “I have a meeting in less than an hour, and I’d like to be fully prepared for it, so if you don’t mind...”
“Look, I know this isn’t the ideal situation, but can’t we at least try to make an effort, for everyone’s best interest?”
So he wouldn’t look at her, he glanced around the room, and his gaze finally landed on a picture frame in her bookcase. An unwelcome, searing bolt of jealousy zoomed up his spine when he saw it was a photo of her and a man with their arms around each other.
His eyes moved to the large windows facing Citadel Hill, and locked with hers via the reflection. A sense of it being similar to the way they had stared at each other on their first date at the Fisheries Museum in Lunenburg rang in his mind.
Like that day, almost nine years ago, Marti was the one to break eye contact.
“How are we going to do that?” she asked.
“I don’t know, but unless we try, Kara and Dennis are going to chalk it up to something big, and from what I’ve heard, you’re not open about your past.”
“That’s my life and my choice, isn’t it?”
Ewan sighed and raked a hand through his hair as he took a step toward her. When she stiffened, he stopped and shoved his hands into his coat pockets.
“Dr. Lewis – Marti…” He let out a long breath. “I am sorry about invading your life. If I had known you were living here, I wouldn’t have taken the promotion, and told Miranda I was moving on.”
“Some things are beyond our control or knowledge. Halifax is a big place. I’m sure you and I can avoid being in the same area at the same time as much as possible.” With a shrug, Marti turned to face him.
As her cool and detached gaze met his, Ewan nodded, and his stomach dropped as the full impact of her calm and professional air hit him.
What was I thinking when I thought that maybe...?
Hell.
The girl he knew was gone, replaced by this cool, sophisticated, and distant woman.
“Okay,” he murmured, and wondered why he felt as if his heart had been ripped out again.
Marti’s expression softened as she held up the file. “I’m not chasing you out because – I really do have a meeting, and I’d better get moving if I want to be ready for it.”
Ewan nodded and moved his gaze to a spot on the carpet. “Yeah.” With a final nod, he turned and walked out of her office, not understanding the heavy feeling around him.
* * * *
Marti’s eyes lingered on the doorway long after Ewan left, an odd feeling in her stomach, and guilt nibbling at her spine.
Why did he apologize for Saturday? I know he had nothing to do with her nastiness, and I won’t hold it against him.
Was he apologizing for telling her to leave me alone?
That was nixed before it fully formed. Ewan always stuck up for someone being treated like dirt, even if it was someone he didn’t know.
At least he’s looking more like himself. Saturday was a disaster. Sure, it sounded like him, even if his accent has more South Shore qualities to it, but around her, he looked...
She sighed when the right description came to her.
Cheap.
Still, it’s no surprise that a spoiled brat like Shannon would demand to be on the arm of a man who looks like him.
Ewan’s dark good looks, from a heritage of First Nations mixed with a little Scots blood, combined with his easy smile, laid-back personality, and his own success made a dashing figure.
Years ago, all it had taken was one of his half grins and a joke about the shy ones being the most reckless to get her to fall in love with him.
Hearing him say her name had sent a sting of pain into her heart. There had been a soft plea behind it, just like the one he had tossed out the day before Cindy’s wedding, right after –
Marti’s eyes banged shut as the guilt over her actions that day and the year before it rose in her throat.
Aw, hell...
“Hey Marti, are you ready?”
Her feet lifted two inches off the carpet and her eyes flew open to see Lucy staring at her.
“Yeah, I am. Let’s do this.” With a soft smile, she turned back toward her present, and locked away any thoughts of Ewan.
* * * *
Stricken: Available at eXtasy Books and e-book retailers worldwide.
About V.J. Allison:
V.J. Allison was born and raised in southern Nova Scotia, Canada, and her work reflects her strong Maritime roots. She is a stay at home mother to a son on the autism spectrum, married to the love of her life, and “mama” to a rescued Maine Coon named Marnie.

She has been writing various stories of novel length and short stories since her school days, and sees writing as a vital component to her life. 

When she isn’t writing, she loves to read romance and science fiction novels (notably Star Wars); listen to music (heavy metal, rock, alternative); watch various crime and forensic dramas (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation); watch science fiction television shows and movies; and spend time with her large family and many friends.

Advocate:

This self-proclaimed geeky rocker chick is an advocate and a warrior for various chronic illnesses including Occipital Neuralgia, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Diabetes, Migraines, and Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia. She is also an advocate for the prevention of animal cruelty, and she is a voice for Autism Awareness.



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Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Whatcha Watchin' Wednesday ~ Television A to Z - Awesome A's Part Three!


So this is my version of the A to Z Challenge Television Style. I am listing the shows having the biggest impact on me, not necessarily the best shows in each category. I thought they were the best when I was watching them. 

See the whole list of A's Here!


In a war-torn world of elemental magic, a young boy reawakens to undertake a dangerous mystic quest to fulfill his destiny as the Avatar, and bring peace to the world.


So this is not an error, yes, this is a cartoon, animation. And if you question why it is on the list you have never seen the series (obviously). With the exception of a horrible attempt at a movie adaptation, this is pretty close to a perfect series. My whole family enjoys watching these repeatedly. The story is active, thought-provoking and timeless, the characters original, heartfelt and many times more human than live action actors. I simply cannot say enough about this groundbreaking series. It showed exclusively on Nickelodeon and can be watched by any age group. If you have not watched it, do it. Now. Seriously. Now.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (2013-Present)


After the Battle of New York, the world has changed. It now knows not only about the Avengers, but also the powerful menaces that require those superheroes and more to face them. In response, Phil Coulson of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division assembles an elite covert team to find and deal with these threats wherever found. With the world rapidly becoming more bizarre and dangerous than ever before as the supervillains arise, these agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are ready to take them on. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)


I have to give kudos to Marvel for the success of this show. While some of the characters annoy me, I will watch for the rest of them, especially Agent Coulson. Started off a little slow but has steadily picked up speed over the past two years. With exciting storylines and crossovers into the movies, (take note DC) Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is good old-fashioned fun. (and yes I HAD to spell out S.H.I.E.L.D. correctly, or my son would have scolded me relentlessly!)

Agent Carter (2015-2016)

In 1946, Peggy Carter returned to secretarial duties in the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR), despite her pivotal role if the fight against Hydra. Accused of treason, the famed Howard Stark secretly recruits Peggy to clear his name with the help of his butler, Edwin Jarvis.


I didn’t see the original Captain America movie until after I watched Peggy Carter. The attraction and hook of this show are simple – Hayley Atwell.  She is such a brilliant and talented actress. I enjoyed watching her muck it up and prove the big boys wrong week after week.  So sad when the series ended, but I had fun while it lasted!

 
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Thursday, June 13, 2019

Awesome Excerpt Thursday - Prince of Sin by Cass Ford


Prince of Sin – Book Blurb:

When savvy gossip vlogger Morgan Sidney gets assigned the breakup of porn’s most illustrious couple, she strikes a deal with her boss—if she scores an exclusive, she’ll get promoted. So when the famous and flirtatious Prince of Sin offers to fulfill her three wildest sex fantasies, Morgan must decide whether she’ll keep things professional or surrender and explore her sensual side.


As someone who despises the media, why is Chase Prince spending time with a reporter? Clearly, he’s intrigued. But can a scorched sinner—and the biggest smut star around—let a fierce civilian enter his domain?


Prince of Sin takes readers beyond Tinseltown’s glossy Hollywood Hills to Silicone Valley—for a behind-the-scenes look at a sometimes bleak, always risqué world.


Prince of Sin - Excerpt:

After watching young Martini McPie accept the Prince of Sin’s face shot a day prior, Morgan needed a reminder that she owned her own sexuality. She took a rejuvenating exercise class and hurried to work to finesse her exclusive. In the car, she held a country music sing-along dance party to celebrate choosing her next beat. Entering Slander just after 9 a.m., she strode keenly toward her desk.
“Morgan!” bellowed a too-familiar voice as Chase Prince emerged from behind a pillar. “Or is it Barbie now?” Stalking forward, he unfurled for a hug.
Startled, she nearly flung backward but quickly regained composure and swerved around him to her desk. On set she’d succumbed to his charms, but Slander was her turf.
Chase followed, hovering.
Omigod, Sean mouthed from his desk, faux fanning himself hysterically.
“I have one hundred things to do,” she told Chase assertively, perusing a file folder.
“Make me number one-oh-one?” he asked, smirking.
She glanced up as he winked. “I’d rather pass a kidney stone.” Her fierce dark eyes pierced the man who helmed the industry that plagued her. Standing upright, she glowered toughly.
“I’m kidding,” he insisted. “But joking aside, can we chat?”
Acknowledging the room, Morgan found numerous colleagues staring. Who could blame their intrigue as the Prince of Sin stood by her cubicle, attempting to flirt? To avoid a dramatic scene, Morgan clasped his bicep, which literally bulged, so she opted for his forearm and guided him toward the conference room.
“Who’s Barbie Blue?” he asked.
“My pseudonym,” she whispered. Barbie was her deceased paternal grandmother, the resilient single mother who’d raised her father. And blue was simply her favorite color. “I don’t need my respected family to learn I’m covering the seediest biz on earth.”
Chase furrowed his brow as Morgan pulled him inside and shut a solid wooden door. “Don’t you have someplace to be?” she asked. “Teenagers lined up to sit on your face?”
Her sass made his dick twinge. Attempting to ignore it, he skipped to the point. “Your fact checker called my agent. Could you not use that one Viola Emperor quote? The one I said off record?”
“Funny,” she stated. “I specified that everything was on record.”
Determined to negotiate, he attempted an adorable, pouty baby face. “Please. I beg, I plead.”
“Oh, all right!” Morgan agreed facetiously, eyes bright.
Reading her perky, exaggerated expression, he asked, “Really?”
“No,” she chortled.
His pout deepened.
“Ech. Do girls actually fall for that?” She pinched his cheek condescendingly. “Darling, you’re cute as a button. But we’re done here.”
As she grabbed the doorknob, he tried to stop her by placing a firm, strong hand over hers. Morgan paused with a shiver and gnawed her lower lip. Chase noticed her nibbling and grinned, delighting in her reaction to his touch. She blinked rapidly and whipped her hand free.
“I could lose my job,” Chase begged.
“Oh no! The Prince of Sin will lose his loyal following of horny adolescent girls,” Morgan mocked. “That quote makes you sound sharp.”
“Sounding sharp isn’t something I care about.”
“It’s not?”
“I care about remaining employed,” he explained. “And that quote puts my career at stake.”
“My career’s at stake too,” she said. “My boss is a dick. And I deserve a promotion.”
His dick twitched again. Her drive excited him, confusingly because he also couldn’t stand her.
“My idiot fact checker shouldn’t have mentioned that clip. Stupid interns.”
Chase clasped her shoulder. “That sounds stressful, Morgan.”
Inhaling deeply, she breathed in his refreshingly sudsy scent. Her name flowed from his mouth like honey dripping from a spoon, sugary and inviting, though not sweet enough to pull the best quote.
He massaged her neck from behind. “It must be stressful for a smart, sexy career woman to deal with idiot interns and a dickhead boss.”
“Yes, it is.” Morgan unwound as his sturdy thumb expertly loosened a shoulder blade knot. “I don’t understand how these morons get promoted and I—” She inhaled his spearmint toothpaste with a touch of whiskey and wondered if the booze was remnants from a fresh morning pick-me-up or a wild night out. Spotting his hand on her shoulder, she bit her lip. A tiny, curious part of her considered succumbing to his intoxicating spell and expert fingers. But her sensibilities prevailed. She harrumphed hotly and scowled.
Chase threw his arms back defensively but refused to step away. “I’m innocent,” he feigned.
“Until proven guilty,” she suggested.
He inched closer, backing her into the door. “I’ll make you a deal.”
“You have nothing I desire.”
“Not even sex in public?” he answered, planting his hands on either side of her head. “That seems like something you desperately desire.”
She bit her lip again.
“And your colleagues are right outside.” His face inched closer, like an erotically charged magnet. “I’d gladly explore your top three fantasies.”
“Top three?” Morgan hollered boisterously. “What are you, a genie?”
“Only if you’ll rub my magic lamp,” he said with a wink.
She wanted to huff and sneer with a bitchy side-eye while cackling in his face. But her treacherous clit craved attention. It took every ounce of willpower not to nibble his full lower lip just an inch away. Determined, she ducked under his arm and moved aside. To refrain from literally swooning, she leaned on the conference table.
His prying eyes scanned her trim figure. “You should probably get back to those hundred things,” he said, twisting the doorknob. “Here’s my personal number.” Chase handed over a business card. “Maybe we can continue this sometime. Depending on what you decide to post, of course.”

He exited, leaving her to catch a shaky breath.


Author Bio:

Smut writer Cass Ford began creating smoldering male protagonists when she was five years old and convinced her aunt that she had a hot and heavy kindergarten boyfriend. In grade school, she penned tales on her parents’ typewriter and by middle school sold her own love and gossip magazines to friends. As a preteen at sleepover camp, Cass often told playful, steamy bedtime stories to her bunkmates.
After earning her Bachelor of Journalism degree and several TV/film certificates, Cass continued to hone her passion for storytelling as a development producer for broadcast news and unscripted television. Born and raised in Canada, she now resides in California.


Author Website: www.imcassford.com


Social Media Accounts:


Prince of Sin - Buy Links:
TBD - AMAZON




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