Spring 2016
What’s new?
Life
Just
to be clear, I am not a fan of daylight savings. I find it to be stupid and
senseless, not mention rude. An hour stolen, ripped from our clutches. In the
middle of the night. On a sacred weekend. I propose daylight savings time
should be done at noon on the third Monday of March! Let common sense and
non-rudeness prevail! Or we could just stop it all together, and let nature
lighten and darken on its own. Seems like Mother Nature already had her own
system.
On
a completely different note (no pun intended), there has been a recent profound
musical impact in my life. Music is almost a constant in my life and I have a
several stations and playlists I enjoy regularly. But it is rare that a song, a
rendition of another song…a classic…will stop me cold, right in the middle of
an edit, sending shivers up my spin and a sudden lump into my throat, only to
find myself biting my lip to keep the emotion at bay. The voice is haunting,
tough, tired, hard, eerie, sad, soft, tormented…it’s so good…
The Sounds of Silence by Disturbed
Current
Books
The
RUBY HOOD BOOK BLITZES went VERY well! Thank you to all those who participated
and supported! There’s still a $25 Amazon Gift card up for grabs. Check out a
few of my favorite blogs for your chance to win.
What’s
next for Ruby? There is a third one on the horizon, but it’s simmering on the
back-burner while other, new stories are boiling on the front burner.
New
Stuff
If the Sapphire Slippers
Fit is coming along
so nicely! I’ve been collaborating with my east coast counterpart, Jennifer Paquette, in NYC again. We’ve been having a world
of fun creating this second story in the Precious
Gems Series. Oz. Vegas. Sisters. Withes. Sapphire Slippers.
Excerpt: Prologue, If the
Sapphire Slippers Fit
Pouring another round of shots, Giselle
scanned the room of rowdy bachelors in front of her. She hoped this private
party would pay off. She had a plethora of problems and a little extra cash
would help solve one of them. Her latest marker was due, tomorrow. Since
relocating to Vegas, she’d developed a fetish for the poker tables. This past
round had gotten a little out of control, but she was close to her owe. Between
these bachelors and her shift at the demon bar later, she should be able to pay
off the sharks, with a little left over for take-out and a bottle of pinot
grigio.
Lately, she’d also noticed some cop type hanging
around. In the last three days, she’d seen him three times, and it could only
be a coincidence for so long. She hoped he was just new to the area, but if he
was here for her she knew it was because of her Lightning Power.
Then there was her biggest baddest problem,
her curse, the Lightning Power. She’d been letting it get the best of her more
and more lately. The pull of the power overwhelmed her, especially when she
felt threatened. She’d lost it at a recent poker game when a demon accused her
of cheating. Then he’d lunged at her, the power had taken control and within
seconds he was fried crispy. It had felt so good to let go, to push the
consequences from her mind, and give in to the power, but it had been a costly
mistake. She’d given away her tell, and now her secret was out. Word spread
like wild fire in the supernatural community; the Lightning Power was in Vegas.
Giselle shoved her hands into the ice, and took a deep
breath. The supernatural world knowing about her power was terrible, but the
daily struggle to control it was even worse. It was a constant struggle, and if
she used the power regularly, or allowed it to use her, it would become a way
of life. Then she’d never get back to Oz, to her family. She sighed, letting
the coldness calm her prickling fingers. Things weren’t as easy in Vegas as
she’d thought they’d be.
Gently biting the inside of her lip, she pushed the
anxiety away as she turned to check her reflection in the mirror behind the
bar. Straightening her ponytail, she forced a smile and put on her best bartender
face. Right now, she just had to make enough money to pay her due to the
sharks, then she’d to deal with this power. And hopefully between the two the
cop problem would go away.
The red-faced sweaty men began pounding on the table, chanting,
“SHOTS, SHOTS, SHOTS!” Fucking bachelor parties in Vegas. She resisted the urge
to snort and roll her eyes. After all, she had a role to play and a service to
provide. Plus, they had a huge tab and any extra gratuity was always welcomed. After
she adjusted her top to make the most of her assets, she grabbed the tray and turned,
making her way across a sea of people to serve up ten shots of Maker’s Mark to
a table of rowdy men, already half in the bag.
She arrived at the table, served the guys and took a
shot glass for herself, “To the lucky couple,” the waifish witch said, raising
her own drink in front of the men. The table cheered at her words and toasted their
glasses, patting each other on the back and polishing off their shots.
Running her fingers through her long brown curls,
Giselle tilted her head back and let the rich full-bodied whiskey slide down
her throat. It was one of the few perks to tending bar on a lively Saturday
night. A fire ignited in her belly and she gave a small smile. She hoped
tonight was a good night.
The French doors into the private room opened. Neon
light and the thump of the bass from the DJ poured into the room as a man entered
and walked to the back bar. Tall, dark and brooding were the first words to
enter Giselle’s thoughts. He ordered a beer, then turned to scan the room. She
gasped when she saw the demon hunter’s intense stare cut through the crowd
until he found her own. A smirk danced in his eyes as he nodded in her direction,
bringing the beer to his lips.
“Axim Walker,” she whispered as her voice caught in her
throat and the shot glass slid from her hand, shattering to pieces on the
marble floor. Her dark eyes blazed and the Lightning Power crackled at her
fingertips. She knew he was here to kill her.
If the Sapphire Slippers FiT
Book #2 in the Precious Gems Series
Coming Soon
On
the next blog?
There
is always time for books, even if it’s the last 5 minutes my tired eyes see.
Coming in the next edition of Latest Reads:
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich
More by T.M. Franklin
The Girl with the Dragon
Tattoo by Stieg
Larson
Naked in Death J.D. Robb
After
that?
I
have no idea. Many plans, but they’re all tentative. Until next time. Peace.
