Excerpt Monday

 

   Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

 

Fatal Encounters

The ground was cold.  The first flakes of snow had begun, spiralling down from thick, dark clouds that covered the evening skies.  Davan wasn’t sure why he was out here.  Maybe it was the fact that Aryn reminded him so much of Morgana that it hurt, or maybe it was the fact that it was on this day a year ago that she’d been murdered.  Whatever it was, he couldn’t seem to be anywhere but here.

His thoughts were of her.  That was the sole reason why the figure kneeling at her grave resembled Morgana to his distorted mind.  It was the blond hair, the slim figure in black that had held so much pent up energy.  His lips pursed together, almost as though in thought that if he made noise, even the whisper of a breath that she would disappear.

And maybe then that hope would be gone forever.

He stood there at the foot of a large tree, his entire body coiled tight with tension, his hope vibrating through him.  But at the same time, he could remember the blood that had saturated his shirt and stained his hands as he’d gone searching for her in the Crypt and found the place where her life force had bled out.  Her body had been missing.  There was just no way that she could have survived that much blood loss.

Unable to keep back, Davan took a step forward.

At the sound of a branch snapping, she jolted, spinning around and the blond of her hair fell about her face.  The woman lifted her hands and pushed back those strands.  He sucked in a breath in surprise, feeling as though he’d been kicked to the stomach.  Stunning beautiful, violet eyes stared back at him.

He didn’t say anything.  Not because he couldn’t, but because he couldn’t believe that she was really there.  If she was a ghost, it was a cruel torment.

She stepped toward him, seemingly hesitant at first.  The wind knocked back the hood of the cape she wore, the black material framing her body.  Those unusual eyes never looked away.  She’d always had eyes that were eerie at times and now, the impact of whatever had happened only enhanced the haunted look.

“Davan?” The ghost whispered.

She stepped forward again and he moved now, closing the distance in a stumbling rush to be sure, to know that this wasn’t a cruel hallucination.  How did one react when seeing their loved one supposedly dead come back again?  He didn’t know.

He wanted to touch, to reach out and feel the softness of her skin beneath his hand.  He’d always thought she had skin like porcelain and now, the shadows made it even more translucent, only adding to that phantom-like appearance.  His hand shook as he lifted it and finally touched her cheek.

Warm.  Not at all cold like what he was expecting but real, solid flesh that was warm against his knuckles.  And then he was wrapping his arm around her waist, dragging her forward against him with a hysterical laugh.  He held her as though he couldn’t let go again, held her as though she were the most fragile thing he had ever held.  Cared for.

Each mission they’d gone on together, each training session they had, he’d seen the warrior in her and not the fairy-like feminine side that had entranced him whenever he saw her out of uniform and in what she considered girly clothes.  He couldn’t say how much he loved her.  It was impossible to tell her just how much he had needed to hear her again, to feel and see her.

“You’re real.” He murmured, drawing back enough to look down at her. “You’re alive.”

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Links to other Excerpt Monday writers

Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

Kinsey W. Holley, Paranormal (PG)
Caitlynn Lowe, Epic Fantasy (PG)
Dara Soren, Paranormal (PG)

Babette James, Fantasy Romance (PG13)
Christina DeLorenzo, YA (PG 13)
Nika Dixon, Romantic Suspense (PG 13)
Bryn Donovan, Paranormal Romance (PG13)
Kaige, Historic Romance (PG-13)
Julia Knight, Fantasy Romance (PG 13)
Adelle Laudan, Contemporary Romance (PG 13)
Jeannie Lin, Historical Romance (PG13)
RF Long, Paranormal (PG13)
Rebecca Savage, romantic suspense (PG 13)
Crista McHugh, Paranormal Romance (PG 13)
Leigh Royals, Historical Romance (PG 13)

Jax Cassidy, Contemporary Romance (R)
Maya Doyle, Paranormal Romance (R)
Cate Hart, Paranormal (R)
Ali Katz, Historical Erotic Romance (R)
Inez Kelley, Romantic Comedy (R)
Aislinn Kerry, Paranormal Romance (R)
Elise Logan, Fantasy Romance (R)
Cherrie Lynn, Paranormal Romance (R)
Alina Morgan, Urban Fantasy (R)
Vivienne Westlake, Erotic Historical (R)

Stephanie Adkins, Erotic Romance (NC 17)
Evie Byrne, Medieval Paranormal Romance (NC 17)
Kim Knox, Erotic SF Romance (NC17)
Lauren Murphy, Erotic Romance (NC 17)
Kirsten Saell, Erotic Romance (NC 17)

Diva release!

Jinxed by Inez Kelley

When opposites attract, they are screwed three ways from Sunday.

Frannie learned the hard way that a McHottie doesn’t always equal marriage material. Besides, she’s happy with her vanilla life. She has friends, a career and a double-D-powered vibrator. Then Fate shoves her, literally, into Prince Charming’s lap. His declaration of love at first sight is cute—and spikes her bullcrap meter into the red zone.

She’s more than willing to give in with her body. But she’s barricaded her heart behind castle walls—and permanently welded the gates shut.

Tragedy taught Jinx that time is too precious to waste, so when a series of uncanny coincidences thrusts Frannie into his life, he holds on tight. He knows she thinks he’s several fries short of a Happy Meal, but he’s determined to breach the fortress around her heart and give her a Happily Ever After.

Even if he has to carry her fanny-first into his kingdom.

WARNING: Includes jelly shoes, a narcoleptic cat, and meatloaf. The steamy sex scenes may lead to fogged windows and wet panties, so proceed at your own risk. Do not attempt to read without the following items: tissues, napkins for spewed beverages, and a booty call on speed dial.

Read an excerpt here. | Buy here. | inezkelley.com

Excerpt Mondays

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Excerpt Mondays

For all of those who would like to show off their work, Bria and I host Excerpt Monday; a once a month opportunity to share an excerpt of any size with fellow friends.  Next Excerpt Monday is May 11th, so this coming monday for those interested.  If you are, please read the guidelines found here, and send us an email to excerptmonday@aol.com with your link/heat level and don’t forget to link fellow Excerpt Mondayers.  Sunday at noon is the cut off time if you wish to join.  Just remember, it’s a great chance to be seen. 

Thursday Thirteen: 13 Reasons I Love My Mom

In public school, we had a poem contest for Mother’s Day.  I remember sitting at that table, not knowing what to write.  I can’t write poetry.  Never could.  So what I came up with was a poem about what makes a mom a mom essentially and I remember how simple some of the things on there were.  To make the story short, I won and my poem was to be put in the newspaper.  They called my mom and she was to come down where we would get our pictures taken with me holding up this poem.  They gave my mom flowers and all that.  That list has changed over the years.  It isn’t simply ‘having food on the table when I get home’ anymore and whatnot.  So I thought I’d do my Thursday Thirteen in honour of Mother’s Day and list everything I love about my mom.

1. She loves my brother and I.  No matter what we do, what mistakes we make, she loves us.

2. There’s definitely a food thing, because as someone once called her, she’s a ‘Kitchen Goddess’.  And it’s through her that I’ve learned to love to bake.  I never took advantage of learning when I was younger from her, but I love going home now and baking with her (even if she insists that only she can touch her stove).

3. She mails me random things just because she thinks I need it.  Not too long ago, I remember her calling, telling me to expect a care package, just because she found something that she thought I could make use of because I was always cold in my apartment.  Turns out she’d bought me a Snuggie or whatever it’s called and sent it.  She’s always thinking about us.

4. She’s there when I need to talk.  No matter what the problem, I know I can go to her.

5. She’s always around.  Even though I’m 8 hours from home, she’s online on yahoo or msn.  And she understands that I’m often busy writing.

6. She encourages me to write and always asks how it’s going.  She shows an interest in what I’m doing and I know that no matter what I write or how it turns out, she’ll be there supporting me.  Although I still think that I’d have to black out certain scenes… it’d just be weird having her read intimate scenes I’ve written.

7.  She’s kind.  Not just asking how my friends are but with animals.  She loves her ducks.  Every year we get a few ducks at the farm when the field turns into a small mini lake.

8. She buys me books.  LOL.  At Christmas she knows to give me books and does a good job of choosing ones I’d like.  In fact, she was the one who chose my first real romance book.  Of course, she didn’t realize it at the time.

9. She gets nervous when there’s something important in my life going on.  Last summer I went to get my G2 and she apparently spent the whole morning pacing and whatnot until I got back.  It’s just one of the little things that lets me know she cares.

10. I don’t know how she does it, but she’s great with flowers. I definitely didn’t get a green thumb from her.  She does a lot to the farm to make it warm and comfortable.

11. Just as she can support, she can put me in line if I need it and she’ll tell me.

12. If I ever need an update of a show, I know to go to her. haha.  Even with shows I don’t watch.  I’ll find out what’s going on in them.

13. Hugs and more hugs.  Need I say more?

This Week in Science

I’m late with this so I apologize.  It’s my last week at the position I’m in at work so I’m tying up loose ends likes crazy before  I move over to the new job.  But, that doesn’t mean that nothing has happened in this crazy world and the first thing I found that I thought was weird… but interesting in a ‘whattheheck’ kind of way is this article about a printer that is supposed to print skin tissue.  Another issue raised and I’m sure if you’ve been listening to the news, you’ve also heard about the gunshot survivor who is the first to receive a face transplant.

Thursday Thirteen: 13 interesting photos… if not somewhat disturbed

According to the email I received in my box the other day, it was International Disturbed People Day.  What I was amused with the most about the email was the pictures.  I don’t know where the pictures come from, but I thought I’d share some for my Thursday 13.

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This Week in Science

It’s been another busy week, but I have a bit of time to quickly post some interesting stories I’ve found over the week.

With the swine flu in the news lately, I thought this article was cool about the key structural features of the largest known virus, that scientists hope will help give us an understanding of how the simplest life evolved. It is called the mimivirus or a possible “missing link” between viruses and living cells.

Another article of interest talks about the new design strategy for brain implants for deep-brain stimulation (I say that in with plot ideas in mind).

Apparently there’s a difference in the way people hear dangerous noises.  In this article it talks about how scrawnier people are more likely to perceive a sound as closer than it actually is. 

Curious about the evolution of human sex roles?  Check out this article.

Scientists have also created a fluorescent puppy.  I’m not sure how I feel about this, but here you go… check it out.  Thoughts?

Thursday 13: 13 little pieces of information about CSI

Before CSI became a thing, I was the one in highschool who used to take out forensic books in the library, filling notebooks up with information that I figured one day I would use in my books.  I haven’t yet, but that doesn’t mean I won’t later on.  I decided to crack open those notebooks and thought for this thursday thirteen, I would pull out 13 random things I thought was interesting.

1. Tunial capsules- bluish and red.  They are very soluble in water and alcohol.  Tunial is a central nervous system depressant and in ordinary doses the drug can act as a hypnotic.  It takes affect in 15-30 mins and can last up to eleven hours.

2. You can get a fingerprint off a person’s skin for up to 90 mins.

3. Need to figure out how tall a person was or approximately the weight by their bones?  I have formulas to determine that.

4. Descriptions of the 6 kinds of serial killers.

5. Figuring out time of death through various techniques. (temp, bugs, etc). Bugs can also give clues about drugs (i.e. if the body had cocaine, there were be some in the bugs as well).

6.  75% of victims can be identified by their dental records.  Teeth can pinpoint race, age, lifestyle, diet and sometimes occupation.

7. When glass breaks, the glass showers toward the force, not away from it.

8. The point of blood splatter can indicate the direction in which the blood was moving.  Round drops for instance, on the ground means the person was standing and not moving.

9. Most people are secretors, that means that their blood type is present in their body fluids.  If the police find a cigarette or sweat stained hat, the crime lab can identify the suspect’s blood type.

10. Hair grows about a half an inch per month.  From a strand of hair, the crime lab can determine whether it comes from a human or animal, the ethnicity of the person, whether the hair fell out or was pulled out, if the person was taking drugs, if the person has a disease, what part of the body the hair comes from, whether it’s real or from a wig, and whether hair has been dyed  or bleached.

11. To speak even one word requires work of the vocal cords, palate, tongue, teeth, lips, nose, sinuses, and throat and jaw muscles.  Even when a person disguises his voice, it does not change the way those muscles work and it cannot fool a voiceprint.

12. One expert figured that the circumstances of 2 people having the same fingerprints would happen only once in 466,037,700 years.

13. There are 3 types of prints: visible which are easily seen by the naked eye (i.e. a person who has dirt, blood or grease on his fingers and leaves visible prints), plastic which are those that leave an impression (i.e. in paint, glue or another pliable substance) and latent which are invisible (i.e. formed when perspiration and oils are secreted from small pores in the ridges of the fingerprint).

This Week in Science

First off, I was bad last week and missed the wed line-up of science news.  I apologize for that.  Life has gotten a bit hectic lately with the job and writing deadlines and whatnot.   Secondly, happy Earth day!  What tips are you using to help the Earth?

Ok, so there’s been a lot going on.  Here are just some of it:

Ever wonder the secret to night vision?  This article has the answers that are sure to be not only helpful but intriguing.

In this article, it talks about how blood cells can be reprogrammed to act as Embryonic Stem cells.

Ever heard of a humanized mouse? I haven’t.  In this article, the mouse (a chimera with a human imune system) was infected with HIV, allowing scientists to study it (not entirely sure what I think about this).

In this last one, we look at how the brain translates memory into action.