With the publication of Love Is...(the charity anthology which includes my story Her Royal Rendezvous) on Aug 5th, and The Cottage Next Door on Sept 16th, I just realized I will have 25 novels/novellas/short stories published! 25! Back in 2006, after writing and submitting for more years than I care to count, I despaired of ever being published. But in September of 2006, I got the e-mail that changed my life. Samhain Publishing wanted to publish my contemporary romance, The Ride of Her Life!
If there is a "book of the heart" this was the one for me. I learned so much going through the process of edits and covers and release days. It's still available in both print and download, so I thought I'd share the cover, blurb and an excerpt today.
The cover gods smiled on me. I'd been around long enough to know I was very lucky to get an awesome cover like this the first time out of the gate.
Blurb:
She’s in for the ride of her life.
After a devastating diagnosis, sensible Sarah Austin yearns to live life to the fullest. When she talks her former teenage crush into a cross-country ride on his Harley, she thinks it’s her one and only chance for adventure, including a fun fling with love ‘em and leave ‘em Bastian.
No longer a rebel, Dean Bastian is a counselor for troubled teens and ready to settle down. He doesn’t know why Sarah is so desperate for an adventure, but he’s willing to do anything to keep a smile on her face, even pretend to still be a bad boy.
Sarah doesn’t want to burden anyone with the future she faces, but can Dean convince her that the rest of her life can be an adventure…with him?
Excerpt:
He was out in the driveway, polishing the bike, when Sarah pulled up to the curb. At least, he thought it was Sarah. The woman who stepped out of the late-model Ford was petite, wearing faded blue jeans and a tight T-shirt that hugged her every curve. She pulled out a familiar saddlebag and slung it over her shoulder, then grabbed a pizza box out of the backseat. She nudged the door closed with her hip.
Dean couldn’t take his eyes off her, or her new short, spiky hairdo. She looked sexy as hell. He felt his body tighten as her hips swayed in the well-washed denim. Her white T-shirt stretched seductively across her breasts and his heart pounded at the sight. They were only talking about the trip and he already couldn’t control his response to her. They hadn’t even left the driveway yet. What would happen once they were on the road? He felt more than a little irritated that he was so out of control around her.
“What did you do to your hair?” he called out, a little harsher than necessary.
Her bright smile faltered and she lost the little rhythm she’d had in her step. Real smooth, Bastian. She continued up the walk at a slower pace and Dean met her halfway. He took the pizza box out of her hands but she didn’t meet his glance.
“I didn’t mean that how it sounded,” he told her. “You look great. In fact, I was blown away. You look so different.”
She shrugged her shoulders and finally looked at him. “I can’t fit a hairdryer in here,” she said, pulling the saddlebag off her shoulder. “The stylist said I just use a little gel and I’m ready to go.”
He’d always been one of those guys who loved women with long hair. Preferably flowing in a riot of curls down her back. But one look at Sarah and he was a changed man. The smooth pageboy she’d worn before had been plain and simple. But this flirty style brightened her eyes and flattered her tiny features. With a simple haircut, Sarah had been transformed from merely pretty to palm-tingling sexy.
He wanted to touch her again. Really touch her this time. Play with the fringe of hair around her face. Nibble on her pretty little ears. Kiss the bare nape of her neck. He grasped both ends of the pizza box. He was in big trouble.
If you like road trip romances, stories of good girls who want to be bad and the bad boys who want to be good, or simply an emotional contemporary romance, why not give The Ride of Her Life a try?
Natasha
Love Is... - coming Aug 5th
The Cottage Next Door - coming Sept 16th
Her Royal Masquerade - available now
Her Royal Bodyguard - available now
www.natashamoore.com
Showing posts with label The Ride of Her Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Ride of Her Life. Show all posts
Teasing...
I'm a sucker for those little teases you see on social media. I love getting a taste for a book I've never heard of or an author I've never read. Plus, there's just something about the actual act of teasing that's fun. And since in the past week I dealt with revisions on one book, edits on another, as well as filling out art and cover sheets - I'm ready for some fun.
So I'm sharing a few teasers with you today.
“I find myself doing unforgivable things, wishing for impossible things, in order to be with you.”
~ Her Royal Masquerade
So with every ounce of freedom she possessed, the princess of Mezzano held tight to her bodyguard’s soft cotton shirt and drank him in. She let her heart race, her body heat. She let go of all the restrictions and expectations she’d always had to deal with because of her title, and for a moment, a young woman named Angelina simply kissed a man called Rico.
~ Her Royal Bodyguard
He thought of nothing but the sweet way she responded to his touch, the possessiveness that crawled inside him. The primitive instinct to claim her as his.
~ Playing for Real
He wanted her more than he wanted his next breath. He almost reached out and touched her. Almost drew her into his arms. Almost plunged deep inside her so they could both relieve their aching need. The only thing holding him back was his stupid promise to her. It had to be her choice.
~ Silken Canvas
He wanted to touch her again. Really touch her this time. Play with the fringe of hair around her face. Nibble on her pretty little ears. Kiss the bare nape of her neck. He grasped both ends of the pizza box. He was in big trouble.
~ The Ride of Her Life
Two could play that game. Meredith put her hand on his thigh. It was so hot and hard.
~ Voluptuous
I hope you had fun with my little teasers today. And to tease you just a little more...I hope to soon be able to share from my September release from Samhain, The Cottage Next Door :)
Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
So I'm sharing a few teasers with you today.
“I find myself doing unforgivable things, wishing for impossible things, in order to be with you.”
~ Her Royal Masquerade
So with every ounce of freedom she possessed, the princess of Mezzano held tight to her bodyguard’s soft cotton shirt and drank him in. She let her heart race, her body heat. She let go of all the restrictions and expectations she’d always had to deal with because of her title, and for a moment, a young woman named Angelina simply kissed a man called Rico.
~ Her Royal Bodyguard
He thought of nothing but the sweet way she responded to his touch, the possessiveness that crawled inside him. The primitive instinct to claim her as his.
~ Playing for Real
He wanted her more than he wanted his next breath. He almost reached out and touched her. Almost drew her into his arms. Almost plunged deep inside her so they could both relieve their aching need. The only thing holding him back was his stupid promise to her. It had to be her choice.
~ Silken Canvas
He wanted to touch her again. Really touch her this time. Play with the fringe of hair around her face. Nibble on her pretty little ears. Kiss the bare nape of her neck. He grasped both ends of the pizza box. He was in big trouble.
~ The Ride of Her Life
Two could play that game. Meredith put her hand on his thigh. It was so hot and hard.
~ Voluptuous
I hope you had fun with my little teasers today. And to tease you just a little more...I hope to soon be able to share from my September release from Samhain, The Cottage Next Door :)
Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
I'm a Sucker for a Bad Boy Hero
Over the past few months I've been highlighting my BDSM backlist, but you may not know that a couple of my early releases had no BDSM elements, in fact, were not erotic at all. My first sale ever was a contemporary romance, The Ride of Her Life, about a good girl who wants to be bad and a bad boy who wants to be good. There are several reasons that this has always been one of my favorite books.
* It was my first sale. I think the first sale always holds a special place in an author's heart.
* I'm a sucker for a bad boy hero - especially one who rides a Harley
* The Ride of Her Life won the 2009 NEC Reader's Choice award for short contemporary romance.
* The cover is totally made of awesome
Blurb:
After a devastating diagnosis, sensible Sarah Austin yearns to live life to the fullest. When she talks her former teenage crush into a cross-country ride on his Harley, she thinks it’s her one and only chance for adventure, including a fun fling with love ‘em and leave ‘em Bastian.
No longer a rebel, Dean Bastian is a counselor for troubled teens and ready to settle down. He doesn’t know why Sarah is so desperate for an adventure, but he’s willing to do anything to keep a smile on her face, even pretend to still be a bad boy.
Sarah doesn’t want to burden anyone with the future she faces, but can Dean convince her that the rest of her life can be an adventure…with him?
About The Ride of Her Life:
"...I loved the way Ms. Moore kept the tension between these two...This is definitely a keeper and a recommended read. ..."
- Nickie from Romance Junkies
"A great story of finding love and romance when you least expect it with a person you could spend the rest of your life with."
- Sheryl from ecataromance Sensual
“…The secrets in this story drew me into it and held my attention until the very end…”
- Missy – Fallen Angels Review – Recommended Read
"The Ride Of Her Life has a nice balance of heartfelt moments and scenes of careless exuberance of falling love."
- Mrs. Giggles
Excerpt:
He was out in the driveway, polishing the bike, when Sarah pulled up to the curb. At least, he thought it was Sarah. The woman who stepped out of the late-model Ford was petite, wearing faded blue jeans and a tight T-shirt that hugged her every curve. She pulled out a familiar saddlebag and slung it over her shoulder, then grabbed a pizza box out of the backseat. She nudged the door closed with her hip.
Dean couldn’t take his eyes off her, or her new short, spiky hairdo. She looked sexy as hell. He felt his body tighten as her hips swayed in the well-washed denim. Her white T-shirt stretched seductively across her breasts and his heart pounded at the sight. They were only talking about the trip and he already couldn’t control his response to her. They hadn’t even left the driveway yet. What would happen once they were on the road? He felt more than a little irritated that he was so out of control around her.
“What did you do to your hair?” he called out, a little harsher than necessary.
Her bright smile faltered and she lost the little rhythm she’d had in her step. Real smooth, Bastian. She continued up the walk at a slower pace and Dean met her halfway. He took the pizza box out of her hands but she didn’t meet his glance.
“I didn’t mean that how it sounded,” he told her. “You look great. In fact, I was blown away. You look so different.”
She shrugged her shoulders and finally looked at him. “I can’t fit a hairdryer in here,” she said, pulling the saddlebag off her shoulder. “The stylist said I just use a little gel and I’m ready to go.”
He’d always been one of those guys who loved women with long hair. Preferably flowing in a riot of curls down her back. But one look at Sarah and he was a changed man. The smooth pageboy she’d worn before had been plain and simple. But this flirty style brightened her eyes and flattered her tiny features. With a simple haircut, Sarah had been transformed from merely pretty to palm-tingling sexy.
He wanted to touch her again. Really touch her this time. Play with the fringe of hair around her face. Nibble on her pretty little ears. Kiss the bare nape of her neck. He grasped both ends of the pizza box. He was in big trouble.
The Ride of Her Life is available both as a download and in print.
Samhain e-book Print
Amazon e-book print
Barnes & Noble e-book print
How about you? Are you a sucker for a bad boy hero?
Natasha
Silken Canvas - coming Dec 25th
www.natashamoore.com
* It was my first sale. I think the first sale always holds a special place in an author's heart.
* I'm a sucker for a bad boy hero - especially one who rides a Harley
* The Ride of Her Life won the 2009 NEC Reader's Choice award for short contemporary romance.
* The cover is totally made of awesome
Blurb:
After a devastating diagnosis, sensible Sarah Austin yearns to live life to the fullest. When she talks her former teenage crush into a cross-country ride on his Harley, she thinks it’s her one and only chance for adventure, including a fun fling with love ‘em and leave ‘em Bastian.
No longer a rebel, Dean Bastian is a counselor for troubled teens and ready to settle down. He doesn’t know why Sarah is so desperate for an adventure, but he’s willing to do anything to keep a smile on her face, even pretend to still be a bad boy.
Sarah doesn’t want to burden anyone with the future she faces, but can Dean convince her that the rest of her life can be an adventure…with him?
About The Ride of Her Life:
"...I loved the way Ms. Moore kept the tension between these two...This is definitely a keeper and a recommended read. ..."
- Nickie from Romance Junkies
"A great story of finding love and romance when you least expect it with a person you could spend the rest of your life with."
- Sheryl from ecataromance Sensual
“…The secrets in this story drew me into it and held my attention until the very end…”
- Missy – Fallen Angels Review – Recommended Read
"The Ride Of Her Life has a nice balance of heartfelt moments and scenes of careless exuberance of falling love."
- Mrs. Giggles
Excerpt:
He was out in the driveway, polishing the bike, when Sarah pulled up to the curb. At least, he thought it was Sarah. The woman who stepped out of the late-model Ford was petite, wearing faded blue jeans and a tight T-shirt that hugged her every curve. She pulled out a familiar saddlebag and slung it over her shoulder, then grabbed a pizza box out of the backseat. She nudged the door closed with her hip.
Dean couldn’t take his eyes off her, or her new short, spiky hairdo. She looked sexy as hell. He felt his body tighten as her hips swayed in the well-washed denim. Her white T-shirt stretched seductively across her breasts and his heart pounded at the sight. They were only talking about the trip and he already couldn’t control his response to her. They hadn’t even left the driveway yet. What would happen once they were on the road? He felt more than a little irritated that he was so out of control around her.
“What did you do to your hair?” he called out, a little harsher than necessary.
Her bright smile faltered and she lost the little rhythm she’d had in her step. Real smooth, Bastian. She continued up the walk at a slower pace and Dean met her halfway. He took the pizza box out of her hands but she didn’t meet his glance.
“I didn’t mean that how it sounded,” he told her. “You look great. In fact, I was blown away. You look so different.”
She shrugged her shoulders and finally looked at him. “I can’t fit a hairdryer in here,” she said, pulling the saddlebag off her shoulder. “The stylist said I just use a little gel and I’m ready to go.”
He’d always been one of those guys who loved women with long hair. Preferably flowing in a riot of curls down her back. But one look at Sarah and he was a changed man. The smooth pageboy she’d worn before had been plain and simple. But this flirty style brightened her eyes and flattered her tiny features. With a simple haircut, Sarah had been transformed from merely pretty to palm-tingling sexy.
He wanted to touch her again. Really touch her this time. Play with the fringe of hair around her face. Nibble on her pretty little ears. Kiss the bare nape of her neck. He grasped both ends of the pizza box. He was in big trouble.
The Ride of Her Life is available both as a download and in print.
Samhain e-book Print
Amazon e-book print
Barnes & Noble e-book print
How about you? Are you a sucker for a bad boy hero?
Natasha
Silken Canvas - coming Dec 25th
www.natashamoore.com
Good Girl Heroines
This weeks we're talking about our favorite heroines here at Fierce Romance. It's not easy for me to come up with a favorite. I love all my heroines, from the submissive jewelry designer in Bound by Design to the futuristic sex slave in Chains of Desire to the customer service phone rep in See Me. I love them all. But if I had to pick my favorite type of heroine, I'd have to pick the good girl.
I've written several good girl heroines. Sarah Austin in The Ride of Her Life. Julie Brightman in Dark Angel. Annie Shane in Bad to the Bone.
Annie is the perfect example of the good girl heroine. She'd never done anything wrong, took care of her sick mother, put her head down and worked her job no matter what, got dumped by a guy who called her boring. She decided that being a good girl had gotten her nowhere and decides to make all her decisions based on the question, "What would a bad girl do?" Of course, she runs into a bad boy who tries to keep her out of trouble, all the while falling in love with her, and the fun starts there.
I have to admit that my love for the good girl rises from the fact that I was a good growing up. So I love giving good girls their own adventures. And sexy heroes who love them just the way they are.
How about you? Do you enjoy reading about good girls and bad boys??
Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
I've written several good girl heroines. Sarah Austin in The Ride of Her Life. Julie Brightman in Dark Angel. Annie Shane in Bad to the Bone.
Annie is the perfect example of the good girl heroine. She'd never done anything wrong, took care of her sick mother, put her head down and worked her job no matter what, got dumped by a guy who called her boring. She decided that being a good girl had gotten her nowhere and decides to make all her decisions based on the question, "What would a bad girl do?" Of course, she runs into a bad boy who tries to keep her out of trouble, all the while falling in love with her, and the fun starts there.
I have to admit that my love for the good girl rises from the fact that I was a good growing up. So I love giving good girls their own adventures. And sexy heroes who love them just the way they are.
How about you? Do you enjoy reading about good girls and bad boys??
Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
Falling In Love
This week's theme at Fierce Romance is love and romance. After all, this is the week leading up to Valentine's Day. And all of us here love to talk about love and romance, it's probably our favorite topic. At least it's mine, and therein lies the problem. How to pick just one topic, something specific enough to not overwhelm one little blog post.
Then I remembered a statistic I read about romance readers. I wish I could remember where I read it, I'd give credit where it's due, but the fact was that one of the most important parts of a romance, to the reader, is the moment when the hero or heroine realize they've fallen in love. It struck a chord when I read that, because I totally agree. As readers we want to experience that emotional moment of actually falling in love. It's wonderful, right? It's uplifting, isn't it?
Well, I was actually suprised when I scanned some of my stories to post examples. In most of these moments, the character is not exactly happy about falling in love.
This is from my first novel with Samhain, The Ride of Her Life:
Oh, no. She clamped her hand over her mouth before the cry could escape. How had this happened?
Not the lovemaking. She knew perfectly well how that had happened. And it had been wonderful. Everything she’d dreamed of and more. But this situation hadn’t ended up the way she’d planned. She’d been naïve enough to believe if she had one or two memorable nights of sex with Dean, she could go back to Buffalo a happy woman.
But now, the memories weren’t enough. A few nights weren’t enough.
She wanted more. She wanted Dean. She wanted happily ever after.
Sarah angrily brushed away the tears that slipped from her eyes. What was wrong with her? She knew better. She knew what she couldn’t have. But it obviously didn’t matter.
She had fallen in love with Dean.
Stupid. How could she be so stupid? Falling in love with him was the last thing she wanted to do. She thought she knew what she had been getting into. She thought she had her emotions under control.
Now she looked down at the man sleeping beside her and knew she would go back to Buffalo with a broken heart.
And from one of my Red Sage Secrets novellas from Vol 24, Bad to the Bone:
Insatiable. That was a word Annie never thought would apply to her. She couldn’t get enough of sex with Luke. Would it always be this way? Well, of course, it wouldn’t because he wouldn’t always be with her. Someday, in the very near future, she would have to do without Luke, without sex with Luke. What would she do then?
Just like driving another car just wouldn’t be the same, neither would being with any of the other bad boys out there.
And now he wanted to fulfill a fantasy she’d forgotten she even mentioned. But he remembered, the shit. He was supposed to be a bad boy. He wasn’t supposed to make her fall for him.
It wasn’t fair. She wasn’t supposed to fall in love with the first bad boy she found.
And even when I found an example when the character wasn't sorry he'd fallen in love, there's still a conflict to overcome, which is the second lesson I think we need to take away from this. This is from my Ellora's Cave novel, Chains of Desire:
He’d been so stupid to underestimate his little slave. Didn’t he already know how strong and brave she was? She could take on anyone. Even his archenemy. She didn’t need him to protect her.
And he knew in that moment that he loved Hanna. What he felt for her was so much more than the mere devotion of a Master and his slave. How could he have ever doubted it? He loved her and now he might never get the chance to tell her.
The moment when the hero or heroine realizes they've fallen in love usually isn't the happily ever after moment we crave. It's a moment we all want to read, but that doesn't mean all the problems have been solved. In fact, it often means some of those problems are just beginning. And I've found there are usually two of those moments in every book because it is seldom that both characters realize they love the other at the same time.
What about you? Would you feel let down if you couldn't experience the falling-in-love moment? I know I would.
Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
Then I remembered a statistic I read about romance readers. I wish I could remember where I read it, I'd give credit where it's due, but the fact was that one of the most important parts of a romance, to the reader, is the moment when the hero or heroine realize they've fallen in love. It struck a chord when I read that, because I totally agree. As readers we want to experience that emotional moment of actually falling in love. It's wonderful, right? It's uplifting, isn't it?
Well, I was actually suprised when I scanned some of my stories to post examples. In most of these moments, the character is not exactly happy about falling in love.
This is from my first novel with Samhain, The Ride of Her Life:
Oh, no. She clamped her hand over her mouth before the cry could escape. How had this happened?
Not the lovemaking. She knew perfectly well how that had happened. And it had been wonderful. Everything she’d dreamed of and more. But this situation hadn’t ended up the way she’d planned. She’d been naïve enough to believe if she had one or two memorable nights of sex with Dean, she could go back to Buffalo a happy woman.
But now, the memories weren’t enough. A few nights weren’t enough.
She wanted more. She wanted Dean. She wanted happily ever after.
Sarah angrily brushed away the tears that slipped from her eyes. What was wrong with her? She knew better. She knew what she couldn’t have. But it obviously didn’t matter.
She had fallen in love with Dean.
Stupid. How could she be so stupid? Falling in love with him was the last thing she wanted to do. She thought she knew what she had been getting into. She thought she had her emotions under control.
Now she looked down at the man sleeping beside her and knew she would go back to Buffalo with a broken heart.
And from one of my Red Sage Secrets novellas from Vol 24, Bad to the Bone:
Insatiable. That was a word Annie never thought would apply to her. She couldn’t get enough of sex with Luke. Would it always be this way? Well, of course, it wouldn’t because he wouldn’t always be with her. Someday, in the very near future, she would have to do without Luke, without sex with Luke. What would she do then?
Just like driving another car just wouldn’t be the same, neither would being with any of the other bad boys out there.
And now he wanted to fulfill a fantasy she’d forgotten she even mentioned. But he remembered, the shit. He was supposed to be a bad boy. He wasn’t supposed to make her fall for him.
It wasn’t fair. She wasn’t supposed to fall in love with the first bad boy she found.
And even when I found an example when the character wasn't sorry he'd fallen in love, there's still a conflict to overcome, which is the second lesson I think we need to take away from this. This is from my Ellora's Cave novel, Chains of Desire:
He’d been so stupid to underestimate his little slave. Didn’t he already know how strong and brave she was? She could take on anyone. Even his archenemy. She didn’t need him to protect her.
And he knew in that moment that he loved Hanna. What he felt for her was so much more than the mere devotion of a Master and his slave. How could he have ever doubted it? He loved her and now he might never get the chance to tell her.
The moment when the hero or heroine realizes they've fallen in love usually isn't the happily ever after moment we crave. It's a moment we all want to read, but that doesn't mean all the problems have been solved. In fact, it often means some of those problems are just beginning. And I've found there are usually two of those moments in every book because it is seldom that both characters realize they love the other at the same time.
What about you? Would you feel let down if you couldn't experience the falling-in-love moment? I know I would.
Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
To Tell the Truth
No one likes a liar. Yet, keeping secrets or not telling the "whole" truth is a well known way of creating or sustaining conflict in a story. Often the reader is aware that one character isn't being truthful to the other and they know that the trainwreck is coming when the truth is revealed.
If it's not done right, this device might seemed contrived, if it's well-motivated, I think it can work really well. After all, are we all totally truthful to each other in real life? It's often easier to avoid conflict by avoiding the whole truth, perhaps telling one of those "little white lies" or maybe just leaving out the uncomfortable part of the story.
I admit to using this device in several of my stories.
In my Red Sage novella, Dark Angel, Julie doesn't tell Rafe the "whole" truth about why she sought him out to find out what happened the night her sister died. But then, Rafe, avoids telling her the truth of the events of that night for most of the story.
In my Ellora's Cave novel, Chains of Desire, Hannah lies about who she is - as a decoy for her princess, she must. But Jarrod lets her think he's something he's not as well.
In my Samhain contemporary romance, The Ride of Her Life, Sarah is not entirely truthful with Dean when she talks him into giving her a ride across the country on his Harley. But then again, Dean isn't entirely truthful with Sarah either, about what he's doing with his life now. Both of them avoid telling the truth, but when it comes out, they might as well have outright lied.
Sarah took another swallow, then cleared her throat. She looked up at him with those big eyes, took a deep breath and blurted, “Take me with you.”
Dean wasn’t sure what he expected, but it certainly wasn’t that. “What?”
“You’re leaving for Los Angeles in the morning, right?”
“Where did you hear that?”
“From Jennifer Krusick’s son. I want to go with you.”
“Sarah, I don’t understand. If you want to go to California, you can drive there yourself. You don’t want to ride on my bike.”
“Yes, I do. Anyway, my car died this morning.”
“Take a plane. It’s a lot quicker too.”
“I don’t want quicker. I want interesting. I want exciting.”
Heaven help him. Sarah Austin wanted excitement. “By the time we get to L.A. on my bike, your whole vacation will be gone.”
“I have a lot of vacation time saved up.”
“This is crazy.”
She laughed, but it wasn’t a light, happy sound. “I know. Please take me to L.A.”
He frowned. There was desperation in her face, in her voice, and he didn’t understand it. “Why do you want to go to California?”
She took a step closer to him. He could smell a light, flowery scent, probably from her hair. The shiny strands looked so soft he almost reached out to touch them before he caught himself and pulled his hand back. He stepped away before he could try it again.
“It doesn’t matter why I want to go,” she said, determination rising in her voice. “I’ll pay for everything. All the gas. The food. The lodging. Everything.”
“Sarah?” He stepped closer again, even though he knew he shouldn’t. He must have been allergic to that scent she wore because he felt a little dizzy, a little off-center around her. “Are you in some kind of trouble?”
Some emotion he couldn’t identify flashed in her eyes. “If you won’t take me, I’ll hitchhike.”
“Be serious.”
“I’m perfectly serious.”
“Sarah, be sensible about this.”
She started to shake and her face turned as red as it had this morning, but Dean could tell the difference between embarrassment and anger. This time he’d ticked her off royally.
But damn if she didn’t look fine. This was not the meek and mild little Sarah he remembered sitting on her front porch with her nose in a book. This Sarah was vibrant and alive. Her eyes sparkled. Her skin glowed.
He wanted to know more about her. What had she been doing all these years? What was going on with her now?
He wanted to give in to the crazy urge to pull her into his arms and discover what her body felt like beneath the baggy clothes. He wanted to kiss her and find out what her passion tasted like.
As he entertained his lustful thoughts, he saw Sarah pull herself together. Drawing in a deep, shaky breath, she relaxed her clenched fists. She stared at him through narrowed eyes and set the root beer bottle on the coffee table.
“Thanks, anyway.”
I've noticed in each of these examples, both of my characters have not been entirely truthful with the other and I think this is important, especially in the reader's mind. If only one of the characters was lying, there may be lots of negative reactions. But if neither one of them is being truthful, it tends to balance things out.
So do you like stories where the characters keep the truth from each other?
Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
If it's not done right, this device might seemed contrived, if it's well-motivated, I think it can work really well. After all, are we all totally truthful to each other in real life? It's often easier to avoid conflict by avoiding the whole truth, perhaps telling one of those "little white lies" or maybe just leaving out the uncomfortable part of the story.
I admit to using this device in several of my stories.
In my Red Sage novella, Dark Angel, Julie doesn't tell Rafe the "whole" truth about why she sought him out to find out what happened the night her sister died. But then, Rafe, avoids telling her the truth of the events of that night for most of the story.
In my Ellora's Cave novel, Chains of Desire, Hannah lies about who she is - as a decoy for her princess, she must. But Jarrod lets her think he's something he's not as well.
In my Samhain contemporary romance, The Ride of Her Life, Sarah is not entirely truthful with Dean when she talks him into giving her a ride across the country on his Harley. But then again, Dean isn't entirely truthful with Sarah either, about what he's doing with his life now. Both of them avoid telling the truth, but when it comes out, they might as well have outright lied.
Sarah took another swallow, then cleared her throat. She looked up at him with those big eyes, took a deep breath and blurted, “Take me with you.”
Dean wasn’t sure what he expected, but it certainly wasn’t that. “What?”
“You’re leaving for Los Angeles in the morning, right?”
“Where did you hear that?”
“From Jennifer Krusick’s son. I want to go with you.”
“Sarah, I don’t understand. If you want to go to California, you can drive there yourself. You don’t want to ride on my bike.”
“Yes, I do. Anyway, my car died this morning.”
“Take a plane. It’s a lot quicker too.”
“I don’t want quicker. I want interesting. I want exciting.”
Heaven help him. Sarah Austin wanted excitement. “By the time we get to L.A. on my bike, your whole vacation will be gone.”
“I have a lot of vacation time saved up.”
“This is crazy.”
She laughed, but it wasn’t a light, happy sound. “I know. Please take me to L.A.”
He frowned. There was desperation in her face, in her voice, and he didn’t understand it. “Why do you want to go to California?”
She took a step closer to him. He could smell a light, flowery scent, probably from her hair. The shiny strands looked so soft he almost reached out to touch them before he caught himself and pulled his hand back. He stepped away before he could try it again.
“It doesn’t matter why I want to go,” she said, determination rising in her voice. “I’ll pay for everything. All the gas. The food. The lodging. Everything.”
“Sarah?” He stepped closer again, even though he knew he shouldn’t. He must have been allergic to that scent she wore because he felt a little dizzy, a little off-center around her. “Are you in some kind of trouble?”
Some emotion he couldn’t identify flashed in her eyes. “If you won’t take me, I’ll hitchhike.”
“Be serious.”
“I’m perfectly serious.”
“Sarah, be sensible about this.”
She started to shake and her face turned as red as it had this morning, but Dean could tell the difference between embarrassment and anger. This time he’d ticked her off royally.
But damn if she didn’t look fine. This was not the meek and mild little Sarah he remembered sitting on her front porch with her nose in a book. This Sarah was vibrant and alive. Her eyes sparkled. Her skin glowed.
He wanted to know more about her. What had she been doing all these years? What was going on with her now?
He wanted to give in to the crazy urge to pull her into his arms and discover what her body felt like beneath the baggy clothes. He wanted to kiss her and find out what her passion tasted like.
As he entertained his lustful thoughts, he saw Sarah pull herself together. Drawing in a deep, shaky breath, she relaxed her clenched fists. She stared at him through narrowed eyes and set the root beer bottle on the coffee table.
“Thanks, anyway.”
I've noticed in each of these examples, both of my characters have not been entirely truthful with the other and I think this is important, especially in the reader's mind. If only one of the characters was lying, there may be lots of negative reactions. But if neither one of them is being truthful, it tends to balance things out.
So do you like stories where the characters keep the truth from each other?
Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
Looking Back at 2009
So in this last week of the old year, I find myself, as always, looking back on the 12 months. I try to be honest with myself and see if I accomplished what I'd hoped to with 365 days of my life. Like always, I find that I probably didn't always make the best use of my time. I should have written more. I should have exercised more. I should have eaten better. Should have been more patient. Should have been a better person.
Yeah, all those "should haves" can really weigh you down.
But then I remind myself of the good things that happened in the past year. The great, unexpected things. Bound by Design was chosen as one of three novellas to be included in Samhain's Binding Ties anthology.
Chains of Desire was released as a download by Ellora's Cave in May and came out in print in September.
My Sapphire jewel novella, Lia's Warrior came out in an Ellora's Cave anthology, Sapphire Sizzle. (And I just found out we received 4 Stars from Romantic Times - the review will be included in the February issue of RT Book Reviews.)
The Ride of Her Life won the New England Reader's Choice Award for best short contemporary in 2009.
Sunrise (included in Jewels of the Nile II)won the Passionate Plume for best erotic novella this year as well.
And the cover for The Better to Eat You With won the weekly Cover Clash at Embrace the Shadows.
I've been blessed with a lot of great reviews, including this new one at Fresh Fiction for Dark Angel which was released by Red Sage last January.
I made a lot of new friends this year in the writing community. I've done my best to keep in contact with old friends too. And the notes I've received from readers always make my day, letting me know I must be doing something right. While I rarely find the time to update them, I'm now on Facebook and Twitter, as well as MySpace.
And since The Better To Eat You With won a weekly Cover Clash, it is up for the 2009 Ultimate Clash at Embrace the Shadows. There are only a few days left to vote, so if you haven't already done so, I'd love your vote. The artist, Kanaxa, did an awesome job on this cover and will win an award as well if we win. You can check it out here.
So now, as I look back, I see that 2009 wasn't so bad after all. I'll just have to work on the exercise and eating better and having more patience...
So how was your 2009???
Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
Yeah, all those "should haves" can really weigh you down.
But then I remind myself of the good things that happened in the past year. The great, unexpected things. Bound by Design was chosen as one of three novellas to be included in Samhain's Binding Ties anthology.
Chains of Desire was released as a download by Ellora's Cave in May and came out in print in September.
My Sapphire jewel novella, Lia's Warrior came out in an Ellora's Cave anthology, Sapphire Sizzle. (And I just found out we received 4 Stars from Romantic Times - the review will be included in the February issue of RT Book Reviews.)
The Ride of Her Life won the New England Reader's Choice Award for best short contemporary in 2009.
Sunrise (included in Jewels of the Nile II)won the Passionate Plume for best erotic novella this year as well.
And the cover for The Better to Eat You With won the weekly Cover Clash at Embrace the Shadows.
I've been blessed with a lot of great reviews, including this new one at Fresh Fiction for Dark Angel which was released by Red Sage last January.
I made a lot of new friends this year in the writing community. I've done my best to keep in contact with old friends too. And the notes I've received from readers always make my day, letting me know I must be doing something right. While I rarely find the time to update them, I'm now on Facebook and Twitter, as well as MySpace.
And since The Better To Eat You With won a weekly Cover Clash, it is up for the 2009 Ultimate Clash at Embrace the Shadows. There are only a few days left to vote, so if you haven't already done so, I'd love your vote. The artist, Kanaxa, did an awesome job on this cover and will win an award as well if we win. You can check it out here.
So now, as I look back, I see that 2009 wasn't so bad after all. I'll just have to work on the exercise and eating better and having more patience...
So how was your 2009???
Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
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