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Sandy's Spotlight - Pre-release - Children of Kria: Fury by Charlie Daye

2/18/2014

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Sandy's Spotlight
Pre-release Notification
Release date: March 1, 2014
Children of Kria: Fury
by
Charlie Daye

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Whatever was left of my heart had just been destroyed. It was bad enough knowing he married that horrid woman but it was something else entirely when I had to listen to them make out over the phone.

The pain in my chest became so intense that I couldn’t breathe. I sat up and reached for my shot glass and the bottle of vodka that was currently sitting on my nightstand. I looked at the glass briefly before tossing it aside and drinking straight from the bottle. I just wanted the pain to stop. I wanted my life to go back to the way it was before I got involved with Gyan.

I sobbed. Who was I kidding? I wanted Gyan back. I wanted him so much that the thought of living another day without him had me pulling my pocket knife out of my drawer and bringing it with me to bed. I began to mindlessly slide the blade across my arm. With every slice, the pain of my broken heart began to lessen. I sliced until I couldn’t lift my arm to hold the knife anymore. I slumped over on my bed and stared blankly at the puddle of blood that saturated my floor.

A tear rolled down my cheek as the pain in my chest once again reared its ugly head. I closed my eyes and pleaded to the darkness, “Please make the pain go away.”

As the darkness began to close in and the pain began to fade, a bright light began to take shape. It was iridescent in color and seemed to twist and turn until a very distinct shape took form. It was a woman with bright red hair and a white gown that flowed around her body like mist. Here eyes were the color of the raging sea during a storm.

She lifted me up and cradled me in her arms like a baby. It was the most comforting feeling in the world. I smiled weakly, “Are you an angel?”

She smiled and brushed a piece of my long dark hair away from my face, “No child. I am Kria.”


Synopsis:

I am a seeker of vengeance;

A mender of broken hearts.

I respond to the siren call of loneliness and despair.

I was once a human woman;

Very much like you;

Until my heart was destroyed by the man I loved.

My only purpose now is to avenge those that have been betrayed.

I am Fury…

And hell has nothing on me.

Tag Line:

Welcome to Kriation, where the broken hearted come to seek the justice society can never give them.


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My name is Charlie Daye. You may not realize this but Charlie Daye is not my real name. It's a pen name that was created using my nickname. If I could legally change my name to Charlie, I would but my mother would have a heart attack. *Grins* Sometimes I question what my parents were thinking when they named me because when you translate my birth name to English it means scarf. Yes, that is correct... I was named after an article of clothing.

When I was a little girl I always dreamed of being a world champion kickboxing super model but alas that was not meant to be. So, I settled for writing stories about gorgeous women who know how to kick some serious ass. The guys are pretty hot too though.

My childhood was quite entertaining especially with an imagination like mine which intensified after I found my first book by Richie Tankersely Cusick. I never had an imaginary friend but I have come across a ghost or two in my time that have scared the crap out of me and I swear I saw a flying saucer in Vegas!

My sexy Italian husband is a chef by trade and makes the most amazing chocolate lava cakes for dessert - they are just sinfully delicious but I still refuse to eat asparagus. It's just nasty! We have an American Bulldog named TinkerBell who is a giant sized baby that hogs up the entire bed.

Author Links:

http://charliedaye.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Charlie-Daye-Author/344922355541838


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Sandy's Spotlight - NEW RELEASE - Love and Diamonds - Romance Anthology

2/16/2014

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Sandy's Spotlight
NEW RELEASE
Love and Diamonds
Romance Anthology

PictureClick on book cover to be directed to Goodreads
The Romance genre in and of itself covers almost every other genre available to an author, so it’s no wonder that if fifteen authors are challenged to write a short of around 5k words, every one of those stories will be completely different, and still come under the Romance umbrella.

Last year Astraea Press challenged its authors to participate in a Valentine’s Day Short Story Anthology. Each story must be around 5000 words and incorporate love and diamonds. Using their varied talents and creativity, fifteen Astraea Press authors were up for the task. And the stories covered so many romantic genres, from hard-hitting to soft and gentle, and all with HEA, this anthology should please almost every reader of romance.

Most authors when asked will claim to be solitary in nature, so how can they come together within such a challenge? In the case of Love and Diamonds – very easily. The sense of camaraderie and desire to get our stories out there was awesome. The input changed up a gear as fifteen people came together to plot, plan and execute those plans to create a promotional valentine blog hop. Okay, so that’s done and dusted so why mention it again here?  Because, to coin a phrase, Fifteen into one = Love and Diamonds the anthology. Available at all online stores for only $3.99. I am no mathematician but I gather that’s around .27cents a story.

The roll call of authors included is impressive, and are:-

Sherry Gloag “Queen of Diamonds”   Will Sybil's future be determined by diamonds?  http://sherrygloagtheheartofromance.blogspot.co.uk/

Patricia Kiyono “Operation Rhombus”   Can a forgetful math teacher find the right formula for love?  http://patriciakiyono.com

Heather Gray “Even When It Hurts”   Will he help her...even when it hurts?
http://www.heathergraywriting.com

Kathy Bosman “The Engagement Ring”   Could the object of Rosalee’s pain bring hope and healing?  http://www.kathybosman.com

Jennifer Rae Gravely “Love and Diamonds"   He struck out the first time.
www.facebook.com/JenniferRaeGravely

J. L. Salter “No Love, No Diamonds: The Story I Couldn’t Write”   Is that muscular man digging a mysterious hole next door just a distraction from Susan’s romantic story submission deadline, or could handsome Randy be her story?
http://www.amazon.com/J.L.-Salter/e/B00D4F1YTE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1390835362&sr=1-1

Amy Mullen “The Flood”  Sparks fly as the water rises.
www.authoramymullen.com

Vivian Roycroft “Treasure Hunt”   Men don't do romance worth a hoot. Women don't do adventure…, that is, not until challenged. http://taketwoonromance.weebly.com/vivians-blog.html

Liz Botts “Delusions of Love”   Love can make you crazy.
www.lizbotts.com

Zanna Mackenzie “One Of These Days”  Is losing something precious about to turn Megan’s world upside down?
www.zannamackenzie.blogspot.co.uk

E.A. West “The Heart of Africa”   Diamonds are a girl's best friend... unless they’re bloody.
http://eawest.mcphitty.com

Brenda Maxfield “Meet Me in the Copy Room”   Beware when your ex returns to charm you!
http://www.brendamaxfield.com

Kelly Martin “The Best Catch”   One man. His Boat. And the woman of his dreams.
https://www.facebook.com/KellyMartinAuthor

Kristine Cheney “Facets of the Heart”  A Jewel Heist had Never Gone So...Right
www.kristinecheney.com

Nicole Zoltack “All for Love”   Can revenge ever bring back your love? http://www.facebook.com/AuthorNicoleZoltack

Tag Line: Will Sybil Diamond’s future be determined by diamonds?

Blurb:

After four months of denying his feelings for Sybil Diamond, Culley Maccailin enlists her brother help to set up a poker game between them. He knows Sybil learned the game from her professional poker-playing father, and is just as good.

If he loses, he’ll fold. If he wins… The sky’s the limit.

As far as Sybil is concerned, love sucks. She’s been burned once and isn’t interested in a repeat performance. When her brother sets her up – again – she’ surprised to learn it’s against Cully Maccailin, the only man who’s stirred her heart since her ex-fiance walked out on her.

Let the game begin.


Back Cover Blurb:

If Sybil Diamond wins this poker game, Culley Maccailin risks losing the love of his life.

Top-level poker player Sybil Diamond isn’t phased when challenged to play against Culley Maccailin – until she loses.  The stake is astronomical… Her heart.


Excerpt:

“How could you do this to me — again?” Sybil Diamond stormed round her brother’s living room.” I told you I wasn’t interested, and it’s the third time you’ve pulled this stunt without my permission.” She whirled on Ritchie and aimed her fist low into his gut. It did nothing to appease her rising fury when he deflected her punch. Ritchie worked out more hours daily than she spent shopping.

When she nearly tripped on his discarded shirt she swore, bent to pick it up, and threw it on top of the pile of clothes on a nearby chair. “When are you going to shovel some of this lot into the washing machine?” she demanded; hiding a satisfied smirk at her brother’s wince. He may be a world champion surfer, but much as she loved him, the guy was a slob when it came to his living quarters.

“Instead of trying to fix me up with all your friends, you should concentrate on clearing up this mess and getting a girl of your own.”

“Aw, Sis, don’t be like that. Culley’s okay.”

“Culley! Culley? What sort of name is that? Are you telling me this guy has the same name as on that TV show?” Sybil struggled to recall the name and gave up. She was too busy expanding her own party planner business and didn’t have time to watch TV.

She’d met the man four months ago, but decided to keep that information to herself. It couldn’t be the same Culley, she’d not heard from him since that meeting, and she admitted now she’d expected to.

“Do you realise how busy I am next week? I have three children’s birthday parties, an engagement bash, a baby shower, and a massive Valentine party to organise for Aila Metaxas on the14th, Friday night. And before then,” she added before Ritchie could interrupt, “I have my normal weekend rush of venues to deal with starting this afternoon with a fiftieth wedding anniversary.” Sybil stalked into the pocket-sized kitchen, dug a bottle of cool water from the fridge, and, unscrewing the bottle cap, stalked back again. “I don’t have time to play some stupid game of poker with this Culley just because you and your buddies think it’s cool to ‘play for the girl.’”

“So, you’re making excuses because you expect to lose?”

Sybil whirled round so fast, water spewed from the bottle and soaked Ritchie’s shirt and the pile of clothes on the chair, her satisfaction rapidly morphing to irritation when she recognised her brother’s tone. And knew, too, he’d won.

LOVE AND DIAMONDS is available at:

B&N  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-and-diamonds-astraea-press-authors/1118588769?ean=2940148209317

Astraea Press  http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/id=33481096

Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/Love-Diamonds-Amy-Mullen-ebook/dp/B00I9MR450/ref=la_B0042QD6S6_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391712254&sr=1-10

Amazon UK  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Diamonds-Amy-Mullen-ebook/dp/B00I9MR450/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391681646&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=Asraea+Press+Love+and+Diamonds


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Sandy's Spotlight - Valentine's Day Fantastical Reads Event

2/13/2014

3 Comments

 

Sandy's Spotlight
Welcome to the 4th and final day of the
Valentine's Day Fantastical Reads Event!
Spotlighting Carolyn Arnold
and her thriller/romance
Hart's Choice

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Click on the banner to be directed to the Facebook Event page
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Let's talk animals—birds, dogs, cats, or fish?

I had goldfish when I was growing up. Their names were Oscar and Louise. As they passed away, they were replaced so there was at least an Oscar the Third. He was a black goldfish and Louise was gold.

Cats and I don't typically get along that well. When I was young, I picked up the neighbor's cat and it clawed my face. I remember Mom marching with me across the street to its owner to make sure its shots were up to date. My one sister also had a cat who reached out to claw my face, but thank goodness for my cabbage patch doll at the time. She took the brunt of it. I think it's just something to do with our eyes when they connect. Since then I have met 1 cat that I got along with—and that was only a month ago—but I think the cat was a dog in disguise. It was the only cat I've ever met who loves to cuddle.

I have never had a bird, but love to eat chicken.

Now, dogs, they are my favorite. Love them. All of them. All sizes and all breeds. I have two beagles currently, Max and Chelsea. They are just over four years old when I write this response, and are brother and sister. Before them, I had a beagle named Todd. We refer to him as Uncle Todd to the new guys. He passed away at 11 and will never be forgotten. They worm into your heart and really become another family member. Todd has a permanent spot in the Madison Knight series as Terry Grant's one beagle is named after him.

Of all your characters, who are you the most like? Who are you the least like?

I am the most like Madison because I am determined and speak my mind. There are also some differences. Madison is afraid of commitment, whereas I am happily married. She also has an addiction to chocolate I can't quite match.

I would say I'm the least like Tessa, the protagonist from Hart's Choice. She loves ballet and the fine arts, and while appreciation for such exists within me, it doesn't consume me as it does Tessa. For her, dance is her passion.

Where do you get your characters' names?

For the most part they come to me without much thought. Supporting characters, suspects, or one-off encounters sometimes send me to an online random name generator in search of a name, but my main characters always tell me who they are. I have even perused my social media feeds for names.

In Found Innocent, there is a motel clerk Madison Knight and her partner, Terry, question. During the working stages, I had him just marked as "*" in a few spots. I do this when I don't have a name, or need to ensure I get the right one in there, if I've mentioned it before. Anyway, I felt a strong need to put in the name Trevor. As I kept working through the scene, I came to realize that's what I had named him later on, in previous drafts. It just confirmed that was supposed to be his name.

I have even had characters correct me on their name. A funny thing happened with Eleven and what is now the first in the Brandon Fisher FBI series. When I was going through the outlining process for the book trailer, I had put in the name as Brandon Fisher. I didn't catch this oversight until the trailer was finished. See, I had written the manuscript with his last name as Harper. Ironically, however, when talking about him I would always refer to him as Fisher, even though that was originally the last name for his supervisor. Brandon was very hard-headed about his name and got the one the one that belonged to him after all.

What do you do when facing a plot block?

I let it sit and busy myself with other things, and it eventually it comes to me and resolves itself.

The first I experienced a solid block was in the brainstorming process for Assassination of a Dignitary. The problem was I told my character Raymond Hunter who he was--I wasn't listening to him. To fix this issue, I let my mind drift from the plot and the characters. When I let go of my premonitions about whom and what he was, he spoke to me, rather loudly I may add and told me, "I'm not a good guy." See, I had originally pegged him as an innocent. Turns out he was a former hitman for the mafia.

Do you hear voices?

Absolutely and I embrace them! LOL Well, I hear them in the sense of my writing, nothing beyond that. I think all writers need to hear voices to get their stories down.

How do you write? Do you plan it all out, or go with the flow? Do you handwrite it and then type it out, or head right for a computer?

I write like I'm watching a movie in my mind. I see the scene, I observe the interactions, and I record them. I prefer to write on a computer, my laptop or desktop, I'm not fussy. I have handwritten scenes when I don't have access to a computer, though.

I am what many term a "panster", meaning I write from the seat of my pants. I don't outline in the typical sense. I go with the flow, but make notes at the end of the manuscript with points, or scenes I want to pick up on next, or in the near future.

What is the best compliment you've received about your writing?

I have received high compliments with comparisons to some of the greats—JD Robb, Sue Grafton, and Tess Gerritsen to name a few. But when people tell me they can't put my book down, wow! I had a reader tell me they had to finish up my book and spent their Sunday doing so. That spoke specifically to me because Sundays are a day of family and relaxation. To know that people are relaxing with my books, that is special.

How much of your personal experience do you incorporate into your writing?

I would have to say a lot of it. I don't think this can be helped by any author. It's our observations of people, places, events, and interactions which are unique to us and get integrated into our writing.

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For the lucky ones, there is a love so powerful that when it comes along, it changes everything.

As teenagers, just a chance meeting at a county fair, would change Barry and Tessa’s lives forever. Yet with a summer romance that didn’t fully blossom and ended without warning, two hearts were torn apart by time and circumstance.

Tessa pursued her love of dance and found herself a ballerina in the 1962 production of The Nutcracker in New York City. But she still thought of Barry.  

Reunited nearly a decade later, only to be ripped apart by war and loss, Tessa wonders if they will ever be together and dreams fulfilled.



Hart's Choice Trailer:

Carolyn Arnold

• Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook  • Linkedin • Google +

My books are available from these fine eRetailers and more:

• Amazon • Barnes & Noble  • Kobo • Sony  • Apple  • Diesel

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Don't forget to join us over at the Valentine's Day Fantastical FB Event page for more contests and chats with the participating authors.
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Sandy's Spotlight - FANTASTICAL READS EVENT

2/5/2014

1 Comment

 

Sandy's Spotlight
Welcome to the
FANTASTICAL READS EVENT
Spotlighting
P.L. Blair and her fantasy novel
Shadow Path, Book 1 in the Portals Series
with a Rafflecopter Giveaway!

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Click on the banner to be directed to the Fantastical Reads Event Facebook Page
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I am thrilled to be a part of the Fantastical Reads Event so I can be the person to spotlight one of my very favorite fantasy reads, SHADOW PATH, book 1 in the Portals Series by P.L. Blair.

This book is THE book that got me hooked on the fantasy genre.  I originally read Shadow Path and published the following review back in January 2012.

5 Stars

Elves and ogres and hobgoblins, oh my!

Can you imagine a world where a door is opened up to the "Otherside," which is a magical place that mythical creatures and beings from folklore actually exist, then enter our world to live and work among us? I couldn't, at least that is until I picked up P.L. BLAIR'S first novel in her PORTALS SERIES, SHADOW PATH.

SHADOW PATH is a combination fantasy, suspense novel that I fell in love with from the very first line. I dare you! Download a sample and read it! You'll be hooked. I couldn't put it down. The storyline of Shadow Path takes place in our world with the readers following the main characters, Corpus Christi police detective Kat Morales and her elven partner, Tevis McLeod, in a murder investigation of an ogre who has been slain at the edge of an alley. I truly enjoyed the interaction between Kat and Tevis, and I'm looking forward to reading more of the Portals series to see where P.L. Blair's imagination takes them and me.

I am amazed at the creativity of P.L. Blair and the beautiful writing style that picked me up and carried me away into the lives of Kat and Tevis as well as other creatures I hadn't given any thought to since childhood. Ms. Blair with her excellent story telling made them all come alive for me. This is absolutely a MUST READ!

Kudos to P.L. BLAIR and SHADOW PATH for being nominated by the PARANORMAL ROMANCE GUILD as one of the best reads in the YA Category for 2011! Congratulations!

UPDATE:  Shadow Path took 2nd Place in its category in the 2012 Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewer's Choice Awards.

I've reached into my archives and found the video that I originally posted on my blog from back in January 2012, introducing readers to Ms. Blair and this wonderful series.  Please note that I so appreciated this book, I had a book discussion at the time for it.  That discussion is now closed, so please disregard any mention of it in the video.

Shadow Path Blurb:
Magic and crime. Agatha Christie meets J.R.R. Tolkien in “Shadow Path,” the first book in the new Portals series by author P.L. Blair.

An Ogre murdered with a rune-inscribed sword is just the beginning as Kat Morales, a very human detective on the Corpus Christi, Texas, police force, and her Elf partner Tevis McLeod follow a blood trail that leads to Pixies, necromancy and Magic of the Blackest kind ... to its climax in a stronghold Between worlds, where Tevis must duel spell for spell with a former lover who wants to see her old flame extinguished permanently.

Amazon Purchase Links - Click on book cover below to be directed to Amazon.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Author Links:
Website
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
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Sandy's Spotlight - February 5th, 2014 - FREE Kindle Books

2/4/2014

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Sandy's Spotlight
February 5th, 2014
FREE Kindle Books

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Every High School has their social outcasts. The band nerds, the math geeks, the chess club, the girl that chews her hair, but at Butler High, even the creepy nose picker in the chess club is more popular than Caleo Anima. No matter what he did, his pale skin, snow white hair, and piercing blue eyes always made him an easy target. He used to think that the only way things could get worse would be if someone found out that he was gay, but that isn't even the tip of the iceberg of problems after a mysterious stranger shows up and changes Caleo’s life forever.

Hidden amongst our society, a secret and magical race of people known as ‘Leeches’, have been engaging in civil war for decades. Both sides are desperately searching for a weapon with unlimited power that will give them the advantage they need to rule their world. This wouldn’t mean anything to Caleo, except for one problem...He is that weapon!

Forget making it through High School. Caleo has bigger problems! As the search for him goes on, the world is quickly crumbling around him. He's now fighting for his life and the life of what little family he has left. With the help of new friends, he has little time to try and master his newly found powers as he tries to figure out who he can trust, who is trying to use him, and who just wants him dead. One wrong step and being the awkward pale outcast will be the least of his worries.

Click here to claim your free copy on Amazon today only!


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What if you knew the exact date and time the world will end, what would you do? 

Sam Tucker was faced with that dilemma when he began getting visions of the Earth's demise. Luckily for him, he was able to save his family and as many people as he could before the tragic event occurred, and he did so with the help of unknown visitors. With Earth now destroyed, Sam, his family, and thousands of other lucky survivors must live the rest of their lives on a faraway planet in a Dome that simulates life on Earth. But Sam's mind can't seem to rest as a few questions arise. Why did the aliens save them? How did they know about Earth's sure fate? And exactly what are they hiding? 

Emma Tucker begged for an escape from her boring life but never in a million years did she think it would come at the destruction of Earth. Living on a new planet and finding it difficult to get rid of her rebellious habits, Emma finds herself making friends with a member of the alien race and it soon develops into an unexplainable love; a love that is more dangerous than she could ever imagine. While her father is searching for his own truths, she has no idea that she is stumbling on a truth of her own.

Told from the point of view of both Sam and Emma, author Nova Sparks takes readers on a journey to discover love, fate, faith, truth, and the mystery of the DOME!

Click here to claim your Free copy on Amazon today only!


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NEW RELEASE - Contemporary Romance - WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES by Sandy Wolters

2/2/2014

1 Comment

 

Sandy's Spotlight
NEW RELEASE
WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES
Book 1 in the Rock Star Series
By
Sandy Wolters

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When One Door Closes Blurb:

Her marriage a disaster, Lilly closes the door to her personal life.  Can meeting Bruce open a door to a new life or will her fear shut her off from love?

All Lilly has ever wanted to do is sing, but being an internationally famous superstar has turned her life into a living nightmare. Closing the door on her destructive marriage, she runs to her best friend's rural home in northern Arizona, hoping to stay out of the public's eye and sort out her life.

Bruce Silk, a Flagstaff police officer, doesn't approve of his brother's rakish rock star lifestyle but still keeps an eye on his remote home when he's out on tour. More than once he's had to arrest groupies who invaded the property to steal some small memento from the famous Clay Silk. So why does he feel sucker-punched when he slaps the cuffs on this latest trespasser?

When One Door Closes
is the first book in the “Rock Star Series.”  Another Door Opens, the second book, will be released in mid-2014.  Both books are stand-alone novels. 

Sandy Wolters is a prolific writer with four other novels to date. Her last novel, Soul Mates, won first place in the Paranormal Romance Guild’s Reviewer Choice Awards for Paranormal Romance-Novella.

Available now on Amazon.com for Kindle.  Coming soon in print.  Coming soon digitally to all major retailers!


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Excerpt:

Chapter One


Out of habit, Bruce glanced through the glass next to his brother's front entryway to check the alarm status. Seeing the green light signaling that the alarm had been disconnected, his body drew taut with tension. He pulled his Glock out and quietly checked the door. Locked. Slipping the key into the lock, he gently turned it and opened the door to an unknown danger. He moved silently through the house, clearing each room as he calmly and methodically moved forward, looking for the intruder he knew was there.

He had never cared for the opulence Clayton's home displayed, nor the way his brother lived, but he'd be damned if he'd allow anyone to take anything that belonged to his brother while he was out playing the rock star celebrity role.

Bruce crept into the living room where a fire was crackling in the fireplace. Obviously someone felt at home in his brother’s house. Bruce’s training as a police officer had taught him to slow down, to take everything in, to feel his surroundings. Something was different, he thought to himself. His eyebrows knitted together, he tilted his head to the side, trying to decipher what he was feeling. The air was thick with something he couldn't identify in words. The surroundings were familiar, but everything felt different. Wrong. Turning slowly in a circle, he scrutinized everything in the room, searching for an answer to what was so off about the feel of this home that he had been inside hundreds of times, but nothing tangible had been disturbed in the house.

As his gaze slowed, his gut clenched as he recognized the feeling that flowed over him. It was an overwhelming sense of sadness. It was the imperceptible, the thick veil of anguish, that was gnawing at him.

His breaths came quickly. Trying to wash this paralyzing sensation from himself with his free hand, he clutched his chest. His heart rate had sped up. Waves of sorrow were washing over him. His eyes closed, and he shivered involuntarily. Something was undeniably awry in this house. He just hoped it didn't get him killed.

While trying to steady his nerves, he heard it. Going completely still, he listened. Somewhere in the distance, a cell phone rang. He crept forward, trying to follow the incessant ringing, before finally realizing it was coming from outside on the back deck.

"Gotcha," he whispered as he moved toward the oversized double doors leading to the back deck. The cell phone started ringing again. What an idiot! He smirked at the stupidity of a burglar who couldn't turn his damn cell phone off for the amount of time it took to pull off a B&E. Then again, the idiot must be planning for a prolonged stay since he took the time to light a fire in the fireplace. Bruce was looking forward to educating this bastard.

As the back deck came into view through the large double doors, his suspicions were confirmed when he saw a roaring fire in the pit. To the right of the pit, a young woman sat at the table, staring out into space, her hand clutching a bottle of whiskey and tears rolling down her cheeks as if she'd lost everyone and everything important to her. The cell phone sat in front of her, its ringing falling on deaf ears.

Her beauty was staggering—long, luxurious, blonde hair, the allure of her face so moving that poets had been writing about such a face for centuries. Her eyes were hidden by the shadows of the night, but he could see the tension in her face, which was covered with tears. Even camouflaged from head to toe with the afghan his mother had made and given to Clay all those years ago, he could see an air of elegance surrounding her as if she were some kind of royalty. He watched her for quite some time, trying to decipher exactly what kind of a threat she might be.

Finally, with no answer to his question, he slipped out between the doors and moved stealthily toward her. The air around her was thick with pain, and it washed over him afresh. The man in him, the protector, his heart and body, wanted to run to her and wrap her in a warm, loving embrace all the while the cop in him, his mind, was yelling at him to put her in handcuffs and whisk her away to jail.

Silence. The damned phone finally stopped ringing. He snapped out of his reverie long enough to mentally kick himself. His anger rose, and a frown crossed his face. "A damn groupie," he whispered. That thought dispelled his fantasy and woke him up to the reality, stirring his anger even more.

Pointing his gun at her, he ordered, "Let me see your hands."

Nothing. She didn't even flinch. Her mind was somewhere far off, too great a distance to hear him.

He moved closer. "Hey," he yelled, "let me see your hands, or I'm going to have to take you down and cuff you on the ground."

Her body jerked when he yelled, and the bottle of Southern Comfort she'd been holding fell off the table. Wincing, she stayed perfectly still, except for holding her hands in the air, too afraid to look at the man yelling at her.

"Keep your hands in the air. Stand up and move away from the table," he ordered.

She stood quickly, her hair bouncing around her shoulders, catching the light of the fire. Bruce fought to ignore the impact that such a simple act was having on him. Finding comfort in protocol, he holstered his gun and moved toward her with his cuffs. He pulled her right arm behind her and then her left as he restrained her.

Still feeling a little jittery from what felt like an emotional assault on him by this woman, he did what he did best. He struck out with his caustic words, fully intending to make her feel the fool instead of himself. "Don't you groupies have a network or something? Can't you just spread the word that Silk's house is out of bounds? I just don't understand you women."

He swung her around. "I mean, look at you! You're beautiful. Why are you wasting your time with a man who doesn't give a shit about women? Don't you know his reputation?" He angrily swiped his hand through his hair. "Good Lord! He'd swallow you up and spit you out without so much as a blink. You should have a little more respect for yourself than that."

Watching this man who had just handcuffed her giving her a motivational speech made her smile before sending her into hysterical laughter. Being a cop, Bruce knew that people reacted differently to stressful situations, but her laughter startled him nonetheless. Was she one of those certifiably crazy groupies? Instinctively, his hand moved to his holstered gun. The movement set her to cackling so hard, she couldn't stand up straight and was having a difficult time catching her breath. When she did, it degenerated into snorting.

He took a step back, his anger growing steadily. "What the hell is so funny?" Still bent over, she held her hands up behind her back so he could see them and then held up one finger to indicate she'd need a minute as she convulsed with laughter yet again.

Putting his hands on his waist, he grew more and more agitated as he stood there, placing his weight on his left foot while angrily tapping his right. Who the hell does this woman think she is? His irritation escalated.

She stood up with a broad smile on her face, and it was obvious she genuinely felt better. The sorrow he had seen on her face earlier was still there, but a sparkle of playfulness had emerged.

Lilly watched the cop’s face for the familiar reaction. She couldn't believe it. This cop didn’t recognize her. For the first time in a very long time, she was just another woman. Incredible! Her smile grew brighter, the warmth of her very being radiating out from her, as she immersed in this newfound freedom. Before Bruce knew what he was doing, he smiled back. Dammit, he thought as he transformed his smile into a scowl again.

 "I'm sorry. There's been some sort of a mistake, officer. Ding … I mean Silk invited me to stay here."

Bruce waved his hand at her, clearly dismissing her as a liar. "He would have told me. I watch after the place for him when he's gone."

Her smile never faded, completely unnerving him. "Well, he actually gave me the key two years ago along with an open invitation to visit whenever I wanted." She turned her back to him and awkwardly held her cuffed hand out to him in greeting. She cocked her head and declared, "Hi, I'm Lilly. It's nice to meet you."

Knowing that Clay, or Silk as his hundreds of thousands of fans knew him, had never invited even one of his numerous lovers to what he referred to as "his real home," Bruce returned her gesture with a skeptical stare.

When it was clear this angry police officer was not going to shake her cuffed hand, she turned and nodded to her phone on the table. "There's my phone. Call him. He'll vouch for me."

He reached into his pocket and pulled his own phone out.

"Excuse me, officer, but you should probably use my phone. He's not going to recognize your number and probably won't answer it. He'll answer if you use my phone, no matter what he's doing. We're close friends."

His face lit up with a mischievous smile like he was getting ready to tell her a funny story. I should probably tell her my brother always answers my calls, but I'll just keep that to myself for now. He chuckled.

Lilly couldn't have looked away from him if she had wanted to. There was something so masculine about him. The man exuded an inner strength and--what is it? she thought to herself, and then it hit her—a cockiness about him, that drew her to him like a moth to flame. As much as she wanted to examine what was so attractive about his personality, she was having difficulty looking past the uniform. There is just nothing sexier than a great big man in uniform. She grinned.  

Wishing she would stop smiling at him, he held her gaze as he picked her phone up. Going through the contact list, he looked back at her, smirking from ear to ear. "Hmm. I'm not seeing him listed in your contacts."

She gave him a questioning look and then giggled knowingly. "Oh, I'm sorry. He's listed as Dingo."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. Dingo? He turned his attention back to the phone, looked at the number listed under the name Dingo and realized that it, in fact, was his brother's private cell phone number. He pressed the send button and stood there, staring at this handcuffed, regal vision in front of him.

He heard Clay answer the phone and say in the background, "Don't worry. I'm going to get to that spot, sweetheart. This is an important call, and I have to take it. I'll be right back."

He closed his eyes and shook his head at the thought of his brother answering a call from this woman while having sex with another. The thought that she must be pretty important to Clay irritated the hell out of him. The next words Bruce heard lifted his anger level to an all new high. "How is my luscious baby girl doing?" Then in a voice so sincere that Bruce couldn't believe it was actually coming from his brother, Clay declared, "Damn, I've missed you so much, Lilly. Please tell me you're calling to say you'll join me for the rest of the band's tour."

It took a moment before Bruce could string a sentence of words together that didn't solely contain swear words unbefitting a cop in charge of the situation. Dammit, she must be really important to him, he thought. Why did that make him feel so bad, he wondered as he finally found his tongue.

"Just hold on a damn minute, Clay." Putting the cell phone down on the table, he pulled his key out of his pocket and walked over to Lilly. She twirled around so he could reach the handcuffs. He quickly uncuffed her.

She turned back to him while rubbing her wrists. "I'll go in and make some hot chocolate for us while you finish your call." Reaching the double doors into the house, she turned back. "Please tell Ding ... Clayton that I'm fine and not to worry about me." With that, she went inside the house.

Bruce stood there and watched her go, his hands clenching into fists, not understanding why the thought of this woman as his brother's girlfriend was so upsetting. He turned his attention back to the phone in time to hear Clay screaming profanities directed at him. He picked the phone up and yelled back. "You should probably tell me when you invite guests to your home so I don't end up taking them to jail."

"My God! Lilly's at my house? Is she all right? Is she hurt?" Clay cried out into the phone.

Once again, Clay surprised him with the depth of concern in his voice. "Clay, she's fine." Hesitating, he added, "Something's happened because when I found her, she was crying and …" Without thinking, he put his hand on his chest and rubbed it, trying to scrub away the pain he had not only seen, but felt emanating from her.

"And?" Clay screamed, impatient for a response.

Bruce shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. She's sad. Really sad," he whispered.

After a slight hesitation, Clay said, "I'm coming. I'm going to cancel a few stops on my tour, and I'll take a flight out as soon as possible."

Shocked by his brother's uncharacteristic solicitude, Bruce interrupted him. "What? You're going to cancel your tour? For a woman? What the hell is going on? Who is she, and what is she to you?"

Bruce could hear the surprise in Clay's voice. "Umm, dude, you're kidding, right?"

Sighing in frustration, Bruce said, "I'm feeling a little out of the loop, Clay. Will you please tell me what is going on?"

"Jeez, Bruce, do you ever pick up a newspaper, a magazine, turn the TV on, listen to the radio? The person you met tonight is Lilly. Lilly Cabrera." Pausing, Clay shrugged as he spoke. "You probably won't know her last name. No one does, but Lilly is famous, dude. She’s an international superstar. Where the hell have you been living the last three or four years?

"She's also very special to me. She's gotten me through some pretty rough times in my life, and I'm going to be there for her when she needs someone." Pausing, he added, "That time is now, Bruce. You can't let anyone know she's there. She'll never get any peace."

Over the phone, Bruce could hear Clay slamming doors and unzipping what sounded like a suitcase. "I'm on my way there. Don't leave her alone. If she's there, it's bad. She's going to need someone with her. I'm worried about her. Take care of her, Bruce, until I get there." Without any further conversation, the phone went dead.

Bruce looked at the now dead phone he held in his hand with absolute astonishment. "Stay with her?" he asked out loud. "You've got to be kidding!"

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    Books by
    Sandy Wolters

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    Sandy Wolters is a proud member of PRG

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    The Rock Star Series took 1st Place Winner: Best Contemporary Romance Series
    2014 PRG Reviewer's Choice Awards

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    Another Door Opens, Book 2 in the Rock Star Series took 1st Place Winner: Best Contemporary Romance Novella
    2014 PRG Reviewer's Choice Awards

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