Excerpt UNEXPECTED FAMILY - Roxi St. James
There she was
again. His mystery girl. His pulse quickened. What was it about her that was so
appealing? She was beautiful, yes, but
what gave her the aurora of magic that drew him in? He took another sip of his drink. He must be going crazy. Or he was getting drunker than he thought he was. He hadn’t even spoken to her yet.
again. His mystery girl. His pulse quickened. What was it about her that was so
appealing? She was beautiful, yes, but
what gave her the aurora of magic that drew him in? He took another sip of his drink. He must be going crazy. Or he was getting drunker than he thought he was. He hadn’t even spoken to her yet.
He glanced back
up in her direction. Something upstairs
had definitely upset her. She paced back
and forth from the bar like a caged tiger.
Anxious energy that didn’t have an outlet. He could only imagine what that energy might
feel like if she directed it toward him.
He cleared his throat and readjusted himself on the stool. He didn’t need to obsess about her. He should probably just head home and start
working on one of his briefs waiting on him.
up in her direction. Something upstairs
had definitely upset her. She paced back
and forth from the bar like a caged tiger.
Anxious energy that didn’t have an outlet. He could only imagine what that energy might
feel like if she directed it toward him.
He cleared his throat and readjusted himself on the stool. He didn’t need to obsess about her. He should probably just head home and start
working on one of his briefs waiting on him.
She found a seat
at the other end of the bar. One hand
tapped the bar while with the other she threw back a shot, downing it in one go
. She said something to the bartender,
and he refilled her glass. She downed
that one too. She better watch out at
the rate she was going. He knew that
kind of mood and it usually led to no good.
at the other end of the bar. One hand
tapped the bar while with the other she threw back a shot, downing it in one go
. She said something to the bartender,
and he refilled her glass. She downed
that one too. She better watch out at
the rate she was going. He knew that
kind of mood and it usually led to no good.
Just as she
signaled the bartender for another refill, a movement out of the corner of his
eye caught his attention. A man was
approached. Grant’s muscles tightened,
but he forced them to relax.
signaled the bartender for another refill, a movement out of the corner of his
eye caught his attention. A man was
approached. Grant’s muscles tightened,
but he forced them to relax.
He couldn’t keep
from watching, as the guy leaned on the bar, invading her space. She shook her head and leaned away. Clear signs she wasn’t interested, but the
guy didn’t get the message. The closer
he leaned in, the more she leaned away.
from watching, as the guy leaned on the bar, invading her space. She shook her head and leaned away. Clear signs she wasn’t interested, but the
guy didn’t get the message. The closer
he leaned in, the more she leaned away.
Without
thinking, Grant stood and walked around the bar towards them. His brain told him to leave it be, but his
legs had other plans. He was just going
to scare the jerk away and that was it.
As he approached them, he could hear the wanna-be Casanova trying his
hardest.
thinking, Grant stood and walked around the bar towards them. His brain told him to leave it be, but his
legs had other plans. He was just going
to scare the jerk away and that was it.
As he approached them, he could hear the wanna-be Casanova trying his
hardest.
“Come on, baby,
you look like you could use a good time,” he crooned.
you look like you could use a good time,” he crooned.
Grant smirked as
he approached them. “Sweetheart, there
you are! Did you start without me?” He stepped up behind her and put his hands on
her shoulders. She jumped and he leaned
down to give her a kiss on the cheek.
“Just go along with it,” he whispered into her ear before standing back
up.
he approached them. “Sweetheart, there
you are! Did you start without me?” He stepped up behind her and put his hands on
her shoulders. She jumped and he leaned
down to give her a kiss on the cheek.
“Just go along with it,” he whispered into her ear before standing back
up.
The man just
looked at Grant and sneered. “You can’t
be with her. You’re old enough to be her
father.”
looked at Grant and sneered. “You can’t
be with her. You’re old enough to be her
father.”
Grant
straightened to his full 6’2” and peered down at the player. “Who says I’m not? Be gone, kid.”
straightened to his full 6’2” and peered down at the player. “Who says I’m not? Be gone, kid.”
After a moment’s
hesitation, he turned and walked off muttering, “Her loss.”
hesitation, he turned and walked off muttering, “Her loss.”
Grant took the
seat beside her. “On behalf of my sex, I
am sorry you have to deal with jackasses like that.”
seat beside her. “On behalf of my sex, I
am sorry you have to deal with jackasses like that.”
She sat and
stared at him for a minute, wide-eyed.
“Thank you.” Her quiet voice was
sweet and musical. “It’s not the first
time, but it’s nice to be rescued by someone so…” Her brows drew together in
concentration.
stared at him for a minute, wide-eyed.
“Thank you.” Her quiet voice was
sweet and musical. “It’s not the first
time, but it’s nice to be rescued by someone so…” Her brows drew together in
concentration.
“Old?” he
offered with a smile.
offered with a smile.
She returned it
with a little chuckle. “Tall.”
with a little chuckle. “Tall.”
He grinned. “Well, you got me there. Now, you have a decision to make.”
Her smile
started to fade. “I do?”
started to fade. “I do?”
“Yep. I can sit here and deter other hunters for
you, or I can bid you good evening and be on my way. Totally up to you since I’ve succeeded in my
act of gallantry.”
you, or I can bid you good evening and be on my way. Totally up to you since I’ve succeeded in my
act of gallantry.”
Her smile
bloomed again. “You can stay. If you want.”
bloomed again. “You can stay. If you want.”
Cabin Fever Anthology
Genre: Romance/Love stories
Publisher: Indie Amazon
Date of Publication: Aug 7, 2020
ASIN: B08FGGGWDF
Number of pages: 347
Word Count: 89,119
Cover Artist: Donna Parrish
@ DJASP Book Covers
REWRITE - Renee Pellegrino
Savannah Giuseppe, best-selling author is summoned home. She returned to the cabin remembering the magic of Earth Day and the man who broke her heart.
WORTH IT! - Stephanie Spicer
High school sweethearts, Robin and Cody Carmichael thought their marriage could overcome any obstacle. The only problem is Robin doesn't remember this hurdle.
HALLOWEEN MASQUERADE - Cynthia Carver
Every Friday night, tarot reader Selena is at Nettie's Diner. Steven visits her for a reading about his son. Fate intervenes in their destinies.
UNEXPECTED FAMILY - Roxi St. James
After a special night with a handsome stranger, Piper Kendrick is shocked when she discovers his identity and he is closer than she ever expected.
LIAR IN THE CABIN - Sunny Abernathy
In 1908 Beth is expected to look forward to marriage. She'd rather be independent, which means staying away from Benjamin.
About Renee Pellegrino:
From the author of Because of You and co-author on the Missing Locket.
Born in a small-town Pennsylvania town called Altoona with five German shepherds, August, Roman, Rey, Tori and Sophia. After Covid - 19, she hopes to return to the dog show world.
Storytelling first stated when a priest asked everyone if they had something to say.
Renee told everyone about her brother peeing like a Shamu. Laughter filled the church, but her la Nonna not so much.
About Stephanie Spicer:
Stephanie Spicer is from a military family which meant she spent the majority of her life traveling. She has since made Atlanta, Ga her home and is raising her three kids with her husband who has been the love of her life for over seventeen years.
She's always been an avid reader, finding romance novels when she was fifteen and promptly falling in love. She reads most anything she can get her hands on and when she couldn't find books that matched the stories in her head she decided to start writing her own. Once she did, it was like a light had gone off.
She hopes you enjoy her stories as much as she enjoys writing them.
About Cynthia Carver:
Cynthia Carver, born in Dayton, Ohio to Métis parents and a veteran of the US Navy, puts a paranormal spin on everything she does whether it is ghost hunting or camping. Often the photos she takes and shares on her website have images of other-dimensional beings. Her failure in life is cooking. At her family’s request, she brings items such as paper plates, napkins, and utensils to family gatherings.
Her dyslexia leaks into all phases of her life including her published work. She released the second story featuring her main character, Tracy Richards first. Meet Tracy Richards in Tracy's debut novella, 'The Missing Locket.'
On a timeline, 'Small Bit of Justice' happened to Tracy Richards before 'Missing Locket.' Each novelette, novella, and novel are stand-alone stories.
Each November, Cynthia accepts the NaNoWriMo.org challenge of writing a 50,000-word novel within thirty days. She is a cheerleader for those in the writer's facebook group ‘Writing Support Sisters' who have joined her in the writing madness.
Visit Cynthia's website to keep up to date about future novels, book signings, and travels https://CynthiaCarver.com
Rosa Pearl - Realities of the Paranormal
About Roxie St. James:
Roxi St. James was born and raised in Georgia, but has traveled all over the country. She has read every romance novel she could get her hands on for her entire life. After writing privately for just as long, she is excited to make this her debut as a published author.
About Sunny Abernathy:
An overly caffeinated Author and Artist who believes one can never have enough cats or books. Writes "Red Flag" Love stories in historical and contemporary settings. She sometimes gives her characters a Happily Ever After as she did in Cabin Fever Anthology.
Interview with Sunny Abernathy
Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
This is the only story I have ever written that was 100% planned. I started “Liar In the Cabin” back in November of 2019 as my first attempt at NaNoWriMo. I did the vision board idea. Printed off pictures of clothes I thought Beth would have actually worn. Also I used my home state and though i created a fictional town I still needed to get things such as using the train correct. Contemporary Writing is much easier in that aspect. For historical novels i need to plan. Otherwise i start the story and just try to keep my characters in line.
Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.
I feel it is a must read because even after a hundred years Men are still largely in charge of family units. Women are still expected to want to get married and have children. I have a few friends and relatives that have chosen to remain unmarried and/or childless and yet they still get put down for it, or hear the same things over and over “you’ll change your mind. “ or “you’ll be sorry someday when its too late.” ANd that isn’t fair. My character wants to go to school and take care of herself though her father warns her that will be very difficult. And Beth lives in a college town and that taunts her even more.
Have you written any other books that are not published?
I write under a pen name for ‘scary’ stories, or the ones my mother won’t like and I have four coming out this year under that name. All volumes in boxed sets. Which I love to read so i am very happy to be a part of them. “A NIghtmare of Birthday” is a thriller/horror story at 20k words that will be in the Casting Spells Boxed set collection available on KU. Sunny Abernathy will be releasing “We Were So Close” in 2021. A young couple in the 1990’s wrestles with their relationship being affected by PTSD from the Gulf War.
Pen or type writer or computer?
I am a horrific speller but grew up with out spell check, imagine that. SO I am on the laptop only. Notebooks are stacked all around me though for keeping track of ideas, names, timelines, ect. I hoard way too many pens and notebooks. Pilot gel, pens, oh, they are the greatest.
Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Thank you for supporting me, I am so lucky to have friends and family back me. And the new friends i have made in the last year in the writing community are invaluable resources. Im so thankful for all the fans and friends i have found on twitter and insta under my alter ego’s name, Natillie Painter. I have my Facebook author page https://www.facebook.com/sunnylovestories
Thanks for having me!
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