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~ Coming Soon ~
GREAT NEWS!!! They're about to arrive!!! Someone To Watch Over Me
& NIGHTLIFE Anthology
Are finally going into print!! They'll be available from Amazon.com by mid-September: Swing by and pick up your copy today!! NIGHTLIFE Anthology: {URL coming soon} Someone To Watch Over Me: {URL coming soon}
{I'm working on
having them available at
Borders.com
and BarnesandNobel.com
very soon - check back for updates!}
My goal in 2008 is to have the sequel
to "Someone To Watch Over Me" {Angels
of the Realm series} written so it can be published in early 2009.
I've also begun another vampire novel titled "Night Hunter" that will probably be a Category
length from Forbidden Publications and available in October of 2008 and a
Christmas novella titled "The Hands of Time," also available in Christmas
of 2008. Below is a cover I designed for the Christmas novella. I'm not
sure if Forbidden Publications will let me keep it, but it may point them
in the right direction.
The sequel in the Angels of the Realm series is tentatively titled "Someone To Guide My Way." I've also begun the sequel to "A Matter of Trust" {Men of Wellington, Texas series} entitled "Nothin' But Trouble." I have begun both stories and have posted brief excerpts at the bottom of the page. Please keep in mind that these are rough, unedited drafts and under full copyright. The cover art for "Nothin'
But Trouble" will be done by one of the fabulously talented cover
artists with Forbidden Publications. I have completed my own cover for "Someone
To Guide My Way," though that's not set in stone.
A decision must soon be made For an angel's destiny Depends on one man's faith ...And time is running out
I'm very proud of the covers I've done to date: "NIGHTLIFE Anthology" & "Someone To Watch Over Me." Both of these covers were redone by me once they went into print. You'll probably still see the older covers floating around for those that only sell the book as a download. My beloved PrintShop did a very nice job on both of the covers. As for my single-titles, I'll be working more on these two in early 2009. Both of these have been started, but had to wait as other more important projects came along. I'm planning on finishing them so they'll be ready for publication in late 2009. ** The first is "MINE," an Inspirational/Suspense with a good bit of the paranormal thrown in. Don't read this one before bed!! ** The second is "Dreamlover," a Paranormal, to be sure, but also a Contemporary/Romance that will give you chills one minute and thrill you in the next. This is a great story to read before bed, but don't be surprised if it influences your dreams.... Look for excerpts on the single-titles to be posted here at the first of the new year, in 2009. I've given myself quite a challenge in the months ahead, but wouldn't have found this possible without the support and cracking bullwhip from my wonderful friend, Lisa Maxwell. Sometimes all we need is a loving kick in the pants from a friend to get us going again. Thanks, Lisa. My butt may be sore, but I consider that a good thing. You're the best!!
Someone To Guide My Way Angels of the Realm series: Book 2 Excerpt: A blizzard raged around her as Eva descended to the Earth’s surface. Heavy snow blinded her, but not enough that she couldn’t see Michael ahead. They were still within their realm, so the elements did not affect their flight. Cold, wind and rain could not touch them until they crossed over into the realm of the mortal world. Eva looked down in time to see Michael land on the steps leading to a two-story house. Seconds later, she landed beside him. He smiled gently and laid his large hand upon her head, speaking in a deep, but quiet, voice. “It has begun.” An immediate feeling of warmth traveled through her body, like lightning, and she knew Michael had prepared her to take human form. Eva smiled, ready to begin her assignment. She raised her head in time to see the trails of the angels’ wings as they flew back to Heaven. Within seconds, they were lost within the blizzard. This was her first assignment on the earth, and she was determined to complete it to God’s liking. Turning away, Eva immediately noticed that she was in mortal form, wingless. He had said she would retain her abilities and she knew this to be true. God was incapable of lying, of sinning. She trusted in Him. Her feet felt strange. Eva looked down and noticed earthly boots on her feet and heavy, thick garments covered her body. The winds howled to a deafening pitch, picking up her black hair and tossing it around wildly. Snow caught onto her eyelashes and Eva blinked rapidly, but the freezing powder would not let go. A bright streak of lightning flashed to her right, making her gasp. Seconds later, thunder rolled above her head from the west to the east. What a night! Eva climbed the remaining steps until she stood before a heavy-looking door with detailed, frosted glass, shaped as a diamond, in the middle of the dark wooden door. She raised a hand, preparing to knock, when it flew open and a rather large woman with shocking red-blonde hair stood in the doorway, glaring in an unfriendly manner. “Well, ‘bout time you got here, missy. Master Dale’s been waitin’ for over an hour. ” Master? Oops. She had not thought to ask the Lord where or when she would be visiting the earth. Time was not what mortals believed it to be. Had the Lord brought her back into the past to right a wrong? “Well, grab your bag and get in! You’ll bring in a foot of snow before you decide to walk through the door.” Eva blinked, looking down. She shouldn’t be surprised, not really. Of course the Lord would’ve thought of everything. Obediently, Eva entered quickly, turning to shut the door, only to find the woman doing it for her. “Don’t ya be worrin’ about that chore. We’ll be puttin’ you to work quick enough, but not tonight. Master Dale has a crisis goin’ on with one of his kids.” For the first time in all her existence, Eva felt the stirrings of anger. Lord help her, the woman would be a challenge! “Yes, ma’am. What shall I do to help?” The large woman’s brows raised high into her forehead. Eva wasn’t sure why. Had she already offended the woman? “Shall, ‘eh? Hmm…I guess you’ll do at that. You even sound like…him.” Oh, my. Do what? And who was him? “Come on, now. Hang your coat behind you and follow me.” Since the woman had already turned to leave, Eva quickly hung her coat and scarf, rushing to catch up to the woman. Heavens in glory! The woman could move quickly for someone of her size! The entry wasn’t too long, but it went all the way up past the second floor. She could see where the top floor looked down to the foyer. The chandelier above her head had to be at least eighteen feet into the air. Although the house wasn’t overly large in square feet, maybe twenty-three hundred, the house looked like a grand mansion. Antique furniture and a few well-placed statues gave the house a formal appeal, rather than homey. The oil pictures on the walls were exquisite in detail, truly works of art. She wondered which of the great painters of the past had drawn them. Off to the left was a room, the door opened wide. Eva peeked inside and caught the gaze of an attractive young girl, maybe nine or ten, with curly brown hair. She held a book in her hands, her feet curled up beneath her in a chair that dwarfed her small body. It was her eyes that were disturbing. Though Eva passed the room quickly and continued to follow the large woman down the hall, the young girl’s eyes continued to disturb her. There was no smile, no curiosity, no interest. No emotion at all. Eva’s attention focused forward when she heard loud voices coming from the back of the house. Incredibly, the large woman walked even faster. They rounded a corner that lead into what appeared to be a garden room at the back of the house. A very tall brown-haired man stood by the back door, facing away and staring out into the harsh blizzard. Behind him stood another man, this one much shorter, with brown hair streaked liberally with gray. The older man placed a supportive hand on the tall man’s shoulder. She could see the elderly man squeezing before he came around to stand beside the taller man. Both men stared into the blinding snow for long seconds. Until the large woman cleared her throat. “Master Anthony, Master Dale. The new nanny has finally arrived.” The elderly man turned first, an immediate smile on his lips. Eva liked him instantly. “Good evening, my dear. I’m Anthony Lawson. And this is my son, Dale, your new employer.” He half-turned, gesturing to the man behind him. The tall man did not move. “Dale. Dale!” The tall man jumped, turning in surprise. “What? What was that, Dad?” Hazel. The tall man had the most arresting hazel eyes she’d ever seen on a mortal. And he was quite handsome. Eva extended her hand, prepared to shake vigorously to put forth a good first impression. “Hello, Mr…ugh, Master Dale Lawson.” The man made a horrid face, cracking his first smile. “Oh, God, please! Do not call me Master anything. That’s the curse I must suffer from Minnie, since she’s been with this family for two generations. Dale will do just fine.” Eva glanced quickly over to Minnie. Minnie? He had to be fooling! The woman had to be at least five-foot, seven and weigh close to 250 pounds! Minnie had to be a childhood name she still bore. When Eva returned her gaze to Dale, she could see the good humor twinkling in his eyes. He did have a sense of humor. So, what had caused his earlier preoccupation beyond the back door? “Forgive the madness, Miss…?” “Oh, Eva.” Dale raised his brows as if to say, And? Oh, my. She hadn’t realized until this moment that she would need a last name. Just pick a name! she scolded herself, but nothing came to mind. Everyone was facing her, their backs to the back door. As she looked out the window, her eye caught a movement. Michael! He stood at the back door and smiled. A moment later he was gone. That was it! “Forgive me. Eva…Michaels. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dale.” Dale’s smile faded slightly. He turned and looked toward the back window, a concerned frown crossing his brow. “Did you see something, Eva? Something outside the back door?” Eva was incapable of lying, so she told the truth. “Nothing but an angel, Dale. Nothing but an angel.” Anthony burst into laughter. “Oh, I like this one. We need to try and keep her.” “Yes. Keep her.” Dale had already turned away, resuming his place in front of the back window. Anthony took her bag before she could stop him. “Right this way, Eva. There are a few things we need to discuss.” Minnie huffed and turned on her heel. Eva heard her say something about fixing supper or no one in the house would be eating tonight. Anthony took her up the stairs, stopping at the second room on the right. “Here you go. If you need anything, just let one of us know. I’ll introduce you to everyone formally during dinner. That should be around 6:00, in about…” He glanced at his watch. “…forty-five minutes.” “I’ll be there. Thank you, Anthony.” He turned to leave. “Excuse me, may I ask a question?” she called out quickly. Anthony turned with a smile. “Of course, my dear.” “Minnie mentioned a crisis involving one of Dale’s children. Is there anything I can do?” The older man’s face softened. “Eventually…I hope you can. But for now, unfortunately, no. It’ll be a waiting game for the next few hours. If we all survive that long.” His smile had vanished and Eva knew, in that moment, one of the reasons the Lord had sent her to this home. She took a few steps forward until she could reach out and take his hand. It was still strong, but the skin was thinning and showing his age. “Remain strong, Anthony, and have faith in God’s will for your grandson’s life. He will never fail you.” Tears began to coat the old man’s eyes, his lips trembling. He swiftly pulled her into a hug, then released her to flee the room. Without thought, Eva went down on her knees in the middle of the room, thanking the Lord for the opportunity he’d given her. She felt a presence -- a mortal -- and looked up. There, just beyond the doorway, stood the young girl, watching with marked confusion on her face. Eva simply smiled and stood, turning to unpack the things in the bag she was given. When she looked up a few seconds later, the young girl was gone. Time will find us, young one, and then we shall have our moment to talk. With great anticipation, Eva looked forward to that meeting.
Nothin' But Trouble The Men of Wellington, Texas series: Book 2 Excerpt: Today was the five year anniversary since she'd come to Wellington. It had been five hard, ruthless years. Ellie had been forced to scrape and claw for every penny, just to keep a roof over her head. Without an education or talent of any kind, she'd seen more downs than ups. Here she was, a month away from her twenty-first birthday, and she was about to be homeless. The rent was two months overdue...again, but that was only the icing on the cake. Her job at the gas station had been threatened when she'd refused to go to weekends only, instead of her full-time schedule. It was her only bread and butter and she couldn't give up the hours. The owner had never asked for her license or any paperwork. As long as she showed up on time, she had the job. Today she'd lost that job and she didn't dare tell her landlord, who'd throw her out on her kester in a heartbeat if he knew. Somehow, though, he'd found out. Her things had been kindly packed for her and were waiting on the steps of the building when she got home. No one would even want to steal the few paper bags holding what little she owned. There was nothing of importance to steal. Loading up the twelve paper grocery bags into the trunk of the car, Ellie headed into town. Maybe she could find a job washing dishes or waiting tables. She'd do anything...well, almost anything. She hadn't sunk quite that low yet. Ellie parked her car in front of The Bottleneck. The club wasn't overly big, but it was respectable. They'd probably insist on seeing her driver's license and high school diploma -- neither of which she owned. She turned on her heel, ready to look elsewhere, when she bumped into a solid chest. "Oof!" Ellie grabbed her nose, sure she'd bruised it. Was it bleeding? She wiped beneath to check. "No, it's not bleeding. What, you gonna sue me now?" Ellie forgot her nose and placed her hands on her hips. She looked up into beautiful eyes and blinked. The man was seriously handsome, but that wasn't what had made her blink. He looked down at her with his hands on his hips, his face a mask of anger. Hell, what had she done to him? "Listen, you...it's not my fault you put that huge...thing in everyone's path. Start looking where you're going! I can almost guarantee you saw me coming. So...get out of the way!" That said, she made her way around him, throwing open her car door, then slamming it shut. She sat there, steaming mad, not sure where she would go now, but knowing she had to start looking somewhere for work. A key tapped lightly on her window. She looked up, squinting at the silhouette of a man, cast in shadow by the sun at his back. It was him. She was in no mood. "Go away," she said loud enough for him to hear. "I'm...thinking." He hunkered down to her eye level and made a motion to roll down the window. She told herself she did it because of the heat radiating in waves inside her car. "What?" she snapped. He had the nerve to smile. "Sorry. That was a stupid thing for me to say. Can I buy you a drink?" "No...thank you. I don't drink. And I'm busy looking for a j--" What business was it of his? She looked away. "A job? Can you wait tables? I own and manage The Bottleneck. I need another waitress, and I have a feeling you'd blend right in." He smiled. She narrowed her eyes. "What kind of paperwork do you need me to fill out?" He brushed that aside, opening her car door, then rolling up her window. "Don't worry about that right now. We can get that filled out later." "Later? Are you sure?" She locked the car door, then pocketed her keys. "Yep. Come inside to my office for a few minutes. I'll tell you about The Bottleneck and let you know what our waitresses get paid. Though, tips are the biggest payday for a waitress. You got any problems working hard for your money?" Ellie smiled at him for the first time, following him into his office and taking a seat across the desk from him. "No problems at all. In fact, I insist on it." "Then, I think we'll get along just fine. How soon can you start?" There was no pause. "Now?" He laughed, enjoying her joke. Until he noticed she wasn't laughing. He lost his smile, his eyes serious. "Are you in trouble?" She thought about that for a minute. "No, not yet. But I need a job pretty quick, and I need a--" She bit her tongue. Will he hire me if he finds out I'm homeless? He laced his fingers together and placed his forearms on his desk. "Listen, there's something else. I've been in desperate need of someone strong and capable to clean my two-story house. There are a lot of rooms and I expect each of them to stay clean. I actually prefer my cleaning person to live at the house, to make it easier for both of us. Of course, your weekends would be free. And the pay would be good." There was a long pause. "Whatdaya say? Are you up for two job offers in one day?" Ellie stood abruptly. She wasn't sure at first if she'd planned to accept or refuse until it came out of her mouth. It seemed desperation had forced her hand. "I accept both job offers." She thrust out her hand, not thinking until it was too late. "Ellie McPherson." Damn! She never used her real name. What was she thinking? "Nathan Bronhart. It's great to have you on board." Ellie smiled, but felt antsy, wanting to move, do something. "Umm, before you start work for tonight, grab a plate of something from Benny, our cook." She raised a hand to protest. "Ut-ut-ut! First rule of the house: never argue with the boss." He smiled. "I'll take it out of tonight's pay, if it'll make you feel better." She nodded. "We close up tonight at eleven and we're out usually thirty to forty minutes later. You can follow me to the house and I'll show you your room. There are clean sheets, but you'll need to make the bed. You can start cleaning around nine in the morning. Any questions?" Ellie stepped closer until her thighs touched his desk. "Just one. I appreciate everything you've offered, but I'm not stupid, Nathan. Why are you doing this for me?" He made a rude noise and scrunched up his face. "I think that would've been obvious." Ellie tensed. "I have a pregnant waitress that'll be leaving in less than a week and my house is a wreck. What other reasons do I need?" Ellie burst out laughing, finally put as ease. "I guess I can't dispute such obvious reasons." He smiled. "Great. Then grab a quick bite to eat, get a beer tray and get to work. You're on the clock in fifteen minutes!" He shooed her toward the door, sat down and lifted a paper to read from his desk. She was dismissed. He was a fickle man, Nate...but she liked him. He was honest, straight-forward and funny. Maybe she had a chance in this town after all. * * * * Nathan looked up just as Ellie left his office. He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. The second he'd looked into her eyes through that fogged up car window, he'd seen a desperation he'd instantly recognized. He saw it every time he looked into the mirror; it was the look of someone who needed a second chance at life. He'd screwed his up royally and the damage was permanent. There would be no second chances for his paralyzed brother, and there would be no second chances for his soul. Maybe, just maybe, though, he could help a few others find their second chances. Teri had arrived at his door seven months ago pregnant, crying and scared. She'd begged him for a job, and he'd laughed, saying she was just in time. One of his waitresses had quit the day before. Of course, it'd been a lie, but he could always use the extra help. The Bottleneck was serving more customers every day and it wouldn't hurt to add a few extra waitresses. Nathan stood up and circled his desk before heading downstairs to make sure Ellie was getting something to eat. He saw her from a distance and stopped, hanging back behind a wooden post. What was her story? Why was she hiding? He had no doubt at all that's exactly what she was doing. It wasn't his business and he didn't really want to get involved. But he'd offered her a job, two actually, and a place to live...instead of her car. He'd made another mark next to his name in his own book of penance. How many more people would he need to help before his soul released him of the guilt he carried around every day? He had a feeling those marks could add up until the end of time, and still, his soul would be burdened? He'd destroyed his brother's life. What penance would ever wipe that slate clean?
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THESE EXCERPTS. KEEP AN EYE ON MY WEBSITE AS I PLAN TO ADD MORE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
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