Jude's Blog

#sixsunday
Here are a few teaser sentences from Painful Reflections, released by Cobblestone Press:

Meg sucked in her breath and knew she should immediately push him away, but the shock mixed with the unexpected pleasure stilled her hands. Todd took advantage of her surprise and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss, moving his tongue to caress the insides of her mouth. She had never been kissed in such a way before, had never actually liked the way Kyle kissed and was totally blown away by the unexpected sensations erupting throughout her body.

As Kyle’s loving face surfaced in her mind, she choked back a sob and broke free of Todd’s inviting mouth. She pushed her hands between them and scowled. “No, don’t.”

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#flaficfri

He didn’t want a pet, had never liked animals, so how had he ended up with a puppy? The dirty and wet little mutt whimpered from within the open box he carried under one arm, as he attempted to hold an umbrella over his head and unlock the door to his car with his other hand, all the while trying not to drop his briefcase. The umbrella fell to the side, and the downpour drenched them both. The puppy’s whimpers got louder, but he cursed as his keys slipped through his wet fingers.
“Looks like you could use some help.”
A white umbrella appeared before his eyes and a slender arm reached down to retrieve his keys. The woman attached to that arm straightened and then slid the key into the door lock. The umbrella finally moved to reveal her face. Brett could only blink at first as he stared at her angelic features, and that is exactly what she looked like. With the way the light hit her umbrella and trench coat through the rain, she might as well have been an angel. She was his angel.
“Oh, he’s precious.” He had almost forgotten about the puppy and didn’t resist as she took the box from beneath his arm.
Tightly gripping his umbrella and briefcase, he opened the door to his car and slid inside. His angel nuzzled the wet dog in the box before handing it back to him, along with his keys. Brett turned to place everything on the seat beside him. “I don’t know how to thank you for helping me. Do you need a lift?” He smiled and looked back where she had been, but there was only the rain. He gasped and glanced in all directions, but he couldn’t find her. If it hadn’t been raining so hard, he would have gotten out to look for her. How could she have just vanished?
Not wanting to get any wetter, he slammed the door and stared out the windshield. He didn’t even know her name. A yip from beside him got his attention, and he chuckled at the puppy with his little paws on the edge of the box, staring at him with big eyes and wagging his tail. “At least you got a nuzzle.”
It was then he saw it. Gold flashed against the puppy’s neck, and he pulled him from the box to get a closer look. A gold bracelet surrounded the animal’s neck like a collar, with a small locket at his throat. The initials ALB were engraved on the front. Brett opened the locket to see a small photo of his angel. He gasped in awe. This was hers.
He gazed again out the window, his mind already working on how he would track her down with the bracelet.

#sixsunday
Here is a little snippet from my paranormal romance, Drew’s Awakening, available at Cobblestone Press:

After turning on the shower and testing the water, she stepped under the hot spray.

At first, she did nothing but stand under the water, enjoying the feel of it against her skin. Once the heat began to relax her tight muscles, she washed her hair and soaped up her body. As her fingers roamed along her curves, she fantasized that Leo’s hands followed hers from her breasts, down her stomach and between her legs. She threw her head back with a moan.

The shower door slid open.

Be sure to visit 6 Sentence Sunday for more snippets.

#FlaFicFri

Her breath came in harsh gasps as her legs pumped hard beneath her. She had never before run so fast or so far and didn’t know how much longer her body could hold out. The pounding of her heart blocked out any chance of hearing if he was still behind her, but she couldn’t risk turning to look. She might trip and fall, and he would catch her.
A low hanging branch nearly got her face, but she ducked under at the last moment, before leaping over a rain puddle. At least it wasn’t still raining, or that would make it harder to remain upright. Slipping was not an option with him chasing her.
She screeched as she felt the tug at her neck. He had managed to get close enough to make a grab for the hoodie of her sweatshirt. Shaking her head, she pulled from her remaining reserves and ran faster. His dismayed grunt made her smile. Looking into the distance, she could see her target. If she could keep up her pace, she would make it. The cramp building in her side was unexpected and unwanted.
“No!” But she couldn’t let it slow her down and ignored it best she could. The man ahead of her wiped his hands on his apron, and began to turn toward her. She was so close, she could almost taste it. He was only a few feet away and held out his arms toward her.
Triumph was trampled on as he tackled her from behind. She went down with a scream as the air was knocked from her body.
“Damn it!”
Laughter came from both men. “She almost beat you this time, Tony.”
“Don’t remind me.” Tony held out a hand to her. “You have to pay again, Sunny.”
Sunny growled as she slid her hand into his and stood beside her lover. They faced the barista, who held out their two cups of gourmet coffee. “I will beat you eventually. Look how close I came today.” She paid for both drinks, already thinking and dreaming about sweet victory.

#sixsunday

She sighed with pleasure as the hands moved to her breasts, freeing them from the corset. Her nipples tightened as they were teased and massaged. A hot mouth licked and then sucked one deeply. Pandy moaned and arched her back. The now hot hands moved down to her stomach and hips.

The bed creaked as he joined her on the bed, and she sucked in her breath as the crotch of the thong was pushed aside.

A few teaser sentences from my Wicked short story, Pandora’s Box, available at Cobblestone Press.

Be sure to read more 6 Sentence Sunday.

Flash Fiction Friday

She pretended to be disinterested in him as he cleaned the pool. Gabby hid behind her dark shades as she sunbathed on the lounger, all the while watching his muscles flex with each scoop of the net. He looked her way, and she forced a yawn, shifting slightly under the hot sun.
She wore her brand new black string bikini and knew she looked good. He looked good, too, in his aqua blue speedo, which barely covered what it both concealed and showcased. The problem was that Fabio knew he had a great body, so Gabby did her best to pretend not to notice. Her friends assured her that the quickest way to gain his interest was to feign indifference. From the sideways glances being shot in her direction, it would seem her plan was working.
“I hope you have on sunscreen, Gabs.”
The comment startled her, and she tilted her head to gaze at him over her sunglasses. “I’m trying to tan, so wouldn’t that be defeating that purpose?”
He made a tasking sound as he continued in his endeavor, smiling at her over his shoulder. “You’re too pale and will burn.”
She scoffed but appreciated his bronze skin. She would kill to have his skin tone, but instead had to deal with a shade slightly off from cotton candy. “You know I hate that nickname.” She glared at him and then closed her eyes. Maybe she should look into getting one of those fake spray on tans.
“Why do you want leather for skin, when you should be pleased with satin?”
The nearness of his voice jolted her eyes open, and she sat up. Forgetting that the strings of her top were undone, her breasts spilled out for his view. Horrified, her mouth fell open in shock. “Oh my God!”
Fabio’s hand darted out and grabbed the strings, hooking them around her neck before she had a chance to react. His hands stayed behind her neck as he sat on the lounger beside her.
“Such a pretty color in your cheeks. Don’t be embarrassed by your own beauty, Gabs.”
She stared into his eyes, for the first time not disliking the nickname he had created for her. He made it sound like an endearment, and she smiled. “Thank you, Fabio.”
He nodded, and they both realized their relationship had changed from that moment on.

This week’s 6 Sentence Sunday comes from one of the short stories I’ve posted for members on the forum, Altered States:

She grabbed the calendar off the wall and held it up in front of her, pointing at
the month. “You can actually look at me and seriously tell me this says December?”
“Lexie, you’re acting really strange. Maybe you need something to eat…”
Lexie stopped listening when she caught her reflection. Holding the calendar in
front of her, she could clearly read December in the mirror.

Flash Fiction Friday

It would be their first kiss. Meredith was nervous about it, too. What if he wasn’t any good at it? She liked Todd so much that the disappointment might kill her. He had to be a good kisser. She nodded, hoping her faith was strong enough to make it true. Having kissed her fair share of toads, she knew how few men knew what to do with their tongues. Some were so sloppy, she had to fight to keep from gagging. You knew it was bad when she had to wipe the back of your hand across your mouth to clear away all the spit. Meredith shuddered just thinking about it.
Shaking her head fiercely, she decided that if Todd wasn’t as good as she hoped that she would give him lessons. No, she wasn’t a kissing expert, but she knew a few things. She’d certainly never gotten any complaints from the toads. Footsteps sounded as Todd walked into the living room carrying two glasses of wine. He handed one to her as she sat beside her on the couch. She took a sip and smiled appreciatively at the sweet yet tart flavor.
“So, what did you want to do?”
Her eyes widened at the question, immediately visualizing locking lips with him. She gnawed on her lower lip and again tried not to worry.
“What’s wrong?” He rubbed her back, and she sighed.
She took another long sip of wine for courage. ”I guess I’m a little nervous.”
“What about?”
Should she be honest with him? How would he react to such a silly worry? Taking a deep breath, she spoke before she could change her mind. ”I’m worried about our first kiss.”
He nodded. ”Me too.”
That surprised her. ”Really?”
Todd threw an arm over the back of the couch behind her and nodded. ”Sure. Most of the women I’ve kissed had no idea what they were doing. I even had one lick my teeth.” He shuddered at the memory, and she laughed.
“Licked your teeth?” It made her problems with kissing seem small. ”Well, I promise I won’t ever lick your teeth.”
He moved closer and whispered in her ear. ”There are other things you can lick.”
She turned sharply and met his gaze, though his nearness made it impossible to focus. She breathed him in and decided that the wait was over. They would both decide here and now if their relationship would progress to the next level. Both their mouths were open and less than an inch apart, so it was easy to begin that kiss. Gentle at first, letting their lips glide over each other, getting used to the feel of their skin.
The tips of their tongues tentatively met, both hesitant to invade the other’s mouth. Now that she knew he was also judging her, she was nervous to go too fast, but his tongue sent shock waves through her body. His arm slid around her waist to pull her closer, and her hands slid up his chest to wrap around the back of his neck. She sighed into his mouth as the kiss deepened. Then it was over, and Todd pulled back to look into her eyes. Her mouth was still open, and her breaths came in pants as she returned his intense stare.
“Damn, that really sucked.”
Crestfallen, she let her hands fall away from him. ”What?” She had finally found a guy who could turn her on with a mere kiss, and he was the one who didn’t like the way she kissed? How ironic was that? ”I’m sorry.”
Todd laughed and tightened his arm around her. ”Damn, don’t apologize. I like a woman who knows how to suck.”
It was then she realized her worry had made her hear him wrong, and she laughed with him. ”Well, then, let’s try it again.”
This time when their lips and tongues met, the worry was gone.

I recently stumbled upon a writer who intrigued me so much that I had to ask him personally to be a guest on my blog. Happily, he agreed to share his wit and humor. Since what DA supplied is longer than the typical guest blog, this is just a teaser, and the rest is on its own page.  

Without further ado, here is KevaD AKA DA Kentner:

First and most importantly, thank you so much, Jude, for inviting me to your blog. I truly appreciate the invitation, though you have no idea what you’re in for.

How long have you been writing romances?

Pretty much since I first discovered sex. While a teen, I was at a party and met a young lady I wanted to seduce. I slipped into a wine and pot (yes, folks, I was once a kid who experimented with life and believed the world was my personal playground and “free love” meant just that) induced diatribe about a knight in shining armor traversing a strange and magical land. I even told it using a British accent. The story went on and on, and the next thing I knew I was in bed with the lady’s… sister. That taught me two things:
1. This storytelling stuff could get me laid.
2. Not everyone was going to like my stories, but there was definitely a clothes shedding audience.

I suppose you want the truth now…

I notice you write about same sex couples, both male and female. What got that started?

I’d never considered writing a same sex story. I critiqued an MM (Man on Man or as some prefer Male Male) scene for Ash, and she asked if I’d considered writing MM. I nervously chuckled. She said I should because I write about human emotion, about love, and love knows no boundaries. Almost immediately, two characters sprang to life and grumbled about how they’d been waiting for me to tell their story, and what the hell took me so long. “Out of the Closet” not only became my first MM story, but my first published book.

However, I’m not strictly a same sex storyteller, even though those genres are my personal bestsellers.

What is the heat level of your books?

I run the full gamut from sweet and innocent to read this one in a freezer. I let the story dictate how much or how little active sex is required for the characters to tell their story. The romantic “A Dance with Bogie and Bacall” has no sex, while the four-part “Catherine’s Toys” psychological horror serial is basically porn wrapped in a plot.

How long have you written for Noble Romance? Have you published under any other epubs?

Noble contracted “Out of the Closet” in 2010, and I now have ten titles published with Noble. I’ve just begun to spread my wings with other publishers.

“Whistle Pass,” an MM suspense novel set in 1955, is being released by Dreamspinner Press February 27th, and an MF (Male Female) romantic paranormal suspense novel, “Kantu’s Heart,” is finished and due to be released by Decadent Publishing sometime this mid-year for their Western Escape line.

What is your favorite book that you’ve written and why?

Tough question. Kind of like asking which of your children do you love most.

I guess I have to say “Sunday Awakening.” That novel exemplifies the kind of story I really enjoy writing – suspense built around two characters who have a lot to go through before they discover and understand their strengths and what’s really important to them… each other.

Do you have any free reads?

I have the free read “Wallace’s Voice” on smashwords. It’s a literary fantasy I wrote a while back, so it’s a little rough and unedited: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/11872 

I have plans to write and post a story or two on my web site. I just haven’t had the time lately.

Well, Jude, you asked me to talk about “The Zombie with Flowers in Her Hair.” Apparently you like torturing your readers with my blather. However, I’m always up to the task.

On the surface, “The Zombie with Flowers in Her Hair” is a slapstick comedy revolving around a zombie lesbian trying to unravel the mystery of a beautiful zombie with flowers in her hair. The story takes place in 1969 shortly after the lead character’s death during a tryst in a Volkswagen. 

Isis is a lonely young woman who doesn’t see any more benefit in being undead than she did alive. Then the zombie with flowers in her hair makes an appearance, and Isis is smitten both by the mysterious zombie’s beauty and how the flowered zombie retains her beauty while Isis’s parts keep falling off. Isis embarks on a journey, but not the one we expect, as the path Isis travels isn’t one of her own design, and her final resting place is far more than she could ever have imagined.

Thank you again for having me here, Jude. You are a generous host. I hope I was polite enough. I fooled you into believing I know what I’m talking about. I have to go now. The nurse says it’s time for my shock therapy.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, David.  I fully enjoyed your sense of humor and wish you the best of luck with your writing!  

To read the full interview as well as a sample chapter of The Zombie with Flowers in her Hair, please visit KevaD’s promo page.

Going to try something different for this week’s 6 Sentence Sunday. I’ve actually done this on Twitter…well, sort of. Here is a micro short, written off the cuff.

Emma slapped him hard, feeling the sting in her palm but refusing to let on how much it hurt. His cheek turned pink, but he didn’t even flinch or attempt to stop her.
“Do you want to hit me again?”
She nodded but remained motionless, trying her best to keep the tears at bay, unwilling to let him see her pain. Derek slowly smiled and lifted her trembling hand to his face, gently prying her fingers apart to kiss her aching palm.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, kissing the palm again before placing her hand on the cheek she had slapped.