Random Excerpt!!!

State of Unrest takes place in 1900 and 1776 (There are two stories intermingled within the book...) and sets the stage for State of Resistance.  The Chronicles of JJ has many twists and turns, but today we're going to take a look at a moment in time where everything was set in motion...

       Summer 1900

Rural area surrounding Memphis, TN

Abigail Belamy was furious. From the moment of her birth to this moment, she had been the perfect princess to her father’s Alpha status. When he said jump, she jumped. When he was going to marry her off to that slimy Wolf Changeling Milo Erickson, she had agreed.

Thankfully, Milo found another specimen to set his sights on. Apparently, straight-laced and meek Abigail posed no challenge for him, so he set his sights on more feral pastures. However, this so-called diplomatic endeavor was an insult. It put her in precarious position to maintain the fragile peace between Changelings and Vampires. Her father did not want peace, and never had. Abigail knew her father’s hatred ran very deep. She never truly understood why he despised Vampires and Darklings so much. Sure, from her birth it had been the way of things not to intermingle within the species. There were no explanations for the reasoning of such a radical law. It may not be in any law book or legislature from any of the species, but it was enforced – swiftly and without mercy.

It was rumored one of the pack females scented a darkling and she instantly became enamored of him. Apparently, he was her destined mate. She could not fight nature, so they became a mated couple. Of course, it was a rumor so the validity of it was beyond Abigail’s reach. However, if it were true, then the given legislature of mixing between species was as cruel as it was unfounded.

Everyone knew that mating was a powerful bond, reaching within each other’s souls and tying them together for their existence. It was considered predestined by those who controlled the universe that these two people should meet and be together. It was a bond so strong that upon the destruction of one of the pair, the other slowly died his or her soul no longer whole. Yet when meeting your fated companion if you were to deny what fate had deemed so then you would slowly become mad, no longer a functioning member of society. Abigail was not especially knowledgeable about mates, having never felt that urge to make someone completely hers, but she had heard rumors of other members of the packs going mad from denying their potential mate. Abigail could only think of one reason why they would deny their mates – it was forbidden.

Abigail threw her dresses in the trunk, her mind a whirl of thoughts, most of which she would never reveal. Abigail took a deep breath and released her tension as she had always done. This technique was probably the reason she was such an obedient daughter. Being exactly what her father decided she should. She walked to the window, overlooking the small village her father preferred to stay rather than the large house allotted the Alpha of all the wolf packs. The new moon bathed the night’s darkness in dim light, creating an eerie setting to the usually lighted hillside. Shadows played on the windowpane from the candles that glowed on her desk. Abigail leaned her forehead against the glass, her breath causing it to fog. Her perfect, ordered existence was ending. Her eyes a bright green color reflecting on the glass was an affirmation that her animal side agreed.

Abigail’s life revolved around her father’s status as Alpha, his power not just for that of the wolf changelings, but his elected status as King of the Changelings. This position ensured that her upbringing was under the watch of all the species. Her brief fifty years spent being the perfect daughter. Attending all the functions and behaving properly. Giving up a normal existence for that of a figurine, something to be looked at, never spoken to, and never befriended.

A tear spilled down her cheek, as she released her pent up breath. It was time to become what her father deemed necessary for the changelings. She knew this move for what it was, despite her father reassuring her that she was the obvious choice. Despite beliefs she held near to her heart, the world saw females as second class, nothing more than slaves in some instances. Her father sending her as the diplomat in this last ditch effort to save the fragile peace was a slap in the face to the other diplomats. She knew it and so did her father who vehemently denied such a tactic.

 

Don't forget the Year End Splash! at The Romance Reviews starts today!  Don't miss out on the fun games and awesome prizes!

Insecurities (Repost)

Insecurities can plague us at any time.  They can be as simple as being self-conscious about your weight or hair, or can even be more complex encompassing any wide range of emotional or physical factors.  Let's take a closer look at insecurity and how it plagues the everyday existence of some of the characters of my books!

Definition:

Lack of confidence or assurance; self-doubt

Source:  Dictionary.com

In Embracing Ember, we catch up with Anna who displays an insecurity that is in part due to a trait she admires in her friend, Serenity: 

Anna looked at Kylan who beamed with pride, but he didn’t know how panicked Anna was.  Anna was a labor & delivery nurse, sure, her job was important, and she took pride in that job.  Yeah she had read a few articles on fertility, had even volunteered her time at a fertility clinic for the extra education, but help with research – she wasn’t so sure about that.  
“Um, I think maybe you need someone else for this job.  Serenity may not be a labor and delivery nurse, but I believe she would be better suited for this.  I just…I, well.  I’m just not as smart as she is,” she said her voice cracking at the end.  She would never have told Serenity or even hinted to the fact but she felt insecure with her intelligence, especially with Serenity.  She loved Serenity, but it didn’t stop her from feeling inadequate in intelligence when Serenity was just so damn smart.  She hated herself for that jealousy and had tried to beat it down, especially since Serenity had never thrown it in her face when she didn’t understand things.

Now, let's take a look at Serenity's views on Anna.  Serenity is a curvy female and at times can be insecure with her weight, but there is a deeper insecurity that Serenity suffers.

Serenity let out a sigh then said, “Look, Anna, I know you mean well, but I bet this guy has no idea what I look like.  That will be awkward.  I mean, he will just assume that I will be pretty like you, and when he meets me, he will be disappointed.  I just cannot do that.  I will be embarrassed and you know I get angry when I get embarrassed.  Then you know I’ll say things that I will regret later while stuffing my face with everything that doesn’t run fast enough.”

Last, but certainly not least, let's take a look at a very simple insecurity that I believe most people suffer from.  In The Witch's Birthday Brew, Genesis's insecurity revolves around her curvaceous figure and something else???  

Sure thing Mr. Slime bucket!  Lucky for that prick his wife never called.  Genesis may be a pushover in some things, but one thing she wasn’t going to do was lie to the man’s wife.  Especially while he was screwing the beach blonde bimbo with fake tits that always looked down her nose at Genesis. 
Genesis didn’t have a problem with blondes, not even the boxed kind.  She didn’t even have a problem with fake tits.  Hell if you could afford them, then get them.  However, she did have a problem with the snaggletooth bitch calling her a whale.  Not everyone could be skinny.  Some people were a size eighteen and enjoyed eating. 

As for my insecurities...Well, they're mine and I'm working on them.  ;)!

Random Excerpt...

Good Morning!  Today is Monday and to make today a little less drab here is a random excerpt from...drum roll please...Maria's Match!  DA-DA!...

"She kicked." Maria said a smile so beautiful it nearly blinded him with its radiance plastered on her face.
It took a few seconds for his mind to assimilate that his daughter had kicked his hand. He stared in awe at the place where his hand covered her abdomen. He fell to his knees and kissed her belly still astonished that she held their daughters nestled within her. Maria’s hands ruffled through his hair and he raised her shirt to place a kiss on her stomach.
"I could never hurt you, Maria. Never you or my babies, because I love you too much," he whispered as he lay his head on her stomach.
Maria sighed. "I know that, Silvius, but you'll hurt me eventually."
He looked into her eyes still shining with tears that now spilled down her cheeks. He shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, tell her anything to take the tears away. She shook her head and placed her fingers over his mouth silencing him.
"You'll leave eventually, Silvius. Everyone always does. We're not even from the same planet, how could you think this would work?"
"I love you and you'll come with me back to Salin. I'll take care of you and our daughters. I'll make you happy, I promise."

Maria's Match is now available on Amazon, ARe, and Smashwords!
Also available in Print at Amazon and available in the iBookstore!

Random Excerpt!

And today's random excerpt comes from...A Game of Cat & Mouse!
Random Chapter: 12
Random lines: Page 89 (PRINT) First two paragraphs!

Wesley Chambers was a large man, about six four and built like a body builder.  He wore his black hair shorn close to his scalp.  Caleb too the hand offered and was hard pressed to keep from wincing at his bear-like grip.
"It's nice to meet you, Caleb.  I knew your father."
Caleb looked him over and tried to place the man, but he was at a loss.  Miranda leaned forward and sniffed the male, and Caleb saw red.  He picked Miranda up and placed her behind his back before growling low in his throat at the male who'd interested his mate.  Wesley lifted his arms in surrender with a shit-eating grin plastered to his face.

Available at Amazon, ARe, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, iBookstore, Kobo and Sony.