I was asked over a week ago to post an excerpt for this story and my lazy self didn’t do it, so here’s me trying to not be a slug. Here’s you’re excerpt, Dian. Sorry for the delay.

Note: This is when Holly first realizes who she’s trapped with in that mountain cabin.

Holly stood rooted to the floor until her mouth had gone completely dry from hanging open. Her heart raced in her chest and she blinked a few times before closing her mouth.

She stared down at who she now knew was the very famous, although troubled musician, Devin Shaw, front man for the band, Wicked, the hottest thing to hit the music scene in years.

Her hands started sweating instantly. Devin Shaw. She was in the same room as Devin Shaw. Roxy would shit bricks when she found out!

He’d lain back down after giving her one last grin and she stared at his silent form wondering what to do. All that pretty flesh was laid out right before her eyes and she had to shake her head to remain focused on the problem at hand and not him.

But, how many nights had Roxy drooled over every member of that band, Luke especially, going into detail of what she’d like to do to them given the chance?

And here she was, her hungry gaze devouring Devin Shaw in the flesh.

She bit her cheek to keep from smiling and turned, making her way quickly to the upper loft.

She searched her bags again for the phone charger. How could she forget to pack it? Sitting on the bed after the third rummage through her things, she sighed.

Now what?

What Devin Shaw was doing here was a better question. Weren’t rock stars supposed to be living life in the fast lane? Yet, here he was, sleeping on her rented sofa in the mountains of Tennessee.

What did she do now?

Roxy would know what to do. Of course, knowing her friend, she would tell her to take advantage of the situation and ride Devin like the stallion he was, but that was something Holly couldn’t do. She’d never been the go-get ‘em kind of girl. Besides, just because he was a rock star didn’t mean he was fuckable.

Her inner eye recalled all that sinful flesh laid out on the sofa and she grinned. Okay, so maybe he was fuckable. That didn’t mean she would throw herself at him like some love-crazed groupie.

The thoughts of actually sharing the cabin with him lasted about as long as it took for her mind to register how bad an idea that was. The last she’d read, he had been in rehab for substance abuse, and what that substance was, had never been revealed.

He was ill tempered, arrested after he attacked someone at one of his concerts, and every detail of his life splattered on every magazine cover and trash paper imaginable.

Then again, how many times had Roxy gone on and on about how the press lied to sell magazines? She was probably right too. Every time that band appeared in a magazine, Roxy snatched it up and devoured every word written about them, proving her point.

She sighed, lifted her hand, and pushed her hair back away from her face. What was she going to do? She couldn’t possibly share the cabin with him. The idea was insane. Devin Shaw? How would she ever survive two weeks with him underfoot? Maybe he isn’t staying that long. She frowned and lay down across the bed.

* * * *

Devin let out a long breath and turned his head to look up at the bedroom loft. Dim light shown on the walls but he couldn’t sense any movement. The cabin was quiet; the only sounds were that of the fire popping and the wind outside whistling through the trees.

Holly had looked completely shocked when she finally realized who he was. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a little disappointed it had taken her so long to figure it out. He was used to screaming girls recognizing him from four blocks away. She was a first.

He didn’t know what to do. His cell phone didn’t work and hers was useless as well. He was here for the next month. There was no way he could spend that much time with her and still expect to get anything done. He was here to write and get his shit together.

Having her underfoot would be a distraction. He’d yet to meet a woman he didn’t eventually sink his cock into. Women threw themselves at him daily and he was happy to oblige. Of course, bedding Holly was in no way a burden. The girl was a looker. A little plain compared to the girls he’d been with but that didn’t make her less attractive. She looked sweet and innocent, like a grade-school teacher with curves and tits that would stop traffic. The vision of her sweating and screaming his name put a smile on his face. Seeing her by the fire, naked and beautiful, was proof enough. He’d fuck her silly given the chance.

He sat up and stared into the fire. If you can’t get rid of them, fuck ‘em. It had worked for years. Why not now? Besides, how long had it been now? Too damn long.

Fictionwise has this at a 15% discount at the moment making it only .84cents! Head over there to read another excerpt or to buy.
http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook71344.htm?cache

Out Now! New contemporary romance ebook by Lily Graison…

Wicked: Tempt Me Not
Book 1 in the Boys of Wicked Series

Devin Shaw, front man for the band, Wicked, is forced into seclusion by his manager after his destructive behavior almost destroys the band. Sent to a remote cabin alone isn’t Devin’s idea of fun, but to save his career, he’ll do what it takes.

Holly Baker, escaping the hassles of her big city life, arrives in the mountains of Tennessee and awaits the arrival of her friend, Roxy, to start their two-week vacation. Their plans change drastically when Roxy is called away at the last minute, leaving Holly to fend for herself.

Devin and Holly’s worlds collide when a mix up strands them in the same cabin. Alone with nothing but each other for companionship, how will Holly react when she realizes she’s trapped with none other than the hottest lead singer the country has seen in years? Will Devin be able to work with a constant distraction the pretty brunette offers? Or will the two discover that sometimes temptation is a wicked dessert best served hot.

Price: $0.99

Buy now or read an excerpt at Alinar Publishing

I’ve neglected the blog again. I’m not even sure why I keep it other than the fact it’s a distraction when I don’t want to be working…like now. Lol

I’m in edits at the moment (which I loathe) on a story that will be released, Aug. 3rd. It’s book one of a 4 book series. I’ll talk more about it when it gets closer to the release date. I don’t want to jinx it yet. 😉

I rarely talk about anything here other than my writing so today I thought I’d share a few facts about me and my real life. You know, the boring stuff people always like to know.

* I just celebrated my 40th birthday this year!
* I’m a wife of 21 years. I married my high school sweetheart, if you can believe that.
* I work a regular 40-hour a week job, one of which I enjoy.
* I have 1 daughter, age 20, who has moved out on her own and gave me this nice office I now sit in. (the new office is in her old bedroom)
* My son, 19, still lives at home. He’s a self-taught guitarist and I love listening to him play. He plays by ear but writes his own songs as well as playing others’ music.
* I have 1 grandbaby, Hayden, who is a special needs baby. He’ll be 3 in July and still cannot talk. He’s missing a gene and they believe that is the reason he can’t speak. He’s learning to sign and I must admit, that is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Every week he learns a new ‘sign’ and we all learn it as well.
* The only sibling I have is a sister, who is 1 yr. younger than me. We’re the same age for 12 days out of the year. Her bday is April 3 and mine is April 15.
* My great uncle, on my father’s side, ran with Al Capone.
* I caught the writing bug in 2002, getting my start in fan-fiction. My first published story was in 2005. I’ve written a total of 8 complete novels and 7 novellas, all of which are not published. Yes, I’m a slow writer, but you already knew that. 😉
* I’ve lived in North Carolina all my life. I’m a 4 hour drives away from the mountains AND the beach.
* My ultimate vacation spot would be Greece. My husband will not fly, so I doubt I’ll ever be able to visit.

So…there you go. A few facts about me that you didn’t know. If there’s anything I haven’t mentioned and you’d like to know, don’t hesitate to ask. Chances are, I’ll answer…unless it’s too personal, of course. 😉

Since finishing the new office my muse decided he needed a break. O_o Like the 2 week break he had while I was painting, ripping up old carpet, and waiting for furniture delivery wasn’t enough for him.

Before starting the office, I was working on an old story…one I had stalled on a while back and left. It was flowing again and coming along nicely. Then the office refurb came up and the muse took a vacation. 2 weeks later and he still hadn’t come home to play. I opened up another story; read it all from beginning to end and BAM…my muse came rushing home!

I managed a good 1,300 words last night. That’s more than I’ve written in the last month, sadly, and the flow hasn’t stopped yet. I may actually get this story finished before 2010! It’s due to release in August *bites nails* We’ll see how that all works out.

I’ve been purposely ignoring the Internet for the past couple of weeks. Every time I release a new book I always get very melancholy for some reason. I’m not sure why but it’s been that way from the beginning…even back when I wrote fanfic.

I decided to take a little break and do something I’ve wanted to do for years and now, here I sit in my Brand New Shiny Office!!

My daughter moved out a few months ago to start her own life and her bedroom has been sitting empty ever since. I decided if I was ever going to get that office, I would have to do it myself, so I did.

My new office is a very pleasant, pale yellow trimmed in white. I have a new bookcase to house my numerous books; a new ‘L’ shaped desk to house all my junk, and for the first time ever, a high-speed connection! I just need to get all my things hauled up the stairs and we’ll be ready to write again…I hope. Hehehee

It feels odd to be up here and not surrounded by clutter. My desk used to be in my bedroom, shoved into a corner with all my crap just piled up on the corners. Now I have all this space, bright walls and plenty of light. I keep looking around, seeing all the changes and would be intent on just sitting here, staring at it all. But that isn’t it’s purpose. I created MY space to write. A place to call my own. A place where my imagination can run wild. Let’s hope it all works!

So, what do you think? I gave the blog a makeover. I liked the other layout but all the gray was starting to depress me. lol This one is bright and cheers me up a bit. After the week I’ve had, I need some cheering up.

Have you ever said something or done something you regret afterwards? I’m not talking, “Oh I wish I wouldn’t have said that,” and move on…I’m talking, wishing you hadn’t done it to the point it makes you physically ill. Well, that has been my week. Something happened at work this week and I made a wrong decision. I’ve regretted it ever since. I’ve lost sleep over it actually. I get sick to my stomach if I dwell on it too much. I’m not sure what will happen but if the shit hits the fan, so to speak, I’ll have no one to blame but myself. *sigh* It’s been a lesson I won’t forget though. Don’t say anything until you’ve thought about it first.

It’s not so much what I said, but the repercussion of what I said. I think that’s why it makes me sick. One stupid mistake will cause me so much trouble. Like life isn’t hard enough. Worst part is…I did it to myself. Much easier when we can blame our grief on someone/something else.

Nothing I can do about it now but wait for the fallout. I’ll probably be a nervous wreck before all is said and done. As if I wasn’t crazy enough. LOL I’ll just add this to my list of, Stupid Life Lessons.

I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. I’m not the first person to do something monumentally stupid, right?

My first published story, A Touch of Heaven, was released in 2005. My second, a short story for Whiskey Creek Press Torrid, was released in 2007. My third, Destined Hearts, in 2008. Three years and I have 3 stories to show for it. I guess some could say I don’t have what it takes to make it, but I would have to disagree.

I love books. I love to read and I read a lot. Traditional books as well as eBooks. One thing I’ve noticed about eBooks and the authors who write them is the frequency in which they release them. I’ve seen authors with new releases every other month, some even every month. My hats off to those select few for doing something I cannot.

I’ve had stories that take me an entire month just to plot out. Others take months just to organize my thoughts. I often wonder how writers produce a well thought out manuscript in such a short period of time. I’ve always said, “I’m a slow writer.” But I have to wonder if its not so much as I’m slow as others are just fast.

I spent 5 months editing Destined Hearts. Not to mention the years it took to write it. I would get hung-up along the way and put it aside. It actually took me from the first word to the last, 5 years to write. If I broke that down into actual writing time, I’d be safe to say it actually took closer to 6 months. So a good FULL year to write and complete a full novel.

I’m in the process of writing a new story. The release slots get snatched up so fast at Alinar you have to plan ahead. I’ve already taken a date, August in case you’re wondering, but I’m not really sure I’ll be able to make it. I have 5 months to write a complete novel and edit it. To some, I’m sure they could write several in that time frame, but not me. I’ll be lucky to get my first draft done in that time.

I know in the eBook world getting your name out there is key, but I have to wonder if in doing that, authors are really growing as writers. Anyone can slap words on a page and call it a story. Even I can do that, but does it mean it’s a GOOD story?

The majority of problems I find with eBooks are they aren’t as well written as traditional books. Not every eBook, mind you, but the ones I’ve purchased left much to be desired. I actually have 3 that I never even finished reading. The plots were so rushed they were unbelievable. Your hero and heroine can’t meet and the next day be madly in love. It just doesn’t happen like that in the real world, so why would I want it to happen in a fantasy world. Books filled with so much sex it reads like a “How To” guide turns me off a story too. I like sex in my books as much as the next person, but after reading 20 pages of JUST sex, I get bored.

I love a good story but I want it to BE a good story as well. Books that are thrown together on a whim just to sell copies or get your name out there only hurts the writer in the long run. They get sloppy, don’t see the bigger picture, and let their readers down.

I guess one could say an author who produces 20 books a year is a better writer than one who only produces 1 or 2 a year, but I’d have to disagree. I would much rather someone take the time to delve into a character, and take the time telling their story, than fly through it to get to the sequel. It’s okay to slow down and enjoy the process. There are no mad dashes to the finish line. It’s all about the story and giving your readers the best you can is far better than rushing through it and losing the most important parts. Writing a damned good book!

It seems I’ve neglected my blog as of late. Anyone who reads it regularly knows by now I’m apt to do that. Can’t help it. I always have so many things going on, making time to blog just isn’t high on my list of priorities. Heck, I haven’t even filled out my taxes yet and I HAVE to do that! LOL I respond well to food, so throw a girl a cookie once a week and I may hang out here more often. grin

Not much going on in the way of writing. My muse is refusing to work on the story I wanted to do next. He won’t budge. I’ve tried everything I can think of, but no. He wants kinky sex and lots of it. What’s a girl to do? I have an old story I wrote a few years back that I never finished, and that is what the muse wants to play with, so we’ll be getting to work on that soon. Maybe that will satisfy him. Who knows with him. Uh, I’m referring to Benny…my muse. I’ve named him, obviously, and his personality is unpredictable at best. He’s a fat lazy drunkard who has to be enticed to work. He runs off quite regularly and I spend more time trying to find him than I should and when I do track him down, he refuses to do anything. I can usually lure him into writing with the promise of sex…from the characters! Not from me. LOL I guess we’ll just have to see how things go in the next few weeks.

My day job will hopefully be better by mid-April. I work 2nd shift…3:30 to midnight. It sucks beyond the telling of it but I’ve been promised a move to first. My replacement is being trained now. I’ll have better hours once the move is made but that nifty title of ‘supervisor’ will be gone. Oh well. I’ll gladly trade it for a normal life. I feel like a hermit most days. I sleep and work and not much else. I write on the weekends when my domestic goddess duties don’t drag me away. Or my husband. He’s jealous of my computer. Go figure.