Take a peek at Lucky Puck
Jun 22, 2025 5:06 pm
Exclusive Peek at Lucky Puck!
Dear ,
It’s already Sunday again and time for our one-sided chat. I look forward to popping in with you—and maybe it’s because I get to do all the *talking*! Lol!
This has been one of those less-than-productive weeks for me. Maybe you’ve experienced the same thing now and then—where you just can’t concentrate or seem to make yourself buckle down and do the work you normally do. Like writing Lucky Puck.
There’s always a reason why and for me this week, the reason is worrying news about the health of one of my oldest and dearest friends. The news has been a deep down distraction to a level beyond the usual stuff like, say, the price of eggs.
But writing to you today is a reminder that I have good positive things going on in my life and I need to sustain them.
Time to channel my anxiety into positive action and crush the word count—next week.
In the meantime…
Check out my latest Exclusive Excerpt from Lucky Puck below! ⬇️⬇️⬇️
There's still time to enter my *famous* Name That Character Contests for my next book, Patrick: The Jennings Brothers - Hockey Boys series
All I need is a first name for one of the twin girls in the rival family to the Jennings. Something sexy and Italian💋
Check out the details for the Name That Character Contest below! ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Also this week I have a fantastic Featured Author and some book deals for you below! ⬇️⬇️⬇️
As always, I appreciate your time and attention to my newsletter, and your support, very much. 💜
************************************************
At SQ's House
Here's me with my sister Cindy and my youngest sister who wishes to remain anonymous (lol! I told her I was going to describe her as my anonymous sister and we all got a kick out of that!)
It's not often that we're all together these days since we all live in different states and even different coasts. So this time is fun and very precious! 💜
Any visits planned with your siblings or friends who may as well be sisters/brothers?
💜
************************************************
I'd love you to join my team!
You too could be one of my expert series consultants!
Plus it would be fun to get to know you better.
You'll get sneak peaks at draft book covers-and have a say in the final draft, we'll have exclusive contests and some behind the scenes writer stuff and of course, talk romance books--and whatever else we want. 💜
************************************************
Work-in-Progress
LUCKY PUCK - a hockey rom-com
Word Count Goal: 75,000
Current Word Count: 38,587
Percentage Complete: 51%
Once you lie about a thing like being married and it gets leaked to the public, the biggest problem is figuring how you get out of it.
Brody & Bianca realize this too late.
They never thought about their exit plan...
********************************
EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT!
Brody
“This is an impressive crowd even for a hockey phenom,” Sabien quips under his breath. I elbow him. Then I glance at Brooks to see how she’s doing. Not sure why since she works for me.
She’s wearing a tight smile. I step closer as Stubicheck and his security team step aside to give the media mob full access to us. She moves away from me, falling behind as if she’s hiding.
Of course she is. The media isn’t here to ask her questions. They probably have no idea who she is and she’s counting on me to keep it that way.
There are a number of questions about my injury and coach points to one reporter, singling her out for first crack at me. The young lady with credentials from a media outlet I’ve never heard of raises a mic and shouts louder than necessary, “Is it true you had a Vegas wedding? Tell us about your new wife—”
Her crazy question stuns me into silence and unleashes a barrage of similar shouts from the surrounding media until the coach waves his hands to quiet them again. Then everyone, including the coach looks at me for an answer.
“What wife?” The words come out automatically as if I'm in a daze, which I probably am.
But when the savvy young reporter with questionable creds glances at my ring finger, I realize denial, even if it’s the truth, may not be the best tactic in this instance. Because the whole truth is… complicated. And not particularly believable.
It’s all I can do not to lose my shit and snatch my hand from view. As it is, my hand clenches as I dart my eyes at the offending digit with the shiny gold band.
I reflexively swipe my un-ringed hand across my face while I corral all the expletives exploding in my head and try to compose myself enough to come up with a neutral answer. I don’t think sticking with Sabien’s ridiculous lie is the best way.
But Sabien has other ideas. Grabbing me and Brooks by the shoulders and drawing us together, he says “May as well reveal the big secret. These two newlyweds just tied the knot in a classic Vegas wedding. It was beautiful.”
I stare at my teammate, the captain of our fucking team and wonder if I should punch him in the mouth to stop him or slap him on the back with grateful encouragement. Glancing at Brooks—or should I think of her as Bianca now that she’s my fake wife?—it’s no mystery that she’s shocked and livid with Sabien’s big mouth.
When she tries to grab his arm, I intervene because who knows what harm she plans. I take her hand in mine, clutching it in a firm grip.
“Take it easy sweetheart,” I say under my breath leaning close to her ear.
She gives me a wide-eyed stare and then the cameras come out in force, everything from cell phones to telephoto lenses to full blown television cameras aimed at us.
“Who is your wife? Introduce us.”
Brooks surprises me when she squeezes my hand, clutching it in hers as if she’s jumped off a bridge on a bungee cord and I’m the bungee cord. Leaning against me stiffly, while Sabien holds us together with the kind of force I’d expect from someone who could deadlift a gorilla, or from a gorilla, I don’t dare look at her until she speaks up, addressing the reporter.
“That’s right. We’re newlyweds. So we won’t be staying long.”
I can’t believe she’s going along with the absurd story, but then again the alternative is—not good. She gets a smattering of laughs at her quip and I grin at her because it’s a clever way to get us out of here pronto so I can lay down before I fall down. My peek-a-boo headache has just made a reappearance and I’m not surprised. It wouldn’t take having a concussion to get a migraine over being outed as half a newlywed couple, especially with Brooks—I mean Bianca—my fucking hands-off agent—posing as my other half.
Pre-Order Lucky Puck for Only $2.99!
***********************************************
NAME THAT CHARACTER CONTEST
Still Time to Name the Heroine!
Patrick's love interest is one of the twin girls from the rival family of the Jennings in town. She's Italian and sexy and sweet, loyal to her family, but inexorably drawn to *Trick*, the middle Jennings brother.
Hockey Boys - Patrick: the Jennings Brothers
NAME THAT CHARACTER
PRIZE: $5 Amazon GC and acknowledgment in the book
DEADLINE: June 28th
ENTER HERE!
You can pre-order now!
***************************************************
Stephanie Queen's Featured Review
"Loved the mix of a hockey romance and suspense. Almost stayed up all night reading the book, but fell asleep sitting up. Great characters and how they become “family” resulting in a great finish. Highly recommended. On the the next book.."
--Christina Bowens
READ NOW!
Thank you to every reader who takes the time to write a review. They're all very much appreciated and I read them all.💜
Special thanks to my Stephanie Queen Team ARC Readers. You're the BEST!
************************************************
Stephanie Queen's Featured Author
#Bossholes - Melissa Ivers
I didn’t plan on working for one grumpy boss, let alone three. And I sure as heck didn’t plan on selling them my virginity.
Wyatt Ellis, Brantley Ellis and Maverick Wallace are just as pretentious as their names sound. Who cares if they’re gorgeous billionaires. They are the literal worst.
Between the long hours, the snippy comments, and the last minute requests you’d think even one of them would get my name right. Nope. They’re infuriating. Insufferable. Overbearing.
Unfortunately I need this job.
Especially after an unexpected expense, makes me desperate and I need to look at getting some cash and quick but there’s only one thing I have worth selling. My V-card.
I really shouldn’t have had the auction site open on my company computer and I definitely should’ve left the hotel room when I realized who the highest bidders were.
But I didn’t and now they want more. Too bad for them my heart isn’t for sale.
What to expect in #Bossholes…
*Workplace Romance
*Age Gap
*Three Grumpy Heroes
*Sunshine Heroine
*Opposites Attract
*Enemies to Lovers
*Online Auction (wink)
*Plenty of Dirty Talk
*All The Possessive Vibes
*LOL Banter
*HEA
*No cheating
BUY OR READ ON KU
************************************************
SQ’s Featured Book Deals
BEACHREAD BOOK SALE!
JUNE BOUQUET OF ROMANCE
SUPPORT INDIE AUTHORS SALE!
************************************************
Thank you again for reading this newsletter.
When you have a chance, let me know what you thought of today's excerpt from Lucky Puck.
Next week I'll let you know who won the Name That Character Contest!
In the meantime, enjoy your reading and know how much I appreciate your support. 💜
Warmest Regards,
