St. Patrick's Day is almost here
A nod to my Irish ancestors...and the best Irish cop story ever!
My grandmother (my mom's mom) was one of nine children—seven girls and then two boys. Here's a story my mother used to tell about the day her first uncle was born:
Nana was in labor at home with her eighth child. Her husband was at work (on the railroad in Upstate New York), and her older daughters were attending her. When labor progressed to a certain stage, she sent one of the younger girls to go fetch the doctor.
A big winter storm was raging (not uncommon for that part of the US), so the girl bundled up and made her way to the doctor's home. When she arrived, the doctor refused to go with her—said the storm was too much. The girl begged, but he wouldn't budge. Finally, he made her leave, and she stood on the street corner crying, unsure what to do. She didn't want to leave without the doctor.
Soon a young, local police officer saw her and asked why she was standing in the storm by herself. She told him about her mother and what the doctor said. The office bent down and said that the doctor must not have understood (imagine heavy Irish Brogue.) He then took her by the hand, and they went back to the doctor's house.
The doctor immediately was annoyed and repeated that he wasn't going out in the storm. The officer calmly told the doctor he needed to get his coat—that he was going to walk—or crawl—but he was going to deliver this little girl's mother's baby. Grumpily, the doctor complied, and he delivered my Nana's eighth child, her first son. Later, whenever the cop saw Nana pushing her new baby in a stroller in the town square, he would ask about "our boy."
My writing schedule is packed this year
I'm so excited to be participating in SIX fabulous anthology collections in 2024.
Most of these anthology stories take place in my Someone Like Him world. This series focuses on wonderful characters who meet through Fantasy, a secret sex club. At Fantasy, participants are promised mind-blowing, commitment-free sex. But life and love can get complicated, and my characters always find a way to their happily ever after. The stories include:
-A Valentine for Someone Like Him (Mr. Valentine anthology) available now
-Stuck in the Jungle with Someone Like Him (That One Summer anthology) release date: June 11; available for preorder
-Sharing a Bed with Someone Like Him (Craving my Roommate anthology) release date: July 23; available for preorder
-A Holiday Miracle with Someone Like Him (Winter Wishes and Holiday Kisses anthology) release date: November 12
-Giving Thanks for Someone Like Him (a bonfire/Thanksgiving anthology, a charity collection benefiting suicide prevention) release date: November 20
I also have one sci-fi alien romance story being published in the Beyond Starlight anthology in November:
-Captive Heat (the FIRST book in my super sexy Heat series)
Here's what's available now or coming up soon:
Craving my Roommate: a sexy friends-to-lovers/enemies-to-lovers anthology
My Story: Sharing a Bed with Someone Like Him
Preorder: https://books2read.com/u/bx6oJq
Finding a roommate should be simple. Easy as pie, right?
The roommates in this steamy collection will discover just how messy things can become. Not looking for love, but stuck in close quarters, and with undeniable chemistry, things will get complicated quickly.
**My story takes place in a resort that was the location for a secret government fallout shelter, built in the early 1960s. I'm modeling it after the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.**
Isn't there something about a summer romance?
MY STORY: Stuck in the Jungle with Someone Like Him
Preorder: https://books2read.com/ThatOneSummerAnthology
Sizzling summer reading!
Bikinis optional...
Dive into a scorching summer with this limited-edition collection that will transport you into the heart of the steamiest love affairs.
Whether you crave the excitement of the big-city romance, the charm of a small-town affair, or the allure of an island getaway, these stories push the boundaries of passion. Embark on a journey where friends become lovers, enemies discover surprising attractions and strangers find themselves entangled in a magnetic pull they never saw coming. From a sultry beachfront rendezvous to nights of sinful pleasure, these tales promise to awaken your deepest desires and leave you breathless for more. Will sparks fly? Can a summer fling turn into a love that lasts all seasons? Order now and let the summer of seduction begin!
Even though February is over, you can still enjoy a favorite Valentine
Order: Mr. Valentine
MY STORY: A Valentine for Someone Like Him
Are you looking for stories about swoon-worthy men? Mr. Valentine has it all: fake dating, forced proximity, second chance, friends to lovers, and enemies to lovers. Find out what happens to them on Valentine's Day.
An excerpt from A Valentine for Someone Like Him:
I can’t believe I’m doing this.
Stephanie studied herself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror in the Fantasy club dressing room. Her eyes were somehow bluer, her dark hair glossier, and her skin had never looked so luminous. On top of that, her dress was perfection: a snug-fitting, teal-colored corset with a flowy skirt in matching layers of silk in royal blue and emerald green.
Every day, Stephanie arranged for women to visit the Fantasy styling room and leave their regular selves behind. And the Fantasy started with moments like this.
She shivered with excitement.
Magic happened here.
“Becca and Carina provided specific and detailed instructions. They want to show you you’ve trained them well.” Helene, the best stylist in the world, added another twinkling blue pin to the side of Stephanie’s hair. “They wanted to create an amazing Fantasy evening for you.”
Stephanie twisted in place, smiling as the layers of pretty silk swished around her thighs. Maybe she really needed this. The day had been crazy busy as always, and she’d received another message from the tabloid reporter. Instead of ranting about the public’s right to know, his typical MO, this email had just one question: Is Simmons LLC planning on turning Wellness Now into another kind of Fantasy? She’d frowned, reading the message two more times. Why would he ask her that? And what did he know about the Wellness Now deal?
She’d immediately forwarded the note to Ross. He brushed it off with a quick two liner of his own: Thanks for letting me know. Now forget about it.
Well, no need to be concerned if he wasn’t concerned.
She touched the back of her hair, giving the perfect wave a little pat. “I’m curious about my date for the evening.”
Helene offered a knowing smile. “I’m sure he will be perfect for you tonight.”
“So you know who I’m meeting?”
“My lips are sealed.” Helene nodded at her work and took a step back. “You’re ready, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed this evening.”
Stephanie had walked down the elegant corridors of the New York City Fantasy club plenty of times. Each room she could describe with exacting detail. But tonight… She clenched her hands together but maintained a steady stride with her escort. How strange and exciting to be here as a guest.
The escort opened the door to the Venetian Garden suite, a room she had renovated to resemble the Venetian fete the club hosted for guests on their resort on Grand Isle.
The intoxicating scent of old English roses filled her as she eyed two bountiful bouquets of pink, cream and red blossoms. The walls, covered with a deep scarlet velvet, shimmered in the glow of a dozen candlesticks. Then there was the bed, big and wide and sumptuous, draped in blood-red satin and covered by more plump pillows than she could count.
A man—tall, dark-haired and broad-shouldered—stood facing away from the door. Stephanie stopped moving, her eyes narrowing as she studied the figure before her. There was something familiar…
He turned, and she gasped.
“Ross.” She lost her breath.
He blinked, looking equally startled. “Stephanie.”
This had to be a mistake. Stephanie flipped around and turned to her escort, but he’d already exited the room. Then she faced Ross again.
Oh my God.
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