Jacqueline C. Thomas - Romance Novelist

Archives for June 2019

My Favorite Things to Eat When You’ve Can’t Stop Writing

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My favoirte days are the ones where I can sit down at my computer with a hot cup of coffee and know I have all day, or at least a good chunk of time to dive into my work. More often than not, I get so engrossed in my work I forget to eat! I look up from my computer several hours later, exhausted and hungry. So here are my top ten foods to eat while I am writing.

A Peanutbutter & Jelly Sandwich

Oh man, I am a sucker for a goodPB&J! The best thing about this snack or meal is that it isn’t too messy and the nut butter will keep me fueled to keep writing.

Hummus

Usually, food with dip is a no go when writing, my fingers are busy typing. The exception to the rule for me is hummus. It is filling! It is also a bonus that it is healthy. I like it with whole wheat pita or veggies.

Grapes & Berries

Any fruit that I can just pop into my mouth and it fills the craving for sweet is a win in my book!

Soup or Stew:

If I know I have a weekend of writing ahead or I am on a deadline, this is my go to. I will make a big pot of soup, stew or a casserole that easily reheated. Three minutes in the microwave, and I have hot food.

Cold Pizza

Leftover cold pizza is my weakness! The best part, aside from taste, is that is easy to eat! Hot pizza is messy, cold pizza isn’t.

Frozen Food

I love to keep some convenience meals in the freezer. Pre-made meals from the store are a lifesaver when I am really stuck into a project.

Cheese & Cracker Plate

Nutritionally this is a good option when you put some dried fruit on the plate, and maybe nuts too. I eat this even when I am not writing.

Anything Brought to My Desk

Living with a fellow writer has its perks, this is one of them. Recently my husband wrote his dream book, a non-fiction look at British culture. A good spouse to a writer feeds them when the writer is really on a roll! The deal is though, you eat what you are given or you stop and go make something yourself.

McKinley Park: Chapter 14

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***Warning, this scene has a first-person account of a sexual assault***

 

“It’s okay, just take your time. Do you recognize any of these men?” Ben reassured Serena as she sat awake in her hospital bed.

Ben and Marty got the call that she was awake as they got back to Ben’s car from the poker game. Both took off for the hospital in their own cars. The paper Ben handed to her, had the faces for a lineup, along with Stephen Duke’s mugshot, and the man who broke into her house.

“I… I’m sorry it’s hard to remember. I… he was larger than me.. I remember that. I was asleep and I woke with him on top of me. I don’t remember hearing him come in, or break in.”

“Did he talk to you?”

“Yes, I think so. It is hard to remember for sure.”

“It’s okay, can you tell us anything you do remember, it will help? Even if it seems silly or small.”

“It is all so hard to remember.”

“It’s okay, take your time.”

Serena rubbed her head.

“Detectives, do we really need to do this right now?” Her brother Dean asked from the corner of the room.

“It’s okay Dean, I can do it. I just need to concentrate and try to remember.”

“It’s best if we can get this information as early as possible. I am sorry we really should try to do it now.” Marty said quietly to Dean standing in the corner.

“You said you were asleep in your bed?” Ben asked gently.

“Yes, I was asleep. I woke because I felt something heavy land on me and it scared me. I was confused. I couldn’t move. I panicked and then I felt his hand, it was around my neck.”

Serena’s face changed as the memory of what had happened to her began to return.

“Oh my God..” She began to sob.

“Alright that is enough, you guys can come back later. This is enough.” Dean moved towards Ben and Marty to usher them out of the room.

“No, Dean. No. He can’t do this to someone else.”

“Ser, you’ve been through enough. You need to rest. The detectives can come back later.”

“No, I want to do this now. I want to get it done. I want this monster behind bars. You will catch him, right?”

“We are trying, any information helps. You are very brave and very strong to help.”

“He told me, I belonged to him. If I didn’t do what he said, he’d punish me. He had this ring on, I think it was a ring. He told me if I tried to run or scream for help he’d kill me. I needed to do what he said. He got off of me and told me to take off my t-shirt and underwear slowly for him, to strip for him. When I refused he told me that I was going to be punished.”

Serena stopped speaking as she looked off, staring at nothing in particular. There was an eerie silence in the room.

“I don’t want to hear any more of this,” Dean said as he walked out of the room.

Ben and Marty sat quietly as Serena began to cry again.

“You mentioned a ring?” Ben asked as delicately as he could.

“He, he, he lit it on fire, with a lighter… When I stood up to undress, I tried to run. I didn’t believe that he was going to let me go. He tackled me to the ground. He was so strong. I tried to get away. He flipped me onto my stomach and I heard something that sounded like a lighter. Then I felt this stinging, burning feeling on my leg.” She reached her hand under her thigh. “He burnt me. He said that I would always be his now. He ripped my clothes off, and he…he raped me on the floor of my bedroom. I tried to get away and he strangled me. I woke up in my bed. I thought it had been a nightmare but when I moved my thigh hurt, where I had been burnt. I didn’t see him or hear him, but I knew he was still there, I could feel him in the room, watching me. I was too afraid to move but I told myself to run. I wasn’t able to get up. I remember the smell of him. His body, heavy on top of me again. He told me I was bad and that I did not listen to him, and now I was going to be punished. That is the last thing I remember.”

“You did great Serena. Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?”

“Okay.” She took the tissue that Ben handed her.

“When you say you remember the smell of him, can you describe it?”

“Um, he didn’t stink, I know that sounds weird. He smelled..nice, like good cologne. I mean I didn’t like it, I just remember it.”

“Do you remember the color of his eyes or hair, any distinguishing marks?”

“No, he wore a mask and it was still dark. I saw his hand, the hand with the ring, he was white.”

“Can you describe the ring?”

“Not really, it was dark. He wore it while he burnt me, it had to have burnt him too. He’d have a burn mark on his hand, right?”

“Most likely, that’s great information. Do you remember which finger he wore it on?”

“His left hand, on his ring finger I think. It was thick, like a signet ring. It has to mean something to him if it is a brand. He said I belonged to him after he burnt me. I wish I remembered more. I just can’t. How did I get here I mean, I thought he was going to kill me.”

“There was another man in your house too. He claims he broke in for drug money. Is there any chance there were two men who attacked you?”

“There were two of them? No, it was only one guy I am sure of it.”

“Why are you so sure?”

“This man was possessive. He wanted to be in charge of everything. I only remember one guy, the guy who rapped me. He was the only one there. This guy wasn’t a drug addict, he didn’t look poor, his clothes felt expensive.”

“Expensive how?”

“He had on a button down shirt, it was black. The cotton felt expensive, not cheap. It was thick. I clawed at it and pulled at it and it did not tear.”

“You are doing great Serena. Is there anything else about this man you remember? Can you tell us about his voice? Was it deep, or high, did he an accent?”

“No there wasn’t an accent. It was… normal.. friendly at first, then angry.. then..”

“Then?”

“It was almost like he was happy. It was like he got off on hurting me.”

“He probably did,” Marty said, instantly regretting sharing out loud.

Ben looked over at his partner, not believing he had said it either.

“I am sorry I don’t remember more, it is all sort of blurry still. I am really tired.”

“You’ve done great, Serena. We will let you rest now. This is my card,” Ben set it on her tray table. “If you remember anything else, even if you think it is insignificant please call me, the hour doesn’t matter.”

Serena picked up the card, studying the numbers.

“Will, someone stay, I mean a police officer? Dean said that you two have been here every night.  Do you think he will come back?”

“I am fairly certain he will not come back, most attackers don’t come back. We will have a police officer outside your room, for as long as you would like.”

“Thank you. And thank you for watching over me, while I was.. out of it.”

“Get some rest and call if you need to okay?”

Serena nodded.

“You did great tonight, really well. This information will help us catch him.” Marty said, trying to gain some good will back.

Both detectives walked out of the hospital and out to the parking lot. Ben stopped in front of his car.

“I heard the word expensive a lot,” Ben said.

“Yeah, I caught it too. One of Danwood’s players?”

“It would make sense. What are we missing here?” Ben said.

“Time to go back over these guys, none of these guys have a record, at least the guys we’ve talked to. We have the guys Yee said, including your girl’s ex.”

“He’s got the record for it for sure. You should do the digging on him though.”

Ben’s phone rang in his pocket. It was from Serena.

“Hello, Serena, did you remember something else?”

Marty perked up.

“No, I just wanted to say thank you for trying to catch this monster.”

“It’s my job. He needs to be stopped, and you helped do that tonight.”

“Good night Detective Carter.”

“Good night.”

Ben hung up the phone and slid it back into his pocket.

“She’s a sweet girl,” Marty said.

Ben’s phone rang again. He reached into his pocket and answered it expecting it to be Serena again. There wasn’t anyone there at first. Ben pulled the phone away and looked at the number, it was Rachel’s.

“Hello, Rachel? Are you there?”

There was silence and then the phone hung up. Ben pulled his phone away to make sure the call disconnected. He looked down at the phone confused.

“Is everything okay?” Marty asked.

“That was weird. I wonder if Rachel dialed by accident.” Ben dialed Rachel again, “Have a good night. I will see you bright and early tomorrow.”

“Okay. Goodnight.”

Ben got in his car and the phone rang until it went to voicemail. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards home. Something in his gut told him to call back. He called again. This time the call was picked up but again no one spoke.

“Rachel? Are you there? Rachel? Hello?”

Silence. Then the phone hung up again.

Ben tried again, and the phone went to voicemail. He thought maybe one of the kids had the phone, his gut said that something wasn’t right.  He thought of Rachel, so afraid of Rhett, her ex, as he thought of all of the police reports he had read, he pressed his foot down a little harder.

Ben made it home in record time, parking his car on the street in front of his house. It was almost 10:30 but all of the lights were still on at Rachel’s. He looked at the driveway and saw Rhett’s black Mercedes. He didn’t want to push in, he just wanted to know Rachel was okay. He walked across the street towards Rachel’s.

He knocked on the door, the house was very quiet. Rhett opened the door.

“Can I help you, Buddy?”

“Hi, I am a friend of Rachel’s, is she in?”

“No, she’s not here. What kind of friend are you? I am her husband. Rachel is taken. What kind of male friend comes knocking at her door at this time of night. You know she has three kids upstairs, our boys, right?”

“Yes, I know your boys, I live across the street. I thought Rachel is your ex-wife?”

“Why don’t you go back across the street where you came from? There’s nothing for you over here.”

Rhett shut the door hard. Ben caught it just in time. Rhett pulled it back open.

“Fuck off neighbor, before I call the police. Get off my porch and don’t come back over here.”

“I am the police.”

“Yeah and I am the Queen of England, you heard me, fuck off.”

Rhett slammed the door and this time Ben let it shut.

Ben waited a minute, listening to Rhett walk away from the door. Ben had an experiment to try.  He knocked on the door again. Rhett’s feet slammed against the hardwood floor. Rhett flung open the door.

“I told you to fuck off!”

Ben looked at Rhett’s hands, no ring, or sign of any burns from where a ring would be.

“I am actually a detective,” Ben flashed his badge. “Will you tell Rachel I stopped by?”

“Fuck you! Go find your own piece, pig, this one is mine.”

Ben looked past Rhett, looking for any sign of a struggle, or for Rachel or the boys, but he couldn’t see anything out of place before Rhett slammed the door again. Ben waited by the front door, listening. The house was still quiet but all of the lights were on, something wasn’t right. He walked off the porch and around the side of the house. He noticed something out of the corner of his eye move towards the garage. It was dark but he could make out a silhouette.

“Mr. Carter,” he heard Rachel’s son Evan whisper as he held out his arm, beckoning Ben closer. Ben quickened his step. It was Rachel’s middle son Evan…

“Please don’t leave.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, but my mom. I think my dad…” Evan stopped.

“Is your mom home now?”

Evan nodded. “You can’t tell him I told you, he’ll kill me. You have to promise you can’t tell.”

“I won’t. Do you know where your mom is in the house?”

Ben noticed more movement behind the boy.

“Evan, no!” Tommy whispered loudly.

“It’s okay Tommy, I am here to help. Where is Luke?”

Luke peeked around Tommy and then ducked back behind his big brother. Ben reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. He found his house key and held it out to Evan who was closest.

“I want you boys to go to my house.” He pulled out his phone looking at the time. It was 11:02. “If I do not come back to my house by 11:30 I want you to call 911. Do you understand? Can you boys do that? You don’t have to tell them your name, just tell them your address.”

Ben knew he should have called it in himself, but he wanted to deal with Rhett personally, he knew it was wrong but he was going to do it anyway.

Who Rides the White Horse Now: Feminism and Romance

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I was driving to work recently and had an idea for another romance book. I was so struck by the idea that I actually used Siri on my iPhone to take a voice memo. Let’s face it, Siri is pretty but she’s stupid and rarely gets most things I ask her to do correctly. At 70mph per hour, on the toll road, this idea came screaming out of me. I recorded my words at a feverish pace, trying to convey the emotion and feeling along with the plot. Feeling accomplished, and knowing that Siri will have gotten so much of it wrong, I put my phone down and continued my drive. I will have to decode the jibberish that Siri actually recorded later.

The story idea still ran through my mind with less intensity now that I had documented it somewhere. It struck me that the idea was different because the “knight on the white horse” wasn’t a man, but a woman. She could rescue him! I really started to think about this idea of protectors and manly men who protect their women. Even that sentence sounds sexist to me, and it probably is, but I won’t lie, I love a good book where the love interest is an Alpha male. There is something so sexy about a man protecting the woman he loves… that sounds better. “Their woman”…ick!

The fact that I describe that sort of romance that way illustrates the issue perfectly. I like to think I am a feminist. I take women’s rights very seriously, as well as fighting for equality. I think a lot of women are in a similar space to me. I can only imagine being in a relationship with one of the Alpha males from the great romances I’ve read. No, get your head out of the gutter….. It would never work for me to be the wife of a man like that, we’d run into issues even with a quick romp. A man telling me what to do, even if it was in my best interest, I am just not wired like that. Discussion and mutual understanding are where I am at when it comes to the love interest in my life.

All of this set me to wondering, as a romance writer, where is the genre going when both the man and woman should be riding the white horse? Who rescues who? Is it still even appropriate to make the man the hero? Thinking this idea through I posed the question to my husband over lunch one afternoon. He suggested making the woman the heroine. His story idea went something like this: a man who is married to a terrible woman falls for another woman. The new love interest then has to rescue the man from a bad marriage and an abusive wife. My immediate response was no one would read that. Women make up the majority of romance readers, not many of them want to be thought of as a bad wife. Furthermore, I am going to venture a guess that none of them would sympathize with the husband and new love interest. What is weirder, is that if you turn it all around, and he rescues her from an abusive husband, you have struck romance gold…. weird huh?

I have to wonder if there is something about the way our genders are wired or if it is taught? I don’t want to get into the whole nature vs. nurture argument. I just wonder as a romance author how tastes will change over time. I am really interested to see where the genre goes. I mean is it anti-feminist to write an Alpha-male who throws a damsel (as smart, and capable as she may be) over his shoulder?

What do you think? Let me know in the comments because this is a conversation worth having…

McKinley Park: Chapter 13

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Ben’s nose woke before the rest of him, taking in the soft scent of Rachel’s hair. They had eaten their pizza and cuddled back up in the guestroom bed together. They made love again and fell asleep cuddled up to each other. Ben had only meant to nap, but snuggled up to Rachel, he slept more soundly that he had intended. He took in another deep breath before forcing himself to open his eyes. He knew that when he woke, he would have to leave, he didn’t want to let go of Rachel whose head rested on his shoulder. He opened his eyes, surprised that see that the sun was up, he had accidentally stayed the entire night. Looking down at Rachel sleeping so peacefully, he didn’t want to wake her but he had to leave. The last thing either of them wanted was for one of Rachel’s sons to walk in.

He kissed the top of her head and then shook her gently.

“Rachel, honey, please wake up, I have to leave.”

She roused slowly, and Ben found it endearing. There was a look panic when she realized it was morning.

“The boys!”

“Don’t worry, I think we are up before them, the house is quiet.”

“You have to go. I don’t want them to see us in bed together.”

Rachel shot up out of bed wrapping the blanket around her, covering her body, before she got up and walked out of the room. Ben hated having to end what had been one of the best nights of his life. He got up, fetching his clothing that had been strewn on the floor. Ben had hung his gun holster over the back of the one of chairs next to the cello. He walked over to grab the rest of his clothing and noticed the gun was missing from the holster. With his shirt still unbuttoned he raced out of the bedroom knowing, that one of Rachel’s boys must have had it. Ben ran through the house past Rachel, who was now in a bathrobe, on her way back to the guest room.

“Ben, what’s wrong?”

Ben raced up the stairs and Rachel followed knowing something had to be wrong.

“Ben what?”

He walked into Luke’s room as he saw the boy duck and hide on the other side of the twin bed. Rachel walked in behind him.

“Ben, what is going on?”

“Luke, did you play my gun this morning?”

The boy’s blond curls ducked lower so only the very tips of the curls could be seen. Rachel let out an audible gasp.

“Lukas Alexander Lawson, you answer Mr Carter right this minute!”

The little boy stood up, his shoulders slumped as tears streamed down his face. He nodded in acknowledgement that he had taken the weapon. The older two boys hearing the commotion had walked in to see what was going on.

“Luke where did you put it, just point, I don’t want you to touch it.”

The little boy pointed sheepishly to the dresser.

“It is in the dresser?”

“What? Luke took Mr Carter’s gun, no way!” Evan, Rachel’s middle son blurted out.

Rachel turned and looked at Evan who instantly went quiet.

“Lukas tell Mr Carter where it is right now.”

“I put it in the last one, on the bottom.” The boy said, now crying.

Ben pulled the drawer open. On top of a green, dinosaur t-shirt his gun sat. He picked it up, making sure the safety was still on. He let out a deep breath.

“Whoah,” Tommy said, “How did Luke get Mr. Carter’s gun? Did you go to his house?”

“Boys, downstairs now,” Rachel said sternly.

The two older boys did as they were told, knowing their mother meant what was said. Rachel walked over to Luke and picked up the little boy who was now red in the face from being so upset. Ben walked over too.

“We need to talk about this. Luke, what you did was incredibly dangerous.” Ben stopped he didn’t want to overstep, Luke was Rachel’s son.

“Lukas Alexander, you know not to touch things that do not belong to you. Even more, you know guns are completely off limits!” There was anger in Rachel’s voice.

“Daddy lets me.”

“Daddy lets you what?” Rachel asked.

“He lets me hold his gun. I just wanted to see Mr Cater’s gun. I’m sorry mommy.” The little boy began to cry again as he hid his face in his mother’s shoulder.

Ben reached out and touched the top of his head. Luke turned and looked at Ben.

“Lukas, I want you to promise me you will never ever touch any gun without an adult’s permission and their supervision. You could have gotten so hurt, or hurt your brothers or your mom.”

“I’m sorry Mr Cater. I promise I won’t do it again. Mommy, do I still get to go to the beach today?”

“We’ll talk about it after Mr Crater leaves. I want you to sit here,” she placed her son on his bed, ”I will be back up here in a minute to talk to you.”

The little boy began to cry harder, large tears rolled down his chubby cheeks, as Rachel turned to walk out of the room and Ben followed. Rachel shut the bedroom door and took a deep breath.

“Rachel I am so sorry. This is entirely my fault. I should have been more careful.”

Rachel reached out for Ben and he stepped towards her, taking her in his arms.

“I cannot believe he did that. I know he is fascinated with guns, and I could kill Rhett for letting him anywhere near a firearm. There is no way I can’t tell him about this. He is going to know you stayed here. Ben, he can’t know you stayed the night.”

“Honey, accidents happen. I think the bigger concern is that Luke picked up my gun, and took it, not that I stayed over.”

Rachel pulled away.

“You don’t know my ex.”

“Would it help if I talked to him, and explained that this was my fault?”

“No! I am going to have to figure this out and you probably have to get to work.”

“Rachel, I am the one at fault here. It isn’t right that you would get blamed. I will talk to him.”

“No, Ben! Please don’t do that.” There was desperation in her voice.

Ben knew there was more to this than he was being told. He wondered if Rachel was truly done with her ex. Why else would that be her biggest concern of the morning, not that her son was playing with a gun but what her ex-husband would think?

“Rachel..”

“No Ben, I need you to go now.”

“Okay, but are you alright, I mean will you be alright?”

“Yes, have a good day.” Her tone was distant like he had already left.

“Hey, come here.” Ben reached out and pulled Rachel back into his embrace. “It will be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you or your boys. Last night was the best night of my life, and although neither of us planned to wake up next to each other, it was by far my most favorite way to wake up.”

Rachel looked up at him. Ben leant down and kissed her, as the world fell away for both of them. His kiss brought her back, as he felt the fear slide away in her body.

“Can I call you later?” Ben asked with Rachel still in his arms.

“Yes. I am sorry this happened.”

“Just the gun part, right?”

“Yes. I am glad last night happened.”

Ben was relieved to hear that. He kissed her again and then turned to go downstairs.

Ben walked into the station an hour later showered and cleanly shaven. He had expected to see Marty already in, but then he remembered Marty had spent the night at the hospital with the victim. He sat at his desk looking over the work from the day before to review, wondering if he was missing something in plain sight. He reached in his desk drawer for his stapler, when he saw the file from Marty, that contained the information about Rachel’s ex. He could hear Marty’s voice telling him it was Rachel’s choice to tell him the story of her ex, if that is where her trauma came from.

Ben held the yellow envelope in his hand and stared at it. He thought back to this morning’s events, her fear at her ex knowing that he had stayed. Temptation got the better of him and he opened the report. Rhett Lawson, Rachel’s ex, had a long list of domestic assault and battery charges, but none that ever resulted in jail time.  The police reports made Ben seethe with anger. Rachel was named as the victim along with pictures of the injuries she incurred. Ben looked closer, reading the details of the reports and saw Tommy’s name on the last one alongside Rachel’s. Yet for all of the reports she had never pressed charges, the state had on her behalf, twice.

Ben looked further back, and read a report about an alleged rape back in college of a co-ed. It never went to trial. Ben wondered why. He logged into his computer and began to do some digging on Rhett Lawson. It appeared that Rhett’s family’s money bought their son a lot of “justice .”  Ben told himself, that if Rhett even breathed in Rachel or Tommy’s direction meaning harm, he would take care of the situation, for good. Reading the file, it now made sense why Rachel was so afraid.

“Ah, couldn’t help yourself, huh?” Marty said as he walked in, sporting a five o’clock shadow.

“There was an incident this morning.”

“Oh?”

“I’ll tell you about it later.” Ben did not want it overheard.  “Any news from the hospital?”

“Actually..”

“She woke up?” Ben cut Marty off.

“Not quite, the doctor thinks she is coming around though, most likely by tonight. They don’t know what kind of shape she will be in though. The family knows to call us as soon as she is awake, good people. It’s too bad what happened to their daughter.”

“It is. So, do you want to start with looking for Duke again or…?”

“I know that look, it is the do you want to gamble your badge look. The last time I fell for it, we both got our asses in a sling. So, no. Let’s do this one by the book Ben.”

Marty sat down at his desk and began to go over the list of the poker players that had been at Jim Danwood’s poker game. He could feel Ben still looking at him.

“Alright what was the “or” option?”

“Want to go to a poker game?”

Marty looked up.

“You are kidding, right?”

“I am pretty sure they are meeting tonight for their game at the garage.”

“How do you know this?”

“Well, these guys aren’t exactly discrete about it.”

“Ben, no way.”

“Our killer is connected to this game, I know it in my gut. Besides, let’s see if our friend Stephen Duke shows up.”

Ben and Marty pulled up just as the evening sun had ducked behind the buildings, allowing the grey Jeep that belonged to Marty’s wife to blend into one of the long shadows in the industrial park. They were only there to observe who came and went, nothing more. They watched as players arrived, some in their own cars and some driven. It was clear that these players were well connected and wealthy. They crossed names off of the list as they spotted players they knew based of pictures. In between arrivals, they grabbed license plate numbers. The last car, a black Mercedes E-Class pulled up and parked. Ben instantly recognized the driver, Rhett Lawson, Rachel’s ex-husband. His name had not been on the list. The detectives knew probably didn’t have everyone who played. Ben swore under his breath.

“What?” Marty asked.

“That is Rachels piece of shit, ex.”

“They guy in the Merc?”

“Yeah. Did you read the report you pulled?”

“Yeah, a lot of money behind that asshole. His parents own the big construction firm up on the Northside, the one that is doing all of that building in the loop. Imagine that, from construction to investment banking in one generation. More money than sense, all of these guys.”

“You know we have seen some pretty sick shit over the years, but that guy,  man. How do you hit your wife, or worse your own kid? I’d love to go over and put my hands on him, give him a taste of his own medicine.”

“Don’t worry those guys always get what is coming to them in the end.”

Ben looked squarely at Marty, knowing that wasn’t always true.

They stayed in the Jeep through the game, once again watching who came and went. There was no sign of Stephen Duke. Marty started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, he made a left out of the industrial park when he saw flashing lights behind him. Ben and Marty looked at each other and then back towards the car that was pulling them over.

“What the hell?” Marty said as he pulled over.

Two men got out of the car behind them as Ben and Marty both pulled their badges out. Marty rolled down his window, as the men approached.

“So, did you two enjoy the game?” FBI agent Yee asked.

“Shit,” Marty said under his breath.

“We were just watching, nothing more. We are looking for a suspect. We wanted to see if he would show tonight.” Ben said.

“Watching and blowing our cover.” The other agent at Ben’s side said through the open window.

“We won’t come back. We are trying to catch a serial rapist and killer here, we are on the same team.”

Yee leant on the car. “Look, I appreciate what you guys are trying to do, you cannot jeopardize my entire operation though. I have been working on this for two years. I know most of these guys are a crooked as they come.”

“We won’t interfere again,” Marty said.

“Any of these guys seem like they might be the sort that we are looking for?” Ben asked.

Yee’s partner looked at him.

“Yeah, if I were you I would look at Mark Fields, Tony Carlson, and possibly Rhett Lawson.”

Alarm bells went off in Ben’s head.

“Thanks,” Marty said.

“Why these guys?” Ben asked.

“Have you seen their records, not a giant leap. That is where I would look if I thought one of these guys was good for it.”

“Thank you. Two of those guys you just mentioned weren’t on our list, it isn’t exactly like they keep a roster, or do they?” Marty said.

“I’ve given you what I know, so please don’t come back. I don’t want to make this into an official incident.” Yee said.

“Hey, one last question. Have you ran across Stephen Duke?” Ben asked.

“I was going to ask you the same thing. I doubt he was smart enough to run off. I bet he turns up, they always do, the question is breathing or not.”

“Steer clear from here guys.”

Ben and Marty agreed, said goodbye and pulled away.

My Top Beach Reads for the Summer

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Summer is here and that means it is the season for a good steamy romp through the pages of a romance book or two. I love to read at the beach and by the pool, in fact, given the choice, I would rather a good book than a magazine any day. This isn’t a  top ten list, because several of the books listed here are series almost 60! Every summer I find myself looking for a good book to put in my beach bag. Nothing is worse than getting to your desired sunny destination, to pull out the book you brought and the story is lousy. So in the spirit of romance public service here is my top ten list of best steamy beach reads:

The KGI Novels by Maya Banks (13 books)

This series is pure fun! I love a good adventure in my romance novels and a bit of sex. This series follows the Kelly brothers who are retired military. They set up a paramilitary group for hire, and go on all sorts of worthy adventures, meeting the loves of their lives along the way. I literally read all of the available books in the series last August. There are like 10 of these books and I could not put them down. I can honestly say, the Kelly brothers are swoon-worthy, and that is normally not my type.

Make Me By Beth Kerry:

To say I loved this book is an understatement! This is another book I could not put down. While I did not read it on the beach or by the pool I read the entire book (it’s a full-length novel) on a flight home from London. I could not put it down. The story focuses Jacob Lattimer, dreamy, rich heartthrob and Harper McFaddan, who has just been affected by a life-changing tragedy. While the two characters fall in love, there is so much more to this story than it presents at first. This is a master class in dramatic romance storytelling.

 

The Red: by Tiffany Reisz

This book is red hot! I would classify this as purely erotica. Please don’t let that dissuade you from picking up this gem and giving it a try. It is so easy to get swept up in this steamy tale. In order to save her beloved art gallery, The Red, gallery owner, Mona Lisa, makes a deal with a very handsome stranger to be his for a year. The handsome stranger will pay her in priceless art, this boosting the reputation and clientele of her gallery. Flat, out this book, made me blush, but the story between Mona and the handsome stranger is a pure joy to read. I could not put this book down. The ending is one of the best I have ever read! This is a must for a steamy summer read.

 

The Rose by Tiffany Reisz:

I just picked this one up and it is a pseudo-sequel to The Red. Lia the very privileged daughter of British aristocracy, is an avid collector and student of Greek mythical history, is given a beautiful present to celebrate her graduation, a rose kylix, or ancient wine goblet. This goblet holds mystical powers, and love interest August Bowman teaches Lia how to use the goblet. This book is a four-alarm, hot read. August Boman is beyond the sexiest male love interest I have ever read. You will be grateful for a breeze offshore when reading this one, to cool you down.

The GhostWalker Series by Christine Feehan (14 books so far)

These books are the definition of the great beach read. Normally paranormal romance is not my thing, but  I found myself able to suspend my disbelief and in many cases, Feehan does a great job using these superpowers to enhance the relationship and connection between the two characters. This series follows super soldier through worthy adventures, saving the world one adventure at a time. These books hold a special place in my heart as Street Game was the first romance book I ever read. They are a lot of fun and make the perfect beach read.

 

The Breathless Trilogy by Maya Banks (3 Books)

These steamy romances tell the story of three powerful hotel group owners. Each book has its own story with characters from the other books. They were fun to read and great beach reading. I read two of them on the beach in Nevis last November. They are pure fun. The three main characters Ash, Gabe and Jace are polished businessmen from New York, and much more my style for a romantic interest. So, so, good!

 

The Steele Brothers by Helen Hardt (9 books so far)

This series has the pedal to the floor from the get-go! The Steele brothers are a ranching family with a dark and very disturbing past. (Trigger Warning) While young boys, one of the brothers is kidnapped and assaulted. This horrifying incident affects the lives of everyone in their lives today. Hardt takes an incredibly painful and emotional topic and weaves it through the modern relationships of the brothers. The story is really well done, and a suspenseful read. I have made it to book five of this series. My only issue with these books is the writing is not the strongest at times, but the story is great! I have only made it to book five. If you set out to read this one, just know you will have to continue reading to know how the overarching story ends, it weaves through all of the books.

 

The Idea of You: by Robinne Lee

I picked it up because the concept intrigued me, a mom falls for a member of a boy band that her twelve-year-old daughter is in love with. So far it has been a fun read. Lee does a great job painting Solene’s world, a French-American divorcee, living in L.A., owning an art gallery and raising her daughter. The love interest Hayes Campbell, dreamy boyband member and almost twenty years Solene’s junior, is sexy. I love the tension between the two characters Lee does a great job of not letting the reader know who is really in charge, is it Solene the older, wiser person in the relationship or is it Hayes, with his ability to know just what to say? As I said, I haven’t quite finished this one, but it is so good so far!

 

The Drake Sisters Series by Christine Feehan (7 books)

These are another fun read from Feehan. I liked these books because they focus on a set of sisters with physic abilities (again not normally my thing). Each sister has a story and there are some swoon-worthy love stories in this series. I read the entire series last summer and tore through each book!

Why Romance Needs Sex of All Kinds- Nicholas!

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Nicholas Sparks made headline earlier this week for pushing his conservative, religious agenda at a school he was involved with. The headlines read “Romance Author Nicholas Sparks…” NO! Nick, if I may call you that. You may call what you write romance, and I won’t lie there have been some great stories, but they aren’t true romance. Who am I to tell you, right? I mean I am an unpublished romance author and you have literally sold millions of books, what leg do I have to stand on?

Well, I am a big romance reader, I have read a lot of romance, good bad and truly ugly. More importantly, I write romance, real romance that is a reflection of real life.  I have even read some of your work but you know one thing is missing, the sex. Now I know that there is a huge market for this type of “wholesome” romance. For many conservatives, reading sex is the same as watching pornography. Nick, I know you will probably never read this and I am just another writer blogging out into the void, and on the very remote chance you do see it, you won’t agree with me.

Writing romance without sex in it is a lie, it is not how life works. Before you the army of purity ring enthusiast come charging out, calling for my head, I was one of you. I embraced the dogma and really lived it until I didn’t. My point here is that not putting sex in your books isn’t real life, nor is ignoring all of the types of sex, and being inclusive. Writing sex teaches readers how to love, on a whole other level. Love as you know is more than holding hands or dancing on a beach, wait was that a euphemism?

Sex is important in romance writing and I will fight for this topic until my dying breath. Sex scenes carry so much more to them than just smut as some would call it. I get that there are some romance authors who think that writing sex is a lazy way to convey emotion in the story. I would challenge that by asking them to write a sex scene, they’re difficult and take skill to write.

Recently, I saw a topic of discussion about intimacy in young adult fiction. There was a massive debate about the appropriateness of there being some light sexual activity included in these stories. I championed, yes! We read books to educate us in so many other things, why wouldn’t we read to learn how a relationship really works. Ignoring sex all together in writing romance really gives a distorted picture of a relationship. Being intimate in those special moments tell you so much about who you are, who the other person or people are, the power dynamic, inventiveness, compassion, sense of humour… I could keep going. Sex scenes are so important, for all genders, and preferences.

Ignoring the topic and leaving it out of romance, won’t make those who have different preferences not exist. They’ll be there, reading my books, and the books of other authors whose work reflects real life, real relationships. Writing sex of all types lets our readers know that as an author, I see you and accept you. More than accepting you, I will stand by you and your right to choose your own lifestyle.

Sex is not evil, at least it shouldn’t be if you are doing it correctly. Sex should not be ignored in romance writing. SEX IS IMPORTANT….