Released! A Change of Heart!

"I want to escape the unrest, to shut out the voices around me and within me, and so I write." - Franz Kafka

My scheduled guest blogger was a no-show today, which actually worked out well for me since it's my release day!!! Now, I can do all this, and not feel guilty:

It's finally HERE! Yay! And the winner of yesterday's contest for a free PDF copy of my story, "A Change of Heart" is AMY!! Amy, email me a marianne AT mariannearkins DOT com and I'll get that out to you.

This story was a challenge I made to myself. I wanted to take a cliche (the secret baby cowboy story) and set it on its ear a bit. That ear-setting was one of the first things my editor mentioned when she contracted the story. I hope you all enjoy it as well!

Excerpt:

When the bell over the ice cream shop entrance rang, Emily dried her hands on the towel hanging from her waist. She stepped through the doorway, a smile on her face. That smile froze as hard as a fresh bucket of ice cream at the sight before her.

Jacob Langley.

"Hey, Emily." He said it like it had been six days since the last time he'd seen her instead of nearly six years.

"Jake." Her throat was tight with fury and hurt and she could barely speak. "What do you want?"

"Some of that caramel peanut butter ice cream on a sugar cone if you don't mind." He flashed his best grin.

Did he think they were still best friends like they were all through school? Had he forgotten what he'd done to her? Worse, what he'd done to Casey? If he thought she'd let him stay in her place any longer, he was mistaken. "Sorry. We're all out." Emily's gaze never wavered, her smile didn't thaw.

"Funny, I'm looking at it right there in front of me." He pointed through the glass case.

She tapped a sign behind her. "Then I guess I'm exercising my rights."

He pursed his lips and read the bold, black words printed on the white board: We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason.

Click here to buy your own copy of this 80 page story!

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To the folks who asked me to do a blog post on creating a book trailer... I'm certainly no pro! It was agonizing for me, and was actually the second I'd created (I played around with one for "Pregnancy Cravings", but it's just not good enough to show anyone at this point).

Still, I'll keep that in mind for a post at a later date after I've messed around a bit more and get better at it!

Thanks.

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Some pictures DD-- the budding photographer -- took yesterday:





And a picture I took -- the dog was looking for DD and when she found her it was full speed ahead and a tackle:



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Your Mind is Green

Of all the mind types, yours has the most balance. You are able to see all sides to most problems and are a good problem solver. You need time to work out your thoughts, but you don't get stuck in bad thinking patterns. You tend to spend a lot of time thinking about the future, philosophy, and relationships (both personal and intellectual).

What Color Is Your Mind?

It isn't easy being green. You knew I had to say that, right?

Excerpt from "Liv"

A new, never before seen excerpt from "One Love For Liv" can be seen at the Coffee Time Romance forum here.

Hope you enjoy!!

Release Date: Don't Fence Me In

I have a release date on my next Vintage Rose short story, "Don't Fence Me In" -- January 2, 2008!



Lizzie walked down to the place where a soldier leaned against the bar.

"Hello." She stopped a foot away and smiled. "I hear you asked about me. Do I know you?"

He turned his head, whiskey-brown eyes so sad she nearly cried for him. "No, ma'am. But I know about you from Seb."

Her knees wobbled at the sound of her brother's name, and the soldier's hand shot out to keep her from falling. The warmth and strength from his touch helped her to straighten and stand steady. She didn't realize that just the sound of her brother's name could make her so weak.

"You knew Seb?" she whispered and sank onto a stool beside the soldier. "Who are you?"

"I'm Jeremy McMasters, Miss Scott. I served with Seb until the day he died." His gaze lowered for a moment before he looked at her again, an intensity burning in his eyes. "He was a good man."

"Yes." She smiled though her heart ached. She missed her brother something fierce. "He was a very good man. He spoke of you in his letters, said there was no one better to guard his back."

Jeremy's mouth tightened. "Didn't do too good a job of that, now. Did I?"

"Oh." She grabbed his forearm, squeezed it tightly. "Seb's dying wasn't your fault. You didn't blow up his Jeep."

Jeremy stared at her hand for a long moment before shrugging off her touch. He reached inside his uniform pocket and pulled out a folded envelope. "I have two weeks before I'm redeployed, ma'am. I had to come here, to see you. He gave me his letter to deliver."

Lizzie shivered at the sight of that worn white envelope. The letter. The one all the soldiers wrote to be delivered in the event of their death. She couldn't reach for it. Didn't want it.

"Keep it." She jumped to her feet and took a step back. "I can't… I can't read it. Not now. Not yet."

"But--"

"No!" She turned and ran away to the powder room. When she'd composed herself enough to return, he was no longer there. She flopped down at the bar, distressed that the last bit of Seb, his last words, last thoughts, was gone.

Release Date and Dripping Sweat

"The truth is you don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed." - Eminem

I know. I can't believe I'm quoting Eminem, either!

First off... congrats to the folks who guessed the song yesterday! It was, indeed, the theme from Rawhide. And, just for grins, I give you the Blues Brothers version:



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I got the official release date for my Christmas story "The Christmas Curse"... after a bit of wrangling by my editor (you're a peach, Nancy!), I got the release date I'd hoped for -- November 19th. Mark your calendars, folks!



For Molly Scott, everything bad in her life has happened during the Christmas season, from training bras in her stocking to being jilted by her fiancé. This year is no exception.

Ten days before Christmas, she arrives at work to find her department closed down and everyone laid off. Desperate, she takes a job for a singing telegram service and, dressed as Mrs. Claus, meets the man of her dreams--who turns out to be a nightmare--in a broken down elevator. The Christmas Curse is right on track.

And, to whet your appetite, here's an excerpt:

Late as usual, Molly jogged toward the elevators. The one on the left was just closing, so she hollered, "Hold the door!" and leaped forward, slipping her arm inside the crack. She took a step and jammed the stiletto heel of her boot right into the crack where the elevator car met the floor. She teetered unsteadily, praying she wouldn't break a bone.

The doors lurched open and she lost any hope of staying upright when they did. She tumbled inside, heard the snap of her boot heel breaking and then tumbled onto another occupant, knocking them both to the barely padded floor.

"Oh no, I am so sorry!" She rolled to one side before sitting up to see who had cushioned her fall. The best looking man she'd ever seen lay on the floor, grinning up at her, and making no effort whatsoever to get to his feet.

"My pleasure." He propped his arms under his head. "Truly."

She jumped to her feet, forgetting she'd lost a heel in the door, lost her balance and fell again. At least she managed to land on her hands and knees above him like a bridge and didn't squash him.

"Sorry." She crawled to the door and wiggled the broken heel back and forth until it came out, wondering why the doors hadn't tried closing on her fingers. She glanced over her shoulder to find the man sitting up with his finger on the "Door Open" button.

"Thanks."

"No problem. What floor?"

"I need the penthouse, please."

"That's where I'm heading, too."

She pivoted away from his lopsided grin and nearly stepped on a rather small, ashen-faced man leaning in the corner. His body shuddered when the doors closed and the car started to move.

"Oh-kay…" She was stuck between drop-dead-handsome man and pasty-face man and had to figure out how to do her routine with a broken-heeled boot. She tucked said heel into one of the many pockets in her slicker lining and left the coat hanging open. She hoped the boot could be repaired. But because it was only a week before Christmas, she doubted she'd have any luck with that.

It was a little like the time, eight years before, when she'd performed an aria for the school Christmas program, unaware that two buttons on her dress were undone, thereby flashing the front of her ancient white bra, complete with holes and safety pins.

"So, you were invited to the party upstairs?" Handsome man broke into her thoughts. He climbed to his feet and moved beside her.

Molly nodded.

"I wasn't aware it was a costume party."

She crinkled her nose and shook her head. "I wouldn't know. I'm only the entertainment."

"Ahhh." He reached out a hand and flipped the bells on her collar. "So, Mrs. Claus, is the mister showing up tonight? Because, to be honest, I haven't been very good this year."

She had just opened her mouth to speak when the lights cut off and the elevator ground to a halt. Oh, dear heavens, she'd done it again.
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I sweated successfully again yesterday! My daily goal is at least 1,000 words, and I managed 1,058!

My favorite line from yesterday's writing? It's this:

With one last, long look, he turned and left her sitting in the gutter with nothing but a lump on her skull and a broken heart.

Though this was a close second:

She burned for him—moth to flame. Part of her knew she should fly away from this inferno that would devour her, but she couldn’t do more than hold on tight.

Have I mentioned that I'm having a BLAST?

An interesting note: I went through the document and searched for "it". I then replaced about 85% of them with better nouns and descriptors. You know what? I gained almost 200 words! I was shocked. Happy, but shocked.

Woo!

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Your Karaoke Theme Song is "Margaritaville"

You are a true party animal, but your style is mild and chill. Kicking back with a few friends and a few drinks is all you need to be happy. You certainly don't feel pressured to be a part of any party scene. In fact, you avoid trendier spots. You've been known to kick loose anywhere and everywhere. All you need is a cooler. You might also sing: "Gin and Juice," "Love Shack," and "Red Red Wine" Stay away from people who sing: "Wind Beneath My Wings"

What's Your Karaoke Theme Song?

Hey... I like Buffet! I DO NOT LIKE Red, Red Wine... GAH. Bores me to tears.

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This looks pretty sharp, yes?