Saturday, December 31, 2011

My first book of poetry is now available!


I'm thrilled to announce that my very first book of poetry is now published on Smashwords!  It's available in just about every ebook format, so come on over and get your copy today. It's only $3.99.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Christmas with Guest Author Lorelei Confer

Good morning! This is my first time on Tammy’s blog, Not Enough Time in the Day, so I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Lorelei Confer and I write primarily romantic suspense. But during the holiday season I chose to write something traditional. It’s a compilation of four short uplifting, inspiring, and sweet love Christmas stories entitled ChristmasAwakenings available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

I love hearing from readers so please email me at Loreleiconfer@tampabay.rr.com or visit my website at:  www.loreleiconfer.com or blog at www.loreleiconfer.blogspot.com

The Scents and Sounds of Christmas Day
         
“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose,” I sang to myself as I prepared the turkey for the large traditional Christmas Day dinner with all the trimmings. Something I had planned carefully to do this day of the year before the rest of the family stirred from their slumber. I remembered many other Christmas Days beginning the same except when it fell on a Sunday and then we would have breakfast and get dressed for church services.
 I was soon overcome with the scents of roasted turkey, cinnamon candles and balsam fir. The beautifully decorated Christmas tree stood regally in the corner of the family room, its subtle scent wafting through the air. I opened the oven to baste the turkey with its own juice and got a tasteful whiff. The cinnamon candles, left over from our Christmas Eve gathering still filled the air with their aroma.
Having grown up in central Pennsylvania and now living in Florida for the last thirty years presented a whole new kind of Christmas. My husband and I went through with the traditional customs from our families except there was sunshine when you looked out the window—most of the time anyway.  And there were no winter coats and galoshes to don before going out the door on our way Christmas shopping or to church. Watching the Christmas parade outside in t-shirts and shorts was a pleasure instead of standing for hours in sometimes freezing rain up north. Real candy canes (unwrapped) were not allowed on the tree anymore either, because in the winter warmth they melted and dripped onto the carpet. Something I learned the first year we lived in Florida.
I stirred together the ingredients for pumpkin pie and poured them into the pie shell. The fragrance of cinnamon, cloves and pumpkin made me rub my nose. I put the pie in the other oven right above the turkey and set the timer for forty-five minutes.
The door bell rang. My husband and I were expecting our two grown sons and families for dinner today as well as gift exchanges and we had looked forward to this family time together. Finally our guests had arrived.
Laughter rang out as we said, “Merry Christmas, come in. Make yourselves at home.”  More laughter abounded when the children ran into the family room and saw the tree decorated in all its finery with presents underneath with their names on some of the packages. They could hardly wait, their excitement transferring to their parents and back to me. I could hardly wait to start opening presents. But first we needed to tell the story of Christmas and why we had so much love to give each other on this special one day of the year.
Among the laughter and chatter could be heard the melodic sounds of Christmas carols playing in the background. The fireplace was ablaze with crackling flames on this special day.
Then the gift opening began among sounds of paper ripping, bows flying through the air, ‘oohs’ and ‘awhs’ and ‘you shouldn’t have’ were words spoken often as the recipient hugged the gift to their chest. Wrapping paper was quickly tossed aside, along with any kind of clothing that may have been inside, then onto the next present. Laughter filled the air as the adults joined in the fun. The little ones played with their toys. Moms and Dads were laughing and loving. They weren’t worrying about making the mortgage payment or paying the bills. Not today.
An hour later all that was left were ten hungry people. The turkey came out of the oven, the potatoes were mashed, the noodles and gravy made and the salad tossed. Everything was served in the formal dining room with linen tablecloth and napkins, best dinnerware and silverware.
After the blessing, it was indeed a special day. 


Thank you so much for sharing a little bit of your Christmas celebrations with us today, Lorelei.  I'm reminded of all the get togethers my family had over the years.  I hope to continue with some new traditions this year.
Merry Christmas, 
Happy Yule and Winter Solstice,
Happy Chanukah,
and Happy New Year to everyone!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Six Sentence Sunday December 18, 2011

This week I moved my normal Six Sentence Sunday submission over to Not Enough Time in the Day since Behind Closed Doors is still involved in the Stuff Your Stockings Christmas blog hop.  I'm giving away a free copy of For the Love of Quinn over there, so if you haven't already visited stop in and leave a comment.  I have a three part short story that gives you some more background on some of the characters in Quinn's story.  

Back to this blog...

I was going through my poetry, getting them all organized for my upcoming book Follow Me: Poetry from the Heart and Soul. I hope to get it ready for sale through Smashwords in time for Christmas...well, at least the New Year!  One poem stuck out in my mind as a perfect submission for my six.  In fact, it is only six sentences!  So here it is.  Let me know what you think!

When I Was A Child

When I was a child I sat in the corner
And daydreamed about the the things I wished I had.

I hated boys and their rough games.
Girlfriends were sometimes very mean,
And my parents always treated me like a baby.

If anyone was looking for me,
I would escape into my dream world
And become someone else.

And here I am.
Doing the things I dreamt about,
The center of attention,
And loving it!

©Tammy Dennings 01/1993

Make sure you check out the other fabulous authors participating this week! http://sixsunday.com/

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Interview with guest author Rose Anderson!





Hello everyone!  A good friend and fellow author Natasha Blackthorne interviewed me not too long ago and she had the most fascinating questions.  They really made me think as a writer and a reader.  I found I wanted to know the answers to these questions from other authors as well.  Which brings us to our guest author today.  I am excited to welcome to Not Enough Time in the Day, author Rose Anderson.  




Rose, what types of characters appeal to you the most and why?
First off Tammy, I’d like to say thank you for having me.


Above all, I like writing well-rounded or well-appointed characters who wear masks. I suppose it was growing up with movies like Zorro, The Count of Monte Cristo, or the Scarlet Pimpernel, even Batman to some degree. We have these wealthy playboy-type men who outwardly have no substance whatsoever, are cads, or just generally disinterested in the serious events around them. But in truth, they’re driven men to fight injustices, or right wrongs. As a reader I find a character with a dual identity to be very compelling. As a writer, I love the challenge of creating what is essentially two personas within the framework of the one. 

Why do they appeal to me? The thought of the reader knowing the secret before the hero or heroine does appeals to me because it makes for a very convoluted story by adding another layer of depth. The story has to move forward of course, but when you’re hiding a truth such as this, the storyline is enhanced. One of the best romance stories of this sort, in my opinion, is Kathleen Woodiwiss’ A Rose in Winter

I have found that there is a lot of me in the characters that I write.  Do you find the same?  
Like me, my characters are always socially responsible. They have a great sense of right and wrong, and are compassionate. Since I appreciate wit and intelligence, they tend to be witty and smart. From this very same personality bank, I also create really crafty, really bad, bad guys. I’ll go so far as to say they become the counterpoint to all that is good about me. The few bad guys I’ve created possess evil genius along the lines of Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis Professor Moriarty. And it all comes out of my head. LOL I wonder what that means? 

How are they not like you?
How they’re not like me?  Well, they’re not shy and held down by immobilizing shyness like I’ve been my entire life. They play instruments I never learned, gone places I’ve never been, done things, had careers and experiences I’ve only dreamed of. And they do it with panache!

Do you find that you write stories with recurring themes? If so, why do you think you are drawn to these kind of core issues?
I’m very detail oriented so I love the challenge of making impossible concepts possible and implausible scenarios plausible. As far as core issues go, I really enjoy writing conflicts. Especially battles between good and evil or where right triumphs over wrong. To me that’s the best thing about creating literary worlds. Authors have control over weighty issues and are able to change negative situations to positive outcomes. The real world doesn’t always allow for that. Freud might say I had a god complex. <grin> It’s a heady thing though. I get frustrated by things -- environmental issues, political garbage, societal woes and ills. In my fictional worlds, I can virtually eliminate them. So I do. 

Now let's switch gears a bit.  As a reader, what kinds of fiction interest you?
I enjoy historical fiction and historical romance. I really love the evocative potential of history for details: sights and smells, clothing and accoutrements, mores and attitudes, language and outlooks. I especially enjoy time travel stories where the hero/heroine is thrust into these foreign scenarios and must adapt. I also enjoy mysteries.

Who are some of your favorite authors and why do you think they appeal so much to you?
All-time favorites are the ones who write in rich detail. Like I mentioned above, I’m very detail oriented. Giving me details for my mind to extrapolate with is like handing me individual paints for one of those paint by number canvases. I find the richer the detail, the better read for me, because I can fully immerse my senses in the story. Authors who’ve given me the paints with which to see their story’s world are Michael Crichton, Ken Follett, Diana Gabaldon, Kathleen Woodiwiss, JK Rowling, Sue Monk Kidd, Jane Leopold Quinn, and Alice Walker. I’ll read anything they write because I know I’m in for a cerebral treat.





Who is your favorite all time hero? Why do they resonate so well with you?
Outside the family of men in my four-year-in-the-making, yet-to-be-published, series, I’d have to say it would be one James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser (Outlander). Jamie is by far the hero I love the most, though in a pinch I’d take Anthony Mallory (Tender Rebel), and Christopher Seton (A Rose in Winter).  :)  To me Jamie is the perfect hero, he’s strong and brave, kind and compassionate, sexy as all hell, and sensitive and tender like a little boy on the inside. I love that in my heroes. It makes them very real to me.

Thank you so much for sharing with us today, Rose!  How can readers and fellow authors connect with you online?
I’m just about everywhere in my quest to become a known author. Here are several of my links. I’d love to hear from you.
My page at my publisher's site: Siren-Bookstrand_RoseAnderson   
My book trailers:  MusesWritingTablet
Yes I tweet, let's be friends! @roseanderson_  (notice the _  at the end) 
And we can be friends here too! Google+ Circles (I'm not on Facebook)
You’ll also find my many small satellite blogs on various author sites. My books can be found at Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Books-a-Million and dozens of online booksellers too.


Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Guest Author Maya DeLeina Introduces Us to the Sexy Ambrose Heights Vampires

If you are anything like me...and I know you are ;), nothing grabs your attentions faster than a hot, sexy vampire.  How about an entire neighborhood filled with them?  Is your mouth watering yet?  Well wait no longer.  Help me welcome my guest, author Maya DeLeina to Not Enough Time in the Day!


If you love paranormal romance, here is a new series that packs a sexy bite!
  

This Erotic Vampire Romance series follows the Matthew’s Lair as they intermingle with society, develop human-like serums, craft doctrines, connect with other vampire families and paranormal beings and search for their fated mates. They reside in the ultra-exclusive neighborhood of Ambrose Heights. Ambrose Heights sits high up on the mountain, overlooking the town of Manitou Springs, Colorado. And while the town is known for its healing spring waters, fabled underground passages and rumored lore of wizardry and witchcraft, the town’s residents find Ambrose Heights mysterious and inexplicable- they don’t quite know what to make of the gated community that seems to have appeared overnight. If only someone had done their homework. After all, the name Ambrose says it all- Immortal.














Book 1- Flesh Fantasy
Flesh Fantasy is the diary of Ambrose Height’s protector, Rhys Matthews and his human love interest, Rain.
Tonight, Rain Calisto searches for her man, and Rhys Matthews comes into focus. He is well-built and sinisterly sexy. In the same Denver nightclub, Armand Anastasio searches for his woman—Rain.
But the men are more than gorgeous.
They are vampires, and they are unmated.
A chance encounter lands Rhys and Rain together. Their attraction remains undeniably powerful and they fall prey to lust. With each passionate tryst, Rhys senses a connection that goes beyond the flesh. Unbeknownst to Rhys, Rain is a diabetic. Her insulin alters her biological makeup, disguising a revelation he isn’t quite prepared for.
Rain is Rhys's fated mate.
As they struggle with this knowledge, another bombshell is dropped. Rain’s insulin-laced tissue creates a rare vampiric blood that can fetch a hefty profit, and Armand has always known this.
Is his attraction to Rain genuine, or is he just out for her blood?
This is the diary of Rain and Rhys. Recorded here is their transformation from a flesh fantasy to eternal love

Want more? Click here for a FREE READ of Chapter 1& 2 http://mayadeleina.com/books-3/free-read-flesh-fantasy/
See the sexy vampires come to life in the Flesh Fantasy Mini Movie Trailer: http://youtu.be/h81rt5OarS4
BUY NOW


Book2- Veil of Seduction 

Coming February 2012 in eBook and June 2012 in Paperback

This is the torrid love triangle of Ambrose Height’s leader, Steffan Matthews, his human love interest and his newborn vampire.

A newborn vampire. A powerful leader. An inconsolable woman.

The shaping of their eternity all lies within the eyes.

Steffan Matthews is the devastatingly handsome vampire leader of Ambrose Heights. He cultivates social order and invents concoctions that allow vampires to feel human once again.

But Steffan also has a devouring obsession that brings him to his knees.

Her name is Anya.

A mortal ripe for the taking, Steffan sets out to claim Anya as his mate.

But the blackness in the eyes of his newborn should’ve served as a warning.

Anya is off-limits according to the vampire creed.

It will take the strength of the kinship, the purity of love, a hint of magic and a subterranean guardian to shield Steffan against the wrath of Ryan Evans, protect him from the fate of the Nemesis and bridge a passage to his rightful destiny.



Make sure you stop in on Behind Closed Doors.  Rumor has it one of those sexy vampires has hijacked my blog!  Not that I'm complaining of course!  I wonder what he's going to talk about....

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Guest author Kellie Kamryn discusses the L word

The “L” Word
So, you think the romance writer is going to talk about love, don’t you? I suppose in a way I am because I love to LAUGH. That’s right – the “L” word I’m talking about today is LAUGHTER!

 The first time I recall really making someone laugh was when I was thirteen. My fellow gymnasts and I were at a dinner hosted after one of our competitions. A song came on, there was a dinner roll, I made a joke, people laughed. So, my memory has holes in it, but what I remember is one of my friends telling me I was funny. For a kid with low self-esteem that was an awesome feeling to be able to make someone laugh with what I said. Over the years, I sharpened that skill – okay at times I’m sure I was just obnoxious – but when my friends and I spent 25 hours a week in a chalky, smelly gym, sweating our asses off, flipping around the place, a sense of humor could get you through the toughest training session.

In high school, I remember being so tired that laughter was really the bright spot in my day. At lunch, my friends and I would always find ways to amuse each other. These little things are what I fondly recall – the laughter. Do I even remember what we laughed about? No. I just know we laughed.

I’m attracted to people with a sense of humor. All of my friends have a great sense of humor. My soon-to-be ex-husband could tell a joke that would make me bust a gut laughing. Even though, we couldn’t save the marriage, there are times I’ll remember just because we did share a few laughs. And in a future mate, a sense of humor is required. (As are nice eyes and a nice ass. There are other things but those 3 are what I can check out right away :P)

In the last few months, as I’ve journeyed into the world as a single mother, a sense of humor has helped me get through the times when the tears threaten to fall non-stop. Thankfully, I have friends who know how to make me laugh and I’ve learned to call them when I’m at my lowest. Laughter is good for your soul, it’s good for your health, and good for your state of mind. Life is so serious some times that we need to lighten up every now and again!

The first of my books to come out this year was Monkeys, Sex and Other Birthday Surprises. It’s a hilarious, raunchy romp about a couple who meets on-line, and then is tricked into meeting in person. I laughed while writing it, and from what readers have said so far they’ve laughed reading it. I wanted to write a piece where the couple wasn’t perfect, the circumstances were far from ideal, but they got through the mishaps with humor. I believe I succeeded, lol

In all of my books, you can see my sense of humor. In Going for Gold, Grant and Teena tease each other. In Pleasure Island, Chelsea and Jake muddle through being single again, and in my upcoming release Rebound, Claire and Justin share banter as only couples can who have been estranged and are now trying to find their way back together.  

So, let me ask you something – when is the last time you laughed? Do you remember the last good belly laugh that grabbed hold and made your sides ache? If not, why not? Get your friends together for a giggle! Tell some dirty jokes! Look up a joke sight on-line. How about you comment below and share with me the last thing that made you laugh or tell me a joke. I’ve got a prize for you if you do.
And while you’re thinking about that I’ve got some lovely covers for you to look at, and then you can visit me on facebook www.facebook.com/KellieKamryn , or on twitter @KellieKamryn or at my website www.kelliekamryn.com

Thanks for letting me take over your blog for a day Tammy!



Pleasure Island: Chelsea Hunter didn't come to the resort looking for sex. Jake Davis intends to change her mind. Will they be able to turn up the heat, or will their visit to Pleasure Island leave them cold?
Going for Gold:

It was an office Christmas party filled with sexual tension. Gymnastics coach Grant Howard couldn’t keep his eyes off the newly-hired cheerleader coach. And sultry Teena Adams felt the same way, the “rah-rah-rahs” she felt were cheers of unbridled lust. From punch and cookies to sexual escapades gym apparatus, you’ll never look at Christmas parties or a trampoline the same way again. It’s winner-take-all, when lovers are Going forGold.

Missy Harder is reluctant to ruin a good thing and meet with her on-line lover, Sam Kentley, in person. Sam is dying to see if the connection they have is real. Humiliated in front of Sam by her brother’s pet capuchin at her surprise birthday party, she wants nothing more than to be left alone. But when Sam refuses to leave her to her misery, they both learn that humor will get you through anything, and sometimes great sex and love sneak up on you when you least expect it. 





Rebound:
An award-winning choreographer must face the only man she’s ever loved then lost when they are teamed up to work together at a gymnastics camp for Olympic hopefuls.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

My first article with the Seattle Examiner

I'm very excited to share with everyone my very first article with the Seattle Examiner.  I had such a great time doing it, that I will definitely be submitting another.


Follow the link and see how I went from writing for just myself, to being a veterinarian and finally published author!  Oh and let's not forget how I found my happily ever after just like my heroine, Quinn!


http://www.examiner.com/writing-careers-in-seattle/tammy-dennigs-maggy-tells-how-she-went-from-a-poetry-writing-vet-to-a-novelist

Saturday, December 3, 2011

REVEALING OUR DUAL NATURES IN OUR BOOKS

Please welcome our guest today author Regan Taylor as she shares with us her belief that we are all made up of two sides: one light and one dark.  Which wins out in the end depends upon a number of factors.

 My most recent release, Her Eyes,  evolved from my beliefs in reincarnation and soul mates and my fascination with cell memory in organ transplants and walk-ins. I also believe we have dark and light sides to our nature. We all have an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. We have the choice of which side of our personality to listen to. But what if the devil…or even the angel…is telling speaking and we don’t really know which one it is?

I bring those concepts together in Her Eyes and hope my readers can dispel belief that these things could really happen.  As my editor and I refined the story I was also considering my cover. I am so fortunate in both my editor and my cover artist because they both “get” me and are able to immediately see the heart of a story. I wanted a cover that showed our dark and light sides and showed the battle for supremacy we can sometimes undergo with those different aspects of our personalities.

The premise of Her Eyes is a woman wakes up from a transplant to find one of her blue eyes replaced by a green one. More than a mere change in eye color Catherine begins to experience other changes. Her dark side clashes more and more strongly with her light. Skye’s cover conveys that battle. The woman on the cover is two parts of one person. The dark side has hidden depths—not merely her darkened fingernails, but her eyes show the hollowness of her life. The other side reaches out to her darker nature but we don’t know if she seeks to release or embrace it. Above a woman with a green eye and a blue eye looks out to the reader, daring he or she to choose.

If you had a second chance to be with a lost love, would you take it? Would you brave time, space and even death to be with that person? And if they looked into your eyes, would they see the truth of the soul within.

Blurb from Her Eyes

What would you do to be with the one you love?  Would you die and finda a way, any way possible, back to them?

When Frank White married Catherine he took to heart the words “for better or for worse.”  With Catherine he got the worst of the worse, or did he?

After Catherine attempts to murder Frank while he sleeps, much to her surprise, Frank’s dog Win lashes out at her.  When Catherine wakes, something very strange has happened, so strange that even Catherine has no idea what.

Excerpt
Chapter One

An ambulance roared by, its sirens blaring disturbing the quiet that otherwise surrounded the house. The road in front of Catherine White's house went for miles, stretching from a rural section of cattle farms in Greenburg County all the way to the city. The sound of the siren quickly came and went as they rushed someone to the hospital.

Catherine stood and walked to the kitchen doorway to look into the next room to see if the sound had disturbed her husband, Frank. There he sat, morosely swilling beer, trying to pretend she wasn't home. Catherine White hadn't spoken to her husband all day.

What was the point?

They had nothing to say to each other. She heard all marriages went through this phase, where conversation drags and the couple slowly pulls away from each other. If it were only that, she would be fine with it.

The truth of it was she had never shared Frank's goals, dreams, or desires. He never understood that.

Frank wanted their marriage to work.

She wanted her freedom.

Well actually, to be more precise she had wanted out of this farce of a marriage prior to James, her lover of six months, dying in a plane crash. Why he had to go to Spain a week ago was beyond her.

Mourning him would take more energy than she cared to spend on just another man. The dumb ass shouldn't have left her. In the week since he'd died her wish to have her marriage concluded rolled over and over in her mind.

Now there was nowhere for her to go, so she stayed with her husband and wished for someone else. It was her curse. She'd built a safety net in Frank but slowly, irrevocably, that net had changed to a cage.

All that really mattered was having a man. It was the only thing of importance in her life. Not just any man, though. He had to dote on her and think she was the sun and moon. Oh yeah, and he couldn't be Frank.

Not that she expected it to take long to find a replacement lover. After all, Catherine never had to look far for male attention. Ever since that first time behind the bleachers event during a football game it had been easy to attract men who could give her the things she wanted.

So why did I go off the deep end and marry Frank?

She'd have to chalk that up to temporary insanity. Well, that and wanting to show up that unbelievably plain and utterly bland Pamela. Pammie. Ugh. How bland ole Pamela ever made the cheerleading squad was beyond Catherine. But somehow dull and boring ole Pammie made it. The bitch had gotten everything in high school: the top grades, the best scholarships, the squad. The one thing she didn't get was Frank White.

That was the one thing Catherine got.

She smacked her gum and returned to the kitchen table, putting on the last coat of nail polish. She should've had them professionally done, but her last manicurist had tossed Catherine out of the shop after she had innocently flirted with the woman's husband. Jealous, so many jealous women out there, and they made life hard for Catherine. It wasn't fair. She couldn't help being beautiful.

Splaying her wet red nails on the tabletop, she lightly blew on them. Her diamond rings sat in a neat little pile in front of her. Each was a gift from Frank, a trinket of his affection. Some affection. When each nail was dry enough, she added her jewelry, watching it sparkle in the overhead light.

I won?

Eight years later and all Frank spoke of was having children. That and maybe moving closer to his parents. She wanted none of it. And why should she? She was only twenty-five and certainly didn't need the baggage of dirty diapers or crying kids. Frank was too much baggage all by himself.

If only Frank were gone…

She would have the house, the money, and no husband. She wouldn't jump into another set of vows either. For once in her life, she would be free to do what she pleased.

If Frank were gone.

The chilling thought clung to her mind, digging in with a life of its own. She popped the gum in her mouth and thought about it. The act of murder was easy. Over the years, she had watched a dozen television shows about catching killers. There were ways to do it and not get caught. Shoot him then claiming someone had broken into their loving home wouldn't be hard. Playing the sad and devoted widow might be nice.

Catherine felt a smile spread on her face. There would be so much attention. Men and women alike would flock to her to offer their condolences. She could have her pick of men and they could sleep next to her right there in Frank's bed. She might even manage her men two at a time.

On a whim, Catherine went to the bedroom and pulled the forty-five from its box in the closet. Frank had bought it and had taught her to use it for those nights when work kept him late. He called it work. She knew that his evening work meant wining and dining different developers who might be interested in his services. There were occasions when supplies were shipped late or an interstate job ran at night instead of during the day. Let him stay late every day for all she cared.

His little construction company was hardly the glossy enterprise that her friends' husbands held. She had to admit that the hard work gave him a nice body, but one she didn't want touching hers. There wasn't a reason why, at least none she'd ever been able to put her finger on. He was tall, broad-shouldered with thick brown hair and amazing eyes and was really quite handsome. More often than not, he turned women's heads wherever he went.

Frank never noticed.

He just went about his business. Maybe if he would have gone after a few of those women, some spice, some challenge, would have been added to their marriage. But not good ole Frank.

Her mind returned to the task at hand. The pistol had a good grip, and she clutched it, enjoying the weight. It had a rich smell of oil and metal, something unique she never noticed in another object. The cold metal of the silver gray gun reminded her of ice. She supposed murder should be cold, emotionless.

She didn't feel emotionless though. Holding the gun, knowing what she was about to do was euphoric.

Catherine opened the clip and checked the bullets the way Frank had shown her. The man wasn't much good for anything, but at least he had shown her how to load and fire the gun.

There were five bullets. The thing was ready to go with a flip of the safety. She would finally get out of this marriage. How simple it would be, a pull of the trigger instead of long arguments with a lawyer presiding.

She paced to the window and peered out over the yard. Divorce could be an option, if she wanted to be poor and her infidelities brought out for all to see. Strong, silent and stoic Frank would grant her one.

He might even want out of the marriage, too, but his sense of right and wrong wouldn't permit him to make the first move.

No, a bullet to the brain would be more merciful than a long, drawn-out divorce. It would be so easy. After he was dead she would mess up the room, make it look like someone broke in and then call 911 to report an attempted robbery. There had been enough visitors to the house that the police would find other fingerprints, and if they didn't, well, her story would be the intruder wore a mask and gloves.

Catherine went to the hallway, trying to move silently. The door to the den, Frank's room, was open slightly. He'd been sleeping in the den for the last five months. She suspected that he knew about her affairs. He had to. The timing of his move to the den coincided with her meeting James. She remembered the night he came home early and looked her deeply in the eyes before asking if she still loved him. She'd told him yes. She'd lied, not to be mean, but because she didn't know what else to say.

Barely into the room, she heard him breathing low and deep, already asleep. That was life with Frank. Come home, have a beer, go to sleep.

The door swung open slowly, his damn mutt on the floor by the couch. The Shepherd looked up and bared his teeth. That dog never liked her.

I may need to take a shot at him as well.

Frank loved the stupid dog and had named him Winter, although he only called him "Win" most of the time. He'd gotten the dog five months ago, about the same time he found out about her recreational activity.

"Stupid dog," she whispered.

Maybe she shouldn't have said anything because the dog looked at her, watched her pull the gun up and aim it at Frank. For a minute her heart raced in her chest, excitement mixed with fear that he would wake and see her standing there. She didn't want him to know it was her.

Her hand trembled.

She hadn't expected that.

There was a click from the gun as she eased off the safety and started putting pressure on the trigger.

The shot would be close.

She wouldn't miss his head. She drew in a steadying breath, but before she could exhale, Win charged snarling, growling, and pain ripped through her face.




About the Author
From earliest childhood Regan was an avid reader, and upon discovering Alexander Dumas and Charles Dickens, she was hooked on books that carried the reader away to a different time and place.  Preferring the quiet of her room and a good book to spending time with people, she traveled far beyond those four walls.

Where to find Regan


Friday, December 2, 2011

I am guest blogging today!

Fellow Siren author and friend Amber Lea Easton invited me to be her guest on her Moxie Girl Musings blog.  Today I share my own story of love and loss and finally finding my happily ever after.  Come on over and say hello and maybe share your own happily ever after.

Wildfire Romance Series