Teaser Tuesday - A Very Southern Affair

My Teaser Tuesday today is from A VERY SOUTHERN AFFAIR by Elaina Lee. It's a fun, light romance--just perfect for summertime. It really captures small-town Belleville, Alabama, where it's set.


He sucked air through the gap in his two front teeth and leaned an arm on the worn counter. "Northerner? You ain't that feller who's here to give us some damn resort we don't need, are ya?"

[at 5% on my Kindle]

Read my review on Amazon here.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away -- you don't want to ruin the book for others)
• Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

The Kettle - Enumclaw, WA

In the small town of Enumclaw, a little south of where I live in Washington State, there's a restaurant named The Kettle. Do not go there if you're on a diet! This morning my husband and I made the 15-minute drive toward the foothills of the Cascades where Enumclaw is located. On a sunny day, we could have gazed at the grandeur of Mount Rainier as we drove past fields of cows. This morning, however, we had to take it on faith that The Mountain was there. 


The cafe was packed! We ordered coffee (good), which came immediately. I was really hungry, so I ordered what I thought would be a good-sized breakfast--two eggs, two pancakes, and two slices of bacon. I didn't realize the pancakes would be so big they'd hang over the sides of the plate! My husband had some sort of egg-bacon-potato-cheese concoction that mounded up so high he could only eat half, plus it came with a muffin. We took home enough food for another meal for each of us. 


The Kettle is a great place to bring kids--in fact, we heard a baby complaining--because it is a noisy, laid-back cafe where you'll be surrounded by laughter and conversation. The service was fast and friendly, and we didn't feel rushed.


If you like diners and enjoy a drive through beautiful country to a charming small town, I recommend a stop at The Kettle in Enumclaw. Just be sure to go for a half-order of whatever meal you choose!


Click here for The Kettle's ratings on Yelp.

Sandy Nachlinger

Win a Free eBook!

Just a reminder. The contest to win a free ebook copy of I.O.U. SEX is open until August 4. Just go to Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews, read our guest post, and leave a comment to enter.

Here's the link: Laurie's Blog

Thank you!

Sweet Saturday Samples - July 21

When we left Elly and the Geriatrics last week, Elly had just discovered that the brakes didn’t work on the golf cart she was driving. Here’s what happened next. (By the way, she’s disguised as her grandmother.)

      Oh, God. I'm gonna crash.

      Panicked, Elly steered the runaway cart toward a pile of mulch up ahead, hoping the bark chips would stop her or at least cushion the crash. She gripped the steering wheel, ducked her head, and braced for impact.

      Seconds later, the cart’s front wheels plowed into the pile. But though the vehicle came to an abrupt halt, Elly kept going and flipped into the mulch. In slow motion, the cart seemed to sigh, tilted onto its side, and then slid down to the pavement.

      Elly rolled to her back and stared up at the evening sky, catching her breath and trying to stop her head from spinning. She wiggled her arms and legs.

      Nothing broken.

      A glance back up the street told her Mrs. Bagley wasn’t in sight. Then Elly heard pounding footsteps and shouts.

      "Mrs. Macaulay! Mrs. Macaulay! Are you all right?"

       She turned to see Derek rushing toward her, his dark eyes wide.

       "Elly?" He let out a whoosh of breath. "I thought you were your grandmother. Are you okay?"

       "Yeah." She nodded, more embarrassed than hurt. “I’m fine.”

       Why does he always see me at my worst?

       She looked down at her clothes and brushed at the bits of bark stuck all over her body. A giggle tickled her throat.

       I look like a grizzly bear, covered with brown fur.

       Derek shook his head. “Are you sure you’re okay? I knew the cart was going too fast to make the turn. I was afraid that Mrs. M….” He stopped and chuckled. “Elly, what’s going on?” Derek moved closer and extended his hand. “Here, let me help you.”

       Elly grasped Derek’s palm and let him pull her to her feet, her relieved laughter joining his. She enjoyed the firm feel of his hand holding hers, but when she looked over his shoulder, she gasped, dismayed to see Mrs. Bagley now standing at the top of the hill. 
       She grabbed Derek’s arm and pulled him behind the mound of mulch. “I've got to get out of here.”

       "Why? What's going on?" He frowned and turned his head to follow her gaze. “Are you sure you aren’t hurt?”

       "No, I’m okay. Really. It's Mrs. Bagley and . . . it's a long story. Oh, God, if she sees me, there's gonna be trouble."

        Derek shrugged. "It’s getting dark, and she probably can’t see us all that well. I doubt she can walk this far. What's the big deal?"

       "Please. I’ll explain later. I need to leave. Now.”

       Being rescued by a knight on a white horse would be romantic, but I’ll take a good-looking man in a pickup truck any day – even if it’s an old Ford! How about you?

       By the way, I’m still tweaking the ending chapters of this work-in-progress.

~ Sandy Nachlinger ~

What's Sweet Saturday Samples?

Each week, writers post brief samples of their work on their own blogs and then link them to the main site, so readers can conveniently “hop” from blog to blog, meet new authors and become better acquainted with ones they already know. All samples are rated PG-13 (or milder), though the books from which they're taken may be spicier. 
For more SWEET SATURDAY SAMPLES, click HERE.


Photo credits:
Ford F-150: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ford_F-150_XL_Reg._Cab.JPG
Rainbow Swirl Lollipop: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lollipop. This photo was taken by Evan-Amos as a part of Vanamo Media, which creates public domain works for educational purposes.

THE BIRD HOUSE!

Just call this "the bird house"! Here in North Texas we are inundated with BIRDS! This is for two main reasons:

(1) The Purple Martins at our house now have fairly large fledglings. There were originally four pairs of Purple Martins = 8 birds. Each of those pairs had 3-6 eggs which hatched and grew up = 12-24 fledglings. ALL of those birds now occupy the Purple Martin house in our back yard, although they are all off eating bugs somewhere in this photo. Yikes! That is a lot of birds! They are very vocal little critters and are fairly noisy. The other day there were a bunch of them practicing their speed and agility by diving and playing when one of them landed on the ground and just sat there. I'm sure it was one of the babies who was pooped out from all that practice time. Well, all those other birds immediately started chirping and cussing (that's how it sounded to me) and dive bombing that poor tired little critter on the ground until he finally recovered and took off again. This bunch is really entertaining!

(2) I also have a resident Robin. A few weeks ago, when I turned the shower on in my bathroom, I noticed a bird pop up on the high windowsill outside the long, narrow window above my tub. It had some grass in its beak. It soon built a nest in the corner under the eaves of the house, complete with a mud base to hold it safely in place, and I assumed it had laid some eggs. I only saw one bird, and it was always sitting on the nest whenever I took a shower. When I reached for the shampoo bottle that sits on that ledge, the mama bird would stand up and look through the glass at me. She was always alone until today. This time there was a second bird up there too. They both chirped at me when I tried to climb up on the side of the tub and peer into their nest. I did see two baby birds, and both parents were making this little barking sound which I assume was a warning of sorts for the babies to stay hidden. Since Robins can lay 3-5 eggs, I think there may be more babies. I've actually heard the birds singing in the mornings. These babies should fly away within a week or so given how big they looked.

Perhaps you can now see why I now call this "the bird house". Wish all of you could see these little chirping critters!
~ Miss Pickles (alias Sandra Allen)

Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews

Want to know what's real and what isn't in I.O.U. SEX? Then check out today's guest post on Laurie's Non-Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews. Our answers may surprise you!

Here's the link: Laurie's Blog

While you're there, say "hi," leave a comment, and enter to win a free ebook copy of I.O.U. SEX.

Sweet Saturday Samples - July 14

When Elly runs an errand for her grandmother, things go terribly wrong. If you haven’t been following excerpts from my WIP, Elly and The Geriatrics, you’ll need to know that Elly is staying with her grandmother in a seniors-only mobile home village. Since Elly is in her mid-twenties, she’s not supposed to be there. The Geriatric Government is the name Elly and Granny have given to the homeowners association that governs the neighborhood, and Mrs. Bagley is its president.

        Elly tugged one of Granny’s long-sleeved pullovers over her head, then twisted her hair into a ponytail and tucked it into a floppy hat. Wearing a pair of her grandmother’s long loose pants and her oversized hat, she felt fairly certain no one would recognize her in the waning light. Heck, she barely recognized herself. Anyhow, once she got outside of the retirement village, it wouldn’t matter if someone saw her. She took a quick glance in the bathroom mirror.

Is this how I’ll dress when I’m old?

She waved goodbye to Granny as she left the trailer, hoping her luck would hold and she wouldn’t encounter Mrs. Bagley or anyone else from the Geriatric Government. Elly looked both ways down Bluebonnet Lane and steered the golf cart out of the driveway. Before she’d even traveled a block she saw Mrs. Bagley on the sidewalk up ahead.

        She muttered a curse.

Now what do I do?

She weighed the possibilities, none of them good.

         Make a U-turn? No, that’ll really make her curious.

         The only option was to plunge ahead, hoping the woman really was as blind as Granny said.

Elly stomped on the gas pedal, revved the golf cart up to full speed, and steered to the opposite curb. Luckily, this portion of the street went downhill, so by the time she reached Mrs. Bagley, the cart was flying. The woman waved, but Elly turned her head away, hid her face behind the brim of Granny’s hat, and zoomed on.

        All she heard were shouts of “Marge! Wait!” and “My stars!”

        Elly almost laughed out loud at the old woman’s obvious shock, happy that she believed Granny drove the vehicle. With one hand clutching the steering wheel and the other clamping the flopping hat to her head, she careened down the street. She let out a silent whoop of glee.

        When Elly neared the bottom of the hill and rounded the curve, she jammed the brake pedal to the floor and gritted her teeth. The golf cart barely slowed.

        Oh, no. I'm gonna crash.

I’m working on the final chapters of Elly’s story. Wish me luck in finishing this tale! In the meantime, I’ll keep posting samples.

~ Sandy Nachlinger

What’s Sweet Saturday Samples? 

Each week, writers post brief samples of their work on their own blogs and then link them to the main site, so readers can conveniently “hop” from blog to blog, meet new authors and become better acquainted with ones they already know. All samples are rated PG-13 (or milder), though the books from which they're taken may be spicier. 
For more SWEET SATURDAY SAMPLES, click HERE.

Teaser Tuesday - And the Whippoorwill Sang

My two sentences today are from And The Whippoorwill Sang, a true story of a family whose teenage daughter was killed by a drunk driver. The majority of the book is the family's history, beginning with the parents' marriage. Although this touching story is sobering and could have been depressing, instead the family's love shines through the pages.

When I reach the cubicle in the emergency room and pull back the gray curtain, I lose all remaining sense of reality. This cannot be the child who had run out my front door only an hour ago, too excited to give me a kiss goodbye, calling out, "Bye, Mom." 
[1%, Location 42, on my Kindle]

[Click here to link to Amazon]

From author Micki Peluso's blog: I have recently released my first book, a memoir, about my daughter's death ... AND THE WHIPPOORWILL SANG. It's a funny, poignant celebration of her life more than a eulogy of her death.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away -- you don't want to ruin the book for others)
• Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

THE WRITE BALANCE

If you're a writer, you know how difficult it sometimes can be to balance writing time with daily life. In THE WRITE BALANCE: Journaling the Writer's Life, 59 writers share their thoughts and insights on this subject. D. Jean Quarles, who organized and published the book, writes:

     "I felt wrenched and yanked, pulled and twisted ever farther from my writing."

    "I needed balance. And who better to ask about how to achieve this blissful state than other writers who, I was sure, also had struggled at some point in their career."  

The Write Balance is free on Smashwords (multiple formats)

And only 99¢ on Amazon (for Kindle and other ebook formats)

I'm proud to be one of the contributors to this great collection of essays. You'll find my input at Chapter 31, indexed in the Table of Contents.

~ Sandy Nachlinger

Sweet Saturday Sample - July 7

More today from my WIP, Elly and the Geriatrics. In this scene, Derek has just purchased some garden tools Elly found in her grandfather’s shed. But even though Elly's hair looked like it had been styled with an eggbeater and dirt streaked her T-shirt, she made quite an impression. While women are concerned with hair, clothes, and makeup, men tend to focus on other things, don’t they?

(Click here for last week's Sample)

        Derek stared in his rearview mirror and took another look at Elly as he left the driveway. Her tight T-shirt hugged her curves like a coat of paint. 

        He let out his breath in a wolf whistle.

        When she'd bent over to pick up the shovel and he’d caught a glimpse of pink panties cupping her butt, he was pretty sure his mouth fell open. And the taut muscles in her legs—long legs that went from pink painted toenails all the way up to heaven. Derek’s libido went into overdrive when a snapshot of that vision clicked in his brain.

        Wow.

        When she asked if he saw anything else he wanted, he’d bit back the answer that came to mind. 
        Oh, yeah. 
        He’d definitely be buying more of her grandpa’s tools, and he was sure interested in anything else she had to offer.

        For the first time in many years, Derek found himself really drawn to a woman, wanting to get to know her better in all kinds of ways. The feeling surprised and pleased him. Sure, she was good-looking, but her kindness toward her grandmother and the way she didn’t fuss about her appearance attracted him too. A nice woman—not at all like some he’d been with since Suzette.

        When he’d seen Elly at the rummage sale, he hadn’t realized she was so tall. At least five foot ten—maybe more. Today he saw that her height almost matched his own. Her body would be a perfect fit for his.

        A vision of deep brown eyes and wild red hair sealed the deal.

        And don’t forget those legs. 
        Oh, no way could he forget those long legs.

        He gripped the steering wheel tighter and stared straight ahead, knowing he’d better guide his mind away from the direction it was heading and pay attention to the road or he’d wind up in a ditch.

What are Sweet Saturday Samples? 

Each week, writers post brief samples of their work on their own blogs and then link them to the main site, so readers can conveniently “hop” from blog to blog, meet new authors and become better acquainted with ones they already know. All samples are rated PG-13 (or milder), though the books from which they're taken may be spicier. 
For more SWEET SATURDAY SAMPLES, click HERE.


Photo sources:

http://www.shop-truereligion.com/women-true-religion-jeans-joey-cut-off-shorts-medium-zuma-p-46.html
theKitchn.com

Teaser Tuesday - London Broil

Do you like fractured fairy tales? This one is from Barbara Silkstone.


I let him kiss me full on the mouth, trying it out for size. I was just about to return the favor with an extra dollop of passion when the sound of a key turning in the lock sucked the gusto back down my tubes. 
[at 25% on my Kindle]


From Amazon:
     “Indiana Jones meets Romancing the Stone”
      “A murderous roller coaster ride through London during a brutal heat wave”
      “Snarky Python!”

When we last saw Wendy Darling and Roger Jolley, they’d recovered twelve of the thirteen Egyptian icons stolen from the British Museum. Wendy, Miami Realtor and part-time Tomb Raider, is now in a frantic race against time and a murderer as she searches for the last Lost Boy hidden somewhere in London while a killer heat wave invades the city.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away -- you don't want to ruin the book for others)
• Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Since you're here on our blog anyhow, why not check out the new trailer for I.O.U. SEX? Just click on the Trailer tab above.