Teaser Tuesday - Remember Me?

I can't think of a single thing to say about Sophie Kinsella that hasn't already been said. Her books are fresh, funny, and never disappointing. So here's a teaser from a 2008 release titled REMEMBER ME?

I can't cope with this anymore. I came into the hospital five days ago in 2004--but now magically it's 2007? Where are we, bloody Narnia?
(Page 32)

Amazon link: Remember Me?
Genre: Romance / Chick Lit
No. of Pages: 430

Goodreads Synopsis: 
When twenty-eight-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, she’s in for a big surprise. Her teeth are perfect. Her body is toned. Her handbag is Vuitton. Having survived a car accident—in a Mercedes no less—Lexi has lost a big chunk of her memory, three years to be exact, and she’s about to find out just how much things have changed.

Somehow Lexi went from a twenty-five-year-old working girl to a corporate big shot with a sleek new loft, a personal assistant, a carb-free diet, and a set of glamorous new friends. And who is this gorgeous husband—who also happens to be a multimillionaire? With her mind still stuck three years in reverse, Lexi greets this brave new world determined to be the person she…well, seems to be. That is, until an adorably disheveled architect drops the biggest bombshell of all.

Suddenly Lexi is scrambling to catch her balance. Her new life, it turns out, comes complete with secrets, schemes, and intrigue. How on earth did all this happen? Will she ever remember? And what will happen when she does?

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.

- Sandy Nachlinger

Adios, Big Tex!

On October 19, 2012, the symbol of the State Fair of Texas was destroyed by fire. Those of us who grew up in Dallas and surrounding areas couldn't believe that after 60 years, this icon was gone! 

To read my tribute to Big Tex, check out today's post on the Boomers & Books Blog: Adios, Big Tex.

- Sandy Nachlinger

Photo source:

Andreas Praefcke (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Big_Tex_2008.jpg

Heat Warms Up Brain Cells

Check out my contribution to the anthology

THE WRITE BALANCE 

in today's guest post on D. Jean Quarles's blog: 

Heat Warms Up Brain Cells

This book of advice, secrets, and insight from writers 

is available on Amazon for only 99¢. Here's the link:

 THE WRITE BALANCE

2012 Skate America

Today the two of us attended a double session of the 2012 Skate America competition at the new Showare Center in Kent, Washington. 

Do you like "Dancing With the Stars?" Then you would have loved the ice dancing competition. Based on different aspects of dance, including rhythm, interpretation of the music, and precise steps, it was beautiful to watch.  Meryl Davis and Charlie White of Team USA were at the top of the leader board after today's competition.

Click the arrow to watch a short video of several ice dancing couples warming up on Saturday afternoon. (Photos were not allowed during the actual competitions.)

We also watched the short program of the ladies figure skating competition. This sport is the most familiar and popular among fans. These young ladies effortlessly performed beautiful athletic spins, triple jumps, and spirals. At the end of the short program, Ashley Wagner, the current 2012 U.S. Champion, held the top spot.  

The new Showare Center in Kent, Washington, was a great venue for these events. Located south of Seattle, it is easily accessible by car or public transportation. The Showare staff were friendly and helpful, and the best news of all is that they don't even charge for parking! Our tickets were only $15 for the 2 1/2 hour event, and our seats were great.

- Sandy & Sandra

For more information: Skate America
Photo Sources:
Ashley Wagner
Charlie White & Meryl Davis

Book Beginnings on Friday and Friday 56 - ONLY SCANDAL WILL DO

BOOK BEGINNINGS:
  "Put her back in the carriage, now!" Her assailant snarled the brusque command, sending a shiver of fear through Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam.
   An unseen attacker seized and tossed her into the coach.
(How's that for starting off with a bang?)

FRIDAY 56:
   Duncan walked unsteadily to the sideboard, poured half a tumbler of brandy and took a healthy draught. He stared at his glass, contemplating his options. There seemed to be only one.
(I estimated where page 56 might be on my Kindle.)


Author: Jenna Jaxon
Genre:   Regency Romance
Length:  230 Pages
Format:  ebook
Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble

MY IMPRESSIONS: I've just started reading this book and I'm hooked. The synopsis on Amazon says, in part: 

He has the woman of his dreams, but what price will he have to pay to win her heart?

Kidnapped and sold at auction in a London brothel, Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam squelches an undeniable attraction to the masked stranger who purchased her, pits her wits against him, and escapes him and the scandal that would ruin her life.

Unable to resist temptation in a London brothel, Duncan Ferrers, Marquess of Dalbury, purchases a fiery beauty. She claims she's a lady, but how can she be?

So far in my reading, Katarina has escaped with her virtue intact, but she has enchanted the rogue who won her in the auction - a nobleman who didn't believe her story about being a member of London society. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next!

- Sandy Nachlinger

*****

Anybody can participate in Book Beginnings and Friday 56. 
Click here to connect to other Book Beginnings post.
Find other Friday 56 bloggers here.
                

Teaser Tuesday - Confessions of a Corporate Slut

CONFESSIONS OF A CORPORATE SLUT by Jacqueline Gum is one of the best books I've read lately. No, it isn't about a woman who sleeps her way to success. It's about a wife who gives up her career and uses her intelligence, drive, and chutzpah to further her husband's business, but whose contribution isn't appreciated -- an unpaid woman who gives her talents away. The story has a delightful wry humor, and it's also sad, eye-opening, and thought-provoking.



TEASER:
Love doesn't die suddenly; it chips away in small pieces like paint on a windowsill. Every once in a while, the windowsill gets a fresh coat of paint and it takes a while for the chipping to start again.
(at 52% on my Kindle)

GENRE: Women's Fiction

LENGTH: 300 Pages

AMAZON LINK: Paperback and eBook

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.

- Sandy Nachlinger

Sweet Saturday Sample - October 5

It's been a month since I've contributed to Sweet Saturday Samples -- and that's too long! I'm back today with another excerpt from my WIP, Elly and the Geriatrics. This scene takes place after Elly has crashed her grandmother's golf cart into a pile of mulch, and Derek and Elly have shared their first kiss.

      After a quick explanation to her grandmother of what had transpired, amid apologies and assurances that the only thing injured was her pride, Elly headed for the bathroom. A glance in the medicine cabinet mirror confirmed what she’d feared. She looked terrible. Her hair stood out from her head like a red fright wig, a smear of dirt stretched from her nose to her right ear, and bits of mulch dusted her from head to foot like brown snowflakes.

      But Derek kissed me anyway.

      She ran her fingertips over her lips, remembering the feel of his mouth on hers. Those thoughts warmed her and made her wonder why he’d chosen that moment to make a move.

      Don’t question it. It was wonderful.

      Then a piece of bark fell from her hair onto her hand, bringing her back to reality. She shook her head. 
      The man must be as blind as Mrs. Bagley or else really desperate for female attention. 

      Thoughts of those kisses teased her while she showered, towel-dried her hair, and put on makeup. Once those tasks were done, she donned a clean pair of jeans and a cotton shirt. She slipped her feet into strappy sandals.

       I'm not really chasing after the guy.

       She fastened one hoop earring, then the other.

       And I don't want a relationship with him.

       She frowned at her reflection and made a face.

       What do I want?

       She spritzed perfume on her neck. Dammit, it felt good to have a man admire her. Maybe Granny was right. A little flirting wouldn't hurt. Would it?

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.