Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Teaser Tuesday - Phoenix

I've finished reading Phoenix by Kelly Marshall and highly recommend it. What a compelling (and scary) story! Today's Tuesday Teaser is found at 97% on my Kindle. 
"She read the words over and over, felt the indentations created by his pen with her fingers. She clutched the book to her heart."


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 info too so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.
For more Tuesday Teasers, click here: Teaser Tuesdays

Monday, December 19, 2011

Teaser Tuesday - Dec 20


Another Tuesday and another Teaser. Today's two sentences are from Phoenix by Kelly Marshall. They're at the end of Chapter 2 at the 4% mark on my Kindle. This is a thriller that will keep you up at night!


"The flash of a million cameras blinded her as she looked out the window. She threw her hands in front of her eyes and stumbled backwards as the building collapsed around her."



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 info too so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

    For more Tuesday Teasers, click here: Teaser Tuesday

    Saturday, December 17, 2011

    Sweet Saturday Samples - Dec 17

    Happy holidays! Welcome to our last Sweet Saturday post for 2011. Today we rejoin our friend Peggy from I.O.U. Sex as she rewards herself for all the hard work required to achieve both better health and weight loss. Tonight she’ll open the envelope containing the private investigator’s report on Mark, her first love. Peg has a unique approach to this momentous occasion.

    Peggy had already used the cosmetics lined up on her bathroom counter—everything from moisturizer to mascara—until she looked like she was ready for a night on the town. She had washed her hair too, and styled it with care, even though she'd be the only one to see it. If Kiki and June were here now, she thought, they would say I've lost my mind. Sometimes she wondered if that would be far from the truth. Still, tonight would be a special occasion, and it demanded extraordinary measures. When the voice in her head said "the envelope, please," she wanted everything to be perfect. If that was silly, so what? Nobody else would know.
    Peggy stood admiring her image in the full length mirror she had installed on the back of her closet door.
    "Geez, Louise. I look pretty damn good, if I do say so myself."
    She marveled at her new slender figure, still amazed that her bulging butt had shrunk enough to fit into size 8 jeans. An orange tank top, layered over a hot pink T-shirt, emphasized her curvy shape and perfectly fit her festive mood. She could hardly believe that was really the Peggy Marshall she knew and loved staring back at her.
    The twinkle in her deep brown eyes turned into a wink aimed at the figure reflected in the glass. She couldn't resist striking a sexy pose, and that made her burst out laughing. Yep, I'm definitely going bananas, she thought. She turned to search for the silver loop earrings in her jewelry chest and hooked them on, then waved to her own reflection before heading down the stairs. At last, she felt ready.
    Peggy's heart beat in time to her footsteps as she marched across the family room to the secretary desk in the corner. She'd felt this same way when waiting to hear if she'd made the Rayette drill team—excited, scared, almost afraid to look at the list posted on the wall of the gym. She knew that whatever she discovered would make a huge difference in her life, both then and now. With a mixture of trepidation and anticipation, she lowered the desk's front panel and reached inside until her hand rested on the oversized envelope she'd hidden there so many months before.
    "Come to mama, you little devil," she said aloud.
    With trembling hands, Peggy pulled the envelope from its hiding place and walked to the kitchen table, placing it on the wooden surface. She felt like an actress at the Academy Awards, waiting to see what the envelope held. She sat down, pulled it closer, and used a knife to slit one end, drawing the blade under the flap until it gaped open. With a deep breath and a silent prayer, she pulled out the contents.

    The details of what was in the P.I.’s report, as well as what Peggy decides to do about her former love, are revealed in the pages of I.O.U. Sex. We’d tell you here, but that would spoil the surprise!

    I.O.U. Sex would make a great holiday gift—for yourself or a friend. It’s available in both eBook and paperback formats from:

    You'll find more Sweet Saturday Samples here: Sweet List

    Tuesday, December 13, 2011

    Teaser Tuesday - Ride to Raton


    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.

    My Teaser is from Ride to Raton, book two in the Owen Family Saga Series. It's written by Marsha Ward. I'm reading it on my Kindle, and these sentences are at the 19% mark. 


    "You Owen boys always were fools for getting into scrapes. I am just glad Mr. Hilbrands is here to bail you out."

    Product Details

    Saturday, December 10, 2011

    Sweet Saturday Samples - Dec 10

    Happy holidays! Thanks for reading today’s Sweet Saturday Sample. If you’ve been following Peggy, from our book I.O.U. SEX, then you know about her healthy living program. It’s taken a while, but by eating healthy foods, exercising, and tracking her daily caloric intake, Peg has finally reached her goal weight. Thrilled when she sees the hoped-for number on her scale, she prepares to collect the rewards she has promised herself. Peggy’s first adventure is at the mall where we join her in a Victoria’s Secret dressing room.

    A few minutes later, the salesgirl returned with her arms full of beautiful lace and silk creations in every conceivable hue—the kind that Peg hadn't purchased since she'd assembled her trousseau. Left alone, she took her time trying on each style, turning to view herself in the mirror from every angle and marveling at how beautiful and feminine they made her look and feel. Even though her body wasn't as firm as it had once been, she didn't look bad, and anything was better than the way she'd been before she lost weight. She glowed with pride.
    Peggy couldn't help chuckling out loud when she read the names on the bras— Extreme Plunge Push-up, Secret Embrace Demi, Strapless Convertible. She wondered what that style converted to and what it would feel like to experience a secret embrace again. After choosing five different bras, Peg wandered around the store picking out two dozen pairs of panties that made her shiver in delight. V-Strings, Bikinis, Cheekies, and Thongs made it into her stack of goodies.
    Thongs? I can't believe I'm buying something so risqué. Kiki would be proud of me.
    When Peggy finally walked out of the store, she wore a gorgeous ecru lace bra and matching bikini panties underneath stylish new sweats. She carried four extra-large pink and white striped shopping bags full of luxurious, if somewhat decadent, lingerie. Her new sweats and pajamas were in size small, all from the Pink Collection. Although Peg worried that the style might be too young-looking for her, the sales girl said she looked hot in them. When she left her old clothes in the dressing room trashcan, she felt as if she'd shed a skin she'd worn for too many years.

    Before the afternoon is over, Peggy has visited more stores than she can shake a stick at and purchased an entire wardrobe for her new and improved body—everything from dresses to jeans, shoes to earrings. But there’s more ….

    As she steered into her driveway, Peggy's thoughts turned to the evening ahead. Tonight she would give herself her biggest reward for achieving her weight loss goal, the prize that had steeled her resistance when chocolate-frosted donuts tempted, a reward even better than all her new clothes.
    Tonight she would open the magic envelope and learn about her first love.

    What’s in the magic envelope? The report from the private investigator—the report that she’s hidden away as her ultimate prize for sticking to a healthy eating program. What will the P.I.’s report reveal? Will she learn where Mark lives? If he’s married or single? And will the P.I. explain why Mark left Dallas all those years ago without a word?



    I.O.U. SEX could be the perfect Christmas gift—especially for those Baby Boomers on your list. You’ll have to admit, the title alone will bring a laugh to any Christmas party or gift exchange! It’s available in paperback from both Create Space and Amazon.com. It’s also available in ebook formats. For more details, click on the “Buy I.O.U. Sex” tab above.

    To read more Sweet Saturday Samples, click here: Sweet List

    [*Photos at the top of this post are from the Victoria’s Secret website.]

    Monday, December 5, 2011

    Boomers and Books on Facebook


    Just a quick note to announce the new Boomers and Books Facebook page. Launched on December 2, the page is a place where we can talk about things we've read, things we think about, and things in our everyday life.


    Join in the fun here: Boomers and Books on Facebook

    Saturday, December 3, 2011

    Sweet Saturday Samples - Dec 3


    Having taken a short Thanksgiving break, we’re now returning to our friend Peggy from our book I.O.U. SEX. She is still working hard at healthy living. In fact, she finds herself concentrating on each aspect of her plan to the exclusion of almost everything else in her life. She’s obsessed!

    Peggy increased the incline on her treadmill to a 4% grade and cranked up the speed. Comfortable with the treadmill's pace, she used the remote to turn on the TV. When a rerun of The Rockford Files filled the screen, she smacked her forehead and spoke aloud to James Garner. "Oh my God. There must be hoof prints on my forehead 'cause a galloping dumb-ass just ran across it!"
    Peg almost fell off of the moving belt when she realized she had completely forgotten about the private investigator she'd hired to find Mark. With all the stress after June's mom passing away, her life had been filled with complications. That didn't even include all the changes she'd made to get healthier. She had simply been too distracted to give the P.I. a second thought.
    But why hadn't Hornby contacted her? He'd warned that he had a busy schedule, but surely he had some news about Mark to report by now. Peggy thought back to their meeting and tried to remember their conversation.
    Let's see, he said it would probably take a couple of months, and I told him...
    "Dad gum it." Peggy massaged her forehead with her fingertips, wondering how in the world she could have forgotten something so important. She realized she'd told Hornby to call her only on her cell phone—the old one that had fallen into the swimming pool—and she'd never felt the need to purchase another one. She'd rarely used her cell phone anyhow. No wonder Hornby hadn't contacted her.
    Peggy stopped the machine and headed toward the desk to find the P.I.'s number. She dug through the drawer looking for his business card, her heart beating fast from the workout, coupled with the anticipation of what Hornby might tell her. When she found his card, she took a deep breath and picked up her phone to call his office.

    When the P.I. informs her that he has indeed located her former steady, Peg takes no more chances and tells him to mail her the information immediately, her excitement mounting.
      
    Two days later Peggy sat on the family room couch, munching on thirty-five calories of baby carrots, drinking a bottle of water, and staring at a large brown envelope with Hornby's return address. She wondered what secrets it contained.
    She pulled the packet to her, uncertain whether or not she wanted to look inside. Then she shook her head.
    No. I'm not going to open it yet. I'll save it, like a Christmas gift underneath the tree, until I've reached my goal weight.
    It'll be another incentive for sticking to my healthy living program.
    She smiled at her next thought.
    Like a reward from Santa for being a good little girl.
    She held the envelope tight and walked to the antique secretary desk in the corner of the room. Pulling down the front, she pushed the envelope into a cubby inside and closed the lid.
    There.
    It can stay in its hiding place until I reach my goal weight, and that's all there is to it. Surely that won't take too much longer.

    When Peggy tells Kiki of her decision, Kiki says, “You've got more patience than I do. I would have ripped that sucker open and called Mark faster than you can whistle Dixie."

    But Peggy assures her friend, “Hornby's report will be an incentive to keep me on the straight and narrow…."

    Will Peggy really be able to resist the lure of the envelope’s contents—the key to her search for Mark—and wait to claim her prize? Or will she be like a curious little kid and take a peek inside?


    To read other Sweet Saturday Samples, click here: Sweet List