Sweet Saturday Sample - June 30

Why is it that when we look our worst, that’s when we see people we know? In this scene from my WIP, Elly and the Geriatrics, poor Elly is a mess.

          Elly paused at the door to Grandpa’s shed, arched her back in a stretch, and stepped from behind the cedars lining the driveway. As she looked up, an old pickup truck rolled down Bluebonnet Lane.

Is that Derek?

She jumped back behind the foliage and watched as he backed up and turned into her grandmother’s driveway.

Doggone it. It is.

She edged toward the shed, hoping to hide inside, when she stumbled over a wheelbarrow filled with all kinds of hand tools. The contents fell onto the concrete with a clatter. Elly heard footsteps thumping down the driveway.

“Mrs. M? Is that you?” Derek asked.

Elly took a deep breath and smoothed her t-shirt. That action left streaks of dirt down its front, adding to the grime already there. She’d started out the morning in sweatshirt and jeans, but as the day warmed and her physical activity increased, she’d pared down to T-shirt and cutoffs. Now she wished she’d dressed a little better. She wore not a smidgen of makeup, not even lipstick. She’d pulled her hair back into a ponytail and tied it with a shoelace hours before, and she knew it probably stuck out like a bouquet of thistles by now.

          The man will probably run the other direction.

          Not that I care.

          She stepped from behind the trees.

In case you’re curious, here’s what a thistle looks like. Of course, Elly’s hair is red, not pink.

While you’re visiting our blog, take a look at the trailer for I.O.U. SEX (below). Hope you enjoy it!

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 source – Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Highfields/Gallery?rdfrom=commons:User:Highfields/Gallery#My_Uploads

Trailer for I.O.U. SEX

     I hope you enjoy this trailer for I.O.U. SEX!
      ~ Sandy N.

Teaser Tuesday - Never Trust a Pretty Wolf

 

In today's Teaser Tuesday post, Liesel Wolf and Andy Bryce from Never Trust a Pretty Wolf meet. This is Andy's first glimpse of the woman who will be his partner in a geocaching treasure hunt.

Even from where he stood, her eyes glowed with an emerald fire. Her skin looked as if it would put satin to shame. As he stared at her mouth, a bolt of fire stabbed him right below the belt. [at 3% on my Kindle]

I'd say Liesel made a pretty good first impression, wouldn't you?

Here the synopsis of Never Trust a Pretty Wolf from Amazon:

Liesel Wolf has a secret, a dangerous secret she’ll go to any lengths to conceal. When she’s paired in a charity game with sexy marshal Andy Bryce, a man with secrets of his own, her carefully constructed world comes crashing down, and Liesel’s on a collision course with her past.

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.

Contest Results

We have TWO winners. Lori Pollard-Johnson has generously given away two of her books! 

                      

Winner of TOXIC TORTE: Shelley Munro

Winner of THE LIE:  Sandra McLeod Humphrey

Both of you lucky ladies are in for a treat.

Here's the link to our recent interview with Lori:

Meet Lori

Sweet Saturday Sample - June 23

Would you spend hundreds of dollars on a vintage fishing lure? Elly hopes someone will do just that in today’s Sweet Saturday Sample from my WIP, Elly and the Geriatrics. Here’s what happened after Elly went through her late grandfather’s storage shed.

       That evening, Elly sat at her laptop, the list of Grandpa’s treasures at her side, while her grandmother watched Jeopardy in the other room. Every few minutes, she’d hear Granny's high-pitched voice calling out a response and making comments to the contestants. Elly chuckled. The range of her grandmother’s knowledge always amazed her, and she was convinced that this nightly TV ritual helped keep her mind sharp.

       Elly propped her list next to the computer and typed the name of the first item in the Google search box. To her surprise, a screen full of hits came up. She clicked on the first listing and found a page loaded with photos of colorful fishing gear. Near the top, a vintage Paw-Paw “Injured Minnow” fishing lure like one she’d found in the tackle box, had an asking price of three hundred dollars, while an antique Poul Jorgensen salmon fly was going for seven hundred.

       “Holy moley,” she said to the screen. “Seven hundred dollars to catch a fish?” She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and looked again, wondering if she’d imagined what she’d seen, but the numbers on the screen didn’t change. Sure this must be a fluke, she checked two more sites. To her amazement, they confirmed the lure’s value.

        “Unbelievable.” She let out her breath with a whistle. If the rest of Grandpa’s collection was worth that much, Granny could replace the trailer’s roof and asthmatic air conditioner and maybe even buy a new refrigerator. She wondered who would pay so much for old fishing stuff.

Encouraged by what she’d found, Elly vowed to start her own online postings that very night, beginning with a few items from Grandpa’s tackle boxes.

Connect with more Sweet Saturday Sample authors here: 

The Sweet List.

What is Sweet Saturday Samples? 
Each week, writers post a brief sample 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. 

Fishing lure photo source: http://www.artofangling.com/forsale.html

Book Review

I'm a regular contributor to the Boomers and Books blog, and today I posted a review of UNTYING THE KNOT there. This is a post-chicklit book that I really enjoyed. Check it out: Untying the Knot

~ Sandy N.  

Teaser Tuesday - Perigee Moon

With every Teaser Tuesday, my TBR collection grows, and I'm sure today will be no exception. I can't wait to see what everyone is reading!


My Teaser today is from Perigee Moon by Lynn Schneider. This excerpt takes place during Kate's high school years.

Kate, a principal in the elite that comprised the popular group, insisted upon dragging Luke along with her everywhere and if he kicked and screamed, then so be it. He was enlisted to escort her to dances and parties and other activities to which she summoned him, and he did it without complaint, but whenever he had a night off, it surprised him, how optimistic he could feel when presented with the knowledge that he wouldn't be seeing Kate. 
[at 7% on my Kindle]

Here's the synopsis from Amazon: 
     Dismayed at events occurring in his family and with the world in general, Luke desires a different kind of existence. Issues he has been unwilling to confront become important enough that he realizes he must make life-altering decisions, reconsider a variety of things he thought he’d understood all along, and revise the view of his own nature and place in the world.
     Controlled by Kate, who has been his constant companion since childhood, he has been coerced into choices he never expected to make, and a lifestyle he never expected to live. Until the night of the Perigee Moon when everything has gone wrong and Luke makes choices of his own. 
     Abby, an old friend from high school comes back into his life and Luke finds the friend, the lover, the soul mate he has craved only to be subjected to Kate’s unwillingness to let go. Luke must convince Kate that what they had is over and convince Abby that what they have is right.


Here's a link to my review on Amazon: Perigee Moon - Sandy's Review
(HINT: I loved this book.)

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.

Sweet Saturday Sample - June 16

Welcome back, Sweet Saturday Samplers! Here’s another peek at my WIP, Elly and the Geriatrics.

Elly has been cleaning out her grandmother’s storage shed and she’s stopped for lunch. Since she is breaking the rules of the senior citizen community by staying with her grandmother, she hides in a bedroom when someone knocks on the door.

           

“Come in, Louisa Mae,” Granny said. “Electra, honey, it’s okay. You can come out.”

         Elly’s heart sank. Why was Granny calling out her name when her presence was supposed to be a secret? She’d been discreet all day, staying in the shadows at the back of the carport between the trailers, and now Granny was acting like it was no big deal.

         When Elly came through the door, carrying her dishes, her grandmother beamed. “Honey, you remember Louisa Mae from next door.”

         Elly pasted a wary smile on her face and nodded to the woman. She remembered seeing her several weeks ago, on the other side of the six-foot fence separating their properties, her hair as fine and fluffy as cotton candy and almost as pink. She’d bent down to hide and hoped the woman hadn’t seen her. Now it didn’t seem to matter. “Yes, I do. It’s good to see you again.” She glanced at her grandmother. “And I like to be called Elly.”

         “It’s good to see you too,” Louisa Mae said.

         Elly said nothing, wondering how much Louisa knew.

         Granny took a look at her granddaughter’s serious face and laughed. “Oh, don’t you worry, honey. Louisa Mae knows all about our little arrangement and she approves. She’s the soul of discretion and she won’t tell anyone, will you, Lou?”

          “Absolutely not. I’m delighted to have you next door, helping your grandmother. Ruth Ann and I were just saying yesterday what a blessing you are.”

         “Ruth Ann?” Elly’s heart sank one level lower. “Who’s Ruth Ann?”

         “Why, she’s our neighbor. Three trailers down thataway.” Louisa Mae pointed down the street. “But don’t worry, we’re all on your side, and we can all keep a secret.” She leaned forward and looked over her shoulder, as if spies lurked behind the Barcalounger. “The only one you really have to watch out for is that old busy-body Marybeth Bagley, but she’s as blind as a bat. Why, her glasses are as thick as the bottoms of Coke bottles!”

         “Thanks for the warning,” Elly said. She wondered how many other residents knew of her stay with her grandmother and how long her secret would remain intact.

Indulge in Sweet Saturday Samples with us! Here's the link:
The Sweet List


What is Sweet Saturday Samples? 
Each week, writers post a brief sample 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 may be spicier. 

Teaser Tuesday - The Lie

Today I'm featuring a teaser from The Lie, an edgy young adult novel written by Lori Pollard-Johnson. (I featured her book Toxic Torte last week.)

Saturday morning I woke up wondering if no lecture was worse than sitting through an hour of Mom and Dad’s tag team ranting. On the one hand, it was a pain in the ass hearing them using the future as a weapon to get me to change. On the other hand, without a lecture I could only conclude one thing: They’d given up on me. (approx pg 25)


I LOVED THIS BOOK !!!!


Here's the synopsis from Amazon:
Seventeen-year-old Jace Thaden aches to become a man, but not if it means becoming his overbearing father. So when his girlfriend Hayley announces that she’s pregnant on the same day he flunks his chemistry mid-term and is suspended from the baseball team, he sees only one way to escape his dad's lectures and disapproving eyes of his small hometown...and make money to support Hayley and the baby: the army. Unfortunately, he’s underage. So he lies. He enlists under his brother’s name and enters a dangerous world of true belonging and unforgiving challenge. 

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.

Sweet Saturday Sample - June 9

More from Elly and the Geriatrics, my WIP, for this week’s Sweet Saturday Sample. In this scene, Elly is packing up the unsold items from their rummage sale table when Mrs. Bagley, the President of the Sunset Acres Homeowner’s Association, stops by. Jeremy is Mrs. Bagley’s trouble-maker nephew.

Mrs. Bagley turned and looked around the room. The chain affixed to her eyeglass frames jiggled. “Jeremy stayed with me for a while but, unfortunately, he was forced to leave.” She paused, her smile gone, and raised thin eyebrows. “Our homeowners’ association has a rule that young people can visit for one month, then they have to go. One month. I assume you’re aware of that restriction?”

Elly searched her mind for the right response. She wondered if the Bagley woman knew she’d been living with Granny almost twice that long.

“Yes, ma’am,” Elly answered, limiting her response to as few words as possible.

“Well, just so you know. We won’t tolerate any breaking or bending of our covenants.” She fixed Elly with a glare, her forehead ribbed with rows of wrinkles.

Elly clamped her teeth together, holding back the rude retort that came to mind.

“And another thing.” The woman’s frown deepened and she leaned closer. “I saw you talking to our groundskeeper. I’d be careful around that young man if I were you. He has a way with plants, but from what I've heard ....” She paused and sniffed. "...he has an unsavory past regarding women."

Elly swallowed a gasp.

Unsavory? Derek? He seemed like such a nice guy.

But then, so had Rick.

Just then Granny walked up and interrupted. “Why, hello, Marybeth. How is Jeremy these days?” Her voice dripped with honey. “I'm so sorry to hear he had a little trouble with the sheriff over in Fannin County.”

Mrs. Bagley backed away. “All a misunderstanding, I’m sure. Just normal high spirits in a young man.” She pinned Elly with a glare. “Remember what I said.” Then she turned as quickly as her cane would allow and hobbled away.

Once the woman was out of earshot, Granny let out a hiss. “Old sow. She’ll be spying on us like a fox watching a henhouse. We’ll have to be more careful.” 

Indulge in more Sweet Saturday Samples here: The Sweet List

Meet Lori Pollard-Johnson

Today we’re talking with Lori Pollard-Johnson, author of Toxic Torte, The Lie, The Truth Test, and Recipe for a Rebel. (*She's giving away copies of two of her books too!)

S&S: The title of your mystery Toxic Torte is perfect. Love the alliteration! What inspired you to write a culinary cozy?

Lori: In the case of Toxic Torte, the title came first. I was in San Diego (to swim with dolphins), when I saw an attorney's advertisement on Toxic Torts. I'd been writing for the food industry for quite some time at that point, and an idea of a chef dishing up divine justice to a restaurant critic sparked my imagination. It took me many years and a lot of sidetracks before I finished, but Toxic Torte has been my most profitable book so far.

S&S: Do you have a favorite scene?

Lori: I think my favorite scene is near the end when our heroine's eyes are opened to true unconditional love. I can't say too much for fear of ruining the ending, but it was a surprise to me as I wrote it, too. That's the magic of writing—I get to share in the reader's sense of wonder at a surprising, yet satisfying, ending that is also true to the characters.

S&S: Your latest novel, The Lie, is quite different from Toxic Torte. Tell us a little bit about it, please. What prompted you to switch genres from adult mystery to young adult?
Lori: The Lie is a very edgy young adult novel; some might call it a "coming of age" novel. A chance meeting on a plane spurred this story. A young man on his way to report for basic training had to share a headset with a woman sitting next to him because he didn't have enough money to purchase his own headset. Watching the two of them--strangers at first--made me realize how much we value our service men and women, as well as the complexities involved in enlisting, especially as a very young person. It was very moving for me, and I guess writing Jace's story is my way of honoring the bond I saw on that plane. Although it's a departure from Toxic Torte, it's actually halfway back to my roots--my first two "traditionally published" novels, The Truth Test and Recipe for a Rebel, are kids' novels aimed at mid-grade readers (10-14 years old). I don't really confine myself to one genre, though; I write the story that speaks to me.

“She’d be real: imperfect haircut…slightly wrinkled clothing….”

S&S: If one of your novels were made into a movie, who would you cast as your characters?
Lori: If Toxic Torte were made into a movie, I'd cast an unknown, mid-twenties actress who is larger than a size 2. She'd be real: imperfect haircut a bit out of trim, slightly wrinkled clothing, and eyebrows in need of plucking. If I were looking through headshots, I'd look for a young Toni Collette. A few of the other characters I'd be able to cast right away: Rod, Jess's boss, would be played by Jesse Spencer, best known as Dr. Robert Chase on the television show HOUSE; Jody Lish, owner of Bayou Deja Vu, would be played by Holly Hunter; Laurette Roen, owner of Bien, would be played by Angelica Houston; Gwen, the hostess of Green, could be played by Jaime Pressly, famous for her role as Joy Turner on MY NAME IS EARL; and Perry, the victim, while seen only in pictures, would be well-represented by John Hillerman, best known as the butler on MAGNUM PI.

“…a man floating in a homemade aquarium.”

S&S: Are you working on a new book? Want to tell us a little bit about it?
Lori: I have two works in progress. The first, Corpse in the Cottage Cutie, is another cozy mystery, this time featuring best friends and recent divorcees, Jan and Pam, who are attempting to make money by flipping houses (in a terrible market)...because it's the only thing they know how to do, and they're determined to make it on their own without any help from their lyin' cheatin' exes. Unfortunately, on the first day of their first renovation, Jan removes paneling from a cedar closet and discovers a forty-year old secret: a man floating in a homemade aquarium. In order to speed up the policing and get back to flipping houses, the ladies decide to investigate on their own.
The second work in progress is still in outline form. Tentatively entitled Run, it's an edgy young adult novel about a seventeen-year-old girl who accidentally hits a homeless man on the way home from a party late at night. No one sees her, so she races for home and tries to pretend it never happened. But dead bodies don't go unnoticed, and she's torn between coming clean and keeping her dirty little secret.

S&S: If you had a whole day with no plans, no commitments, how would you spend it?

Lori: When I have a day with no commitments, I putter—I catch up on all the housework, play video games, and engage in my guilty pleasure—true crime shows.

S&S: Give us three words that describe you.

Lori: Three words that describe me, aside from the obvious (wife and mother), are loyal, curious, and kind.

***GIVEAWAY***

Leave a comment below and you'll be entered to win Toxic Torte or The Lie in eBook format! Just be sure to leave your email address in your comment so we can find you.

You can purchase Lori's books here:

The Lie (Young Adult)

Toxic Torte (Mystery)

Recipe for a Rebel (Middle Grade)

The Truth Test (Middle Grade)

(The Truth Test is also on the Accelerated Reader program here: The Truth Test)

You can also find all four books on Barnes & Noble and Toxic Torte and The Lie can be found on Smashwords in multiple formats.

Teaser Tuesday - Toxic Torte

Toxic Torte (by Lori Pollard-Johnson) is the subject of today's Teaser Tuesday post. Newspaper reporter Jess Harriet has been assigned to write the obituary for a well-known, widely-hated food critic. Warning: Don't read this book when you're hungry. The food descriptions are scrumptious! It's filled with humor too. I couldn't resist posting two teasers this week.

Before me stood Dream Dude. Mid- to late twenties, thick brown hair, big brown eyes, slightly Latin-looking. He was the kind of man that made me forget I'd sworn off men just last Friday. 
[at 3% on my Kindle]
and
Roasted chicken with garlic mashed potatoes, prime rib off the grill with ginger carrots and baby peas, puttanesca pizza with locally grown capers. How are your salivary glands now? 
[at 15% on my Kindle]

Come back here tomorrow to read our interview with Lori (including giveaways!) and find out about her other books, one of which is The Lie, an edgy YA novel.

Here's the synopsis of Toxic Torte from Amazon:

Jess Harriet slings slop at the Seattle Sun, a weekly newsrag best known for its personal ad selection. When her latest assignment turns out to be yet another obituary, this time for caustic restaurant critic Perry Lowell, she seriously considers leaving the memorial and heading back to her hometown of Ephrata, never to return. But before the buffet is replenished, detectives appear. It seems Perry didn’t die of a heart attack after all. He was murdered…with a toxic torte, most likely served to him at the Space Needle's annual Valentine’s Day Chocoholic Ball. 
Jess seizes the opportunity to scoop the Seattle Tribune, and ends up stirring up trouble, not only with Cherrie, fellow Sun reporter by week, Seattle Seahawks cheerleader by weekend, but with a secret society of chefs, all of whom have been panned by Perry. She’ll also have to outwit Tom, a college dating disaster who has access to the elusive guest list, and team up with her editor, Rod, who has secrets of his own… including an appetite for Jess.

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.

Sweet Saturday Sample - June 2

I’m continuing this week with my WIP, Elly and the Geriatrics. Elly is living with her grandmother, helping her recover from an ankle injury; and Derek is the gardener at Sunset Acres, a mobile home community for senior citizens.

Derek has just introduced himself to Elly at the Sunset Acres rummage sale. After a brief conversation, he wandered to other tables in the recreation center. 

Derek wondered what had caused the woman—Elly—to blush. All he’d done was pick up one of those silly lace things stacked on the end of the table. What the heck were they for anyway? Then he remembered seeing the same doodads in his own Aunt Betsy’s parlor. As a kid he could barely move without knocking one of them to the floor. Did anybody still use them these days?

        He’d only come to the rummage sale today to support the old folks and to look for vintage fishing lures among the dreck. No luck on the lures. Not today.

        A vision of Elly’s soft red hair and brown eyes sprang to his mind.

        Well, I did find one treasure. An attractive woman.

        The sound of his name brought Derek out of his reverie. He turned to see Mrs. Lipscomb approaching, waving to get his attention. That morning he’d noticed the wisteria outside her trailer needed pruning, and he imagined she wanted gardening advice. He hoped she wouldn't try to do it herself.

        He pushed aside thoughts of the redhead, smiled, and walked toward the waiting woman. 

You'll find Sweet Saturday Samples from more authors here:

The Sweet List

Ice Cream Security

    Has someone finished off the ice cream you've been saving in your freezer? If so, then you'll enjoy my take on a security device that protects your pint from pilfering. It may make you smile too.
    Here's the link:  There's No "U" in "My Pint"