Wednesday, March 27, 2024

I just won’t admit defeat – #EroticRomance #StrongWomen #MFRWHooks

The Gazillionaire and the Virgin banner

For this last week in Women’s History Month, I want to introduce you to Dr. Rachel Zelinsky from The Gazillionaire and the Virgin. A lone female among the “bro network” of Silicon Valley tech titans, she breaks all the gender stereotypes. She’s the gazillionaire – and equally brilliant, borderline autistic Theo Moore is the virgin.

Blurb

Trust can’t be bought—it has to be earned.

When Silicon Valley entrepreneur Rachel Zelinsky meets reclusive genius Theo Moore, she has a single objective —a deal to incorporate his AI software into her company’s popular virtual world. She finds Theo to be arrogant, sensitive and socially awkward, but his aura of power speaks to her carefully-hidden submissive side. Confused and aroused, she falls under his geeky spell.

Theo Moore can’t be bought. His past battles with poverty make him deeply suspicious of the billionaire CEO, though Rachel’s voluptuous curves and brilliant mind embody his ultimate fantasy. Too bad his knowledge about sex derives from extensive research and a stash of kinky porn rather than real-world experience.

Rachel may be Theo’s first lover, but Theo is her first true Master. One word from him, one touch, and she surrenders to bliss. It seems that love and complementary desire may harmonize their differing values, until Rachel’s unwitting violation of Theo’s trust tears them apart.

MFRW Book Hooks logo

The Hook

I’m used to getting what I want. It’s not because I’m smarter than most people, or richer. (Although I am. These are documented facts, not boasts.) No, I usually succeed because I don’t give up. I’m tenacious—or just plain stubborn, if you listen to my mother. If I can’t solve a problem via one approach, I’ll try another, until it finally yields to my attack. I can be patient, if I need to be, and I’m willing to work hard. I just won’t admit defeat.

I’ve always been this way, though I’m sure my education strengthened the personality trait. One woman in a class of thirty plus men, most of whom believed that the female of the species was incapable of logical thought... If I’d allowed myself the luxury of surrender I’d never have survived.

Hence, I’m not giving up on Theo Moore, no matter how many times he refuses my overtures. I want him—his technology and his brilliant mind. I won’t take no for an answer.

And I believe I’ve finally found a wedge I can apply, or at least chink in his armor. Some might call it bribery. In my view, it’s just business.

Diane sticks her head in my office door. “He’s here, Rachel.”

Thanks. Show him in, please.” I barely have time to run my fingers through my frizzy curls before Professor Theo Moore shuffles into the room and slumps down onto the couch opposite my desk.

I hadn’t expected him to be so big. He’s well over six feet tall, I’d guess, with the shoulders of a football player. A rumpled white shirt and loose trousers hide the details of his body, but I don’t think he’s fat, just large. His smooth, young face seems incongruous paired with his giant’s frame. Shaggy black hair overhangs his forehead and grazes his collar. Behind dark-framed, unfashionable glasses, his eyes dart from one detail of my luxurious office to the next, finally settling on the rust-hued trunks of the redwoods outside my window. He sucks in a deep breathe then releases it in a long sigh. He doesn’t look at me.

Good afternoon, Dr. Moore.” I rise, circle the desk and settle into a chair next to the couch. “Thanks for agreeing to see me.”

He ignores my outstretched hand, continuing to stare out at the lovely view. His fists are clenched on either side of his thighs. Rarely have I seen anyone look so ill at ease.

How far away is the sea?” he asks finally.

About fifty meters. Most of the time you can’t quite see the water, but at sunset you can sometimes catch the glint of the reflections.

You should have built closer,” he declares. The stark confidence in his voice is at odds with the nervousness I read in his body language. “I would have designed this place so that every office had a view of the ocean.”

That would have been my preference, too. But California building codes are pretty strict.”

With your money, I would think you could have arranged for a variance.”

I decide to ignore the jibe. He doesn’t seem to realize he has insulted me.

I appreciate your taking the time out of your busy schedule, Doctor. I know Looking Glass Inc. is a bit off the beaten track. Did you have a comfortable trip?” I’ve gotten plenty of flak for establishing my company’s campus in Santa Cruz rather than in the heart of Silicon Valley, but I don’t care. This is where I want to be.

Oh, yes indeed. That was one of the most comfortable limousine rides I’ve ever experienced.” Sarcasm drips in his reply. “With a ride that smooth, I was almost convinced that your company’s latest technology coup was an anti-gravity device.”

Not yet.” My laugh sounds forced. His social awkwardness is affecting me. “That’s on our agenda for next year. Would you like some coffee, by the way? Juice? Water?”

Nothing.” He yanks his eyes away from the view and stares over my head, focusing on the Klee original hanging behind my desk. “I drank my fill from the complimentary bar in your limo.”

I find myself in the unaccustomed state of being temporarily at a loss for words. Despite his lack of social skills, Moore somehow has gained the upper hand in this conversation. I swallow my annoyance and begin again.

About your charity—”

I don’t approve of you, Ms. Zelinksy,” Finally he looks at me, though he seems fixated on my mouth rather than my eyes. “You and your kind.”

It’s Dr. Zelinksy, actually.” Guess he hadn’t bothered to Google me. “And what do you mean, ‘my kind’?”

You Valley billionaires, who think your money can buy anything, including the human soul. You use technology to enslave the poor, benighted masses. You lure them into spending their time and money on devices and services they don’t need. You suction up their personal data so you can slice it, dice it and use it to sell them more trash. And then you brag about how you’re ushering in a brave new world of hi-tech miracles. Hmmph!”

Suddenly he’s on his feet, towering over my chair, his full lips twisted into a black scowl. For an instant I think he’s going to hit me. Instead he turns his back on me to stride over to the window. Sunlight filters through the boughs to dapple the earth below. The view appears to calm him somewhat. His fingers uncurl but his shoulders are still hunched and tight.

“‘Enslave the benighted masses!’ Don’t you think that’s a bit melodramatic?” I’m tempted to cross the room and stand by his side, to soothe and coddle him. I refrain. He’s too skittish.

The Gazillionaire and the Virgin book cover

Buy Links (Ebook)

Kinky Literature: https://www.kinkyliterature.com/book/811-the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin-/

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SDY5XJ5/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09SDY5XJ5/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin-lisbet-sarai/1123327821?ean=2940165788888

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin-2

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1132432

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1610802851

Add on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60397753-the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin

Audio (WordWooze):

https://www.amazon.com/The-Gazillionaire-and-the-Virgin/dp/B075WZS3TN/

https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Gazillionaire-and-the-Virgin-Audiobook/B075X1XN87

Be sure to visit the other authors participating in today's Book Hooks!



Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Join us for Charity Saturday, 31 March 2024 #CharitySundaySignup #Altruism #Marketing

Cherry blossoms

 Image by Andreas Lischka from Pixabay

Since 2017, I’ve been devoting the last Sunday in each month to a post which features some worthy cause. Often, other bloggers join me in this effort, turning the event into a blog hop. This month’s Charity Sunday blog hop will take place this coming Sunday, the 31st of March – which also, appropriately, happens to be Easter Sunday.

Charity Sunday is a meme designed to give authors and bloggers a chance to give back to the world, as well as to attract new readers.

How does it work? Each participant selects a favorite charity. Before
the date, you should prepare a blog post that: 1) talks about the charity and why you support it; 2) provides a link to the charity; 3) includes an excerpt from one of your books; 4) includes the code to show links to other participating blogs.

It’s fun if you can make the excerpt relate somehow to your chosen charity, but this isn’t required.

For every comment left on your post, you commit to giving some amount to the relevant charity. The specific charity and the amount to donate are up to you. You can set an upper limit to your donation if you want.

If you’d like to participate in the next Charity Sunday
on March 31st, sign up using the Linky List below. Please be sure that the link you enter will lead directly to your Charity Sunday post, not just to the home page of your blog.

You can get my brand new 2024 Charity Sunday banner here:

https://www.lisabetsarai.com/2024CharitySundayBanner.jpg


For an example
post, check out this link from my last Charity Sunday:

https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2024/02/charity-sunday-for-girls-and-women-who.html



Friday, March 22, 2024

A battle of wills and sizzling desire – #RomCom #RivalsToLovers #Over40Romance

Love, Legacy and Little Green Aliens book cover

Blurb

HEA vs. a curse, a ghost, and a plague of ETs.

According to the Anagnos family curse, second son Xander is doomed to failure. When he inherits his Uncle Gus’s business in Trappers Cove, Washington, Xander jumps at the chance to prove himself. Of course, he plans to remake the schlocky, alien-themed souvenir shop into something trendier and more upmarket. Who wouldn't want that?

Hannah Leone, that's who. Reporter for the Trappers Cove Beacon, Hannah is hell-bent on protecting Souvenir Planet, the beloved icon that draws thousands of tourists to their quirky beach town. The Beacon is struggling to survive, and there’s no way Hannah will let an inconvenient crush stand between her and the biggest story to hit Trappers Cove in ages.

Caught in a battle of wills and sizzling desire, Xander and Hannah discover the bizarre depths of Uncle Gus’s alien obsession. When disaster strikes, they’ll need Xander’s innovation and Hannah’s connections to save Souvenir Planet. But if these hard-headed foes don’t lay down their arms, the town they love will pay the price.

Come back to Trappers Cove for a steamy, laugh-out-loud, rivals-to-lovers romance full of found family, beachy fun, and out-of-this-world mystery.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJZXHRTQ

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/love-legacy-and-little-green-aliens-an-over-40/id6468079476

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-legacy-and-little-green-aliens-sadira-stone/1144129089?ean=2940186132387

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-legacy-and-little-green-aliens

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1458360

Google Play:

UBL: https://books2read.com/LoveLegacyLittleGreenAliens

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/love-legacy-and-little-green-aliens-an-over-40-beach-town-romantic-comedy-trappers-cove-romance-book-4-by-sadira-stone

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201064446-love-legacy-and-little-green-aliens

Excerpt

You okay, Xander?”

Stupid question. Face pale, lips clamped tight, forehead dotted with sweat, he was clearly as far from okay as Trappers Cove was from Australia.

His nostrils flared in a deep inhalation. Who knew nostrils could be so sexy?

She rubbed his arm from elbow to shoulder and found his muscles so tense she might as well be stroking marble. “I thought you were exaggerating about that second son business, but it looks like you understated the problem.”

He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I can’t stand to listen to them shredding Gus. My uncle was a good man. An oddball, yes, but so what? He was generous and kind and funny and—”

Hey.” She grasped both his shoulders and turned him to face her. “You’re doing the right thing. You are a loving, loyal nephew. And in a couple hours, all your bitchy relatives will leave, so you can get back to remodeling Souvenir Planet. I have faith in you, Xander. You’re going to make this place shine brighter than ever.”

His eyes widened. Okay, maybe she’d gone too far, but the only way through this debacle was forward.

You’ve got this, my friend.” She rose on her toes and pecked his cheek. At least, that was her intention, but a loud bang from across the room jerked his head around, and her chaste kiss landed on his lips. His soft, plush, slightly parted lips.

Xander gasped and blinked hard and fast, as if she’d blown dust into his eyes. “What the hell was that?”

A flush roasted her cheeks. “Sorry, I slipped.” She took a step back—well, she tried to, but he gripped her elbows, holding her in place.

That was totally inappropriate,” she spluttered. “I apologize, Xander.”

A flicker danced in his dark irises—amusement or something more interesting? A corner of his mouth ticked upward. “I meant the noise, not the kiss.”

They both scanned the room. On the far side, near the door to Gus’s office, a set of metal shelves had crashed to the floor.

Hannah tugged her neckline in a vain effort to diffuse the heat of her embarrassment. “I think Gus is telling us to get the show on the road.”

Xander groaned and dropped his chin to his chest. His shoulders quaked.

Oh no! Desperate to undo the damage, she clutched his arms. “I’m so sorry. Me and my lame jokes.”

Still quaking, he gripped her elbows and pulled her against his chest, burying his face in her hair. She wrapped her arms around him and rubbed soothing circles on his back—his broad, warm, muscular back…

What a perfectly awful moment for her libido to kick in. Tingles zapped up and down her spine as Xander’s arms banded around her, snugging her tighter to his solid warmth. What a monster she was, getting all hot and bothered while he wept in her arms and…

Hold the phone.

She planted her palm on his chest and shoved. “Are you laughing?”

About the Author

Author head shot

Award-winning contemporary romance author Sadira Stone spins steamy, smoochy tales set in small businesses—a quirky bookstore, a neighborhood bar, a vintage boutique. Set in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, her stories highlight found family, friendship, and the sizzling chemistry that pulls unlikely partners together. When she emerges from her writing cave in Las Vegas, Nevada (which she seldom does), she can be found shaking her hips in dance class, playing her guitar (badly, but getting better), exploring the Western U.S. with her charming husband, cooking up a storm, and gobbling all the romance books. For a guaranteed HEA (and no cliffhangers!) visit Sadira at https://sadirastone.com

Visit Sadira on All the Socials!

https://linktr.ee/SadiraStone

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sadirastone/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18568049.Sadira_Stone

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sadira-stone

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Sadira-Stone/e/B07KWK5FBX

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sadira0641/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sadirastone/

Author newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/q7x4c6

Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@sadirastone

ARC link on Booksirens: https://booksirens.com/book/CRTZLVA/NERVHHV


Wednesday, March 20, 2024

It takes courage to surrender – #HistoricalRomance #BDSMRomance #MFRWHooks

Power and Persuasion banner

Continuing my March celebration of strong women in my books, I’ve got an excerpt today featuring one of the strongest: Olivia Alcott, intellectual, free spirit and labor activist during the age of the Robber Barons at the beginning of the twentieth century.

As it happens, Olivia also has submissive desires that complement the dominance of the book’s hero. Now, people who have a superficial understanding of BDSM might question whether this undermines her natural power and authority. I can tell you – from personal experience – that a true submissive must be strong. It takes tremendous courage to surrender, not just physical courage but emotional fortitude as well. It’s scary putting yourself in the hands of a Master or Mistress, even when you trust them.

Blurb

She’s his natural enemy – and the only woman who can satisfy his perverse sexual needs.

Andrew MacIntyre, heir to a vast empire of railroads, mines and mills, is by far the most eligible bachelor among the society folk summering in Newport, Rhode Island. His mother has filled their opulent mansion with the daughters of bankers and industrialists, but Andrew knows none of these callow young women would ever consent to being bound and beaten, to serving and obeying him the way he craves. His money gives him the freedom to purchase anything except his heart's desire: a submissive partner to share his life.

Labor activist Olivia Alcott is dedicated to helping the exploited factory workers responsible for Andrew’s wealth. The strike she organizes triggers a confrontation between her and the handsome billionaire. Although their disparate backgrounds and values make them natural foes, something stronger draws them to one another: his need to command and hers to surrender.

Power and Persuasion book cover

The Hook

We’d rather starve quick than starve slow. A living wage or we just say no.”

Olivia Alcott chanted along with the mill girls as they marched in a circle in front of the rambling brick factory buildings. A semicircle of police and spectators fanned out in front of the strikers, but no one made a move to hinder them. Behind her, the normally clattering machinery lay quiet. When the workers paused for breath, Olivia heard the muted rush of the falls.

Itchy sweat gathered under her arms and at the base of her neck, where random strands of her hair had come loose from the pins that secured it. It was several hours past noon, and the summer sun battered them all. Like the women with whom she marched, Olivia wore a drab, ankle-length shirtwaist and heavy, laced boots, though her clothing was of finer fabric and in better repair. A red scarf knotted at her throat added a spark of color—and soaked up some of her perspiration. She was desperately thirsty, but they’d agreed not to take a break until three o’clock. She certainly wasn’t going to be the one who gave up early.

She glanced around at her companions. They ranged in age from thirteen to fifty-five, though most were younger than her twenty-five years. Their lean, wiry bodies showed the effects of their twelve hours of back-breaking labor per day, six days a week. Even the young women had lined faces and streaks of grey in their hair, and the older ones looked frail, almost skeletal.

In the cool of the morning, when they’d started the strike, there’d been a holiday atmosphere. Liberated from work, they’d laughed, joked with one another and sung old Québécois songs. Now each woman’s face was a grim, dusty mask. Each was determined not to surrender to fatigue or discomfort. They had made a commitment to one another. No one was willing to betray that commitment—certainly not Olivia.

Doubts assailed her, though, as her back ached and the blisters on her feet stung. Had she done the right thing, coming here and stirring up these women’s aspirations? Would it do any good? Greed ruled the modern world. Profit was all that mattered. Human beings were expendable, just cogs in the great industrial machine that was America. If one component failed, it could be replaced. Meanwhile, the masters of the new century grew ever richer.

She could have been at home, reading in her father’s shady garden with a glass of iced lemon at her side, or walking with her sister under the spreading elms of the Common. Indeed, if the strike failed, she could return to her safe and comfortable life in Amherst—become a teacher like her parents or an author like her brother Will.

These women around her, though, didn’t have those options. For them, this was a matter of survival.

Mademoiselle Olivia!” A skinny girl raced up the street that led to the riverside mill, stirring clouds of dust. “Il vient! He is coming!”

The sputtering racket of an internal combustion engine drowned out the girl’s excited voice. The crowd parted like the Red Sea for a boxy vehicle of shiny black, with silvery headlamps like extruded eyes. The noisy Studebaker rolled to a stop in front of the strikers, who stopped in their tracks like everyone else to stare at it.

The door creaked open. A tall man unfolded himself from the somewhat cramped interior, snatched off his hat and goggles and tossed them into the vehicle. He strode towards the massed strikers, his fists clenched at his sides.

Where is she? Where’s your damned leader?”

The newspapers generally described Andrew MacIntyre as handsome. The epithet did not do him justice. As he stormed towards her, Olivia was struck with a sense of physical power and keen intelligence. He had wavy red-gold hair, a high forehead, a square chin, a determined mouth. His eyes were hazel, deep set under brows darker than his hair. Those eyes drilled into her, fierce and compelling. The women around her shrank backwards in alarm. Olivia steeled herself, holding her ground and fighting the urge to grovel at his feet. Instead of retreating, she took a step forward, holding out her hand.

Mr. Andrew MacIntyre, I presume?” She marveled at the steadiness of her voice, the cool neutral tone.

Damned right. And you are…?”

Olivia Alcott.” She pulled herself up to her full height and forced herself to meet his gaze. She saw anger simmering there, but behind his irritation there was something else, something that intrigued and thrilled her. Something that she might be able to use to further her goals.

Olivia Alcott recognized lust when she saw it.

Buy Links

Kinky Literature https://www.kinkyliterature.com/book/1488-power-and-persuasion/

Amazon UShttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HSS7C6T

Amazon UKhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09HSS7C6T

Smashwordshttps://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1108116

Barnes and Noblehttps://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/power-and-persuasion-lisabet-sarai/1140290642?ean=2940165040306

Kobohttps://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/power-and-persuasion-a-gilded-age-bdsm-romance

Apple Books - https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1588921937

Add on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59240690-power-and-persuasion

Be sure to visit the other authors participating in today’s Book Hooks blog hop!


Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Review Tuesday: Those Absent on the Great Hungarian Plain by Jill Culiner -- #History #Travel #ReviewTuesday

Those Absent cover

Those Absent on the Great Hungarian Plain by Jill Culiner

Claret Press, 2024

History is comprised not of facts but of stories – stories created to make sense of the inexplicable, to glorify the conventional, to justify the unforgivable. The stories told by different individuals or societies may include common events, but rarely assign a common explanation or a common meaning. This makes the search for historical “truth” an impossible challenge. Nevertheless, some intrepid souls will make an effort to unify these many views of the past and to identify what has been left out of a community’s historical narratives.

Jill Culiner is one of those souls. Photographer, author, philosopher, polyglot and vagabond, she went to Hungary in 1999 seeking information on the fate of Europe’s rural Jews after the Second World War. She intended to spend only a few weeks in the Great Plain, west of Budapest and east of the Romanian border, prowling the sites of former synagogues and Jewish cemeteries, questioning the local people about their memories of Jewish neighbors and sifting through the sparse records from decades earlier. Instead, she found herself drawn into the lives of the locals, gratified by their hospitality and fascinated by their inconsistencies. She ate and drank with them, learned their language (renowned as one of the most difficult in the world), and eventually bought and renovated a traditional house in one of the villages. Over the course of six years, she observed the poverty, the prejudice and the generosity of her Hungarian neighbors, as well as marking the not necessarily positive changes as the country became increasingly integrated in and influenced by the European Union.

Those Absent is Ms. Culiner’s sprawling, kaleidoscopic account of that sojourn. It is simultaneously a fascinating historical inquiry, a brilliant travelogue, and an uncomfortable examination of moral issues many would rather forget.

Never having visited even urban Hungary, I knew nothing about the background or the culture of the Great Plain. Ms. Culiner paints a picture of a place overrun by waves of conquerors, from the Huns to the Communists of the Soviet era. The current inhabitants (aside from the German retirees, who buy up the land but don’t mix with the natives) all consider themselves to be Magyars, though they have a variety of ancestors. The Jews, too, identified themselves as Hungarian as much as Jewish. Ultimately that did not save them from persecution and near-extinction.

Although the locals all deny that there were any post-WWII pogroms, a few shreds of evidence prove the contrary. Meanwhile, given the vicious hostility they show to the Roma who still live among them, which Ms. Culiner vividly documents, one can imagine similar hatred directed toward the Jews. The people of the Great Plain have often led a marginal existence economically. Poverty and envy can combine to have deadly consequences.

I truly enjoyed this book, though I found myself floundering at times due to my lack of knowledge and the volume’s loose structure. In particular, I was deeply impressed by the author’s courage as well as her attitude of universal good will. She went to the Great Plain asking difficult questions, yet she found a welcome almost everywhere. I believe that this reflects her open-minded acceptance of every individual and every occurrence.

There is a deeply humanist strain in Those Absent. While never condoning the violence she discovers, she also seems ready to understand and to forgive. At very least, she does not condemn her friends and acquaintances for hiding or denying the truth. She understands that the concept of truth is very slippery when applied to history.

Those Absent is not an easy book, but provides rich rewards if you persevere in reading it to the end.


Friday, March 15, 2024

His last gasp became a wail of despair… #Fantasy #MMRomance #Giveaway

 Belega tour banner

Blurb

The Karthagans have regained their ancient powers of manipulating nature, but at the price of madness. In their lust for control, they've destroyed their island and most of their race. They come now to Belega, where one of them, Camron, seeks domination over the known world. The Mage has come from the northern continent of Sennia to bring peace but finding his strength no match for the coming struggle, he passes his abilities on to Natan, who only desires a simple life.

Now only Natan has the ability to stop Camron, but the personal cost is more than he imagines. It is only with the combined strength of his friends, his Karthagan lover, Kavi, and his deep desire to bring lasting peace to the earth, that he finds the courage to overcome Camron and restore balance to the world.

Belega book cover

Exclusive Excerpt

Kavi stood at the mouth of the tunnel and stared into the blackness of the cavern, stalling to let his pursuers catch up.

They were down there, all those bodies lying in the lake. Impressions of horror and pain and black despair swirled in the freezing air on the lake’s surface.

He dropped to his knees, covering his face with shaking hands. “I’m afraid, Gregor.”

His broken whisper echoed through the chamber. A low wail rose from the water in reply. Kavi searched for Gregor’s presence in his mind. The Mage wasn’t there, though their connection had been strong outside this terrible place. He was alone. The wail rose to a shrieking wind, and Kavi opened his arms to gather it in. Pain struck him first, confusion and a dawning horror as memories that weren’t his crashed into his mind…

Bodies lay beneath him, his limbs growing numb where they lay in the icy water of the lake. A heavy weight struck his back, and another, driving the wind from his lungs. Wait! He was still alive! But voices and gruff laughter drowned out his thoughts. Another body splashed in front of him, and he found himself staring into the unseeing eyes of Grahm, his dear friend, his broken body lying at an unnatural angle. Another weight fell on him, crushing his face against the body beneath him. He could no longer breathe, and his last gasp became a wail of despair…

The drowning man’s cry rose into the air and became part of the others in the shrieking wind around Kavi. It gathered force, then roared toward him. The small part of Kavi’s mind still lucid in the swirling chaos became aware of swift footsteps approaching down the passageway. It was time. He threw himself to the damp earth. The furious wind roared over his head and swept into the tunnel.

The pursuing men were plunged at once into the nightmare of decaying bodies and screaming wraiths. Some went mad and slew themselves. Others fled into the tunnels, babbling of dead faces trapped in their minds.

Kavi sobbed into his hands. Not all the grief was his. Anguished voices had ridden that wind, full of anger and sadness. But the voices had changed. A cry of such hope-filled gladness went up as the wind burst into the tunnels, and he found himself weeping in joy without knowing why. He rose shakily to his feet to mourn anew as the wisp of a lonely wail floated from the darkness over the lake. That of a soul left behind.

He sent a tentative thought out, searching, but exhaustion claimed him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered to the loneliness and turned away.

About the Author

Dianne Hartsock head shot

Dianne grew up in one of the older homes in the middle of Los Angeles, a place of hardwood floors and secret closets and back staircases. A house where ghosts lurk in the basement and the faces in the paintings watch you walk up the front stairs. Rooms where you keep the closet doors closed tight at night. It’s where her love of the mysterious and wonderful came from. Dianne is the author of m/m romance, paranormal/suspense, fantasy adventure, the occasional thriller, and anything else that comes to mind.

She now lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. Dianne says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee in her hands, which kindles her imagination.

Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

Blog: https://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/diannehartsock

FaceBook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/diannehartsockbooks/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4850270.Dianne_Hartsock

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diannehartsock/

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Wednesday, March 13, 2024

A perfectly honest line of work – #WomensHistoryMonth #Heroines #MFRWHooks

Exposure banner

I’m continuing my observance of Women’s History Month by focusing on some of my strongest and most assertive heroines. This week I have an excerpt from Exposure, an urban thriller with romantic elements. Stella Xanathakeos, the protagonist, is more than capable of standing up for herself. When I went looking for an excerpt, though, I realized I had one that featured two extraordinary women.

Enjoy!

Blurb

Sex, blood and betrayal: it's all in a day's work.

I strip for the fun of it. Don’t let anyone tell you different. It’s not the money. I could make nearly as much working at the mill and keep my clothes on, but then I’d have to suck up to the bosses. Up on stage, I’m the one in charge, and I like it that way.

Tony Pinelli hired me for a private dance. I was determined to give him his money’s worth. I didn’t expect to be caught in the cross-fire of a double murder. When his widow shows up at my door, I know I’m in way over my head. Now I’m everyone’s target. I can’t trust anyone – not even the police detective who was sweet on me in high school. My only chance at survival is to shift through the lies and expose the truth.

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The Hook

Francesca waits quietly while the media people rearrange themselves and adjust their equipment. Then, when they’ve settled down, she waits a moment longer, scanning the crowd, looking elegant and serious.

I have to admire her showmanship. By the time she begins to speak, she has the attention of everyone, even the technicians squatting in the doors of the mobile studio vans.

Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for taking the time to join us on this raw and stormy afternoon. I won’t keep you long.

As you all know, my husband Anthony Pinelli wanted to serve this city as its mayor. Pittsburgh was his birthplace. It nurtured him, educated him, made him wealthy and successful. It gave him opportunities and benefits that he could not have found anywhere else. Tony Pinelli wanted to give some of this back to the city he loved. That was his most cherished dream.

Tony’s tragic death has shocked us all.” Francesca allows a quaver into her voice. I’m impressed. She really knows how to work the crowd. She pauses and swallows hard, as if resisting tears. Her voice is calm and forceful when she continues. “As his wife and partner, I am determined not to allow his dream to die with him. That is why, today, I am announcing my own candidacy for the position of mayor. I am determined that, even though Tony has left us, the next person to preside over the administration of this fine city will be Mayor Pinelli.”

The crowd erupts in enthusiastic applause. I find that I’m clapping myself. The hubbub continues for quite a while. Francesca holds up her hand, asking for quiet.

During the remaining weeks of the campaign, I will be sharing with you my vision—Tony’s vision—for this city. Assisting me with this task will be my press secretary, Ms. Stella Xanathakeos. Like Tony and me, Stella was born here. She knows the problems and the aspirations of the ordinary people of Pittsburgh. She will help me to explain why a vote for me is a vote for a bright, secure and prosperous future—for all of us.”

Francesca turns to me. “Stella, would you like to say a few words?” Expectantly, the cameras and microphones swing in my direction.

I’m not entirely unprepared. It was reasonable that Francesca would want me to speak. Still, I have a moment of panic. I’m a performer, but words are not my usual instrument.

I pause for a moment, take a deep breath and survey my audience. They are mostly male, though I recognize the blonde bob and creamy complexion of Teresa Kelly, the Channel 5 news anchor. I remind myself that in this situation, my sexuality is a liability. Just in time, I remember not to lick my lips. I clasp my hands in front of me to keep them out of trouble.

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m proud to be standing here today, next to this brave woman. When you lose someone you love, your first impulse is to just give up. You want to crawl into a hole and die yourself. I know this, from my own experience.” I pause, looking out over the attentive faces. I hope that they’re not just paying attention to my tits.

Francesca Pinelli isn’t giving up, though. That’s not the sort of person she is. She was her husband’s closest aide. She understands his goals and his plans for Pittsburgh. And she’s determined to turn those plans into reality, regardless of her personal pain.

As for me, I’m just an ordinary person. My mother died when I was six. My father was an immigrant who worked hard all his life to support me. He had to fight against discrimination, and sleazy bosses, and government by the rich for the rich. I’ve worked hard, too. It’s an uphill battle for most of us in this city. I believe that Francesca Pinelli wants to make that battle easier. What’s more important, I believe that she can.”

I am startled when people begin to applaud. Francesca face wears a broad smile as she steps forward and reclaims the attention of the crowd.

A few questions, Ms. Pinelli!” shouts someone from the crowd. “Don’t go yet!” echoes another voice. “Give us a chance!”

The crowd presses toward us, waving microphones in our faces and effectively trapping us on the stairs. Somebody opens an oversized umbrella and holds it over our heads.

Very well, we can take a few questions. No more than five minutes, though, or we’ll all be drenched.” A few more umbrellas open. The media people push closer to hear us against the wind.

Ms. Pinelli.” The question comes from Terry Kelly. “Pittsburgh has a reputation as a rough city. We’ve got the unions, the old industry barons, the mob. Do you really think it can be run by a woman?”

Francesca stands erect, looking taller than usual. “Don’t you think, Ms. Kelly, that it is time a woman had the chance to show what she can do?” There is scattered applause. “You probably know that Tony was a tough guy. He wouldn’t have chosen me as his partner if I couldn’t be just as tough, when the need arose.”

A skinny reporter in dark-rimmed glasses steps forward with his tape recorder. “Graham White, your opponent, has headed the City Council for more than five years. You have no political experience. Why should the voters choose a novice like you, over a seasoned politician like Mr. White?”

Francesca laughs. “No political experience? I was married to Tony Pinelli for more than ten years, including his two terms on the council. Believe me, I know about politics!” The audience chuckles. “On the other hand, I don’t think this city needs a politician, as much as we need a leader.”

Ms. Xanathakeos!” I’m startled to hear my name. It’s coming from a chubby, balding guy with an unpleasant grin. “I’m sure that we all appreciated your homily to the working class. But isn’t it true that for the past six years your primary employment has been as an exotic dancer?”

Gasps and snickers come from the audience. The questioner looks pleased with himself. So there it is. I glance over at Francesca. She looks perfectly calm and untroubled. I straighten my back, so that my tits thrust out a bit, and look the bald guy in the eye. I know what you like, I think to myself. You like to dress up in your wife’s lingerie when she’s working the late shift. That’s what I see, though it might be my own imagination. Still, as I stare at him, he begins to squirm and finally has to look away.

Quite true, Mister...?”

Rostropovitch,” he answers reluctantly.

You’ve done your research, Mr. Rostropovitch. I am indeed an exotic dancer, as you put it. A perfectly honest line of work, and believe me, not an easy one. Do you have some problem with that?”

Well, it hardly seems appropriate for a mayoral candidate to be associating with hookers.”

Now I am really annoyed. “A stripper is not a hooker, Mr. Rostropovitch. In any case, I am what I said I am, a woman born and bred in this city, who knows the problems working people here, particularly women, face. I’m also a voter. I am definitely qualified to give Ms. Pinelli advice and insight into these issues.”

I give him a long cold stare that I hope makes him feel naked. “In Francesca Pinelli’s Pittsburgh, everyone will be entitled to fair treatment and respect—even reporters!”

Exposure book cover

Buy Links (Ebook)

Kinky Literature: https://www.kinkyliterature.com/book/100-exposure-urban-erotic-noir/

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09V19MLDR

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09V19MLDR

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/exposure-lisabet-sarai/1141122670?ean=2940165803093

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1136224

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/exposure-urban-erotic-noir

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60574045-exposure

Buy Links (Audio Book)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Exposure-An-Erotic-Murder-Mystery/dp/B079K627T3

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Exposure-Audiobook/B079K2828J

Be sure to visit the other authors participating in today's Book Hooks!