Seeking Havok teaser!

First things first: Seeking Havok is getting a brand spanking new cover.  I mean, there's no spanking on it--I hope.  

And here's the teaser.  I don't know when Seeking Havok will be released.  But I'm working on it!

“Hey,” I said. 

          “Hey, you.” Fade answered.

          “You’re cheating,” I teased him.

          “I am?” He asked.

          “Yes, you’re not supposed to meet me here until Sunday, you’re a little early.”

          He chuckled a bit.  I balled my hands into fists to keep them from reaching out to touch his chest, checking if the rumble felt as good as it sounded. 

          “I guess I was just returning to the scene of the crime, hoping I’d get to see you sooner.”

          That sounded like a lot more than friend talk.  And I loved it and loathed it at the same time.

          “Well, I gotta get back to work.  By the way, I’m here every night at this time, in case you can’t wait until Sunday.”  Holy hell, did I just flirt back?

          “I’ll have to be here then.  I need to get to work too.  See you later gorgeous.”

          He walked off while I stood, frozen in time, mouth wide open.  That was definitely not friend talk.

          I got back in the van and Mr. Randy had a smug grin on his face.

          “Don’t say a word old man,” I picked on him.

          “Nope,” he shook his head, “Not a damned word.”

Striking Saturday!

This time we get a peek at Cami's POV.  

“Mama, can you do my hair now?” a sweet little girl, probably about five years old asked.

“I can’t just yet, sweetheart, I’ve gotta get these groceries put away. Maybe in a minute, alright?” Beth’s attention was already on the grocery bags and the mess in the kitchen.

The little girl’s face fell, but she looked around for a way to help her mom. What sweetness! I kind of felt like the Grinch when my heart swelled with compassion, like it had never felt that emotion before.

“I could do your hair,” I offered just loud enough for her to hear me. I held my breath while I waited for her to answer me, so terrified of rejection that tears swelled in my eyes. It was silly to be afraid of a little girl turning me down, but something in me just begged for something this innocent, this good, to look at me and say, yes. My chest ached in anticipation and I forced myself to hold my watery smile. She would definitely say no if I burst into tears in front of her.

“Really?” She smiled a toothless smile- the adorable kind after little kids had started to lose all their front teeth- at me and her eyes lit up with excitement. “Can you make my hair look like yours?”

I grinned back at her, I couldn’t help it. “Absolutely! Do you have a brush?”

She ran to grab one, plus some detangler and then we set up at the kitchen table. While Beth put away groceries, I combed and fishtail-braided little Lucy’s hair and then added one of the new bows Stockton bought. As soon as she was finished, her little sister who was somewhere in between the youngest boy and Lucy in age, sat down and demanded the same treatment. By the time I was finished, I was so proud of my work I just had to take a picture of the two darlings with my phone. There was just something so rewarding about doing little girls’ hair that I didn’t even know where to put all the happiness. I felt bursting with them and my heart felt too big for my body. These feelings were rare and coveted by me and I knew this moment would stay with me forever. And I had Stockton to thank. 

For Stockton's POV, visit Rachel's website at www.rachelhigginson.com

Striking Saturdays!

Striking Saturdays! 

You know you secretly wanna call it Stockton Saturdays.

On Saturdays, from now, until September 1st, Rachel and I are going to tease the heck out of you!

For the first part of this teaser, you have to work for it just a little bit.  Go to Rachel's blog here: http://www.rachelhigginson.com/2013/07/striking-saturdays.html

and see the first part!

Here's the rest.

 “That’s nice, ma’am,” Stockton, the man with the evil glare, said kindly in return. When he turned his attention to my aunt he was all southern gentleman and chivalry, but as soon as he slid his attention back to me, he was the evil version of himself. “Pleasure to meet you, Cami.”

                “Somehow I just don’t believe you,” I smiled sweetly but pinned him with a “tell the truth you bastard” glare. We were in church after all.

                Stockton cleared his throat nervously but didn’t deny my accusation. “Well, I better go find Will.” He gave the preacher and my aunt another polite smile.

                Suddenly my uncle piped in and asked, “But you’ll be by later to look at that fence?”

                “Yes, sir,” Stockton answered immediately, but his gaze once again returned to me and I could see the panic flare to life behind his shuttered stare. He didn’t want to be anywhere near me and he wasn’t really trying to hide his feelings.

                What in the hell had I ever done to him?

                He was kind of pissing me off. Ok, not kind of, he was really pissing me off. Usually boys bent over backwards to get my attention. I was one fine piece of ass, and he should be tripping over his words and wiping the drool from his chin! He should not be in a hurry to get as far away from me as possible.

                So I did what any sane, rational girl would do in this situation, I extended my hand and turned on the charm. “It was so nice to meet someone my age, Stockton. You’ll have to show me around town one of these days.”

Striking -First Teaser!

So, Rachel Higginson and I are writing this incredible book.  This is a teaser from the cover.  The cover reveal is July 11th.

Here's the synopsis, in case you haven't seen it.

Cami Montgomery stole a car and smashed it into the front of a building in upscale Beverly Hills after a lousy date with the epitome of sleaze balls. The worst part, her parents are following through on threats after this latest plea for attention. Banished from her L.A. paradise and plunged into the Appalachian Mountains with her industrious aunt and uncle, Cami is about to find out how precious life really is. 

Stockton Wright has been thrust into a hard life. He sacrifices everything to give his family and community what they need. He’s exhausted from life and work—and he’s only twenty four. What he needs is some change, and some sunshine. Even he will agree to that. He just doesn’t expect to find it in a stuck up, pompous, entitled Californian. 

Cami bursts into Stockton’s life like wildfire, consuming all his thoughts and tangling him in her web. What starts out as a contentious rivalry evolves into a desire neither of them expected. When hammer meets metal, will they crack under pressure or be forged as one?

Cami and Stockton might just end up being exactly what the other one needs, but first their love will have to be drawn out in fire.

You can put it on your 'to read' list on Goodreads here:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18106863-striking

So now the teaser from the perspective of Stockton Wright.  Today you can also get a teaser from Cami's perspective from www.rachelhigginson.com

"After a few minutes, a feeling of regret passed through me.  I couldn’t just let her suffer like that—as stupid as she looked, she’d never get those sheep to the next field—I had to help her.  Even though I loathed her manners and her snotty attitude, there were some things I had to admit.

                  She was so beautiful, I kept checking the horizon, making sure the sky hadn’t fallen in her presence.

                The words she spoke with such sticky sweet malice flowed from her mouth in a soothing stream of velvet, making me simultaneously irritated and desirous for more.  It yanked my chain like nothing else.

                And there was something endearing about the way she knew absolutely zilch about real life—apart from shopping and tanning—or whatever those girls did. 

                I couldn’t just sit there any longer.

                She looked like a cat-eyed marble rolling around in a tin can.

                I slammed the truck door shut, and through the window, grabbed a jean jacket from the behind the seat, and crossed the land in front of the house until I reached the fence that marked the field.  I opened it, taking a short inventory of the state of the gate—this one was still in good shape.  As I made my way over to her, I called each dog by name. Henry always named his dogs after cuts of lamb. As I passed, I halted only to wrap my jacket around her shoulders.               

                “Chop, Flank, Loin, Rib!” I called them from sitting sentry.  They already knew what to do; they were simply waiting to be beckoned.

                I opened up the opposite gate, the one leading to the next field and whistled for them to do their job.  After that, all you had to do was stand there and watch.  I could see her from the corner of my vision, standing in shock as the wool clad animals moved around her like a stream moves around a rock.  I sucked my cheeks in trying desperately not to smile at her.  She was pissed and defeated. 

                And then I felt like shit for humiliating her.

                And then I felt like a champion for saving her.

                And then I felt like a bastard for not helping her sooner.

                Jesus Christ, I had turned into some pre-pubescent woman—effing feelings and shit."

Expected Release Date: September 1, 2013

Deleted Scene from AnguiSH

Thank you so much for all the amazing reviews of AnguiSH!  I reached 60 reviews today, so as promised, here are two deleted scenes!

Scene1:

“No,” I’m not gonna do it and you can’t make me.” We stood outside the glass walled store at an impasse.

“Come on, I know you’re hungry and I also know they’re your favorite.” He snorted after he said it.

“Just pick a place and let’s eat.  No matter what I pick, you’re gonna turn it into something perverted.  I’m not stupid.”

“Never said you were.  And I’m not that bad.  You don’t give me enough credit.  Come on, pick a place and I will try not to say anything perverty.”

I scanned the food court. Candied Nuts?  No way.  Hot Dog On A Stick? Been the brunt of that joke one too many times.  Panda Express?  It wasn’t particularly dirty, but he always called it Panda Quickie.  I hadn’t been able to get pretzels in months since he called my cinnamon covered pretzels ‘sweet sticks’.  It shouldn’t be this difficult.  But I guessed that’s what happens when you’re in love with a man full of innuendos.

I spotted the Lebanese place and filmed the menu through my head and came up empty—then again I always came up empty—it never stopped him.

“Let’s go to the Lebanese place.  There’s no harm there.”

He raised his eyebrows but didn’t say anything but I could tell it was there, itching to get out.  I still didn’t see where Lebanese could be dirty.

We ate while he bounced his knee up and down.

“Just say it and get it over with.”

“No, I said I wouldn’t.”

“Breaker James, just say it so we can move on.”

“It’s just—you picked the worst place in the whole food court.”

“How?”

“Honey, they sell falafel balls and shaved meat.”

“I’m never eating at the food court again.”

Scene 2:

“I think we have a problem,” my father entered the dressing room and scared the life out of my friends.

“What?” This could not be happening.

“He won’t go to the altar.  You might need to go talk to him.”

“Ok,” I crossed the room, rules of grooms seeing their brides before the ceremony be damned.

I walked down the hall of the church and opened the door slowly, seeing a suit clad Breaker standing at the window.

“You’re not supposed to be in here.  I’m fine.  I told your dad I was fine.”

“How’d you know it was me?”

“Really, Ash?” He looked over his shoulder at me.

“Well, have you changed your mind?  We wouldn’t want this perfectly white dress to go to waste.”

“Ash, you know what I’m doing here?”

“Not a damned clue.”

“I’m just standing here for a moment before the biggest day of our lives and thanking—someone—for bringing you into my life.  Just smelling the roses, so to speak.  And you know what’s funny?”

“What?”

“I’m not nervous at all.  I don’t care if there are three people out there or three hundred—the only one that counts is you.  I just needed a minute.”

“I love you, Breaker.”

“I love you too Mrs. Collins.  Now, let’s get your gorgeous self and that perfect dress out there—make this all official.”

“You just want to get in my pants.”

“Well, there’s that too.”