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Brainstorming with my Editor
Reader response to my recent Regency romantic suspense release, A Code of Wonder, has been absolutely heartwarming. This story is part of the Snowed in with a Rogue multi-author Regency romance holiday anthology, which is now available.
“This is a great read with many twist and turns. Be sure and get your copy, something hot to drink and be ready not to move till finished.” – Nanna, Amazon
“It has a little suspense, a little humour, and an HEA.” – lq, Amazon
“…enjoy my favorite by Jacki Delecki where Eliza is fleeing her kidnappers. Nash comes to her rescue and plays the white Knight. This is is a fun and quick novella. It continues the Code Breakers it Jacki Delecki’s wonderful style and wit.” – Simatsu, Amazon
If you’d like a “behind the desk” peek at the writing process that led to the creation of this story, visit my editor Matrice Hussey’s blog and read Brainstorming with an author.
You can read A Code of Wonder and six other romantic stories for just $0.99.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA
Airport Pickup ~ Excerpt from 'Mission: Impossible to Wed'
“Why can’t the half-sister bring the dress? She isn’t an adult?”
Gabe recognized the misdirection. Gabe flashed on a memory of Tiffany’s younger sister, tall, thin, with big green eyes and red hair and very quiet when around Tiffany. But then no one got to talk when Tiffany was holding court.
“It’s more of a courtesy kind of thing. I guess its bulky and she has a lot of luggage. My brother asked since we’re both on the same fight.”
“What are you going to do now that your flight is cancelled? Not drive. You’ll need four-wheel drive to get over the mountain passes. The roads will be treacherous.”
“Man, what have you done with my kick-ass buddy? This wedding stuff is making you soft. Driving in a heated SUV versus horseback over mountain passes without being shot at by the Taliban sounds like a slam dunk.
“But smartass, you’ve never been in charge of a wedding dress.” Aiden chuckled and then in low rumble, said, “Later.”
Gabe stuck his phone back into his jean’s pocket, and he walked toward the main terminal. He searched for a kiosk since he was unfamiliar with Seattle’s airport. He needed a rental car, a haircut, and a shave in that order. And since he had at least two hours, he had time for mission prep. And plenty of time to think of a way to sabotage his brother’s wedding.
Mission: Impossible to Wed coming 10.22.19 as part of the 10-author holiday anthology Christmas at Mistletoe Lodge. You can preorder a copy for just 99¢.
Preorder for just 99¢
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You can download the Christmas at Mistletoe Lodge Cookbook for FREE!
Lancelot to the Rescue ~ Excerpt from 'A Code of Wonder'
Miss Elizabeth Louise Lyon, Eliza to her friends, needing a horse to escape, scanned the stable. A gigantic black stallion, standing at least sixteen hands, occupied the first stall—the obvious prize, flaunting his proud stance and giving an insolent flick of his magnificent tail.
She opened the gate to his stall and scrambled up the stacked hay bales to reach him. She didn’t have a lot of time to calm him if she were to make her getaway. Now that she had three men after her, her chance of evading capture had lessened.
She whispered to him, sensing his heroic but persnickety personality, before she swung her leg over his enormous back. The handsome fellow didn’t bolt but turned to stare at her. Whispering how beautiful and brave he was, she ran her hand along his silky, sleek neck.
He pawed at the ground, shook his head, and gave a loud snort. She felt his strong muscles ripple in defiance, but it was all for show. “You’re a sensitive and courageous fellow, and you’ll save me. Your name should be ‘Lancelot.'” Eliza swallowed the unexpected sob in her throat. Abbie, her older sister, always teased Eliza about her need to rename horses to suit their personalities.
This wasn’t the time to have a crying fit, despite her harrowing day. She had to warn Abbie of the danger. If she hadn’t worn Abbie’s cape for her imprudent ride this morning, none of this would be happening to her. But then her sister might have been kidnapped. Although, unlike her younger sister, Abbie wasn’t so headstrong or defiant that she’d risk riding alone.
“You have to help me. Evil men are after me. Not me, but my sister Abbie, whom I strongly resemble.” She hadn’t told the Frenchmen that she wasn’t Abbie. The fear that they might kill her and return to kidnap Abbie kept her silent.
“The only explanation must be for ransom from Abbie’s rich husband. Or could it be her secret work? Why else would wicked men want my sweet and studious sister?” She rubbed Lancelot’s thick, muscular neck, needing comfort from the gentle beast.
The family’s Irish stablemaster always said she had the “touch.” A high compliment that she held to her heart since her mother and her father always found her, their third daughter, wanting. As a gently bred lady, she was supposed to prefer the drawing room and sketching and sewing over spending her time in the stables filled with men and horses. She couldn’t think of her mother right now or how worried Abbie would be when she didn’t return.
She gripped Lancelot’s mane and squeezed her thighs and knees into his giant flank to back him out of the stall. “We must be off.”
A Code of Wonder premieres 10.07.19 as part of the multi-author Regency romance holiday anthology, Snowed in with a Rogue.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA
Too Hot to be a Hacker ~ Excerpt from 'Mission: Impossible to Love'
“You? A cracker?” Izzy covered her mouth. Did she just say that aloud? Okay, she was having a bit of trouble adjusting to the idea that Charles’s cousin or whatever wanted her for a government job—not for a prison sentence. Or maybe this was a trap to convict her?
Sten’s eyes and voice turned icy. “Why couldn’t I be a hacker?”
She shrugged her shoulders since it was too hard to raise her eyebrows. “You’re going to try to convince the seller that you hacked into a classified military program for a criminal organization or one of our country’s enemies? No one would believe it.”
The tense silence in the room reverberated against the glass walls. If that was physically possible.
PO’d alpha Man shifted his weight, leaning forward, closing the distance between them at the table. “And why is that?”
“Really, you need to ask?”
Reeves kicked her under the table. For some reason she couldn’t explain, she liked irritating Sten Jenkins with his dismissive attitude and cool control when she had none. “Because you’re not a chill stoner type. Nor do you have the angry edge of a rebel.” Izzy chose not to mention that his cover model face, his intense virile confidence, and his erect military posture shouted narc, not criminal.
“And you are?” His voice, laced with amusement, had Izzy edging closer to her adversary. Always underestimated by males because of her size and her age, Sten Jenkins had just thrown down the gauntlet.
“Let’s just say in the world of hackers, as a woman, I’m still unique.” She didn’t mention that gender disparity in pay and job advancement made her ripe for defying mainstream. “You’re not. And geeks who spend their entire lives in front of computers don’t have bodies that look like yours.” Izzy now wished she didn’t have the pale skin and freckles that went with her red hair. Because her skin was burning hot—like the color of a stop sign. OMG! Why was she commenting on Sten Jenkins’s body, and in front of Richard Dean?
Reeves was nodding in agreement. “It’s true, Sten. You have the whole military mojo going.”
Mr. Dean cleared his throat. “Well, I’m glad we have that clarified. Sten is going undercover as your bodyguard, Izzy, It will be the perfect cover. Sten will be running the mission but will also act as your bodyguard and accompany you when you hopefully do the buy. You might not know it, but Sten has skills in international cybercrime besides his military skills.”
Izzy didn’t like the way Sten’s full lips lifted into a smirk.
Want to read more? Get your copy of Mission: Impossible to Love.
Just Pretend ~ Excerpt from 'Mission: Impossible to Resist'
Aiden paused in front of one of her favorite French cafés. “Now we’re close to the Market, we’re going to pretend we’re a couple off the cruise ship. Nothing overly embarrassing, but I’ll get up close and cozy. Are you okay with that? You understand the reason for the PDA, right?”
Jordan refused to be cast into the role of a helpless woman. Not that she wouldn’t follow Aiden’s directions, but she was capable of taking care of herself. Uncle Harry had taught her well. “Sure, as long as you don’t take the role of Iowa farm boy too far. And I guess I’ll be doing some PDA myself. You okay with that?”
He flashed his boyish grin, and for a moment her heart went on a ride of its own, with dips, turns, and curves.
“Okay, Buttercup, let’s go get some lunch. Make your old man happy.”
She giggled, and then immediately felt bad for enjoying their silly game when Sophie was frightened and all alone. She gave herself a mental shake. Compartmentalize. Focus on each move. If she thought about Sophie alone and afraid, she couldn’t function. And Sophie needed her to come to the rescue, like she always did and always would.
Want to read more? Get your copy of Mission: Impossible to Resist
